Real Madrid recorded an easy win at home against Eibar to shorten Barcelona’s lead at the top of the La Liga to 2 points, after the Catalans drew away to Sevilla. PSG thumped Bastia 4-0 to clinch the French League Cup with Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Edinson Cavani scoring two apiece.
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In a relatively easy encounter for Real Madrid, Cristiano Ronaldo scored a free-kick – his first in over a year – to open the scoring. The Portuguese winger dipped his shot over the wall and ‘keeper Xabier Irureta made a mess of his save to end the Ballon d’Or winner’s drought, who also won his appeal after he was wrongly yellow-carded for diving in the previous game. Loanee Javier Hernandez was given a rare start and made the most of it when he clinically headed in Alvaro Arbeloa’s cross. Eibar failed to threaten the Madrid defence and after a slow beginning to the second half, Jese made it 3-0 in the 83rd minute driving in a shot past Irureta.
ImageCourtesy: Victor Carretero
Barcelona began brilliantly in Seville and in the 14th minute Messi curled the ball past the Sevilla defence to score in typical fashion. Neymar who hadn’t scored in seven La Liga games ended his drought with mesmerizing free-kick into the top-corner leaving goalkeeper Rico Gonzalez stupefied. In the 38th minute, Sevilla reduced the deficit when Claudio Bravo made a meal of an easy long-distance shot by Ever Banega and managed to only punch the ball into the net. Barcelona will rue two missed chances by Suarez as Kevin Gameiro equalized in the 84th minute tucking in after a perfect cross by Aleix Vidal. This draw leaves Barcelona only two points above Real and another slip may alter the fate of both sides.
ImageCourtesy: Dennis Doyle
Paris Saint-Germain were at their best at the Stade de France with both their star strikers making merry against 10-man Bastia. Former Arsenal man Sebastian Squillaci was sent off only 20 minutes into the tie after he felled Ezequiel Lavezzi in the box and Ibrahimovic smashed in the resulting penalty to make it 1-0 for the capital side. The Swede, who is facing a 4-match Ligue 1 ban for his foul-mouthed outburst after a loss against Bordeaux, scored his second after a poor headed clearance fell right into his path and he struck the fiercely into the bottom left corner. There was no way back for Bastia and although Areola made some crucial saves, he was powerless when Edinson Cavani scored a glorious header after Serge Aurier’s cross. The Uruguayan compounded Bastia’s misery in the 92nd minute, when he confidently struck the ball into the right bottom corner.
In the English Premier League, Tottenham slumped at home against Aston Villa as Tim Sherwood returned to his former club to win 1-0, with Benteke scoring the lone goal. Arsenal recorded their eight consecutive win and Aaron Ramsey’s early goal was enough to see Arsene Wenger’s men through against Burnley.
Tags: Barcelona Coupe de la Liga Eibar PSG Real Madrid Sevilla
