Osasuna take their turn at top

European Round-Up : Soccer news from Europe in brief

European Round-Up: Soccer news from Europe in brief

SPANISH PRIMERA LIGA: Osasuna are the new leaders after a weekend which also saw defending champions Barcelona take a great leap forwards.

Osasuna's 2-0 win at their Pamplona home against Espanyol was earned by goals from David Lopez and Inaki Munoz with the beaten Catalans hindered by the sending-off of Eduardo Costa.

Javier Aguirre's men take top spot from Getafe who were beaten 1-0 at Deportivo La Coruna, for whom Diego Tristan netted at the Riazor stadium.

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Barcelona are also upwardly mobile after thrashing 10-man Real Sociedad 5-0. Mark van Bommel set Barca on their way with the opening goal after 18 minutes before the in-form Ronaldinho added a brace either side of half-time to increase the advantage to 3-0.

Carlos Puyol then headed home the fourth from a corner, and substitute Henrik Larsson wrapped up the victory with the fifth goal late on.

Sociedad's Gari Uranga was dismissed in the 69th minute after picking up a second yellow card but the match was already gone by then.

Real Madrid recovered from consecutive league defeats to record a morale-boosting win against struggling Betis on Saturday.

Brazilian forward Robinho curled a low shot inside the post after 30 minutes and Guti supplied a lofted pass for the second near the end, which allowed second-half substitute Alvaro Mejia to head home with almost his first touch.

ITALIAN SERIE A: Third-placed Fiorentina moved within five points of leaders Juventus after Danish winger Martin Jorgensen struck an 82nd-minute winner in the 2-1 victory over Cagliari yesterday.

Juventus, who lost 3-1 to AC Milan on Saturday, lead on 27 points with Milan two points behind them and Fiorentina third on 22 points.

Milan ended Juventus's record nine-match winning start on Saturday at the San Siro. Milan went ahead in the 14th minute when Clarence Seedorf's shot deflected off Lilian Thuram and looped over Juve goalkeeper Antonio Chimenti.

Carlo Ancelotti's side doubled their lead in the 26th minute when Juve's defence failed to deal with Andrea Pirlo's free-kick and a bouncing ball fell to Brazilian Kaka who fired past Chimenti.

On the stroke of half-time Milan went 3-0 up through a 25-metre free-kick from Pirlo which Chimenti, standing in for the injured Gianluigi Buffon and Christian Abbiati, really should have saved.

David Trezeguet pulled a goal back for champions Juve 14 minutes from the end.

Also on Saturday, Sampdoria Sampdoria drew 2-2 with Inter Milan. The side from Genoa took the lead after six minutes through Aimo Diana but three goals in 10 minutes left the teams level.

Inter equalised on the half hour when Esteban Cambiasso volleyed home. Diana restored Sampdoria's lead before Ivan Cordoba finished a free-kick.