Real Madrid keep La Liga race wide open, lessons from Man United vs. Man City, how Bayern beat Dortmund

One other wild weekend in soccer handed with drama throughout Europe’s high leagues. In La Liga, Real Madrid‘s derby draw with Atletico helped preserve La Liga’s title race open, although it advantages rivals Barcelona (who gained once more this weekend), who’re simply three factors off the summit. The Premier League had a outstanding sixth straight defeat for Liverpool, a surprising derby win for Man United over Man Metropolis (although do not learn an excessive amount of into it), and the renaissance of Gareth Bale, who marked a 3rd straight league begin for Spurs with two targets in an enormous win over Crystal Palace.

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Within the Bundesliga, Bayern Munich and Robert Lewandowski swatted previous Borussia Dortmund and Erling Haaland in “Der Klassiker,” plus Juventus and Milan muscled to victories in Serie A and Kylian Mbappe‘s newest successful flip for PSG solely prompted extra questions over the French star’s future.

It is Monday, and Gab Marcotti reacts to the largest moments on this planet of soccer from the previous week.

Leap to: Real leep La Liga race open | Lessons from United’s derby win | How Bayern beat Dortmund | Klopp’s gamble backfires | Barca keep winning | Juve’s confidence boost | Arsenal going in right direction | Milan’s impressive depth | Leipzig keep pressure on | Is Bale “back?” | Gladbach woes continue | Mbappe’s future

Benzema retains La Liga title race vast open

If Atletico Madrid someway don’t win La Liga this season, it could be all the way down to this recreation and that second, when Karim Benzema and Casemiro reminded the world that Actual Madrid — even the limp, emasculated model we have seen too many occasions this season — goes to struggle and claw with their fingernails to not relinquish the title. Even when Sunday’s 1-1 draw means — and it would do — sending it over to Catalunya, the place Barcelona preserve successful, a minimum of in La Liga.

Diego Simeone had set issues up in line with the tenets of “Cholismo 2.0.” With Kieran Trippier (again after his betting ban) and Yannick Carrasco powering the flanks, Actual Madrid had been efficiently saved on the again foot and Atleti had been doing what they’d promised to do: preserve gamers round Luis Suarez and never go away him remoted. And, certainly, it was the Uruguayan who opened the scoring, with the kind of inconceivable exterior of the boot diagonal end that befuddled the excellent Thibaut Courtois after a lung-bursting run from Marcos Llorente.

Every thing about that Suarez purpose summed up what a veteran striker can carry: from the motion between the defenders, to the way in which he checked his run to not find yourself offside, to the confidently executed end that few would have chosen from that place.

The momentum was squarely in Atleti’s favour throughout the first half. Zidane’s “winger bingo” had turned up Marco Asensio and Rodrygo, however neither was efficient as they needed to spend a lot time monitoring again. The veteran midfield of Luka Modric, Toni Kroos and Casemiro was being stretched by Thomas Lemar and Koke. Simply after the break, Atleti may have added to their complete, however Courtois got here up massive a minimum of twice. (Thought: if Actual’s latest glory years had been in regards to the “BBC” of Gareth Bale, Benzema and Cristiano Ronaldo, this season it is in regards to the “BCC” of Benzema, Casemiro and Courtois.)

After which, across the hour mark, Simeone made the adjustments which have seemingly been haunting him for the previous 24 hours. On got here Saul for Lemar and Joao Felix for Carrasco. You bought the logic behind the strikes: recent legs in the midst of the park, vast areas for the Portuguese ahead to run into. Besides it weakened the midfield — Lemar had been excellent — and harmed the thrust of the left flank. In the meantime, Zidane had despatched on one other midfielder (Fede Valverde for Asensio), permitting Actual Madrid to ascertain a everlasting supremacy on the coronary heart of the sport.

– Report: Benzema goal earns 1-1 draw
– Actual Madrid scores: Casemiro, Benzema stand tall in derby

In consequence, Atletico had been pushed again, actually greater than Simeone would have wished and Actual grew into the sport. And the Bezema-Casemiro partnership — after forcing one other nice save from Jan Oblak — snatched the late draw.

It was a traditional recreation of two halves, but in addition one which confirmed the depth of Actual Madrid’s psychological and technical sources, in addition to the truth that, sure, Zidane can learn a recreation tactically, a lot better than a few of his detractors would possibly counsel.

The draw additionally signifies that the large speaking level — Felipe‘s handball that was flagged by VAR, however overruled by the referee — someway turns into much less essential. I feel that is an excellent factor. Opposite to what we hear, directives on handball are simply that: directives on how it’s best to interpret dealing with within the field. The important thing phrase right here is “interpret.” Sure, his arm was away from his physique and sure, it struck him beneath the shoulder. However there stays room for discretion, and most cheap individuals would interpret that handball as not sanctionable, notably given the truth that he was on his means down from leaping and it was very a lot a part of a pure movement.

The truth that it could have fallen to a Actual Madrid participant had it not struck his arm — as some have argued — is irrelevant. So too is the truth that different officers have given penalties much like it previously (together with a minimum of one high-profile one in opposition to Actual Madrid after they performed Valencia). That does not make it appropriate. A maniacal, literal interpretation the place directives grow to be legal guidelines is just not within the spirit of the sport and never what IFAB meant.

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Janusz Michallik praises Karim Benzema after his late equaliser in opposition to Atletico Madrid saved Actual’s title hopes alive.

And so La Liga’s title race stays open not only for Barcelona, who’re three factors again, but in addition to Actual Madrid, 5 factors behind. And given the quantity of head-to-head clashes left — together with El Clasico spherical 2 in early April — it would keep open even when Atletico win their recreation in hand in opposition to Athletic Bilbao in midweek. So sit again and benefit from the experience.

What Man United’s win vs. Man Metropolis means, and what it does not imply

Manchester United totally deserved Sunday’s 2-0 win within the Manchester derby, which halted Metropolis’s streak at 21 consecutive victories in all competitions. United took an early lead, defended very nicely all through, had been wonderful in transition, and if Anthony Martial‘s purpose had been any higher, they may even have scored extra.

The truth that they did it with out their three highest-paid gamers — goalkeeper David De Gea, midfielder Paul Pogba and ahead Edinson Cavani — does not imply they will comfortably do with out them, or with out strengthening the aspect in the summertime. (Simply in case you had been getting any concepts, Joel and Avram Glazer …) Fairly, it merely underscores how when United can play to their strengths and do the issues they do nicely, they will beat arguably the very best staff in Europe, and comparatively comfortably, too.

What was so hanging in regards to the win was how completely different they regarded relative to Wednesday evening in opposition to Crystal Palace when, after a good opening half-hour, they fell away bodily and competitively and had been held to a 0-0 draw. That model of United regarded spent and fatigued; the United we noticed Sunday regarded as in the event that they had been keen to run via a brick wall.

– Man United’s win shows how far they’ve come, have to go
– Man United scores: Shaw, Martial superb
– Man Metropolis scores: Jesus 5/10 as winning streak ends

I do not know if Ole Gunnar Solskjaer used Wednesday evening as some kind of motivational instrument, and I would not count on United to keep up this work price each recreation. However realizing you may play like this — bodily and athletically — is an incredible confidence increase. As a result of having the ability to run and work is one-third of the components. The opposite two components are technical capacity — right here, particularly in some areas, there’s loads of room for enchancment — and tactical nous (which is Solskjaer’s division). You are not going to enhance the previous till the summer time on the earliest, and the latter has been regular, somewhat than spectacular.

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Julien Laurens reveals what Manchester United’s techniques had been in opposition to Metropolis following a post-match interview with Harry Maguire.

You assume Solskjaer will not get carried away, nor ought to he. Seven of the XI he began with are the identical guys who floundered at Selhurst Park. Scoring after two minutes (like they did Sunday) is a manna from heaven for a membership like this one: it stays to be seen how they do when it does not occur, or when the opposition sits deep. However it does not change the truth that, barring some inconceivable late collapse, they will end within the high three for 2 straight seasons below Solskjaer, which is best than any of his predecessors since Sir Alex Ferguson managed.

As for Metropolis, you think about Pep Guardiola will deal with it like a blip and he’ll be proper. Too a lot of his key males had poor video games — particularly Raheem Sterling, Kevin De Bruyne and Joao Cancelo — they usually paid an expensive worth for particular person errors. They’re nonetheless the very best staff round, alongside Bayern Munich, and nonetheless have a really legit shot at a Quadruple.

However as I identified final week, Man Metropolis will seemingly end the home season as one of many lowest-scoring sides Guardiola has ever managed. They’re recording the bottom Anticipated Objectives (xG), the bottom complete pictures and the bottom xG/shot since he is been on the Etihad. And it isn’t simply as a result of lack of a productive center-forward, both. The derby could have been an excessive instance, however of the 23 pictures on purpose they’d, solely two (Phil Foden and Raheem Sterling) regarded like legit probabilities. Many of the relaxation had been pictures from distance, with little credible build-up.

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Frank Leboeuf says Bayern Munich are UCL favourites over Man Metropolis due to how each groups responded to being 2-0 down.

Guardiola himself identified that they performed much better in opposition to United than they did in opposition to West Ham (after they gained 2-1), so he wasn’t getting lulled into a way of safety by the win streak. The query might be whether or not it is one thing that may be mounted between now and the top of the season. And, whether it is sorted, how a lot better Metropolis might be.

Bayern vs. Dortmund mirrored their respective seasons (and Bayern gained)

Discuss cramming six-plus months into 90 minutes. Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund confirmed all of the darkness and lightweight of their 2020-21 campaigns into Saturday’s Der Klassiker showdown. Erling Haaland bagged two targets within the first 10 minutes, monstering Jerome Boateng within the course of and reminding you simply what all of the hype is about (and the way justified it’s). Bayern’s again 4 took early knocks (and never simply them, as a result of they defend from the entrance, so Boateng & Co. can share accountability with the likes of Leroy Sane).

– Report: Lewandowski leads Bayern to big win vs. Dortmund
– Rae: Lewandowski reminds Haaland of Bundesliga’s pecking order

However as so typically occurs, Bayern labored their means again and it was 2-2 at half-time. First, it was all the way down to particular person high quality — Sane leaving Nico Schulz on the spot to arrange Robert Lewandowski — after which, it was a penalty that irritated Dortmund, however that most likely was legit (and that — who else? — Lewandowski transformed).

When the second half started, we informed ourselves that someway, Edin Terzic would discover the phrases and savvy to push his younger weapons to reverse the momentum. For some time, they did, and it regarded as if we might be heading to a 2-2 draw. However then, Bayern took over and it felt like a matter of time till the pure order of the Bundesliga was restored. Certain sufficient, when Leon Goretzka — who, in a non-Lewandowski universe, would have been Bayern’s Man of the Match — rifled residence from the sting of the field. That left simply sufficient time for Lewandowski so as to add a fourth in rubbish time, taking his seasonal complete to 37 and his Bundesliga complete to 31. He is 9 behind the league document set by Gerd Muller, with 10 video games to go, and he is on tempo to interrupt it.

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Jurgen Klinsmann praises the mentality of Bayern Munich after they stormed again from two targets all the way down to beat Dortmund.

In some ways, then, this recreation mirrored what we already knew. Bayern are weak defensively, particularly early in video games, and that features Manuel Neuer. However they’ve a scarily good midfield that, when the entrance 4 are clicking, can grow to be nearly unplayable. And so they have people who can routinely win one-on-one battles at any time, from Sane to Alphonso Davies to Kingsley Coman.

Oh, after which there’s Lewandowski …

As for Dortmund, the absences of Raphael Guerreiro and Jadon Sancho weighed heavy (as did these of Manuel Akanji and Axel Witsel), they usually have severe defensive problems with their very own. The best way they dropped deeper and deeper within the second half solely invited extra strain, and whether or not you select guilty interim boss Terzic or the dearth of veteran management in the midst of the park — even after Emre Can moved into midfield — the result is identical: this staff feels flimsy.

The highest 4 is 4 factors away, they usually merely must get into the Champions League subsequent season in the event that they need to keep away from a hearth sale of younger expertise earlier than it totally blooms (and earlier than they will get full whack for it). It could be fairly ironic if Marco Rose leaves a Champions League aspect for one which might be enjoying on Thursday nights.

Klopp’s strategy vs. Fulham may have backfired spectacularly as Liverpool woes proceed

Having already set a brand new, undesirable document of 5 consecutive residence defeats this season, Liverpool bettered it (or, extra aptly, “worsened” it) on Sunday, falling 1-0 at Anfield to Fulham to make it six in a row. Make no mistake about it, although: this one was completely different.

Jurgen Klopp opted to “clean up” the aspect (his phrases) by making seven adjustments. Formally, two (center-forward Roberto Firmino and defender Ozan Kabak) had been enforced (although they appeared extra like precautions) however the likes of defender Trent Alexander-Arnold, midfielders Fabinho, Thiago Alcantara and Curtis Jones, and ahead Sadio Mane had been all ignored by alternative.

– Liverpool scores: Salah 5/10 as Reds slump continues
– Six points of note about Liverpool’s six-game losing streak

You assume Klopp’s pondering was twofold. On the one hand, give the reserves an opportunity to point out you what they will do and exploit the truth that they’re higher rested. Then again, provide a much-needed break day to quite a few your key gamers, maybe with a view to the Champions League last-16 second-leg with RB Leipzig (Liverpool lead 2-0 on mixture) this week.

The issue with this strategy is that for those who get it proper, you reap the advantages. Folks like Nat Phillips, Xherdan Shaqiri and Neco Williams emerge feeling extra assured and confident. Diogo Jota confirms he is totally recovered after his lengthy damage. The rested gamers have extra juice not simply in opposition to Leipzig, however down the stretch, too.

However for those who lose, as occurred Sunday, you get the alternative impact. You are reminded — the gamers are, too — once more, of the hole in high quality between your first- and second-string (or third-string, in some instances). And also you, willingly or not, ship two unfavorable messages. One, to Fulham, that you just reckon your B-team is nice sufficient to stuff them (and look foolish when that does not occur) and one other to your gamers: that you’ve so little confidence in your staff’s capacity to defend a 2-0 lead at residence in opposition to Leipzig that you just really feel the necessity to verify they get a full week’s relaxation.

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Frank Leboeuf lays into Liverpool’s efficiency vs. Fulham after they misplaced but once more at residence.

It was a bet, and it blew up in his face, probably as a result of he is in uncharted territory right here. He is by no means been in a state of affairs this “excessive” (his phrases) and there is not any playbook to get out of it. The fact now, although, is that they are all the way down to eighth within the Premier League desk — ninth if Aston Villa win their video games in hand. The highest 4 is simply 4 factors away as of Monday morning, however the issue is the 4 groups forward of all of them have video games in hand too. The margin of error is getting more and more slimmer right here.

It could be extraordinary if Liverpool’s finest likelihood of being within the Champions League subsequent season — a yr after successful the league so emphatically — had been to exit and win it this yr, however we’re not that far off from this situation.

Messi to Alba will get it performed and all of the sudden, Barca are in La Liga’s title race

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Alejandro Moreno credit Barcelona for securing three essential factors regardless of a lacklustre efficiency.

For years, the Jordi Alba to Lionel Messi help was soccer’s reply to the John Stockton-to-Karl Malone connection (yeah, I am exhibiting my age). Messi reversed that in opposition to Osasuna Saturday, conjuring up the sort of highlight-reel cross in site visitors that you will seemingly see on YouTube for years to return. Alba buried it to present them the lead earlier than 18-year-old midfielder, Ilaix Moriba, made it 2-0 in the second half with a surprising strike.

– Barca scores: Moriba’s first goal, Alba and Messi 8/10
– New Barca president Laporta: Messi congratulated me

It wasn’t solely snug for Barcelona. Marc-Andre ter Stegen wanted his Superman cape on a few events, Antoine Griezmann nonetheless seems to be “perdu” and Ronald Koeman needed to swap to a again 4 to guard to assist shield the guts of a defence that also seems to be weak.

However it’s ahead progress, constructing upon the win over Sevilla within the Copa del Rey and, after Sunday, leaving them three factors behind Atletico Madrid. Given the place Barca weren’t that way back, you will not simply take it — you will say “moltes gracies” and truly imply it.

Pirlo and Juve get an enormous confidence increase, making adjustments and successful with out Ronaldo

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Gab Marcotti and Julien Laurens preview Juventus’ big recreation vs. Porto within the Champions League.

Aside from the three factors — that clearly should not unimportant — Juventus’ 3-1 win in opposition to Lazio gave us two massive takeaways. The primary is that Andrea Pirlo — no matter what’s occurring round him — is unperturbed and unafraid to make adjustments. Like placing Danilo in midfield, or Federico Bernardeschi at left-back or Alex Sandro in central defence. It is the kind of fluidity that Pep Guardiola cherishes, and that makes you appear like a genius when it really works (and it often does for Pep).

Did it work for Pirlo? Sure and no. For the primary 20 minutes or so, Juve had been actually poor, and their comeback had extra to do with people than no matter scheme he cooked up. However it does matter that he feels free to make these adjustments. It exhibits that he feels the backing of the membership, and it proves he has the center to proceed his experiments.

The opposite massive name was resting Cristiano Ronaldo with the do-or-die Champions League last-16, second-leg conflict with Porto — Juventus are 2-1 down from the primary leg — in midweek and, successfully, successful the sport with out him. (They had been 3-1 up when he got here on with 20 minutes to go.)

Ronaldo had made 12 consecutive begins, enjoying weekends and midweeks, over the earlier six weeks. And he’d been substituted solely as soon as: with quarter-hour to go within the Coppa Italia semifinal in opposition to Inter. Giving him a breather earlier than Juve’s largest recreation of the season up to now shouldn’t have be trigger for controversy. And the truth that, with out him, they had been in a position to come from behind to beat a aspect that was a legit top-four contender earlier than kickoff, helps snuff out that “Cristiano-dependency” narrative that Juve want like a gap within the head proper now.

Confidence issues whenever you’re rebuilding, and Juve bought an enormous increase in each departments.

Arsenal nonetheless taking child steps, however a minimum of they are going in proper path

This weekend marked two factors dropped for Arsenal in opposition to Burnley. It solely completed 1-1 because of a colossally boneheaded play from Granit Xhaka — who handed it blindly in his personal field, his cross deflecting into the web off Chris Wood — and an evident penalty that VAR someway contrived to overlook (the primary one on Erik Pieters, I imply — they appropriately overturned the second) and yeah, it is about efficiency, not simply outcomes. And Saturday’s was, on the principle, constructive.

This can be a good factor, as a result of outcomes say Arsenal are tenth and if that does not change between now and the top of the season, you’d have to return 26 years. That is why, by the way, Arteta continues to present the impression of a man who has put all his eggs within the Europa League basket (therefore why we noticed Calum Chambers at right-back). In any case, successful it’s his finest likelihood to get into the Champions League.

Milan present they have extra depth than individuals thought

Milan’s journey to Verona — coming because it did after a laboured draw in opposition to Udinese that left them six factors behind Inter — was fraught with peril even earlier than you thought of the damage listing. They had been lacking Simon Kjaer and Theo Hernandez on the again, Hakan Calhanoglu and Ismael Bennacer in midfield (and Sandro Tonali was banged up on the bench) and Ante Rebic out vast — plus, in fact, Zlatan Ibrahimovic up entrance.

The doom and gloom retailers had been out in power; as an alternative, Milan performed quick they usually performed free, they usually overwhelmed Verona on their solution to a 2-0 win. They performed the way in which they performed earlier this season, with out Ibrahimovic, after they had been churning out outcomes. Credit score to Stefano Pioli and credit score the gamers: evidently this staff is deeper than some thought it was.

And, evidently, perhaps some veterans on expiring contracts — Ibrahimovic, in fact, but in addition Calhanoglu — aren’t fairly as indispensable to this membership’s future because the media typically make them out to be.

Nagelsmann the alchemist retains RB Leipzig ticking over

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Jan Aage Fjortoft questions if Robert Lewandowski and Thomas Muller are sufficient to cease RB Leipzig pushing forward of Bayern Munich.

Leipzig have eight wins of their previous evening video games — the one time they did not was in opposition to Liverpool within the Champions League, after they paid a hefty worth for particular person errors — which implies they continue to be two factors again from Bayern Munich on the high of the Bundesliga.

It took them some time to interrupt down Freiburg, who gifted them the opener, however as soon as they bought on the entrance foot, they did not look again. We learn about Julian Nagelsmann and his massive squad and penchant for rotation — goalkeeper Peter Gulacsi, Angelino and Dayton Upamecano are the one gamers who have not been on the bench a minimum of as soon as this season within the league — and on this event, it was Kevin Kampl, who hadn’t featured within the Bundesliga in almost a month, who stole the present.

Having so many weapons and having the ability to deploy them at any time is a big bonus in a season like this one.

Is Gareth Bale actually again?

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Frank Leboeuf believes Jose Mourinho ought to get the credit score for getting Gareth Bale again in kind for Tottenham.

Tottenham loanee Gareth Bale has now made three consecutive league begins for his staff, one thing that had not occurred since 2019. What’s extra, after spending a lot of the season both on the bench or enjoying on Thursday nights within the Europa League, he is been a major contributor in every of the previous three video games, capping it off with two targets within the 4-1 win over Crystal Palace on Sunday evening.

– Mourinho, Spurs reap benefits of being bolder in attack

Cue supporters (together with myself) fantasising about what a entrance three of Bale, Harry Kane and Heung-Min Son and what they may obtain. (We’ll even name them “BKS” in honour of everybody’s favourite Ok-Pop boy band — suppose it would catch on?)

I do not know if that is sustainable. You get the sense that Bale’s physique (and perhaps his thoughts) must be rigorously, patiently and finely tuned, like some costly medieval violin, if is to supply performances just like the stellar ones we have seen just lately. However I do know it is an entire heck of a whole lot of enjoyable whereas it lasts.

Karma is harsh for Marco Rose, Borussia Monchengladbach

A sterling efficiency from Moussa Diaby and a purpose from Patrik Schick gave Bayer Leverkusen a 1-0 win over Borussia Monchengladbach in a battle of Champions League pretenders. It is a end result that just about knocks Gladbach out of the race, and it marks their fifth straight defeat because the membership introduced that Marco Rose had “opted” to depart them in the summertime, regardless of having a yr left on his contract.

There is no good solution to navigate these conditions. Managers will transfer on to what they suppose are larger jobs and extra engaging employment and, in contrast to with a participant, it could be suicidal for a membership to try to preserve a supervisor to his contract. However there’s a great way to depart and there is a unhealthy means, and fairly clearly, we noticed the latter on this case.

Whether or not it is Rose’s fault or the membership’s or each is difficult to inform, however it is a entire load of unhealthy karma, and it’ll stick round till he leaves city.

Mbappe the star once more for PSG as we watch for information on his future

Kylian Mbappe scored twice and Pablo Sarabia added a 3rd as Paris Saint-Germain rolled to a 3-0 win over Brest within the French Cup. There’s not a lot you are going to be taught in these circumstances, however it confirms the truth that Mbappe is in glowing kind, with seven targets in his previous 5 outings.

He’ll enter the ultimate yr of his contract in June, and whereas there was loads of discuss relating to an extension, it is nonetheless up within the air. The troublesome half is that committing severe funds whereas coping with the fallout from the pandemic (and uncertainty over Neymar‘s future) is a big ask, however that applies to potential suitors as nicely.

Pre-pandemic, a 22-year-old Mbappe locked right into a long-term contract (he would have had it by now) would have fetched a minimum of $150m, perhaps much more, on the open market. Immediately? No one is aware of …