Real Madrid 99% Champions

Real Madrid moved a step closer to clinching the Primera Liga crown on Sunday, but it was not

such a good day for Levante, which saw its relegation from the top flight confirmed. Javier

Saviola opened the scoring for Madrid as the defending champions defeated Athletic Bilbao, 3-0,

at the Bernabeu, following up after Armando Ribeiro had parried Robinho’s shot.

Joseba Garmendia had a golden chance to restore parity nine minutes from halftime but his

spot-kick was brilliantly saved by the outstanding Iker Casillas.

Arjen Robben and Gonzalo Higuain were introduced in the 72nd minute and it proved a

masterstroke from Bernd Schuster as both found themselves on the scoresheet within four

minutes to make the points safe.

The result leaves Madrid 10 points clear of second-placed Villarreal with four games remaining.

Madrid headed into the match knowing they could not mathematically secure the crown on

Sunday due to Villarreal’s earlier 1-0 win at Real Betis.

A wonder goal from Marcos Senna ensured the title race will last one more week at least. Senna

struck from just inside the Betis half with a superb lob and that was all it took for the Yellow

Submarine to take all three points in Seville.

Barcelona’s already faint title hopes were all but ended on Saturday after they crashed to a

deserved 2-0 defeat at in-form Deportivo La Coruna. Juan Rodriguez and Pablo Amo struck

Depor’s goals in the second half as the Galician side made it 10 wins in their last 14 matches.

At the other end of the table, calling off a threatened strike in order to play did nothing to save

Levante from relegation as they suffered a 2-0 defeat to Recreativo Huelva.

Levante’s players thrashed out a deal on Friday night to receive a portion of their pay and avert

a cancellation and automatic 3-0 loss, but it made little difference as they succumbed to goals

from Erson Martin and Javier Camunas.

The result condemns Levante to the drop, while giving Recre renewed hope in their battle to

avoid a similar fate. New Valencia coach Salvador Gonzalez Marco ‘Voro’ got off to the perfect

start as his side comfortably beat 10-man Osasuna 3-0 in his first game in charge.

The game turned on its head in the 17th minute when Osasuna goalkeeper Ricardo was

dismissed for a professional foul on David Villa, conceding a penalty in the process which Villa

duly slotted home.

With a numerical disadvantage Osasuna never really troubled their fellow Primera Liga strugglers

and any real hope of nicking a vital point evaporated when Juan Mata doubled Valencia’s tally

early in the second half.

Joaquin added a third with eight minutes remaining to put the icing on the cake and restore some

much-needed confidence to Valencia after their 5-1 humbling at Athletic Bilbao last week. That

result - Los Che’s fourth league defeat on the trot - spelled the end for former coach Ronald

Koeman.

Racing Santander missed the opportunity to move into a Champions League place as they

crashed to a 3-1 defeat at Real Mallorca. Marcelino Garcia Toral’s team have enjoyed a

memorable season thus far, however their hopes of playing in Europe’s elite competition for the

first time have suffered after three defeats from their past four games.

Their hopes of arresting that run were undermined by a Jose Nunes header in first-half stoppage

time and the game looked safely in Mallorca’s possession when Oscar Trejo doubled their

advantage eight minutes from time.

However, a Aldo Duscher penalty five minutes later revived the visitors’ hopes only for top scorer

Daniel Guiza to end them again a minute from time. Despite the defeat Santander did not lose too

much ground on fourth-placed Atletico Madrid, who could only draw 1-1 at out-of-sorts neighbors

Getafe.

Juan Albin had given hosts Getafe a 13th-minute lead but Atletico star Sergio Aguero drew the

visitors level just before half-time at the Coliseum Alfonso Perez. Atletico will be slightly relieved

to have escaped even with a point though, as Getafe midfielder Ruben De la Red missed an

82nd-minute penalty that could have sentenced Javier Aguirre’s side to defeat.

Real Zaragoza are back in the drop zone despite securing a 1-1 draw at Espanyol thanks to

Ricardo Oliveira’s last-gasp penalty. Albert Riera gave the home side the lead shortly before the

hour mark and it looked like they had clinched all three points until Zaragoza were awarded a

spot-kick six minutes from time and Oliveira duly converted to steal a share of the spoils.

The result has done neither side any favors as Espanyol’s hopes of reaching Europe grow ever

fainter - although they are still only five points off sixth-placed Sevilla, who drew 0-0 at Real

Murcia on Saturday.

Real Valladolid boosted their chances of survival with a 1-0 home win over Almeria. Jonathan

Sesma struck a crucial last-minute winner after visiting goalkeeper Diego Alves had earlier saved

a Victor Fernandez penalty.(source: yahoo/ap)