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Porto win title at Benfica, Nantes win cup, Barcelona qualify for Champions League

Porto win title at Benfica, Nantes win cup, Barcelona qualify for CL
© Reuters
Porto win their 30th Primeira Liga title at the home of bitter rivals Benfica, while Nantes win the Coupe de France and Barcelona qualify for the Champions League.

Porto have regained the Primeira Liga title courtesy of a dramatic late 1-0 victory over bitter rivals Benfica at the Estadio da Luz.

Sergio Conceicao's side went into the match knowing that they simply needed to avoid defeat to clinch the title for the 30th time with a game to spare.

An ill-tempered contest between Portugal's two most successful clubs saw 14 yellow cards dished out - including 10 for Benfica alone - but it was Porto who were celebrating by the end of the game courtesy of Zaidu Sanusi's 94th-minute winner.

Porto are now nine points clear of closest rivals Sporting Lisbon with only one game of the season remaining in the league, while they also have the chance to complete a league and cup double when they face Tondela in the final of the Taca da Liga on May 22.

Should they achieve that then it would be Porto's ninth double, and second in the last three years, having also scooped both trophies in 2019-20.

In France, Nantes claimed their first major trophy for 21 years courtesy of a 1-0 win over Nice in the Coupe de France final.

Ludovic Blas's penalty early in the second half proved to be the only goal of the game as Nantes won the cup for the first time since 1999-00.

Nice themselves were bidding for their first trophy since 1996-97, but will now have to turn their attention back to qualifying for Europe via Ligue 1.

Barcelona's Jordi Alba celebrates scoring their second goal with Ansu Fati and Eric Garcia on May 7, 2022© Reuters

Elsewhere, Barcelona booked their place in next season's Champions League courtesy of a last-gasp win against Real Betis at the Estadio Benito Villamarin.

Xavi's side looked on course for a draw against a Betis side - who also harbour European ambitions of their own - after former Barcelona man Marc Bartra cancelled out Ansu Fati's opener.

However, Jordi Alba popped up with a 94th-minute winner to clinch all three points and wrap up a place in the Champions League next season.

Barcelona now sit 11 points clear of fifth-placed Betis with three games of the season remaining, confirming a top-four finish for the 19th consecutive season.

In the Bundesliga, Bayer Leverkusen also clinched a Champions League spot with a game to spare courtesy of a come-from-behind 4-2 win over Hoffenheim.

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Written by
Barney Corkhill

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3Barcelona19122551222938
4Athletic Bilbao19106329171236
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9Osasuna186752327-425
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12Las PalmasLas Palmas186482327-422
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