PARIS, SEPT 27: Europe's leading clubs enjoyed contrasting fortunes at the weekend ahead of yet another round of Champions League action with Italy's Lazio, Germany's Bayer Leverkusen and Catalan giants Barcelona savouring wins while Real Madrid and Bayern Munich stuttered.Matseille also cranked up their faltering League campaign in France with a 2-1 win at Rennes a boost ahead of Wednesday's trip of Manchester United although big-spending Lyon lead the table.Inter Milan, absent from the European scene this season, joined Lazio in opening up a two-point gap at the top of the Serie A after Christian Vieri and Matias Almeyda both scored second half winners for Italy's title rivals.Almeyda's will be candiate for goal of the season after his 30-metre pile-driver earned Lazio a 2-1 victory over Parma, whose coach Alberto Malesani is now clinging onto his job by a thread.Lazio are in Champions League action on Wednesday againsts Lovnian side Maribor. Unhappy Parma's Champions League dream died in thequalifiers when the lost to Rangers of Scotland that loss being only the start of Malesani's increasing problems.Vieri meanwhile made another repayment on his World record transfer fee; the $ 50-million man heading home in a tense 1-0 win over Torino that kept Inter ahead of Lazio on goal difference.In Spain's Primera Liga, Barcelona thrashed Betis 4-1 to move ahead of Rayo Vallecano on goal difference after the bubble burst for promoted Vallecano, who lost 1-0 at home to Real Zaragoza to concede top spot.Former Aston Villa star Savo Milosevic scored Zaragoza's winner midway through the second half to bring newly-promoted Vallecano's astonishing start of four wins to a grinding halt.The hosts lost heart after that particularly after missing a penalty by Carlos Llorens Mestre.Real Madrid were meanwhile held at promoted Malaga, 1-1 and are three points adrift, a result which earned them a roasting from coach John Toshack.Bayer Leverkusen went top of the heap in the German Bundesliga as theycame from beind to beat Kaiser Slautern 3-1 aided by two late Ulf Kirsten goals.But there was a shock for Bayern ahead of their Champions League clash with Spain's Valencia as the reigning champions suffering a 0-1 home reverse on Friday against Stuttgart.Bulgarian Krassimir Balakov scored the winner from the spot with 15 minutes remaining to hand Bayern their first home loss in 19 months.Bayern are now fourth, four points adrift of Leverkusen.Back in Italy, there was drama in Parma after 25 minutes when home skipper Antonio Benarrivo was knocked unconscious, albeit briefly, after suffering a head injury in a collision with Lazio's Chilean striker Marcelo Salas.
