Real and Barca resume La Liga race

Real Madrid captain Sergio Ramos has brushed aside an insinuation by Barcelona's Gerard Pique that the league leaders are getting preferential treatment by referees ahead of Wednesday's round of
games.
Real host Las Palmas while Barca, a point behind in second place, are at home to Sporting.
Chasing their first La Liga crown since 2012, Real are top after a Sunday that saw each of the rivals get late wins. Barca had moved top thanks to a late strike from Lionel Messi in their 2-1 victory at Atletico Madrid.
Real then moved back into first place after a 3-2 come-from-behind win at Villarreal. Cristiano Ronaldo converted a disputed penalty to equalise after Villarreal captain Bruno Soriano handled following a ricochet in the area.
Villarreal coach Fran Escriba and substitute Roberto Soldado were both sent off from the dugout for protesting the decision.
Alvaro Morata then scored the winner in the 83rd minute.
Afterwards, Pique tweeted examples reported by the Spanish press that refereeing decisions were going in the league leaders' favour and against his own team.
"I don't believe that the referees attempt to give or take anything away from you, quite the opposite, they try to be fair," Ramos told his club's website.
Real gave away two early goals in a midweek defeat to Valencia.
"We're focused on continuing to improve," Ramos said. "We want to keep picking up three points in order to win the title."
Las Palmas forward Jese Rodriguez will face his former club less than six months after leaving Real Madrid to join Paris St Germain.
He has not scored since joining Las Palmas on loan on January 31 and his side have lost all four games since his arrival.
Barcelona host coach Luis Enrique's hometown club without the services of defender Mathieu, who sustained a sprained ankle against Atletico.
The defending champions have Messi in top form, with the Argentine forward having scored in his team's last four league games. He has a league-best 20 goals.
Barcelona captain Andres Iniesta says the aim right now is to play well and keep the pressure on the leaders.
"We need to keep on winning for when they (Real) make mistakes," Iniesta told reporters on Monday. "It's good for them to notice that we are right there.
Opponents Sporting are in the relegation zone with 17 points from 24 games.
Third-place Sevilla are two points adrift of Barcelona and host Athletic Bilbao on Thursday.

Comments

Prosecutors allege rapper Young Thug led gang as trial begins and many details unfolded

Prosecutors in Atlanta said Monday that rapper Young Thug was the “proclaimed leader” of a gang that “moved like a pack” to commit crimes, as opening statements in a long-delayed racketeering case got underway. Controversy and hiccups have dogged the sprawling trial alleging criminal conspiracy since jury selection began in January, notably over the state’s presentation of rap lyrics as evidence. The US state of Georgia holds that Young Thug’s record label, YSL, is a front for a crime ring, arguing that the defendants belong to a branch of the Bloods street gang identified as Young Slime Life, or YSL. “The evidence will show that YSL checks all of the boxes for being a criminal street gang,” said Fulton County prosecutor Adriane Love as she delivered the government’s statement, which she began by quoting Rudyard Kipling’s “Law of the Jungle.” Love addressed the issue of songwriting head on: “We didn’t chase the lyrics to solve the murder, we chased the murder and found the lyrics.” S

N81 Billion NDDC Probe: Senate calls for sack of IMC, reconstitution of new NDDC board

*** Indicts Self, FG, Akpabio, Asks Presidency To Take Over NDDC, Not Minister ***Calls on IMC to Refund Extra Budgetary Expenditure of N4.923 Billion *** As Senate Vows to Review the Act establishing the NDDC *** Probes alleged blackmail by NDDC against some members of the National Assembly *** As Senate Adjourns till September 15 The NDDC which was hitherto in the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF is now being oversighted by the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, under Senator Godswill Akpabio, following recent directives by the presidency. THE Senate Thursday indicted itself as an institution for not carrying out an effective oversight function on the activities of the Interim Management Committee, IMC of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC that led to the rot and high level of corruption in the interventionist agency. The Senate has also indicted the Federal Government, the IMC for the problems, saying that with

Ronaldo Left Out Of Portugal Squad

Cristiano Ronaldo has been left out of the Portugal squad amid ongoing rape allegations Cristiano Ronaldo has been left out of the Portugal squad for upcoming matches against Poland and Scotland, amid ongoing rape allegations in the United States. Ronaldo has been accused of rape by Kathryn Mayorga, who says the player assaulted her in Las Vegas in 2009. He has denied the accusation. The national captain will miss his country's UEFA Nations League game with Poland on October 11, before a friendly with Scotland three days late. Ronaldo joined Juventus from Real Madrid in the summer The Juventus forward also missed Portugal's first two post-World Cup matches last month, with coach Fernando Santos saying Ronaldo had only just moved to the Italian club and needed time to settle in. Santos used the 33-year-old team captain's absence last month to try out younger players in the senior side.

Search This Blog