Football News | Football Gossips | Football Transfers | Football Saga | Football Rumours: 10/01/2009

Bordeaux climb to the top

Ligue 1 champions and leaders Bordeaux strengthened their grip on this season's title with a 1-0 home win over Monaco, who had gone into the game in second place.

Laurent Blanc's side dominated the visitors with barely anything coming from the other direction but only Marc Planus' second-half strike separated the teams in the end.

Bafetimbi Gomis' late strike against his former club gave Lyon bragging rights again as they defeated derby rivals St Etienne.

The result saw Lyon climb to second in Ligue 1, two points behind leaders Bordeaux, while St Etienne remain in trouble and still looking for their first derby victory in 15 years.

The 10 men of Nancy snatched a late winner to beat Boulogne and edge closer to the European places.

Nancy took the lead through Issiar Dia but were quickly pegged back by Alexandre Cuvillier.

The game looked to be heading for a draw as Nancy, were reduced to 10 men with the loss of Jordan Loties with 13 minutes to go, but Youssouf Hadji nodded in the winner with seven minutes left.

Auxerre moved level on points with fourth-placed Montpellier after a 2-1 win over their rivals.

A first-half brace from Ireneusz Jelen put the hosts in control and their position was further strengthened when Montpellier's Alberto Costa was sent off in the 74th minute.

The visitors still managed to snatch a last-gasp goal from Nenad Dzodic.

Lille saw off 10-man Grenoble 2-0. Yohan Cabaye opened the scoring before the hosts had David Jemmali sent off and, after Grenoble had hit the woodwork, Gervinho's late solo goal made victory secure.

Lens were indebted to a second-half goal from Eduardo Dos Santos as they earned draw against Lorient after dominating most of the game.

Lens were nearly made to pay for their poor finishing as Franco Sosa had opened the scoring four minutes before half-time.

Toulouse overcame the early dismissal of goalkeeper Yohann Pele to earn a superb 1-1 draw against Marseille at the Stade Velodrome.

Moussa Sissoko's free-kick gave Toulouse the lead but Brandao levelled in the second half.

Pele was given his marching orders after surging out of his penalty area to bring down Mamadou Niang, with Paulo Machado sacrificed for the introduction of substitute custodian Olivier Blondel.

Eredivisie leaders FC Twente wrapped up their 10th win of the season with a 2-1 victory over Roda JC.

Two goals in the space of seven first-half minutes from Bryan Ruiz and Miroslav Stoch put the visitors in control, but they had to endure a nervy finish after Jeanvion Yulu-Matondo put the hosts back in it 11 minutes after the break.

Balazs Dzsudzsak's fifth league goal of the season settled a low-key encounter at Phillips Stadion as PSV beat Vitesse 1-0.

The Hungary international pounced on defensive uncertainty to slot the ball past keeper Piet Velthuizen in the second half.

Champions AZ Alkmaar's struggles continued as they needed a late goal from Jeremain Lens to see off lowly FC Groningen 1-0.

AZ went into the match having won only one of their last six league games while Groningen were fresh from a 5-1 cup thrashing of Vitesse Arnhem in midweek.

With only five minutes of play remaining, Frederik Stenman fouled Stijn Schaars in the right channel and his free-kick was headed in from close range by Lens.

Heerenveen gave themselves a much-needed boost with a comfortable 3-0 home win over 10-man ADO Den Haag.

Roy Beerens' first-half opener gave the home side the lead before Pascal Bosschaart was sent off before half-time, and Michal Papadopulos' second-half brace secured the win.

NAC Breda finished with nine men but took a hard-earned Eredivisie point from their meeting with VVV Venlo after a 1-1 draw on Friday night.

Things were looking ominous when Robbert Schilder was sent off after just 17 minutes, and Frank van Kouwen put VVV ahead seven minutes before the break.

But despite being down a man for so long, NAC kept fighting and got on level terms through Santiago Leonardo in the 68th minute.

Tim Gilissen became the second NAC man to see red seven minutes from full time, but the visitors hung on to earn a point.

Juventus goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon feels he is in the form of his career.

Buffon has drawn media praise for his performances this season and his form was highlighted when he was the only Italian player shortlisted for FIFA's World Player of the Year award.

"There are always periods in which you feel unbeatable and others in which you are less so," Buffon told Sky Sport 24 ahead of Saturday's Serie A clash with Napoli.

"This is certainly one of the best moments in my career, also thanks to the motivation I derived from criticism, sometimes unjustified, which I received last year."

The rest of the Juve team have not always matched his performances so far this term but hit their stride in style on Wednesday when they beat Sampdoria 5-1 to leapfrog their opponents into second place in the table.

Before the match, the Juve team had spoken of needing a spark to ignite their season.

"It was more like a nuclear explosion rather than a spark," said Buffon.

"Nobody expected such a performance, but on the other hand the qualities of the players were those we saw and we were hoping we would manage to show them.

"In big matches, like Roma and Lazio and now Sampdoria we always manage to do this.

"The fact is that there aren't many matches of this level in the championship and in the others we must not lose points with which we can fight for important objectives."

Coach Ciro Ferrara is hoping that performance has set the standard for the rest of his side's season.

"This should be the charge that launches us," he told www.juventus.com. "It is true we came from a series of negative results and this conditioned us but we showed that we can come back and now we have to maintain this."

Facing Napoli will be a big occasion for Ferrara as it throws together the two clubs between which he split his entire playing career.

And he will know his charges will have to maintain their level against the side that launched his career.

The Partenopei have blown hot and cold this season but showed immense spirit to fight back against AC Milan on Wednesday.

The Rossoneri were 2-0 up after 89 minutes but a volley from Luca Cigarini and German Denis' header deep into stoppage time earned the hosts an unlikely point.

Both goalscorers were substitutes on the night, leaving coach Walter Mazzarri with some interesting decisions for tomorrow's game.

Dernis said: "We reacted really well and we never gave up hope.

"I am happy with my goal but more so with the fact that the team is playing well.

"The important thing is to continue on this path."

Saturday may see the return of Juventus captain Alessandro Del Piero, who is back in training after a muscular injury.

Defender Martin Caceres broke his nose in training on Tuesday and has since had surgery so will miss out, but could be fit for the midweek Champions League game against Maccabi Haifa.

For Napoli Juan Camilo Zuniga, a reported Juve target, and Fabiano Santacroce trained today but are not expected to play.

The match could also see the Cannovaro brothers - Juve's Fabio and Paolo of Napoli - play against each other.

Roma midfielder Simone Perrotta has signed a new contract which will keep him at the Serie A club until 2011.

The Italy international has penned a one-year contract extension with his previous deal ending next summer.

A statement from the club read: "AS Roma and Simone Perrotta have reached an agreement to extend the player's contract until June 30, 2011.

"The player will receive 3.1million euros for the 2010-11 campaign, besides the extras upon reaching the aims fixed for that season."

The 32-year-old, who has been a key player for the Giallorossi since arriving at the Stadio Olimpico in 2004 from Chievo, had recently been linked with a move to Zenit St Petersburg.

Roma also confirmed David Pizarro will remain at the club until June 2013.

The Chilean midfielder, another reported target of Zenit, would have become a free agent in the summer.

Cristiano Ronaldo believes his former Manchester United team-mate Wayne Rooney should follow him to Real Madrid.

Ronaldo left Old Trafford in the summer for a record £80million fee to complete a dream move to the Spanish giants.

The Portuguese winger immediately impressed with Madrid scoring nine goals in seven games before suffering an ankle injury which has kept him on the sidelines for the past month.

And while he admits Rooney is unlikely to leave England any time soon, Ronaldo believes the 24-year-old would fit in at the Bernabeu.

"Wayne would be a sensation out here. I think we could do with Rooney to help us out," Ronaldo told The Sun.

"He would be brilliant if he came. This is the ideal place for the world's best players and there's little doubt he is one of them.

"Wayne has all the skill and determination you need to make a fine career here.

"He has shown just how good he is over the last few years in England.

"And there's no doubt he would be the same sort of player in Spain. It would be lovely to see him here one day at Real Madrid.

"I realise it would take a lot for him to move from England.

"He loves the country, he loves Manchester and he is a Liverpool boy. And United is a good club for him. But you never know what could happen in the future."

Barcelona have confirmed captain Carles Puyol has signed a three-year extension to his current contract, keeping him at the Nou Camp until 2013.

The club announced last week they had reached an agreement in principle with Puyol, whose current deal was set to expire next summer.

Puyol came through the ranks at the Catalan giants and has been a mainstay of the back four since making his debut in 1999.

A club statement, on www.fcbarcelona.cat, read: "A week after the announcement of Carles Puyol's renewal, the Barca captain signed his new contract.

"It was 14:23hrs when the Catalan defender signed, in the club offices, the contract which ties him to FC Barcelona until 2013.

"The release clause of this new contract has been fixed at 10million euros."

Puyol has won 10 trophies with Barca including two Champions Leagues, three league titles and one Copa del Rey, while he also helped Spain to win Euro 2008.

The 31-year-old has made over 450 appearances for his club, putting him in fourth place in the all-time appearance charts, and is delighted to have penned a new deal.

"I am very happy for the confidence the club, the coach and my team-mates have put in me," Puyol told Barca TV.

"The fans also played a key part in my decision to stay as they constantly show me their support, as much in the good moments as in the bad.

"I know that it is not like here anywhere else."

Barca have been working hard to tie their treble winners to long-term deals.

They have already improved the contracts of Lionel Messi, Victor Valdes and Xavi while talks are ongoing with Andres Iniesta, Rafael Marquez and coach Pep Guardiola.

Liverpool midfielder Javier Mascherano has denied suggestions his form has been affected by transfer rumours linking him with Barcelona.

Mascherano was linked with a move to the Nou Camp in the summer with Pep Guardiola a big admirer of the player.

The Argentina international concedes he has not been at the top of his game so far this season, but he is adamant it has nothing to do with rumours over his future.

"Everyone knows Barcelona were interested in me but that's in the past now," said Mascherano.

"Liverpool said no and that's the end of it. Some might say I haven't been playing well because Barcelona tried to buy me.

"I agree I haven't been at my best but it's not because of that. I just haven't started the season well."

Tottenham striker Roman Pavlyuchenko's performances on the pitch are being affected by "psychological problems", his agent has claimed.

The Russia forward failed to impress in the 2-0 Carling Cup win over Everton on Tuesday having been handed a rare start.

Agent Oleg Artemov said in the Sun: "His poor performance recently is not due to a lack of match practice but psychological problems.

"Of course, not getting into the starting line-up, sitting on the bench is not good for any player.

"But Roman is much more affected by the feeling that the manager doesn't trust him and prefers to use other forwards."

Pavlyuchenko, who was brought to White Hart Lane by former manager Juande Ramos, is competing with Jermain Defoe, Robbie Keane and Peter Crouch for a place in the Spurs attack.

And Artemov hinted he may have to leave the club in search of more regular first-team football to avoid harming his international chances ahead of next summer's World Cup in South Africa.

He added: "The World Cup is next summer, to waste another half a year on the bench may be very bad for his international career."

Teenager Fran Merida netted his first Arsenal goal as Arsene Wenger's young Gunners beat Liverpool 2-1 to reach the quarter-finals of the Carling Cup.

Just back from the Under-20 World Cup with Spain, the 19-year-old former Barcelona trainee drilled in a fine first-half strike as Wenger's faith in youth was once again justified.

Nicklas Bendtner, himself only 21 but now a regular in the side, produced a powerful finish after 50 minutes to put Arsenal into the last eight after Emiliano Insua had equalised with another scorching shot.

Chelsea cruised into the quarter-finals with an easy 4-0 fourth-round victory over Bolton at Stamford Bridge.

First-half goals from Salomon Kalou and Florent Malouda put the home side in command before Deco and substitute Didier Drogba finished off Gary Megson's side after the break.

Bolton wasted a couple of chances to reduce the arrears but Chelsea were always in control despite the loss of goalkeeper Hilario through injury in the first half.

The win maintained Chelsea's 100% home record under new coach Carlo Ancelotti and even without the likes of rested captain John Terry and his England team-mate Frank Lampard, the Blues continue to look invincible at home.

Manchester City cruised into the Carling Cup quarter-finals, brushing aside a brave but outclassed Scunthorpe 5-1.

The Championship side had tried their best at Eastlands in this fourth-round tie, and at one stage produced a fine first-half equaliser from Jonathan Forte after Stephen Ireland had given City an early lead.

But City were ahead by the break through Roque Santa Cruz, and second-half goals from Joleon Lescott, Carlos Tevez and Michael Johnson set the seal on a commanding performance.

Juventus close gap on Inter Milan

Juventus moved within a point of Serie A leaders Inter Milan as they hammered Sampdoria 5-1 this evening to leapfrog their opponents into second.

Goals from Amauri (26) and Giorgio Chiellini (42) gave Juve a two-goal cushion at half-time and they extended that when Mauro Camoranesi struck five minutes after the break.

Amauri grabbed his second after 62 minutes and, though Giampaolo Pazzini pulled one back a minute later, substitute David Trezeguet completed the rout two minutes from time.

Inter face Palermo on Thursday night, when they can extend their lead to four points.

AC Milan threw away a two-goal lead in the dying moments at the Stadio San Paolo as battling Napoli earned a 2-2 draw.

The Rossoneri appeared to be cruising to victory when goals from Filipo Inzaghi and Alexandre Pato put the 2-0 up inside the first five minutes - and Ignazio Abate's dismissal four minutes from time appeared to be academic.

But Luca Cigarini netted a stunning volley in the last minute and fellow substitute German Denis headed his side level three minutes into stoppage time.

That allowed Parma to take Milan's place in fourth courtesy of a 2-0 win over Bari.

Substitute Valeri Bojinov (58) and Alberto Paloschi (66) got the goals.

A second-half goal from Alessandro Matri saw Serie A strugglers Lazio slump to yet another defeat at the hands of a resurgent Cagliari side tonight.

Matri toe-poked the ball home in the 50th minute for the only goal of the game after Lazio goalkeeper Fernando Muslera had fumbled a free-kick from Daniele Conti.

Genoa beat Fiorentina 2-1 to overtake their opponents and jump into sixth place.

Raffaele Palladino put the hosts ahead two minutes before the break, but the crucial goal came from Giandomenico Mesto (73) 10 minutes after Marco Marchionni had levelled.

Udinese dug deep to ease the pressure on coach Pasquale Marino with a 2-1 win which heaped misery on Roma boss Claudio Ranieri.

This crunch fixture of two sides struggling in the bottom half of the table was eventually settled when Antonio Floro Flores poked home his second of the night six minutes from time.

That was despite Udinese having gone down to 10 men moments earlier with the dismissal of Dusan Basta.

That, however, only levelled up the numbers with Roma having had Rodrigo Taddei sent off early in the second half.

Flores gave Udinese the lead after 21 minutes, but Daniele De Rossi cancelled that out three minutes before half-time.

Chievo won 2-1 at struggling Catania thanks to goals from Andrea Mantovani (31) and Michele Marcolini (70).

Giuseppe Mascara levelled from the penalty spot three minutes before the break but Takayuki Morimoto's dismissal after 81 minutes hamstrung Catania's attempts to equalise a second time.

Elsewhere, Leonardo Miglionico's 67th-minute strike gave Livorno a 1-0 win over Atalanta, while goals from Adailton (16) and

Pablo Daniel Osvaldo (59) saw Bologna claim a 2-1 win over Siena, for whom Emanuele Calaio grabbed a late consolation.

AC Milan threw away a two-goal lead in the dying moments at the Stadio San Paolo as battling Napoli earned a 2-2 draw.

But Luca Cigarini netted a stunning volley in the last minute and fellow substitute German Denis headed his side level three minutes into stoppage time.

The opening stages were all about Inzaghi, as he grabbed his first league goal of the season and created another.

In just the second minute, a beautifully-weighted pass through the Napoli defence from Clarence Seedorf found Inzaghi, who allowed the ball to bounce before volleying past Morgan De Sanctis left footed.

And three minutes later Napoli were two down as they paid the price for defending high up the pitch.

A long ball was headed on by Inzaghi and Pato ran the length of Napoli half before coolly finishing from the edge of the area.

Ronaldinho almost capitalised on a Gianluca Grava error after 10 minutes. The Brazilian snatched the ball on the left, cut inside but then seemed to be unsure whether to cross or shoot, allowing De Sanctis to save.

Marek Hamsik shot wide from range and, after 15 minutes, forced Nelson Dida into his first save of the match, diving at his near post to turn behind an effort from the Slovakian.

On the half-hour mark, Leandro Rinaudo was left unmarked at the far post but he headed Walter Gargano's floated free-kick over the bar, while Hamsik's shot from the right side of the penalty area three minutes before the break hit the side netting.

Two minutes after the break, Ezequiel Lavezzi shot from the edge of the area. Dida blocked and the ball fell at the feet of Christian Maggio, but Dida got a hand to his effort to push it out for a corner.

A minute later, Lavezzi's snapshot volley went narrowly over after Abate's weak defensive header went straight to him.

Just before the hour mark, Abate's excellent tackle on Walter Gargano sparked chaos in the Milan box.

The ball broke again to Gargano, but he could not convert, before chances for Fabio Quagliarella and Hamsik also went begging as somehow Dida kept the ball out.

Inzaghi was marginally, but correctly, adjudged offside when he had the ball in the net after 62 minutes, but he should have done better three minutes later when he was played through by Massimo Ambrosini and sliced his effort over the bar.

Four minutes from time Abate was dismissed after picking up a second yellow for a scything challenge on Gargano.

Seedorf's defensive header in the final minute of regular time went straight to Cigarini whose volley from 20 yards nestled in the corner.

And three minutes into stoppage time Napoli sealed an unlikely point as Cristian Maggio crossed for Denis, who beat Thiago Silva to the ball and crashed his header home.

Juventus ran out comprehensive 5-1 winners against Sampdoria to take second place from their opponents in the Serie A table.

Goals from Amauri (two), Giorgio Chiellini, Mauro Camoranesi and David Trezeguet ensured a one-sided scoreline at the Stadio Grande Torino.

Giampaolo Pazzini scored Samp's consolation with the Blucherchiati slipping to third, one point behind Juve and two shy of leaders Inter Milan, who take on Palermo on Thursday.

This was an eagerly-anticipated match between two sides perched in the top three following promising starts to the season.

Samp coach Luigi Del Neri described the contest as the first true test for his players, who had surprised many with their flying start of six wins in nine Serie A games heading into the clash.

Juve were also riding high with five wins, but suffered a setback this week with the news striker Vincenzo Iaquinta would be sidelined for around five weeks after undergoing knee surgery.

Despite his absence, the Bianconeri dominated from the start and could have taken the lead after 10 minutes.

Fabio Grosso's shot was parried by Samp goalkeeper Luca Castellazzi with Diego latching onto the rebound, only for his follow-up to be deflected narrowly wide.

Castellazzi was called upon again moments later to make a great reflex save from Chiellini's header.

Ciro Ferrara's men continued to rule the roost and Amauri was the next player to threaten with a 14-yard drive which was swept off the line by Stefano Lucchini.

The opening goal soon followed with 27 minutes on the clock. The Samp defence fell asleep during a corner from Sebastian Giovinco allowing Amauri an easy tap-in.

Samp looked a far cry from the side which had lost just once in the league coming into this clash, and their confidence took a further knock two minutes before the interval when Chiellini made it 2-0, slotting home a cross from Amauri.

A third goal arrived five minutes after the restart with Diego and Giovinco linking up on the left wing before the latter supplied a cross to the far post for Camoranesi to turn in.

Samp coach Del Neri could only look on bewildered as his players conceded another goal in the 63rd minute.

Camoranesi's cross from the right was again missed by the visiting defence and Amauri rose to head past Castellazzi.

The Blucherchiati at least managed to muster an attack two minutes later, one which paid off as Pazzini nodded home a perfect cross from Antonio Cassano.

But the match was already beyond them and Juve had time for one more goal as the clock ticked down.

Trezeguet added his name to the scoresheet two minutes from time with Grosso pumping in the cross which the Frenchman met in the six-yard box with another header.

Genoa returned to winning ways at the expense of Fiorentina, winning an action-packed encounter 2-1 at the Stadio Luigi Ferraris

Raffaele Palladino put the home side ahead two minutes before the interval, but Marco Marchionni equalised in the 63rd minute.

Giandomenico Mesto then grabbed the winner 10 minutes later, although Genoa had to defend desperately for their first win in four attempts.

There was a lively opening to the game with Fiorentina immediately on the attack, looking to exploit the adventurous tactics employed by Cesare Prandelli.

He played Adrian Mutu, Alberto Gilardino and Stevan Jovetic together for the first time this season and the early signs were promising.

But the first real chance of the game came at the other end where Giuseppe Sculli flicked Palladino's cross just wide of the far post in the seventh minute.

Riccardo Montolivo had Fiorentina's first big chance moments later when he had only Marco Amelia to beat, but the Genoa goalkeeper made a save with the ball looping into the air for Montolivo, who claimed he had been pushed in the back by Salvatore Bocchetti as he leapt for the rebound.

Genoa, who appeared to have one fewer player on the field such was Fiorentina's early territorial dominance, began to fight their way back into the game with Sculli coming close in the 35th minute.

Gilardino probably should have put the Viola ahead in the 37th minute when he was given a free header from just six yards, but he placed the ball straight into the hands of a grateful Amelia.

Sebastien Frey had to make his first save in the 39th minute when he denied Palladino with his legs after a well-worked free-kick.

Frey then denied Crespo and Francesco Modesto as Genoa increased the pressure, culminating in the opening goal in the 43rd minute.

Sculli lifted the ball into the penalty area where Palladino, who timed his run to perfection to beat the offside trap, exquisitely backheeled the ball past Frey from eight yards.

Fiorentina ended the half demanding a penalty as Jovetic went down upon entering the penalty area, but referee Massimiliano Saccani saw differently and showed the Viola striker the yellow card for simulation.

Fiorentina then hit the post twice in a minute with Montolivo the first to be denied by the woodwork with a stinging shot from fully 35 yards out which had Amelia beaten.

Montolivo then provided the chance for Alessandro Gamberini to head the ball against the other post

The Viola did eventually find the back of the net in the 63rd minute, though, when substitute Marchionni's angled shot from inside the area took a deflection on its way past Amelia.

Genoa substitute Mesto restored the home side's lead 10 minutes later when he reached a pass from the left from Palacio and beat Frey at his near post from an angle.

Fiorentina again reacted well with Dario Dainelli forcing a fine one-handed save out of Amelia.

Amelia had to be at his best to make another save from yet another dangerous shot from Montolivo and Mutu was caught offside as he tried to convert the rebound.

Genoa withstood the pressure to hold onto a precious win which ends a sequence of three straight defeats and takes them back up to sixth in the table, one point above Fiorentina.

Struggling Real Madrid will have to do without Cristiano Ronaldo for next week's Champions League clash with AC Milan after results of an MRI scan on the Portugal international's ankle injury revealed he is still not ready to return.

Ronaldo, who first sustained the injury during the Champions League match against Marseille in September and then aggravated it while playing for Portugal against Hungary, had hoped to be back in time for the Milan clash.

But the Primera Division club today confirmed he will be out of action at least until he undergoes another test in one week's time.

That means the £80million summer signing from Manchester United will not only miss this weekend's derby against Getafe at the Bernabeu, but also the return meeting with Milan next Tuesday when Madrid will try to bounce back from their 3-2 home defeat to the Italians last week.

The news is another blow for Madrid, who have won just once in five matches without the world's most expensive player, losing three times including Tuesday night's humiliating 4-0 defeat to Segunda Division B side Alcorcon in the first leg of their Copa del Rey round of 32 tie.

Ronaldo had enjoyed a flying start to the season, netting nine goals in Madrid's opening seven league and Champions League games, all of which were won.

Valencia have conceded they may have to sell key duo David Villa and David Silva amid talk Manchester United are ready to reignite their interest in the pair.

The Spanish outfit have long-since been troubled financially but managed to fend off numerous suitors in the summer.

Real Madrid and Barcelona are known to be monitoring the situation closely, while in England the likes of United and Liverpool are thought to have registered tentative interest in the past.

Rafa Benitez has always been a fan of Silva but the financial problems at Anfield are likely to prohibit any deal.

Over at Old Trafford his counterpart Sir Alex Ferguson is not hamstrung in the same way, with the £80million sale of Cristiano Ronaldo meaning there is still a sizeable budget to play with.

While in the past Ferguson has stated he is content with the options already available to him, there have been rumours he may open the chequebook in the January transfer window.

Villa has previously indicated he would prefer to stay in Spain if he ever to leave Valencia, while Silva admitted in September that he had been the subject of a big bid from England in the summer.

Whether United, or indeed Liverpool, will make an offer in January is open to conjecture but it would seem Valencia are ready to discuss a possible sale.

Valencia sporting director Fernando Gomez told Las Provoncias TV: "If there was a moment that arrived that we cannot stand it any more, then of course we must sell and they [Villa & Silva] would be sold.

"We made a great effort in the summer to keep them, but if the economic situation continues, then things could become very serious.

"Still it was a success for us to keep them, because there was some large money offered to us."

Gomez stopped short though of saying a fresh offer had already been submitted, as he added: "We have not received an official offer for either Villa or Silva. I only know what has been said in the papers."

Barcelona avoided a Real Madrid-style slip-up in the Copa del Rey as they won 2-0 at Cultural Leonesa .

The day after Madrid lost 4-0 at third-tier side Alcorcon, Pedro Rodriguez scored both goals for Barca in the 41st and 62nd minutes, putting them comfortably in control of the fourth-round tie ahead of the second leg.

Three Primera Division sides were embarrassed, though.

Almeria lost 2-1 at Hercules, Ionel Danciulescu and Alejandro Sergio Diaz grabbing the goals for the Segunda Division side.

Nestor Susaeta and German Pacheco scored in the first 20 minutes as Rayo Vallecano beat Athletic Bilbao 2-0.

Celta Vigo claimed a 2-1 first-leg win over Tenerife, with goals from Saulo and Michu.

Elsewhere, Getafe beat Espanyol 2-0, Valencia were 1-0 winners at Alcoyano, Deportivo La Coruna won 1-0 at Murcia, Real Zaragoza were held 1-1 by Malaga and Osasuna sealed a 2-1 victory at Xerez.

A strong Real Madrid side was thoroughly humbled in a 4-0 defeat to Alcorcon in the first leg of the Copa del Rey fourth round.

Madrid sent a decent side on the short trip north of the city to face the Segunda Division B side, but will return with their tails between their legs.

Alcorcon were in charge by half-time thanks to Borja's 16th minute opener, an own goal from Alvaro Arbeloa in the 22nd minute, and a strike from Ernesto five minutes before the break.

Borja then made certain of the win with his second after 52 minutes.

Madrid's neighbours Atletico, under new coach Quique Sanchez Flores for the first time, fared much better with a 2-0 win at Marbella thanks to Troyana's own goal and a late strike from Maxi Rodriguez.

Luis Fabiano and Jesus Navas each bagged a brace as Sevilla won 4-2 at Ciudad de Lorqui, while Recreativo Huelva and Sporting Gijon played out a 1-1 draw.

Second-half goals from Fernando Torres and David Ngog saw Liverpool end a run of four successive defeats with a 2-0 victory over Premier League champions Manchester United at Anfield.

Torres latched on to a precise throughball from Yossi Benayoun and held off Rio Ferdinand before firing a shot past Edwin van der Sar and into the roof of the net.

In the final 10 minutes Nemanja Vidic and Javier Mascherano were dismissed for second bookable offences before Ngog sealed the points in injury-time as United poured forward in search of an equaliser.

West Ham battled back from a 2-0 half-time deficit to earn 2-2 draw with Arsenal at Upton Park.

The Gunners had looked in complete control following goals from Robin van Persie and William Gallas.

However, Carlton Cole pulled a goal back before substitute Alessandro Diamanti netted a late penalty.

The Hammers had Scott Parker sent off late on for a second booking.

Mark Hughes' Manchester City also blew a two-goal lead and had to settle for a 2-2 draw in an action-packed clash with Fulham at Eastlands.

Joleon Lescott and Martin Petrov put City in control by the hour mark but Roy Hodgson's men stormed back with two goals in six minutes from Damien Duff and Clint Dempsey.

Micah Richards had a first-half effort disallowed for a foul but it could have been worse for City with Bobby Zamora and Diomansy Kamara both missing simple chances.

Bolton survived a comeback from Everton to seal their first home league win of the season.

The home side triumphed 3-2 at the Reebok Stadium as substitute Ivan Klasnic scored his first goal for the club with the decisive strike in the 87th minute.

The hosts had been well in control as goals from Lee Chung-Yong and Gary Cahill put them 2-0 ahead. Everton hit back with a wonder-strike from Louis Saha and Marouane Fellaini's second-half equaliser, but Klasnic settled the issue late on.

Arsene Wenger lamented the way Arsenal failed to hold off the late challenge of a battling West Ham side after letting a 2-0 lead slip at Upton Park.

The Gunners had looked in complete control following first-half goals from Robin van Persie and William Gallas.

However, Carlton Cole pulled a goal back following a free-kick, before substitute Alessandro Diamanti netted a late penalty.

West Ham finished with 10 men when Scott Parker was shown a second yellow card, but were not to be denied a much-needed positive result as England goalkeeper Robert Green - at fault for the opener - produced a fine reaction save from Van Persie's bullet header in stoppage time.

Had Arsenal held on, it would have been their fifth straight victory in the Premier League, and made more of Manchester United's 2-0 defeat at Liverpool.

Wenger accepted it was a "major missed opportunity".

The Arsenal manager said: "We were in control, but as long as you do not score the third goal, you know the game is not won.

"In fairness, West Ham continued to fight until the last minute and we conceded from two set pieces, which were generous ones.

"I do not think that either should have been given, but we cannot influence the decision of the referee.

"The crowd got behind the referee's decision and then it is always difficult away from home.

"We are an intelligent team and an intelligent team makes the maximum result with the game they produce. That is what we did not do.

"We complicated our game a little bit and had five or six chances in the second half, but we missed the final ball. That is what we have to learn."

After Liverpool inflicted holders Manchester United's second loss of the season, Wenger reflected on two points dropped for his third-placed team.

"It is very frustrating," he added.

"It is, of course, a major missed opportunity. In our job, you don't have this luxury.

"You need to get points when you deserve to get points and sometimes when you don't deserve to get the points.

"Today we never got them when we deserved them - and that means we have not made the maximum of what we should have done.

"But we have to keep the positives as we played well and are a strong team.

"We want to learn to finish these games off which is basically the most important lesson of the day.

"We have a great chance [for the title] this year, but you cannot repeat this kind of performance we had today and not come out with three points."

West Ham manager Gianfranco Zola praised the fighting spirit of his team.

The introduction of both Diamanti and England Under-21 international Zavon Hines helped inject fresh impetus to the Hammers frontline.

Zola said: "It is not a victory, but it sounds like it with the crows, and that is what I was looking for.

"No matter what, the spirit has to be there all the time. That is something we can not do without.

"Last week [at Stoke] I saw something, a change and it is very important and today I have seen something more.

"It was very difficult to come back from that situation, but we did it and I am very pleased and proud of them.

"I am more focused on the point and to give a signal we are there and we are fighting."

While the Hammers - who have not won in the league since the opening day - remain in the bottom three, the Italian coach feels he has enough to be positive for the challenges ahead.

"Today was difficult and we did it and that means we can do it all the time," he said.

"With that spirit and with the qualities we have in the team, I think we can do better things starting today."

Zola added: "This team has got quality. We just need a bit more confidence.

"Now, every time we make a mistake they score. That does not help. We need to fight, fight, fight."

West Ham striker Cole put his side's battling drawdown to nothing more than hard work.

"It (the result) was pure graft," he told Sky Sports. "That's what happens when you work hard for each other.

"The team responded well at half-time and came out all guns firing. We've been in this position before, we dominated in the first 15 minutes and were disappointed to go a goal down.

"But we kept our heads, regrouped and managed to put in a performance like that. We deserved it."

Manchester City boss Mark Hughes pointed the finger of blame at his defenders after Fulham stormed back from 2-0 down to snatch a point at Eastlands.

Hughes' men seemed to be coasting after goals from Joleon Lescott and Martin Petrov but Roy Hodgson's side hit back immediately through Damien Duff and Clint Dempsey.

The brace stretched City's run without a clean sheet to seven games and Hughes admitted his side's inability to cope with opponents' aerial threat is a concern.

Hughes said: "We were 2-0 to the good and we should have seen the game out but unfortunately we allowed them back in the game and given them a lift.

"Then it was how we dealt with balls into the box and a guy in Dempsey who is acknowledged as good in the air - and we haven't dealt with it.

"We've been caught out a couple of times this season and it seems to be prevalent this year, not just with us but with quite a few of the teams around us."

"We started really well in terms of our defensive work but we have conceded goals and we are working hard on that. There are always elements of our game we need to focus on."

Meanwhile Hughes paid tribute to Fulham for a second impressive performance at Eastlands this season following City's extra-time win in the Carling Cup in September.

Hughes added: "Credit to them because probably the two games we've had the most difficulty with this season here have been against Fulham. They get organised and make it difficult."

Fulham boss Hodgson was full of praise for striker Bobby Zamora despite a glaring 47th minute miss the manager described as "horrific".

With the score still goalless, Shay Given parried Dempsey's initial effort into the path of Zamora who somehow spooned the ball over the bar from six yards.

Hodgson said: "It was an horrific miss and it was a pity because he played so well.

"Unfortunately people who watch on the TV will see the miss and they won't see the 96 minutes and 45 seconds in which he was absolutely magnificent.

"Really it should have been seen as the crowning moment of a great performance but instead it is going to be seen as a glaring miss and a blot on his copybook which is sad for him.

"But if you want a good example of the character and resilience of this team and its ability to bounce back, Bobby's performance in the last 30 minutes shows that."

Hodgson said he thought a draw was a fair result but had issues with the set-piece that led to City's opening goal after the referee over-ruled the linesman to award a corner.

Hodgson said: "I'm aggrieved by the corner kick. It was a clear offside which was seen by the linesman then over-ruled and that has cost us a goal."

Juventus cut the gap at the top of Serie A to four points with a 1-0 defeat of Siena.

After leaders Inter Milan claimed a 2-1 win over Catania and second-placed Sampdoria beat Bologna 4-1 on Saturday, Juve claimed a fifth win in nine games courtesy of Amauri's 72nd-minute header.

Siena's misery was compounded by news of Livorno's shock 1-0 win at Roma, a result which sees Marco Giampaolo's side slip to the foot of the standings.

Francesco Tavano grabbed the only goal of the contest five minutes before half-time as new boss Serse Cosmi was awarded Livorno's first victory of the season.

The win was all the more rewarding considering Livorno had to play with 10 men from the 65th minute following the sending-off of goalkeeper Alfonso De Lucia for picking up two yellow cards in the space of a minute.

It was 12th-placed Roma's fourth loss of the season.

AC Milan moved sixth after Alessandro Nesta scored twice, including a stoppage-time winner, in the 2-1 victory at Chievo.

Giampiero Pinzi put Chievo ahead after seven minutes, but Nesta equalised after 80 minutes before scoring a last-gasp winner.

A late goal from Cesare Bovo was enough to see fourth-placed Palermo sneak past Udinese 1-0 and claim their third successive league win.

The defender struck three minutes from time to inflict a third straight loss on Udinese.

Cristian Maggio scored the winner two minutes from time as ninth-placed Napoli claimed their first away win of the season, defeating Fiorentina 1-0.

La Viola, in fifth, had one loss in their opening eight fixtures, but were stunned in the final 10 minutes and, after Napoli striker Fabio Quagliarella saw a penalty saved, Maggio scored the winner on the break.

Goals from Paolo Barreto and Riccardo Meggiorini secured all three points for Bari as 10-man Lazio's misery continued with a 2-0 defeat and the dismissal of Ousmane Dabo.

Atalanta picked up a belated first home win of the campaign with a 3-1 victory over eighth-placed Parma.

Jaime Valdes, with a penalty, Simone Tiribocchi and Federico Peluso scored for 16th-placed Atalanta, while Alberto Paloschi pulled one back for Parma.

Fourteenth-placed Cagliari inflicted Genoa's third loss in a week with a 3-2 win.

Davide Biondini, Nene, with a penalty, and Andrea Lazzari were on target for Cagliari, while a Daniele Dessena own goal and Sergio Floccari accounted for Genoa's goals and the visitors had Emiliano Moretti sent off.

Inter Milan defeated Catania 2-1 at the San Siro on Saturday night.

Sulley Muntari gave Jose Mourinho's side the lead in the 13th minute and Wesley Sneijder added a second just after half an hour.

A penalty from Giuseppe Mascara made it a nervy ending for the Nerazzurri.

Sampdoria maintained their challenge with a comfortable 4-1 win over struggling Bologna at the Stadio Luigi Ferraris.

Giampaolo Pazzini put the home side ahead with his sixth goal of the season in the eighth minute and a brace from Daniele Mannini and a long-range effort from Reto Ziegler put Samp in command with only 33 minutes played.

Marco di Vaio was sent off for dissent on a miserable night for Bologna, who hardly even smiled at their consolation goal from Pablo Osvaldo in the 62nd minute.

Alessandro Nesta scored twice, including a stoppage-time winner, as AC Milan came from behind to beat Chievo 2-1.

Giampiero Pinzi put the home side ahead in the seventh minute but Chievo were unable to hold onto their advantage and succumbed to some heavy late pressure.

Nesta scored the equaliser in the 81st minute before heading home the winner deep in time added on.

The outcome lifted Milan up to sixth position in the Serie A standings and left them seven points behind leaders and city rivals Inter.

The visitors went into the game looking to cap a great week which had seen them beat Roma 2-1 before claiming a 3-2 triumph away to Real Madrid in the Champions League.

Leonardo opted to play in-form Alexandre Pato, Klaas-Jan Huntelaar and Ronaldinho in attack but it was the hosts who started strongly.

Michele Marcolini warmed the palms of Dida with a stinging drive from the distance which the keeper turned over for a corner.

Chievo broke the deadlock soon after when an unmarked Pinzi latched onto Andrea Mantovani's cross before firing past Dida on the volley from the centre of the six-yard box.

Dida was called into action soon after to save Sergio Pellissier's right-footed strike from the edge of the area.

Milan should have equalised in the 15th minute after Luca Antonini fed Clarence Seedorf inside the area, but the Dutchman's right-footed strike was saved by Chievo goalkeeper Stefano Sorrentino.

On the half-hour mark, Pato wasted a good chance to restore parity with his close-range header from Pirlo's cross going high and wide.

Pellissier twice had the chance to extend his team's lead before the break.

He fired a left-footed strike from Pinzi's cross just over the bar with Dida already beaten, while seconds later his close-range header went wide.

Shortly after the re-start, Milan passed up a glorious chance to draw level as Pirlo missed an open goal.

Sorrentino did well to anticipate Pato but his clearance fell to Pirlo, who fired high over the bar.

Leonardo then made his first substitution with Marco Borriello replacing Huntelaar.

Borriello should have done better in the 68th minute after meeting Massimo Oddo's cross but he only manage a weak header that proved an easy catch for Sorrentino.

Milan's efforts finally paid off in the 81st minute.

Borriello connected with Pirlo's cross and his header rebounded off the crossbar and into the path of Nesta, who nodded the ball into the back of the net.

At the other end, Dida made a crucial save to clear substitute Pablo Granoche's close-range header from Pellissier's cross.

The Rossoneri poured forward in search of the winner and Sorrentino did well to save substitute Filippo Inzaghi's strike from inside the area.

But there was little Sorrentino could do to deny Nesta shortly after.

Nesta met Pirlo's corner into the six-yard box and nodded past Sorrentino to silence the home fans at the Bentegodi stadium and the Rossoneri held on for their fourth league victory of the campaign.

Atalanta picked up a belated first home win of the Serie A season with victory over Parma on Sunday afternoon.

Jaime Valdes put the hosts in front with a penalty two minutes before the break and Simone Tiribocchi doubled their advantage.

Alberto Paloschi pulled one back for Parma just two minutes after coming off the bench, but Federico Peluso scored late on for Atalanta to seal a home win.

Antonio Conte's men went into the game yet to win at their Atleti Azzurri d'Italia home this term, but also on the back of a four-match unbeaten run.

And they had the better of a cagey opening against a Parma team riding high in the table on their return to the top flight.

Cristiano Doni went down in the area, but the referee waved away the home side's penalty claims.

Tiribocchi tried his luck in the 28th minute and his weak shot seemed to take Antonio Mirante in the Parma goal by surprise, but defender Cristian Zaccardo got back to clear the ball off the line.

Atalanta suffered a blow in the 37th minute as Diego De Ascentis was forced off with an injury, Edgar Barreto coming on in his place.

And Parma had a first sight of goal minutes later as Daniele Galloppa let fly with a left-footed shot from the edge of the area but it sailed over the bar.

At the other end Doni fired a free-kick into the wall, but Tiberio Guarente returned the ball into the area where Parma's Christian Panucci handled to gift Atalanta a penalty.

And Valdes took full advantage, blasting the spot-kick powerfully home to give his side the lead.

Tiribocchi doubled the advantage eight minutes after the restart, Simone Padoin floating in a lovely cross from the right which the striker headed into the net.

Trailing by two goals, Parma finally started to show some attacking intent. Valeri Bojinov sent a free-kick into the wall after Federico Peluso had brought down Zaccardo right on the edge of the area and Stefano Morrone hit the rebound wide.

Paloschi came on for the ineffective Nicola Amoruso in the 76th minute and the change proved an inspired one.

The young striker made an immediate impact as he headed home a cross by Blerim Dzemaili to give his side hope with 12 minutes to go.

That was snuffed out six minutes later, though, as Peluso got a touch to Valdes' corner to turn the ball into the net at the near post.

Valdes himself wasted a chance to add a fourth two minutes later, shooting wide when unmarked when Tiribocchi looked better placed inside him, but the miss was never likely to prove costly.

Genoa defeated again

Genoa were beaten for the third time in a week as they twice threw away the lead before finishing with 10 men in a 3-2 defeat at Cagliari.

A Daniele Dessena own goal put Genoa in front in the 20th minute, but Davide Biondini brought the hosts level 10 minutes into the second half.

Sergio Floccari restored Genoa's advantage moments later, but Nene equalised from the penalty spot after Emiliano Moretti was shown a red card in the 78th minute.

And Andrea Lazzari grabbed a winner in the 87th minute to earn the Sardinians their first home win of the season and send Genoa crashing to yet another defeat after losing 5-0 to Inter last Saturday and 3-0 at Lille in the Europa League on Thursday.

Cagliari started the game confidently with Andrea Cossu causing the Genoa defence problems.

However, it was Genoa who went ahead with their first attempt on goal in the 20th minute.

Giandomenico Mesto's free-kick appeared to be heading harmlessly wide of the goal until it took a decisive deflection off the foot of Dessena, who is on loan at Cagliari from Genoa's city rivals Sampdoria, and curled into the far corner.

Genoa lost their captain Ivan Juric to injury in the 29th minute, with Alberto Zapater replacing the man who only made his comeback from injury in Thursday's defeat in Lille.

His loss was certainly felt by the Grifone and Cagliari looked to take advantage with Conti striking a free-kick against the woodwork with Marco Amelia beaten in the 31st minute.

The lively Cossu saw his shot miss the post by inches as the Sardinians raised the pressure in the second half and they were rewarded 10 minutes in.

Alessandro Agostini's shot, possibly from an offside position, was saved by Amelia, but the ball fell to Jeda, who laid it back for Dessena to fire the next shot against the post, where Biondini was on hand to tap the ball in.

But Genoa went back ahead four minutes later when Floccari took advantage of some uncertain defending by Cagliari to convert Raffaele Palladino's cross.

Cagliari were given the chance to level in the 77th minute when a penalty was awarded for handball as Cossu's shot struck the arm of Giuseppe Biava.

To make matters worse for Genoa, Moretti was shown his second yellow card, either in a case of mistaken identity or for his complaint at the decision.

Either way, it meant Genoa had to play with 10 men for the last 13 minutes.

And Nene brought Cagliari level by converting the spot-kick via the inside of a post.

Lazzari then netted the winner in the 87th minute with Alessandro Matri the provider.

Matri managed to hold off two Genoa defenders and, even after falling to the ground, was able to thread the ball through for Lazzari, who left Amelia flat-footed, stroking the ball into the bottom corner to earn Massimiliano Allegri's side all three points.

A hat-trick from Seydou Keita helped Barcelona on their way to a 6-1 rout of Real Zaragoza as the defending champions regained their three-point lead at the top of the Primera Division.

Keita struck after 25, 41 and 86 minutes at the Nou camp with Zlatan Ibrahimovic (29, 56) adding two more as Pep Guardiola's side ran riot.

Lionel Messi was also on the scoresheet for the home side with his goal coming two minutes after Jorge Lopez had grabbed Zaragoza's only reply.

Barca remain unbeaten in the competition and continue to hold the advantage over second-placed Real Madrid.

Valencia moved into fourth place in the standings with a 3-0 victory over 10-man Almeria.

Pablo Hernandez set up David Villa for his side's first, and brought about the foul that saw Almeria goalkeeper Diego Alves sent off.

Hernandez then capped a fine performance with a brilliant long-range lob to double the visitors' lead with Juan Manuel Mata drilling home a low shot late on to complete a pleasing night's work for Unai Emery's men.

Nauzet Aleman scored twice as lowly Real Valladolid outplayed high-flying Deportivo La Coruna in a convincing 4-0 victory.

Aleman netted a 19th-minute opener from close range and struck his second two minutes into the second half.

Diego Costa scored a third after 77 minutes before Valladolid secured a second win of the season with Haris Medunjanin's 88th-minute effort.

Villarreal moved off the bottom of the table with a 2-1 win over fellow strugglers Malaga in what was a first league victory for Ernesto Valverde's side at the eighth time of asking.

Valverde saw his side go ahead through Nilmar after 27 minutes of play, and although Albert Luque equalised at the end of the first half, Villarreal took all three points thanks to a Joan Capdevila free-kick after 54 minutes.

A goal by Manuel Arana in the fifth minute of injury-time earned Racing Santander a 1-1 draw after Walter Pandiani appeared to have guided Osasuna to victory.

Pandiani struck eight minutes after half-time and with just seconds to go Osasuna were on the brink of their second away win until Aruna struck to earn a vital point for the hosts.

Roberto Soldado and Dani Parejo fired second-half goals to help Getafe register a 2-0 victory over Athletic Bilbao, who lost Carlos Gurpegi and Ustaritz Aldekoaotalora to red cards at the end of either half.

Alejandro Alfaro's 17th-minute goal saw Tenerife edge out Xerez 1-0 in a game between two promoted sides.

Real Madrid, hamstrung by the absence of four key forwards, drew their first blank of the season on Saturday night as they were held to a goalless draw by Sporting Gijon at El Molinon.

Already without Cristiano Ronaldo and Ruud van Nistelrooy because of injury, Madrid coach Manuel Pellegrini also had to do without Karim Benzema and Gonzalo Higuain for the trip to Gijon due to niggles, and without that forward power the big-spending capital club could not find the breakthrough.

In the first half Kaka brought a good save out of home custodian Juan Pablo Colinas from the edge of the box, and the visitors went close again on the half-hour mark when Raul stabbed the ball wide on the turn following a goalmouth scramble in the Sporting area.

Iker Casillas had to be alert to deny Miguel De las Cuevas before the break, although the best chance of the match arrived in the 52nd minute, when a Kaka cut-back found Esteban Granero, whose first-time shot was brilliantly blocked by Colinas.

Colinas, who also saved from Kaka and Pepe in the second half, did pick the ball out of the net in the 77th minute but was relieved to see Raul's effort ruled out for either offside or for handball against Kaka - neither of which looked obvious from television replays.

Atletico Madrid suffered another embarrassing setback after conceding an injury-time equaliser to nine-man Real Mallorca as the Rojiblancos drew 1-1 in their first game following the departure of coach Abel Resino.

Atletico, despite being far from impressive, had still looked to be heading for a much-needed victory thanks to Diego Forlan's 52nd-minute penalty.

However, Mallorca heaped more misery on their hosts by drawing level in the 91st minute when home goalkeeper David De Gea deflected Borja Valero's low cross into his own net.

To make matters even more humiliating for Atletico, Mallorca had been playing with only 10 men since the 27th minute following Josemi's sending off, and with just nine since Ivan Ramis was red carded six minutes after the break.

Both of those dismissals were for second yellow cards handed out for handballs that resulted in penalties for Atletico, and although Forlan missed the first one, the Uruguayan made no mistake with the second to put the hosts ahead.

In the evening's late kick-off Sevilla and Espanyol fought out a goalless draw.

Villarreal moved off the bottom of the Primera Division with a win over fellow strugglers Malaga in what was a first league victory for Ernesto Valverde's side at the eighth time of asking.

Villarreal had been expected to compete for a place in the Champions League despite changing coach in the summer, when Valverde replaced Real Madrid-bound Manuel Pellegrini.

But Valverde found himself under pressure following a dreadful start to the season which had seen the 'Yellow Submarine' pick up just three points from seven games.

Another defeat at home to Malaga may have spelt the end for the former Espanyol coach, but Valverde saw his side go ahead through Nilmar after 27 minutes of play.

And although Albert Luque equalised at the very end of the first half, Valverde saw his side take all three points for the first time in his reign thanks to a Joan Capdevila free-kick after 54 minutes.

There was a blow for Valverde as Spain midfielder Santi Cazorla was deemed unfit to take part in this match, and the winger was not even on the bench for Villarreal.

But the home side began well in his absence and created the first chance of note after 10 minutes, when Cani wrong-footed his marker on the edge of the area and lashed a powerful drive towards goal, only to see Malaga keeper Gustavo Munua make a fine reflex save.

There were few real chances for either side in truth, but Villarreal took the lead with their next decent opportunity.

That came after 27 minutes, when Nilmar swept home Damian Escudero's far-post cross from close range to bring relief to his team-mates, Valverde and the suffering El Madrigal faithful.

Malaga should have levelled five minutes later, but Luque and Nabil Baha both made a mess of their attempts after Jesus Gamez had sent in an inviting cross.

It was a let-off for Villarreal and the visitors should have gone two up after 36 minutes, but Nilmar was unable to get the touch needed to divert Cani's cross-shot past Munua.

Joseba Llorente then headed just wide after 43 minutes as Villarreal continued to threaten, but they received a huge psychological blow as Malaga equalised on the stroke of half-time.

Fernando Fernandez picked out Luque with a fine far-post cross and the former Newcastle forward headed past Diego Lopez to ensure the sides went in level at the break.

It was the worst possible time to concede for Villarreal and the home side will have been kicking themselves during the interval.

But Capdevila restored the locals' advantage when he blasted home from a free-kick nine minutes into the second half.

Both sides had good chances after that, but Villarreal held on for an important win which sees them leapfrog Malaga and move up to 18th place in the table.

Malaga, meanwhile, are now bottom with just six points, two less than Villarreal.

Valencia moved into fourth place in the standings after netting three second-half goals to inflict a first home defeat of the season on 10-man Almeria, 3-0.

Pablo Hernandez was the star man for Valencia, setting up David Villa for his side's first, then bringing about the foul that saw Almeria goalkeeper Diego Alves sent off before capping a fine performance with a brilliant long-range lob to double the visitors' lead.

In-form winger Juan Manuel Mata then became the third Spain international to find the back of the net as he drilled home a low shot late on to complete a pleasing night's work for Unai Emery's men.

The victory continues Valencia's steady start to the campaign, which has seen them win five and lose just one of their 11 Primera Division and Europa League group matches so far, and lifts them to within one point of third-placed Sevilla.

It might have been a different story though if Almeria midfielder Modeste M'Bami's 11th-minute volley had found the roof of the net rather than the top of the Valencia crossbar after a corner had fallen kindly to him inside the box.

Valencia survived that early let off though, and they can perhaps consider themselves unfortunate not to be ahead by half-time with David Silva, Mata, David Navarro and Ever Banega all threatening the Almeria goal prior to the break.

It needed a good save from Cesar Sanchez to keep Valencia level-pegging just after the break, however, when he tipped over Juanma Ortiz's rising drive.

That was in the 48th minute, but within 14 minutes of that Almeria found themselves a goal behind and down to 10 men.

Valencia came close to netting in the 52nd minute when Alves produced a brilliant one-handed save to keep out Pablo's low shot, but 60 seconds after that the visitors were celebrating the breakthrough when Pablo's inch-perfect cross was headed home at the far post by Villa.

That was the prolific hitman's seventh league goal of the season and came just three days after he was red-carded during Valencia's 1-1 Europa League draw with Slavia Prague.

Valencia's grip on the game was further strengthened in the 62nd minute when Alves was handed his marching orders after he was beaten in a race for the ball by Pablo and his sliding challenge sent the visiting winger flying.

Los Che almost doubled their lead immediately when, from the resulting free-kick, Villa was denied by a stunning one-handed save by Almeria substitute goalkeeper Esteban Suarez.

Esteban was left stranded in the 73rd minute though when Pablo picked up possession, spotted the Almeria custodian off his line and brilliantly chipped home his side's second from 40 yards out.

That pretty much ensured Valencia would be taking the three points home with them, and Mata made sure of that fact in the 86th minute when he drove home a low shot from 25 yards to sentence Hugo Sanchez's Almeria to their first home loss in four games.

Schalke and Hamburg shared six goals in a dramatic encounter at the Arena AufSchalke on Sunday evening.

Markus Berg and Kevin Kuranyi scored two goals each with Lucas Schmitz and Piotr Trochowski both on target in a 3-3 draw which had everything, including a red card for Hamburg's David Rozehnal.

Hamburg led 2-0 at half time, but Schalke recovered to draw level only to see Hamburg move back ahead with 10 minutes remaining.

But Kuranyi earned Schalke a point in the last minute of a memorable Bundesliga match.

Schalke had the first chance of a pulsating game when Jefferson Farfan's eight-yard shot was deflected behind off the leg of Hamburg goalkeeper Frank Rost.

Berg opened the scoring for Hamburg in the 26th minute with his second goal in four days after netting the winner against Celtic in the Europa League on Thursday.

Eljero Elia used his pace to break into the left-hand side of the penalty area and he squared the ball to Berg, who placed his shot into the bottom corner from seven yards out.

Schalke had chances to equalise, notably when Kuranyi broke, but failed to notice both Halil Altintop and Farfan to his left as he instead had his shot blocked.

Trochowski brought a fine save out of Manuel Neuer one minute before the break, but he left the Schalke goalkeeper no chance with the last kick of the first half, a direct free-kick from 25 yards which found the top corner.

Schalke may have been down, but they were not out as they recovered in the second half.

Kuranyi scored his first in the 50th minute with a fine leap at the far post to head Rafinha's cross back across Rost and in off the far post.

Rozehnal received his marching orders on the hour mark after fouling Kuranyi just on the edge of the penalty area as he closed in on goal.

Further punishment game from the free-kick. Bordon drove his shot at Rost, who pushed the ball onto the crossbar, but Schmitz was on hand to nod the ball in to bring the Royal Blues level.

Berg put Hamburg back in front with 10 minutes left when he threaded the ball through the legs of Neuer after being put through by Ze Roberto.

But that did not prove to be the winner as Kuranyi's second headed goal of the evening in the final minute brought Schalke level once again.

And they even missed the chance to win the game when Gerald Asamoah placed his free-header from six yards straight into the arms of Rost.

Werder Bremen extended their unbeaten Bundesliga run to 15 games by beating Bochum 4-1.

Stanislav Sestak opened the scoring after just 38 seconds but Aaron Hunt equalised eight minutes later and Marko Marin put Bremen ahead 2-1 after 31 minutes.

Tim Borowski made it 3-1 after 76 minutes, and Mesut Ozil finished off the scoring a minute into stoppage time as Bremen jumped to third place, one point behind leaders Bayer Leverkusen.

Bochum remained winless against Werder at home in the last 11 years and have collected just four points in their last seven games to stay on eight points in 17th place.

The game started in spectacular fashion with Bochum taking the lead in the opening minute.

After a Bremen mistake in midfield, Shinji Ono passed a long ball to Sestak who beat Werder goalkeeper Tim Wiese one-on-one for the quickest strike in the league this season.

Bochum nearly doubled their tally two minutes later as Mimoun Azaouagh beat Clemens Fritz and Per Mertesacker on the left side and got the ball past Wiese but it went out off the right post.

The hosts hit the framework again in the seventh minute as Christian Fuchs's curling corner kick from the right side struck the crossbar.

And instead of Bochum possibly leading 3-0 after seven minutes, Bremen levelled two minutes later.

Mesut Ozil's corner was headed by Claudio Pizarro to the left side where Hunt hit home from two yards out.

The game settled down after that until the visitors grabbed the lead after 31 minutes.

Marin found Hunt, who passed back to Marin for a first-time effort which was stopped on the line by Marcel Maltritz.

However, the 20-year-old Marin struck home the rebound to the far right side for his first goal of the season.

Bremen were the better team in the second half but Bochum's Diego Klimowicz found the net just after the hour mark. However, the Argentinian was ruled offside and the strike disallowed.

Bremen made it 3-1 with 14 minutes left after a long ball from Torsten Frings to Borowski, who had a long run before beating Heerwagen.

And Ozil finished the scoring in injury time with a fine goal after fending away a Bochum defender.

Paris St Germain's Ligue 1 game at Marseille on Sunday was postponed due to an outbreak of swine flu at the capital club.

Ludovic Giuly and Mamadou Sakho were diagnosed with the virus on Saturday but the confirmation of a third case in the squad forced Ligue 1 authorities to act on Sunday.

Two members of PSG's coaching team have also reported symptoms of swine flu.

The date of the rescheduled match has yet to be decided.

Ireneusz Jelen scored two and Daniel Niculae got the third as Auxerre twice came from behind to claim a 3-2 win over Lille.

Gervinho and Pierre-Alain Frau scored for Lille.

Lens remain in the relegation zone after a goal in each half from Moussa Sissoko and Andre-Pierre Gignac earned a 2-0 victory for Toulouse.

On Saturday, Lyon were brought back down to earth in the most emphatic of fashions following their midweek Champions League win over Liverpool, with hosts Nice running riot with a stunning 4-1 triumph at the Municipal du Ray.

After stealing a dramatic injury-time winner in their trip to Anfield, Claude Puel's side were thoroughly outplayed in their Ligue 1 encounter as they went four down before a late Ederson consolation.

By then, goals from Mamadou Bagayoko, David Hellebuyck and Loic Remy as well as an Aly Cissokho own-goal had decided the result.

Defending champions Bordeaux took advantage as they claimed a 3-0 home success over Le Mans to go top of the standings.

The opening goal arrived after just four minutes in fortunate circumstances when Yoan Gouffran's shot came back off the post and rebounded into the net off Le Mans keeper Didier Orono.

Laurent Blanc's side had to wait until midway through the second half for their second goal when Marouane Chamakh headed home Yoann Gourcuff's corner.

Former Manchester United misfit David Bellion completed the scoring on 83 minutes as the substitute was set up to score by Benoit Tremoulinas.

Montpellier missed the chance to go top in the evening clash as Rennes recorded a convincing 2-0 win.

Sylvain Marveaux put the hosts ahead in the 34th minute before Moussa Sow doubled the lead five minutes after the restart.

Asamoah Gyan sealed the win for Rennes in injury time as Montpellier suffered only their second defeat of the season to slip to fourth, two points behind leaders Bordeaux.

Two goals in the last four minutes by Nene saw Monaco claim a 3-1 victory over a Boulogne side who played for 55 minutes with just 10 men.

Monaco went ahead 10 minutes before half-time through Chu Young Park and their task was simplified as Kevin Das Neves was sent off for Boulogne after a two-footed tackle on Alejandro Alonso.

However, the struggling hosts appeared to be on course for a draw until Nene put Monaco ahead with a free-kick after 85 minutes and the same player wrapped up victory with an almost replica strike in injury time.

An own goal and a last-gasp penalty sentenced luckless Grenoble to their 10th consecutive defeat in Ligue 1 as Nancy came from behind to claim a 2-1 victory.

Danijel Ljuboja put the home side ahead and on course for their first points of the season in the 53rd minute after Nancy goalkeeper Damien Gregorini had produced a string of fine saves to keep them out in the first half.

But David Jemmali put through his own net 16 minutes from time before Youssouf Hadji won it for Nancy in the 88th minute.

Grenoble have now conceded 21 goals and scored just five in 10 games and are already nine points adrift of safety.

Johan Audel and David Ducourtioux scored the goals as Valenciennes continued their fine Ligue 1 form with a 2-0 victory over St Etienne.

Valenciennes coach Philippe Montanier had told his side to expect a tough test and they responded with a victory which has left them with one defeat in their last seven games.

An early goal from Damien Perquis allowed Sochaux to move within two points of Lorient in the standings with a 1-0 victory.

The only goal came in the eighth minute as Perquis soared above the visitors' defence to nod a free-kick from the left past Lorient goalkeeper Fabien Audard.

Eredivisie leaders FC Twente turned on the style against FC Groningen with two goals in each half seeing them to a handsome 4-0 win.

The victory was a sixth successive success for Steve McClaren's side, while the visitors, who had goalkeeper Brian van Loo sent off on the hour, are now winless in three outings.

Miroslav Stoch opened the scoring early in the opening period and Dwight Tiendalli added a second after 22 minutes before Blaise Nkufo, from the penalty spot, and Bryan Ruiz sealed the win.

Twente are two points clear of PSV Eindhoven, who won 4-0 at NEC Nijmegen.

The onslaught started early with Balazs Dzsudzsak opening the scoring in the first minute with Jonathan Reis doubling the visitors' advantage on the quarter-hour mark.

Otman Bakkal made it 3-0 four minutes into the second half and Danko Lazovic's penalty four minutes later completed the rout.

Ajax came from behind to beat AZ Alkmaar 4-2 and extend their unbeaten run to 14 matches in all competitions.

The win was Martin Jol's side's 10th in that period and maintained their challenge for the title, as Uruguayan skipper Luis Suarez took his league goals tally for the season to 15 with a brace.

Urby Emanuelson and Gregory van der Wiel got the other goals for the Amsterdam side with Mounir El Hamdaoui and Graziano Pelle replying for the defending champions.

Two goals from Frank Demouge as well as strikes by Sergio Zijler and Said Boutahar guided Willem II to a vital 4-1 victory which saw them leapfrog Heerenveen at the bottom of the table.

Two goals in three minutes shortly after half-time from Zijler and Boutahar put the hosts in a strong position.

Michal Papadopulos pulled one back after 65 minutes but a double from Demouge clinched the win.

Feyenoord boosted their title hopes as Denny Landzaat's goal proved enough to see off promoted VVV Venlo 1-0 on Saturday.

Roy Makaay's ball into the box should have been easy for Venlo goalkeeper Kevin Begois to deal with, but he made a hash of it and Landzaat was on hand to score.

Erik Falkenburg capped a stunning hat-trick with the 90th-minute winner as Sparta Rotterdam moved above ADO Den Haag in the table with a 3-2 victory.

Falkenburg twice put the visitors in the lead, with Danny Buys and Charlton Vicento grabbing the equalisers.

That left the stage for Falkenburg to take advantage of a calamitous defensive mix-up to tap home the winning goal.

Willy Overtoom and Sebastian Steur scored in each half as Heracles Almelo claimed all three Eredivisie points against a shot-shy Vitesse side with a 2-0 win in Arnhem.

Overtoom opened the scoring on the stroke of half-time before Steur doubled the advantage with 12 minutes remaining.

A solitary strike from Anthony Lurling was enough to secure a 1-0 victory for NAC Breda over the Eredivisie's bottom club RKC Waalwijk.

The result means the visitors, who also lost Gijs Luirink to a late red card, remain marooned on three points, while NAC recorded a fifth win of the league campaign.

On Friday night FC Utrecht claimed a 2-1 home victory over Roda.

Jacob Mulenga struck the opener two minutes before the break, and Ricky van Wolfswinkel added a second after 74 minutes.

Willem Janssen's stoppage-time strike proved merely consolation for Roda.

Bordeaux climb to the top

Ten wins for Twente

G.Buffon feels Godlike

Simone Perrotta signs new deal at the capital club

Rooney should join Real Madrid - C.Ronaldo

Puyol pens new Barca deal

Mascherano denies Barca link

Roman Pavlyuchenko could exit White Hart Lane

Liverpool defeated by Gunner in Carling Cup

Juventus close gap on Inter Milan

Napoli manages to draw in dying seconds

Juventus crush Sampdoria

Genoa back to basics

Ronaldo to miss San Siro test

Villa and Silva could leave Valencia

Rodriguez strikes double for Barcelona

Real Madrid humiliated in Copa del Rey

Torres and Ngog help Scousers end their losing streak

Wenger furious with Gunners

Mark Hughes blames defenders

Juventus close in on Inter

Nesta does the damage in dying minutes

Three easy points for Atlanta

Genoa defeated again

Hat trick hero Keita sinks Zaragoza

Villareal find way past Malaga

Valencia climb up to Champions League spot

Kuranyi on target as Schalke draws against Hamburg

Werder Bremen extend to 15 unbeaten streak

Swine Flu breaks out in Marseille

FC Twente rout Groningen with handsome 4 goals

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