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LA LIGA: LEADERS ATLETICO GETS NERVY WIN AGAINST ELCHE TO STAY TOP OF THE TABLE

Atletico Madrid were given a huge let-off on Saturday as Elche missed a 91st-minute penalty, allowing the La Liga leaders to escape with a 1-0 win and go five points clear at the top of the table.

Elche’s Fidel Chaves struck the post with his injury-time spot-kick in what could prove a pivotal moment in Spain’s thrilling title race, with Real Madrid, Barcelona and Sevilla all still in the hunt to be crowned champions.

Marcos Llorente gave Atleti the lead at the Estadio Martinez Valero but they failed to make the result secure and Elche twice could have equalised in the final minutes.

First, Antonio Barragan volleyed over from close range and then Llorente’s handball gave Fidel a golden opportunity from the spot but he too squandered the chance.

Diego Simeone leapt into the air when the ball came back off the post, his side pulling further clear and putting pressure on the others, with Real Madrid at home to Osasuna later on Saturday before Barcelona travel to Valencia on Sunday.

Sevilla, who are now six points behind, play their game in hand on Monday against Athletic Bilbao.

After a frantic week that saw Real Madrid draw at home to Real Betis, Atletico lose against Athletic and Barcelona defeated by Granada, any victory, even one as marginal as this, will be welcome for Atleti. They are now guaranteed to be ahead of Barca when they kick off at Camp Nou next Saturday, the only question now how significant their advantage will be.

Real Madrid also face Sevilla at Valdebebas a day later in a crunch weekend at the top but the resistance of 18th-placed Elche against La Liga’s frontrunners suggests the race may well go to the final day.

VAR denies Atletico in first half: Simeone’s side were denied three times in the first half, Luis Suarez missing a golden chance before they had a goal and a penalty ruled out by VAR.

Suarez’s chance came early, the Uruguayan stepping over Mario Hermoso’s pass and then latching onto Angel Correa’s backheel only to fire wide from eight yards.

When he did score shortly after, Suarez saw the goal chalked off, VAR showing he was just offside when slotting home Llorente’s pass across.

Finally, Atletico broke through, with Yannick Carrasco weaving through down the left before picking out the arriving Llorente, whose shot deflected off Josema Sanchez on its way in.

Atletico thought they had a penalty on the stroke of half-time for a handball by Diego Gonzalez but that was also scrubbed off by referee Melero Lopez.

The pulse of the game slowed in the second half, although Elche wanted a penalty of their own when Geoffrey Kondogbia nudged Pere Milla in the back.

Joao Felix, on as a substitute, might have grabbed a second for Atletico but hesitated in the box and instead Saul Niguez’s shot was blocked.

One was never enough to feel comfortable and Barragan should have equalised with five minutes left when the ball was headed back to him six yards out but somehow he volleyed over.

There was still more drama to come as Victor Rodriguez’s cross struck the hand of the leaping Llorente in the box and Fidel stepped up to snatch a draw. Instead, he found the outside of the post.

Meanwhile, the investigating judge of the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) is set to dismiss allegations of racism which prompted Valencia defender Mouctar Diakhaby to walk off the pitch in a La Liga game with Cadiz due to lack of evidence.

“In an eight-page ruling, Juan Antonio Landaberea Unzueta concludes that the racist insult Cala allegedly directed at Valencia defender Mouctar Diakhaby could not be proven,” said Cadiz in a statement.

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LA LIGA: REAL MADRID BATTLE TO VICTORY TO CLOSE GAP AHEAD TITLE BATTLE

Real Madrid lifted themselves to within two points of La Liga’s summit on Saturday evening with a 2-0 victory over Osasuna, but they were made to work extremely hard by their dogged opponents at the Estadio Alfredo Di Stefano.

Madrid knew they had to win to keep the pressure on Atletico Madrid at the top of La Liga, and they flew out of the traps accordingly, taking aim at the Osasuna goal. Los Blancos were particularly wasteful however, missing the target on a number of occasions, as the visitors managed to survive until half-time.

Zinedine Zidane’s men didn’t take their foot off the gas in the second half, with Eder Militao firing high and wide on the volley. Rodrygo took matters into his own hands with a mazy run and shot, but he dragged his effort slightly wide, as the nerves began to jangle in the Spanish capital.

It looked as if Madrid were destined to fall further behind leaders Atleti, but with 15 minutes remaining on the clock, the defending champions struck. Isco floated a corner into the heart of the penalty area, and Militao rose highest to plant a superb header into the top corner of Sergio Herrera’s net.

The relief across Zidane’s face was clear for all to see, as he punched the air with delight. Madrid controlled possession and swiftly killed the game on 80 minutes, albeit in freakish style.

Karim Benzema charged forward with the ball and tried to slip a pass through to Casemiro, but the Brazilian took an extremely heavy touch when entering the box.

However, the goalkeeper was fooled by the poor control, and the ball trickled apologetically past him and over the line, allowing Madrid to play out the final 10 minutes in comfort. Los Blancos now sit in second place, only two points behind Atleti with four games left to play.

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LIGUE 1 ROUND UP: LEADER LILLE BEATS NICE TO STAY 1 POINT AHEAD PSG

Lille showed it is a serious contender to win the French league by beating Nice 2-0 to stay one point ahead of Paris Saint-Germain on Saturday.

Defending champion PSG scraped past Lens 2-1 at home to pressure Lille, and Christophe Galtier’s Lille side responded.

Veteran Turkey striker Burak Yilmaz opened the scoring in the 13th minute with a low strike from just outside the penalty area. After Nice defender Jordan Lotomba was sent off just after the break, Yilmaz’s countryman, Mehmet Celik, struck in a crisp shot from 20 meters in the 56th.

There are three games left, with Lille next away to Lens and PSG visiting a vastly improved Rennes side which is also chasing a Europa League spot.

Nice has the least defeats in the league with three and has conceded the least goals (22), compared to eight losses and 27 goals allowed for PSG.

Earlier, Neymar opened the scoring following a defensive error in the 33rd minute and captain Marquinhos scored another powerful header — just as he had against Manchester City midweek — to make it 2-0 after an hour.

But Lens exposed poor PSG defending when it scored straight from the restart as striker Ignatius Ganogo slotted home following a fine team move.

“It was a very difficult game, Lens plays very good football. I really like their style of play and we suffered,” Pochettino said. “We had to work hard for this win.”

Lens stayed in fifth place and the Europa League spot but was level on points with Marseille. Rennes can move into fifth if it wins at struggling Bordeaux on Sunday.

PSG coach Mauricio Pochettino was without star striker Kylian Mbappe, who is nursing a calf injury, while central midfielders Leandro Paredes and Marco Verratti were rested for the return leg at City on Tuesday. PSG trails 2-1.

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GROSS, WELBECK ON TARGET AS BRIGHTON BEAT LEEDS UTD TO GET CLOSER TO SAFETY

Pascal Gross and Danny Welbeck scored in either half to move Brighton & Hove Albion 10 points clear of the bottom three with a 2-0 win over Leeds United.

Brighton went ahead on 14 minutes through Gross’s penalty after Ezgjan Alioski had brought down Welbeck.

Leeds responded and Jack Harrison drew a save from Robert Sanchez before volleying narrowly over.

Brighton missed chances to extend their lead, with Leandro Trossard blazing the best over before half-time.

But Welbeck sealed victory from a loose clearance with a brilliant turn and finish across Illan Meslier with 11 minutes remaining.

A first win in five moves Brighton up to 14th with 37 points.

An end to their six-match unbeaten run keeps Leeds on 47 points in ninth.

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HAVERTZ BRACE HELP CHELSEA EDGE FULHAM AS BLUES INCH CLOSER TO SEALING TOP FOUR

Two goals by Kai Havertz earned Chelsea a 2-0 victory over Fulham to consolidate the Blues’ place in the top four.

Havertz opened the scoring after 10 minutes, finishing past Alphonse Areola after being played in by Mason Mount.

Chelsea were denied a second six minutes before half-time when Areola saved superbly from Hakim Ziyech.

Havertz doubled Chelsea’s lead four minutes into the second half, playing a one-two with Timo Werner before slotting into the corner for his fourth Premier League goal of the season.

Fulham were unable to respond, failing to register a shot on target in the second half as Chelsea ran out comfortable winners.

Fourth-placed Chelsea go six points clear of West Ham United, who travel to Burnley on Monday.

Fulham stay 18th on 27 points, nine adrift of their nearest rivals Newcastle United, with four matches to play.

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AGUERO ON TARGET AS MANCHESTER CITY EDGE CLOSER TO PREMIER LEAGUE TITLE WITH WIN AT CRYSTAL PALACE

Sergio Aguero provided a reminder of his goalscoring brilliance with the opener in Manchester City’s 2-0 win at Crystal Palace to put the Premier League leaders on the verge of another title.

After a frustrating first 45 minutes in south London, it was City’s record goalscorer who broke the deadlock with a superb finish and Ferran Torres wrapped up the points soon after following a fine curled effort.

Pep Guardiola’s side clinched the Carabao Cup last weekend and took a big step towards the Champions League final on Wednesday, but still found the energy and quality to seal a 25th top-flight win of the campaign.

It means defeat for Manchester United on Sunday at home to Liverpool will crown City the best in England once again with stalwart Aguero making the most of a rare starting berth to edge his team towards more silverware.

Palace had lost the most recent meeting 4-0 back in January, but they showed their intent early on at Selhurst Park with two efforts from range.

Raheem Sterling, Gabriel Jesus and Aguero were given opportunities from the off in the capital after they failed to make it off the bench in Wednesday’s win in Paris and it was the England international who had City’s first genuine chance of the contest.

Good defending by the recalled Tyrick Mitchell contributed towards the winger only firing wide to ensure his goal drought continued.

While Guardiola, who made eight changes, saw his team enjoy the majority of possession, the hosts looked a threat on the counter-attack and almost took the lead in the 28th minute.

Andros Townsend and Joel Ward combined well on the right after Palace had switched play well and the latter had a cross blocked which dropped to Christian Benteke, but he was denied by Ederson from close range.

The champions-elect had been warned and they nearly produced the perfect response when Jesus volleyed past Vicente Guaita eight minutes later from a Fernandinho cross. The offside flag had been raised though and a brief VAR check confirmed it was the right decision.

Aguero, who has struggled with fitness and form during the last 12 months, squandered a decent opening minutes later which meant it stayed goalless at the break with City failing to register a shot on target.

Scott Dann’s timely intervention kept the score 0-0 after Torres had attempted to square for Jesus inside the six-yard box, but it was a brief reprieve for Roy Hodgson’s side with the deadlock broken after 57 minutes.

It was a familiar source for City as Benjamin Mendy picked out Aguero in the area and he controlled before his strike was rifled into the roof of the net in trademark clinical fashion.

This was only the Argentinian’s second goal in the Premier League this season, but like so often in the past it had moved the Manchester club a step closer to the title.

Winger Torres was another eager to impress and he made it 2-0 within two minutes of Aguero’s effort to essentially wrap up the points.

A curled shot from outside the area through a crowd of bodies beat Guaita and sparked big celebrations from the City players on and off the pitch.

Sterling and Aymeric Laporte could have added further gloss, but the post and a heroic block from Benteke ensured the deficit stayed at two.

City will now have an eye on events at Old Trafford on Sunday where a Liverpool victory could clinch them a third league title in four years.

Guardiola’s focus will most likely be on Paris St Germain’s visit this coming Tuesday where they can take another step towards winning a treble.

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JOSE MOURINHO IN NO RUSH TO RETURN FOOTBALL FOLLOWING TOTTENHAM SACKING

Jose Mourinho insisted he will “wait to be back in football” after being sacked by Tottenham on April 19.

The 58-year-old lost his job following a disappointing second half of the season where Spurs dropped from the top of the Premier League to outside the European places.

Mourinho left the north London club just six days before their Carabao Cup final at Wembley, which Manchester City won 1-0.

“I have no plans,” Mourinho told newsmen.

“I am going on with my normal life. I feel fresh. I feel calm. I am on holiday.

“I have more time to be doing my homework and analysis. I’ll wait to be back in football.

“Not just for the right club, but for the right culture. Maybe next season is premature, we will see.”

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LEICESTER HELD BY TEN-MAN SOUTHAMPTON

Leicester’s Champions League charge suffered a minor setback after they were forced to settle for a 1-1 Premier League draw at 10-man Southampton.

Jonny Evans’ 68th-minute header earned the third-placed Foxes a point on the south coast following James Ward-Prowse’s penalty opener for the battling hosts.

Saints played 80 minutes a man down after Jannik Vestergaard was sent off for bringing down Jamie Vardy on the edge of the hosts’ 18-yard box.

Brendan Rodgers high-flying visitors were unable to take full advantage of the early dismissal and the result moves them eight points clear of fifth-paced West Ham in the race for European football, while the dogged hosts extended their advantage over the relegation zone to 10 points.

Leicester, who defeated their hosts 1-0 in an FA Cup semi-final less than a fortnight ago, were back at St Mary’s for the first time since running riot in a record-breaking 9-0 success in October 2019.

Southampton were seeking a modicum of revenge for those painful recent losses but were without injured top scorer Danny Ings, who may miss the remainder of the season with a hamstring issue suffered in last week’s loss at Tottenham.

Friday evening’s game was the first Premier League fixture since the sporting world began a four-day social media boycott in protest at ongoing abuse.

There was plenty to merit online engagement inside an action-packed opening 10 minutes in which Southampton had a goal disallowed, wasted a golden chance, and were reduced to 10 men.

Saints right-back Kyle Walker-Peters was denied by an offside flag after confidently finishing past Kasper Schmeichel in just the second minute, before the unmarked Nathan Tella scuffed a tame effort at the Leicester goalkeeper having been picked out by Che Adams.

Southampton boss Ralph Hasenhuttl was visibly frustrated by Tella’s profligacy and soon had further reason for irritation as momentum swung the way of the visitors.

Slack defending from Vestergaard allowed Vardy a clear sight of goal and, in desperation to regain possession on the edge of his own penalty area, the Southampton defender lunged at the ball before catching his opponent with his studs on the follow through.

The Premier League later confirmed the red card was for the denial of a goal-scoring opportunity rather than dangerous play and, after Vardy received lengthy treatment on the field, James Maddison curled the resultant free-kick narrowly wide.

Southampton had Ryan Bertrand dismissed in the 12th minute of their embarrassing capitulation in last season’s corresponding fixture and were facing another uphill task.

They showed some resolve as Nathan Redmond fizzed a shot at Schmeichel minutes later, while Youri Tielemans later tested Saints goalkeeper Alex McCarthy with City’s best opening of a goalless first half.

Foxes manager Rodgers had initially stuck with the team which beat Crystal Palace on Monday but, with his side struggling to make the most of their man advantage, introduced forward Ayoze Perez in place of defender Wesley Fofana at the start of the second half.

The additional firepower did not initially result in a greater attacking threat and the visitors fell behind just after the hour mark.

Ward-Prowse confidently dispatched the ball into the bottom-left corner from the spot after his clever free-kick led to Kelechi Iheanacho blocking Stuart Armstrong’s powerful effort with an outstretched arm.

Falling behind kicked Leicester into life and they soon levelled.
Iheanacho made amends for his earlier error by delivering an inviting inswinging cross from the left, allowing defender Evans to nod his second goal in three games beyond McCarthy.

Southampton, who have recorded fewer points than any other Premier League club during a difficult 2021, came under incessant pressure during the final 22 minutes but prevented a 13th defeat from 16 outings through a combination of heroic defending and a slice of fortune.

McCarthy superbly denied Vardy from close range and was later relieved to see the ball flash narrowly over after he flapped at a cross while challenging Iheanacho.