Barcelona lose to Osasuna

Round-up of weekend action in the major European leagues:

SPAIN

Primera Liga leaders Barcelona had two players sent off during a 2-1 defeat at fourth-placed Osasuna on Sunday.

Despite the defeat, the champions remain nine points clear of Valencia and Real Madrid, who drew 0-0 at the Mestalla on Saturday after Ronaldo missed a last-minute penalty for the visitors. Barcelona have 61 points with 11 games left.

Frank Rijkaard's men went 1-0 down when Valdo cashed in on a goalkeeping error and Osasuna captain Patxi Punal added a second from the penalty spot after Edmilson was sent off for bringing down Savo Milosevic.

Substitute Henrik Larsson pulled a goal back 18 minutes from time but could not prevent Barcelona suffering their fourth league defeat of the season.

Thiago Motta was also dismissed in injury time for a foul on substitute Pierre Webo.

Osasuna are on 49 points, four clear of Celta Vigo who lost 2-0 at Espanyol on Saturday.

- - - -

ITALY

Juventus edged closer to retaining their Serie A title after a 0-0 draw with 10-man AC Milan in a top of the table clash on Sunday.

Champions Juve have 74 points from 29 matches, leaving second-placed Milan with only nine games to make up a 10-point deficit.

Milan, who went into the match following five successive league wins, created more chances to score but were forced back after midfielder Gennaro Gattuso was sent off in the 69th minute for a second bookable offence.

Inter Milan striker Adriano ended a 10-match goal drought when he snatched the winner in a 1-0 victory over Sampdoria on Saturday.

Adriano's goal, his first since scoring twice in a 3-2 triumph over Cagliari on January 15, left Inter third with 62 points.

It will also lift Inter's spirits ahead of the second leg of their Champions League last-16 tie with Ajax Amsterdam on Tuesday.

- - - -

ENGLAND

Chelsea put their midweek Champions League elimination by Barcelona behind them, France defender William Gallas smashing a superb winner to secure a 2-1 victory over Tottenham Hotspur.

The champions lead the Premier League table on 75 points, 15 ahead of Manchester United who defeated Newcastle United 2-0 at Old Trafford with Wayne Rooney scoring twice.

Chelsea took a deserved lead through Ghana midfielder Michael Essien after 14 minutes. Jermaine Jenas equalised before Gallas blasted in a curling shot from 25 metres in the second minute of stoppage time.

England striker Wayne Rooney was in irrepressible form against a Newcastle side previously unbeaten under caretaker coach Glenn Roeder.

Rooney latched on to a poor backpass to lob the opening goal after nine minutes and slick passing set up his second within three minutes. The 20-year-old missed a good chance to claim a hat-trick when he struck the post in the second half.

Arsenal, inspired by Thierry Henry, kept in the hunt for the fourth Champions League spot by beating third-placed Liverpool 2-1 at Highbury.

Henry curled in a superb opener midway through the first half, and after Luis Garcia had equalised, stroked in the winner seven minutes from time after seizing on Steven Gerrard's poor backpass.

- - - -

GERMANY

Bayern Munich and Werder Bremen suffered hangovers from their painful Champions League exits.

Leaders Bayern were held to a 0-0 draw at VfL Wolfsburg while Werder were thrashed 3-0 at home by Hertha Berlin.

Hamburg SV took advantage when they moved into second position, six points behind Bayern, by crushing lowly Kaiserslautern 3-0.

Champions Bayern dominated at Wolfsburg but not even midfielder Michael Ballack, playing his 100th Bundesliga game for the club, could guide them to victory.

Werder were beaten by Juventus on the away goals rule on Tuesday after a dreadful late blunder from goalkeeper Tim Wiese, who was also to blame for Hertha's first goal.

Hamburg took 55 minutes to make the breakthrough against Kaiserslautern, striker Benjamin Lauth scoring with a header. An own goal from defender Fabian Schoenheim followed before Dutch midfielder Rafael van der Vaart wrapped up the win with a late penalty.

Schalke 04's 2-0 home victory over Eintracht Frankfurt, with goals from Danes Soren Larsen and Ebbe Sand, moved them up to third, relegating Werder to fourth.

- - - -

FRANCE

Florent Malouda struck twice to help Olympique Lyon maintain their nine-point lead in Ligue 1 with a 4-0 thrashing of struggling Metz on Saturday.

Lyon, cruising towards a record fifth consecutive title, have 65 points from 29 games. Second-placed Girondins Bordeaux beat Toulouse 2-0.

Third-placed Lille lost two precious points in their attempt to qualify for the Champions League when they were held 1-1 at lowly Nantes.

French international Malouda opened the scoring for hosts Lyon after 13 minutes before Norway striker John Carew made it 2-0.

Malouda grabbed his second goal 11 minutes before the interval and Switzerland defender Patrick Muller rubbed salt into Metz wounds in the last minute of the game.

Brazil midfielder Juninho, suspended for the forthcoming Champions League quarter-final first leg against AC Milan, set up all four goals.

Mickael Pagis revived Olympique Marseille's European hopes by scoring twice in a 2-0 win over St Etienne.

Marseille move up to fifth with 47 points from 30 games while Lille have 51 and trail Bordeaux by five points. Fourth-placed AJ Auxerre (50 points) overcame Nice 2-0.

The top two qualify automatically for the Champions League while the third team goes through to the qualifying stages.