Habeeb Akinfegbe
Some matches have been decided in the major leagues around the world with ambitions lost and won.
In the most talked about matches of the weekend, it was Granada 0-3 Barcelona (Suarez 22', 38', 86')
Deportivo La Coruna 0-2 Real Madrid (Ronaldo 7', 25').
Barcelona
claimed a 24th Spanish La Liga title after their 3-0 win at Granada
thanks to a hat-trick from forward Luis Suarez. Real Madrid equally got a win at Deportivo La Coruna with Cristiano Ronaldo scoring two
in the first half, however it wasn't enough for Zinedine Zidane's squad
to win the championship over their rivals. Barça knew a win
would guarantee them the championship and they played like it throughout
the match in Granada. Barring something extraordinary happening in the
other league games, Suarez will finish as the top scorer of La Liga,
known as the pichichi crown, with a staggering 40 goals. Barcelona have
now won six of the last eight La Liga championships.
It took Barcelona
just 11 minutes to take the lead against Deportivo back in April, their
familiar talisman wheeling away in celebration after a typically crafty
finish to be mobbed by his team-mates. The Catalans had endured their
biggest slump in years, picking up one point from a possible 12 and
watching as their stranglehold on the title loosened. But it was not
Lionel Messi who came to the rescue.
As has been the case increasingly often this season, it was Luis Suarez who stole the headlines and got Barca back on track. Four goals in the drubbing of Depor, seven more in the three games that preceded Saturday's finale, and crisis averted. For so long Barca have looked to just one man to bail them out and provide inspiration. Now they have a second superstar operating on an otherworldly level. That Suarez-led resurgence proved vital in reasserting Barca's dominant swagger, and he finished the job in Granada to leave Real Madrid broken-hearted.
In France, Vincent Enyeama’s Lille have won the race to secure Europa League
football at the expense of rivals AS Saint-Étienne following the Great
Danes' 1-0 win over the Greens on Saturday evening.
Frédéric Antonetti’s men Europa League fate was in their own hands going into the final day of the season, and knew a win at Stade Geoffroy-Guichard would guarantee them a place in next season's competition.
A first-half goal from Éderzito Lopes duly secured the vital three points, while Caen's win against Bordeaux, courtesy of Andy Delort strike, was rendered meaningless.
The results mean Lille will play in the Europa League next season with Nice, while PSG and Lyon secured an automatic place in the Champions League.
The final day in Portugal sees Benfica knowing they need to beat Nacional to guarantee they pick up a record 35th title. Anything less, however, and Sporting CP – two points behind – can pip them to the post courtesy of their superior head-to-head record, but face an awkward trip to Braga.
For Besiktas, a point is all they need to see off the challenge of Fenerbahce at the opposite corner of Europe in Turkey, while anything less than a win for Lech Poznan would see them open the door for Piast Gliwice on the final day in Poland.
Herediano take a 1-0 lead into the second leg of the Costa Rican final against Alajuelense.
Club Brugge can move to within a point of triumphing in Belgium with a win over second-placed Anderlecht.
Things are largely in the balance across Mexico in the race for the play-off semi-finals. Only Monterrey go into the second-leg of the last eight with a 3-1 lead over Tigres. Pachuca and Leon both bring an away goal into their return games, while it's goalless so far between Club America and Guadalajara.
In Brazil, Botafogo-Sao Paulo is amongst Sunday’s offering across the country as the first matchday of the new season commences. Arguably the tastiest match in South America comes in Uruguay, though, with Penarol hosting bitter rivals Nacional, with the visitors all too aware that a win would see them end the weekend as Montevideo’s top side, and possibly the nation’s too.
Back to Spain, a trio of sides are at risk: Getafe, Sporting Gijon and Rayo Vallecano.
One of Carpi and Palermo will be dropping out in Italy.
At the upper end in England, the main point of interest falls in the divvying up of UEFA Champions League places, with Manchester City looking over their shoulders as local rivals Manchester United plot to overthrow them on the final day.
Finally, there’s a Canadian derby in MLS as Toronto take on a stuttering Vancouver Whitecaps.
FOLLOW US
Twitter: @bizarre_comms
Facebook: Bizarre Communications
Email: bizarrecommunications@gmail.com
Some matches have been decided in the major leagues around the world with ambitions lost and won.
In the most talked about matches of the weekend, it was Granada 0-3 Barcelona (Suarez 22', 38', 86')
Deportivo La Coruna 0-2 Real Madrid (Ronaldo 7', 25').
Barcelona
claimed a 24th Spanish La Liga title after their 3-0 win at Granada
thanks to a hat-trick from forward Luis Suarez. Real Madrid equally got a win at Deportivo La Coruna with Cristiano Ronaldo scoring two
in the first half, however it wasn't enough for Zinedine Zidane's squad
to win the championship over their rivals. Barça knew a win
would guarantee them the championship and they played like it throughout
the match in Granada. Barring something extraordinary happening in the
other league games, Suarez will finish as the top scorer of La Liga,
known as the pichichi crown, with a staggering 40 goals. Barcelona have
now won six of the last eight La Liga championships. 
It took Barcelona
just 11 minutes to take the lead against Deportivo back in April, their
familiar talisman wheeling away in celebration after a typically crafty
finish to be mobbed by his team-mates. The Catalans had endured their
biggest slump in years, picking up one point from a possible 12 and
watching as their stranglehold on the title loosened. But it was not
Lionel Messi who came to the rescue.As has been the case increasingly often this season, it was Luis Suarez who stole the headlines and got Barca back on track. Four goals in the drubbing of Depor, seven more in the three games that preceded Saturday's finale, and crisis averted. For so long Barca have looked to just one man to bail them out and provide inspiration. Now they have a second superstar operating on an otherworldly level. That Suarez-led resurgence proved vital in reasserting Barca's dominant swagger, and he finished the job in Granada to leave Real Madrid broken-hearted.
In France, Vincent Enyeama’s Lille have won the race to secure Europa League
football at the expense of rivals AS Saint-Étienne following the Great
Danes' 1-0 win over the Greens on Saturday evening.Frédéric Antonetti’s men Europa League fate was in their own hands going into the final day of the season, and knew a win at Stade Geoffroy-Guichard would guarantee them a place in next season's competition.
A first-half goal from Éderzito Lopes duly secured the vital three points, while Caen's win against Bordeaux, courtesy of Andy Delort strike, was rendered meaningless.
The results mean Lille will play in the Europa League next season with Nice, while PSG and Lyon secured an automatic place in the Champions League.
The final day in Portugal sees Benfica knowing they need to beat Nacional to guarantee they pick up a record 35th title. Anything less, however, and Sporting CP – two points behind – can pip them to the post courtesy of their superior head-to-head record, but face an awkward trip to Braga.
For Besiktas, a point is all they need to see off the challenge of Fenerbahce at the opposite corner of Europe in Turkey, while anything less than a win for Lech Poznan would see them open the door for Piast Gliwice on the final day in Poland.
Herediano take a 1-0 lead into the second leg of the Costa Rican final against Alajuelense.
Club Brugge can move to within a point of triumphing in Belgium with a win over second-placed Anderlecht.
Things are largely in the balance across Mexico in the race for the play-off semi-finals. Only Monterrey go into the second-leg of the last eight with a 3-1 lead over Tigres. Pachuca and Leon both bring an away goal into their return games, while it's goalless so far between Club America and Guadalajara.
In Brazil, Botafogo-Sao Paulo is amongst Sunday’s offering across the country as the first matchday of the new season commences. Arguably the tastiest match in South America comes in Uruguay, though, with Penarol hosting bitter rivals Nacional, with the visitors all too aware that a win would see them end the weekend as Montevideo’s top side, and possibly the nation’s too.
Back to Spain, a trio of sides are at risk: Getafe, Sporting Gijon and Rayo Vallecano.
One of Carpi and Palermo will be dropping out in Italy.
At the upper end in England, the main point of interest falls in the divvying up of UEFA Champions League places, with Manchester City looking over their shoulders as local rivals Manchester United plot to overthrow them on the final day.
Finally, there’s a Canadian derby in MLS as Toronto take on a stuttering Vancouver Whitecaps.
FOLLOW US
Twitter: @bizarre_comms
Facebook: Bizarre Communications
Email: bizarrecommunications@gmail.com
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