Rijkaard lauds Ronaldinho as Barcelona closes gap

MADRID: A rejuvenated Ronaldinho scored two trademark free-kicks as Barcelona moved to within one point of tabletoppers Real Madrid courtesy of a 3-0 win over Real Betis on Sunday.

Brazilian international Ronaldinho, criticized for his poor form and excessive partying this season, curled in two brilliant free-kicks (52 and 90 minutes) to cap a fine display.

"Ronaldinho is improving little by little and the team notices that immediately on the pitch," said Barca coach Frank Rijkaard.

"He looks happy out there on the field and there is no doubt that he still has a lot to offer this team and the club."

Real had tasted a 2-0 defeat to Sevilla on Saturday and Barcelona punished that slip with French international Thierry Henry bagging his fifth goal of the season before Ronaldinho took the headlines.

It was the 100th league victory for Rijkaard as Barcelona climbed to second, level on points with Villarreal, which produced the comeback of the season to defeat Atletico Madrid in a 4-3 thriller on Sunday.

Atletico had led 2-0 and 3-2 but was left cursing defensive errors as Turkish substitute Nihat scored twice, including an 89th minute winner, to leave Atletico empty-handed.

Atletico stays fifth, five points behind Real, but coach Javier Aguirre has a lot of defensive work to do with his team if it is to push for a Champions League spot this season.

Barcelona started with Ronaldinho, Henry and Lionel Messi in a three-pronged attack and Betis was chasing shadows early on.

Henry saw his 19th minute header well saved and minutes later the Frenchman watched on in agony as his fierce shot rebounded off the post.

A goal was in the cards and it duly arrived just after the half hour mark with Henry racing onto a slide rule pass from Andres Iniesta to poke the ball through the goalkeeper's legs.

Betis had not won at Camp Nou since 1998, and when Ronaldinho scored his first free kick it was just a case of keeping the score down.

Betis stays stranded in the bottom three and its Argentine manager Hector Cuper, who guided Valencia to Champions League finals in 2000 and 2001, remains under pressure.

Barcelona's next match is at home to Rangers on Wednesday in the Champions League.

Atletico had to do without Diego Forlan for the Villarreal clash with the Uruguayan missing out against his old club through injury.

Goals from Pablo Tebar and Portuguese winger Simao gave Atletico a two-goal lead after just 24 minutes but Giuseppe Rossi pulled one back six minutes later with a clever lob.

For Rossi it was a seventh goal in his debut season in Spain following his 6.7-million-pound move from Manchester United in the summer.

"I never thought we would lose because my team were strong from the very first minute," said Villarreal coach Manuel Pellegrini.

"We knew Atletico had some defensive weaknesses and that we could exploit that."

Argentine Fabricio Fuentes equalized for the visitors and Atletico captain Maxi Rodriguez missed a penalty.

Argentine starlet Aguero put Atletico ahead but there was a twist in the tale with Nihat equalizing and then scoring an 89th-minute winner.

"We have been conceding too many goals of late," admitted Aguirre. "We play very offensive football but we have to restore some defensive order.

"The whole team needs to defend better but we are working on that."

Aguero now leads the goalscoring charts with seven goals along with Rossi, Messi and Sevilla's Luis Fabiano.

AFP

(China Daily 11/06/2007 page23)