European football round-up: Midweek action

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Spanish LaLiga table
Italian Serie A table

Spain's LaLiga

Atletico Madrid suffered a blow in the race for a top-three finish in LaLiga as Roberto Soriano's late goal gave Villarreal a 1-0 win at the Vicente Calderon.

Diego Simeone's side were looking to keep themselves clear ahead of Sevilla in the battle for Champions League qualification.

However, Los Colchoneros could not make the most of their possession and were made to pay when Italy forward Soriano converted a cross from fellow substitute Cedric Bakambu with eight minutes left.

Villarreal, in fifth place, close up to five points behind Sevilla, who can go level with Atletico should they beat Celta Vigo at home on Thursday.

Visiting goalkeeper Andres Fernandez saved from France forward Antoine Griezmann and midfielder Saul Niguez before also thwarting Nicolas Gaitan in a one-on-one during the second half.

Atletico's frustrating evening was compounded by the loss of Belgium playmaker Yannick Carrasco with what appeared to be a shoulder injury not long after he was sent on as a second-half substitute - leaving Simeone with plenty to ponder as the Champions League semi-final against city rivals Real Madrid looms.

Earlier, relegation battlers Sporting Gijon had to make do with a point after Espanyol came from behind to secure a 1-1 draw at El Molinon.

Victor Rodriguez had fired Sporting ahead six minutes before the break when he whipped a 25-yard free-kick out on the left over the wall and into the bottom corner past Espanyol keeper Diego Lopez.

However, the visitors, aiming to cement their place in the top half of the table, were level after 55 minutes.

Leo Baptistao picked up possession on the right flank before driving into the Sporting half and playing a pass inside the centre-backs for Gerard Moreno to round goalkeeper Ivan Cuellar and score.

The draw edges Sporting closer to within three points of 17th-placed Leganes, who play Las Palmas on Wednesday with the chance to all but condemn Granada to relegation.

Tony Adams' side lost 2-0 at home to Malaga following a second-half brace from Sandro Ramirez.

Malaga missed early chances through Keko and Ignacio Camacho before Ramirez broke the deadlock on 47 minutes with a low shot from 25 yards.

Ramirez smashed an effort against the right-hand post before scoring his and Malaga's second in stoppage time to leave Granada seven points adrift of Leganes and safety with four games remaining.

On Monday night, Raul Garcia's winner in the fourth minute of stoppage time strengthened Athletic Bilbao's Europa League bid and earned them a 1-0 Basque derby victory over Eibar.

Athletic moved up into sixth in the LaLiga table thanks to a late volley from former Atletico Madrid midfielder Garcia, with eighth-placed Eibar now six points adrift and having lost both of their contests against their neighbours.

In a game with few chances for either side, the 56th-minute dismissal of Gonzalo Escalante proved pivotal as the Eibar midfielder was sent off for a late lunge on Iker Muniain's knee.

The game looked to be heading for a scoreless stalemate regardless, and Athletic even took off their top scorer Aritz Aduriz with nine minutes remaining.

However, substitute David Junca hauled down Garcia on the edge of the box deep into stoppage time to give the visitors one final chance.

And although Benat's free-kick was kept out by Yoel, Ivan Ramis' clearance came straight to Garcia, who twisted to volley home a brilliant winner before the Eibar goalkeeper could get back across his line.

Italy's Serie A

Roma thrashed rock-bottom Pescara 4-1 to move back to within eight points of Serie A leaders Juventus on Monday night.

Three goals in the space of five minutes - albeit interrupted by the half-time interval - ensured the points went back to Rome as the capital club kept their slim hopes of denying Juve a sixth straight Serie A title alive.

Kevin Strootman broke the deadlock in the 44th minute as he fired home from a central position and before Pescara could gather themselves, Radja Nainggolan doubled the lead on the stroke of half-time.

Three minutes into the second half, Mohamed Salah's shot from outside the area found the bottom left corner of Vincenzo Fiorillo's net and it was the Egyptian again to score Roma's fourth on the hour mark.

Roma passed up a series of chances to add to their lead and instead it was Pescara who had the final word, with Ahmed Benali turning in Ledian Memushaj's cross with seven minutes left.

German DFB Pokel

Eintracht Frankfurt are into the DFB Pokel final after a dramatic penalty shoot-out victory over Borussia Monchengladbach.

There were no goals in extra-time after the teams drew 1-1 Borussia Park, with Taleb Tawatha's opener for Frankfurt being cancelled out by Jonas Hofmann.

Frankfurt goalkeeper Lukas Hradecky then saved from Andreas Christensen and Djibril Sow during the shoot-out before Branimir Hrgota netted the winner as the visitors triumphed 7-6. 

Coupe de France

Angers reached the Coupe de France final after a 2-0 win over Guingamp. 

The led 1-0 after Thomas Mangani's goal shortly before half-time but then had goalkeeper Alexandre Letellier to thank for saving a 89th-minute penalty before Karl Toko Ekambi made it 2-0 in stoppage-time.