LONDON, Feb 18: Following their Champions League outings in midweek, Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain enjoyed contrasting results on their return to domestic action on Sunday.
Similar was the case with Europa League last-32 competitors Atletico Madrid, Olympique Lyon, Napoli and Inter Milan.
Fresh from their 1-1 draw in their last-16 first-leg tie against Manchester United, Real survived an early red card for Sergio Ramos to beat cross-town rivals Rayo Vallecano 2-0.
Young striker Alvaro Morata put Real ahead in just the third minute before Ramos doubled the advantage with a header in the 12th, but the home fans were left furious after the Spain defender was shown two yellow cards in quick succession.
“We started the match well with two goals in the opening minutes, but then it’s always tough to play a man down,” Morata said. “I’m playing with some of the best players in the world and learning little by little. I couldn’t ask for anything else.”
The third-placed champions moved on to 49 points from 24 games, four behind second-placed Atletico Madrid with leaders Barcelona on 65.
Atletico, who lost 2-0 to Rubin Kazan in the Europa League on Thursday, recorded a comfortable 3-0 win over Real Valladolid with Radamel Falcao scoring his 20th league goal of the season in the 11th before second-half goals by Diego Costa and Cristian Rodriguez.
Valencia, who lost 2-1 at home to PSG in the Champions League, went up to fifth with 40 points as second-half goals from Ricardo Costa and Roberto Soldado gave them a 2-0 win over Mallorca.
PSG, meanwhile, saw their Ligue 1 lead was trimmed to three points after they slid to a shock 3-2 loss at Sochaux.
Cedric Bakambu netted the winner six minutes from time after PSG had scored from two corners through Alex and Mamadou Sakho but Sochaux tore apart their defence at times with goals by Sebastien Roudet and Giovanni Sio.
They stay top with 51 points from 25 games, but their lead was reduced after second-placed Lyon, who lost 2-1 at Tottenham Hotspur in the Europa League, hammered Girondins Bordeaux 4-0 with youngster Clement Grenier scoring a brace and fellow up and coming stars Gueida Fofana and Alexandre Lacazette adding the others.
“We have to keep a level head because we have important games ahead,” Lyon coach Remi Garde said, looking ahead to the return leg against Tottenham.
“It’s important not to concede a goal. We were efficient and took our chances.”
St Etienne’s hopes of securing a Champions League playoff spot took a knock as Les Verts, fifth on 41 points, were held 1-1 at Stade Reims to stay one point behind fourth-placed Nice.
Napoli’s miserable week continued as their shock 3-0 defeat at home to Viktoria Plzen in the Europa League was followed by a 0-0 draw with Sampdoria which dented their hopes of closing the gap on Juventus at the top of Serie A.
Napoli could’ve cut Juve’s lead to two points with a victory but remain four points behind with 51 points. “This is not good enough,” said Napoli coach Walter Mazzarri.“If we want to be up there challenging we need more.”
Inter, coming off a 2-0 victory over CFR Cluj in the Europe League, remained eight points behind Napoli in fifth after Adem Ljajic and Stevan Jovetic scored twice for Fiorentina in a 4-1 victory.
In the German Bundesliga, VfB Stuttgart bounced back after a 1-1 draw against Racing Genk in the Europa League with a 1-0 victory over Hoffenheim courtesy Martin Harnik’s third-minute winner to climb to 12th. Hanover 96, beaten 3-1 by Anzhi Makhachkala in the Europa League, moved up to eighth after a 2-2 draw at Nuremberg.—Agencies