Real savage a point
Monday, April 07, 2008

Ten-man Real Madrid continue to give their title rivals hope after dropping two points in an action-packed 1-1 draw at Real Mallorca on Saturday.

Wesley Sneijder put Real ahead shortly before half-time but Sergio Ramos was sent off for two bookings midway through the second half and seven minutes later Mallorca made the extra man count with substitute Borja Valero curling in a brilliant equaliser.

Real are now seven points ahead of Villarreal at the top of the Spanish first division but Manuel Pellegrini's team can shave that lead to four points with victory over Sevilla on Sunday. Barcelona are eight points behind Real and have a tricky home match against Getafe on Sunday.

Roma cut gap on Inter: AS Roma struggled to a 3-2 victory over Genoa on Saturday to cut the gap on leaders Inter Milan to just one point at the top of Serie A.

Roma, who slumped to a 2-0 Champions League defeat to Manchester United at the Stadio Olimpico in midweek, stormed into a 2-0 lead within the first 17 minutes before Genoa levelled with two goals in the space of a minute in the second half.

However, a Daniele De Rossi penalty 10 minutes from time secured the three points which will send Roma to Manchester next week for their Champions League quarter-final second leg clash in good heart.

United on pressure: Avram Grant believes Manchester United could start feeling the pressure in the title race after Chelsea moved to within two points of the Premier League leaders.

Chelsea's 2-0 win at Manchester City on Saturday, thanks to a Richard Dunne own goal and Salomon Kalou's second-half strike, reduced the deficit at the head of the table 24 hours before United face Middlesbrough.

And with Sir Alex Ferguson's side due to visit Stamford Bridge on April 26, Grant has no doubt the outcome of this year's title battle will not be decided until the final days of the campaign.

"I think if you ask Alex and his players, we have put them under pressure all the last three months because we have won almost every game, Grant said. "I think we have won close to 80 percent of our games which is the record of champions.