Barcelona and Sporting hit ground running

The four UEFA Futsal Cup finalists are back in domestic action with the European showpiece in Lleida, Spain, only two months away.

FC Barcelona, who will host the knockout finals from 27 to 29 April, were unbeaten at the top in Spain when the league paused for UEFA Futsal EURO 2012. With several of the European champions' squad in their ranks, they have maintained that form.

On 18 February they went to Manacor FS and won 7-2, then on Saturday they prevailed 4-3 at Sala 10 Zaragoza. That second success was achieved despite red cards for Wilde and Saad Assis – and thanks to EURO top scorer Torras, who completed a hat-trick in the last minute. Murcia remain level on points with Barcelona ten games from the end of the regular season.

Marca Futsal, who like Barcelona have made the semi-finals on their European debut, lie second in Italy. A postponed match for Luparense C/5 a week ago allowed Marca to move within five points of the leaders by beating Marina CSA 4-1; and although they needed a Patrick Nora equaliser to draw 1-1 at ASD Asti C/5 on Saturday, rivals Luparense were held 2-2 by visitors TSC Lazio.

Drawing in dramatic style on their return to Russian league action were MFK Dinamo Moskva. Despite a Vinicius hat-trick to turn a game they had trailed 4-1, Dinamo conceded two goals at the death to finish 6-6 at PFC CSKA Moskva.

Coach Faustino Pérez, who had given Nando his debut against CSKA, had more to celebrate earlier last week. A 9-4 victory over MFK Almaz-Alrosa earned them a 15-4 aggregate triumph and a place in the Russian Cup final against TTG-Ugra Yugorsk – Dinamo having lifted this trophy for the last four years.

Sporting Clube de Portugal played their first post-EURO league match on Sunday and won 5-1 at Boavista FC to stay within two points of pace-setting SL Benfica, with both Lisbon sides unbeaten after 18 of their 26 regular-season fixtures. Caio Japa scored twice and Pedro Cary, Alex and Leitão were also on target.