Liverpool keep up with Man City in title race, Bayern Munich clinch Bundesliga, PSG's muted title joy

What a weekend! Barcelona lost another game in LaLiga to put their top-four hopes in jeopardy, as well as being crowned the 10th straight winner of the Bundesliga. Paris Saint-Germain won the French title but nobody seemed too happy about it.

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The biggest moments in the world of football are discussed by Gab.

Will Gabriel Jesus leave City?

Liverpool's grinding win over Everton may be most significant if they go all the way

There was a joke that was doing the rounds that said thatEverton were going to use the same tactics as Atleti Madrid for their game on Sunday. There was more than one truth to it. Set up tight defensively, get physical, try to get any edge you can, psychological or otherwise, and push the envelope with the referee.

The goal when you play like this is to stay in the game as late as possible and hope that something breaks your way. It can be a refereeing mistake, an opposition mistake, or a lucky strike from one of your guys.

It is not meant to be pretty, and as a long-term strategy it is sub-optimal. It did work for a long time in a one-off derby. In the first 20 minutes, the high-flying attack did not score a goal. The xG was 0.24 until Andy Robertson scored. They were in the game, even if they didn't create much apart from a couple of strikes by Demarai Gray. It was supposed to give them confidence.

The problem is that the manager has a lot of weapons to choose from and an experienced, battle-hardened crew. It turned into a battle of nerves between the two teams. Maybe their 81% possession yielded two goals. It was just a single moment that could have swung the game, and I think that the fortunate not to concede a penalty on Gordon was Joel Matip. Football games are full of them.

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- Report: Liverpool 2, Everton 0

This was not a win to take for granted, as Manchester City had just done. It became even more difficult because of the way they played. They were up to the task. It is the sort of day that can give you more confidence than a victory.

Ten titles in a row for Bayern Munich, but the bar's only getting higher for Nagelsmann

Managing the club means having to deal with the Statlers and Waldorfs in the upper levels of the club. It's more of a challenge now that the club has turned the financial screws and lost David Alaba to Real Madrid. It is never easy to take over a team filled with experience and the guy is 34 so he has never managed under significant scrutiny. I think it is fair to assign a grade to Nagelsmann.

- Highlights: Bayern clinch Bundesliga with win vs. Dortmund (U.S.)

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The critics will complain about the early DFB-Pokal exit and the humiliation against Villarreal, but they are on track to finish with their highest points total since the beginning of the year and their second-highest goal total ever. He showed the personality and grip to maintain a hold on the dressing room and avoid controversy even when the going got tough, even though his back three may not convince.

The fee to get him out of his contract as well as that five-year deal is a sign that Nagelsmann is the way forward. The only one who got three years wasPep Guardiola. Critics may minimize his achievement by pointing out the huge talent and budget gap between the rest of the league. He didn't ask for the Bundesliga to be this way, and others in his role have looked less convincing than he has.

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A group of his former teammates showered him with beer.

Next season is the test. You assume he knows that.

What we already know about both teams was emphasized by the win. It took a Serge Gnabry strike and a monumental Dan-Axel Zagadou blunder to send them back into their hole after they started brightly. They came back in the second half and probably should have had a penalty for Benjamin Pavard's foul on Jude Bellingham. I have said before that the summer can't come soon enough because of the basket case of Borussia Dortmund.

It is not all plain sailing. His contract expires in June of 2023, and his future is up in the air. There is a lack of depth in key roles and some positions have not been properly filled for years. With confidence, Nagelsmann can take them forward. He has shown he is a good fit here.

PSG's surreal title celebrations after a surreal season (for Messi, too)

Paris Saint-Germain are French champion for the tenth time after the draw with Lens. But, did it feel weird? The fans left the stadium before the game ended. They preferred to celebrate on their own, away from the stadium, because they were still angry at the players and the club. It would have made no sense to have a lap of honour in a half-empty ground. There were reports that Mauricio Pochettino would be fired and that he would be happy to leave.

It was weird that Lionel Messi only had four goals this year in the French league. The last time he scored fewer league goals was in 2004, when he was 17 and played in just seven games. Time passes for everyone now that he is 34. He won the Ballon d'Or a few months ago, which makes this level of production all the more inexplicable.

In other words, it was a season of twilight. There will be a lot of change at the club in the very near future, and the celebrations only reflected this.

Third straight stumbles at home for Barcelona as certainties begin to waver

There isn't a common thread to Barcelona's three consecutive home defeats, according to Xavi. On Sunday, Barcelona conceded early and didn't play particularly well, but still carved out enough chances to win. That argument works in reverse too. They beat Real Sociedad in their previous outing and could have lost. The way it works is football.

If you want to avoid a bumpy end to the season, the trip to face Real Betis on May 1 is a must. Football results can become self-fulfilling prophecies and stoke fears.

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Pierre-Emerick was not able to have an impact in the loss to Rayo.

How bad is this team without Pedri and Pique? Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has a goal return that speaks for itself, but is he the type of center-forward Xavi needs, especially in situations where you need creativity and link-up play? Are they running into the ground?

These are valid questions, but Xavi has to make sure the negative vibes don't spiral out of control. This is ateachable moment for him, at the same time. I don't have a problem with managers making unconventional decisions, but when they don't work out, there has to be a learning curve.

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I think there will be. Xavi knows where he needs to grow and is a bright guy who knows this club inside and out. He has had highs and lows at Barcelona, but never as the man in charge. The decisions he made at his previous club were watched by a few thousand people.

He has barely six months to grow into the role. A top-four finish is non-negotiable.

Gabriel Jesus bags four goals as Man City stay top, but what does his future hold?

With the visit of Real Madrid on Tuesday, and an eye on the next two games, Manchester City's coach mixed things up a bit in their win overWatford, keeping them a point ahead of their rivals. Gabriel Jesus got his second league start since New Year's Day, and we saw a Rodri - Fernandinho partnership in the middle. He scored four goals to bring his seasonal total to 11.

He is an interesting case because he was thought of as one way when he arrived and is now seen in a different way. He was 19 when he arrived from Palmeiras for $37 million, and some thought he was the heir apparent toSergio Aguero, a tricky, dead-eye finisher of a center-forward.

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It did not work out that way. When injuries began to limit the Argentine, he failed to replace him even though he was playing out wide. His minutes began to decline, as did his goals, which are inevitable when you are further away from the penalty area. His non-penalty goals per 90 went from 0.77 last year to 0.37 this season.

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If Mikel Arteta is interested in Gabriel Jesus, then he should swap Manchester City for Arsenal.

You wonder what will happen next. His contract expires in June of 2023, and while he is praised for his humility and work rate, clubs tend to lock up guys they want to keep around. Should City shift him at 25, he would surely have a market. Is he a center-forward with a more traditional manager? Is his future now as a wide forward?

Saturday reminded potential mates that he can still stick it in the net when given the chance.

Last-minute heroics keep Milan's title hopes alive as Pioli waxes zoological

Sometimes an injury-time winner is a freak of happenstance. Sometimes, it is a just reward. The dramatic winner set up by Zlatan Ibrahimovic is in the latter category. After a sluggish first half, Milan dominated after the break and grabbed the three points over Lazio that saw them go back to the top of the Serie A table.

After the game, Pioli compared his team to a pride of lions. The lion is not the biggest animal in the area. The lion is not the fastest animal in the savannah. Guess what? A lion needs to eat every day.

I am not sure if the analogy works, but who cares? You have the right to say what you want with that second-half performance.

Arsenal burst into top four with more woe on the way for Man United

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The only surprise was how long Man United lasted in the race.

After winning at home to Manchester United, they were able to move two points clear of Spurs in the race for the fourth spot. In the first half, you could see a team that was hungry to achieve and one that was counting down the days to the end of the season. We may be telling a different story after watching matches last 90 minutes and the second half, where United looked sharper and had Bruno Fernandes converted his penalty, instead of Jorginho for the worse-taken spot kick of the weekend.

They were clever at exploiting the breaks, as they did at the other side of the bridge, when they got a penalty and a long-range screamer. They are doing it without Thomas Partey and Alexandre Lacazette.

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There wasn't much to celebrate for United other than the 100th goal scored by CR7 and some moments in the second half. There was a reaction in the second half, but it soon turned sloppy, and how Fernandes was not sent off for the second game running remains a mystery.

Tottenham are running out of steam at the wrong time

One shot on target, 1.22 xG and one point tell their own story when it comes to the last 180 minutes of the game. The game before these two was one in which the score did not reflect the result. If Ivan Toney's aim had been marginally better, the draw against Brentford might have turned into a defeat.

With five games to play, Spurs are in fifth place. While they have a better goal difference, there is no question who has the more energy.

The irony is that Christian Eriksen, who joined Inter Milan just over two years ago as the final piece of the puzzle, ended up being used less by the Italian manager. Football is a small world after all, and some are linking Eriksen with a return to Spurs.

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Despite their disappointing draw with Brentford, Spurs are still in 4th place.

Pulisic saves the day for Chelsea

It's crucial that they get into the playoffs because of their 1-0 victory over West Ham, and also because of the sale of the club. This might have felt like a run-of-the-mill win against an opponent who had an eye on their upcoming Europa League semifinal.

It wasn't that. After an hour or so, Thomas Tuchel made a triple substitution, replacing Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Kai Havertz and Timo Werner with Christian Pulisic, Romelu Lukaku and Hakim Ziyech. It felt like a line change in hockey, but at least it shook them from their slumber.

Jorginho, who looked like he was still asleep, rolled at the keeper when he was given a penalty. The set-up by Marcos Alonso and Mason Mount allowed for the winner to be scored by Christian Pulisic.

Confirmation for Thomas Tuchel that his work for next season begins now.

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Thomas Tuchel said financial sanctions placed on the club prevented them from keeping Antonio Rudiger.

Inter Milan turn it on to beat Roma and stay in pole position for Serie A title

Inter put on a performance that made you think that it's a thing. The way it came about is that they are two points back, but with a game in hand. The first goal came from the keeper, who had six passes and seven touches. The second involved a clinic in players changing positions before the player hit it.

Inter are flying right now, despite the fact that they were passive and the three-man defence doesn't seem right for a side that often gets outnumbered in the middle. Simone Inzaghi has done a great job, but they may or may not win it all. They click like few other teams in Europe.

Joaquin legend ends with his Real Betis side lifting Copa del Rey (or does it?)

It took penalties for Real Betis to get the best of a feisty Valencia, but it was a deserved win, when you factor in the fact that they hit the woodwork twice along the way. The man of the hour was Joaquin, who won the Copa del Rey 17 years ago and got to lift it again on Saturday after converting his penalty in the shootout.

Real Betis beat Valencia on penalties to win the Copa del Rey.

An old-school winger who beats you with skill rather than athletic ability is what Joaquin is. At 40, he is still going in his 23rd season of top-flight football. For the first time in his career, he hasn't scored a league goal this season as his minutes have fallen. His contract ends in the summer, but he has not said if he will retire.

If he wants to call it quits, he has more than earned his rest after 880 club games and 51 for Spain. There is a part of you that wants him to come back next season.

Three goals in seven minutes and just like that, Serie A is a two-horse race

With 10 minutes to go, Napoli were up 2-0 at Empoli and cruising. They were third in the title race and ready to take advantage of Milan or Inter's misfortune. They had lost a number of games at home, but this was on the road and they were able to win. Surely they were not going to collapse again?

Except they did. After Liam Henderson pulled one back, Alex Meret had a moment of his own, and then Alex Pinamonti tied it up. When Pinamonti made it 3-2, all of it happened in seven terrible minutes.

It is obvious that the title race is over. The psychological trauma of a season in which the title was theirs for the taking will not be over for a while. They are not going to live that down for a while.