Chelsea on brink of title after win at Leicester

Friday, 1 May 2015 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Terry celebrates with team mates after scoring the second goal for Chelsea Action Images via Reuters Reuters: Chelsea came from behind to beat Leicester City 3-1 on Wednesday and move to within one win of clinching the Premier League title for the first time in five years. Chelsea were labelled as “boring” by Arsenal fans during the 0-0 London derby on Sunday and they were below par against a Leicester side chasing a fifth successive league win to boost their chances of survival in the top flight. Marc Albrighton fired Leicester ahead in first-half stoppage time but Didier Drogba equalised soon after the restart before late goals from John Terry and Ramires ensured Chelsea will seal the title with victory against Crystal Palace on Sunday. Chelsea have 80 points from 34 games with last season’s champions Manchester City second on 67. Third-placed Arsenal also have 67 but they have played a game less. Leicester remained 17th with 31 points from 34 games, one point ahead of 18th-placed Sunderland but Nigel Pearson’s side have played a game more. “I think maybe we are scared to win the league,” Drogba told Sky Sports. “Two wins and then we get the trophy but this one was difficult. We have to give credit to Leicester. “In the second half we came back and we wanted to make sure the game against Crystal Palace is the one that gives us the league. “We don’t get enough credit. We are top of the league, we have the most points and people find us boring.”

Real hard on Barca’s heels after Almeria stroll

Reuters: Real Madrid kept alive their hopes of overhauling La Liga leaders Barcelona when a James Rodriguez stunner set them on their way to a serene 3-0 home victory over struggling Almeria on Wednesday. Barca, chasing a

fifth Spanish league title in seven years, thrashed Getafe 6-0 at the Nou Camp on Tuesday and have a two-point advantage with four matches remaining. Almeria held out against their illustrious opponents until the stroke of halftime at the Bernabeu when Rodriguez pounced on a loose ball and lashed a shot into the top corner from just outside the penalty area. The European champions, depleted by injuries to forwards Gareth Bale and Karim Benzema, doubled their lead four minutes after halftime when Mauro Dos Santos diverted the ball into his own net under pressure from La Liga top scorer Cristiano Ronaldo. The Portuguese forward was unable to add to his tally and stayed on 39 for the season, one more than Barca’s Lionel Messi who struck twice on Tuesday. “We are not sure that Barca will drop any points but we are certain that we can win our last four games,” Real coach Carlo Ancelotti told a news conference. “Now we begin a very important phase of the season, when every game is the most important,” added the Italian, whose side face a tough trip to Sevilla in La Liga on Saturday and play at Juventus in their Champions League semi-final, first leg three days later. Europa League holders Sevilla climbed above Valencia into fourth when Rodriguez’s Colombia team mate Carlos Bacca struck twice in a 3-1 success at La Liga debutants Eibar. Valencia can reclaim Spain’s fourth Champions League berth, which carries a place in qualifying for Europe’s elite club competition, if they avoid defeat at mid-table Rayo Vallecano on Thursday.