Football / European Round-up: Boksic drives Marseille

ALEN BOKSIC, an unknown Croat before this season, is having little trouble filling Jean-Pierre Papin's golden boots at the Stade Velodrome. Boksic's 20th league strike of the season set Marseille on the way to a 4-1 subjugation of Lille, a victory that takes OM within sight of a fifth successive French championship, writes Henry Winter.

With three games to play, Marseille are four points clear of Paris St Germain and Monaco, and could secure the title next weekend at Valenciennes, four days before they meet Milan in the European Cup final.

Barcelona, the current resting place of the continent's most prestigious club trophy, harmed their chances of representing Spain in next season's cup by losing to a lone Gomez goal at troubled Oviedo, a Saturday night seizure that allowed Real Madrid to join them at the top. A defensively minded Real needed a Michel penalty to earn them a point at Celta Vigo; they now trail Johan Cruyff's side only on goal difference.

One Continental club who will definitely grace the European Cup next term are Anderlecht, who despite suffering only their second league reverse of the season, 2-1 to Charleroi, were crowned champions of Belgium yesterday. Antwerp's agonies continued: four days after their Cup-Winners' defeat to Parma, they missed a Uefa place by finishing fifth. Lokeren and Boom (after one season) are relegated.

Rotterdam's clubs contrived to push PSV Eindhoven three points clear at the Dutch helm; Sparta were crushed 5-2 by the leaders while second-placed Feyenoord drew at Vitesse Arnhem.