Manchester City is the team of the week in The Associated Press Global Soccer 10, edging Real Madrid by two points after beating Everton 3-2 in the English Premier League.
But it was a Madrid-dominated top 10 in the player poll Tuesday. Cristiano Ronaldo remained on top for the second straight week after taking his Champions League goal total to a record 16. He then salvaged what could be a valuable point for his team in the Spanish league title race with a 90th-minute tying goal against Valencia.
“Ronaldo’s equalizer in injury time was simply wonderful,” voter Aurelio Capaldi said, referring to the back-heeled volley. “But the way they destroyed Bayern Munich in the Champions League semifinal was amazing.”
Ronaldo’s teammate Sergio Ramos was second. The defender scored three goals in two games, including a pair against Bayern Munich in the Champions League. He received a point more than City striker Edin Dzeko, who scored twice in the win over Everton.
That result for City, coinciding with Liverpool’s 3-3 draw with Crystal Palace on Monday, meant the Premier League title was City’s to lose. City needs four points from its remaining two games to become champion.
“Two goals from Edin Dzeko have put Manchester City close to the title. It has been a great season for him after a difficult year under Mancini’s tenure,” panelist Alejandro Cisternas from Chile’s El Mercurio said.
Atletico Madrid lost to Levante 2-0 but polled third for reaching the Champions League final with a 3-1 away win against Chelsea.
For winning a third straight Serie A, Juventus was fourth. Juventus clinched the title Sunday when Roma lost to Catania. Juve then celebrated at home Monday with a 1-0 win over Atalanta.
Napoli was fifth after winning the Italian Cup final, and Levante sixth for beating Atletico and stalling its Spanish league title bid.
The rest of the top 10 was Benfica, which eliminated Juventus to reach the Europa League final, Valencia, Palace and AC Milan, a 1-0 winner against Inter Milan.
“Both Valencian teams deserve consideration,” Ubiratan Leal of trivela.com in Brazil said. “They gave new life for the Spanish league.”
In the player poll, Lorenzo Insigne was fourth for being Napoli’s star in the cup final. Mario Goetze was fifth for helping Bayern beat Hamburg in the Bundesliga.
Levante goalkeeper Keylor Navas was sixth, Diego Costa seventh, Catania midfielder Mariano Izco eighth, Palace two-goal hero Dwight Gayle ninth and Udinese captain Antonio di Natale 10th.
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Polls for week ending May 5:
Teams:
1. Manchester City, 130 points.
2. Real Madrid, 128.
3. Atletico Madrid, 86.
4. Juventus, 76.
5. Napoli, 64.
6. Levante, 50.
7. Benfica, 45.
8. Valencia, 34.
9. Crystal Palace, 29.
10. AC Milan, 28.
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Players:
1. Cristiano Ronaldo, 133.
2. Sergio Ramos, 107.
3. Edin Dzeko, 106.
4. Lorenzo Insigne, 63.
5. Mario Goetze, 52.
6. Keylor Navas, 36.
7. Diego Costa, 31.
8. Mariano Izco, 27.
9. Dwight Gayle, 24.
10. Antonio Di Natale, 23.
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