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Rediff.com  » Sports » Suarez, Ibra Costa. Check out Europe's top footballers of the weekend
This article was first published 10 years ago

Suarez, Ibra Costa. Check out Europe's top footballers of the weekend

December 16, 2013 14:58 IST

Image: Diego Costa of Atletico Madrid celebrates a goal
Photographs: Denis Doyle/Getty Images

The weekend was a goal-feast with footballers from all over Europe keeping their names on the scoresheet. Rediff.com brings you the top goal-scorers of the weekend.

In Spain, Diego Costa scored twice as Atletico Madrid beat Valencia 3-0 to maintain their winning home run this season and keep pace with Barcelona at the top of La Liga.

La Liga: Costa brace keeps Atletico on Barca's heels

Atletico are level on 43 points with Barcelona, who beat Villarreal 2-1 on Saturday thanks to two goals by Brazilian Neymar, as Real Madrid lost further ground following a 2-2 draw at Osasuna and now sit five points off the pace in third spot.

Suarez, Ibra Costa. Check out Europe's top footballers of the weekend

Image: Luis Suarez of Liverpool
Photographs: Paul Gilham/Getty Images

On Sunday, it was Suarez fever that gripped England as Liverpool thrashed Tottenham Hotspur 5-0 at White Hart Lane. Suarez netted his 16th and 17th league goals of the season.

EPL PHOTOS: Suarez on fire as Liverpool thump Spurs 5-0

ManchesterCity exposed the first major cracks in Arsenal's title challenge by crushing the Premier League leaders 6-3 at the Etihad Stadium as their attacking talents cut loose in another free-scoring home display.

Third-placed Chelsea sneaked a 2-1 home win over CrystalPalace.

Man City sit fourth and Manchester United ended a run of four league games without a win as Danny Welbeck scored twice in a 3-0 victory at Aston Villa to lift the champions to eighth.

West Bromwich Albion sacked manager Steve Clarke after a 1-0 defeat at Cardiff left them 16th and just two points above the relegation places.

Suarez, Ibra Costa. Check out Europe's top footballers of the weekend

Image: Carlos Tevez of Juventus (right) scores past goalkeeper Gianluca Pegolo of US Sassuolo Calcio
Photographs: Valerio Pennicino/Getty Images

In Italy, Juventus moved six points clear at the top of Serie A with a 4-0 victory over Sassuolo and Napoli kept alive their hopes of a first title since 1990 with an epic 4-2 win over 10-man Inter Milan.

Serie A: Juve go six clear; Napoli edge 10-man Inter

Juve striker Carlos Tevez struck with simple finishes in the 15th, 45th and 68th minutes to move Antonio Conte's side up to 43 points, six ahead of AS Roma who visit AC Milan on Monday.

Goals from Gonzalo Higuain, Dries Mertens, Blerim Dzemaili and Jose Callejon lifted Napoli to within eight points of the leaders.

Suarez, Ibra Costa. Check out Europe's top footballers of the weekend

Image: Eintracht Frankfurt's Marco Russ celebrates a goal against Bayer Leverkusen
Photographs: Ina Fassbende/Reuters

In Germany, Bayern Munich made sure of top spot in the Bundesliga until January after beating Hamburg SV 3-1 to open up a seven-point lead with a game left before the winter break.

Bundesliga: Schalke rally; Leverkusen stunned by Frankfurt

Bayern, who are off to the Club World Cup in search of their fifth title of the season, have now gone 41 games without defeat in the league.

Second-placed Bayer Leverkusen were stunned 1-0 by lowly Eintracht Frankfurt who notched their first win in 11 games thanks to Marco Russ's 61st-minute header.

Leverkusen are on 37 points, five ahead of third-placed Borussia Dortmund who battled back from two goals down to draw 2-2 at Hoffenheim.

Suarez, Ibra Costa. Check out Europe's top footballers of the weekend

Image: Paris Saint-Germain's Zlatan Ibrahimovic celebrates after scoring against Stade Rennes
Photographs: Stephane Mahe/Reuters

Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Edinson Cavani stole the show in Paris as they scored for Paris St Germain and kept their tight grip at the top of Ligue 1 with a 3-1 victory at Stade Rennes.

After the Swede added a 14th league goal to his season tally and his Uruguayan partner netted his 12th, they have scored more between them than 17 teams, with second-placed Monaco the only other side to have collected more than 26.

Thiago Motta also featured on the scoresheet to help PSG move up to 43 points from 18 games, two ahead of Monaco who won 2-0 at Guingamp.

Colombian midfielder James Rodriguez again made up for injured compatriot Radamel Falcao's absence by perfectly setting up both goals. He has now provided seven assists, more than any player in the league this season.

Lille, who defeated Bastia 2-1 at home thanks to a Salomon Kalou double, are third on 39 points ahead of next week's trip to Paris for the last round of matches before the winter break.