| We
thought our top goalscorers were running out of steam after a long hard season,
but this week they came back with a vengeance, with most of the leaders getting
a goal or two. Rivaldo, Raúl and Javi Moreno all scored in the league
this weekend, Moreno's from the penalty spot, to keep up the momentum at the
top. Moreno is still Pichichi in the league with 21 goals, and Rivaldo is five
ahead of Raúl on an all club competition basis. Barcelona's Patrick
Kluivert is one who didn't get his name on the scoresheet this week, and he was
substituted at half time after fans booed him throughout the first half for
saying to the local press that if Barcelona weren't prepared to increase his
salary to 1,000 million Pesetas next season he would move on, possibly to the
hated enemy Real Madrid. If he does he go he would rejoin his old clubmate Luis
Figo, who got two goals this week, one in the Champions League semi-final and
one in the league. Madrid only have one recognised striker in the squad,
Morientes, and he had to leave the field once again after half an hour with a
recurrence of his groin injury. The club have decided to send him off for an
operation, and he will probably be out now for the rest of the season. Success
in the Champions League for Valencia, with Juan Sánchez scoring two and
Mendieta the third, and they go on to play the final in two weeks time. However
they suffered the backlash this weekend, with Dely Valdés getting a
hat-trick against them as they lost 3-0 to Málaga. Deportivo moved a
little further away from Valencia after Diego Tristán returned to the
side to score twice from the penalty spot, and he now has twenty in all, level
with Catanha. There is in fact a clause in his contract that says if he gets 15
goals in the league this season Depor must pay Mallorca an extra 300 million
Pesetas, although these two don't count as they must be in open play. Two goals
too for Luis Enrique, his first in almost two months, and Michel, Víctor
and Jamelli all added to their tallies as well. (14.05.01) |
