The Hindu : Sport / Football : Barcelona set for Spanish title

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, May 01, 2006

Sport

Sport - Football

Barcelona set for Spanish title

MADRID: FC Barcelona moved within two points of its second straight Spanish league title on Saturday, beating Cadiz 1-0 on Ronaldinho's 16th goal of the season.

Barcelona will be proclaimed champion for the 18th time on Sunday if second-place Valencia draws or loses against 18th-place Alaves.

The Catalan team's 23rd league victory of the season came three days after it eliminated AC Milan and reached the European Champions League final for the first time in 12 years. Barcelona meets Arsenal in Paris on May 17.

Barcelona leads with 76 points, 11 more than Valencia. Real Madrid is third with 63. All three teams have four more matches to play.

Swivelling strike

Ronaldinho, left unmarked in the penalty area, swivelled and volleyed the ball into the roof of the net in the ninth minute at Camp Nou stadium following a driving run and cross by right back Juliano Belletti.

Striker Samuel Eto'o failed to double Barcelona's lead in the 63rd minute when his penalty attempt was parried by Cadiz keeper Oscar Limia. Defender Eduardo Berizzo conceded the penalty by fouling Mark van Bommel.

Barcelona's Spain midfielder Xavi Hernandez, who hadn't played since November due to a serious knee injury, appeared as a 81st-minute substitute, boosting his hopes of being selected for the World Cup.

Twice denied by acrobatic saves by Barcelona goalkeeper Victor Valdes, Cadiz remained 19th with 32 points and increasingly likely to return to the second division after a season's absence.

In other games, fifth-place Celta Vigo downed Deportivo La Coruna 2-0 for its fifth victory in six games. Real Betis drew 1-1 with fellow struggler Athletic Bilbao.

Bilbao, which has never been relegated, extended its winless run to five matches and remained in 15th place with 36 points, three points above relegation.The results: Real Betis 1 drew with Athletic Bilbao 1; Deportivo La Coruna 0 lost to Celta Vigo 2; FC Barcelona 1 bt Cadiz 0.

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