Another tournament, another disappointment? Spain makes its eighth straight appearance in the World Cup with hopes of success understandably low. A soccer giant at club level, the national team has lifted only one major trophy — the 1964 European Championship.
FC Barcelona won its second straight Spanish league title and 18th overall on Wednesday, claiming the crown when final challenger Valencia was beaten by Mallorca 2-1. Barcelona players began celebrating at halftime of their game at Celta Vigo and went on to toast their success with a 1-0 win courtesy of a 55th-minute goal by Samuel Eto’o.
Villarreal will need to rediscover its scoring touch against Arsenal on Tuesday to reach its first Champions League final. Trailing 1-0 on Kolo Toure’s goal from the first leg of the semifinals last week, Villarreal needs to win by two at its El Madrigal stadium to be sure of advancing to play FC Barcelona or AC Milan in the final.
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/ 19 December 2005
Juan Roman Riquelme and Diego Forlan scored a goal each on Sunday, and Villarreal rallied to beat Getafe 2-1 and move into third place in the Spanish league. Villarreal trailed at El Madrigal stadium when striker Ivan ”Riki” Sanchez-Rico scored in the 20th minute with an overhead kick, but Riquelme levelled in the 45th with a curling free kick that crossed the line via the crossbar.
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/ 5 December 2005
Juan Manuel Pena scored an own-goal in the first half and deflected Deco’s strike after the interval on Sunday to help FC Barcelona beat Villarreal 2-0 in the Spanish league. The win at Villarreal was Barcelona’s seventh straight in the league and ninth overall.