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Real Madrid's Wesley Sneijder (left)
scores past Villarreal goalie Diego Lopez during his team's 2-1 victory on
Sunday. (Source: Shanghai Daily/ Agencies)
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BEIJING, Jan. 29 -- Complacency is now Real Madrid's biggest threat in the
Primera Liga title race, coach Bernd Schuster said.
The Spanish champion beat third-placed Villarreal 3-2 at the Bernabeu on
Sunday to open up a nine-point lead, making the most of second-placed
Barcelona's 1-1 draw away to Athletic Bilbao.
Brazil forward Robinho scored a goal in each half in a pulsating match at
the Bernabeu, in which Giuseppe Rossi and Joan Capdevila had twice levelled for
third-placed Villarreal.
"It's a large gap but it isn't decisive. At the moment our only rival is
ourselves because if we relax we will quickly lose the advantage," Schuster
said.
"We give the impression to our rivals that we are not going to trip up.
Stretching the lead by two more points is another important step, but there are
still plenty of games to play."
Real appears to be running away with the title after its eighth consecutive
victory, during which time it has beaten its three closest challengers, Barca,
Villarreal and Atletico Madrid.
Barcelona continued to struggle for form in San Mames and failed to finish
off 16th-placed Athletic Bilbao after taking a first-half lead through Bojan
Krkic. Lilian Thuram's late own goal left them hanging on at the end.
"We are not giving up on anything," Barca coach Frank Rijkaard said. "The
team fought hard and I am sure that if we continue to do so we will cut Real's
lead."
Atletico and Espanyol both lost as their vague pretensions of challenging
for the title were knocked back even further. Fourth-placed Atletico, on 37
points, fell to a goal from Venezuela striker Juan Arango at Real Mallorca,
making it three defeats in a week for Javier Aguirre's side.
Espanyol, a point back in fifth, lost 1-2 at home to Real Betis for its
third consecutive league defeat.
Elsewhere, problems mounted for coach Ronald Koeman as Valencia made it
nine games without a win, losing 1-0 at home to promoted Almeria.
In France, an injury-time freekick from France striker Karim Benzema earned
Olympique Lyon a 1-1 draw at neighbour St Etienne that took the six-time
champions four points clear at the top of Ligue 1 on Sunday.
A blunder from France goalkeeper Gregory Coupet enabled forward Batefimbi
Gomis to open the scoring for St Etienne just before halftime but Benzema struck
back with his 15th league goal this season virtually on the final whistle.
Lyon moves to 46 points from 23 games, one ahead of Girondins Bordeaux,
which lost 0-1 at Lorient.
(Source: Shanghai Daily/ Agencies)
