Real Madrid have tightened their grip on top spot in the Primera Division. Despite being far from their best, they clinched a 3-0 away win against relegation candidates Getafe on matchday 19. A brace from three-time Ballon d’Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo and a further goal from Gareth Bale sealed Real’s second win from five competitive games in 2015.
Three days after their cup exit to local rivals Atlético Madrid (4-2 on aggregate), Real struggled to get going in the first half against Getafe. World Cup winner Toni Kroos’ shot against the crossbar from around 20 yards was one of few highlights in the first half. Real went through the gears in the second half though and bagged the three points thanks to their individual quality. World Champion Sami Khedira was subbed on with twelve minutes left to play.
Lazio and substitute Klose suffer defeat
Lazio suffered an avoidable 1-0 home defeat to SSC Napoli in Italy’s Serie A on Sunday. World Cup winner Miroslav Klose was subbed on at half time, but was unable to prevent the defeat. With 31 points from 19 games, Lazio have dropped from third to fifth place. Argentina international Gonzalo Higuain scored the winning goal in the 18th minute.
Germany international Mario Gomez’s Fiorentina side have closed in on Klose and Lazio, as they secured a 2-1 victory against Chievo Verona, Fiorentina’s third successive win. Now with 30 points on the board, they remain in sixth place, but are just one point away from the European qualifying places. Gomez featured in the starting XI but failed to find the back of the net. Gonzalo Rodriguez scored the opener for Fiorentina, but Verona’s skipper Sergio Pellissier levelled the scores in the 72nd minute. Khouma Babacar, brought on for Gomez in the 66th minute, scored a dramatic late winner for Viola.
Arsenal win crunch match with Manchester City
Arsenal managed a surprise 2-0 away victory against Manchester City on matchday 22 in the Premier League. World Champion Per Mertesacker was in the starting line-up, but Mesut Özil was not in the squad having just recovered from injury. Santi Cazorla’s penalty and Olivier Giroud’s header were enough for the Gunners to claim all three points in north-west England. Mesut Özil, who celebrated his comeback last weekend in a 3-0 win against Stoke City, sat on the bench for the entire 90 minutes. Arsenal are closing in on the Champions League places with 39 points to their name, one fewer than fourth-placed Manchester United.