European round-up: Real Madrid closed the gap on Primera Liga leaders Barcelona to seven points with a clinical win over city rivals Atletico as the Catalans slumped to a shock 3-0 defeat, sparked by Manchester United reject Diego Forlan, at Villarreal last night.
Out-of-sorts Barca fell victim to former player Juan Roman Riquelme, who masterminded Villarreal's emphatic victory at El Madrigal. The Argentine bossed the midfield and supplied passes for two of his side's goals.
He prised open the Barca defence with a reverse pass to the feet of Forlan, who scored with a left-foot blast on the half hour.
Riquelme then hit a perfectly struck free kick behind the Barcelona defence to allow defender Gonzalo Rodriguez to poke home unopposed three minutes after the break.
Uruguayan Forlan completed his double and took his tally for the season to nine when he poked home at the second attempt three minutes from time.
Real had Brazilian striker Ronaldo and goalkeeper Iker Casillas to thank for their flattering away win over Atletico, in a match which could see Atletico in trouble with the Spanish FA after racist chants were heard from the Atletico fans throughout the match.
Ronaldo grabbed a coolly taken double with his only two chances while Casillas produced a brilliant rearguard action to keep a dominant Atletico at bay.
Former Atletico player Santiago Solari compounded their misery by notching Real's second goal in another isolated attack.
With one match to go before the halfway point of the season Frank Rijkaard's side lead the table on 42 points from 18 matches. Real follow on 35, level with Valencia who beat Levante 2-1 on Saturday.
ITALIAN SERIE A: Juventus, 4-2 victors over Livorno yesterday, restored their four-point lead at the top of Serie A as AC Milan were held to a goalless draw at Palermo.
Inter Milan scored three goals in the last seven minutes at the San Siro to seal a 3-2 win over Sampdoria. Third-placed Udinese beat Cagliari 2-0.
A 17th-minute header from Alessandro Del Piero sent Juve on their way and Mauro Camoranesi made it 2-0 eight minutes later.
Jose Vidigal headed Livorno back into the game before the break but Ibrahimovic restored the two-goal cushion after 75 minutes.
Matteo Melara pulled one back for Livorno but a Camoranesi penalty ensured the points for Fabio Capello's side.
Milan found it hard to create chances against a determined Palermo for whom keeper Matteo Guardalben produced two fine saves to keep out a free kick from Andriy Shevchenko and a low drive from Brazilian Kaka.
Inter were trailing 2-0 to Sampdoria after goals from Max Tonetto and Belarussian Vitali Kutuzov. Inter then struck through Obafemi Martins, Christian Vieri and Alvaro Recoba whose superb winner came in the fourth minute of stoppage time.
