The Rossoneri had to score twice, including a hotly-disputed penalty, in the closing 10 minutes to secure maximum points and a top-three finish.

AC Milan dramatically secured a Champions League berth next season as their 2-1 success in Siena on Sunday ensured they finished third in Serie A, despite Fiorentina’s emphatic victory over Pescara.

After surviving intense early pressure, the hosts grabbed an unexpected lead when Claudio Terzi was left unmarked to convert a free kick delivered by the highly-impressive Alessandro Rosina. Milan rather lost their discipline and saw captain Massimo Ambrosini dismissed as they struggled to fashion chances but Christian Terlizzi’s red card left the door open and late strikes from Mario Balotelli and Philippe Mexes gave then three scantly-deserved points.

Already consigned to Serie B next season, little was expected of the home side yet when Rosina was allowed time after a quick free kick to pick out a dangerous cross, Terzi was able to head into the net with relative ease.

Milan really toiled thereafter but Balotelli breathed life into the game with eight minutes left as he converted from a penalty after being softly awarded the kick following a tussle with Felipe.

With three minutes left, Mexes scrambled a vital goal after steering the ball into the net at the second attempt following a free kick.

In the early stages the star of the show had been home goalkeeper Gianluca Pegolo, who was called into serious action several times in the opening 10 minutes. Balotelli started in a particularly explosive manner and was unfortunate to see a fierce drive turned over by the goalkeeper. Before the break, the Italy striker would also see a free kick pushed wide by Pegolo.

In the opening quarter of an hour, Milan’s front three were electric but would ultimately pay for Mbaye Niang’s lack of composure in front of goal. The young Frenchman headed a decent chance wide and then failed to make contact when Robinho’s low cross invited the opening goal. Shortly afterward the Brazilian had an effort of his own, yet Pegolo athletically parried clear.

Not long after conceding to Terzi, Balotelli had a golden chance to level the match but headed against the underside of the bar from an Ignazio Abate cross.

This proved a pivotal moment in the game as Milan would quickly lose their way and would be increasingly stifled by the well-organised hosts.

Only after Stephan El Shaarawy was introduced after an hour did Milan even begin to offer a renewed threat yet their recovery seemed to have ended when Ambrosini was dismissed for a second booking. Terlizzi was nonsensically sent-off shortly afterwards, though, giving Milan a lifeline.

The mercurial Balotelli was having an erratic game but reminded the hosts of his threat from a free kick saved by Pegoto before finally beating the goalkeeper after being awarded a dubious spot kick.

Now the momentum was firmly with Milan and Mexes struck decisively with three minutes remaining to send them into the Champions League at the expense of Fiorentina in the most remarkable circumstances.

According to Goal

La Liga, Camp Nou – Barcelona 2 (Pedro 21, Valiente og 42) Real Valladolid 1 (Perez pen 89)

Eurosport – Barcelona – Xavi, Pedro, Fabregas

An under-strength Barcelona beat Real Valladolid 2-1 at a sodden Camp Nou – and celebrated their 22nd Liga title at full time.

Pedro opened the scoring with a low finish under Valladolid keeper Jaime.

Barca doubled their advantage three minutes before the break, with Marc Valiente’s inadvertently deflecting Andres Iniesta’s corner into his own net.

Victor Perez converted a late penalty for the visitors but Barca, who were without Lionel Messi, Dani Alves and Carles Puyol, limped to their 30th victory of the season.

With Tito Vilanova’s side having already secured the Liga title with three games to spare and Miroslav Djukic’s Real Valladolid heading for a mid-table finish, there was very little riding on this match in the rain.

But Barca started strongly and were soon rewarded with the opener. Latching onto Xavi’s through ball, Pedro fired under Jaime’s dive for his ninth goal of the season – his sixth in La Liga.

The visitors were restricted to the rare half chance, the best of which fell to Oscar – but his shot from 20 yards was tame.

Barca doubled their lead shortly before the break courtesy of Valiente’s own goal. The former Barca academy player was unable to clear Iniesta’s corner and could only divert it past Jaime into his own net.

The intensity dropped in the second half, but Barca created a cluster of clear chance to add a third. The first was created by the former Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas, who drove down the left and pulled back to Pedro, but the forward’s thumping shot skimmed off the top of the bar.

Fabregas then had the chance to score himself, but bent a lovely shot a fraction wide, before turning provider moments later with a perfectly-weighted through ball for David Villa, but the former Valencia striker could only draw a save from Jaime – with Pedro somehow failing to score into the empty net on the rebound.

Valladolid substitute Alberto Manucho earned a late penalty when he was tripped by Martin Montoya, and Victor Perez sent Victor Valdes the wrong way from the spot.

But Barca, who have claimed the title without having won the Clasico this season, always had the measure of their opponents and ran out deserving winners – and celebrated the title by lifting the La Liga trophy after the game.

According to Yahoo

Laurent Koscielny ensured Arsenal of a place in the Champions League qualifiers with the only goal in a tight 1-0 win at Newcastle.

The central defender prodded home from close range seven minutes after the break to ensure that the Gunners could not be overhauled by north London rivals Tottenham in the fight for fourth place in the Barclays Premier League.

But the result was in doubt until the final kick of the game, with Tottenham’s home win over Sunderland meaning a late equaliser for Alan Pardew’s men would have meant Spurs and not the Gunners getting a shot at Europe’s premier club competition.

Newcastle had motivation of their own, after owner Mike Ashley’s offer of £1million to be shared between the club’s non-footballing staff if they ended a difficult campaign with a victory.

But ultimately, a third successive defeat at St James’ Park, albeit despite a much-improved display, saw the staff go empty-handed and 38-year-old goalkeeper Steve Harper denied the perfect finish to his long career on Tyneside in front of a crowd of 52,354.

The Gunners enjoyed plenty of possession with Santi Cazorla the fulcrum, but with Newcastle defending competently, they found chances few and far between.

Theo Walcott, who was largely effectively contained by makeshift full-back Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa before the break, whistled a sixth-minute shot over Harper’s crossbar and Koscielny glanced a header harmlessly wide from Cazorla’s 12th-minute corner.

But in the meantime, Magpies striker Papiss Cisse had gone significantly closer, whipping a first-time left-foot effort just over after a fine run and cross by Yanga-Mbiwa.

For all Arsenal were able to retain possession for long periods, they were unable to penetrate with Cheick Tiote harrying in the middle of the park and Yoan Gouffran closing down space further upfield.

Gouffran dragged a left-foot shot across the face of goal with 13 minutes gone and Jonas Gutierrez saw a shot from distance deflected safely into Wojciech Szczesny’s hands four minutes later.

There was little to choose between the sides, but the Gunners had a glorious opportunity to take the lead with 14 minutes of the half remaining.

Aaron Ramsey picked out full-back Kieran Gibbs in acres of space on the left and he cut inside Mathieu Debuchy before squaring to Cazorla, who steered his shot high over.

Yohan Cabaye tested Szczesny from long range with a dipping effort seven minutes later, but Hatem Ben Arfa, who produced several spellbinding solo runs during the first half, could not hit the target after cutting inside five minutes before the break.

Harper, who was warmly applauded by the home fans as the clock ticked into the 37th minute – his shirt number – was called upon for the first time within 60 seconds of the restart, and he will have been mightily relieved to find himself equal to the task after handing the Gunners their chance himself.

The goalkeeper’s scuffed challenge fell to Ramsey, who slid the ball into the path of Walcott, but the England international could not beat Harper as he dived low to his right.

However, Arsenal had emerged in far more determined mood and they went ahead with 52 minutes played when Per Mertesacker headed down Walcott’s free-kick for central defensive partner Koscielny to volley past the helpless Harper from close range.

Vurnon Anita, on for the injured Cabaye, sparked a promising 58th-minute attack for the Magpies which saw Jonas Gutierrez set up Cisse, but his shot was blocked at source by Koscielny.

It took Mertesacker’s intervention to deny Gouffran a 64th-minute equaliser after Anita had picked out Mathieu Debuchy on the right, and the Frenchman was soon replaced by compatriot Sylvain Marveaux as Pardew looked for a way back into the game.

Walcott had a glorious opportunity to make sure at the death when he carved his way through the home defence, but with just Harper to beat, he stabbed the ball against the foot of the far post, but ultimately Koscielny’s effort proved enough.

According to Foxsports