Lewandowski shines as Barca blank Girona, Inter on top
Published: 04:03 PM,Mar 31,2025 | EDITED : 08:03 PM,Mar 31,2025
FC Barcelona's Robert Lewandowski in action with Girona's Alejandro Francis. — Reuters
ROME: Robert Lewandowski took his tally for the season to 38 with a double as Barcelona beat Girona 4-1 to move three points clear at the top of La Liga on Sunday.
The Poland international found the back of the net twice inside after Arnaut Danjuma had equalised following Ladislav Krejci's own goal, and Ferran Torres came off the bench to seal the rout four minutes from time.
Fourth-placed Athletic Bilbao endured a frustrating afternoon as they were held to a 0-0 home draw by Osasuna, while Real Mallorca slipped to a 1-0 defeat at Valencia with Diego Lopez doing the damage.
First-half goals from Ayoze Perez and Thierno Barry either side of Carles Perez's equaliser helped Villarreal to maintain their pursuit of the top four with a 2-1 victory at Getafe.
Johnny Cardoso and Cucho Hernandez kept Real Betis in the hunt for atop-six finish as their goals overhauled Ruben Vargas' opener in a2-1 home win over Sevilla.
Serie A champions Inter Milan had to survive a late Udinese fight back to maintain their three-point lead at the top.
Simone Inzaghi's side raced into a two-goal lead through Marko Arnautovic and Davide Frattesi, but Oumar Solet's 71st-minute goal sparked a late flurry which ultimately failed to yield an equaliser.
Napoli remained hot on Inter's heels as the 400th goal of Romelu Lukaku's career left AC Milan's hopes of Champions League football hanging by a thread.
Matteo Politano and Lukaku both scored inside the opening 19 minutes, and the game ended 2-1 to the hosts after Santiago Gimenez saw his penalty saved by Alex Meret before fellow substitute Luka Jovic reduced the deficit six minutes from time.
Moise Kean struck on the stroke of half-time to hand Fiorentina a 1-0 home win over high-flying Atalanta to stay within a point of the top six.
Nicolas Viola and substitutes Gianluca Gaetano and Zito Luvumbo all scored after the break to hand Cagliari a 3-0 home victory against bottom-of-the-table Monza.
Matias Fernandez-Pardo fired Lille into Ligue 1's top five with the only goal in a 1-0 derby triumph over Lens.
Brest's hopes of dragging themselves into the top six were boosted by a 4-2 victory at Toulouse, while Rennes emerged from their mid-table trip to Angers on the right end of a 3-0 scoreline.
Auxerre's Florian Aye came off the bench to deepen basement boys Montpellier's woes with the only goal in a 1-0 triumph, while Timothee Pembele breathed new life into Le Havre's survival hopes with a late winner in a 3-2 home victory over Nantes. — PA Media/dpa
The Poland international found the back of the net twice inside after Arnaut Danjuma had equalised following Ladislav Krejci's own goal, and Ferran Torres came off the bench to seal the rout four minutes from time.
Fourth-placed Athletic Bilbao endured a frustrating afternoon as they were held to a 0-0 home draw by Osasuna, while Real Mallorca slipped to a 1-0 defeat at Valencia with Diego Lopez doing the damage.
First-half goals from Ayoze Perez and Thierno Barry either side of Carles Perez's equaliser helped Villarreal to maintain their pursuit of the top four with a 2-1 victory at Getafe.
Johnny Cardoso and Cucho Hernandez kept Real Betis in the hunt for atop-six finish as their goals overhauled Ruben Vargas' opener in a2-1 home win over Sevilla.
Serie A champions Inter Milan had to survive a late Udinese fight back to maintain their three-point lead at the top.
Simone Inzaghi's side raced into a two-goal lead through Marko Arnautovic and Davide Frattesi, but Oumar Solet's 71st-minute goal sparked a late flurry which ultimately failed to yield an equaliser.
Napoli remained hot on Inter's heels as the 400th goal of Romelu Lukaku's career left AC Milan's hopes of Champions League football hanging by a thread.
Matteo Politano and Lukaku both scored inside the opening 19 minutes, and the game ended 2-1 to the hosts after Santiago Gimenez saw his penalty saved by Alex Meret before fellow substitute Luka Jovic reduced the deficit six minutes from time.
Moise Kean struck on the stroke of half-time to hand Fiorentina a 1-0 home win over high-flying Atalanta to stay within a point of the top six.
Nicolas Viola and substitutes Gianluca Gaetano and Zito Luvumbo all scored after the break to hand Cagliari a 3-0 home victory against bottom-of-the-table Monza.
Matias Fernandez-Pardo fired Lille into Ligue 1's top five with the only goal in a 1-0 derby triumph over Lens.
Brest's hopes of dragging themselves into the top six were boosted by a 4-2 victory at Toulouse, while Rennes emerged from their mid-table trip to Angers on the right end of a 3-0 scoreline.
Auxerre's Florian Aye came off the bench to deepen basement boys Montpellier's woes with the only goal in a 1-0 triumph, while Timothee Pembele breathed new life into Le Havre's survival hopes with a late winner in a 3-2 home victory over Nantes. — PA Media/dpa