Barcelona are within touching distance of their
first league title in six years after a storming 2-0 victory over last
season's champions Valencia at the Mestalla on Sunday.
A stunning 20-metre drive from Ronaldinho and a cool finish from
leading scorer Samuel Eto'o two minutes later secured the win that puts
Barca six points clear of Real Madrid at the top of the table with just
three games left to play.
A victory at struggling Levante next week would guarantee the Catalans
a 17th league championship since they also have the advantage of a better
record in head-to-head clashes with Real.
Barca lead the standings on 81 points while Real, who crushed Racing
Santander 5-0 on Saturday but look to be heading for a second successive
season without a major trophy, have 75.
Sevilla stay a distant third on 58 points despite their 1-0 defeat at
city rivals Real Betis on Saturday while Villarreal are level on points in
fourth after a 2-0 win at Malaga.
NUMANCIA RELEGATED
Espanyol moved up to fifth on 56 points and condemned opponents
Numancia to relegation with a 3-0 win at Montjuic.
The result left the Sorians, who have only ever spent three seasons in
the top flight, anchored to the bottom with 24 points, 11 adrift of
safety.
Albacete boosted their faint hopes of avoiding the drop when they ended
an eight-match losing run with a 3-1 victory at home to fellow strugglers
Levante, who sacked coach Bernd Schuster after last week's 1-0 defeat by
visitors Malaga.
They are now eight points behind Levante, who occupy the last place
above the drop zone with nine points to play for.
Valencia, who needed to beat Barca to join the race for the Champions
League places, looked as though they might prove to be awkward opponents
for the league leaders in the opening minutes.
Argentine playmaker Pablo Aimar created early problems for the
visitors' defence with his twisting runs from midfield and Brazilian
defender Fabio Aurelio shaved the post with a curling free kick.
DEVASTATING STRIKES
But Barca saw off their opponents with two devastating strikes from
Ronaldinho and Eto'o in the space of two minutes.
World Player of the Year Ronaldinho grabbed the first when he sent a
20-metre rocket-shot fizzing into the top corner after fellow Brazilian
Juliano Belletti had clipped
the ball across the area from the right.
Valencia were still reeling from the blow when Eto'o hit them with a
second goal.
Racing on to a delicate through pass from Ronaldinho, the African
Player of the Year cut inside Fabio Aurelio and steered the ball past
goalkeeper Andres Palop into the far corner for his 23rd goal of the
season.
Frank Rijkaard's side could have stretched their lead before the break
but Palop did well to stop another Ronaldinho shot and French midfielder
Ludovic Giuly wasted a chance when he sliced wide of the post after Eto'o
had stormed into the area.
Barca remained firmly in control in the second half and went close to
scoring a third during a goalmouth scramble, but neither
Giovanni van Bronckhorst nor Giuly could finish off after Ronaldinho had
skipped his way into the area.
Their task was made even easier 10 minutes later
when Valencia defender Carlos Marchena was sent off for a wayward challenge on midfielder Deco.
(Agencies)
Updated: 2005-05-09 14:13
