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ROME -- Juventus clinched its third straight and 30th overall Serie A title Sunday without even playing. Ahmad Brooks Jersey . With second-place Roma losing 4-1 at Catania, Juventus eight-point lead became insurmountable because Roma only has two matches remaining. Juventus, which has three games to play, can celebrate when it hosts Atalanta on Monday although the Turin squads players and coach Antonio Conte were already seen celebrating at their team hotel wearing championship T-shirts. "Its much more satisfying when you win on the pitch. But its still very gratifying," Juventus captain Gianluigi Buffon said. Also, AC Milan got a 65th-minute goal from Netherlands midfielder Nigel de Jong to beat Inter Milan 1-0 in the city derby and stay in the hunt for a Europa League spot. Inter remained fifth while Milan moved level with Parma in seventh. The fourth, fifth and sixth-place finishers will qualify for the Europa League. Milan and Parma are one point behind Torino, which won 1-0 at Chievo Verona with an own goal from Gennaro Sardo in the 54th. The title was a bit of a consolation for Juventus after it was eliminated from the Europa League semifinals by Benfica on Thursday -- missing out on the final in its home stadium. "I was sleeping, resting up for tomorrows match," said striker Carlos Tevez, who leads Juve with 19 goals in 31 matches, on Sky TV. "But my teammates woke me up and there was a lot of excitement. Although I was hoping to celebrate the title before our fans tomorrow." In Sicily, Mariano Izco scored for Catania in the 26th and 34th minutes. Gonzalo Bergessio also netted for the hosts in the 55th after Roma captain Francesco Totti pulled one back in the 37th. Then Pablo Barrientos added another for Catania in the 79th. The loss ended Romas nine-match winning streak, and the Giallorossi put up little resistance against a Catania side fighting to avoid relegation. Roma, which had already clinched second place and the last direct Champions League berth, was hoping to keep the title race open until next weekend when it hosts Juve. However, Roma coach Rudi Garcia said Saturday the title race was over and complimented Juve on its near-perfect season. "We did everything wrong today," Roma coach Rudi Garcia said. "The only thing I didnt get wrong was when I said yesterday that the season was over. Although I wasnt expecting a match like this. ... Ill expect a response next Sunday." Juventus has won all 17 of its home matches and lost only two away games. Both Tevez, who signed from Manchester City, and striker partner Fernando Llorente (Athletic Bilbao) -- who has 15 goals -- joined Juventus before the start of this season and were key players in the title run. Juves defence featuring Italy stalwarts like Buffon in goal and defenders Giorgio Chiellini, Andrea Barzagli and Leonardo Bonucci was just as solid. And midfield maestro Andrea Pirlo is still performing near his best at 34. There was controversy two years ago when Juventus celebrated what it claimed was its 30th title, although it actually only had 28 championships then since two were revoked following a 2006 match-fixing scandal. Its the first time Juventus has won three straight since taking five consecutive titles from 1931-5. In Milan, the Rossoneri dominated the first half but had nothing but a shot off the crossbar from Kaka to show for it. Midway through the second half, though, De Jong rose to meet a pinpoint cross from Mario Balotelli with a perfect header for the decider. It was De Jongs first goal in all competitions this season. Elsewhere Sunday, it was: Genoa 0, Bologna 0; Parma 2, Sampdoria 0; and Udinese 5, Livorno 3. Andy Lee 49ers Jersey . The assistants greeted Aldridge with compliments and high fives. Stotts had only one word for his high-scoring forward: "Thanks." Aldridge had 25 points and 16 rebounds in his return after missing seven games with a lower back contusion, and the Trail Blazers beat the Atlanta Hawks 100-85 on Thursday night to end a three-game losing streak. Jerry Rice Jersey . And this recent run of success also has general manager Bryan Murray re-thinking his plans for the near future with the March 5 trade deadline not too far away. The Texas Rangers first tried to get Tommy Hanson as part of what was a franchise-changing trade seven years ago. Now they have signed the free agent right-hander to a one-year contract in their search for depth in a rotation dealing with injury concerns. Hanson signed for $2 million plus possible incentives Friday, two days before Rangers pitchers and catchers report to spring training in Surprise, Ariz. "Hes a guy we followed for a long time," general manager Jon Daniels said. "Probably back to the Mark Teixeira trade in 07, followed his career and happy to have the opportunity to bring him in and looking forward to seeing him compete." Texas also avoided salary arbitration with first baseman Mitch Moreland by agreeing to a $2.65 million contract for this season, a raise of more than $2 million. The two sides were scheduled for an arbitration hearing Wednesday, but agreed to a number just more than midway between the salary figures they exchanged. The 27-year-old Hanson was 4-3 with a 5.42 ERA in 15 games (13 starts) in a difficult season with the Los Angeles Angels that included a right forearm injury and the death of his stepbrother. "Mentally, I dont think I was where I needed to be last year," Hanson said. "It wasnt only me. My whole family was dealing with that. Its hard to see your family struggle. Its difficult, something I dont really like to talk about. I feel like Im in a lot better place now than I was last year." Hanson said hes glad that is in the past. Physically, he said he feels great after two months of throwing. The Rangers made room for Hanson by putting left-handed reliever Joseph Ortiz on the 60-day disabled list with a broken left foot. He had surgery last month after he was run over by a motorcycle while home in Venezuela. The Angels traded for Hanson after he won at least 10 gamess in all four major league seasons (2009-12) with Atlanta, the organization he was with when the Rangers traded Teixeira in the deal that brought shortstop Elvis Andrus, left-hander Matt Harrison and Neftali Feliz -- all since All-Stars and part of two teams in Texas that reached the World Series. Y.A. Tittle Jersey. . Daniels and the Rangers also inquired about Hanson in that deal. "But he was a guy that Atlanta rightfully didnt want to give up on," Daniels said. Texas lefty Derek Holland, who had a Rangers-high 33 starts and career-high 213 innings last season, could miss more than half the season after microfracture surgery on the left knee injured when he was tripped by his dog on the stairs at his home. Harrison, last years opening day starter, is coming off a season when he made only two starts before two operations on a herniated disk in his back. Hanson said there were "quite of few teams" interested in him, but that Texas was the best fit for him. "Being able to go in and make the rotation, and be a big part of the team," Hanson said. "Ultimately we thought Texas was the best choice and here we are now." Moreland was displaced as a starting first baseman when Texas acquired slugger Prince Fielder in a trade from Detroit. The Rangers still plan to use the left-handed Moreland as a designated hitter while playing some first base and maybe the outfield. In a career-high 147 games last season, Moreland hit .232 with 24 doubles, 23 home runs, and 60 RBIs. He made his major league debut in the second half of the 2010 season, and was the only Texas player with a hit in all five World Series games against San Francisco, when he hit a team-best .462 (6 of 13) and homered in the only Rangers victory. The Rangers havent had to go a salary arbitration hearing since 2000, against Lee Stevens. ' ' ' |
