European round-up: Pellegrini safe for another week?

Safe for another week?

Just when you thought that Barcelona were over their very minor blip and were going to run away with the league over a Real Madrid side that can’t keep a clean sheet and were going to sack their manager, guess what goes and happens. Barcelona get held to a 1-1 draw at mid-table Osasuna whilst Real Madrid win 2-0 over mid-table Getafe and close the gap at the top to one point.

Barcelona looked good for all three points when Keita put them ahead with seventeen minutes to go but a Pique own goal deep into injury-time cost them the win.

Real had a relatively comfortable win thanks to two second half goals from Higuain, despite being reduced to ten men on the half hour when Albiol saw red.

Sevilla and Valencia both had away wins to stay third and fourth. Negredo and Luis Fabiano scored the goals in Sevilla’s 2-0 win at struggling Xerez, whilst a second-half Navarro goal was enough to take the points for Valencia at Malaga.

Malaga slip to the bottom of the league whilst the recovery of Villarreal took a dramatic upturn as they beat Tenerife 5-0.

Despite not yet really setting the world on fire Inter have now moved seven points clear of the rest in Italy. They won 2-0 at Livorno with Milito and Maicon scoring second half goals.

Whilst Inter continue to pick up points their nearest challengers Juventus and Sampdoria were less successful.

Juventus took a 2-0 lead over Napoli through Trezeguet and Giovinco but conceded three goals in the last half-hour and had Amauri sent off in injury-time to add insult to injury. Sampdoria couldn’t take advantage as they were held to a goalless draw at home to Bari.

In Germany Bayer Leverkusen are top by a point from Werder Bremen and Hamburg with Schalke another point further back.

Leverkusen looked to be gaining a crucial three points and opening up a nice gap on Schalke as they took a 2-0 lead away at their rivals. Kroos and Kiessling took Leverkusen into half-time sitting pretty. It stayed that way until Kuranyi and Sanchez both scored in the final ten minutes to earn Schalke a valuable point.

The other top teams failed to capitalise on Leverkusen’s late generosity as Werder Bremen could only draw 2-2 at Nurnberg, needing an injury-time equaliser from Hunt to do so and Hamburg went down 3-2 at home to Borussia Munchengladbach.

Bayern Munich’s fitful season continued as they drew 0-0 at struggling Stuttgart.

The top three are breaking clear in Holland with FC Twente leading the way and PSV and Ajax following.

Ruiz and Stoch gave Twente a 2-1 win at Roda JC, whilst PSV had Dzsudzsak to thank for their 1-0 win at home to Vitesse.

Ajax clearly established the authority of the top three over the rest by hammering fourth placed Feyenoord 5-1. To be fair, Feyenoord ended the game with only nine men and when the first of their two players was sent off shortly before half-time the score was only 1-0.

Bordeaux are two points clear at the top in France after a second half Planus goal gave them a 1-0 home win in their top of the table clash against Monaco. Monaco slip to third place in the table.

Second placed Lyon were grateful for an 83rd minute goal from Gomis that secured the points at St Etienne.

Grenoble continue to break records by making it eleven defeats in eleven, going down 2-0 at home to Lille. They are struggling enough with eleven men so the first-half sending off of Jemmali was all they needed!

Celtic moved four points clear of Rangers although Rangers have a game in had after their game at Dundee United was abandoned at half-time when the heavy persistent rain turned the Tannadice pitch into a lake.

Celtic had an easy 3-0 win over Kilmarnock with goals from McGeady, Samaras and McGinn.

Hibernian went a point above Rangers thanks to their 2-0 win over Aberdeen.

Unbeaten Braga still lead the way in Portugal after they brushed aside the challenge of second placed Benfica, inflicting on them their first defeat and opening up a three point lead. A goal in each half from Hugo Viana and Paulo Cesar gave the home side a 2-0 win.

Porto are clear in third place despite only managing a 1-1 draw at home to Belenenses.

Olympiakos and Panathinaikos remain joint top of the table in Greece, ten points clear of the rest.

Both teams won by the odd goal this weekend with Olympiakos winning 1-0 at Altomitos whilst Panathinaikos won 2-1 at home to Panionios.

The only winners in the top three were Galatasaray who had a comfortable 2-0 win at home to Sivasspor.

Leaders Fenerbahce were held 1-1 at Kayserispor whilst second placed Bursaspor were also held 1-1 at Antalyaspor.

Fenerbahce remain four points clear although Galatasaray are only a point further back and have a game in hand.