The biggest question coming into week 35 was how Barcelona would recover from their midweek shortcomings against Inter in the Champions League semis. They were also facing one of the hottest home teams in La Liga in Villarreal.

Well that answer came quickly and often as Barcelona showed everyone why they are the best road team in La Liga hands down.  They will also try to improve their home record (tops in La Liga as well) as they host Tenerife midweek.  The ball is now in Real Madrid's court as they will face a tough Osasuna side on Sunday and then head to the Ono Estadi in a match that could decide La Liga.

Lionel Messi continued with his trend of responding when needed.  He continued his trend of not being shut out in more than three consecutive matches.  The Argentine international earned yet another brace and saw his goal total reach 29 for the season.

Xavi scored one of the best goals of the weekend with his freekick and Bojan Krkic proved once again his worth in the starting lineup as he scored yet once again in La Liga.  His performance as of late has started to put Zlatan Ibrahimovic on the bench and possibly out of Catalunya as many speculators are starting to mention the Big Swede's exit as David Villa is in the cards for the Blaugrana.

David Villa was not a factor at Cornellà-El Prat against one of the toughest home teams around.  Instead the big man, Nikola Zigic was the difference maker as Los Che have almost assured themselves of a Champions League spot next season after their win in Catalunya 2-0.  With Sevilla playing on Sunday, Valencia could find themselves anywhere eight points clear of Sevilla with nine points left to dispute.    There should be a likely easy match for the Andalusians as Los Colchoneros will take a reprieve as they prepare for their Europa League final in Hamburg against Fulham. 
 
Relegation race

If the race for the title is red-hot, then what adjectives can be used to describe the race to stave off relegation.   Valladolid had a solid chance to make a serious move, but failed to do so as they played to a scoreless draw against Getafe.  Xerez is still dreaming with a chance to stay in the top flight after they beat Alméria 2-1 thanks to an dramatic injury time goal by Bermejo. 

Tenerife is now starting to give Málaga, Racing, and Zaragoza nightmares.   They were able to beat Racing at home 2-1 and put the Montañeses in the thick of the relagation race. The bad news for the boys from the Canary Islands is that they will head to the Camp Nou on Tuesday.  Zaragoza were able to maintain their distance as they got an important victory over a Deportivo side that has been in free fall since early March. 

Miguel Ángel Lotina's side is now winless in their last ten matches and haven't scored a goal in 449 minutes. 

Barca bounce back from Champions League heartbreak

One of the greatest and most prolific goalscorers of the past 20 years announced his retirement from the game. Roy Makaay, 35, plans to hang up his boots and begin to coach within the Feyenoord youth system as he expressed in a press conference on Monday.

Makaay was a symbol of consistency when having to score and was among the most skillful in terms of defining in front of goal.

During his 17-year career he scored a total of 253 goals in the five teams he played in.  Still with those numbers, he was overshadowed during the apex of his career by players like Dennis Bergkamp, Patrick Kluivert, and Ruud Van Nistlerooy but was still considered as one of the top scoring threats in the game during the late 90's and early 2000's.  Because of these titanic figures in Dutch football, Makaay had a very limited role with the Oranje taking part in the 2004 and 2008 European Championships and was one of the veteran players that was part of the Dutch side that played in the 2008 Olympics in Beijing.  


Roy started his career with Dutch side Vitesse where he started to make a name for himself as a top-notch poacher.  That talent was quickly seen and he was signed by Spanish side Tenerife.  Makaay was thought to be the individual that would help Los Chicharreros get to the next level, but things did not work out as the team would begin a gradual descent that would see them playing in the Spanish second division in 1999.

He would then sign with Deportivo and his career would take off.  With the addition of Makaay and players like Diego Valerón, Djalminha, Diego Tristán, Donato, Songo'o, Mauro Silva, Joan Capdevila, and Jorge Andrade... Euro Depor would go on one of the most impressive runs in team history.

During this time they would win the lone league title in club history as well as two Spanish Super Cups and a Copa del Rey.  Makaay was the primary ingredient offensively for Los Blanquiazules as he was league Pichichi in 2002-03 and won the European Golden Boot that same year.  

In 2003, he arrived to Bayern Munich on an €18.75 million transfer.  There his scoring touch continued to flourish and the trophies continued to come in.   His scoring pace at Bayern (78 goals in 128 matches) was pretty much the same as at La Coruña (79 goals in 133 matches).  Percentage wise he improved at Bayern scoring percentage as he surpassed 0.6 goals per match (compared to 0.593 with Depor).

During his time with the Bavarian giants, he won two Bundesliga titles, a German Cup, and a German Super Cup. The writing seemed to be on the wall for the Dutch international as the signings of Luca Toni and Miroslav Klose.  That is when he decided to head back home and play for Feyenoord.

At Feyenoord he continued his pace scoring 45 goals in 94 matches.   He will finish out the season before moving over to his coaching role with the club, but before that he will have to revert a 0-2 deficit against Ajax in the final of the Dutch Cup.

• La Liga (1999-2000)
• Copa del Rey (2000)
• Spanish Super Cup (2000, 2002)

• Bundesliga (2004-05, 2005-06)
• German Cup (2004-05, 2005-06)
• German Super Cup (2005, 2006)

• Dutch Cup (2008)

Related Articles

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• Goal.com: Former Dutch international Roy Makaay to retire at the end of the season
  
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Makaay announces retirement

Barcelona and Real Madrid continue reaching unchartered waters.

Barcelona sleepwalked past Xerez, condemning them to life in the Liga Adelante next season. The ghosts of Villarreal back in the 1998/99 season when the Yellow Submarine beat Barcelona 3-1. Once again, when given a start Jeffren Suarez is given a start up front he responds. Thierry Henry and Zlatan Ibrahimovic also got back to their scoring ways as they helped the culé extend their unbeaten streak to 12 matches.  They also equaled last year's total of 87 points and will most likely need to earn all 12 remaining points in order to win their 20th title.  The win also all but assures that Xerez will be in second division as they will be, at best, five points behind with four matches left in the season.  Yet despite this frenetic pace, Barca still aren't able to to shake off Real Madrid.

Los Merengues earned their eighth consecutive win on the road defeating a tough Zaragoza 2-1 and kept pace with the Blaugrana.  Raúl and Kaká both were able to score for Real Madrid in a match that was noted more for its rough play more than its skill. Kaká was the difference maker for Madrid as he was fed a brilliant pass from Cristiano Ronaldo to beat Roberto and score the game-winner.   Los Blancos are now one road win away from equaling Barcelona's win record from last year.

Valencia continue to lock up third place as they defeated a Deportivo side in free fall 1-0. Los Ches did little to win, but it was enough as David Villa scored the only goal of the match.

So with their Zaragoza losing and Málaga heading Mallorca, the stage was set for Tenerife to get out of relegation as they play a distracted and erratic Atlético side. Unfortunately for Los Chicarreros Atlético were clicking on all cylinders and Salvio scored a brace to damper Tenerife's hopes.

The most exciting ending of the weekend took place at the Ono Estadi. Victor Obinna scored in the 86th minute to give Málaga the lead, but Mallorca scored the equalizer on a controversial play where
 
Saturday
Barcelona 3-1 Xerez
BAR: Jeffren, Henry (25'), Ibrahimovic (55')
XER: Bermejo (26')

Zaragoza 1-2 Real Madrid
ZAR: Colunga (61')
RMA: Raúl (50'), Kaká (82')

Valencia 1-0 Deportivo
VAL: Villa (33' pk)

Sunday
Racing 1-2 Villarreal
RAC: Canales (38')
VIL: Godin (70'), Nilmar (83')
Sporting - Valladolid
VLL: Manucho (80'), Javi Baraja (90'+3')

Mallorca 1-1 Málaga
MLL: Aduriz (90')
MAL: Obinna (86')

Almería 0-1 Espanyol
ESP: Luis García (55')

Atlético 3-1 Tenerife
ATM: Salvio (9',30'), Aguero (78')
TEN: Martínez (61')

Getafe - Sevilla

Monday
Osasuna - Athletic

Standings

Positions
2010-11 Champions League:  x-Barcelona, x-Real Madrid
2010-11 Champions League qualifiers: Valencia, Mallorca,
2010-11 Europa League:  Villarreal, y-Sevilla, y-Atlético
Relegation: Tenerife, Valladolid, Xerez
Promotion: Real Sociedad, Levante, Cartagena

x- clinched berth
y- Copa del Rey finalist

Pichichi Race
Lionel Messi BAR             27
Gonzalo Higuaín RMA      25
David Villa VAL                 21
Cristiano Ronaldo RMA    20
Diego Forlán ATM            17
Zlatan Ibrahimovic BAR   16
Fernando Llorente ATB     13

La Liga week 34 wrap