VALENCIA, Spain – Barcelona won the Spanish Copa del Rey for a record 25th time, and the first time since 1998, coming from behind to defeat Athletic Bilbao 4-1.

Gaizka Toquero scored on a header in the ninth minute for Athletic, in the final for the first time in 24 years. Yaya Toure tied the score in the 32nd following an individual run from inside the Athletic half and Lionel Messi made it 2-1 in the 57th.

Manchester U. 2, Wigan 1

LONDON – Manchester United moved within one point of a record-tying 18th English league title, rallying to win 2-1 at Wigan on Wednesday night behind second-half goals from Carlos Tevez and Michael Carrick.

Hugo Rodallega put Wigan ahead in the 28th minute, but Tevez tied the score when he re-directed Carrick’s off-target shot with a backheel in the 61st minute, three minutes after replacing Anderson. Carrick scored in the 86th.

“We did it the hard way,” Carrick said.

United (27-4-5) has a six-point lead over second-place Liverpool (23-2-11) with two games remaining. It can win its third straight league title and tie Liverpool’s record for most league championships with a tie or victory at home against Arsenal on Saturday.

PARIS (AP) – Yoann Gourcuff scored his fifth goal in four games, and Bordeaux won 2-1 at Valenciennes to keep pace with first-place Olympique Marseille in the French League with three games remaining.

Bordeaux fell behind when Gael Danic converted a penalty kick in the 22nd minute, but Fernando Menegazzo tied the score in the 38th and Gourcuff scored in the 83rd.

Marseille, seeking its first league title since 1992, defeated visiting Nice 2-0 on goals by Mamadou Niang in the 27th minute and Brandao in the 60th.

Marseille (20-4-11) and Bordeaux (21-6-8) each have 71 points, but Marseille is ahead on goal difference, plus-29 to plus-27. Marseille hosts seven-time defending champion Lyon on Sunday, a day after Bordeaux hosts Le Mans.

AP-ES-05-13-09 1934EDT


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