Veteran leapswoe barrieron wayback tofitness

Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid shared a rare goalless draw to leave Barcelona firmly in control of the LaLiga title race on Saturday.

With Barca beating Leganes 3-0 to provisionally move 11 points clear of both Atletico and Real, the capital clubs knew they could ill afford a slip-up in the first derby at Atletico’s new Wanda Metropolitano home. But the net result was a 0-0 stalemate which produced only a handful of clearcut chances – Atletico striker Angel Correa missing the best after just three minutes – and left Barca as the night’s big winners.

It is the first time since 2005 that a league match between Atletico and Real has failed to produce a goal– and only the sec- ond time in the last 40 derbies in all competitions – and means both now have a mountain to climb to overhaul Barca. The league leaders had earlier turned the heat up on their two chief rivals with a straightforward win against Leganes which saw Luis Suarez return to form with a brace.

Plagued by a knee problem, Suarez has found goals hard to come by this season but the usually prolific Uruguay striker was back on target after 28 minutes and on the hour mark for Barca.

Substitute Paulinho completed the victory – Barcelona’s 11th from their opening 12 matches – in stoppage time to move Ernesto Valverde’s team seven points ahead of second-placed Valencia, who face Espanyol on Sunday.

Real and Atletico are next in the table 10 points back, with Sevilla a further two points adrift in fifth following their 2-1 comeback win against Celta Vigo.

Maxi Gomez had headed the visitors in front after 13 minutes from a free kick, but the sides went in level as Luis Muriel replied for the hosts nine minutes before half-time.

Three minutes into the second half, Nolito headed home Pablo Sarabia’s cross to seal the win.

Valencia rode their luck to post an eighth consecutive win in LaLiga yesterday and move back to within four points of Barca.

Marcelino’s men were outplayed in the first half by Espanyol, who hit the post twice through Gerard Moreno and Sergi Darder, but turned the tables after the break in a 2-0 win.

The result sets the stage perfectly for Sunday when Valencia host Barcelona. Zlatan Ibrahimovic claims his knee problems were far worse than people realise.

There were fears the veteran Manchester United striker may not play again after suffering meniscus and cruciate ligament damage in April.

At the very least a lay-off of nine to 12 months was anticipated but the 36-yearold former Sweden international defied those gloomy predictions to return to action on Saturday.

Ibrahimovic appeared as a 77th-minute substitute as Jose Mourinho’s side ran out 4-1 winners against Newcastle at Old Trafford.

As if to underline his fitness, Ibrahimovic vaulted over a barrier to speak to reporters after the game.

He said: “In my recovery I have not rushed anything.

“Iftheyknewthe realinjurythey wouldbeinshock thatIwaseven playing”

People may believe that because I have been out for six-and-a-half months but I have been following protocol and my schedule day by day. The only secret has been working hard.

“Those close to me know what I have been doing – I was working five, six hours a day. When it happened I said to everyone giving up was not an option.

“My only focus was on coming back and coming back better.

“For that you need to work hard. I know when I’m back it’s my head playing, not my knee. My knee has to follow.

“But this was not a oneman work, it was everyone’s and it is thanks to them that I am back on the field and can play because if people really knew the real injury they would be in shock that I was even playing.

“But I keep that personal. People think it was only the ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) in my knee but it was more than the ACL. But it’s sensitive and that’s why I don’t choose to talk about it.”