Sports FRIDAY, MAY 8, 2015 46 Barca host Sociedad, eying Spanish crown BARCELONA: Still basking in its 3-0 win over Bayern Munich, Barcelona now needs to protect its lead in the Spanish league. Barcelona leads Real Madrid by two points with three matches remaining, although the end of the season is now in doubt. On Wednesday, the Spanish soccer federation decided to sus- pend all league and Copa del Rey matches from May 16 in protest at a proposed law on the sale of television rights and the division of the income earned. That could make this week- end’s matches even more important. With both coming off Champions League games, Barcelona will host Real Sociedad tomorrow while Madrid hosts Valencia later in the day. Barcelona closed in on a spot in the Champions League final on Wednesday, getting a pair of goals from Lionel Messi in the 3-0 win over Bayern. Madrid lost 2-1 at Juventus on Tuesday. Here are some things to know about this weekend’s matches: More Messi magic All the talk in Barcelona yesterday was about Messi’s per- formance against Bayern. The Argentina forward again showed why he is one of the best ever when he netted two goals to finally break through a defense Bayern coach Pep Guardiola had crafted to keep his former pupil in check. Messi used a pinpoint strike to slot a shot between goalkeeper Manuel Neuer and the post to get the lead in the 77th minute. He bettered that three minutes later when a quick change of foot sent defender Jerome Boateng tumbling to the turf before he made it look easy as he chipped the ball over the Germany’s world champion goalkeeper. But Messi wasn’t done until he set up Neymar to polish off the win in injury time. “Getting the opener and establishing the lead was so difficult for us and then the others came so quickly afterward, all of which constituted a super result to take into the return BARCELONA: Barcelona’s defender Gerard Pique (top) celebrates a goal with teammates during the UEFA Champions leg,” Messi said. “It’s precisely what we wanted to achieve.” League football match FC Barcelona v FC Bayern Muenchen at the Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona on May 6, 2015.— AFP The turnaround The last time Barcelona played Sociedad, a 1-0 win for David Moyes’ club at Anoeta Stadium, almost led to the com- plete meltdown for the visitors. That Jan 4 defeat, coupled Roma, Lazio and Napoli with Barcelona’s failure to overturn FIFA’s one-year transfer ban for violating rules regarding the transfer from youth play- ers, started a chain reaction that included the firing of its fighting for 2nd place sports director, president Josep Bartomeu calling for early elections, and speculation that coach Luis Enrique’s job was at risk. Instead of collapsing, that week marked the team’s resur- ROME: With Juventus having sealed its best chance of admission might come by match. gence. Luis Enrique quickly ended his lineup experiments and fourth successive Serie A title last weekend, winning the Europa League. “He’s similar to (Gattuso),” Italy under- found his first-choice players, which have rolled off 27 wins to attention turns to the three-way battle for Elsewhere in the 35th round, it’s: 21 coach Luigi Di Biagio said. “For both of go with one draw and a single loss since. second place and the final direct Juventus vs. Cagliari tomorrow; Chievo them people say they just run a lot. But Champions League berth. With four Verona vs Hellas Verona; Cesena vs that’s not true. Stefano knows how to play. Remember Ronaldo matches remaining, Roma is second with a Sassuolo; Palermo vs Atalanta; Udinese vs He reads the game and he’s got decent While Messi’s two goals won deserved praise, Cristiano one-point advantage over city rival Lazio. Sampdoria; Empoli vs Fiorentina; and feet. ... He could play in a big club for 15 Ronaldo’s single goal in the loss at Juventus may prove just as Napoli is five points behind Roma in fourth. Parma vs Napoli on Sunday; and Genoa vs years, and I think he’s ready for the (senior) valuable for Madrid because it gives it a lifeline for the second After a difficult stretch, Roma is showing Torino on Monday. Here are a few things to national team.” The 22-year-old Sturaro leg next Wednesday. But first Madrid must focus on Valencia if signs of a resurgence with two straight know about this weekend’s matches: started the season on loan with Genoa but it wants to stay in contention for a league title is has won just wins. “We control our own destiny,” Roma was called back by Juventus in February once in the previous six seasons. Ronaldo scored three goals goalkeeper Morgan De Sanctis said ahead A new Gattuso and made his debut with the Turin club in last week in a key 3-2 victory at Sevilla, and the Ballon d’Or of tomorrow’s visit to struggling AC Milan. Juventus midfielder Stefano Sturaro is March. Paul Pogba, another key Juventus holder has tallied 54 goals in 50 matches this season, barely “We’re focusing on the Milan match now, being likened to former Italy standout midfielder, could return this weekend from edging Messi’s 53 goals in 51 appearances. that must be won, and then we’ll go game Gennaro Gattuso after his gritty perform- a thigh injury that has kept him out since by game.” Roma and Lazio meet in a derby ance against Real Madrid in the opening March 18. The slide in the penultimate round, and Lazio has a leg of the Champions League semifinals Madrid’s season also hinged on a Jan 4 match. Madrid tougher remaining schedule. Tuesday. Making his first start in the elite Automatic renewal arrived to that date on a Spanish record 22-win streak, and left Lazio hosts Inter Milan on Sunday then competition, Sturaro’s last-second inter- Stefano Pioli is assured of coaching Valencia’s Mestalla Stadium with a 2-1 loss. That was followed visits sixth-place Sampdoria before ending vention deflected a header from James Lazio for another season. Pioli was a con- by Atletico Madrid eliminating it from the Copa del Rey and the season at Napoli. Roma’s other two Rodriguez off the crossbar. He was also tentious choice when he was hired after more league setbacks to Atletico, Athletic Bilbao, Villarreal remaining fixtures are at home against active on the other end, forcing turnovers last season and he rejected a two-year deal and Barcelona as it relinquished its lead. Valencia has only lost Udinese and Palermo. While third place with suffocating defensive coverage and in favor of a one-year contract that would one of its last 14 matches as it holds onto Spain’s final carries a spot in the last playoff round to even threatening goalkeeper Iker Casillas automatically renew if Lazio qualified for Champions League berth.—AP enter the Champions League, Napoli’s with a long shot just three minutes into the Europe. —AP Spanish league to block RFEF plans to suspend competition MADRID: Spain’s professional league (LFP) president Angel Maria Villar, and the players’ trative and legal bodies” to overturn it. meeting on Wednesday, the RFEF accused the has begun legal action to block a decision by union (AFE) have come out against the legisla- Spanish law gave the LFP the right to government of a “lack of respect” and com- the soccer federation (RFEF) to indefinitely tion and the two organizations have backed organize professional competition and set the plained it had not been consulted properly on suspend competition from May 16 over a spat halting competition across all Spanish soccer. calendar for matches, the league argued, and the TV law. with the government on a new law on collec- The final two matchdays in La Liga would both called for those involved in voting for a sus- tive bargaining for TV rights. The law, which is be affected as well as the King’s Cup final pension to be subjected to disciplinary meas- Sharp increase strongly supported by the LFP, was signed off between Barcelona and Athletic Bilbao at the ures. “The LFP wishes to reiterate the impor- The new regulations replace the current in cabinet last week and aims to create a more end of the month. In a statement late on tance of the royal decree approved by the system under which rights are sold by individ- level playing field for clubs in Spain’s top two Wednesday, the LFP said the RFEF’s decision was Spanish government and emphasize its ual clubs and could lead to a sharp price divisions by sharing out cash more equitably. legally “invalid” and that it had initiated “the importance as an historic milestone for increase for broadcasters once it takes effect However, both the RFEF, and its influential appropriate action with the pertinent adminis- Spanish soccer,” the LFP said. After a board from the 2016-17 season. —Reuters.