The European club season resumed this weekend after a World Cup draw. It was a packed schedule, from the fiery Serie A clash to more woe for Man United. Pedri was a star when Barcelona needed one, Real Madrid got some lucky penalties to stay ahead in LaLiga, and Man City won to keep the title race close.
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The biggest moments in the world of football are discussed by Gab.
Go to: Real Madrid joy, Man City cruise, Goretzka back, Kane masterclass, and more.
A statement win for Inter, but Juventus right to feel aggrieved (they're on the right track, too)The focus in some quarters will be on the refereeing in the Inter-Juventus game on Sunday night. It is inevitable with these two teams and this rivalry.
The story is that while the run comes to an end, they should be proud of their performance, because they played with intensity, consistency, bravery and attacking intent. The game had two big calls, both of which went the other way.
The penalty was given when the players came together in the box. At first, you were not sure why, since the contact seemed unimportant. When Morata's foot came down on the foot of Dumfries, it was a foul, and a foul in the box means penalty. You can argue about discretion, but those are directives.
If you were confused by what you saw, this is what happened. The shot was saved by Szczesny. The Inter player poked in the rebound after colliding with the keeper and Matthijs de Ligt. The penalty was taken back because De Ligt had interfered with the kick. Why didn't the advantage apply here? It beats me. Maybe because of the encroachment, what came after was nullified. It had no effect on the outcome.
Lautaro was booked for his foul on Giorgio Chiellini but didn't get a second yellow card. I think the referee got it wrong and that he may have been influenced by not wanting to send someone off after 23 minutes. You can say that games like these tend to confound the old narrative that all the close calls go the other way.
I thought Massimiliano Allegri's set-up was effective because of the intensity and drive that he showed. The worst thing that could happen is that they abandon this approach because they lost. Some people think the result is all that matters. Sunday night's game showed that the team can play a different way than Allegri's team did this season.
In the first half, Inter had a couple chances to add to their lead, but they didn't, and in the second half, they had a couple more chances. They should not rest on their laurels, even though the result is huge in keeping them in the title race. The breaks went Inter's way on Sunday.
Rangnick bemoans Man United's lack of physicality in lackluster Leicester drawThe lack of attacking threat by Manchester United was discussed by Gab.
It was another bad day for Manchester United on Saturday as they were defeated by the City of Light. With the absences of Edinson Cavani, and even more so with the absence of Marcus Rashford, Ralf Rangnick played Bruno Fernandes through the middle, with support from Anthony Elanga and Jadon Sancho.
After the match, he blamed poor recruitment choices and donned his Captain Obvious cape, saying that it takes the right decisions. This isn't rocket science.
It's hard to argue with him when he says that it's difficult to change a technically great player into a physical, aggressive player.
The brand of football built by Rangnick is based on pressing and athletic ability. Did United know that when they hired him? They made serious recruitment errors, starting with him.
Pedri on top of the world as Barca down Sevilla to go second in LaLigaIf Pedri can continue to score for Barcelona, Alejandro Moreno sees a potential Ballon d'Or future.
The ball just wouldn't go in. You are one bad decision away from giving up a goal at every counter.
Barcelona were frustrated with 20 minutes to go. They had taken control of the game at home to Sevilla, with Ousmane Dembele running rampant down the right and only a combination of Yassine Bounou and some lackluster finishing denying them.
Pedri seized the moment when it was time for great talents to shine.
The 19-year-old wunderkind put two defenders on their backsides and then rifled a vicious long-range finish into the back of the net after getting the ball just to the left of the D. It was the sort of individual brilliance that had become a hallmark of the Camp Nou over the past 15 years. It was not something you would see often from a kid of Pedri's age.
Pedri magic lifts Barcelona past Sevilla.
You can see why people have compared him to Iniesta. He seems to be better rounded and more dynamic than a pure passer. The hope is that he can grow because he is young. He paid the price for his injury layoff last season. That cannot happen again.
Pedri can definitely grow to be a part of this team, but he needs to create the right environment for them.
Three(!) penalties propel Real Madrid past CeltaIt was important for Real Madrid to get a victory away to Celta to get things back on track after the humiliation at the hands of Barcelona. They got a win despite being marked by three penalties and a disallowed goal.
The latest news and reaction from Gabriele.
Benzema's penalties gave Real Madrid the win.
Real were at full strength and still struggled against the brave, high-energy game preached by Eduardo and El Chacho. There is no argument on Madrid's first penalty, but the second and third looked generous and the third was even more so. You can imagine the venom in the media if the gap to Barcelona was smaller.
Madrid needs to move on quickly and focus on their trip to Stamford Bridge. This was not a good collective performance and the worry for the coach is whether his players were thinking ahead to the playoffs or if they just wanted to stay in the league. The gap is 12 points with eight games to go.
Man City brush Burnley aside with little effortSteve Nicol says that Manchester City's win over Burnley was never in doubt as they returned to the top of the league.
Manchester City were second in the table when they took the pitch against Burnley, because they had played earlier in the day. Any suggestions that this would affect their performance against an opponent battling against the drop, one who could be spiky and tough, were quickly dismissed.
It is a cliche, but it is true. It is possible to score early against an opponent who thrives on defending deep and creating density. City never looked back after Gundogan made it 2-0.
It was interesting to see how well the all-English frontline of Jack Grealish, Phil Foden, and Raheem Sterling did, changing positions, creating space and generating chances. If the right framework is put together behind them, this could be a potential Plan B come the World Cup. It is more difficult since there is no De Bruyne behind them.
Goretzka's return lifts Bayern (and don't mind the 12th man)It took a while for the team to get to the other side of the world, but it was worth it. The men were in control and eventually defeated the side that ran out of gas. Leon Goretzka came back after nearly four months out. The middle of the park looked more comfortable than it has in recent weeks, as he lasted an hour and scored a goal.
The incident with 12 men on the field for less than a minute was curious, and it seems that the fourth official is to blame. It should be seen as nothing more than a piece of football information.
Kane doesn't score, but still puts on a masterclass for SpursAfter Spurs demolished Newcastle, Hislop wondered if Antonio Conte had found a winning formula.
It is possible that Antonio Conte was a bit over-the-top when he suggested a few months ago that there was no more than one. Before the half, Spurs had gone a goal down, and they ran rampant after the break.
It is worth noting how impressive Harry Kane was. He was crucial in linking play and setting up teammates, even though he did not find the net. Kane remains a regular presence in the box with his well-timed runs, but as a genuine, all-around centre-forward capable of putting his skill set at the service of the side.
Kane is a better passer and Benzema is more athletic, but both are devastating, intelligent and fundamentally team-oriented.
Kane has been hitting new heights of late, having been 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 The fall out from the Euros and his aborted move to Manchester City is up for debate. He is one of the best around when he is like this.
"MNM" all score vs. Lorient, but Mbappe's words overshadow PSG's dayWhat could be influencing Kylian Mbappe's decision regarding his future at Paris Saint-Germain?
In Paris Saint-Germain's win over Lorient on Sunday, Kylian Mbappe and Lionel Messi both got on the score sheet for the first time, with the other two being involved in the other three. The way the season has panned out has made it feel flat, and once again there were boos for coach Mauricio Pochettino.
After the final whistle, there was some solace when he was asked about his future.
New elements? The way to tantalize the fans of the club. Some would think that the move to Real Madrid is done and dusted.
Liverpool keep up the pressureThe impact the game has on the title race was discussed by Steve Nicol and Don Hutchison.
It can be a bigger challenge to play a weaker team fighting for survival than a better side in mid-table with little to play for. Even after taking the lead early with Diogo Jota, the Reds were put on the ropes by the Hornets.
With Trent Alexander-Arnold not fully fit and on the bench, Joe Gomez filled in and did not do badly, but he is an entirely different sort of player, and with a clash at Benfica coming in midweek, this is a situation that we need to be aware of. They have three big points in the bag that keep them on track for the Manchester City match.
Borussia Dortmund's season is over ... it's time to take stockIt was the first full house at the Westfalenstadion since before the Pandemic and the fans in attendance were treated to a horror show. It was a compendium of everything that has gone wrong for Dortmund this season: sterile possession early without a cutting edge, horrible defending not helped by a lack of cover, and a ramshackle siege that left them open to every counter.
The highlights of the game were: Leipzig smashed Dortmund 4-1.
They will probably finish second this year, and you hope that they don't treat this as proof that they are doing anything right. They have more points than they did at this stage last season, but they are not looking at any of the other teams in the league.
Marco Rose can be blamed for injuries and the other culprits, but he can't be the only culprit. If they want to progress, they need to take a hard look at themselves. Erling Haaland is on his way out.
The change under Domenico Tedesco has been remarkable. They have lost one game in the race for a spot in the playoffs, but they have regained some lost ground.
Joao Felix on fire for resurgent Atletico MadridThe Manchester City player explains why he isn't worried about the game.
There has been a lot of hype surrounding Barcelona, but they are not the only ones who have won six in a row. Joao Felix has six goals in six league games, which is as many as he scored in the previous 16 months. The 22-year-old Portuguese star may never live up to his huge transfer fee, but he is still offering quality and consistency that we haven't seen before at the club.
Felix and Luis scored twice in a big win.
It was still a draw just 15 minutes from the end of the game and it wasn't the best performance from Atleti Madrid. Having plenty of options on the bench is a real boon, and Diego Simeone's substitutions helped turn the game and, at the risk of stating the obvious, had plenty of options on the bench.
Chelsea smacked around at home by Brentford, and Lukaku still on the bench...Steve Nicol says that the biggest problem 800-244-0167 800-244-0167 800-244-0167 800-244-0167 800-244-0167 800-244-0167 800-244-0167 800-244-0167 800-244-0167 800-244-0167 800-244-0167 800-244-0167 800-244-0167 800-244-0167 800-244-0167 800-244-0167 800-244-0167 800-244-0167 800-244-0167 800-244-0167 800-244-0167 800-244-0167 800-244-0167 800-244-0167 800-244-0167 800-244-0167 800-244-0167 800-244-0167 800-244-0167 800-244-0167 800-244-0167 800-244-0167 800-244-0167 800-244-0167 800-244-0167 800-244-0167 800-244-0167 800-244-0167 800-244-0167 800-244-0167 800-244-0167 800-244-0167 800-244-0167 800-244-0167 800-244-0167 800-244-0167 800-244-0167 800-244-0167 800-244-0167 800-244-0167 800-244-0167
The run of 14 games without a loss came to an end at home to Brentford on Saturday with a 4-1 defeat. The majority of the possession went to Thomas Tuchel's crew, but they fell prey to what they do best: win second-balls and hurt you in transition.
I was surprised that this game was ready for Romelu to make his league debut. Tuchel would have service from wide areas when he switched to a 4-3-3 formation. Kai Havertz started both Germany games on international duty, but Rome was fresh, having not played over the break. With Real Madrid coming up on Wednesday in the first leg of the Champions League, you thought it would be a good time to give him a run out. He came on with 25 minutes to go, when they were already down by three.
You don't want to make it into a situation of him or me, because of the huge commitment that Chelsea have made to him. This was a low-stakes game and everything was set up for him.
Christian Eriksen scored his first goal for the club. He offered a clinic that was more than that. He is different from his teammates and that is why he is adding value to the club.
Napoli change the script to stay alive in Serie A, winning at AtalantaTraveling away to Atalanta isn't fun at the best of times, but it becomes downright unpleasant when you're missing your star strikers and half of your starting back four So they adapted. They sat deeper, soaked up the pressure and struck on the counter, taking the lead from the spot and adding a second before half-time.
It wasn't swashbuckling, and they were more reactive on this occasion -- Atalanta had 55% possession, but still, Napoli mostly kept the danger away from David Ospina's goal. They have the toughest run-in of the three title hopefuls, but they have also shown themselves to be the most flexible of the three. It can make a difference down the stretch.
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