That it was Ronaldo and Isco who combined for the goal was appropriate; they are the men who have led Madrid towards the finish in recent weeks, when the late goals that defined much of the first half of the season have often given way to early ones, drama reduced to a minimum. Isco has given them a control and subtlety previously lacking. Ronaldo, rested and rotated, has been decisive. This is the eighth season in which he has reached 25 league goals, but it is when he has scored that really matters, not how many. This was his 14th goal in eight matches. Advertisement Much had been said about Málaga’s application – all the more so because their manager, Míchel González, is a former Madrid legend. But made a match of this. For much of the half they rolled forward and beyond the visitors. Sandro Ramírez, the former Barcelona player, was a man on a mission. He drew two saves from Keylor Navas. The second was sensational, Navas crashing into the post as he reached a wonderful free-kick. Another Sandro shot flashed wide and two Keko headers missed the target, Málaga were on top. Madrid, though, were top and never seemed set to relinquish that position. At half-time Barcelona were at least four goals away from winning the title – and they had to be the right four. But the next to arrive was Madrid’s. Sergio Ramos reached a Luka Modric corner, his shot coming back off Kameni, via Raphael Varane’s chest, to Benzema who scored from close range. If that was the “wrong” goal, a roar from the Madrid fans at the Rosaleda welcomed another. Incredibly Eibar’s Inui had scored again. Even when Barcelona did score, it was not their doing but an own-goal. Leo Messi’s penalty was saved by Yoel at the Camp Nou, it summed up their day and maybe even their season, and although they did eventually get the second, and then a third, Madrid were there now and they knew it. They had been from the startThe news that broke last week about Alisher Usmanov’s $1.3bn bid for the majority shareholding held by Arsenal’s American investor has broadened the conversation about the club’s status and ambitions. While the disaffected have generally pointed their fingers at Arsène Wenger the club’s http://www.authenticfloridapanthers.com/authentic-jussi-jokinen-jersey direction above and beyond the manager is now under scrutiny. Kroenke is expected in England next week before the FA Cup final. The microscope is not something he welcomes but the lens will inevitably focus in. The Kroenke model across his sports franchises tends not to reach for the stars and Arsenal’s fanbase want a say about that. Arsenal beat Everton with 10 men but miss out on Champions League place Read more The Wenger debate appears – for now at least – to have quietened. For all the huff and puff about the consequences of finally slipping out of the Champions League reckoning, in the end the mood around the Emirates was mild and accepting. There was not a hint from the home crowd there might be a final curtain any time soon for the manager who has called the shots for two decades. The impression was of a crowd expecting to see him back in situ for the Emirates Cup in July. Wenger normally joins in the traditional lap of appreciation but this time he stayed on the http://www.authenticcoloradoavalanche.com/authentic-joe-colborne-jersey sideline, watching from the edge of the pitch as his players waved nd absorbed good wishes before Wembley. He thought it best to keep his distance just in case it was a bit of a distraction – and his players have had enough of that to deal withHis downcast disposition after the match suggested that deep down he feels troubled that his proud record of consecutive Champions League qualifications is over, in terms of what it represents as a status symbol as well as the obvious lament that Thursday nights and far-flung travel are never ideal crammed into an already busy schedule. Round these parts they used mockingly to call them “Spursday nights” and now this is their domain. Advertisement Wenger said he felt sad and that it was strange to imagine life without the Champions League soundtrack. The last time Arsenal finished a league campaign without that particular prize was in 1997. Their final game was at the now-defunct Baseball Ground. The old double act of Ian Wright and Dennis Bergkamp scored the goals. As it happened, Manchester United finished champions with 75 points that season – exactly what Arsenal collected for this fifth-placed finish. Wenger was candid in accepting http://www.authenticbuffalosabres.com/authentic-gilbert-perreault-jersey responsibility. The storm clouds that accompanied the questions about his future were damaging. He said the psychological environment the squad had to deal with at the darkest moments grew “horrendous”. (Which begs the obvious question as to why he and the club were not able to sort out the contract and alleviate some of that pressure.) Is a season outside the Champions League the end of the world? How critical is it in terms of keeping players whose contracts are winding down, like Alexis Sánchez and Mesut ?zil, or attracting shiny new ones? Those conversations are on hold for another week, certainly until after the FA Cup final. Premier League 2016-17 fans’ verdicts part one: Arsenal to Manchester City Read more They at least head into a rendezvous with the champions, Chelsea, on the back of some decent form – in beating an Everton side halfway to the beach they picked up a seventh win in eight games. But they have their worries, especially defensively. Laurent Koscielny will curse misjudging a challenge on Enner Valencia. He clattered clumsily through the Everton forward, was sent off and the chance to lead his team out at Wembley in the FA Cup final is scuppered. Gabriel Paulista then overstretched his knee and left the pitch visibly pained. Wenger assessed the season Rollie Fingers Jersey and came to the conclusion that he did not feel his team were so far from building a stronger Premier League challenge. But all that instability and uncertainty he referenced as harming this one still needs resolution. It is some list: the future for Wenger, Sánchez, ?zil, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, the returning Jack Wilshere, Wojciech Szczesny, various members of the backroom staff, the up-in-the-air director of football role in different name, head of youth development ... It all needs sorting even without considering where they might strengthen their squad
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