Real Madrid out of the Champions League

It wasn't supposed to end like this. Florentino Perez didn't splash out €300 million to see Real Madrid crash out to Lyon. This years final is in the Bernabeu, but unfortunately for the white half of the capital, Real Madrid won't be there. More than their inability to convert more than one chance tonight, Real Madrid will look back on the first leg in Lyon as the moment when their Champions League dream fell apart. That failure to score an away goal in France really set the tone for tonights clash, and although they got an early goal from Cristiano Ronaldo, they visibly curled up into a nervous ball in the second half, scared stiff that Lyon would get that knock-out blow of an away goal.

And it came just when Real Madrid dreaded it most, with only 15 minutes remaining. Far too little time for them to mount an incredible comeback, much like the one witnessed only days before in the same arena. In fairness we could be talking about a different result had Gonzalo Higuain not gone all Ronny Rosenthal on us, as he shot against the woodwork when scoring seemed easier early in the first half. But it wasnt to be, and as Madrid gradually retreated into their shells, Lyon grew in strength. After being outplayed in the first half, Lyon coach Claude Puel made a couple of important switches at half-time, sending on Kim Kallstrom and switching Jeremy Toulalan to centre-half, and the changes worked wonders. You could sense the tension building among the Madrid fans long before Lyon struck gold. Miralem Pjanic got the goal; a bullet from a Lisandro Lopez lay-off which gave Iker Casillas no chance, and from then on Lyon could easily have had two more, as Lisandro and Delgado squandered easy opportunities to put Madrid fully to the sword. So for the sixth straight year Real Madrid fall at the first knockout hurdle.

Questions to come out of this disaster. What will the repercussions be for Señor Pelligrini? He'll be fearing the worst for sure. Kaká worth €68 million? Not a chance, not on this evidence. Cristiano worth €86 million. Probably, but he can´t do it alone. Was Pelligrini wrong not to start Van der Vaart? We'll never know, but he couldn't have played much worse than Granero. Does spending huge amounts of money place unnecessary pressure on your manager and team? You have to say the expectation overwhelmed the Madrid players tonight. That second half performance was full of caution. Expect a rocky few days in the Bernabeu as the postmortem commences.

Valencia and Racing Santander play out bore draw

Valencia 0 - 0 Racing Santander

Valencia and Racing Santander played out the third goalless draw of Matchday 25, with the two stars of each team, Sergio Canales and David Villa, both guilty of some poor finishing. Racings young star had two gilt-edged chances, one at either end of the match. Canales' chance in the 89th minute was on a plate, only a metre from the line, but he contrived to send the ball over the bar. David Villa had two chances of his own, with one striking the post (how many is he on now?), but apart from that Valencia were toothless. In fairness, that was a credit to Racings incessant pressure when not in possession, as they sought to nullify the everpresent threat posed by Valencias famous four. But unfortunately the highlight of the second half was David Navarro sending off late on for a second yellow which rules him out of next weeks clash against Barcelona. Those who turned up to the Mestalla will wish they'd have stayed at home. I dont particularly like La Liga mondays either. Never shown on TV and hasn't produced an entertaining match yet. And that Racing away shirt is horrible. Rant over. 

La Liga Sunday: Atletico Madrid saved by last gasp Ibra

Real Zaragoza 1 - 1 Atlético Madrid

(1-0) 5' Jarosik, (1-1) 92' Ibra

Real Zaragoza were left to rue their inability to sink ten men Atlético as they succumbed to a last gasp leveller from substitute Ibra. 'Los Maños' were hardly spectacular, but they had the better of the chances as Atlético Madrid failed to live up to the lofty expectation their recent form has created. Teixeira Vitienes delivered a refereeing performance of such inaptitute, with the faltering reputation of Spanish referees plunging to new depths as he perplexed everyone with some astonishingly poor decisions. Poor Jose Antonio Reyes the principle victim, as the inspired winger was kicked into the ground with Real Zaragoza employing some robust tactics to stem the Atlético tide. Jiri Jarosik had headed Zaragoza into an early lead, and when an utterly fed-up Reyes was sent off for flinging out a stray elbow which connected with Eliseu, the home team looked on course to collect a much-needed three points. That was until late substitute Ibra powered in a header in the dying seconds from Jurados cross, to rescue ten-men Atletico a point. Shame is, the match will be remembered for some inept refereeing which saw the man in black, so horribly out of his depth, show nine yellow cards.

La Liga Saturday: Real Madrid stage stunning fightback to go top

Real Madrid 3 - 2 Sevilla

(0-1) 9' Xabi Alonso (o.g), (0-2) 52' Dragutinovic, (1-2) 59' Cristiano Ronaldo, (2-2) 61' Ramos, (3-2) 92' Van der Vaart

An absolutely breathtaking match at the Bernabeu. It had looked like such an anti-climax for Real Madrid as they looked to capitalise on Barcelonas slip in Almeria, when Xabi Alonso smashed the ball into his own net, under pressure from Negredo. The first half was a familiar story for Madrid, as they enjoyed plenty of possession, but with Cristiano Ronaldo and Kaka both kept quiet, they lacked potency upfront. Just after halftime, Dragutinovic floated in a free-kick from near the half-way line, and with Iker Casillas late to react, the ball curled agonisingly inside the post, to hand Sevilla a two goal lead. Manuel Pelligrini then sent on Guti and Van der Vaart and the two subs revolutionised the match. Guti was in one of his sublime moods, as he pulled out some stunning passes, and Madrid looked a totally different side with the veteran pulling the strings in the middle. There was a touch of fortune about Reals first as Ronaldo swept home a deflected cross, with their second courtesy of a Sergio Ramos header from a corner. It was then one way traffic, with Higuain hitting the woodwork on countless occasions, before Rafael Van der Vaart sent the Bernabeu delirious with a last gasp winner. Real return to the summit after months chasing Barca. A pivotal weekend in La Liga 2009/2010?