Portuguese goal-machine Cristiano Ronaldo equalled the all-time league record of 38 goals with a brace in Real Madrid's 3-1 victory at Villarreal in the Spanish La Liga football on Sunday.
Ronaldo made it nine goals in his last three games with a 22nd-minute free-kick and a last minute strike to stay on course to pick up the Pichichi Trophy for the league's top-scorer. Barcelona's Lionel Messi, his nearest rival, has 31 La Liga goals.
Ronaldo's 38-goal tally equals the all-time best record set by Athletic Bilbao's Telmo Zarra in 1951 and matched by Real's iconic Mexican striker Hugo Sanchez in 1990 and he has the final game of the season to set a new record.
The newly-crowned champion, Barcelona, had its eye on the Champions League final against Manchester United on May 28 as it rested stars in a dull 0-0 draw against Deportivo de La Coruna at Camp Nou.
The visitor performed the traditional guard of honour to salute the league champion, which secured the title on Wednesday with a 1-1 draw against Levante, although most of the Barcelona stars were on the bench.
Deportivo was fighting relegation and undoubtedly happy to see Messi and company watching from the sidelines and it claimed a valuable point in its bid to beat the drop. Deportivo, the league champion in 2000, is one point above the bottom three heading into the final game next weekend.
“It is a good point and we know that if we win next weekend we will have 46 points and that is enough,” said the Deportivo coach, Miguel Angel Lotina. “If we win at home we stay up and the important thing is we don't depend on anyone else.”
Valencia third
Elsewhere, Valencia clinched third place for the second successive season with a 0-0 draw against derby rival Levante. Valencia earns direct qualification for the Champions League, while the fourth-placed Villarreal must negotiate a two-legged qualifier.
Sunday's results:
Spanish La Liga: Almeria 3 (Uche 5, Ortiz 14, Piatti 31) bt Real Mallorca 1 (Webo 41); Villarreal 1 (Cani 51) lost to Real Madrid 3 (Marcelo 17, Ronaldo 22, 90); Getafe 2 (Flano 64-og, Rios 90) bt Osasuna 0; Sevilla 3 (Kanoute 53, 60, Negredo 85) bt Real Sociedad 1 (Agirretxe 72); Real Zaragoza 1 (Ponzio 54) bt Espanyol 0; Valencia 0 drew with Levante 0; Barcelona 0 drew with Deportivo La Coruna 0; Athletic Bilbao 1 (Lopez 55-pen) drew with Malaga 1 (Recio 41); Sporting Gijon 2 (de las Cuevas 44, Novo 51) bt Racing Santander 1 (Christian 31); Atletico Madrid 2 (Dominguez 1, Reyes 71) bt Hercules 1 (Trezeguet 66).
Italian Serie ‘A': Fiorentina 1 (Cerci 20) drew with Bologna 1 (Ramirez 50); Bari 0 lost to Lecce 2 (Jeda 52, Masiello 79-og); Catania 2 (Bergessio 78, Gomez 95) bt AS Roma 1 (Loria 14); Cesena 1 (Giaccherini 60) bt Brescia 0; Chievo 0 lost to Udinese 2 (Isla 28, Asamoah 75); Parma 1 (Giovinco 64) bt Juventus 0; Sampdoria 1 (Biabiany 50) lost to Palermo 2 (Miccoli 45, Pinilla 86); Napoli 1 (Zuniga 45) drew with Inter Milan 1 (Eto'o 15).
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