Valencia look to follow Milan's lead

AC Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti said that "consistency was the key" to his side's success this season after Sunday's 1-0 victory over AS Roma clinched the Rossoneri's 17th Scudetto and their first since 1999.

Valencia in control
Elsewhere in Europe there remains everything to play for. Valencia CF opened up a four-point lead at the top of the Primera División with victory over Real Betis Balompié while Bundesliga leaders SV Werder Bremen thrashed Hamburger SV 6-0.

Shevchenko winner
Andriy Shevchenko scored the only goal at the Giuseppe Meazza after just two minutes as Milan completed the double over their nearest challengers. With two games remaining they have lost just once all season and their 79 points are already a record since three points for a win was introduced in 1994.

'Deserved'
"We deserved it," Ancelotti said. "This has been a fantastic, unthinkable season. Consistency has been the key. We won the big games against our direct rivals. We won the derby with [FC Internazionale], we won away to Roma, we won at [S.S.] Lazio and at Juventus [FC]. That is great consistency."

Parma pass Inter
While Milan celebrate, Parma AC took pole position in the battle for fourth place and entry to the qualifying rounds of the UEFA Champions League with a 3-1 victory over Ancona Calcio. Parma have 55 points, two more than Inter, who lost 2-1 at US Lecce, and Lazio, who were held to a 1-1 draw by Reggina Calcio.

Valencia pull clear
In Spain, Valencia moved four points clear with a 2-0 win against Betis at the Mestalla on Sunday. Curro Torres and Rubén Baraja got the goals as Rafael Benítez's side took full advantage of Real Madrid CF's 2-0 defeat at RC Deportivo La Coruña on Saturday.

Barcelona climb
Madrid are now in danger of being overtaken by FC Barcelona who moved to within a point of their second-placed rivals with a 4-1 derby defeat of RCD Espanyol, which stretched their unbeaten league run to 17.

Relegation fight
With Arsenal FC already crowned champions, attention in England turned to the bottom of the Premiership where Manchester City FC's 1-0 victory over Newcastle United FC condemned Leicester City FC - and effectively Wolverhampton Wanderers FC too - to the drop.

Leeds down
Those two will be joined in the first division next season by 2001 UEFA Champions League semi-finalists Leeds United AFC who were thrashed 4-1 at Bolton Wanderers FC on Sunday. With two games to go, Leeds and Wolves could still reach Manchester City's points total, but their vastly inferior goal differences effectively signal the end for both sides.

Heskey strikes
Liverpool FC, on 56 points, lead the race for fourth spot after beating Middlesbrough FC 2-0 at Anfield. Gérard Houllier's side are one point clear of Aston Villa FC, 1-0 winners at home to Tottenham Hotspur FC. Newcastle are two points further back, with a game in hand.

Dhorasoo levels
In France, AS Monaco FC closed the gap on Ligue 1 leaders Olympique Lyonnais to two points. The Champions League semi-finalists won 2-1 at OGC Nice on Friday to put pressure on Lyon who were fortunate to draw 1-1 at FC Girondins de Bordeaux on Sunday, Vikash Dhorasoo equalising three minutes from time.

Bremen in charge
SV Werder Bremen's charge to the Bundesliga title continued with a 6-0 rout of Hamburg on Saturday. They remain six points clear of FC Bayern München who won 2-1 away to bottom side 1. FC Köln, while VfB Stuttgart lost ground in the race for second place by drawing 1-1 at home to VfL Bochum 1848.