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European Rewind: Juve’s attack rolls, Torres ends scoring drought, and more

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JuventusRolls (Getty)

By JOHN BOSCHINI

Juventus finally saw an offensive outburst after weeks of low-scoring tilts, but the unbeaten club failed to move any closer to AC Milan despite a 5-0 romp over Fiorentina.

Five different players scored goals for Juve, which stayed within striking distance of AC Milan, who kept their four-point lead atop the Serie A standings after a 2-0 win against Parma. Zlatan Ibrahimovic continuing his outstanding run of form, scoring the winning goal.

Struggling Spanish striker Fernando Torres enjoyed a superb game and scored a brace to end a goal-less streak of nearly 26 hours in Chelsea's 5-2 win over Leicester City. Torres rolled his first goal past Kasper Schmeichel in the 67th minute and headed home his second in the 85th minute. Torres could have scored a hat trick but laid off to Raul Mereiles for the fifth goal in stoppage time.

Here is a look back to all the results from around Europe's top leagues.

ENGLAND

Manchester United aren't slowing down as a 5-0 thrashing of Wolverhampton Wanderers sees Sir Alex Ferguson's men go four points clear at the top of the table having played a game more. Wolves are now at the bottom of the league equal on points with Queens Park Rangers and Wigan.

Swansea City have quietly worked their way into eighth place in the Premier League after a 3-0 win over Fulham at Craven Cottage.

PREMIER LEAGUE SCOREBOARD

Fulham 0, Swansea City 3
Wigan Athletic 1, West Bromwich Albion 1
Wolverhampton Wanderers 0, Manchester United 5
Newcastle United 1, Norwich City 0

FA CUP SCOREBOARD

Everton 1, Sunderland 1
Tottenham Hotspur vs. Bolton Wanderers, Abandoned after 40 minutes
Chelsea 5, Leicester City 2
Liverpool 2, Stoke City 1

SPAIN

Real Madrid were shocked at home when a stunning free kick from Santi Cazorla earned Malaga an away point and shrunk the leader's lead over Barcelona to eight points. Despite the point, Malaga fell to fifth position as Valencia's 3-0 win over Athletic Bilbao earned them a superior goal differential.

Barcelona posted a comfortable a 2-0 win over Sevilla while Villarreal risk falling into the relegation zone should Racing Santander win against Espanyol on Monday.

LA LIGA SCOREBOARD

Getafe 1, Real Sociedad, 0
Granada 2, Sporting Gijon 1
Real Zaragoza 1,  Osasuna 1
Sevilla 0, Barcelona 2
Rayo Vallecano 3, Real Betis 0
Levante 1, Villarreal 0
Mallorca 2, Atletico Madrid 1
Athletic Bilbao 0, Valencia 3
Real Madrid 1, Malaga 1

MONDAY

Espanyol vs. Racing Santander, 4 p.m.

GERMANY

The four Champions League places in Germany are all but decided as Bayer Leverkusen and Werder Bremen fell well off the pace. Leverkusen, which are now 10 points behind fourth-placed Schalke, slumped to a 2-1 loss against Borussia Monchengladbach.

Bayern Munich have scored 20 goals in three games after a 6-0 demolition of Hertha Berlin. Borussia Dortmund dispatched Werder Bremen 1-0 to maintain their five-point lead but must feel Munich breathing down their necks.

BUNDESLIGA SCOREBOARD

TSG Hoffenheim 1, VfB Stuttgart 2
Bayer Leverkusen 1, Borussia Monchengladbach 2
Borussia Dortmund 1, Werder Bremen 0
FC Augsburg 2, Mainz 1
Hamburg SV 1, SC Freiburg 3
Nurnberg 1, VfL Wolfsburg 3
Hertha Berlin 0, Bayern Munich 6
Kaiserslautern 1, Schalke 04 4
Hannover 96 4, FC Cologne 1 

ITALY

Juventus finally got their much-needed offensive explosion with a 5-0 win over Fiorentina. It was only the second time Juventus had scored more than three goals this season. AC Milan are still four points clear at the top with a simple 2-0 win over Parma. Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored his 20th league goal of the season, the most in Serie A.

SERIE A SCOREBOARD

Parma 0, AC Milan 2
Fiorentina 0, Juventus, 5
Cagliari 3, Cesena 0
Bologna 2, Chievo Verona 2
Catania 1, Lazio 0
Inter Milan 0, Atalanta 0 
Lecce 1, Palermo 1
Siena 0, Novara 2
Udinese 2, Napoli 2

MONDAY

AS Roma vs. Genoa, 3:45 p.m.

FRANCE

Both Paris Saint-Germain and Montpellier failed to get full points during their weekend road trips. Paris Saint-Germain needed a last-minute equalizer yet again as Christophe Jallet scored in the 90th minute to earn a point for the leaders. Montpellier failed to take advantage and lost 1-0 to AS Nancy Lorraine.

Sochaux are clawing their way out of the relegation zone. The former bottom-dwellers are on a three-game unbeaten run and are three points off safety.

LIGUE 1 SCOREBOARD

AJ Auxerre 0, Evian Thonon Gaillard 2
AS Nancy Lorraine 1, Montpellier 0
Bordeaux 1, AC Ajaccio 1
Caen 2, Paris Saint-Germain 2
Lorient 2, Brest, 1
Marseille 1, Dijon FCO 2
St. Etienne 0, Lyon 1
Sochaux 2, Nice 0
Stade Rennes 0, Toulouse 1
Lille 4, Valenciennes 0

NETHERLANDS

FC Twente's resurgence under Steve McClaren has come to a grinding halt as a 2-0 loss to Feyenoord Rotterdam marks the second consecutive defeat. They are now in fourth place and five points off the lead.

Ajax moved to within one point of the lead as AZ Alkmaar were held to a scoreless draw against NAC Breda. 

EREDIVISIE SCOREBOARD

Vitesse Arnhem 2, SC Heracles Almelo 0
RKC Waalwijk 1, De Graafschap 0
Excelsior 2, Roda JC Kerkrade 1
VVV Venlo 0, NEC Nijmegen 2
ADO Den Haag 0, Ajax 2
FC Utrecht 3, FC Groningen 1
PSV Eindhoven 5, Heerenveen 1
FC Twente 0, Feyenoord Rotterdam 2
AZ Alkmaar 0, NAC Breda 0

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What do you think of the weekend's games? Did the tragedy at White Heart Lane diminish your enjoyment of the other games around Europe? Is Torres back for good? Can Juventus kick on after their convincing win?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. Bayern are playing well now, especially Robben, but I really can’t see them beating Barca or Real Madrid, even if the final is played in Munich…

    Reply
  2. Bayern Munich is ON FIRE!!!

    If they keep this form up, they will be STIFF competition in the Champion’s League for either Barca or RM.

    And, if they make the final, they will win it at home….

    Reply
  3. Yay Torres. He needs to be scoring if he wants to head to Euro 2012. Soldaldo and Llorente are fighting for that striking spot alongside Villa, if he’s healthy by then.

    Reply

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