MADRID: Barcelona dropped two costly points in a 1-1

23/11/09

Sporty India Updated

MADRID: Barcelona dropped two costly points in a 1-1 draw at Athletic Bilbao on Saturday to fall a point behind new leader Real Madrid in La Liga.

Brazilian Dani Alves put Barca ahead early in the second half but substitute Gaizka Toquero, only on the pitch a few minutes, equalised soon after as Barca surrendered top spot to Real.

Real produced a nervy 1-0 home win over Racing Santander thanks to a Gonzalo Higuain strike and supplant its rival at the summit. Without Cristiano Ronaldo Real has struggled in front of goal at times but got a helping hand from Racing goalkeeper Tono who foolishly pushed Kaka’s cross into the danger zone and Higuain had an easy tap in in the 22nd minute.
Untimely blow

Losing the top spot is an untimely blow for Barca which has two huge home games coming up, beginning with a crucial Champions League match against Inter Milan on Tuesday and then the ‘El Clasico’ against Real at Camp Nou next Sunday.

The media spotlight was on Barca forward Thierry Henry after his controversial handball which helped France eliminate the Republic of Ireland in the World Cup play-off.
However, coach Pep Guardiola took the forward out of the firing line starting him on the substitutes’ bench, only introducing him in the 84th minute.

Sevilla kept up its own title charge with a 2-1 win at promoted Tenerife to stay three points behind Real.
Argentine winger Diego Perotti and Brazilian Renato were on target as Sevilla kept pace with Barcelona and Real.
Manolo Jimenez’s side now travels to Unirea Urziceni in the Champions League on Tuesday with qualification for the knockout stage secure.
Elsewhere Deportivo La Coruna moved up to fourth with a dramatic 2-1 home win over Atletico Madrid.

Mexican Andres Guardado converted a controversial penalty six minutes into stoppage time to down Atletico which stays in the bottom three with coach Quique Sanchez Flores still waiting for his first league win in charge.
Inter extends lead
Inter Milan got back to winning ways in Serie A on Saturday with a convincing 3-1 win over Bologna extending its lead at the top to eight points.

The 10th win from 13 games this season for Italian champion Inter will undoubtedly instil confidence ahead of Inter’s Champions League match at Barcelona on Tuesday.
However Inter coach Jose Mourinho said: “The Barcelona game will be a real test for my players.”

Diego Milito scored his eighth goal of the campaign to give Inter the lead midway through the first half, and despite an immediate equaliser from Marcelo Zalayeta, the ‘Nerazzurri’ regained the lead three minutes before the break through Mario Balotelli.

With 18 minutes left, Esteban Cambiasso’s low strike wrapped up a comfortable win spoiled only by the stoppage-time sending off of Maicon for dissent.
The results: La Liga: Deportivo La Coruna 2 (Colotto 20, Guardado 90+6-pen) bt Atletico Madrid 1 (Aguero 3); Tenerife 1 (Nino 75) lost to Sevilla 2 (Perotti 32, Renato 48); Real Madrid 1 (Higuain 22) bt Racing Santander 0; Athletic Bilbao 1 (Toquero 62) drew with Barcelona 1 (Alves 53).

Serie A: Bologna 1 (Marcelo Zalayeta 23) lost to Inter Milan 3 (Diego Milito 22, Mario Balotelli 42, Esteban Cambiasso 72); Fiorentina 2 (Alberto Gilardono 25, 62) lost to Parma 3 (Nicola Amoruso 30, Valeri Bojinov 52, Davide Lanzafame 67).