Latest ads
-
Video Content Creator
- pramukag
- Updated:
-
QA Engineer Intern
- pramukag
- Updated:
-
Sell your Land, House on idamata.lk for FREE
- sajith.xp.pk
- Updated:
-
Handmade Character Soft Toys- anil1961
- Updated:
-
Bodim.lk out now !- Manoj Suranga Bandara
- Updated:
..::Football III::..
- Thread starter Wolverine GTR
- Start date
- Status
Liverpool 2-1 Manchester City: Coutinho cracker keeps Reds' run going
Liverpool, inspired by match-winner Philippe Coutinho, dealt Manchester City a huge blow in the Premier League title race with a 2-1 win at Anfield.
After a bright start, the Reds took the lead through a sensational Jordan Henderson goal, the midfielder cutting inside on the break - capitalising upon a Vincent Kompany error - to curl a powerful long-ranger well out of the reach of Joe Hart into the top corner.
Manuel Pellegrini's men got back into it through Edin Dzeko's equaliser in the 25th minute but Liverpool's dominance told as the second half wore on, Coutinho plundering the winner with an astonishing thunderbolt into the corner of the net from the left flank.
The result sees Liverpool move ahead of Southampton into fifth place, while City remain five points behind leaders Chelsea having played a game more.
A frenetic start was dominated by Liverpool – who made four changes from their defeat to Besiktas on Thursday – with Adam Lallana twice going close. His first effort was saved by Hart after a superb pass from Coutinho and, although the second beat the City goalkeeper, it was ruled out for offside.
Any disappointment quickly faded, though, as Henderson arrowed in a fine strike from the edge of the penalty area after 11 minutes. Coutinho was again involved as he robbed Kompany before combining with Raheem Sterling to get the ball to Henderson, the Liverpool captain giving Hart no chance with a powerful shot into the top-right corner.
City – who also made four changes following midweek European disappointment against Barcelona – responded strongly, Aguero sending a low drive against the post a minute after Henderson's opener.
The champions continued to press and a crisp passing move involving Yaya Toure, David Silva and Aguero saw Dzeko bring them level after 25 minutes. The striker collected a perfectly weighted reverse pass from his Argentine strike partner before firing past Simon Mignolet from 12 yards.
Lallana had a chance to restore Liverpool's lead before the break from a chipped Lazar Markovic pass but pulled his effort wide of Hart's goal.
Both sides wasted chances early in the second half as Aguero and Sterling failed to convert from inside the penalty area, while Lallana had a second effort ruled out by the assistant referee. Silva then spurned a promising position for City with an over-hit free kick.
That proved to be costly as Liverpool finally made their possession pay, Coutinho cutting in from the left, evading the challenge of Samir Nasri and Pablo Zabaleta to secure the win.
Aguero went agonisingly close to earning City a point with a low effort after 79 minutes but the visitors were unable to find a second goal and, after late misses at both ends by Daniel Sturridge and Silva, handed the advantage to Chelsea in the race for the title.
Liverpool, inspired by match-winner Philippe Coutinho, dealt Manchester City a huge blow in the Premier League title race with a 2-1 win at Anfield.
After a bright start, the Reds took the lead through a sensational Jordan Henderson goal, the midfielder cutting inside on the break - capitalising upon a Vincent Kompany error - to curl a powerful long-ranger well out of the reach of Joe Hart into the top corner.
Manuel Pellegrini's men got back into it through Edin Dzeko's equaliser in the 25th minute but Liverpool's dominance told as the second half wore on, Coutinho plundering the winner with an astonishing thunderbolt into the corner of the net from the left flank.
The result sees Liverpool move ahead of Southampton into fifth place, while City remain five points behind leaders Chelsea having played a game more.
A frenetic start was dominated by Liverpool – who made four changes from their defeat to Besiktas on Thursday – with Adam Lallana twice going close. His first effort was saved by Hart after a superb pass from Coutinho and, although the second beat the City goalkeeper, it was ruled out for offside.
Any disappointment quickly faded, though, as Henderson arrowed in a fine strike from the edge of the penalty area after 11 minutes. Coutinho was again involved as he robbed Kompany before combining with Raheem Sterling to get the ball to Henderson, the Liverpool captain giving Hart no chance with a powerful shot into the top-right corner.
City – who also made four changes following midweek European disappointment against Barcelona – responded strongly, Aguero sending a low drive against the post a minute after Henderson's opener.
The champions continued to press and a crisp passing move involving Yaya Toure, David Silva and Aguero saw Dzeko bring them level after 25 minutes. The striker collected a perfectly weighted reverse pass from his Argentine strike partner before firing past Simon Mignolet from 12 yards.
Lallana had a chance to restore Liverpool's lead before the break from a chipped Lazar Markovic pass but pulled his effort wide of Hart's goal.
Both sides wasted chances early in the second half as Aguero and Sterling failed to convert from inside the penalty area, while Lallana had a second effort ruled out by the assistant referee. Silva then spurned a promising position for City with an over-hit free kick.
That proved to be costly as Liverpool finally made their possession pay, Coutinho cutting in from the left, evading the challenge of Samir Nasri and Pablo Zabaleta to secure the win.
Aguero went agonisingly close to earning City a point with a low effort after 79 minutes but the visitors were unable to find a second goal and, after late misses at both ends by Daniel Sturridge and Silva, handed the advantage to Chelsea in the race for the title.
Arsenal 2-0 Everton: Giroud and Rosicky get Gunners back in the winning groove
Arsenal moved back up to third in the Premier League as goals from Olivier Giroud and Tomas Rosicky saw off Everton 2-0 at the Emirates Stadium.
After a disastrous performance against Monaco, the French striker got back on the horse by finishing off a low cross at a corner near the end of the first half.
Though Everton looked somewhat tired after their midweek Europa League exploits, David Ospina had to be in good form to fend off some good chances in the second half.
But Arsenal's holding-out paid off when Rosicky scored via a slight deflection from Phil Jagielka shortly before the end of normal time.
Roberto Martinez's side remain only six points above the drop zone, while Arsenal are one point ahead of fourth-placed Manchester United and still three clear of Liverpool following their win against Manchester City earlier in the day.
Arsenal might have fallen behind in the 17th minute if not for a piece of smart goalkeeping from David Ospina, who raced off his line to rob Romelu Lukaku of the ball after the striker had beaten Gabriel - in for Per Mertesacker as part of three changes from midweek - to a long ball over the top.
Giroud then spurned Arsenal's first chance as he turned Alexis Sanchez's near-post cross wide with a diving header but soon atoned for that miss to break the deadlock. The former Montpellier man converted Mesut Ozil's set-piece delivery with a cool first-time finish into the bottom-left corner six minutes before the interval.
Arsene Wenger's men gained confidence from that opener and went close to adding a second shortly afterwards when Santi Cazorla's long-range effort was tipped over the crossbar by Tim Howard, who was tested by his own player from the resulting corner as Muhamed Besic's attempted defensive header forced the American into a save.
Everton started the second half the stronger, though, and almost levelled in spectacular fashion as Gareth Barry sent a bicycle kick narrowly over the bar.
Lukaku provided Everton's main threat and only the acrobatics of Ospina prevented him from levelling matters.
Ospina dived brilliantly to his right to turn the Belgium international's shot over the target following a superb cross from Ross Barkley.
Substitute Aaron Lennon shot straight at Ospina and Ozil had an effort deflected wide at the other end before the German picked out Rosicky to settle matters. He fired home just seven minutes after coming on as Arsenal kept themselves in a strong position to return to the Champions League, despite a late point-blank miss from Giroud.
Arsenal moved back up to third in the Premier League as goals from Olivier Giroud and Tomas Rosicky saw off Everton 2-0 at the Emirates Stadium.
After a disastrous performance against Monaco, the French striker got back on the horse by finishing off a low cross at a corner near the end of the first half.
Though Everton looked somewhat tired after their midweek Europa League exploits, David Ospina had to be in good form to fend off some good chances in the second half.
But Arsenal's holding-out paid off when Rosicky scored via a slight deflection from Phil Jagielka shortly before the end of normal time.
Roberto Martinez's side remain only six points above the drop zone, while Arsenal are one point ahead of fourth-placed Manchester United and still three clear of Liverpool following their win against Manchester City earlier in the day.
Arsenal might have fallen behind in the 17th minute if not for a piece of smart goalkeeping from David Ospina, who raced off his line to rob Romelu Lukaku of the ball after the striker had beaten Gabriel - in for Per Mertesacker as part of three changes from midweek - to a long ball over the top.
Giroud then spurned Arsenal's first chance as he turned Alexis Sanchez's near-post cross wide with a diving header but soon atoned for that miss to break the deadlock. The former Montpellier man converted Mesut Ozil's set-piece delivery with a cool first-time finish into the bottom-left corner six minutes before the interval.
Arsene Wenger's men gained confidence from that opener and went close to adding a second shortly afterwards when Santi Cazorla's long-range effort was tipped over the crossbar by Tim Howard, who was tested by his own player from the resulting corner as Muhamed Besic's attempted defensive header forced the American into a save.
Everton started the second half the stronger, though, and almost levelled in spectacular fashion as Gareth Barry sent a bicycle kick narrowly over the bar.
Lukaku provided Everton's main threat and only the acrobatics of Ospina prevented him from levelling matters.
Ospina dived brilliantly to his right to turn the Belgium international's shot over the target following a superb cross from Ross Barkley.
Substitute Aaron Lennon shot straight at Ospina and Ozil had an effort deflected wide at the other end before the German picked out Rosicky to settle matters. He fired home just seven minutes after coming on as Arsenal kept themselves in a strong position to return to the Champions League, despite a late point-blank miss from Giroud.
Chelsea 2-0 Tottenham: Terry ensures Mourinho's a Wembley winner again
Chelsea lifted the League Cup after a 2-0 victory over Tottenham in an unexciting final at Wembley.
John Terry gave Jose Mourinho's men the lead just before half-time when Spurs' poor defence of a free kick gave him the time and space to fire home via a deflection.
And the Blues cushioned that advantage soon after half-time when Diego Costa's finish was diverted in by Kyle Walker for an own goal.
Tottenham struggled to create genuine chances to get back into the game and the final drifted towards its conclusion as the Premier League leaders secured their first trophy of the season.
Mourinho made five changes from Chelsea's 1-1 draw with Burnley and saw his side make the brighter start as Terry headed over Willian's cross before Branislav Ivanovic's looping cross threatened Spurs' goal.
Hugo Lloris - making his first League Cup appearance of the season - dealt with the danger before Christian Eriksen rattled the woodwork with a 25-yard free kick. The Dane's opportunity came about after a foul on Harry Kane and the Spurs striker was next to go close with a low strike that tested Petr Cech.
Willian's raking pass set Eden Hazard away down the left, although his strike was blocked by Eric Dier, before Costa was involved in two flashpoints prior to the half-hour mark, having raised his hands towards Nabil Bentaleb.
A knock to Walker set the tone for a poor finish to the half for Spurs that was compounded when Terry made the most of lax defending on the stroke of half-time. When Chadli was caught out by a looping ball and fouled Ivanovic, a host of Spurs defenders failed to clear Willian's delivery, allowing skipper Terry to open the scoring from close range courtesy of a deflection off Kane.
Cesc Fabregas's overhead kick forced Lloris into a smart save shortly after the interval and Chelsea's positive start to the second half was rewarded when Costa looked to have scored his first goal since mid-January. A purposeful burst down the left was helped past Lloris by a Walker deflection - which was the crucial touch - 56 minutes in, with Pochettino opting to introduce Mousa Dembele and Erik Lamela to try and gain a foothold in the contest.
However, Chelsea demonstrated their defensive solidity to see out the victory with minimal fuss and collect the first of three potential trophies this season, while Spurs must focus on securing European qualification.
Chelsea lifted the League Cup after a 2-0 victory over Tottenham in an unexciting final at Wembley.
John Terry gave Jose Mourinho's men the lead just before half-time when Spurs' poor defence of a free kick gave him the time and space to fire home via a deflection.
And the Blues cushioned that advantage soon after half-time when Diego Costa's finish was diverted in by Kyle Walker for an own goal.
Tottenham struggled to create genuine chances to get back into the game and the final drifted towards its conclusion as the Premier League leaders secured their first trophy of the season.
Mourinho made five changes from Chelsea's 1-1 draw with Burnley and saw his side make the brighter start as Terry headed over Willian's cross before Branislav Ivanovic's looping cross threatened Spurs' goal.
Hugo Lloris - making his first League Cup appearance of the season - dealt with the danger before Christian Eriksen rattled the woodwork with a 25-yard free kick. The Dane's opportunity came about after a foul on Harry Kane and the Spurs striker was next to go close with a low strike that tested Petr Cech.
Willian's raking pass set Eden Hazard away down the left, although his strike was blocked by Eric Dier, before Costa was involved in two flashpoints prior to the half-hour mark, having raised his hands towards Nabil Bentaleb.
A knock to Walker set the tone for a poor finish to the half for Spurs that was compounded when Terry made the most of lax defending on the stroke of half-time. When Chadli was caught out by a looping ball and fouled Ivanovic, a host of Spurs defenders failed to clear Willian's delivery, allowing skipper Terry to open the scoring from close range courtesy of a deflection off Kane.
Cesc Fabregas's overhead kick forced Lloris into a smart save shortly after the interval and Chelsea's positive start to the second half was rewarded when Costa looked to have scored his first goal since mid-January. A purposeful burst down the left was helped past Lloris by a Walker deflection - which was the crucial touch - 56 minutes in, with Pochettino opting to introduce Mousa Dembele and Erik Lamela to try and gain a foothold in the contest.
However, Chelsea demonstrated their defensive solidity to see out the victory with minimal fuss and collect the first of three potential trophies this season, while Spurs must focus on securing European qualification.
Monaco 0-0 Paris Saint-Germain: Blanc's boys blow chance to go top
Surprise defeats for title rivals Marseille and Lyon earlier in the weekend had opened the door for the champions to reclaim top spot.But, despite creating several clear openings, Laurent Blanc's side were unable to find the breakthrough without top scorer Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
Leonardo Jardim's men were far from the all-action outfit that defeated Arsenal 3-1 in the Champions League on Wednesday, but did enough to hold on for a draw that moves them into fourth position.PSG were the better side for much of the contest and remain the only team unbeaten this season in matches against Ligue 1's top five.
But the champions were either too intricate, or inaccurate in front of goal, meaning they stay second, a point behind leaders Lyon. The teams meet again at the Parc des Princes on Wednesday in the Coupe de France.
Despite being without a number of key players, including the suspended Ibrahimovic and the injured Lucas Moura, the visitors soon settled into their preferred pattern of play, dominating position, albeit at a pedestrian pace.
The hosts appeared equally comfortable to allow their opponents the ball, dropping deep to prevent space in behind.
A smart run from Ezequiel Lavezzi created the first real opening in the 16th minute. The Argentinian raced through to collect a ball over the top before teeing up Edinson Cavani to drive at goal from 15 yards, but Danijel Subasic was equal to it.
This brought the match to life and Lavezzi should have broken the deadlock in the 25th minute, only to scuff his volley horribly wide from six yards after Maxwell's lofted ball was nodded down by Blaise Matuidi.As if encouraged by surviving such scares, Monaco improved, but found Joao Moutinho to be just as wasteful in front of goal, failing to make clean contact from inside the box following good work from Yannick Carrasco in the 36th minute.
There was still time for Cavani to squander another good opportunity after being found in the box by a combination of Matuidi and Javier Pastore in stoppage time, prompting Blanc to smack the dugout in frustration.The hosts made the brighter start to the second half, but PSG had the first chance, as Pastore and Lavezzi exchanged passes on a 53rd-minute counter before the former fired straight at the goalkeeper.
Pastore combined with Marco Verratti to go through on goal nine minutes later, but on this occasion lifted his effort just wide as Subasic dived at his feet.The pace and purpose disappeared from PSG's play after this and Monaco were happy to contain their visitors.
Surprise defeats for title rivals Marseille and Lyon earlier in the weekend had opened the door for the champions to reclaim top spot.But, despite creating several clear openings, Laurent Blanc's side were unable to find the breakthrough without top scorer Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
Leonardo Jardim's men were far from the all-action outfit that defeated Arsenal 3-1 in the Champions League on Wednesday, but did enough to hold on for a draw that moves them into fourth position.PSG were the better side for much of the contest and remain the only team unbeaten this season in matches against Ligue 1's top five.
But the champions were either too intricate, or inaccurate in front of goal, meaning they stay second, a point behind leaders Lyon. The teams meet again at the Parc des Princes on Wednesday in the Coupe de France.
Despite being without a number of key players, including the suspended Ibrahimovic and the injured Lucas Moura, the visitors soon settled into their preferred pattern of play, dominating position, albeit at a pedestrian pace.
The hosts appeared equally comfortable to allow their opponents the ball, dropping deep to prevent space in behind.
A smart run from Ezequiel Lavezzi created the first real opening in the 16th minute. The Argentinian raced through to collect a ball over the top before teeing up Edinson Cavani to drive at goal from 15 yards, but Danijel Subasic was equal to it.
This brought the match to life and Lavezzi should have broken the deadlock in the 25th minute, only to scuff his volley horribly wide from six yards after Maxwell's lofted ball was nodded down by Blaise Matuidi.As if encouraged by surviving such scares, Monaco improved, but found Joao Moutinho to be just as wasteful in front of goal, failing to make clean contact from inside the box following good work from Yannick Carrasco in the 36th minute.
There was still time for Cavani to squander another good opportunity after being found in the box by a combination of Matuidi and Javier Pastore in stoppage time, prompting Blanc to smack the dugout in frustration.The hosts made the brighter start to the second half, but PSG had the first chance, as Pastore and Lavezzi exchanged passes on a 53rd-minute counter before the former fired straight at the goalkeeper.
Pastore combined with Marco Verratti to go through on goal nine minutes later, but on this occasion lifted his effort just wide as Subasic dived at his feet.The pace and purpose disappeared from PSG's play after this and Monaco were happy to contain their visitors.
Torino 1-0 Napoli: Glik damages Benitez's Champions League assault
Torino foiled Napoli’s bid to go joint-second in Serie A with a 1-0 victory at the Stadio Olimpico on Sunday thanks to Kamil Glik’s second-half goal.
The Granata captain headed home from a left-wing corner midway through the second period to rock the Champions League challenge of Rafael Benitez’s side, who now face a concerted challenge for third place after wins earlier in the day for Lazio and Fiorentina.
Torino pressed well in the early moments, but Josef Martinez blazed one glorious effort from a Bruno Peres cross into the crowd. An extravagant overhead kick by Fabio Quagliarella from another Peres centre was then parried away by Mariano Andujar with the referee simultaneously calling a halt for a foul by the former Napoli front man on Christian Maggio.
The best the visitors had to show for their possession before the break were a couple of long-range speculators from Jonathan de Guzman and Marek Hamsik, and things got no better for them after the interval with Jose Callejon hammering a volley well wide of goal from a half-cleared free-kick.
And while Benitez looked to inject positivity into his side by bringing on Manolo Gabbiadini for skipper Marek Hamsik, his side soon got caught out at the back.
Kalidou Koulibaly unnecessarily screwed a clearance from midway all the way back for a corner, and from the resulting set-piece Glik stooped to steer a header beyond the flat-footed Andujar for his fifth goal of the season.
Gonzalo Higuain could have equalised soon after from a left-wing cross but fired well over, and Gabbiadini then curled a wonderful free-kick effort onto the base of the post.
The Neapolitans then laid siege to the home side’s goal but could find no way through, meaning they head into next Sunday’s clash with Inter with only a two-point advantage over fourth-placed Lazio. Torino, meanwhile, move ahead of Inter, Milan and Palermo into eighth spot.
Torino foiled Napoli’s bid to go joint-second in Serie A with a 1-0 victory at the Stadio Olimpico on Sunday thanks to Kamil Glik’s second-half goal.
The Granata captain headed home from a left-wing corner midway through the second period to rock the Champions League challenge of Rafael Benitez’s side, who now face a concerted challenge for third place after wins earlier in the day for Lazio and Fiorentina.
Torino pressed well in the early moments, but Josef Martinez blazed one glorious effort from a Bruno Peres cross into the crowd. An extravagant overhead kick by Fabio Quagliarella from another Peres centre was then parried away by Mariano Andujar with the referee simultaneously calling a halt for a foul by the former Napoli front man on Christian Maggio.
The best the visitors had to show for their possession before the break were a couple of long-range speculators from Jonathan de Guzman and Marek Hamsik, and things got no better for them after the interval with Jose Callejon hammering a volley well wide of goal from a half-cleared free-kick.
And while Benitez looked to inject positivity into his side by bringing on Manolo Gabbiadini for skipper Marek Hamsik, his side soon got caught out at the back.
Kalidou Koulibaly unnecessarily screwed a clearance from midway all the way back for a corner, and from the resulting set-piece Glik stooped to steer a header beyond the flat-footed Andujar for his fifth goal of the season.
Gonzalo Higuain could have equalised soon after from a left-wing cross but fired well over, and Gabbiadini then curled a wonderful free-kick effort onto the base of the post.
The Neapolitans then laid siege to the home side’s goal but could find no way through, meaning they head into next Sunday’s clash with Inter with only a two-point advantage over fourth-placed Lazio. Torino, meanwhile, move ahead of Inter, Milan and Palermo into eighth spot.
Real Madrid 1-1 Villarreal: Boost for Barcelona as Blancos are held at home
A lacklustre Real Madrid were unable to go back four points clear at the top of La Liga on Sunday as they could only draw 1-1 with Villarreal at Santiago Bernabeu.
Having seen rivals Barcelona close the gap at the top to a point with a 3-1 win over Granada on Saturday, Real initially looked like matching them after Cristiano Ronaldo's second-half penalty.Ronaldo's spot-kick gave Carlo Ancelotti's men the breakthrough following a foul on the forward inside the area from Eric Bailly early in the second period.
However, a spirited and hard-working Villarreal side drew level 12 minutes later when Gerard Moreno seized on a loose ball to equalise from the edge of the area.
Moreno's effort was the first goal Real conceded since the 4-0 defeat at the start of last month to city rivals Atletico Madrid - who also dropped points on Sunday with a draw at Sevilla.The result leaves seven points separating the top three, with Villarreal claiming an impressive point in their bid to seal European qualification.
Amid a low-key opening, the visitors threatened first as Iker Casillas denied Moreno one-on-one before Dani Carvajal was forced to clear Moises Gomez's follow-up off the line.
Karim Benzema headed Toni Kroos' delivery off target before Pepe looped a header over from the German's free-kick after 22 minutes as Real began to assert their quality.
While clear-cut chances were few and far between in the opening half hour, Marcelo's dangerous cross almost beat Sergio Asenjo at his far post before Raphael Varane headed wide from a corner.
Villarreal looked to have suffered a blow when Bailly was taken off on a stretcher after an apparent face knock, although the Ivorian returned before the break to help the visitors reach half-time level.
Ronaldo shimmied and fired at Asenjo shortly after the restart and, when the Portugal captain was hauled down in the area by Bailly when awaiting a cross, Real had their opportunity to open the scoring.And Ronaldo duly kept his composure to slot home his 30th league goal of the season - beating Asenjo comfortably to the goalkeeper's left.
The Portuguese came close to doubling his tally when a goal-bound free-kick was deflected off target by the Villarreal wall before Real were pegged back by Moreno's impressive strike midway through the second half.The ball broke loose on the edge of the area, with Moreno guiding a strike past Casillas to draw the visitors level.
Ronaldo looked on course to single-handedly seal maximum points as he broke free down the left only to be thwarted by Asenjo before seeing a header palmed away by the visiting goalkeeper.
Bailly was perhaps fortunate not to concede another penalty as he appeared to shove Hernandez late on, only for referee Jose Gonzalez to wave away the Mexican's furious appeals as an under-par Real failed to find a winner.
It could have been worse for Real however, had Luciano Vietto maintained his balance when free on goal instead of stumbling at the crucial moment.
A lacklustre Real Madrid were unable to go back four points clear at the top of La Liga on Sunday as they could only draw 1-1 with Villarreal at Santiago Bernabeu.
Having seen rivals Barcelona close the gap at the top to a point with a 3-1 win over Granada on Saturday, Real initially looked like matching them after Cristiano Ronaldo's second-half penalty.Ronaldo's spot-kick gave Carlo Ancelotti's men the breakthrough following a foul on the forward inside the area from Eric Bailly early in the second period.
However, a spirited and hard-working Villarreal side drew level 12 minutes later when Gerard Moreno seized on a loose ball to equalise from the edge of the area.
Moreno's effort was the first goal Real conceded since the 4-0 defeat at the start of last month to city rivals Atletico Madrid - who also dropped points on Sunday with a draw at Sevilla.The result leaves seven points separating the top three, with Villarreal claiming an impressive point in their bid to seal European qualification.
Amid a low-key opening, the visitors threatened first as Iker Casillas denied Moreno one-on-one before Dani Carvajal was forced to clear Moises Gomez's follow-up off the line.
Karim Benzema headed Toni Kroos' delivery off target before Pepe looped a header over from the German's free-kick after 22 minutes as Real began to assert their quality.
While clear-cut chances were few and far between in the opening half hour, Marcelo's dangerous cross almost beat Sergio Asenjo at his far post before Raphael Varane headed wide from a corner.
Villarreal looked to have suffered a blow when Bailly was taken off on a stretcher after an apparent face knock, although the Ivorian returned before the break to help the visitors reach half-time level.
Ronaldo shimmied and fired at Asenjo shortly after the restart and, when the Portugal captain was hauled down in the area by Bailly when awaiting a cross, Real had their opportunity to open the scoring.And Ronaldo duly kept his composure to slot home his 30th league goal of the season - beating Asenjo comfortably to the goalkeeper's left.
The Portuguese came close to doubling his tally when a goal-bound free-kick was deflected off target by the Villarreal wall before Real were pegged back by Moreno's impressive strike midway through the second half.The ball broke loose on the edge of the area, with Moreno guiding a strike past Casillas to draw the visitors level.
Ronaldo looked on course to single-handedly seal maximum points as he broke free down the left only to be thwarted by Asenjo before seeing a header palmed away by the visiting goalkeeper.
Bailly was perhaps fortunate not to concede another penalty as he appeared to shove Hernandez late on, only for referee Jose Gonzalez to wave away the Mexican's furious appeals as an under-par Real failed to find a winner.
It could have been worse for Real however, had Luciano Vietto maintained his balance when free on goal instead of stumbling at the crucial moment.
Sevilla 0-0 Atletico Madrid: Stalemate another setback for Simeone's side
A disappointing week for Atletico Madrid ended with them dropping points in La Liga courtesy of an ill-tempered 0-0 draw at Sevilla on Sunday.
Having lost 1-0 to Bayer Leverkusen in the first leg of their Champions League tie in midweek, Spanish champions Atleti were looking to bounce back and keep in touch with title rivals Real Madrid and Barcelona.
However, they instead produced an undisciplined and disappointing display at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan in a game that will be remembered more for its fractious nature than any moments of magic.
Refeeree Carlos Clos Gomez dished out 11 yellow cards, with seven shown to Atleti players as Sevilla largely dictated proceedings.The best chance of the encounter came in the 28th minute when Sevilla midfielder Vicente Iborra struck the post from Coke's cross.
From that point on the two sides delivered little in terms of excitement as they settled for a stalemate that does little for either's respective aspirations.
The result gives leaders Real the chance to go nine points clear of third-placed Atleti with a win over Villarreal in Sunday's late kick-off, while Sevilla are seven points adrift of Valencia in the race for the final Champions League spot.Sevilla had the better of the early stages and saw an early penalty claim waved away after Vitolo appeared to be brought down by Juanfran.
Atleti goalkeeper Miguel Angel Moya was forced into a low save to prevent a half-clearance that had ricocheted off Tiago resulting in an own goal following great work from Sevilla forward Aleix Vidal.
Fortune continued to favour Atleti, who would have fallen behind had Iborra not been denied by the woodwork following Coke's teasing right-wing delivery.
Diego Simeone's men struggled to create much in front of goal, although Raul Garcia should have perhaps done better as he headed over from a free-kick.
Ill discipline continued to be a dominant theme after the interval, with Moya forced into another strong save down to his right to keep out Alejandro Arribas' header from an Ever Banega free-kick after Vidal had been caught by Mario Suarez's flailing arm.
For all Sevilla's dominance of possession, they were almost caught on the counter-attack late on. However, substitute Fernando Torres fluffed his lines, firing wide of the right-hand post after beating a couple of defenders.
His inability to hit the target summed up a frustrating evening for Atleti, whose prospects of retaining the Spanish title they won on the final day of last season appear to be fading.
A disappointing week for Atletico Madrid ended with them dropping points in La Liga courtesy of an ill-tempered 0-0 draw at Sevilla on Sunday.
Having lost 1-0 to Bayer Leverkusen in the first leg of their Champions League tie in midweek, Spanish champions Atleti were looking to bounce back and keep in touch with title rivals Real Madrid and Barcelona.
However, they instead produced an undisciplined and disappointing display at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan in a game that will be remembered more for its fractious nature than any moments of magic.
Refeeree Carlos Clos Gomez dished out 11 yellow cards, with seven shown to Atleti players as Sevilla largely dictated proceedings.The best chance of the encounter came in the 28th minute when Sevilla midfielder Vicente Iborra struck the post from Coke's cross.
From that point on the two sides delivered little in terms of excitement as they settled for a stalemate that does little for either's respective aspirations.
The result gives leaders Real the chance to go nine points clear of third-placed Atleti with a win over Villarreal in Sunday's late kick-off, while Sevilla are seven points adrift of Valencia in the race for the final Champions League spot.Sevilla had the better of the early stages and saw an early penalty claim waved away after Vitolo appeared to be brought down by Juanfran.
Atleti goalkeeper Miguel Angel Moya was forced into a low save to prevent a half-clearance that had ricocheted off Tiago resulting in an own goal following great work from Sevilla forward Aleix Vidal.
Fortune continued to favour Atleti, who would have fallen behind had Iborra not been denied by the woodwork following Coke's teasing right-wing delivery.
Diego Simeone's men struggled to create much in front of goal, although Raul Garcia should have perhaps done better as he headed over from a free-kick.
Ill discipline continued to be a dominant theme after the interval, with Moya forced into another strong save down to his right to keep out Alejandro Arribas' header from an Ever Banega free-kick after Vidal had been caught by Mario Suarez's flailing arm.
For all Sevilla's dominance of possession, they were almost caught on the counter-attack late on. However, substitute Fernando Torres fluffed his lines, firing wide of the right-hand post after beating a couple of defenders.
His inability to hit the target summed up a frustrating evening for Atleti, whose prospects of retaining the Spanish title they won on the final day of last season appear to be fading.
Inter 0-1 Fiorentina: Salah strikes to sink Nerazzurri
Fiorentina extended their unbeaten run in Serie A to eight matches with a drought-breaking 1-0 win against Inter at San Siro on Sunday.
Both teams came into the match in fine form and off the back of UEFA Europa League victories, but Inter's recent resurgence was ended as substitute Mohamed Salah struck for the visitors early in the second half.
Roberto Mancini's men, for whom Fredy Guarin hit the post in the first half, were unable to respond as - following three straight league wins - they lost ground in their pursuit of a European place.
Fiorentina, meanwhile, were able to celebrate a 12th game without defeat across all competitions and a first league win against Inter at San Siro since May 2000.
Nenad Tomovic was on the scoresheet when Fiorentina routed Inter 3-0 in the reverse fixture in October, and he returned in place of Micah Richards for this encounter.
The Serbian was encouraged to get forward from right-back in the early stages as the visitors put their stamp on the contest, forcing Inter back with plenty of possession in good areas.
Mancini's men, on the other hand, were sloppy and wasteful with the ball.
One particularly disjointed attack led to Fiorentina's best break in the 17th minute, but Manuel Pasqual's low cross from the left evaded Khouma Babacar, before reaching the grateful Samir Handanovic.
This sparked Fredy Guarin into life at least, and a minute later the Colombian showed great skill to slip past Pasqual and cut back from the byline on the right, but Fiorentina scrambled clear.Inter improved after that without ever taking control, although Guarin almost gave them the lead in the 35th minute.
Buoyed by his sensational midweek goal against Celtic, the midfielder fired in a right-foot drive from the edge of the box after shrugging off a couple of challenges. The strike had Neto beaten, only to bounce wide off the far post.Fiorentina lost top scorer Babacar to injury at the end of the first half, but it was his replacement, Salah, who pounced to snatch the lead in the 55th minute.
The on-loan Chelsea man was first to react when Handanovic - playing his first match since returning from an ankle injury - spilled a Pascual cross into his path, smashing into the net from 10 yards.Inter substitute Xherdan Shaqiri impressed after replacing Lukas Podolski and almost fashioned an equaliser in the 72nd minute.
The Switzerland international pulled the ball back for Mauro Icardi, but the striker blazed over from 12 yards at the end of a neat move.A neck injury to Tomovic and a nasty knock for Stefan Savic forced Fiorentina to play the closing stages with nine men, having made all three changes.
Sandwiched between those two blows was a great chance for Rodrigo Palacio, but his low shot was saved by Neto, who then tipped a Guarin header over the bar in added time as Fiorentina clung on.
Fiorentina extended their unbeaten run in Serie A to eight matches with a drought-breaking 1-0 win against Inter at San Siro on Sunday.
Both teams came into the match in fine form and off the back of UEFA Europa League victories, but Inter's recent resurgence was ended as substitute Mohamed Salah struck for the visitors early in the second half.
Roberto Mancini's men, for whom Fredy Guarin hit the post in the first half, were unable to respond as - following three straight league wins - they lost ground in their pursuit of a European place.
Fiorentina, meanwhile, were able to celebrate a 12th game without defeat across all competitions and a first league win against Inter at San Siro since May 2000.
Nenad Tomovic was on the scoresheet when Fiorentina routed Inter 3-0 in the reverse fixture in October, and he returned in place of Micah Richards for this encounter.
The Serbian was encouraged to get forward from right-back in the early stages as the visitors put their stamp on the contest, forcing Inter back with plenty of possession in good areas.
Mancini's men, on the other hand, were sloppy and wasteful with the ball.
One particularly disjointed attack led to Fiorentina's best break in the 17th minute, but Manuel Pasqual's low cross from the left evaded Khouma Babacar, before reaching the grateful Samir Handanovic.
This sparked Fredy Guarin into life at least, and a minute later the Colombian showed great skill to slip past Pasqual and cut back from the byline on the right, but Fiorentina scrambled clear.Inter improved after that without ever taking control, although Guarin almost gave them the lead in the 35th minute.
Buoyed by his sensational midweek goal against Celtic, the midfielder fired in a right-foot drive from the edge of the box after shrugging off a couple of challenges. The strike had Neto beaten, only to bounce wide off the far post.Fiorentina lost top scorer Babacar to injury at the end of the first half, but it was his replacement, Salah, who pounced to snatch the lead in the 55th minute.
The on-loan Chelsea man was first to react when Handanovic - playing his first match since returning from an ankle injury - spilled a Pascual cross into his path, smashing into the net from 10 yards.Inter substitute Xherdan Shaqiri impressed after replacing Lukas Podolski and almost fashioned an equaliser in the 72nd minute.
The Switzerland international pulled the ball back for Mauro Icardi, but the striker blazed over from 12 yards at the end of a neat move.A neck injury to Tomovic and a nasty knock for Stefan Savic forced Fiorentina to play the closing stages with nine men, having made all three changes.
Sandwiched between those two blows was a great chance for Rodrigo Palacio, but his low shot was saved by Neto, who then tipped a Guarin header over the bar in added time as Fiorentina clung on.
'Dortmund derby win like an 'orgasm!' - Aubameyang
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang compared the joy of Borussia Dortmund 's 3-0 defeat of rivals Schalke to experiencing an orgasm.
The Gabon international opened the scoring in the Revierderby after 78 minutes and celebrated by dressing up as superheroes Batman and Robin with team-mate Marco Reus.
A further two goals in the following eight minutes, courtesy of Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Reus, ensured a fourth-consecutive Bundesliga win for BVB which propelled them up the table and into 10th position."To win a derby is like having an orgasm," Aubameyang confessed to Telefoot. "And I can tell you that it was very hot.
"We had a lot of opportunities, we could have killed the game in the second half. I had a lot of opportunities, they could have killed me if I didn't score!"It's the first time the speaker shouted my name three times. It was crazy. We played our best game of the season, which was was great."
Despite spending the mid-season break in the bottom two after a woeful start to their campaign, Jurgen Klopp's side are now just eight points adrift of fourth-placed Bayer Leverkusen and a qualification spot for next season's Champions League.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang compared the joy of Borussia Dortmund 's 3-0 defeat of rivals Schalke to experiencing an orgasm.
The Gabon international opened the scoring in the Revierderby after 78 minutes and celebrated by dressing up as superheroes Batman and Robin with team-mate Marco Reus.
A further two goals in the following eight minutes, courtesy of Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Reus, ensured a fourth-consecutive Bundesliga win for BVB which propelled them up the table and into 10th position."To win a derby is like having an orgasm," Aubameyang confessed to Telefoot. "And I can tell you that it was very hot.
"We had a lot of opportunities, we could have killed the game in the second half. I had a lot of opportunities, they could have killed me if I didn't score!"It's the first time the speaker shouted my name three times. It was crazy. We played our best game of the season, which was was great."
Despite spending the mid-season break in the bottom two after a woeful start to their campaign, Jurgen Klopp's side are now just eight points adrift of fourth-placed Bayer Leverkusen and a qualification spot for next season's Champions League.
Rooney: Brown red card must be rescinded
Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney has called for Sunderland defender Wes Brown to have his controversial red card in Saturday's Premier League contest overturned.
Rooney scored both goals as United defeated Gus Poyet's men 2-0 at Old Trafford, but post-match discussion centred on referee Roger East's baffling decision to show Brown a red card.
United opened the scoring from the penalty spot when Radamel Falcao was brought to ground in the area after seemingly being tripped by Brown's team-mate John O'Shea.
East dismissed Brown and a statement from referees' governing body Professional Games Match Officials Limited later claimed that it was not a case of mistaken identity.
But Rooney, who played with Brown and O'Shea at United, believes the official did make an error.
"I don't think it was Wes - it looked like O'Shea so the referee has got it wrong and I'm sure they will look at that and rescind Wes' red card," he told Sky Sports.
Rooney's goals were the first he has scored in 2015, the captain starting in a more familiar striking role after a lengthy spell in midfield.
Yet despite flourishing further forward, the England skipper insists he is happy to play anywhere for the team.
"I have done that throughout the years whether I've worn the armband or not. That's something I have always done," he added. "I have played in midfield before I have played out wide before. At times you have to see what is best for the team.
"That is what the manager and I have felt and that's why I have been back in midfield. I love playing football and wherever the manager wants me to play I will play."
Coutinho worth big money - Rodgers
Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers says that Philippe Coutinho is now worth a "frightening amount of money" after his sensational winner in the 2-1 win over Manchester City.
The Brazilian has been in superb form in 2015 and ran the show on Sunday as the Reds moved up to fifth in the Premier League with a 2-1 victory against the defending champions.
His thunderous second-half finish confirmed the home side's dominance at Anfield, leading Rodgers to suggest his market value has increased significantly in recent months.
"Coutinho is a joy to watch," the Reds boss told reporters of the 22-year-old. "He's a kid who has so much ahead of him in the game. He's a sensational footballer.
"He is very selfless and very humble, always creates for others. He has wonderful body movement around the edge of the box.
"He's a star in the Premier League but there are improvements he can make. He's a young player, playing at club that adores him.
"We bought him in for €11.7 million [in January 2013] ... it's frightening to think what he'd be worth now."
Rodgers was delighted with the game as a whole, declaring: "It was a brilliant result and a brilliant performance. The players were relentless."
Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers says that Philippe Coutinho is now worth a "frightening amount of money" after his sensational winner in the 2-1 win over Manchester City.
The Brazilian has been in superb form in 2015 and ran the show on Sunday as the Reds moved up to fifth in the Premier League with a 2-1 victory against the defending champions.
His thunderous second-half finish confirmed the home side's dominance at Anfield, leading Rodgers to suggest his market value has increased significantly in recent months.
"Coutinho is a joy to watch," the Reds boss told reporters of the 22-year-old. "He's a kid who has so much ahead of him in the game. He's a sensational footballer.
"He is very selfless and very humble, always creates for others. He has wonderful body movement around the edge of the box.
"He's a star in the Premier League but there are improvements he can make. He's a young player, playing at club that adores him.
"We bought him in for €11.7 million [in January 2013] ... it's frightening to think what he'd be worth now."
Rodgers was delighted with the game as a whole, declaring: "It was a brilliant result and a brilliant performance. The players were relentless."
Pellegrini: Liverpool defeat damages Manchester City title bid
Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini has acknowledged his side now face an uphill challenge to retain their Premier League title after Sunday's defeat to Liverpool.
Goals from Jordan Henderson and Philippe Coutinho either side of Edin Dzeko's 50th Premier League strike won it for the hosts, leaving City five points behind leaders Chelsea, having played a game more.
"It is three points less with one game less," Pellegrini conceded to Sky Sports. "Of course it is difficult to reach the top of the table if you lose three points.
"But we must keep going and try to return to our normal performance and see where it takes us."
The Chilean cited mistakes in possession as the main factor in City's downfall, something he realises they need to address if they are to catch Jose Mourinho's side.
"It was a close game but Liverpool won because they scored two beautiful goals," he observed. "But in the first half we lost too many balls, especially in the first 15 minutes.
"After that we equalised and then hit the post through Aguero but, in the second half, we didn't arrive in their box so we tried to change our style of play.
"I'm concerned that we are losing the ball too much - pressure is a factor. There is much we must analyse to improve."
Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini has acknowledged his side now face an uphill challenge to retain their Premier League title after Sunday's defeat to Liverpool.
Goals from Jordan Henderson and Philippe Coutinho either side of Edin Dzeko's 50th Premier League strike won it for the hosts, leaving City five points behind leaders Chelsea, having played a game more.
"It is three points less with one game less," Pellegrini conceded to Sky Sports. "Of course it is difficult to reach the top of the table if you lose three points.
"But we must keep going and try to return to our normal performance and see where it takes us."
The Chilean cited mistakes in possession as the main factor in City's downfall, something he realises they need to address if they are to catch Jose Mourinho's side.
"It was a close game but Liverpool won because they scored two beautiful goals," he observed. "But in the first half we lost too many balls, especially in the first 15 minutes.
"After that we equalised and then hit the post through Aguero but, in the second half, we didn't arrive in their box so we tried to change our style of play.
"I'm concerned that we are losing the ball too much - pressure is a factor. There is much we must analyse to improve."
Lallana hails 'massive' win as Liverpool down Manchester City
Adam Lallana and Jordan Henderson hailed a "massive" win in Liverpool's season after they beat Manchester City 2-1 in the Premier League.
Philippe Coutinho's stunning second-half strike extended Brendan Rodgers's side's unbeaten run to 11 league games on Sunday, moving them above Southampton into fifth while dealing a huge blow to City's hopes of defending their title.
"That's a massive win for us," Lallana - who had two goals disallowed in the match - told Sky Sports. "We've got momentum, they're the champions and we deserved it.
"And the little magician [Coutinho] at the end, coming up with a wonderful goal. With players like that, we'll go far.
"Our system has been causing problems for opponents. The manager said keep patient and find the space. We thought we were unlucky not to go in ahead at half-time.
"The lads showed character, many played extra-time in midweek [in the Europa League against Besiktas] and had a long flight but we showed we can keep fighting."
Henderson, who broke the deadlock with a superb effort of his own in the 11th minute, felt that the win highlighted Liverpool's top-four credentials.
"We showed great character to stay in the game and Philippe won it for us with a fantastic goal," he added. "We have to keep going now; every game is big.
"Burnley [whom Liverpool face on Wednesday] will be a tough game for us but this result will give us great confidence."
Adam Lallana and Jordan Henderson hailed a "massive" win in Liverpool's season after they beat Manchester City 2-1 in the Premier League.
Philippe Coutinho's stunning second-half strike extended Brendan Rodgers's side's unbeaten run to 11 league games on Sunday, moving them above Southampton into fifth while dealing a huge blow to City's hopes of defending their title.
"That's a massive win for us," Lallana - who had two goals disallowed in the match - told Sky Sports. "We've got momentum, they're the champions and we deserved it.
"And the little magician [Coutinho] at the end, coming up with a wonderful goal. With players like that, we'll go far.
"Our system has been causing problems for opponents. The manager said keep patient and find the space. We thought we were unlucky not to go in ahead at half-time.
"The lads showed character, many played extra-time in midweek [in the Europa League against Besiktas] and had a long flight but we showed we can keep fighting."
Henderson, who broke the deadlock with a superb effort of his own in the 11th minute, felt that the win highlighted Liverpool's top-four credentials.
"We showed great character to stay in the game and Philippe won it for us with a fantastic goal," he added. "We have to keep going now; every game is big.
"Burnley [whom Liverpool face on Wednesday] will be a tough game for us but this result will give us great confidence."
I built Napoli around Cavani - Mazzarri
Walter Mazzarri has revealed he built his Napoli side solely around Edinson Cavani during their three years together in Naples.The Italian brought the striker to the club from Palermo in 2010 and made him the focal point of an attack that also included Ezequiel Lavezzi and Marek Hamsik.
Cavani subsequently enjoyed the most prolific period of his career, which culminated in the winning of the Coppa Italia in 2012 before he departed for Paris Saint-Germain a year later.
Mazzarri, who left Napoli in 2013 before spending seven months in charge of Inter between May and November, has now revealed the secrets to the Uruguay star's success at the club, and praised his physical qualities and ability inside the 18-yard box.
"With me, Edi became the focal point of our attack," he explained to L'Equipe. "It's true, he also helped us to defend, but there was a team around him that could do that. The team was organised to get the best out of him.
"He's a strong player athletically and he can play in other areas but he is the biggest threat in the penalty area. When he plays in behind the defence he's very dangerous. He was a great striker in Italy against defenders who don't give you a lot of space."
Since moving to France, Cavani has had to adapt to a very different role at PSG, often operating in a wide left position with Zlatan Ibrahimovic preferred through the middle.
As a result he has often failed to reproduce the performances that made him a household name in Italy, though he impressed in scoring the equaliser in the 1-1 draw with Chelsea in the first leg of their last-16 Champions League tie.
Walter Mazzarri has revealed he built his Napoli side solely around Edinson Cavani during their three years together in Naples.The Italian brought the striker to the club from Palermo in 2010 and made him the focal point of an attack that also included Ezequiel Lavezzi and Marek Hamsik.
Cavani subsequently enjoyed the most prolific period of his career, which culminated in the winning of the Coppa Italia in 2012 before he departed for Paris Saint-Germain a year later.
Mazzarri, who left Napoli in 2013 before spending seven months in charge of Inter between May and November, has now revealed the secrets to the Uruguay star's success at the club, and praised his physical qualities and ability inside the 18-yard box.
"With me, Edi became the focal point of our attack," he explained to L'Equipe. "It's true, he also helped us to defend, but there was a team around him that could do that. The team was organised to get the best out of him.
"He's a strong player athletically and he can play in other areas but he is the biggest threat in the penalty area. When he plays in behind the defence he's very dangerous. He was a great striker in Italy against defenders who don't give you a lot of space."
Since moving to France, Cavani has had to adapt to a very different role at PSG, often operating in a wide left position with Zlatan Ibrahimovic preferred through the middle.
As a result he has often failed to reproduce the performances that made him a household name in Italy, though he impressed in scoring the equaliser in the 1-1 draw with Chelsea in the first leg of their last-16 Champions League tie.
God punishing me for Roma Scudetto claim, jokes Garcia
Rudi Garcia has joked that he is suffering from "divine punishment" for suggesting Roma could win the Scudetto.
The Frenchman has often spoken of his desire to bring an end to Juventus' dominance in Serie A, but a poor start to 2015 leaves them nine points adrift of the league leaders ahead of their meeting on Monday.
Roma have reached the last 16 of the Europa League, though, after overcoming Feyenoord over two legs and Garcia remains convinced his players on multiple fronts in the future.
"I have suffered divine punishment for saying we could win the league," he told reporters. "It wasn't a stupid or ill-thought out message, it was said to end the pessimism that has surrounded this club for too long.
"We need ambition and motivation and that is what I've tried to inject. We won't stop at this season and want to challenge for years to come. This won't be completed in just a few days.
"We've been unlucky this season with injuries but we also made mistakes and nobody is perfect. Roma's destiny is to win, to challenge for the Scudetto and we hope one day in Europe, too."
Defeat to Juventus will all-but-end Roma's slim hopes of winning Serie A and Garcia called upon the supporters at the Stadio Olimpico to get right behind his side."The only thing that matters is the current context," he added. "Talking about the past is pointless, we want a great future.
"This is second against first and when that happens the second team is always highly motivated. I hope to see a wonderful game of football with fair play and a warm atmosphere in the stands."We want to leave the Stadio Olimpico with our heads held high."
Garcia will be without Maicon, Seydou Doumbia and Victor Ibarbo but the former Lille boss added that Juan Iturbe is "fit to play for an hour", meaning he could feature from the start.
Rudi Garcia has joked that he is suffering from "divine punishment" for suggesting Roma could win the Scudetto.
The Frenchman has often spoken of his desire to bring an end to Juventus' dominance in Serie A, but a poor start to 2015 leaves them nine points adrift of the league leaders ahead of their meeting on Monday.
Roma have reached the last 16 of the Europa League, though, after overcoming Feyenoord over two legs and Garcia remains convinced his players on multiple fronts in the future.
"I have suffered divine punishment for saying we could win the league," he told reporters. "It wasn't a stupid or ill-thought out message, it was said to end the pessimism that has surrounded this club for too long.
"We need ambition and motivation and that is what I've tried to inject. We won't stop at this season and want to challenge for years to come. This won't be completed in just a few days.
"We've been unlucky this season with injuries but we also made mistakes and nobody is perfect. Roma's destiny is to win, to challenge for the Scudetto and we hope one day in Europe, too."
Defeat to Juventus will all-but-end Roma's slim hopes of winning Serie A and Garcia called upon the supporters at the Stadio Olimpico to get right behind his side."The only thing that matters is the current context," he added. "Talking about the past is pointless, we want a great future.
"This is second against first and when that happens the second team is always highly motivated. I hope to see a wonderful game of football with fair play and a warm atmosphere in the stands."We want to leave the Stadio Olimpico with our heads held high."
Garcia will be without Maicon, Seydou Doumbia and Victor Ibarbo but the former Lille boss added that Juan Iturbe is "fit to play for an hour", meaning he could feature from the start.
- Status
