Ronaldo, Messi magic tricks spur Real and Barca wins

MADRID - Cristiano Ronaldo scored a wonderful, backheeled goal while Lionel Messi hit the target with a deadly accurate freekick as Real Madrid and Barcelona emerged victorious from testing La Liga trips on Sunday.

Ronaldo gave Real a 1-0 win over neighbor Rayo Vallecano while Messi scored his team's second goal in a 2-1 win at Atletico Madrid as Spain's two box office attractions took their league goals tally to 29 and 28 respectively.

The results also kept Real 10 points in front of the defending champion.

At Rayo Vallecano, the second half was eight minutes old when the home defense failed to clear a corner at the first attempt.

Portuguese superstar Ronaldo, facing away from the goal, backheeled the ball so powerfully from 15 yards out that it evaded four Rayo defenders on its way into the left-hand corner of the net.

"A backheel is always different. It was a great goal but I'm not sure if it was the best of my career - I have to see it again on TV," said Ronaldo.

"The most important thing is the victory and the points."

The game was competitive throughout and the main talking point of a goalless first period was whether or not Madrid's Sergio Ramos had intentionally used an elbow to stop Diego Costa in the penalty area after already receiving a yellow card.

Ronaldo had shot dangerously on 24 minutes across the Rayo goal from the left-hand side of the penalty area and a minute later he went close again with a right-footed shot that narrowly missed the target.

Rayo was close to taking a first-half lead when Francisco Medina burst into the area and cracked a shot onto the underside of the crossbar on 38 minutes.

Rayo's best chance to level fell to Miguel Perez 'Michu', who blazed the ball over the bar after a mistake from Ramos put him clear on goal.

Michu was unjustly sent off with a minute remaining for a challenge on Sami Khedira in which he did not appear to make contact.

After Barcelona's victory, coach Pep Guardiola once again refused to discuss his future at the Catalan club.

"I've had enough of that topic. When there is news you will all know, it's getting tiring talking about it," he told reporters.

On the 10-point gap behind Madrid, Guardiola said: "When you are 10 points behind you are not thinking about winning them all back, but simply to play well in what was a complicated game for us and to get the three points.

"We have to keep winning and see if we have the opportunity to get back into the title race."

Agence France-Presse

(China Daily 02/28/2012 page22)