Ajax, Juventus claim league titles

LONDON NAMPA/REUTERS Juventus and Ajax Amsterdam claimed the Italian and Dutch titles respectively on Sunday as two more of Europe's top leagues were decided. Chelsea ensured the race for Champions League spots in the Premier League will go down to the wire after they beat Manchester United 1-0 while in Spain, Barcelona substitute Lionel Messi scored twice as the La Liga leaders beat Real Betis. ITALY Juventus clinched their second successive Serie A title with three games to spare by beating Palermo 1-0. Chile midfielder Arturo Vidal scored the only goal from a 59th-minute penalty and Juventus had Paul Pogba sent off late in the game for spitting at an opponent. Uruguay forward Edinson Cavani scored a hat-trick to give second-placed Napoli, 11 points behind Juventus, a 3-1 win over Inter Milan and a late goal from Mario Balotelli gave third-placed AC Milan a 1-0 win over Torino. SPAIN Lionel Messi came off the bench to score twice and secure Barcelona a 4-2 home victory over Real Betis that put them within touching distance of the La Liga title. With four games left to play, Barca are 11 points clear of second-placed Real Madrid, who beat Real Valladolid 4-3 at home helped by a brace from Cristiano Ronaldo. Barca could secure their fourth league title in five years tomorrow if Real fail to beat Malaga at the Bernabeu. ENGLAND Chelsea beat champions Manchester United 1-0 when an angled shot from Spaniard Juan Mata was deflected into the goal by Phil Jones in the 87th minute. The result put Europa League finalists Chelsea back into third in the table with 68 points from 35 games. Arsenal, who beat relegated Queens Park Rangers 1-0, are in fourth, a point further back but having played one match more. Tottenham Hotspur is on 65 points after Gareth Bale's late goal gave them a 1-0 win over Southampton. NETHERLANDS Ajax Amsterdam won their third consecutive title with one match remaining thanks to a 5-0 thrashing of bottom side Willem II Tilburg. Goals by Kolbeinn Sigthorsson, Christian Eriksen, Viktor Fischer, Siem de Jong and Danny Hoesen left the 50,000-strong crowd in raptures as Ajax captured their 32nd Dutch title. PSV Eindhoven, four points adrift of Ajax, remains on track for second spot and a Champions League qualification berth following a 4-2 win over NEC Nijmegen.