Real Madrid's 45-Match Unbeaten Record Comes To An End, Lazio And Milan Enjoy Eight-Goal Thriller, Borussia Dortmund Reclaim Top Spot And More

By Joe Ellington

SPAIN
After 45 league, cup and European matches, John Toshack finally tasted defeat at the Bernabeu at the weekend, as Real Madrid crashed 3-2 to Valencia in a scintillating encounter. Real had Brazilian full-back Roberto Carlos sent off in the ninth minute for handball on the goal-line, with Gaizka Mendieta tucking away the resulting penalty. Further goals by Gerard Lopez and Claudio Lopez gave Claudio Ranieri’s strugglers a seemingly impregnable 3-0 half-time lead.

But Real came storming back in the second half, clawing their way back into the match with two goals by Fernando Morientes, only to be frustrated by some dogged defending and some controversial refereeing. Toshack and team masseur Antonio Acedo were dismissed from the touchline for abusing the referee, after he turned down appeals for a Real penalty, while Fernando Hierro was reported after the final whistle for insulting the referee as the players left the pitch.

“I saw a Valencia hand touch the ball in the penalty area and I had my say,” explained Toshack. “I said some unpleasant things to the referee and I’ll have to take my punishment just like everyone else.”

Real’s first defeat of the season drops them down to eighth place in the table, six points behind the leaders Barcelona, who won 2-0 at Valladolid. Rayo Vallecano stayed second thanks to a 1-1 draw at Racing Santander, while Celta Vigo moved up to third with a 1-0 win against Mallorca.

At the bottom, Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink scored for the third game running, but his Atletico Madrid side still lost, 3-1 at Espanyol, and are still rock bottom of the table. Coach Claudio Ranieri, meanwhile, is starting to take Atletico’s rotten form as a personal insult. “I am Italian,” he explained. “We brought the world catenaccio, but it makes me ashamed that my team has conceded so many goals.”

* Defenders could be in short supply at next weekend’s Barca-Real derby at the Nou Camp. Real will be without Roberto Carlos (suspended), and could be without Fernando Hierro if the Spanish Federation decide to charge him for his outburst after the Valencia defeat. Barca, meanwhile, will be missing Michael Reiziger (injured) and Winston Bogarde (suspended), while Frank de Boer could also be out after pulling knee ligaments at the weekend.

* Steve McManaman is also out of the Nou Camp fixture, after tearing a thigh muscle in the Champions League win against FC Porto in midweek.

* Real Madrid president Lorenzo Sanz has admitted he would consider loaning Nicola Anelka to Juventus in return for Zinedine Zidane, who has a Spanish wife. “Remember, he’s only 20 and I’m sure we’ll get a lot of mileage out of him,” said Sanz.

* Real Valladolid goalkeeper Cesar Sanchez has received his first international call-up, for Spain’s Euro 2000 qualifier against Israel.


ITALY
The champions and last season’s runners-up met at the Stadio Olimpico at the weekend. Eight goals and a point apiece later, Lazio and AC Milan had to settle for a share of the spoils after an incredible 4-4 draw.

In a see-saw match which mirrored last season’s title race, Lazio took the lead on 17 minutes through Sebastian Veron, only to be pegged back against the run of play by a Sinisa Mihajlovic own goal. A minute later, Diego Simeone restored the home side’s lead, and a minute after that Marcelo Salas made it 3-1 as Milan’s defence went to pieces.

Enter Andriy Shevchenko. The Ukrainian striker superbly rounded Luca Marchegiani to make it 3-2 just before the break, scored from the spot to make it 3-3, and then put Milan into the lead when he completed his hat-trick in the 69th minute. But just three minutes after that, Salas scored his second and Lazio’s fourth to clinch a memorable draw.

The point keeps Lazio in third place, trailing arch-rivals AS Roma on goal difference after Fabio Capello’s side won 3-1 at Fiorentina to inflict the Violets’ first home defeat since January 1998. Brazilian full-back Cafu scored twice for the visitors, but the game ended on a sour note when Francesco Totti, Roma’s other scorer, and Jorg Heinrich were sent off for fighting.

Inter stay top, two points clear of the Rome clubs, after Ronaldo’s first goal of the season clinched a 2-1 win against Piacenza. Juventus, who won 1-0 at home to Venezia, are up to fourth, while Fiorentina slip to sixth.

* Reggina’s dream start to their first-ever Serie A campaign came to an abrupt halt at Perugia. Lorenzo Stovini scored an own goal, Tonino Martino gave away a penalty (converted by Hidetoshi Nakata), and Simone Giachetta was then sent off having pulled a goal back.

* Ronaldo has denied reports that he was considering his future with Inter Milan. “I never intended to leave Inter,” he told Gazzetta dello Sport. “I’m staying here and I won’t leave Milan until I’ve won a scudetto.”

* Former Inter and Italy goalkeeper Walter Zenga has been sacked as player/coach of MLS side New England Revolution. Former Liverpool and Scotland defender Steve Nicol has been appointed interim coach.

* Italian police found three home-made nail bombs at a Fiorentina fan’s house before the weekend’s game against Roma.


GERMANY
Summer-signing Victor Ikpeba scored his first goals at the weekend, as Borussia Dortmund swept back to the top of the Bundesliga with a 3-1 win at home to Hansa Rostock. The 1997 European champions made it five wins out of seven with two from Nigerian Ikpeba and one from Giuseppe Reina, to sit two points clear of SV Hamburg, who won 2-1 at SSV Ulm thanks to a late Tony Yeboah winner.

But Christophe Daum’s celebrations to mark his 350th game as a Bundesliga coach were ruined as his Bayer Leverkusen side slipped to their first defeat of the season, 3-1 at VfL Wolfsburg. “We had our opportunities and it was our own fault for not using them,” said a crest-fallen Daum.

Injury-hit Bayern Munich showed their resilience, coming from a goal down to force a 1-1 draw at Schalke 04, thanks to a last-minute Stefan Effenburg goal. “We played OK in the first half but Schalke really put the pressure on us after the break,” commented Effenburg.

Bayern, who were without Jens Jeremies, Alexander Zickler, Thomas Strunz, Patrik Andersson, Mehmet Scholl, Thomas Linke and Paulo Sergio, stay fifth in the table, but had Sammy Kuffour sent off to add to Ottmar Hitzfeld’s selection problems.

Youri Djorkaeff scored twice as Tottenham’s UEFA Cup opponents Kaiserslautern beat SpVgg Unterhaching 4-2, to move out of the relegation zone, now occupied by MSV Duisburg, SSV Ulm and Hansa Rostock.


FRANCE
It’s a three-way tie at the top of the French First Division, with Monaco, Paris St Germain and Auxerre level on 17 points following victories at the weekend.

Argentine striker Marcelo Gallardo scored the only goal for Monaco, as they won 1-0 at home to Olympique Lyon, who had their goalkeeper carried off in the 10th minute after a clash with David Trezeguet. “We’re on top and that’s irrelevant,” said Monaco coach Claude Puel. “What matters is the way we played and we played well.” Even visiting coach Bernard Lacombe was impressed with Puel’s side: “If they keep on playing like that they will be French champions easily,” he concluded.

Paris St Germain, who trail Monaco on goal difference, hammered Nantes 4-0 away from home, despite playing half the match without Pierre Ducrocq, who was sent off just before the break. Substitute Laurent Leroy scored twice, after Jimmy Algerino and former Everton striker Mickael Madar had set PSG on their way.

Auxerre beat struggling RC Lens 3-2 thanks to striker Bernard Diomede, who scored twice, and former Rangers and Newcastle striker Stephane Guivarc’h.

Two Italian players formerly with Premiership clubs were on the scoresheet at the Stade Velodrome, where Metz held Marseille to a 1-1 draw. Former Middlesbrough striker Fabrizio Ravanelli gave OM the lead, but former Crystal Palace striker Michele Padovano equalised for the visitors.

Tony Cascarino is not Italian, and he has never played in the Premier League, but the veteran Republic of Ireland striker stole the plaudits at the weekend with a hat-trick as Nancy beat Rennes 3-0.

* Sedan’s 2-1 victory over Troyes on Saturday sent them top for the first time in 34 years, although their lead only lasted 24 hours.

* Lens fired coach Daniel Leclercq before the defeat at Auxerre, which leaves the 1997 champions lying second from bottom. Former Lens players Francois Brisson and Didier Senac have taken temporary charge, with the latter the favourite to land the job full-time.


ROUND-UP

BELGIUM
A cracking weekend of action in the Belgian First Division saw Bruges lose for the first time this season and league leaders Lierse remain on top despite drawing 2-2 away to 8th-placed Genk.

Both Anderlecht and Bruges, however, missed the opportunity to overtake them at the top of the table. Bruges lost 1-0 away to Westerlo while Anderlecht, who remain unbeaten, also drew 2-2 at home, and saw three shots at goal cleared off the line as Beerschot managed to hang on for a well earned point.

Standard Liege won 3-1 at home to Beveren to leave the visitors in desperate trouble at the bottom of the table, having only scored 1 point in 7 games.

Other Results: Aalst 1Verbr Geel 0, Harelbeke 2 Lokeren 3, Gent 6 Lommel 2, Charleroi 2 Mouscron 1, Mechelen 3 Truidense 2.


HOLLAND
There were 42 goals scored in the Dutch league over the weekend, with the top two clubs in the league both recording comfortable victories. Ajax moved up to second in the table, following a 6-3 win over Willem II on Sunday. With 17 points from seven games, they sit one point behind league leaders PSV Eindhoiven, who have played a game less. Eindhoven crushed Sparta 7-0 to maintain their 100% start to the season.

Elsewhere, champions Feyenoord could only manage a draw away to midtable Alkmaar. Meanwhile, RKC Waalwijk, who only just survived last season's relegation scare, maintained their good form by moving up to fourth in the table, following a 2-1 home victory against De Graafschap.

Other Results: MVV 1 Heerenveen 3, Twente 3 Den Bosch 2, Fortuna 4 Cambuur 1, Utrecht 1 Roda JC 2, Vitesse 5 NEC 1


PORTUGAL
Come Monday night, football fans will be following the action from around the country, with the top three clubs all in action. Benfica are at home to Amadora, and will be looking to stretch their lead at the top of the table, but the match of the day could well be fifth versus third, when managerless Sporting Lisbon take on Boa Vista, while second place Porto are away to Balenses.

Other Results: Leiria 3 Braga 0, Maritimo 1 Gil Vicente 0, Salgueiros 0 Farense 0