Barcelona one win away from title

Barcelona was one victory away from clinching the Spanish league title after Real Madrid fell four points adrift yesterday, when Cristiano Ronaldo missed a penalty in a 2-2 home draw to Valencia.

Barcelona cruised to a 2-0 win over Real Sociedad at Camp Nou to put the pressure on Madrid with only two more rounds to play.

Paco Alcacer and Javi Fuego struck for Valencia before goalie Diego Alves smothered Ronaldo's spot kick before halftime.

Pepe and Francisco "Isco" Alarcon leveled for Madrid but Valencia hung on to the point.

Barcelona can dethrone Atletico Madrid with a win at its Vicente Calderon next round. If, and when, that match is played. The final two rounds are in doubt after the Spanish federation announced it was suspending all matches from next Saturday.

Neymar scored his 35th goal of the season in Barcelona's 2-0 win at home over Real Sociedad yesterday, provisionally extending its lead of the Spanish league to five points.

Sociedad was fortunate to escape the first half scoreless at Camp Nou, but Neymar broke through in the 51st minute after Lionel Messi's pass was headed on by a defender.

Substitute Pedro Rodriguez netted from an acrobatic bicycle kick to secure the points with five minutes left.

Neymar took his league tally this season to 22 goals— tied for third most in the competition— as he extended his scoring streak to six straight matches.

Barcelona's 1-0 loss at Sociedad on January 4 marked the lowpoint of the Catalan club's season. Since then, Luis Enrique's team has won 28 of its last 30 games and is in the running for three trophies — having reached the final of the Copa del Rey and with one foot in the Champions League final after beating Bayern Munich 3-0 on Wednesday. Their second-leg semifinal is on Tuesday.

Meanwhile Real Madrid midfielder Toni Kroos hobbled off his Spanish league match with an apparent leg injury yesterday, four days before its Champions League second-leg semifinal against Juventus.

Kroos pulled up lame against Valencia in the 25th minute and trotted to the bench, where he touched the back thigh.

He was substituted by Asier Illarramendi a minute later, just before Valencia scored its second goal to go ahead 2-0.

Madrid is already without midfielder Luka Modric.

of

his

left