KEY POINTS:
SCOTLAND
Champions Celtic restored their 16-point lead in the Premier League with a 2-1 win over bottom side Dunfermline at the weekend.
Second-half goals from Aiden McGeady and Maciej Zurawski secured the win but Dunfermline replied in the final minute as Steve Simmons slotted a low shot past keeper Artur Boruc.
Celtic top the standings with 47 points from 18 games while Rangers trail on 31 from 18 after their 3-0 win over Hibernian.
ITALY
Serie A leaders Inter Milan beat Empoli 3-0 to notch up their eighth league win in a row and match their best winning run in Italy's top flight.
The win, thanks to second-half goals by Hernan Crespo, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Walter Samuel, equalled a club record that dates back to the 1939-40 season.
Inter have 39 points from 15 matches, seven more than second-placed AS Roma, whose title challenge suffered a setback when they lost 3-0 to city rivals Lazio at the Olympic Stadium in Rome.
Goals by midfielders Cristian Ledesma and Massimo Mutarelli and a penalty by Lazio captain Massimo Oddo ended Roma's run of six consecutive league wins.
Third-placed Palermo, one point behind Roma, beat Livorno 3-0 at home.
SPAIN
Barcelona extended their lead at the top of the Primera Liga to two points after notching a 1-0 win at home to Real Sociedad while title challengers Sevilla beat Real Madrid 2-1.
Ronaldinho steered a clever first-time shot into the far corner 16 minutes after the break to end Sociedad's stubborn resistance.
Sevilla's 100 per cent home record looked to be in danger when they fell behind to a David Beckham free kick but an opportunist strike from Frederic Kanoute and an overhead kick from Ernesto Chevanton earned the Uefa Cup holders a deserved win.
Barca, who travelled to Japan to take part in the Club World Cup, lead the table on 33 points from 14 games, Sevilla move up to second on 31, while Real are on 29.
FRANCE
Leaders Olympique Lyon needed two late goals to tame Paris St Germain 3-1 before moving on to 46 points from 17 games, 14 points clear of second-placed Racing Lens, 1-0 winners at Toulouse.
The game was level at 1-1 with three minutes left but Brazil defender Cris and France's Florent Malouda struck in quick succession to give five-times champions Lyon the points again.
Lille lost ground when they were held 2-2 at home by St Etienne in a lively match. The northerners stayed third but fell two points behind Lens.
GERMANY
Werder Bremen and Schalke 04 had impressive wins to stay a couple of points ahead of their main title rivals.
Brazilian centre back Naldo struck a hat-trick to help Werder to a 6-2 victory away to Eintracht Frankfurt. Daniel Jensen, Jurica Vranjes and Diego were also on target as Werder bounced back from their midweek Champions League disappointment.
Schalke played just as well to see off Borussia Dortmund 3-1 in a one-sided derby.
With 16 games played, Werder lead the standing on 33 points, with Schalke behind them on goal difference.
VfB Stuttgart stayed two points off the pace by winning 1-0 at home to VfL Bochum, while Bayern Munich are a point further back after their 2-1 win over Energie Cottbus.
NETHERLANDS
Second-half goals by Ibrahim Afellay and Arouna Kone inspired PSV Eindhoven to a 2-0 win at Groningen to stretch their lead to seven points over AZ Alkmaar, who were held to a 2-2 draw to end a run of 16 defeats at Ajax.
Ajax are third one point further back while Twente Enschede and Feyenoord remain fourth and fifth, 11 points behind the leaders, after 3-1 wins over Willem II Tilburg and ADO Den Haag respectively.
- REUTERS
