Real thrash Malaga to delay Barca title

MADRID. Real Madrid made sure Barcelona will have to wait at least until Sunday to wrap up a 22nd La Liga title when Cristiano Ronaldo scored his 200th goal for the club in a 6-2 win at home to nine-man Malaga on Wednesday.

Friday, May 10, 2013
Challengers Cricket Club Players display their trophies after winning the V.R.NAIDU-RCA T20 CUP 2013. The New Times /Courtesy.

MADRID. Real Madrid made sure Barcelona will have to wait at least until Sunday to wrap up a 22nd La Liga title when Cristiano Ronaldo scored his 200th goal for the club in a 6-2 win at home to nine-man Malaga on Wednesday.Barca need two more points to wrest the league crown back from their arch rivals and secure a fourth title in five years and a win at third-placed Atletico Madrid on Sunday would be enough for Tito Vilanova’s side.Barca have 88 points from 34 of 38 matches, with Real in second on 80 from 35. Atletico, eight points further back in third, secured a berth in the Champions League group stage with a 3-1 win at struggling Celta Vigo earlier on Wednesday.Both matches had been brought forward due to the King’s Cup final between Real and Atletico on Friday May 17.Real coach Jose Mourinho, who seems certain to leave after a disappointing season, was again whistled by a significant section of the home support at the Bernabeu when his name was read out before kickoff.                     AgenciesThe Portuguese has clashed with several members of the squad in recent weeks, including club captain Iker Casillas, who was again left out of the team, and fans cheered when the Spain goalkeeper’s name was read out in the list of substitutes."The fans do what they think is right,” Mourinho’s assistant Aitor Karanka told a post-match news conference. Atletico trio Diego Costa, Juanfran and Radamel Falcao netted second-half goals at Celta to put the 2010 and 2012 Europa League winners back in Europe’s elite club competition for the first time in three years.Atletico climbed on to 72 points with three games left, 14 ahead of fourth-placed Real Sociedad, who have a match in hand.