European soccer assessment: Postecoglou woe, Actual Madrid romp

One other topsy-turvy weekend of European soccer is within the books, and there are speaking factors galore throughout the massive leagues.

Within the Premier League, Tottenham’s newest defeat piles extra stress on supervisor Ange Postecoglou, whereas Manchester Metropolis shrugged off an early deficit to Chelsea — and shaky debut for Abdukodir Khusanov — to select up a 3-1 win and get again into the highest 4.

In LaLiga, Actual Madrid took management of the title race as Kylian Mbappé scored a powerful hat trick to beat Actual Valladolid, although Barcelona thrashed Valencia to stay in competition. Elsewhere, there have been speaking factors for Borussia Dortmund and their caretaker supervisor, AS Monaco, AC Milan and Juventus.

Luis Miguel Echegaray, Sam Marsden and Constantin Eckner check out what you may need missed this weekend.

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Prime takeaway: Postecoglou’s future unsure as Tottenham endure worst-ever Premier League run

On Sunday, Tottenham Hotspur misplaced 2-1 to Leicester Metropolis, a consequence that moved the Foxes out of the relegation zone. For Spurs and Ange Postecoglou, nonetheless, the numbers are usually not good. Spurs have now recorded their thirteenth lack of the season — as many as Ipswich City — which additionally marked their fourth straight within the league. They have not earned a league victory since Dec. 15 and are fifteenth within the desk, solely eight factors from the relegation zone.

A counterargument may spotlight the truth that key accidents are impacting their capacity to execute their model of play. One other angle might be the accessible gamers and the way they need to shoulder the duty. However these are one-dimensional excuses as a result of it is a scenario the place, sadly, the principle focus is the supervisor’s cussed strategy and the way it’s costing the group’s bodily and psychological stamina. For some time now, Spurs have regarded very drained and when you may have a diminished squad, it’s the function of the supervisor to be extra pragmatic and alter the model of play. That is not occurring underneath their Greek-Australian supervisor.

I nonetheless assume he is coach with good concepts and the Carabao Cup run might be their solely saving grace, but when this rut continues, the membership’s govt chairman and decision-maker, Daniel Levy, may have loads to consider.

Finest match: Manchester Metropolis 3, Chelsea 1

A part of the explanation this recreation earned my vote was its erratic nature in addition to the introduction of two league newcomers.

Pep Guardiola opted to begin two of his three new signings — defender Abdukodir Khusanov and ahead Omar Marmoush — and each delivered headlines for various causes. The 20-year-old Khusanov, who would not converse English and had solely two coaching periods main up the sport, made an enormous mistake that resulted in Chelsea’s opener. Then he acquired an early yellow card after a foul on Cole Palmer. Solely Jonathan Woodgate’s debut with Actual Madrid (an personal purpose and a purple card) was wanting worse for a centre-back, however as the sport developed, the Uzbekistan defender grew into it.

Marmoush, nonetheless, was a stupendous revelation for the Premier League. His tempo, aggression and skill to make harmful runs will add one other dimension to a Metropolis aspect that is returning to kind. So as to add extra erratic themes, Chelsea’s goalkeeper Robert Sánchez wins the lot after his horrible choice to return off his line, permitting Erling Haaland to attain and make it 2-1 earlier than Phil Foden netted the third within the 87th minute.

Finest purpose: Alexander Isak, Newcastle United vs. Southampton

Newcastle United returned to successful methods on Saturday due to a 3-1 win over Southampton with Isak scoring a brace within the area of 4 minutes. It was one other trademark weekend by the Swedish worldwide, who at this level is probably successful the argument for presently the very best striker in Europe. The primary was a penalty, however the second? An exquisite ball from Jacob Murphy, which break up the line of defense and located Isak, who superbly managed the ball earlier than placing it previous Saints goalkeeper Alex McCarthy. The motion, the location — all of it was world class.

Our colleague and former Man Metropolis defender Nedum Onuoha talked about this weekend on BBC Sport that Isak brings reminiscences of Thierry Henry, and I’ve to let you know, I do not disagree.

MVP of the weekend: Riccardo Calafiori, Arsenal

There’s an argument for Bournemouth’s Dango Ouattara following his second-half hat-trick in Bournemouth’s 5-0 rout of Nottingham Forest, however my vote goes to the Italian defender who entered the sport within the second half to assist the Gunners earn three very worthwhile factors.

Calafiori’s winner in opposition to Wolves served as inspiration in a recreation that noticed Arsenal needed to struggle exhausting with 10 males after Myles Lewis-Skelly‘s purple card resulting from “severe foul play,” however it additionally delivered an important takeaway: Calafiori’s purpose retains Arsenal’s title hopes alive. — Echegaray

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Prime takeaway: Actual Madrid have daylight on the prime of LaLiga

There was warmth on Actual Madrid this season — at occasions pretty, as they’ve did not ship in huge video games — but this weekend noticed them open up a four-point lead on the prime of LaLiga. Carlo Ancelotti’s aspect took full benefit of second-placed Atlético Madrid being held to a 1-1 draw by Villarreal as they dispatched Actual Valladolid with little fuss, Kylian Mbappé netting three in a routine 3-0 win.

Ancelotti factors out there may be nonetheless a protracted option to go (17 video games, to be precise) however it will be robust for the chasing pack to catch Madrid given that is supposedly them off form. Their newest win got here with out Vinícius Júnior, too, who was suspended, however with Mbappé in more and more devastating kind. In the intervening time, regardless of accidents in defence and doubts a few Toni Kroos-less midfielder, that’s sufficient.

Atlético, although, might be kicking themselves. After successful eight video games in a row to climb to the highest of the desk, they’re now and not using a win in two. The pending Madrid derby on Feb. 8 on the Bernabéu shouldn’t be fairly make-or-break, however it appears like a recreation Diego Simeone’s aspect can afford to lose within the scheme of the title race.

Finest match: Barcelona thrash Valencia

Barça confirmed they can’t be written out of the race but, nonetheless, with a sensational first-half show in opposition to Valencia on Sunday. They scored 5 targets within the opening 45 minutes on their option to a 7-1 win that retains them inside seven factors of Madrid.

Raphinha and Lamine Yamal had been as soon as once more good, however coach Hansi Flick may have been proud of the performances from Fermín López and Frenkie de Jong, two gamers who’ve struggled for minutes this season. Fermín, particularly, was spectacular, scoring twice and creating two extra targets.

Finest purpose: Loïc Badé, Sevilla vs. Espanyol

Badé was the goodie this weekend as he rescued a degree for Sevilla in opposition to Espanyol with a superb curling effort from 25 yards. What made the defender’s purpose much more memorable was that it got here after he’d simply had a purpose cruelly dominated out and had been battling again days of switch hyperlinks to Aston Villa. He celebrated by sliding into the nook and kissing the Sevilla badge.

MVP of the weekend: Kylian Mbappé, Actual Madrid

The Frenchman says he has lastly tailored to his new environment following his summer season transfer from Paris Saint-Germain and the proof backs him up. He netted a hat trick within the win over Valladolid, his first for Madrid, and he has now scored eight occasions in his previous 5 appearances in all competitions.

His first two finishes had been typical Mbappé, shaping in from the left and ending with the within of his proper foot. His third got here late on from the penalty spot, and was his fifteenth in LaLiga this season. He’s now simply two behind the league’s prime scorer, Robert Lewandowski. — Marsden

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Prime takeaway: No win for Dortmund underneath caretaker supervisor Tullberg

Dortmund assigned Mike Tullberg, often the Underneath-19s head coach, to handle the group in opposition to Werder Bremen following Nuri Şahin’s dismissal final Wednesday. The 39-year-old Dane demanded the identical sort of grit and hardnosed mentality he himself confirmed as a participant. “I all the time slogged away advert nauseam, was by no means the very best on the ball. It was all willpower in my case,” Tullberg mentioned earlier than the sport.

Whereas we’ve witnessed the caretaker supervisor bump time and time once more, with groups typically wanting reenergized after a change within the dugout, it didn’t work out fairly like that for Dortmund. In entrance of a passionate and nervous crowd inside Sign Iduna Park, the similarities to earlier outings had been placing, with Dortmund having a great deal of ball possession whereas wanting susceptible in opposition to counterattacks. One fast-paced assault by Bremen brought on Nico Schlotterbeck to try an unwise last-man sort out, the veteran defender getting a purple card barely 20 minutes in.

Fascinatingly, Dortmund didn’t change their technique a lot regardless of being one man down, scoring twice earlier than making acquainted errors that in the end value them two factors. Bremen staged a comeback due to Leonardo Bittencourt and Dortmund native Marvin Ducksch, as each groups performed to a draw.

Certainly, Dortmund’s brave show following Schlotterbeck’s dismissal can create hope that there’s life on this group. However mentality and willpower are usually not sufficient if the Schwarzgelben commit quite a lot of errors in virtually each recreation. Whoever is employed as Şahin’s successor may have their arms full.

Finest match: RB Leipzig 2, Bayer Leverkusen 2

Essentially the most high-profile recreation of the matchday was the conflict between fifth-placed RB Leipzig and second-placed Bayer Leverkusen. Although Leipzig had been coming off their first win within the UEFA Champions League this season and may have felt assured, they had been barely in a position to include Leverkusen’s transcendent playmaker Florian Wirtz through the first half. The Leverkusen playmaker scored the primary purpose after a stupendous dribble and he arrange Aleix García to attain the 2-0, which marked García’s maiden purpose for Leverkusen. Nevertheless, Leipzig fought their approach again into the sport and had been in a position to snatch factors away from Leverkusen.

Apparently, the match had virtually the similar dynamic as their encounter on matchday two, when Leipzig beat Leverkusen 3-2 to finish the unbeaten streak for Xabi Alonso & Co. in thrilling trend.

Finest purpose: Leonardo Bittencourt, Werder Bremen vs. Dortmund

As talked about above, Bremen managed to get again into the sport at Sign Iduna Park regardless of being down 2-0 on the hour mark. Within the lead-up to Bremen’s first purpose, Julian Ryerson headed the ball in entrance of Miloš Veljković from a excessive cross, with Veljković instantly passing it on to Bittencourt, whose shot from 23 yards out hit the highest left nook of the purpose. The Bundesliga measured the pace of Bittencourt’s strike at 62 mph.

MVP of the weekend: Florian Wirtz

Whereas Wirtz was unable to safe the win for Leverkusen at Leipzig, he as soon as once more stole the present. He might be awarded the MVP laurels this weekend for the way in which he fooled each Willi Orbán and Arthur Vermeeren earlier than scoring the go-ahead purpose alone. — Eckner

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What else you missed this weekend

AC Milan, Pulisic, Musah ship in unbelievable comeback win

On Sunday, new arrival Kyle Walker watched within the stands as AC Milan and American duo Christian Pulisic and Yunus Musah produced a beautiful comeback to beat Parma 3-2 on the San Siro. Parma led twice due to Matteo Cancellieri and Enrico Del Prato‘s targets, which had been sandwiched between Pulisic’s penalty. The guests appeared as in the event that they had been about to do the league double over Milan, however in stoppage time, magic occurred.

Tijjani Reijnders acquired Musah’s ball to make it 2-2, with Samuel Chukwueze incomes the winner within the fifth minute of added time. There was a protracted test for offside however as soon as the purpose was confirmed, the stadium erupted. It was an enormous win for Milan and Sérgio Conceição, as they attempt to sustain within the battle for European locations. — Echegaray

Juve’s invincible dream over

Sticking in Italy, Napoli ended Juventus’ unbeaten begin to the Serie A season, sparing us what would possibly nicely have been Europe’s worst invincible marketing campaign. Frank Anguissa and Romelu Lukaku‘s second-half targets helped Antonio Conte’s aspect come from behind to reaffirm their place on the prime of the desk, after Randal Kolo Muani had given Juve the lead on his debut. Extremely, contemplating they’re a staggering 16 factors off the tempo, it was the Outdated Woman’s first league defeat of the marketing campaign, however they’ve received simply eight of their 22 Serie A video games, drawing 13, and slumped to fifth following this weekend’s loss. — Marsden

Panic stations at Benfica?

It has not been an awesome month for Benfica, who suffered their third defeat in 4 league video games with a shock 3-1 defeat to Casa Pia this weekend. They’re now seven factors behind leaders Sporting CP. Throw within the midweek 5-4 loss to Barcelona — a recreation they led 3-1 and 4-2 — within the Champions League and the stress is on once they journey to Juventus on Wednesday, trying to guide their place within the knockout spherical of the competitors. — Marsden

AS Monaco finish weeks of distress

The winter months haven’t been good to Monaco. Following their win over Toulouse in early December, Monaco stumbled from one disappointing consequence to the following … till this week. First, Adi Hütter’s aspect beat Aston Villa within the UEFA Champions League due to a Wilfried Singo header, enhancing its probabilities of qualifying for the primary knockout spherical. Then, it beat Rennes 3-2 in an actual shootout on Saturday.

Hütter, who not too long ago prolonged his contract till 2027 regardless of the latest hunch, should really feel some aid. With 30 factors after 16 matchdays, Monaco had an similar report as final season. Nevertheless it appeared as if Hütter’s group couldn’t preserve its stage of efficiency this time round. Maybe the 2 latest wins mark a turnaround.

Paris Saint-Germain would possibly already be too far forward within the Ligue 1 standings, however ending second as soon as once more would nonetheless rely as successful for the Austrian supervisor. — Eckner