Bayern top Bundesliga but key strikers are injured

SOME good news for Chelsea. Bayern Munich’s two top strikers, Claudio Pizarro and Roy Makaay, were injured in their 3-0 victory over VfL Wolfsburg on Saturday.

While Pizarro will definitely miss Wednesday’s Champions League quarter-final in London, the extent of an injury to Makaay’s right thigh remains unclear. He was unable to take part in yesterday’s training in Munich because of problems with his thigh muscle.

The victory over Wolfsburg kept Bayern top of the Bundesliga. Schalke 04 stay at their heels following a 4-1 home triumph over FC Nuremberg and lie second on goal difference.

Third-placed VfB Stuttgart continue to be the jinx side for current champions Werder Bremen after recording a 2-1 victory at the Weserstadion.

The result means Stuttgart are four points ahead of Bremen and strong favourites to seal the final Champions League spot for next season.

There were no games in Italy over the weekend following the death of Pope John Paul II.

Juventus striker David Trezeguet has been included in a 20-man squad for tomorrow night’s Champions League quarter-final first leg away to Liverpool after overcoming a back strain sustained on World Cup duty.

In Spain, an injury-time goal from Giovanni van Bronckhorst allowed Primera Liga leaders Barcelona to come from behind and draw 3-3 with 10-man Real Betis in the Nou Camp.

Joaquin scored the first of his two goals after 12 minutes but Betis held the lead for only four minutes before Samuel Eto’o levelled from the penalty spot. Betis defender David Rivas was shown a red card in the incident.

His side went on to score again through Ricardo Oliveira before the break before Joaquin made it 3-1 in the 63rd minute. Eto’o scored again from the penalty spot with seven minutes remaining, and Van Bronckhorst grabbed the equaliser in the fourth minute of injury time.

Real Madrid remain in second spot, nine points behind following their 2-1 win overly struggling Albacete. Pablo Redondo gave the hosts a shock lead before Iván Helguera (15) and Michael Owen gave Real the win.

Villarreal strengthened their hold on a Champions League place after a convincing 3-1 win over Athletic Bilbao on Saturday moved them up to third in Primera Liga.

Two goals from striker Jose Mari and a third from Uruguay striker Diego Forlan, his 18th of the season, were too much for Athletic, who had levelled the scores at 1-1 through striker Santi Ezquerro.

Valencia missed out on the chance to move into the Champions League places despite staging a fightback from 2-0 down to earn a point against Real Zaragoza.

Substitute Bernardo Corradi pounced on a defensive error to pull a goal back for the visitors in the 81st minute before defender Marco Caneira stroked home the leveller soon after.

Espanyol moved up to fifth after they overcame Racing Santander 3-1. Sevilla kept their hopes of a European place alive with a 1-0 win over Numancia, as did Deportivo Coruna with a 1-0 victory in Levante.

Two goals in three minutes from Gari Uranga and Valery Karpin all but guaranteed Real Sociedad’s Primera Liga survival as they swept aside struggling Osasuna 2-0.

A hat-trick from Salomon Kalou helped Feyenoord to a 4-2 win over second-placed AZ Alkmaar and allowed the Rotterdam club to leapfrog rivals Ajax Amsterdam into third place in the Dutch first division.

Leaders PSV Eindhoven, who beat Utrecht 2-0 on Saturday, top the standings with 70 points but they have played a game more than the next three clubs on the table.