Barcelona maintains momentum but Bayern Munich finally drops points

Barcelona maintains momentum but Bayern Munich finally drops points -- The Spanish title race might have taken another twist Saturday when Barcelona visited mid-table Espanyol in the Catalan derby. For more than 75 minutes, the home team blanked Lionel Messi and the rest of the Barcelona attack.

But just like in El Clasico on Sunday, Messi had the last word as he struck a late penalty to give Barcelona a 1-0 victory and all three points.

Espanyol keeper Francisco Casilla was sent off against Barcelona for handling outside the area. 

His goal in the 77th minute over Espanyol temporarily put Barcelona two points atop the league standings ahead of Atletico Madrid but Atletico later rallied to defeat Athletic Bilbao 2-1 to regain its one-point advantage.

Messi and Neymar missed good chances in the first half, while Espanyol's Pizzi also squandered a fine opportunity.

But there were fewer chances in the second half, although Barcelona defender Gerard Pique struck the crossbar.

With time running out, referee Clos Gomez ruled that Espanyol's Javi Lopez handled in the area and Messi made no mistake from the spot.

Lopez then had to play goalkeeper after Francisco Casilla's handball outside the area stopped a Messi shot in the 83rd minute. Casilla was shown a straight red and Espanyol had already used all three of its substitutes.

Iker Muniain put fourth-place Athletic ahead but Diego Costa leveled in the 22nd minute and Koke got the winner in the 55th. Aymeric Laporte saw red for hauling down Costa in the dying stages.

Real Madrid, reeling from defeats to Barcelona and Sevilla, had its own derby late Saturday. It blanked Rayo Vallecano 5-0, getting two goals from Gareth Bale, and once again moved to within three points of Atletico.

Barcelona and Atletico square off in the first leg of their Champions League quarterfinal next week.

Rare stumble by Bayern

Under-strength Bayern Munich finally dropped points in Germany's Bundesliga, drawing Hoffenheim 3-3 to end a 19-match league winning streak that dated back to October.

Bayern wrapped up the league title in record time this week and faces Manchester United in the Champions League quarterfinals Tuesday but it appeared as if Pep Guardiola's men were focused enough to claim three more points.

It led 3-1 -- at home -- only for Sejad Salihovic to pull a goal back and Roberto Firmino to equalize in the 75th minute. To make matters worse, Spanish international midfielder Thiago Alcantara suffered a knee injury.

Borussia Dortmund, which meets Real Madrid in the Champions League, maintained second place with a morale boosting 3-2 win at Stuttgart thanks to Marco Reus' hat-trick.

Stuttgart led 2-1 but Georg Niedermeier conceded a penalty and received a second yellow in the 67th minute. (CNN)

READ MORE - Barcelona maintains momentum but Bayern Munich finally drops points

Atletico success built on shaky economic foundations

Atletico success built on shaky economic foundations - Atletico Madrid's emergence as a third force in Spain and contenders among Europe's elite rests on wobbly economic foundations and the edifice could come crashing down if they cannot sustain their remarkable run. 

The club's success is in large measure down to inspirational coach Diego Simeone, who since taking charge in late 2011 has moulded an unspectacular squad into a unit capable of challenging the continent's richest clubs, including La Liga rivals Real Madrid and Barcelona. 

Atletico Madrid's players stretch during a training session at Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona, March 31, 2014. REUTERS/Albert Gea

Real and Barca again topped Deloitte's latest Football Money League of the world's wealthiest club's by income, with revenue in excess of 500 million euros (411 million pounds), while Atletico squeaked into the top 20 with earnings of 120 million. 

Despite the huge gulf in resources, they are a point clear of Barca at the top of Spain's domestic league and three ahead of Real with six games left and are closing in on a first La Liga title since 1996 with a team featuring Simeone in midfield. 

At the same time, they have enjoyed another lucrative run in Europe and play their Champions League quarter-final, second leg at home to Barca on Wednesday with the pair locked at 1-1 after last week's first leg in the Catalan capital. 

Step back from the euphoria for a moment, however, and a glance at Atletico's accounts makes for grim reading. 

Figures for 2011-12 collated by Jose Maria Gay, a professor at the University of Barcelona and an expert on football finances, show the club are saddled with debts of more than 500 million euros and the cost of paying their players and staff alone is more than 90 percent of annual earnings. 

They had managed to stay afloat due to their unexpected winnings on the pitch and by convincing the government to let them fall behind in the payment of more than 100 million euros in taxes, according to Jaume Llopis, a professor at the IESE business school in Barcelona and football finance expert. 

The sale of top players like Fernando Torres, David De Gea and Sergio Aguero to the Premier League, a partnership with the Azerbaijan tourist board, reported to be worth 12 million euros over 18 months, and a deal with sporting goods maker Nike have also helped keep the wolves from the door, Llopis said. 

"Atletico Madrid's financial situation is dramatic," he told Reuters. 

"But this year because of the team's excellent results their economic problems are not talked about. 

"Only with their continued presence in the Champions League, locking in the sponsorship deal with Azerbaijan, attracting more sponsors and selling their best players can they improve their finances, although it will be very tough. 

"Either they stay in the Champions League and win the odd title which keeps the sponsors happy or they won't be able to straighten out their precarious economic situation." 

BRIGHT SPOT 

Angel Barajas, a professor of finance and accounting at the University of Vigo who specialises in sports economics, believes Atletico do not have the resources to challenge in more than one competition over the longer term. 

However, by selling their best players from time to time and buying decent replacements, as well as bringing through talent from the club's academy, they could remain a strong contender in the second rank behind the richest teams, he added. 

"Atletico's situation is problematic because of the level of debt but if they manage to keep wages under control and sell players to raise cash, while keeping their sporting model intact, they could stay at a good level," Barajas told Reuters. 

"What is not viable in the long term is trying to stay in the fight for La Liga and European silverware in competition with clubs who have more than twice their earnings. 

"One exceptional season is possible but competing at the highest level in various competitions needs not only a good team but an extraordinary squad. And that costs a great deal." 

Placido Rodriguez, a professor of economics at Oviedo University and a former chairman of Sporting Gijon, noted several examples of Spanish clubs with relatively limited resources that have challenged at the highest level before fading away again. 

These included Valencia, Villarreal, Deportivo La Coruna and Sevilla, who all had successful runs in Europe and either won or came close to winning La Liga in the past 15 years but like Atletico, have had to sell their top performers. 

One potential bright spot for Atletico, which would boost revenue and help secure their future, was the planned move from their crumbling Calderon stadium to a new 70,000-capacity arena at La Peineta, Rodriguez said. 

There are also plans for a vast new training complex which would include offices, a 15,000-seater stadium for the second and third teams and facilities and shops for fans. 

"If these two projects come off and they don't make any crazy financial decisions in the meantime, for example when results aren't going their way, Atletico's economic situation will be much improved," Rodriguez told Reuters. 

Atletico have already qualified for next season's Champions League and their run in the latest edition of the competition should see them climb the rankings in Deloitte's next Money League, the accounting firm said. (Reuters) 

READ MORE - Atletico success built on shaky economic foundations

Messi always delivers when it matters most

Milla : Messi always delivers when it matters most - Former Barcelona midfielder Luis Milla has jumped to the defense of Lionel Messi, arguing that the Argentine always delivers when it matters most.

After coming in for some heavy criticism in recent weeks for some allegedly below-par displays following his return from a hamstring injury, the Blaugrana No.10 netted twice in a hard-earned 4-1 victory over Sevilla at the weekend that propelled the Catalans back to the top of the Primera Division.

Milla felt that the Albiceleste ace's display at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan simply proved that while form is temporary, class is permanent.

"When the going gets tough, Messi will come up with the goods, just like he's always done," the former Spain international is quoted as saying by Marca. "Messi is still getting into the swing of things. He has been struggling to get going, but he's an instrumental player and Barcelona needs him right now."

Milla, who also wore the Real Madrid jersey during his active career, then went on to discuss Andres Iniesta's contribution in recent weeks, stressing that the attacking midfielder remains instrumental for Barca.

"After his fitness issues, it's normal for Iniesta to be gradually eased back into the fold," he mused. "He looked better again versus Sevilla and is an instrumental player when he is on song. He gives the team a lot of breathing space when he links up with Messi and Xavi."

Iniesta has netted once for Barcelona in 21 Liga appearances this season. ( Goal.com )

READ MORE - Messi always delivers when it matters most