Around the world in 600 words: A good week for defending champions

Champions League / Ben Lyttleton / 09 February 2009 / Leave a Comment

Bayern Munich, Inter Milan, Real Madrid and Lyon are all defending champions who picked up three points this weekend. Ben Lyttleton talks us through how they did it plus the best of the rest of the European action.

It was a great weekend for each of the big league's reigning champions as across Europe, chasing teams stumbled and under-pressure leaders were able to extend their advantages. Have we written off Internazionale, Bayern Munich and Lyon too early? They all won while teams behind them dropped points.

Inter extended their lead in Serie A to eight points over Milan after beating Lecce 3-0, which included a goal from Luid Fogo, who has been out for most of the season injured. In the meanwhile their city rivals could only draw 1-1 with bottom club Reggina. Kaka, who scored from the penalty-spot, limped off with an ankle sprain and will miss next week's Milanese derby, a game the Rossoneri have to win to have any chance of overhauling Jose Mourinho's side.

Juventus bounced back from two straight losses to move into second place, seven behind Inter, after beating Catania 2-1 despite the first-half dismissal of Vincenzo Iaquinta. Christian Poulsen scored their injury-time winner to leave Claudio Ranieri singing the praises of the man who set it up, Amauri. "We should erect a statue in his honour," he said, "but I'm just grateful we have rediscovered our shape and balance." The form of fit-again Gigi Buffon was also impressive, and Juventus, despite the ([7.8]) price, may yet provide Inter's toughest challenge for the top prize. Inter are ([1.37]) and Milan ([5.8]).

Late goals were the order of the day in Germany, where Hamburg, who beat Bayern Munich last weekend, let slip a two-goal over Kalsruhe and lost 3-2 after Sebastien Frei's last-minute winner following Mladen Petric's sending-off. Bayern moved to within a point of leaders Hoffenheim, themselves coming from behind to beat Borussia Dortmund 3-1 thanks to two goals in the last three minutes from Miroslav Klose. Hoffenheim are only top on their own thanks to another last-gasp strike, Wellington's 89th-minute effort enough to earn a draw at bottom club Moenchengladbach. Hamburg, now three points back, have drifted to ([14.0]) while Bayern are ([1.51]) to Hoff's ([8.6)].

In Spain, Barcelona continue to set scoring records and Samuel Eto'o, who scored twice, remains on course to finish the Pichichi, where he's ([1.62]), after their 3-1 win over Sporting Gijon. Real Madrid kept another clean sheet, their sixth in the last seven, to beat Santander 1-0. Behind them, Sevilla and Valencia both lost to allow Villarreal to win only their
third match in 15 and move to within a point of third-placed Sevilla.

Atletico Madrid are still in with a shout of finishing fourth: after coach Javier Aguirre was replaced by Abel Resino, the team responded with a 3-2 win over Recreativo, Kun Aguero and Diego Forlan both scoring for Atletico's first win of 2009. Sevilla are ([1.8]) to finish in the top-three, with Valencia ([1.51]), Villarreal ([2.02]) and Atletico ([2.12]).

Lyon continued their run of winning away with a 3-1 success over Nice, while their nearest challengers Bordeaux lost 1-0 to a Sylvain Wiltord-inspired Marseille. PSG move into third place after beating Nantes 4-1, but Lyon, now four points clear, have come in again to ([1.37]). Porto remain top in Portugal after drawing 1-1 at home to Benfica, who still have a game in hand, and wth no Champions League distractions, could be worth following at ([3.9]).

In Brazil, Palmeiras continued their perfect start to the season with win number seven, beating Santos 4-1. Hernanes was the hero and villain for champions Sao Paolo: the young midfielder, who turned down a Janaury move to Barcelona, scored in their 2-1 win at Botafogo before he was sent off.

Argentina's Clausura championship got under way this weekend and last Season's bottom side River Plate had the same old problems despite a new coach, Nestor Gorosito, on the bench. They were 2-0 up on ten-man Colon, but could only draw 2-2. Champions Boca Juniors beat Gimnasia-Jujuy 2-1, after Juan Roman Riquelme's backheel set up the winner for Lucas Viatri.