Manchester City has team of the week honors in the Associated Press Global Football 10, edging Real Madrid by two points after beating Everton 3-2 in the English Premier League.
But it was a Madrid-leading top 10 in the player poll, as Cristiano Ronaldo remained top for the second week running after taking his Champions League goal tally to a record 16, He also salvaged what could be a valuable point for his side in the Spanish league title race with a 90th-minute equalizer against Valencia.
“Real Madrid couldn’t make the most of their home game against Valencia though Ronaldo’s equalizer in injury time was simply wonderful,” voter Aurelio Capaldi said of Ronaldo’s back-heeled volley. “But the way they destroyed Bayern Munich in the Champions League semifinal was amazing.”
Ronaldo’s teammate, defender Sergio Ramos, was second after scoring three goals in two games, including a double in the 4-0 rout away to Bayern Munich in the Champions League semifinals. 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 received the title on Sunday, when Roma lost to Catania. Juve then celebrated at home on 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 the latter’s 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. You might consider that Valencia’s achievement cancelled Levante’s one, but they show that Atletico and Real Madrid are not perfect.”
In the player poll, Lorenzo Insigne was fourth for being Napoli’s star in the cup final, and Mario Goetze 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.
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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