LONDON (AP) - Manchester City tops The Associated Press global soccer poll after securing its second Premier League title in three seasons.
Robert Lewandowski won the player vote this week after scoring twice in Borussia Dortmund’s 4-0 rout of Hertha Berlin. It marked Lewandowski’s final appearance for the club ahead of his transfer to Bayern Munich.
City had four representatives in the top 10 of the player poll, including Vincent Kompany in second and Samir Nasri in third. Both scored in City’s 2-0 win over West Ham on Sunday.
Yaya Toure was sixth after scoring in the win against Aston Villa in midweek, while Edin Dzeko is seventh after netting twice in the same game.
“The Citizens didn’t flinch in the final week of the Premier League season, winning two games, scoring six goals and conceding none to secure their second title in three seasons,” Marco Monteverde of News Corp. Australia said.
Fellow voter Cedric Rouquette of Eurosport in France gave special praise to Kompany, the City captain.
“His season has been monstrous,” Rouquette said. “Beyond his level of play, it was a captain whose performance on Sunday gave life to what he has long claimed: his club is building a team identity and a soul.”
Lewandowski was honored after making sure to finish his Dortmund career on a high.
“Robert Lewandowski showed his class and professionalism by saying goodbye to Dortmund with a top performance,” Soren-Mikael Hansen of Politken in Denmark said.
Serie A winner Juventus was second behind City after its late 1-0 win against Roma meant it reached an Italian league record-point tally of 99. Pablo Osvaldo’s stoppage-time winner helped him enter this week’s poll in 10th.
Paris Saint-Germain also set a points record in the French league with a 3-1 away win at Lille. The victory gave it 86 for the season and, like Juventus, has a game remaining.
In Spain, Celta Vigo’s stunning 2-0 win against Real Madrid means the Spanish league will be decided when Atletico Madrid plays Barcelona next Sunday. It marked a weekend where all three title hopefuls stumbled.
A double from Celta striker Charles ended Madrid’s hopes, and he placed fourth in the player vote. Malaga goalkeeper Willy Caballero was fifth after an impressive display meant his side drew 1-1 with fellow league hopefuls Atletico Madrid. The result put his team in 10th in the poll.
Elche held Barcelona to a 0-0 draw to earn eighth place. Next weekend, Atletico needs only to draw to win the Spanish league for the first time since 1996. Barcelona needs a win to defend its title.
Also, Napoli was sixth after its 5-2 win at Sampdoria and Inter Milan ninth after beating Lazio 4-1 in captain Javier Zanetti’s final game at the San Siro before retiring.
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