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Real batters Celta Vigo to pulp to consolidate lead
Madrid, Mar 02: Real Madrid practically wrapped up their 30th Spanish League title with a 4-2 hammering of crisis club Celta Vigo.
Madrid, Mar 02: Real Madrid practically wrapped up their 30th Spanish League title with a 4-2 hammering of crisis club Celta Vigo.
The come-from-behind win, coupled with defeats for Valencia and Deportivo Coruna, left Real well set up to cruise toward the finish line.
The whites are now eight points above Valencia - who lost 2-1 away to Espanyol - and nine ahead of Depor, who crashed 3-2 at home to revitalized Barcelona.
As usual, Real made a relaxed start, allowing Celta newcomer Sasha Ilic to open the scoring in the 17th minute after failing to clear a corner.
The ''Galacticos'' did not pull level until the 54th minute, when Ronaldo finished off a clever move from close range. Just five minutes later, Zinedine Zidane made it 2-1 with a powerful header.
Luis Figo sealed the win with a classy third goal down the right, pulling apart the feeble Celta defence once again. Savo Milosevic pulled back a late goal for Celta, only for Zidane to make it 4-2 right at the end.
Their latest defeat left Celta third from bottom and in massive trouble.
''I'm really disappointed'', confessed Celta coach Radomir Antic afterward. ''We should have finished them off when were in the lead. We had good chances to do so.''
Valencia, meanwhile, were saying goodbye to their title challenge by crashing against Espanyol.
For the first time ever, the Montjuic Olympic pitch was covered in snow. A white ball, however, had to be used, as the orange one clashed with the flamboyant Valencia away kit.
The hosts won thanks to two sharp goals from Raul Tamudo, both set up by the elegant Ivan De La Pena. Mista Ferrer pulled back a late goal for Valencia, but they had run out of time.
Bureau Report
The come-from-behind win, coupled with defeats for Valencia and Deportivo Coruna, left Real well set up to cruise toward the finish line.
The whites are now eight points above Valencia - who lost 2-1 away to Espanyol - and nine ahead of Depor, who crashed 3-2 at home to revitalized Barcelona.
As usual, Real made a relaxed start, allowing Celta newcomer Sasha Ilic to open the scoring in the 17th minute after failing to clear a corner.
The ''Galacticos'' did not pull level until the 54th minute, when Ronaldo finished off a clever move from close range. Just five minutes later, Zinedine Zidane made it 2-1 with a powerful header.
Luis Figo sealed the win with a classy third goal down the right, pulling apart the feeble Celta defence once again. Savo Milosevic pulled back a late goal for Celta, only for Zidane to make it 4-2 right at the end.
Their latest defeat left Celta third from bottom and in massive trouble.
''I'm really disappointed'', confessed Celta coach Radomir Antic afterward. ''We should have finished them off when were in the lead. We had good chances to do so.''
Valencia, meanwhile, were saying goodbye to their title challenge by crashing against Espanyol.
For the first time ever, the Montjuic Olympic pitch was covered in snow. A white ball, however, had to be used, as the orange one clashed with the flamboyant Valencia away kit.
The hosts won thanks to two sharp goals from Raul Tamudo, both set up by the elegant Ivan De La Pena. Mista Ferrer pulled back a late goal for Valencia, but they had run out of time.
Bureau Report