Real extend lead after Barca crash

Beat Recreativo 3-2 to open up a five-point gap, Atletico beat Barcelona 4-2

MADRID: Real Madrid carved out a scrappy 3-2 win at Recreativo Huelva to open up a five-point lead at the top of the Spanish first division as rivals Barcelona crashed to a 4-2 defeat at Atletico Madrid.

In a wildly fluctuating game, Real were stunned when Recreativo defender Martin Caceres latched onto a Carlos Martins free kick to give the hosts a dream start after 16 minutes. However, Recreativo had only themselves to blame for allowing Real to equalise after 27 minutes.

A poor clearance by Huelva defender Iago Bouzon went straight to the feet of Royston Drenthe and the Dutch winger sent in a high ball into the area for Real captain Raul Gonzalez to head home.

It was the perfect way for Raul to celebrate going equal second, along with club legend Carlos Santillana, on the Real rankings of all-time appearances for the club.

The pair have played for the Spanish giants 643 times and only Raul’s former teammate, and captain Manuel Sanchis, is ahead of him with 708 appearances.

Recreativo were then reduced to 10 men just five minutes after the break when their Portuguese international defender Beto was sent off after reacting to a Gabriel Heinze challenge, stabbing a finger in the Argentine’s face.

They only stayed at a disadvantage for five minutes before Sergio Ramos, who was uncharacteristically out-of-sorts all night, got his second yellow card.

The dismissals continued when Recreativo’s Quique Alvarez was shown a direct red card by referee Eduardo Iturralde Gonzalez for a wild tackle on Arjen Robben after 67 minutes.

Terry eyes treble
Chelsea captain John Terry said Chelsea’s hopes of a trophy treble were very much alive after a 4-0 Premier League win at West Ham set the side up for their Champions League clash with Greece’s Olympiakos.

Terry revealed that after Chelsea’s 2-1 defeat against Tottenham in the League Cup final the previous weekend he’d shared some home truths with both players and management.

Reports after that loss said Terry had had a disagreement with Blues assistant boss Henk ten Cate while fresh speculation regarding the future of manager Avram Grant led many to wonder whether any silverware at all would be making its way to Stamford Bridge this season.

However, Terry was adamant that Chelsea had moved on from the Spurs defeat - their first in 16 games - and were ready to welcome Olympiakos on Wednesday after the clubs played out a goalless draw in the first leg of their last 16 tie.

Chelsea then face a potentially tricky FA Cup quarter-final against Championship side
Barnsley on Saturday. “Things were discussed between the players and the manager which will remain private,” said Terry, after a victory which left Chelsea just
seven points behind Premier League leaders Arsenal with a game in hand.

“It is up to players like me, Frank Lampard and Didier Drogba to pick all the players up, and that is what we have done. We have lost the League Cup, but that is over. After this result, we are very positive. We are still in with a great chance of winning all three other competitions.”