How close can championship races get? Year 1989, Arsenal scored the all-important second goal in the dying minutes to beat Liverpool 2-0 and snatch the title from Liverpool on 'goals scored'. Year 1999, Manchester United won the title from Arsenal by just a point by defeating Spurs 2-1 on the last day. Nine years later, and we could be witnessing another title race that will go down to the wire. It could have been less complex though had ManU managed to hang on at 1-1 against Chelsea in their weekend clash. But it was a controversial penalty awarded to Chelsea that was coolly slotted home by Ballack for his second of the game that ties the top two English clubs at 81 points apiece though keeps the Red Devils on top only because of their mammoth goal difference. Even though Ferguson is worried about the penalty decisions going against him, one wonders about the kind of team he had set up for the last two matches. The team at Nou Camp seemed willing to take a draw even before kickoff and the mentality of the team at Stamford Bridge was not much different. Ferguson will have to bring the hunger and desire back in his team which has been such an important catalyst for their success so far this season. Will he regret his team selections in these all-important matches? The answer isn’t faraway….
In another top of the table clash, it was Celtic who emulated Chelsea in Scotland by defeating Rangers 3-2 and put a 5 point lead at the top though Rangers have 3 games in hand. But with Rangers still battling for glory in three competitions, Celtic will be hoping for more slipups from their arch rivals who have obtained just 1 point from their last 3 games compared to Celtic’s 9 points. Will the dream of a quadruple end in shambles for Rangers? The answer isn’t faraway….
Inter Milan continue their impressive form at the top with a 2-1 win against Cagliari, their fourth successive victory, but cannot claim the title yet as Roma grabbed their 3 points with a 4-1 victory over Torino. Interestingly, Inter have the opportunity to clinch the title in style if they could carve out a victory in their next game against….AC Milan in the Milan derby! The bottom of the table has got tighter as Parma have now been pushed into the last 3. The bottom 7 clubs are separated by only 5 points with 3 games remaining. Woah, that’s close! Will Inter be crowned champions next week or will Milan play party-poopers? The answer isn’t faraway….
The tale in Spain was no different this weekend. Real Madrid are surging towards the finish line and there is no one to challenge them at the season’s end.
While it was a 3-0 victory for the Champions with goals from Saviola, Robben and Higuain, and a 1-0 victory for Villareal to procrastinate Madrid’s celebrations, it was yet more misery endured by the Barcelona supporters. A 2-0 defeat inflicted by Deportivo leaves the Catalan giants with just 1 win out of their last 9 league games (L L D W L D D D L). Madrid would be crowned champions if they were to win at Osasuna next week and this would result in Barcelona having to give the guard of honor to the Champions when Madrid host Barca on the 7th. Nothing more humiliating for a Barcelona supporter! Things have turned towards the brighter side for Valencia who sacked Ronald Koeman after a string of poor results. A 3-0 win on the weekend under temporary coach Salvador Gonazlez puts them 4 points over the drop zone and lets the Valencia supporters breathe freely for the moment at least. Will Madrid clinch their 31st title at Osasuna next week? The answer isn’t faraway….And finally, mid-week holds in store crucial semi-final matches in the Champions League and UEFA Cup. Which teams will take a step further towards the coveted European trophies? The answer isn’t faraway….
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