The second phase of the Champions League is proving a tough ride for the Spanish teams, and apart from Barcelona (who got a gritty draw at Inter Milan this week), none of them are assured of a place in the quarter finals. Real Madrid did take a step in the right direction though thanks to a last minute goal from their young super-sub Portillo, who only needed a minute on the pitch to hit an important equalising goal at Borussia Dortmund. Diego Tristán also kept Deportivo in the competition with the only goal in their match against Basel.

Goals though again at the weekend, 32 of them in all, the best haul since the opening day of the new year. Real Madrid started things off with five against Alavés, including a first hat-trick for Ronaldo for his new club. He is already second in the league Pichichi table with thirteen, plus two more in Europe, and is only just finding his form! Bigger news though was Raúl's two goals in the same match, taking him on to 208 for his club, one more than Hugo Sánchez. He still has three players ahead of him, Puskas with 236, Santillana with 290 and Alfredo Di Stéfano with 307, but at the age of 25 he still has a few more years ahead of him to smash the record books.

Nobody can catch Roy Makaay though this season, and he added another at the weekend at Santander to move on to 28 in all competitions. His team mate Luque also got in on the act, coming on once again as substitute to hit the winning goal in the same match. Elsewhere Carew got his name on the scoresheet for the first time in six league matches to earn a point for Valencia, Edu came in to our chart for the first time with Celta's goal in the same game, Saviola got his sixth in six appearances under Barcelona's new manager Radomir Antic, and "El Niño" Fernando Torres hit another impressive goal for Atlético to add to his growing reputation. (04.03.03)