European round-up: Real exert the pressure in Spain as Inter have it easy in Italy

On target

Barcelona remain two points clear at the top in Spain but Real Madrid are beginning to look more like the real deal and as though they may be able to mount a serious challenge to their old rivals.

With Barcelona not in action Real Madrid took full advantage of their game in hand by hammering Real Zaragoza 6-0 at the Bernabeu. Two from Higuain and two from Van der Vaart gave Real a 4-0 half-time lead and Ronaldo and Benzema added second-half goals to complete the rout.

Sevilla and Valencia both lost ground and left the title looking like a two horse race. Valencia were held to a goalless draw at Deportivo and Sevilla surprisingly went down 2-1 at home to Getafe. A second-half consolation from Negredo was not even that.

Inter are now eight points clear at the top in Italy. A Sami Eto’o goal gave them a 1-0 win over Lazio whilst nearest rivals AC Milan and Juventus both lost.

Milan were beaten 2-0 by Palermo at the San Siro whilst Juventus lost 2-1 at home to Catania. Salihamidzic had drawn them level but a late goal cost them the points.

It is beginning to look as though Inter may well walk to the Scudetta once again without ever really looking like a top class team.

Bayer Leverkusen are a point clear of Schalke at the top in Germany and they are a further point clear of the resurgent Bayern Munich.

The leaders had a thrilling win by the odd goal in five at home to Borussia Munchengladbach. A brace from Kroos and another goal from Derdiyok were enough to give them the points after the visitors had been 2-1 ahead at one point.

Schalke kept up the pressure as a Farfan goal was enough to give them a 1-0 win over Mainz.

Bayern Munich continued their recent good form with a 5-2 hammering of the hapless bottom club Hertha Berlin. Van Buyten, Gomez, Robben, Muller and Olic were all on target for Bayern.

FC Twente are still at the top in Holland by two points from PSV. There is then a seven point gap to Ajax in third place.

With none of these teams in league action this week fourth placed Feyenoord took advantage to close the gap a little with a 1-0 win over Willem II. Cisse scored the goal.

It was a great weekend for Bordeaux who now have a healthy eight point lead at the top in France over Marseille who have one game in hand. Two from Bellion and goals from Cavenaghi and Gourcuff gave the leaders an easy 4-1 home win over Lorient.

Marseille were held 0-0 at St Etienne whilst Lille were the only other winners, beating Le Mans 3-0.

Montpelier lost 2-0 at home to Nancy and Lyon could only draw 1-1 at Monaco.

Braga are top in Portugal on goal difference from Benfica who opened up a four point gap on Porto by beating them 1-0 on Sunday. Saviola scored the crucial only goal of the game in the first-half.

Braga had got their three points for the weekend out of the way early after they beat Pacos Ferreira 1-0 on Friday evening. The leaders had a late first-half goal from Meyong to thank for their win.

Rangers opened up a clear lead on Celtic at the weekend as they were 6-1 winners over Motherwell, whilst Celtic lost 2-1 at Hearts.

Rangers moved four points clear although Celtic still have a game in hand. The Gers made light work of Motherwell with Miller and Lafferty getting two each and Beasley and Boyd, of course, chipping in as well.

Celtic will regard themselves as very unlucky to have lost at Hearts. Samaras gave them the lead but Hearts equalised with a controversial penalty which was even more controversial as Caldwell was shown a red card.

Celtic’s ten men continued to dominate the game but Hearts found a winner from somewhere leaving Celtic very confused as to how they failed to get anything from the game.

The two horse race in Greece swayed towards Panathinaikos at the weekend as they opened up a two point lead.

Panathinaikos had an easy 4-0 win at home to Giannina whilst Olympiakos were being beaten 1-0 by Aris Salonika.

Galatasaray, Bursaspor, Kayserispor and Fenerbahce are all within two points of each other at the top of the Turkish league.

In a tight and exciting league, all four of the top teams won their game this weekend by the odd goal.