Sacchi has to sit and suffer

European round-up

The Sacchi magic is not working at Milan - yet. The former Italian national coach, who returned to San Siro earlier this month, sat and suffered as his side slumped to a 1-0 home defeat to Parma yesterday.

The champions' fifth defeat of the season leaves them in seventh place in the table. That was not all: Alessandro Costacurta was sent off for the second time in two games, Paolo Maldini sustained a fractured cheekbone from a flying elbow, and George Weah limped off with a twisted ankle that is expected to keep him out for a month.

With second-placed Vicenza falling to two Vincenzo Montella goals at Sampdoria and Internazionale held 1-1 at bottom-of-the-table Reggiana, the Serie A leaders, Juventus, stretched their advantage to six points despite being held 1-1 at Piacenza.

The European champions, who had the midfielder Alessio Tacchinardi sent off, led through an own goal from Settimio Lucci until five minutes from the end, when Daniele Delli Carri's equaliser halted their run of four successive league wins. Juventus have 29 points from 14 matches, six ahead of Vicenza and Napoli, who beat Lazio 1-0 with a last-minute goal from the Brazilian, Andre Cruz.

Barcelona closed in on the Spanish League leaders, Real Madrid, yesterday with a scrappy 1-0 home win over Celta Vigo. Even Ronaldo, their Brazilian marksman, was jeered as the home fans showed their impatience. The captain, Gheorghe Popescu, missed a first-half penalty, but a goal by Miguel Angel Nadal sealed the points.

Barcelona trail Real Madrid by two points and are second on goal difference from Deportivo La Coruna, who drew 1-1 at Sporting Gijon. On Saturday Real returned with the same result from Valladolid, where a superb Davor Suker free-kick gave them the lead, but they became careless and allowed the home team to equalise with an own goal by Rafael Alkorta.

PSV Eindhoven won 2-0 at Ajax yesterday to retain their three-point lead at the top of the Dutch League. Wim Jonk and Luc Nilis scored the goals.

Tony Cascarino, the Republic of Ireland international, hit a hat-trick for his new French club, Nancy, in a 3-1 victory at Le Havre. Monaco won by the same scoreline at Lens and, as the league starts its winter break, enjoy a four-point lead over Paris St-Germain.

The Lyon goalkeeper, Pascal Olmeta, clashed with a team-mate, Jean-Luc Sassus, at the end of a 1-0 defeat to Nantes which brought to an end their unbeaten home record. Sassus needed hospital treatment for concussion after his head struck the ground.

The Belgian international striker Gilles de Bilde is in more trouble after punching a rival player, breaking his nose and eye socket. De Bilde is already due to stand trial accused of head-butting one male nurse and punching another last year, when he was refused entry to hospital to see his father who had suffered a heart attack. De Bilde was suspended until further notice by his club, Anderlecht, after punching an Eendracht Aalst player, Krist Porte, on Saturday.