Last-day joy for Barcelona and Inter
Sunday, May 16, 2010
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They had to wait until their final games of the season, but FC Barcelona and FC Internazionale Milano both retained their respective league titles over the weekend, as UEFA.com recaps.
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They had to wait until the last games of their respective seasons to do it, but FC Barcelona and FC Internazionale Milano both successfully defended their domestic titles over the weekend, with the latter and German Cup winners FC Bayern München now free to dream of collecting a historic treble in Saturday's UEFA Champions League final. UEFA.com looks back at the trophy-laden highlights from across Europe.
Spain
Barcelona salvaged something from their season by retaining their Liga crown in typical fashion, recording a stylish 4-0 home victory against Real Valladolid CF to relegate their opponents in the process. Lionel Messi struck twice to take his tally to 34 league efforts this term while Barça finished on a record 99 points – three more than rivals Real Madrid CF, who could only draw 1-1 at Málaga CF. Two places lower, a Rodrigo Ríos volley in the fourth minute of added time gifted Sevilla FC a 3-2 win at UD Almería that sealed them a UEFA Champions League play-off berth.
Italy
At half-time in the final round of action in Serie A, it was AS Roma who were heading for Scudetto glory. Claudio Ranieri's side were leading 2-0 at AC Chievo Verona while champions Inter had yet to make their breakthrough at already-relegated AC Siena, but as so often this season it was Diego Milito who made the difference for José Mourinho's men, firing in on 51 minutes to secure the Nerazzurri's fifth consecutive title. His strike likewise brought them the domestic double, ahead of Saturday's UEFA Champions League final against Bayern.
Germany
One of those two teams will celebrate a historic treble this year as Bayern also clinched their second trophy of the season at the weekend, following up their Bundesliga success with a 4-0 victory over Werder Bremen in the German Cup final. Arjen Robben, Ivica Olić, Franck Ribéry and Bastian Schweinsteiger scored the goals for the victors, with Torsten Frings dismissed 13 minutes from time for Bremen.
England
Chelsea FC underlined their status as England's dominant side this term as they also wrapped up the double – the first in their history – thanks to Didier Drogba's winner in the FA Cup final against Portsmouth FC. Relegated from the Premier League this term, Portsmouth missed their chance to create an upset when Petr Čech saved a Kevin-Prince Boateng penalty. However Frank Lampard also missed from the spot for the Blues, who hit the woodwork five times in the first half.
France
There was drama in the last instalment of Ligue 1 matches for 2009/10 when AJ Auxerre seized third spot thanks to Cédric Hengbart's late decider in a 2-1 triumph at FC Sochaux-Montbéliard. Until that point it had looked to be LOSC Lille Métropole who were destined for the UEFA Champions League play-offs, despite trailing 2-1 at FC Lorient, but victory took Auxerre above them – and behind Olympique Lyonnais, who sealed a group-stage place by downing Grenoble Foot 38 2-0.
Elsewhere
FK Ekranas, FC Basel 1893 and Hapoel Tel-Aviv FC clinched doubles after winning the Lithuanian Cup, Swiss title and Israeli crown respectively, while there were knockout successes for FC Zenit St. Petersburg in Russia, FC Porto in Portugal, KAA Gent in Belgium, Apollon Limassol FC in Cyprus, Dundee United FC in Scotland, SK Sturm Graz in Austria, SC Tavriya Simferopol in Ukraine and UE Sant Julià in Andorra. On the league front, the champagne flowed for Bursaspor in Turkey, Lech Poznań in Poland, AC Sparta Praha in the Czech Republic, CFR 1907 Cluj in Romania, FC İnter Bakı in Azerbaijan and FK Rudar Pljevlja in Montenegro.
