Ronaldo equals Spanish scoring mark, Barcelona held to draw

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Spanish champions Barcelona were held 0-0 on Sunday by lowly Deportivo Coruna, who are fighting for their first-division lives.

Barca clinched their third straight league title on Wednesday with a 1-1 draw, and against Deportivo coach Pep Guardiola fielded a reserve-packed team to rest his stars for the May 28 Champions Cup final against Manchester United.

Guardiola's reserves did most of the attacking but lacked the craft to create many clear chances to trouble a well-drilled Deportivo defence.

The draw leaves Deportivo fourth from bottom and needing to beat Valencia at home in their last game to avoid the drop.

Deportivo coach Miguel Angel Lotina said: "This is a good result for us. This could mean salvation for us."

Barca are now four points ahead of Real Madrid, who won 3-1 at fourth-placed Villarreal with two more goals from Cristiano Ronaldo. The Portuguese hitman now has a remarkable 38 league goals to his name, seven more than Barca idol Lionel Messi, who was rested against Deportivo.

Ronaldo has equaled the goals record held jointly by Hugo Sanchez (Real Madrid, 1989-90) and Telmo Zarra (Athletic Bilbao, 1950-51).

Sports daily Marca raised eyebrows on Sunday by claiming that Ronaldo has actually scored 39 goals by accrediting to him a goal in September at Real Sociedad that the match referee gave to defender Pepe.

The Spanish football federation insists that Ronaldo has scored 38 goals. In next week's home game against relegated Almeria, he will have the chance to break the record.

Ronaldo has finished the season in astonishing form, scoring nine goals in Real's last three matches.

" feel very proud of what I have achieved this season," Ronaldo said. "It has been a very good year indeed."

Marcelo gave Real the lead in the 18th minute with a classy lob after a quick break. Four minutes, later Ronaldo made it 2-0 with a free kick that keeper Diego Lopez should really have saved.

Seven minutes into the second half, Cani pulled a goal back for Villarreal by turning in a centre from Mario. Ronaldo made it 3-1 at the end with another of his impressive free kicks.

The defeat left Villarreal six points behind third-place Valencia, who played out a tame 0-0 against crosstown rivals Levante.

The draw guarantees Valencia a third-place finish - and direct access to the Champions League. Villarreal will have to go into the qualifying round in August.

Villarreal are seven points ahead of Sevilla, Atletico Madrid and Athletic Bilbao, who are in a three-way tie for fifth place.

Sevilla beat Real Sociedad 3-1 with two goals from veteran Frederic Kanoute and one from Alvaro Negredo. Atletico beat already-relegated Hercules with goals from Alvaro Dominguez and Jose Antonio Reyes.

Bilbao, meanwhile, could only manage a 1-1 draw at home to Malaga.

At the bottom, Sporting Gijon guaranteed their survival with a 2-1 defeat of Racing Santander, while Getafe threw themselves a lifeline by beating Osasuna 2-0.

Getafe and Deportivo Coruna are one point ahead of Zaragoza, who beat Espanyol 1-0.

Almeria, who beat Mallorca 3-1, are bottom with just 30 points. Then come fellow relegation victims Hercules with 34. Zaragoza have 42, while Getafe and Deportivo have 43.

Then come three teams - Osasuna, Real Sociedad and Mallorca - on 44 points, all of whom will need at least one point at home in their last match.

Zaragoza will have to win at Levante and hope that Getafe do not win at Real Sociedad.