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TO paraphrase John Cleese’s character within the film Clockwise, it’s the hope that in the end hurts greater than the despair.
A glimmer of optimism is now dangling in entrance of among the chasing pack in Spain and Germany following the weekend’s outcomes, one thing that might effectively be dashed away as shortly because it arrived.
Barcelona, who seemed miles off the tempo not so way back, now sit in third place in La Liga, simply 4 factors off the highest.
Ronald Koeman’s facet prolonged the “New 12 months, new you” theme by thrashing Granada 4-0 to stretch their undefeated run to eight matches. Antoine Griezmann and the evergreen Lionel Messi each netted doubles.
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Their unlikely championship trigger was aided by a stumble by Actual Madrid who, in horrible climate circumstances, might solely draw 0-0 at Osasuna.
Leaders Atletico have equally endured every week to overlook to date. On the again of being knocked out of the Spanish Cup by third tier Cornella, their return to league motion was delayed after heavy snow within the Spanish capital noticed their match with Bilbao postponed. They now have three video games in hand and can attempt to play a kind of in opposition to Sevilla tonight.
Ought to they win all of them, they are going to stretch their benefit over metropolis rivals Actual to 10 factors whereas the hole to Barca will stand at 13, maybe tempering the creeping optimism at these two golf equipment.
From a parochial perspective, there was an fascinating growth as Jordan Holsgrove turned the youngest Scot to ever play in La Liga and solely the sixth general when he appeared as a late substitute for Celta Vigo on Friday evening.
The Scotland under-21 cap from Edinburgh had come off the bench in midweek to attain in opposition to Ibiza within the Spanish Cup.
In Germany, Borussia Dortmund proceed to torment their supporters by thrashing title rivals RB Leipzig 3-1 away from dwelling because of a double from Erling Braut Haaland and one other from Jadon Sancho.
That accomplished a superb weekend for the facet from the Ruhrgebiet after Bayern Munich, extremely, threw away a 2-0 lead at Borussia Mönchengladbach to lose 3-2 on Friday evening, solely their second lack of the season.
With third-placed Bayer Leverkusen solely drawing, it provides Dortmund contemporary optimism a few late title push, one thing that can shortly evaporate once they, virtually inevitably, lose at dwelling to a relegation contender within the coming weeks.
Speaking of which, Dortmund’s native rivals Schalke savoured a Bundesliga win for the primary time in a yr because of a hat-trick from American Matthew Hoppe to maneuver off the underside of the desk.
In Serie A, Milan confirmed there was no lasting harm attributable to the tip of their undefeated document as they returned to successful methods. The league leaders’ midweek defeat at dwelling to Juventus had some questioning their character however they rebounded in model by making gentle work of Torino.
The rossoneri’s trigger was helped by the 2 sides closest to them within the desk – Inter and Roma – sharing the spoils, leaving Milan to preside over a three-point lead.
Juventus stay an outdoor wager at greatest to clinch a tenth successive title however stayed within the hunt with a 3-1 win over Sassuolo that included targets from Aaron Ramsey and Cristiano Ronaldo.
Aaron Hickey returned to the Bologna beginning line-up however the Scot couldn’t stop his facet from slipping to a 2-0 defeat to Genoa.
In France there was a primary win for brand spanking new PSG boss Maurcio Pochettino as his facet eased to a 3-0 victory over Brest, with on-loan Everton ahead Moise Kean scoring for a 3rd sport in succession.
With leaders Lyon drawing at Rennes, just one level now separates the highest three, with Lille nonetheless in rivalry following their 1-0 victory at Nimes.
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