Real go three points clear; Chelsea ahead of Arsenal

Tuesday, 25 February 2014 00:11 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Reuters: Real Madrid profited from the shock defeats of Barcelona and Atletico Madrid to go three points clear at the top of La Liga with a 3-0 win over Elche at the weekend. Chelsea clung to top place in the Premier League with a 1-0 win over Everton, while Bayern Munich opened a 19-point lead in the Bundesliga with their 14th successive league win while closest rivals Bayer Leverkusen and Borussia Dortmund lost. Real Madrid moved three points clear at the top after they cruised to a 3-0 win at home to promoted Elche and Barcelona and Atletico Madrid slumped to surprise defeats.

Champions Barca were beaten 3-1 at fifth-placed Real Sociedad on Saturday as coach Gerardo Martino’s decision to rest key players backfired. Martino’s Argentine compatriot Diego Simeone also started without several regulars at Osasuna on Sunday and his Atletico side conceded three goals in the first half for the first time since he took over at the end of 2011 in a 3-0 reverse. World record signing Gareth Bale scored a long-range stunner in Real’s victory against Elche, the Wales winger’s 10th of the campaign. Real, who play at Atletico next Sunday, have 63 points with 13 matches left, with Barca in second ahead of Atletico on goal difference. Premier League leaders Chelsea remained one point clear of Arsenal and three ahead of Manchester City after captain John Terry’s late goal sunk Everton 1-0. The Gunners defeated Sunderland 4-1 at home while City, who have a game in hand on Chelsea, accounted for Stoke City courtesy of Yaya Toure’s strike. Seven goals flowed in Liverpool’s 4-3 win over Swansea at Anfield, with Daniel Sturridge and Jordan Henderson both scoring a brace to keep Brendan Rodgers’ side in fourth, four points behind Chelsea. Wayne Rooney, fresh from signing a new four-year deal at Manchester United, was on the score sheet as the reigning champions beat Crystal Palace 2-0 to go five points behind fifth-placed Tottenham Hotspur who lost 1-0 at Norwich City.

Mueller scores twice as Bayern win 14th in a row

REUTERS: Runaway leaders Bayern Munich appeared to barely break sweat in a 4-0 win at Hanover 96 to chalk up their 14th Bundesliga win in a row on Sunday, leaving them a huge 19 points clear at the top. The defending champions, unbeaten in their last 47 league matches, look well-placed to beat last season’’ record when they wrapped up the title with six matches to spare. Thomas Mueller scored twice while Thiago Alcantara and Mario Mandzukic helped themselves to one piece in an embarrassingly one-sided affair watched in near silence by a demoralised 49,000 crowd. Bayern has 62 points from a possible 66 and a goal difference of 52. Bayern’s nearest challengers Bayer Leverkusen lost 3-1 at VfL Wolfsburg on Saturday, leaving them stuck on 43 points. Borussia Dortmund are a point further back in third after losing 3-0 at Hamburg SV.

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