Empoli 4 - 2 Napoli [Serie A]

Three consecutive wins had left Rafa Benitez's side five points off third-placed Roma ahead of its game in hand at the Stadio Carlo Castellani.  However, the Spaniard could only watch on in horror as a woeful defensive showing – including two own goals – led to a sound beating.  Empoli captain Massimo Maccarone opened the scoring with a fierce low shot in the eighth minute before Riccardo Saponara's cross ended up in the net after Napoli...

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Real Madrid 3 - 0 Almeria [La Liga]

Real Madrid kept up the pressure on Barcelona as it moved back to within two points of the La Liga leader with a 3-0 victory over Almeria. After Barca's comprehensive 6-0 win over Getafe 24 hours earlier, the pressure was on for Carlo Ancelotti's side and it ultimately claimed three points with ease despite a lacklustre first-half showing.  While title rival Barca netted five in the opening 45 minutes the previous day, Madrid took time...

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Leicester City 1 - 3 Chelsea [Premier League]

Chelsea came from behind to beat Leicester City 3-1 on Wednesday and move to within one win of clinching the Premier League title for the first time in five years. Lowly Leicester contained Chelsea for much of the opening period and took a deserved lead in stoppage time when Marc Albrighton kept his composure to fire the hosts ahead. Didier Drogba equalised for Chelsea early in the second half before late goals from captain John Terry and...

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Barcelona 6-0 Getafe

Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez scored twice as Barcelona thrashed Getafe 6-0 to hand Real Madrid an ominous La Liga title warning on Tuesday.  Getafe had held Luis Enrique’s side to a goalless stalemate in December’s reverse fixture and drew 2-2 at Barca last season, but any hopes of masterminding another surprise result were emphatically curtailed by a devastating five-goal first-half blitz at Camp Nou.  Barca’s rout started with Messi’s...

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Hull City 1-0 Liverpool

Hull City took an important step towards Premier League survival with a 1-0 win over Liverpool that leaves their opponents’ chances of UEFA Champions League qualification in tatters.  As in their goalless draw at West Brom on Saturday, Liverpool’s pleasing work on the ball was undermined by a lack of end product as Mario Balotelli and Raheem Sterling turned in abject performances in attack.  It meant Hull’s breakthrough late in the...

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Valencia 4-0 Granada

Valencia regained fourth spot in La Liga with a straightforward 4-0 victory over relegation-threatened Granada on Monday.  Defeat to Barcelona last time out had opened the door for Sevilla in the race for the final UEFA Champions League spot, the Andalusians capitalising with a 2-0 win over Rayo Vallecano on Sunday.  However, an unchallenged Javi Fuego nodded Dani Parejo’s 36th-minute corner home before the Valencia captain doubled...

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Celta Vigo 2-4 Real Madrid

Javier Hernandez’s Real Madrid resurgence continued with a vital brace in Sunday’s 4-2 win at Celta Vigo to keep the capital club within two points of La Liga leaders Barcelona.  The Mexico striker netted the crucial winner in Real’s 1-0 defeat of Atletico Madrid in the UEFA Champions League on Wednesday and he proved decisive once again as Carlo Ancelotti’s men made hard work of a vibrant Celta side.  Former Barca winger Nolito opened...

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Torino 2-1 Juventus

Fabio Quagliarella returned to haunt his former club Juventus, settling a 2-1 win to give Torino their first Turin derby triumph in 20 years and delaying their rivals’ title celebrations.  Victory at Stadio Olimpico coupled with Chievo beating Lazio would have wrapped up a fourth consecutive Scudetto for Juve, but the bragging rights were all Torino’s on Sunday, though a draw in Rome keeps the league leaders within touching distance of...

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Everton 3-0 Manchester United

Roberto Martinez outwitted Louis van Gaal as Everton earned a richly deserved 3-0 victory over Manchester United at Goodison Park.  Martinez has come in for criticism from certain quarters of the Goodison faithful during a testing second season on Merseyside, but the Spaniard got his tactics spot on to earn a morale-boosting win on Sunday courtesy of goals from James McCarthy, John Stones and Kevin Mirallas.  Heeding the blueprint of...

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Chris Smalling has signed a new contract at Manchester United which keeps him at the club until at least June 2019,

Chris Smalling has signed a new contract at Manchester United which keeps him at the club until at least June 2019,” a statement on United’s official website read.  “The England international, 25, has won two Premier League medals with United, made 147 appearances, and scored nine goals since his debut against Chelsea in the Community Shield in August 2010.”  The 25-year-old claims it is the best time to be with the 20-times English...

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Dnipro 1-0 Club Brugge (Agg 1-0)

Finally, Yevhen Shakhov’s goal eight minutes from time sent Dnipro into the semi-finals at the expense of Club Brugge. Brugge coach Michel Preud’homme predicted a “poker game” on the back of a goalless first leg in Belgium and there was little on display to quicken the pulse for the most part at Kiev’s Olympic Stadium.  Yevhen Seleznyov passed up Dnipro’s best chance during the first half but the hosts found regular openings hard to come...

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Zenit 2-2 Sevilla (Agg 3-4)

Kevin Gameiro’s late strike snatched a dramatic win for Sevilla against Zenit Saint Petersburg.  The Russian giants responded to Carlos Bacca’s sixth minute penalty three minutes into the second half when Jose Rondon tapped home from close range.  Hulk’s stunning effort levelled the aggregate score but, with the game set for extra-time, Gameiro converted Vitolo’s pass to send the Spanish club in to the last-four.     Zenit...

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Napoli 2-2 Wolfsburg (Agg 6-3)

Napoli and Wolfsburg produced an entertaining 2-2 draw at the Stadio San Paolo, but it was the Italian’s destructive 4-1 first-leg win which had all but sealed the tie.  The hosts opened up a 6-1 aggregate lead through Jose Callejon and Dries Mertens, before Miroslav Klose and Ivan Perisic clawed back some respectability on the night with two goals in three minutes. Rafael Benitez remains on course to become only the second coach to win...

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Fiorentina 2-0 Dynamo Kiev (Agg 3-1)

Fiorentina booked their place in the Europa League semi-finals with a 2-0 win over Dynamo Kiev.  Mario Gomez struck late in the first half to establish an aggregate lead for the Italians, but they should have doubled their advantage before the break when Nenad Tomovic fired wide just before the break.  But Kiev were unable to make their hosts pay in the second half and were punished at the death when Juan Vargas’s struck a classy,...

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Monaco 0 - 0 Juventus [Champions League]

Juventus are into the UEFA Champions League semi-finals for the first time since 2003 having ridden their luck at times to gain a 0-0 draw with Monaco on Wednesday.  Arturo Vidal’s first-leg penalty proved crucial in the tie as Massimiliano Allegri’s men booked an elusive semi-final berth, having fallen short at the quarters three times since their run to the final 12 years ago.  Allegri’s men were made to work hard for their progression...

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