Ronaldo hat-trick delays Barca title party

MADRID: Cristiano Ronaldo scored a hat-trick to make it an incredible 36 league goals in the current campaign as Real Madrid defeated local rivals Getafe 4-0 at the Santiago Bernabeu on Tuesday to prevent Barcelona from winning the league title for at least one more day.

If Real had failed to win, Barcelona would have been crowned champions without playing, but Pep Guardiola's side need a point from their final three matches, with Wednesday's match at Levante the first opportunity, to collect a third successive league crown.

The league may seem lost, but Ronaldo has his own agenda to become the league's top-scorer and followed up his quadruple against Sevilla last time out with a hat-trick.

The Portuguese star is now in the box seat to win the Pichichi crown for the league's top-scorer with his 36-goal haul taking him five goals ahead of Barcelona's Lionel Messi.

Ronaldo is now within sight of the all-time Pichichi record, which is held by Real Madrid's Mexican forward Hugo Sanchez and Athletic Bilbao legend Telmo Zarra who scored 38 goals in 1990 and 1951 respectively.

Getafe were Ronaldo's latest victims and their 18th defeat of the season leaves them hovering one point above the bottom three with two games left.

Real took the lead on 23 minutes with Mesut Ozil bending in a superb cross with the outside of his left foot and Ronaldo leapt highest to poower in a header.

German international Ozil set another up for Ronaldo on 57 minutes cutting the ball back for the former Manchester United man to stroke home into an empty net.

Karim Benzema, largely ignored for the big games against Barcelona, came on and less than 60 seconds after his arrival the French forward scored his 13th league goal on 77 minutes.

Ronaldo then converted a 90th minute penalty for his hat-trick with a cheeky chip down the middle to deceive the goalkeeper.

It sealed a 15th home win of the season for Real and moved them five points behind Barcelona, but the champions need just a draw to retain the title due to their superior head to head record over Madrid.

"It looks like the league is all wrapped up but it isn't," said Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola. "The sooner we can win it the better."

Earlier Deportivo La Coruna took a giant step towards safety with a 2-1 comeback home win over European hopefuls Athletic Bilbao at the Riazor stadium on Tuesday.

A 71st minute own goal from left back Xavi Castillo sealed a crucial three points for Depor who move out of the bottom three and are three points above the relegation zone with two games left to play, one of which is against Barcelona.

"We are happy but we still need some more points," said Depor coach Miguel Angel Lotina. "We have a complicated match against Barcelona on Sunday. Even if they are champions it is a difficult game."

Bilbao's 16th defeat of the season is a real setback to their European hopes and, although the Basque club stay fifth, they are just two points ahead of Sevilla who have a game in hand.

Depor, league champions in 2000, held on for a vital win as they bid for a 21st consecutive season in the top-flight.

Atletico Madrid failed to capitalise on Bilbao's slip as they fell to a 2-1 defeat at Racing Santander on Tuesday.

The visitors took a 10th minute lead through Mario Suarez but Turkish midfielder Kennedy Bakircioglu equalised on 37 minutes and Markus Rosenberg struck the winner two minutes after the break.

In other matches, Malaga made it five consecutive league wins for the first time in their history with a 2-0 home victory over relegation rivals Sporting Gijon on Tuesday.

Brazilian Julio Baptista scored for the fifth successive game with a ninth minute opener as Malaga moved six points clear of the relegation zone and to the brink of safety.

'Home club' dream is keeping Bhutia on toes

NEW DELHI: He is still the captain of the Indian national football team and he could still have played for any top-rung I-League team.

But Baichung Bhutia has decided to go back to his roots leaving all the limelight and adulation that has been the part and parcel of his life since 1996.

After launching his team United Sikkim Football Club, Bhutia is actually leading the team from the front, on and off the field. He is the heartthrob of the team - which is playing in the second division national league - often playing as a defender, something he has rarely done in his long and illustrious career.

He is also the brain behind the running of the team, so he has the added responsibility of managing the affairs of the team and gathering funds.

"It is very tough and the pressure is just double, I must tell you," Bhutia told TOI from Shillong.

But the skipper is immensely happy that he has been able to bring something back to his home state. "You should see the fans flocking the ground. They are so enthusiastic. It actually makes the effort worthwhile."

Bhutia knows that the passion of fans is not enough to run a club successfully and make it an institution. "For the time being, friends are contributing a lot but in the long run we need investments. In three to four years, the fan base will grow and hopefully it will help attract the sponsors."

The initial response to United Sikkim Football Club has been overwhelming. But Bhutia knows that qualifying to the top tier is imperative. "We have to qualify to play in I-League and we are confident in doing so. If we do that, we will start the sale of our team jerseys."

Not forgetting the support of national team colleagues Rennedy Singh and NS Manju, who have turned down I-League offers to be with Sikkim United, Bhutia said, "Their signing has given our venture a serious look. Their contribution to the club is unfathomable."

Still dreaming to play for the national team that has World Cup qualifying engagements in July, Bhutia said he is working hard to regain peak fitness. "I am not playing regularly. Once I start doing that, I will plan to get back to the national fold."

The playing pitch is a problem for the skipper and he has requested the Sikkim government to allot land for a ground and practice facilities. He has set the ball rolling. He will play only for United Sikkim but will retire in an East Bengal shirt after a couple of years or three.

Only time will tell whether Bhutia's dream of making Sikkim a successful club and a viable commercial entity come true. But one thing is certain - his heart is in the right place.

Beckham ponders return for Neville testimonial

MANCHESTER: David Beckham could return to Old Trafford to play in his friend Gary Neville's testimonial when Manchester United face Juventus on May 24.

Nicky Butt and Phil Neville are set to play in the match, a repeat of the 1999 Champions League semifinal, as are Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs.

They, like Beckham and Gary Neville, were all members of United's celebrated 'Class of 92', a youth side that produced players who would later appear in the trophy-winning senior teams put together by United manager Sir Alex Ferguson.

Former England skipper Beckham, now with the Los Angeles Galaxy, a US Major League Soccer side, has not pulled on a United shirt since leaving the club for Real Madrid in 2003.

When Ferguson brought several young players into the first team at once, former Liverpool captain turned television pundit Alan Hansen declared: "You'll never win anything with kids."

However, the stars of the 'Class of 92' helped bring six Premier League titles, two FA Cups and the 1999 Champions League, which capped a treble-winning season, to Old Trafford.

"I have been fortunate to work with many exceptional young players, but the class of 92 was unique," Ferguson said.

"For so many of them to stay together and succeed at the highest level is a great tribute to their talent and this club's belief in the power of youth.

"I am convinced that no group of players will ever make such an impact on the English game as those boys have done - and continue to do."

Butt, who left United for Newcastle in 2004 and has just returned from a brief spell in Hong Kong, added: "When Gary asked me to play in his game I immediately said yes, especially when I heard that the class of 92 were going to be there too.

"It was a special time for all of us growing up and it is only now as you look back that you actually see what an amazing story it is."

Neville's brother Phil, who joined Everton in 2005, said: "I am so excited to be going back to Old Trafford to celebrate what will be an amazing night for my brother.

"It will be an emotional night for all the family but what a fitting way for Gary to bow out of a fantastic career.

"He will go down as the best full-back to play at Manchester United and he will miss pulling on the red shirt as I know how much it means to him."

Gary Neville, 36, will end his 18-year United career with United against Italian giants Juventus.

He played his final senior game at West Brom in January, when he was fortunate to escape a red card for the second time this season.

In total Neville, who made his United debut as a 17-year-old against Torpedo Moscow, made 602 appearances for the club he has supported all his life, won eight Premier League titles, three FA Cups, two League Cups and the 1999 Champions League.

In addition, the defender won 85 England caps.

FIFA members accused in UK parliamentary hearing

LONDON: FIFA was rocked by new allegations of corruption on Tuesday as the former head of England's 2018 World Cup bid accused senior officials of demanding cash and honours in return for votes.

In an explosive session of a British parliamentary committee, six members of FIFA's graft-tainted executive were accused of involvement in bribery before last year's votes to decide the 2018 and 2022 World Cup hosts.

British lawmaker Damian Collins said the hearing had received evidence FIFA vice-president Issa Hayatou from Cameroon and Jacques Anouma from the Ivory Coast received bribes of $1.5 million to vote for Qatar's 2022 bid.

In separate testimony, Lord David Triesman, the chairman of England's 2018 bid until his resignation in May last year, accused four FIFA officials of "improper and unethical" behaviour ahead of last December's vote in Zurich.

"These were some of the things that were put to me personally, sometimes in the presence of others, which in my view did not represent proper and ethical behaviour on the part of members of the executive committee," Triesman said.

FIFA President Sepp Blatter, who is fighting for re-election as head of world football's governing body, immediately vowed to address the latest allegations.

"If this is true, I will fight this," Sky Sports reported Blatter as saying. "I am fighting for FIFA to clean FIFA.

"I cannot answer for individual members of our committee. I cannot say if they are all angels or if they are all devils."

Triesman revealed that Jack Warner, the influential head of the North and Central American federation CONCACAF, had demanded to be paid directly around £2.5 million ($4m) for construction of schools in Trinidad.

Triesman, who had met Warner along with England 2018 deputy chairman Sir Dave Richards, said the request was rejected immediately.

"I said immediately the proposition was out of the question. Sir Dave said 'You must be joking Jack. You're probably talking about £2.5 million.'

"Jack nodded at that. He said that the money could be channelled through him and he would guarantee the funds would be appropriately spent."

In a second incident involving Warner, Triesman revealed how the Trinidadian had sought a £500,000 "donation" to secure the rights to broadcast the 2010 World Cup in Haiti to lift the spirits of the earthquake-shattered nation.

Warner later dismissed Triesman's allegations as a "piece of nonsense" in a statement to Sky Sports.

"I've never asked Triesman nor any other person, Englishman or otherwise, for any money for my vote at any time," Warner stated.

In another episode, Triesman revealed that Paraguayan Nicolas Leoz, the head of the South American federation CONMEMBOL, had requested a knighthood during a meeting in Asuncion in November 2009.

"I said it was completely impossible, we didn't operate like that. He shrugged his shoulders and walked away," Triesman said.

The same month, Triesman and English bid members met Brazilian official Ricardo Teixeira on the sidelines of an England-Brazil friendly in Doha.

After remarking to Teixeira that he was happy to have heard positive sentiment about England's bid from former Brazilian president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Teixeira had replied: "Lula is nothing -- you come and tell me what you have for me."

The fourth official named by Triesman was Thailand's Worawi Makudi, who had demanded to be awarded broadcasting rights of a possible friendly match between England and Thailand in Bangkok that had been pencilled in for 2011.

England were knocked out in the second round of the World Cup ballot, mustering just two of 22 votes. Russia later went on to win with 13 votes.

Triesman said he had feared damaging England's bid if he had gone public with the incidents he detailed.

"The point was not pressed," he said. "And I think, in retrospect, we would have burned off our chances. In retrospect that was not the right view to take and I accept that."

Sania-Elena advance to quarterfinals of Madrid Open

MADRID: Sania Mirza and her Russian partner Elena Vesnina continued their good run at the Madrid Open, storming into the quarterfinals after notching up a straight-set win over Nadia Petrova and Anastasia Rodionova.

The unseeded Indo-Russian combination recorded a 6-3, 7-5 win over the Russian-Australian pair in the second round of the euro 3,500,000 clay court event.

Sania and Elena converted all the three break chances that came their way in the first set and two of four in the second to record the win in one hour and 27 minutes.

They now have a tough job at hand as they face second seeds Kveta Peschke of Czech Republic and Katarina Serbotnik of Slovania in the last-eight round.

The second seeds saw off the challenge of Spanish team of Lourdes Lino Dominguez and Laura Pous-Tio 6-2 1-6 10-3 in their second round clash of the WTA Premier event.

Bopanna-Qureshi exit from Estoril Open

Estoril (Portugal): India's Rohan Bopanna and Aisam-Ul-Haq Qureshi of Pakistan bowed out of the Estoril Open men's doubles tennis.

The top-seeded India-Pakistan pair went down to third-seeded American Eric Butorac and Jean-Julien Rojer of Netherlands Antilles 2-6, 4-6 in the semifinals here Saturday.

Butorac and Rojer play fourth-seeded Spaniards Marc Lopez and David Marreo in the title clash.

Somdev misses title again, ends runner-up at Johannesburg

An ATP singles title slipped out of Somdev Devvarman's for the second time in his career as the Indian lost the fiercely-fought summit clash of the SA Tennis Open to local favourite Kevin Anderson in Johannesburg on Sunday.

Unseeded Somdev, who was aiming to win his maiden ATP singles title, lost 6-4, 3-6, 2-6 to the fourth seed and world number 59 South African after playing scintillating tennis for two hours and 19 minutes.

It was for the second time that Somdev had made the title-round of an ATP event. He had reached the Chennai Open final in 2009 when he lost to Marin Cilic.

The last Indian to win an ATP title was Leander Paes , who beat South Africa's Godwin in 1998 at Hall of Fame Tennis championship to lift his first and only singles trophy.

Before Somdev's sparkling show at the 2009 Chennai Open, Prakash Amritraj reached the final of Hall of Fame Tennis championship in Newport, United States, in July 2008.

Somdev paid the price of not converting three breakpoints in the sixth game of the final set when he was down 2-3 and could have levelled the scores.

But he not only failed to draw parity but dropped his own serve in the next game and Anderson had no trouble in serving out the match.

However, Somdev's ranking will get a boost after his brilliant show here as he earned 150 ranking points and also pocketed USD 40,300 as prize money.

Anderson got 250 points and USD 76,500 for his effort.

Davis Cup: Bopanna goes down fighting

Rohan Bopanna up a gallant fight against world number 18 Viktor Troicki before losing as India a 0-1 lead against top seed and defending champions Serbia in the first round of the Davis Cup World Group tie in Novi Sad on Friday.

A formidable doubles player but ranked 629 in singles, Bopanna lost 3-6, 3-6, 7-5, 6-3, 3-6 in the first singles after fighting for three-hours and 19 minutes at Spens Sports Center.

The onus to bring India back in the tie lies with the 93rd rank Somdev Devvarman , who will now lock horns with world number 45 Janko Tipsarevic [ Images ] in the second singles.

Bopanna defied odds to stage an excellent comeback as he was down by two sets but kept fighting and things changed when he grabbed the must-win third set with a break of serve in the 12th game.

Going with the momentum, Bopanna came out firing on all cylinders, reducing the sea-difference between the rankings to mere a number, and stretched the match to the deciding fifth set.

Victor TroickiA lot of drama followed when Bopanna was serving for the fourth set in the ninth game having broken Troicki in the previous game as he argued with the chair umpire over a call.

Already incense with the home crowd, which was making a lot noise in backing the son of the soil, Bopanna lost his cool when a call resulted in his double fault.

India captain S P Misra was also not happy as many of the calls earlier also went against Bopanna.

However, Bopanna after saving two breakpoints in that game, stunned the crowd by winning the set when a Troicki return kissed the net.

A great comeback, though, did not produce the desired result for the Indian, who suddenly lost momentum as he dropped his serve twice to go down 0-4 in the deciding set.

Troicki raised his game at crucial juncture and justified his top-20 rank by giving his side a 1-0 lead.

Strong on their serves, Bopanna and Troicki played some scintillating tennis in the first set and throughout. The Indian saved two breakpoints in the opening game, in which he committed three double faults, to eventually hold.

Troicki, on the other hand, had more control and fired two aces to start with a bang. Bopanna, known for his booming serves, improved soon and held two consecutive service games at love to lead 3-2.

However, the double faults kept haunting Bopanna and three such faults combined with a few other unforced errors resulted in first break of serve as Troicki led 4-3 and consolidated the lead to 5-3 with a hold in the next game.

The Serbian, encashed on erring Bopanna and seald the first set when the Indian hit a forehand long, although after saving a set point.

Bopanna, though bounced back brilliantly in the second set and converted his third chance in the first game to grab early break and led 2-0.

He saved two chances on his serve to make it 3-1 but the unforced errors again proved costly as the Indian dropped his serve in the sixth game to allow the home favourite to draw parity.

Bopanna needed to curb his unforced errors but the story remained same and that allowed Troiciki claw his way back and took it out of the reach of the Indian by getting two mere breaks -- sixth and eighth games.