Spain

The top two both failed to win in the Primera División this weekend, allowing third-placed Deportivo La Coruña to close the gap at the top to just four points after week 20 of the season. Leaders Valencia were held to a goalless draw at mid-table Real Valladolid on Saturday, while 24 hours later the champions also drew on their travels, 1-1 at Real Betis, and this despite the return from injury of England captain David Beckham.

However, Madrid were grateful to top scorer Ronaldo, whose brilliant second-half goal prevented the visitors from suffering a second straight league defeat after exciting Spain international winger Joaquín Sánchez had opened the scoring for Betis with a 33rd-minute volley.

Those slip-ups were seized upon by Deportivo, who yesterday came from behind to thrash struggling Real Zaragoza 4-1 at home thanks to a brace either side of the break from Diego Tristán, this after playmaker Juan Carlos Valerón had given the visitors a surprise early lead with an own goal. And second-half strikes from fellow Spain internationals Alberto Luque and Sergio González wrapped up a comfortable three points for the Galicians.

Other results saw Barcelona and Athletic Bilbao fight out a 1-1 draw at the Camp Nou on Saturday, although the Basques were grateful to Carlos Gurpegi, whose late header cancelled out Patrick Kluivert's opener. Ex-Aston Villa forward Savo Milosevic was on target once again for lowly Celta Vigo, who let go of a two-goal lead late on at last-placed Murcia to draw 2-2 with both sides reduced to ten men. Meanwhile last season's runners-up, Real Sociedad, continued their recent revival by winning their third game in a row yesterday, 3-1 at home to relegation-threatened Espanyol.

Player of the weekend: Fernando Torres
Atlético de Madrid's young Spain international striker netted his 12th goal of the season, from the penalty spot, as his side overcame Sevilla 2-1 in the Spanish capital on Sunday, their sixth match without defeat. The win keeps the home team in the fourth and final Champions League slot in La Liga.


Italy

It's as you were at the top of Serie A as the first division season reached its halfway point this weekend, the leading trio all recording victories. First-placed Roma came from behind in the capital yesterday to see off the challenge of mid-table Sampdoria 3-1 courtesy of a Francesco Totti double, but in Sunday's live night game, European champions AC Milan responded with their own win to remain second, three points off the top, with a game in hand.

Milan's slender 1-0 win at in-form Brescia was secured via defender Giuseppe Pancaro's late header, while Juventus are still in third, also three points behind Roma, following yesterday afternoon's comfortable 4-2 home win over promoted Siena. Captain Alessandro del Piero netted a hat-trick at the Delle Alpi, including two from the spot, but the champions remain behind Milan in the table on goal difference.

Elsewhere in the first division yesterday, there was a shock 1-0 win for struggling Empoli at fourth-placed Internazionale, a result that allowed cash-strapped Parma to join the Milan giants on 31 points in fifth place after sharing the spoils in a 1-1 draw at mid-table Udinese on Saturday. Sixth-placed Lazio yet again threw away a lead, given to them by Claudio López's 24-minute strike, to draw 1-1 at promoted Modena.

Player of the weekend: Adriano
The Brazilian striker was playing his first match for Parma since returning from a long injury lay-off, and he once again demonstrated his value to the club by heading in a late equaliser after team-mate Matteo Ferrari's first-half own goal had given Udinese the lead.


France

Both the leaders Monaco and second-placed Paris Saint-Germain were held to goalless draws by Bastia and Metz respectively in the first division on Saturday, allowing third-in-the-table Lyon to close the gap at the top with a convincing 3-0 home win over Montpellier.

The champions goalscoring heroes were Vikash Dhorasoo and Pegguy Luyindula before the interval, while Julien Viale added a third after half-time to close the gap at the top to eight points.

And yesterday Marseille's new coach, Jose Anigo, enjoyed a winning start to his career at the Vélodrome as the struggling southern giants of French football recorded a much-needed 3-2 home win over nine-man Lens. That moved them up two places to sixth in Le Championnat standings thanks to a brace from in-form front man Didier Drogba.

Player of the weekend: Djibril Cissé
The man who has reportedly already signed on at Liverpool for next season notched up his 15th league goal of the campaign on Saturday to not only help fourth-placed Auxerre win 2-0 win at Strasbourg, but also to keep the France international striker as the top scorer in Ligue 1.