Ronaldinho Loses Father To Heart Attack

Ronaldinho was spotted crying non-stop on Friday when he received the sad news that his father had died in the hospital after his battle with heart attack. None of his football fans has ever seen the sportsman cry this way before.  May his dad’s soul rest in perfect peace. Amen!

"Balotelli Is Cool With Fact That I’m Dating His Sister" – Martins

It is no longer news that Nigeria’s weapon of mass destruction, Obafemi Martins, is dating Abigail Barwuah, Mario Balotelli’s elder sister – what is news however is the speculation that the Manchester City ‘bad boy’ is unhappy about the pair dating.
However, Martins, who once played with Balotelli at Inter’s youth team in Milan, Italy, has dismissed such insinuations with a wave of the hand.
“Mario is my boy”, he started. “The respect is there because I used to play at Inter, in the youth team with him. He’s giving me my respect and I’m doing same. People are putting it in the news that he’s upset, of course he’s glad.
“He’s glad that Obafemi Martins is dating his sister. But if he gets jealous then it means he doesn’t want his sister to grow. But it’s not like that. The boy is not a bad boy” Martins insisted.
He also disclosed that for now, marraige is not on the cards as he and Abigail haven’t discussed it.
“The relationship is true but getting married or not, we haven’t discussed anything like that. She’s upstairs and we’re happy together” he concluded.
Meanwhile, the love between the pair is rather coming as a surprise to close watchers as Abigail, 24, had earlier in the year, granted an interview to a tabloid, The Sun, where she claimed that she couldn’t date a footballer and even claims  her brother wouldn’t allow it: “Mario wouldn’t let me anyway. He knows only too well what they are like. They are surrounded by women. Girls throw themselves at them.”

Yobo Hits Back At Osaze, Calls Him A ‘kid’

Osaze Odemwingie’s Twitter rant over his exclusion has turned him into a spoiler in the eyes of the Football Federation, some ex-Eagles’ players and even among the current crop as the National team captain, Joseph Yobo, has lashed out at the West Brom forward for being disrespectful for saying the Super Eagles has been without a leader for a long time. Odemwingie, via his Twitter @OdemwingieP, had insinuated that recent Eagles captains have only looked out for themselves only and so the team lacks a leader.
In reaction to that allegation which seemed like a veiled attack at his captaincy, Yobo has called Odemwingie a ‘kid’ that needs to ‘grow up.
“Osaze has been reckless, disrespectful to most people. He’s not a kid, he should grow up because we cannot continue to baby sit him. He is responsible for his problems,” Yobo told Nigeria’s foremost sports radio, Brila FM on Friday.
“This is not the first time he has been disrespectful. He is fighting all the coaches and at the World Cup he also disrespected me and he later apologised.
“He is not the (Lionel) Messi or (Cristiano) Ronaldo of Nigeria. He should look himself in the mirror.”
While commending the coach, Stephen Keshi for the provisional squad he picked for the AfCON, the  Fenerbache defender however admitted that he was surprised at the exclusion of Obafemi Martins, Osaze, Taye Taiwo and Kalu Uche in the squad.
“I will give him credit for the squad. He will score 95 percent even though one or two should have been there,” said the former Everton defender.
“I’m sure he would have had some sleepless nights in selecting his team. Kalu Uche, Martins, Taye and Osaze not being there was a surprise but the coach must have his reasons and he cannot call everybody.”
Yobo, 32, also hinted next year’s AfCON might be his last so to give way for new faces in the Eagles set up.
“I think I have to admit it that this may be my last Nations Cup. We have to allow younger players to get their chance,” said the central defender, who is Nigeria’smost capped player and has featured in five Nations Cups.

"2012 Fifa Ballon d’Or"- And The Nominees Are;

FIFA has revealed the names of the three players who remain in the race to win the World Footballer of the Year award 2012. They are Andres Iniesta (Spain, FC Barcelona), Lionel Messi (Argentina/FC Barcelona) and Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal/Read Madrid)
The winner will be revealed at the FIFA Ballon d’Or gala as part of a televised show at the Zurich Kongresshaus on 7 January 2013. Who do you think should win this year?

CHELSEA Revealed Profit Indicate DEBT-FREE

In 2010, Chelsea was second only to Manchester United (£764 million debt) as the worst offender when it comes to debt in English football, owing its creditors a staggering £736 million, and is thus responsible for almost ¼ of all debt in the Premier League, but after just two years, the club is debt-free.
Chelsea had a profit of 1.4 million pounds ($2.2 million) in the financial year to end-June 2012, compared with a loss of 67.7 million pounds a year earlier, making it the first time the club will declare profit since Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich bought the soccer club in 2003.
Even as Barcelona were celebrating the Champions’ league triumph last year, they were £400m in debt, but the reigning Champion of Europe is debt-free.
Chelsea also won the English FA Cup last May as well as the UEFA Champions’ league and their successes helped to increase turnover by 15 percent to 255.7 million pounds, which the club said made them the fifth largest club in Europe in terms of revenue.
Manchester United, the most commercially successful English club, had revenues of 320 million pounds last year.
Abramovich converted 166.6 million pounds of debt into equity over the course of the year, making Chelsea debt free. United fans complain that interest payments on the club’s debt make it harder for them to compete with rivals.
Profits of 28.8 million pounds made on transfer dealings helped Chelsea to return to the black.
High-profile departures from Chelsea last season included Alex to Paris St Germain, and Yuri Zhirkov who went to wealthy Russian team Anzhi Makhachkala. Chelsea signed Gary Cahill and Juan Mata in the period but such transfer costs are spread over several years depending on the length of their contracts.
Summer signings including Oscar and Eden Hazard were not included in the latest set of results, a club spokesman said.
A Chelsea statement said: “The £1.4m profit contrasts with a loss of £67.7m in the previous financial year and puts the club in a strong position to comply with UEFA financial fair play criteria for the coming seasons.
“The club also enjoyed an uplift in revenues from commercial activities including new partners and merchandising.”
The statement added debt of £166.6m was turned into equity during the course of the year “making Chelsea FC plc debt free”.
Chelsea chief executive Ron Gourlay said: “Our club philosophy is built on success. We had that success on the field this year, as we were the first London team to win the UEFA Champions League, and we enjoyed it off the field as well and this helps us inject financial investment into the team.
“The big challenge is always to have a successful team on the field that wins trophies and to make a profit at the same time.”
Manchester City is another club with a wealthy owner and a huge debt. But no one can blame them for spending so much on players. The crucial goals for City were scored by strikers who cost more than the annual turnover of nearly half of the other clubs they play against. To paraphrase Arnold Palmer, the more you spend on the best players, the luckier you get.
However, with the looming introduction of financial fair players rules by European football governing body UEFA designed to ensure clubs in continental competitions break even, clubs like City have a lot of work to do. Chelsea has shown it is not impossible to get out of debt and still have worldclass players.

2013 Nations Cup: Nigeria Paired With Defending Champion

The pairings for the African Cup of Nations 2013 have been released. The 29th Africa Cup of Nations was scheduled to be hosted by Libya, however CAF decided to move the competition to South Africa. The table of the different groups is listed below:

Group A South Africa Cape Verde Morocco Angola

Group B Ghana DR Congo Niger Mali

Group C Zambia Ethiopia Burkina Faso Nigeria

Group D  Cote D’Ivoire Togo Algeria Tunisia

World’s 50 Fastest Players; Nigerians Made List

Levante speedy striker Obafemi Martins has been named alongside Russia-based compatriots Victor Obinna and Ahmed Musa in Bleacher Report’s World Football’s 50 Fastest Players.
The list was drawn from a combination of sprinting ability, acceleration and speed with the ball by the players

Martins was listed in 35th position, one place ahead of Lokomotiv Moscow forward, Obinna while CSKA Moscow speedster, Musa placed 38th.
Arsenal winger Theo Walcott was first with Dutchman Arjen Robben and Aaron Lennon coming 8th and 9th respectively.
Real Madrid superstar Cristiano Ronaldo emerged in 14th place while Barcelona’s Lionel Messi placed 31st.
Ivoirian Seydou Doumbia (11th) of CSKA Moscow is the first African on the list while Burundian Mohammed Tchite (16), Ghanaian Dominic Oduro (18), Malian Jimmy Kebe (19) and Waris Majeed Abdul complete the African list.

Olympics Men's Basketball 2012: Team USA Whopped D'Tigers of Nigeria

See Carmelo Anthony , Lebron James and Kobe Bryant laughing at us ...lol

Nigeria's men basketball team, D'Tigers, lost to Team USA last night. No surprise there really, the only surprise for me was how the game ended. Nigeria - 73 USA 156. Ouch!

Team USA used our Nigerian team to make Olympics history. They set Olympics record for most points scored in a game. It was also the biggest margin of victory for a USA team with 83 points. And lastly, it was the most threes made (29) in US Olympics history. Up Naija! lol.

But our boys tried sha! There's no shame in being beat by the best, so big kudos to them. If you watched it, what did you think of the game?

Michael Phelps Wins 19th Olympic Medal; HIGHEST EVER

Michael Phelps has officially won more Olympic medals than ANY OLYMPIAN IN HISTORY -- winning his 19TH MEDAL moments ago during the 4x200m relay.

Phelps and his team -- Ryan Lochte, Ricky Berens, and Conor Dwyer -- picked up gold for the United States, with Phelps beating out France in the final stretch by almost a body length. China took bronze.
Phelps won his 18th earlier today -- a silver -- during the 200m butterfly.

In addition to the all-time Olympic medal record, Phelps also holds the all-time record for most gold Olympic medals (15), and the record for most gold medals in individual events (9).

The previous all-time Olympic medal count was held by Soviet gymnast Larisa Latynina, who won 18 total medals over 3 Olympics.

ESPN Predicts 50 Cent Will Become Floyd Mayweather's Full-Time Promoter

Judging from Floyd Mayweather's pending prison release and a Twitter rift between 50 Cent and Oscar De La Hoya, ESPN says 50 Cent And Mayweather will team up.

Welterweight and Junior Middleweight boxing champion, Floyd Mayweather is making headlines in his sport even while serving the rest of an 87-day sentence in Nevada’s Clark County Detention Center. A series of recent events—including an exchange between Mayweather’s friend 50 Cent and Mayweather’s part-time promoter, Oscar De La Hoya—has led to speculation that Mayweather will join 50 Cent’s newly formed boxing promotion company.

According to ESPN.com’s Dan Rafael, Mayweather only worked with De La Hoya’s Golden Boy Promotions company on a fight-by-fight basis last year. That lack of a long-term agreement could lead to 50 Cent and Mayweather making their The Money Team partnership official.

“[50 Cent] has been at Mayweather's side during episodes of HBO’s “24/7” and is a regular at Mayweather's fights and news conferences,” Rafael wrote. “But now, it seems, he is also poised to become Mayweather’s promoter when Mayweather is released from jail following a domestic abuse conviction.”

The rapper and entrepreneur insinuated as much via Twitter, when he taunted De La Hoya in a series of public exchanges that have since been deleted by both parties.

De La Hoya set off the exchange by writing, “Everyone wanting to be a boxing promoter? Good luck. Easier said than done.” The statement was presumably in reference to news of 50 Cent forming TMT promotions.

Mikel Obi Retains No.12 Shirt, Hazard gets No. 17

Mikel Battles Rooney

Super Eagles midfielder and UEFA Champions League winner Mikel Obi  retained his number 12 jersey after his club-side released a revised player jersey numbering for the much awaited 2012/2013 football season.

Chelsea’s official website reveals that Jose Bosingwa and Solomon Kalou’s shirt numbers have been assigned to new players.

Didier Drogba’s jersey number 11 has not been assigned to any player yet.

“The three summer additions to the squad have been given their shirt numbers for the forthcoming season.

Kevin De Bruyne will wear 14, a number that was unused last campaign. Eden Hazard  will take the 17 previously worn by Jose Bosingwa and Marko Marin is our new number 21 following the departure of Salomon Kalou.” According to Chelsea FC official website.

Mikel, Chelsea’s new signings and the rest of the squad are scheduled to fly to the United States on Saturday to beginning their pre-season tour.

Obafemi Martins acquires Multi-million Naira houses in VGC

These footballers are living the life! Obafemi Martins has a multimillion naira property in Kent, outside London and has acquired two more in Victoria Garden City, Lagos. The footballer is currently in town to move his things into one of the houses..

Drogba to leave Chelsea

Didier Drogba has confirmed he plans to quit Chelsea following his Champions League final heroics, according to reports in France.

The striker has been quoted saying he informed his team-mates of his decision during the club’s open-top bus parade on Monday after leading them to the greatest moment in their history on Saturday night.

Drogba, who has reportedly already agreed a deal to join Shanghai Shenhua when his Chelsea contract expires this summer, is said to have admitted he struggled to get the words out and burst into tears.

“We will no longer be together next season,” the 34-year-old said in quotes attributed to France Football magazine.

“As I decided to leave, I wanted to tell them straight in the eye. Except that I could not do it. They made me crack.

“Even though it’s been three years since I said I wanted to leave, I find it hard to admit that it’s over with this club – especially as I did not feel like this. But I could not see myself sitting on the bench to watch others play when the club plans to set up a new team.”

MAN City Grab Dramatic Premier League Title Win

Manchester City score two injury-time goals to see off 10-man QPR and win the Premier League title in dramatic style.

RECORDS.

**Man City are the first team to win the league title on goal difference since Arsenal pipped Liverpool in 1989.
**With 89 points, Man United have set a new record for most points in a 38-game Premier League season without winning the title.
**Manchester City is crowned champions for the first time in 44 years.
Congrats Manchester City!

"I Don't Even Know My Twin" – Taiye Taiwo

Nigeria international Taye Taiwo says he is very worried by rumours making the rounds about age cheating involving him and his late twin. Taiwo turned 27 on April 16, but a BlackBerry broadcast message with unknown origins claimed that while the defender was celebrating his 27th birthday in London, his supposed twin brother was marking his 39th.

The message quickly went viral, with some claiming the supposed twin turned 37, and others say 33... But a source however said it is common knowledge among close friends and relatives of the Taiwos, that Taye’s twin, a girl, died barely two months after they were born. And Taiwo is said to be angry at the rumours.

”I don’t know what kind of sick joke this is, or the kind of sick person who will come up with it... I did not even know my twin. I was very young when my father told me that she died when we were young. Why is it that people are always looking for a way to bring others down? I don’t understand it,” he said

Ten-man Chelsea Torment Barcelona

Chelsea achieved the seemingly impossible with a stunning backs-to-the-wall performance against Barcelona, securing a 2-2 draw and 3-2 aggregate win at the Nou Camp.

Their task was made all the more difficult after John Terry was sent off with the Blues 1-0 down. Sergio Busquets had already opened the scoring after Isaac Cuenca's cut back across goal.

And, when Andres Iniesta made the score 2-0, it seemed that there would only be one winner as Pep Guardiola's side held the advantage before the interval.

But, with half-time moments away, Brazilian international Ramires chipped Victor Valdes to hand the visitors a surprise lead on aggregate.

Lionel Messi missed a second-half penalty as things appeared to be going against the hosts, and Fernando Torres made the result safe when he rounded the keeper in injury-time to secure a famous win.

The Blues set their stall out from the off, picking the same side from the first leg and defending deep, with Didier Drogba used to try and hit the Catalonians on the counter attack.

Gary Cahill was substituted early in proceedings with a groin injury, and after Busquets tapped home at the far post following good work from Dani Alves and then Cuenca, Terry saw red for a crazy knee to the back of Alexis Sanchez. The scores were level on aggregate, and the skipper had put the Blues in seeming disaray.

Messi slid in Xavi to make it 2-0 on 43 minutes, but Ramires latched onto a through ball to produce a stunning chip less than 180 seconds later.

It meant the hosts had to score in the second period, and they were camped on Roberto Di Matteo's side's half for the remaining 45 minutes of the match as they looked for the decisive goal.

Messi got his chance when Didier Drogba fouled Cesc Fabregas in the box on 47 minutes, but the Argentine fired against the bar to give the Blues a massive lift in confidence.

He would again hit the post later in the half, but it would be Torres who stole the headlines in injury time, racing clear onto a long ball and rounding Valdes to send the visiting fans into raptures on a famous night for the west Londoners.

Centurion Drogba Fires Blues

Didier Drogba's 100th Premier League goal was enough to beat ten-man Stoke City at Stamford Bridge and maintain Chelsea's challenge for a top four finish.
The win moved the Blues level on points with fourth-placed Arsenal who were due to face Newcastle United at the Emirates Stadium on Monday.
And Drogba's 68th-minute goal ensured caretaker-manager Roberto Di Matteo savored victory in his first Premier League game since taking charge of the side following the dismissal of Andre Villas-Boas last weekend.
But Di Matteo - who also oversaw a midweek FA Cup victory at Birmingham - knows his side will have to perform better if they are to overcome a 3-1 first leg deficit when they face Napoli in the Champions League next week.
Stoke were forced to play with ten men for over an hour following the 25th minute dismissal of Ricardo Fuller for a stamp on Branislav Ivanovic.
But while Chelsea dominated possession, they struggled to break the visitors down until Drogba produced an excellent finish following good work by Juan Mata.
The margin of victory could have been greater had a late Mata free kick not struck the woodwork as Stoke tired late on.
But overall, this was a scrappy display that confirmed Chelsea's problems this season and Di Matteo faces a testing challenge if he is to revive the club's campaign.
The caretaker-manager opted to start with Mata and Daniel Sturridge on the bench, perhaps with one eye on the Napoli game.
But the absence of the two forwards did nothing to hinder Chelsea's early attacking moves with the home side quickly laying siege to the Stoke goal.
Ivanovic had clearly been given the green light to get forward at every opportunity and the Serbia defender came close with a fourth minute header from Frank Lampard's corner.
In fact the right back was his side's greatest attacking threat during the first half.
But it was Ivanovic's running tussle with Fuller that led to the decisive moment of opening 45 minutes.
The two had clashed off the ball when Stoke broke rapidly through Jonathan Walters, prompting City manager Tony Pulis to react angrily when no free kick was given.
And the incident clearly left its mark on Fuller who reacted with an ugly stamp on Ivanovic when he was tripped attempting to go past the defender.
A red card was inevitable, leaving Stoke to play with ten men for over an hour.
Already on top, Chelsea should have found it easy to step up the tempo and take control of the game.
But Di Matteo's side struggled to translate their territorial dominance into meaningful chances, even after the Chelsea manager introduced Mata for Raul Meireles after just 37 minutes.
John Terry sent a header against the bar and it took a good save from City keeper Asmir Begovic to deny Ivanovic after the Chelsea man had made a powerful run forward before exchanging a neat one-two with Lampard.
And Ivanovic came closer still four minutes from the break when he lashed a powerful volley against the bar with Begovic with the keeper beaten.
It was clear, though, that Chelsea were growing increasingly frustrated, particularly when Stoke took every opportunity to slow the game down after the break.
Lampard and Terry both fired in long range efforts but Stoke's well organised defence limited the home side's efforts to press further forward.
Chelsea needed a spark of individual quality to find a way through and it almost came in the 66th minute when Drogba curled in a free kick that Begovic did well to claw to safety.
But the keeper was unable to deny the Ivorian two minutes later when the striker was picked out by a superb reverse pass, rounded Begovic and side-footed the ball into the empty net.
Stoke had offered little going forward and, having fallen behind, were never likely to muster a reply.

United Disect Tottenham

Two Ashley Young goals helped Manchester United to a clinical 3-1 win at Tottenham Hotspur that sliced Manchester City's lead at the top of the Premier League back to two points on Sunday.
England winger Young scored twice in nine minutes at White Hart Lane after Wayne Rooney's 44th-minute header had given United a fortunate halftime lead against third-placed Spurs who worked tirelessly throughout the game but lacked a cutting edge.
Substitute Jermain Defoe scored a late consolation for Tottenham who suffered their second convincing defeat in eight days after last week's 5-2 thrashing at north London rivals Arsenal
With 11 games remaining champions United have 64 points to the 66 of City with Tottenham on 53, four ahead of Arsenal in the race for an automatic Champions League spot.
"We had a bit of luck," United manager Alex Ferguson, taking charge of his 986th league game to go ahead of the club record he shared with Matt Busby, told Sky Sports.
"Scoring right on halftime it was probably our first chance at goal. That was a killer for Tottenham because they must have been sitting there wondering how they are losing 1-0."
Chelsea, who sacked manager Andre Villas-Boas on Sunday, are a further three points behind. Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp said the Portuguese's exit would not have any impact on the race for a top-four finish.
"Not unless Jose Mourinho is coming it's not going to effect it and I don't think he's coming this week," he told reporters.
Newcastle United's hopes of challenging for a top-four spot suffered a blow with a 1-1 draw against 10-man Sunderland, Shola Ameobi scoring a stoppage-time leveller for Newcastle.
Sunderland took the lead through Nicklas Bendtner in a bad-tempered north-east derby but the visitors had Stephane Sessegon sent off for an elbow.
Wolverhampton Wanderers slipped into the relegation zone after a 5-0 drubbing at Fulham, for whom Russian Pavel Pogrebnyak scored a hat-trick and Clint Dempsey two.
FINAL SPRINT
Ferguson had identified the fixture at White Hart Lane as a massive game in his side's quest to prevent City stealing their title and after taking the points despite not playing well his side now look perfectly placed for the final sprint to the line.
Tottenham, bidding for a first win over United since 2001, were without Welsh winger Gareth Bale, Dutchman Rafael van der Vaart and midfield workhorse Scott Parker but were the better side in the opening period.
Lacklustre United offered virtually no attacking threat and Ferguson's 986th halftime team talk in a league match might have involved his dreaded hair dryer had it not been for Rooney's poacher's goal just before the break.
Young's corner was curled in from the left and Rooney evaded the attention of his marker to stoop and head the ball past a helpless Brad Friedel.
It was harsh on Tottenham who had produced some slick attacking play as they attempted to enliven a muted home crowd on a raw, drizzly afternoon in north London.
Aaron Lennon's pace down the right caused problems and former United striker Louis Saha and Adebayor had several sights at goal as the hosts dominated possession.
Tottenham were unlucky not to go ahead after 36 minutes when Saha's close-range shot from Lennon's cut back hit Adebayor on the line and although the Togo striker hooked the ball in he was adjudged to have handled.
The second half began in similar fashion with Tottenham pressing and midfielder Jake Livermore's deflected drive was superbly saved by David De Gea.
But just as Spurs were threatening an equaliser they suffered a body blow on the hour.
Luka Modric was guilty of allowing Nani to cross and the ball skidded across the face of goal to Young who leapt to hook it crisply into the far corner.
Nine minutes later Young galloped towards goal before unleashing an unstoppable dipping shot from 25 yards into the top corner.
Not even a rare mistake by veteran Ryan Giggs, who gave the ball straight to Defoe for a well-taken consolation, could spoil what was a thoroughly satisfying day for United.
Despite the defeat, Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp was upbeat about his side's chances of finishing in the top three.
"We've still got a big chance. I'm looking to finish third not fourth," he said. "I'd be disappointed to finish fourth and even more disappointed to finish fifth."

30 League Tally- Cristiano Ronaldo

Cristiano Ronaldo took his league tally for the season to 30 as leaders Real Madrid swept aside Espanyol 5-0 at the Bernabeu to restore their 10-point advantage over Barcelona in La Liga on Sunday.
The Portuguese forward, last season's European Golden Boot winner with 40 league goals, opened the scoring from Gonzalo Higuain's layoff in the 23rd minute, to take his total in all competitions to 38.
Sami Khedira doubled the lead after playing a one-two with his German international teammate Mesut Ozil in the 38th minute and Higuain buried a third just after the re-start.
Kaka set up the third, bagged the fourth with a run and shot off the post in the 66th, and pulled back for Higuain to hammer the fifth high into the net in the 78th.
Jose Mourinho's team moved a step closer towards their first league title in four years as they climbed to 67 points with 13 left to play.
"We're very pleased," Argentina international Higuain told Spanish television.
"There's still a long way to go so it was important for us to maintain our points advantage."
Champions Barcelona survived a 46th-minute red card for Gerard Pique to beat lowly Sporting Gijon 3-1 at home to move on to 57 points on Saturday.
Sofiane Feghouli earned Valencia a 1-0 victory at Granada, his side's first road win in La Liga since November, to keep them third in the standings with 43 points.
Home keeper Julio Cesar made a hash of parrying the Frenchman's tame shot in the 32nd minute in a scrappy match littered with yellow cards.
Valencia's second league win of 2012 strengthened their hold on third place ahead of Athletic Bilbao in fourth with 37.
Manchester United's opponents in the Europa League next week moved into the Champions League places with a 2-0 home win over Real Sociedad in the Basque derby.
Markel Susaeta scored in each half, the second a superb freekick struck into the top corner 10 minutes from time.
The visitors from San Sebastian were unlucky not to level at the beginning of the second half when a Carlos Vela shot appeared to cross the line before Gorka Iraizoz got to the ball.
Sixth-placed Levante with 35 points can reclaim fourth place with a win at home to Real Betis on Monday.
Basement side Real Zaragoza kept alive their hopes of avoiding the drop with a 2-1 comeback win against Villarreal, thanks to goals from Luis Garcia and Abraham Minero in the last five minutes.
The cash-strapped club, who are in administration, earned their first home win since October and have 18 points, nine from safety.

Andre Villas-Boas Sacked

Sir Alex Ferguson believes Andre Villas-Boas was always on a hiding to nothing at Chelsea after the Blues boss was sacked just eight months into his reign.
Villas-Boas was axed less than 24 hours after Saturday's 1-0 defeat at West Bromwich Albion following several weeks of speculation about his future.
The former Porto boss only took charge at Chelsea in June last year but endured a miserable time, in large part due to a stormy relationship with the club's leading players.
Manchester United boss Ferguson, who enjoyed the support of his board through several trophy-less seasons at the start of his Old Trafford reign, hinted Villas-Boas was always likely to struggle at Chelsea, given his lack of experience and the demanding nature of owner Roman Abramovich.
"The lad's been under pressure but what you need in this job is time," Ferguson was quoted as saying on the BBC's website.
"His record at Porto shows he has got potential. But Chelsea was a big ask."
However, Newcastle manager Alan Pardew said that some of Chelsea's senior stars should apologise to Villas-Boas for failing to back his overhaul of the team's style and playing staff.
Pardew said he felt for Villas-Boas, who was criticised for dropping Ashley Cole, Frank Lampard and Didier Drogba, after experiencing a similar situation during his spell at West Ham.
Speaking after Newcastle's 1-1 draw with Sunderland on Sunday, he said: "I have a lot of sympathy for him because that is a really, really talented coach we have lost in this country.
"I know he is from Portugal but he has had to take on a club there with a lot of senior pros and in the background probably had a very, very difficult job.
"When you are in a transition year like that – and I have been in it because I was at West Ham when I inherited a lot of senior pros who had just been relegated, and it was very, very difficult.
"They made it difficult for me, and one or two of them have apologised since, and so they should.
"I hope one day that happens to that manager because I think he deserves a better turn than he has had."
Sunderland manager Martin O'Neill was also sorry to see Villas-Boas dismissed and he said: "I am really disappointed for the lad, really disappointed.
"You don't get very much time these days and I genuinely couldn't be more disappointed. I feel for him."