Zenit thrash Spartak to keep tabs on leaders CSKA

MOSCOW: Reigning champions Zenit St Petersburg beat Spartak Moscow 5-2 on Saturday to close in on leaders CSKA Moscow, who were held 1-1 by city rivals Lokomotiv.

Zenit are now second in the Russian Premier League, one point behind CSKA, while Rostov, who meet Kuban Krasnodar on Sunday, sit third one point further back.

“Perhaps we were a bit nervous in the first half because of the chance that the draw between CSKA and Lokomotiv gave us,” Zenit manager Andre Villas-Boas said.

“We didn’t come with the same concentration and we suffered a little bit in the first half.

“But in the second we tried to add some confidence to our players. They were in a good period after four wins and we tried to calm them down a little bit to put everything in place. And it helped us to achieve this unbelievable result.”

Spartak got off to a lively start through Bulgarian playmaker Ivelin Popov who opened the scoring in the 10th minute, sending the ball into an unguarded net after Zenit’s mix-up in defence. - AFP MADRID: Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane claimed he wouldn’t settle for just winning the Champions League this season after moving to within a point of Barcelona at the top of La Liga with a 5-1 thrashing of Getafe.

Madrid have eaten into Barca’s massive lead at the top of the table thanks to a run of seven straight wins, whilst the Catalans have taken just one point from their last nine.

“Today I wouldn’t sign for that,” said Zidane when asked if he would settle for winning Madrid’s 11th Champions League at the expense of La Liga.

“We need to keep going until the end of the season.”

Madrid will face Manchester City in the Champions League semi-finals after a rousing comeback to beat Wolfsburg 3-2 on aggregate in midweek thanks to a Cristiano Ronaldo hat-trick.

Ronaldo was on target once more with his 47th goal of the season to round off the scoring, but it was Karim Benzema who shone just days after it was confirmed he will not take part at Euro 2016.

The French Football Federation announced on Wednesday that Benzema will not be available for selection due to his role in a sex-tape blackmail plot against fellow French international Mathieu Valbuena.

Zidane had called on Benzema not to let his head drop for the remainder of the season and he responded by sweeping home the opening goal to register his best ever scoring season in La Liga with 22.

Benzema then teed up Isco and Gareth Bale either side of half-time before late goals from James Rodriguez and Ronaldo put the seal on another comprehensive win for Zidane’s men.

“It did affect him and yes he is disappointed, but he is a professional and he knows that on the field he is very important for the team,” Zidane said of his compatriot Benzema.

“Today he scored and had two assists, so he is very concentrated on what he is doing.”

Barcelona can regain their four-point lead over Madrid at the top with victory over Valencia on Sunday. - AFP