Athletic Bilbao, trounced 70 by Barcelona last week, bounced back to beat Spanish league leaders Real Madrid 1-0 to end their 12-match unbeaten run. Madrid, playing without their suspended star Luis Figo and who were on a series of 11 victories and one draw, were beaten by a goal from former Spanish international Bittor Alkiza in the fourth minute. Alkiza, playing his 300th league match, found the net to spark off waves of attacks from Madrid including chances for Jose Maria Guti, Steve McManaman and Raul, which all came to nothing. This defeat of Real, who meet Lazio in the Champions League tomorrow, gives the chasing pack hope, even though they are still
four points ahead of second-placed Deportivo La Coruna. Deportivo beat Real Sociedad 4-1 and fourth-placed Valencia beat Numancia 3-0 with Barcelona, in third spot, being thrashed 4-0 at Racing Santander yesterday. Barcelona fell victim to a Racing side determined to do something about their desperate position in the table. Uruguayan international Mario Regueiro opened with a fine solo effort on 36 minutes. Luis Ramis and Claudio Arzeno added two headed goals within seven minutes of half-time and Javier Mazzoni capped an impressive performance as he rifled home 16 minutes from time.
Valencia, who host Manchester United in the Champions League on Wednesday, got back to winning ways with their Numancia victory. Juan Sanchez opened the scoring, Gaizka Mendieta scored from the spot and Uruguay's Diego Alonso hit the third.
In Italy AS Roma kept up their record-breaking pace at the top of the Italian first division yesterday, defeating 10-man Bologna 2-1 to stay six points clear at the top. But Juventus also rose to the occasion with a 3-0 victory over Napoli to go second ahead of defending champions Lazio, held 0-0 by Atalanta on Saturday and two points further back. Argentinian striker Gabriel Batistuta put Roma ahead from the penalty spot with his 14th goal of the season, making him Serie A's leading scorer ahead of AC Milan's Ukrainian striker Andriy Shevchenko. Bologna were then reduced to 10 men when Jonatan Binotto was dismissed. Emerson himself fired home the second but Bologna grabbed a consolation in the second period when Emanuele Brioschi headed home.
