Spain

Real Madrid were grateful to Ronaldo on Saturday night, the World and European Footballer of the Year's 74th-minute goal from England captain David Beckham's perfect through-ball earning the champions an undeserving point at high-flying Osasuna, who had taken the lead through ex-Everton striker Ibrahima Bakayoko's early opener.

However Valencia's 3-2 win over Real Zaragoza moved them above second-placed Madrid to the head of the table on goal difference, although the home side did have to endure a late fight back from the newly-promoted side, who had trailed 3-0 at the break following strikes from Jorge Lopez, Vicente and Pablo Aimar.

And last night, ten-man Deportivo La Coruña lost to Villarreal at the Riazor in the league for the first time in the Galicians' history, Roger's first goal of the season easing the hosts down to third, one point behind the leading duo, while Barcelona moved up to fifth ahead of next Saturday's showdown with arch rivals Madrid, who they trail by seven points, following a goalless draw with Real Valladolid at the Camp Nou.

Player of the weekend: Jesuli  The Celta Vigo midfielder's winner at Sevilla yesterday earned his struggling side their first league win for five matches, moving them away from the relegation zone in the process.

Top of the Table

 

Pld

W

D

L

GF

GA

Pts

Valencia

13

8

3

2

27

11

27

Real Madrid

13

8

3

2

27

15

27

Deportivo

13

8

2

3

21

10

26

Atletico Madrid

13

7

1

5

17

16

22

Barcelona

13

5

5

3

17

16

20



Italy

Roma and AC Milan overtook Juventus at the top of Serie A on the weekend after the champions suffered their first league defeat of the season at home to fourth-placed Internazionale on Saturday evening.

Inter, who were thrashed 5-1 in midweek by Arsenal at San Siro, were grateful to Christian Vieri's understudy, Argentinian Julio Ricardo Cruz, who struck either side of half-time, before Obafemi Martins made it 3-0.

Paolo Montero's last-minute strike was just a consolation for Marcello Lippi's side, who now trail the leading duo by a point after they both recorded home wins yesterday, while Inter move to within four points of third-placed Juve.

Roma overcame struggling Lecce 3-1 after strikes from Mancini, John Carew and Francesco Totti, the captain's fifth of the campaign and European champions Milan had few problems in seeing off the challenge of promoted Modena 2-0 thanks to a brace from in-form striker Andriy Shevchenko, the Ukrainian's 12th goal in just eleven league games this season. But Roma lead the table courtesy of their superior goal difference and both teams retain their unbeaten first division records.

Player of the weekend: Rodrigo  Taddei Siena's Taddei scored twice yesterday as his team stunned ten-man Lazio 3-0 at home, with the Brazilian also creating the third for the newly-promoted side, while Parma's 1-0 home win over Chievo moves them above the Romans into fifth.

Top of the Table

 

Pld

W

D

L

GF

GA

Pts

Roma

11

8

3

0

25

4

27

Milan

11

8

3

0

20

4

27

Juventus

11

8

2

1

26

12

26

Internazionale

11

6

4

1

20

6

22

Parma

11

6

3

2

19

11

21



Germany

The top four all drew in the Bundesliga on Saturday, meaning that Stuttgart remain the only unbeaten team in the first division, still with a slender two-point lead over Werder Bremen.

The leaders were held to a goalless draw at sixth-placed VfL Bochum, Bremen drew 1-1 at mid-table Hamburg, while third-in-the-table Bayer Leverkusen had to come from two goals down to share the spoils at home with ten-man 1860 München, reported Chelsea target Lúcio netting a 78th-minute equaliser to keep the hosts three points off top spot.

Bayern München, despite Claudio Pizarro's double either side of the break, also had to settle for a 2-2 home draw with last-placed Cologne, meaning that the champions stay six points behind Stuttgart after 14 games of the season.

Player of the weekend: Martin Max  The Hansa Rostock striker's two goals yesterday not only helped his team to register a crucial 2-1 home win over fifth-in-the-table Borussia Dortmund, but they also lifted the strugglers three places in the table to 13th and away from the drop zone.

Top of the Table

 

Pld

W

D

L

GF

GA

Pts

VfB Stuttgart

14

10

4

0

22

3

34

Werder Bremen

14

10

2

2

38

18

32

Bayer Leverkusen

14

9

4

1

30

12

31

Bayern Munich

14

8

4

2

32

18

28

Bor Dortmund

14

7

2

5

26

21

23



France

Monaco extended their lead over Lyons at the top of Ligue 1 to six points on Saturday after winning 1-0 at Nantes, while the champions were surprisingly beaten 3-1 at Rennes.

Monaco's goalscoring hero was Lucas Bernardi, whose winner at eighth-placed Nantes arrived with only 14 minutes remaining, but ten-man Lyon were stunned after conceding two first-half own goals, having taken the lead against Rennes.

And a man who England will need to keep an eye on in Portugal next summer, Switzerland international Alexander Frei, sealed the win with his sides' third after 75 minutes.

Last night in Le Championnat's game of the weekend, fifth-in-the-table Paris Saint-Germain won 1-0 at bitter rivals Marseille to move level on points with their third-placed hosts, although they remain below them in the first division standings on goal difference after Fabrice Fiorese netted a dramatic last-minute winner for the capital club.

As a result, both sides lie nine points behind Monaco at the top of the table after week 15 of the season.

Player of the weekend: Santos  Sochaux's Brazilian striker netted twice yesterday as his team overcame rivals Auxerre 3-2 at home to move up to fourth in the table, level on points with both Marseille and PSG and now four clear of their visitors.

Top of the Table

 

Pld

W

D

L

GF

GA

Pts

AS Monaco

15

11

3

1

28

12

36

Olympique Lyonnais

15

9

3

3

29

12

30

Olympique Marseille

15

9

0

6

22

15

27

Sochaux

15

8

3

4

18

11

27

Lens

15

8

3

4

22

16

27