EUROPE: A GOAL from Angel Di Maria in the closing stages handed ten-man Real Madrid a precious 1-0 victory over a well-drilled Sevilla side in last night's ill-tempered encounter at the Santiago Bernabeu.
The visitors had enjoyed the best scoring chances in the match, and when defender Ricardo Carvalho was sent off, a chance to end Jose Mourinho’s 8-year unbeaten home record was materialising.
However Di Maria took the chance to squeeze home the winner from a tight angle and secure the victory which keeps Real just two points behind leaders Barcelona.
Espanyol fans put aside allegiances in the city derby on Saturday to give Barcelona’s Andres Iniesta an ovation for the tribute he made to their former captain Dani Jarque at the World Cup finals.
The midfielder won the respect of Espanyol supporters when he scored Spain’s winning goal against Netherlands in the final in South Africa back in July.
The 26-year-old ripped off his shirt in the celebrations to reveal a vest with a dedication to Jarque, who had died of heart failure aged 26 last year. The two had been good friends. Espanyol fans gave him a standing ovation when the team sheets were read out before kickoff, and again when he was substituted near the end of the match.
“I felt it on the pitch, this is biggest thing, people have sent me messages . . . people are more important than rivalries,” Iniesta, a shortlisted candidate for this year’s Balon d’Or award, said.
“Andres deserves it and I would like to congratulate the stands at Cornella-El Prat for the way they treated him,” said coach Pep Guardiola.
Barca won the game 5-1, the support for Iniesta standing out in stark contrast to the usual hostile reception reserved for the rest of Barca’s team.
Pedro and David Villa scored two apiece and Xavi added the other as Barcelona made it 10 wins in a row in all competitions and extend their unbeaten run to 22.
Espanyol’s Pablo Osvaldo had briefly threatened something of a comeback making it 3-1 in the 63rd minute, when he became the first player to beat Victor Valdes in seven games, but the ever-hungry Barca snuffed out their revival with two more goals.
Meanwhile, Aritz Aduriz netted a last-gasp winner to send Valencia into the Champions League spots and break the hearts of his home-town club Real Sociedad with a 2-1 win.
San Sebastian-born Aduriz took advantage of a fluffed clearance by Sociedad goalkeeper Claudio Bravo to net the winning goal in the 91st minute as Valencia hit back from an early deficit at Anoeta to replace Espanyol in fourth place.
Sociedad took a 23rd-minute lead through Xabi Prieto’s penalty, but Valencia struck back on the stroke of half-time with a stunning free-kick by Tino Costa.
Atletico Madrid recovered from their Europa League exit to beat Malaga 3-0 away in La Liga last night, with all three goals coming from headers. Atletico are ahead of near neighbours Getafe on goal difference after Michel’s side earlier came back from two-down to win 3-2 at Almeria.