European roundup: Bayern hit back to beat Mainz while 10-man Milan stay top | Football

Bayern Munich returned from the Christmas break wanting rusty earlier than preventing again from two objectives all the way down to defeat second-bottom Mainz 5-2 on Sunday.

The consequence leaves Bayern on 33 factors from 14 video games, two factors forward of RB Leipzig. The German champions trailed 2-0 at half-time earlier than Robert Lewandowski continued his very good scoring run with a late double.

Jonathan Burkardt fired Mainz forward in opposition to the run of play after he shook off Jérôme Boateng and Alexander Hack made it 2-0 with a thumping header. Joshua Kimmich pulled one again with a header after Lewandowski nodded a Serge Gnabry cross into his path, earlier than Leroy Sané equalised with a scorcher from 20 metres.

Niklas Süle turned the tide when he volleyed dwelling from inside the world earlier than Lewandowski compelled Mainz into submission. He transformed a penalty after Leandro Barreiro introduced down Gnabry after which bundled in a Thomas Müller cross as Mainz collapsed within the last 20 minutes.

Earlier on, Jadon Sancho scored his first Bundesliga purpose of the season as Borussia Dortmund returned to the highest 4 with a 2-0 victory in opposition to VfL Wolfsburg. The hosts stepped up their depth within the second half and took the lead when the Swiss centre-back Manuel Akanji headed in a Sancho nook within the 66th minute.

Dortmund wrapped up all three factors in stoppage time when Emre Can’s clearance discovered Sancho, who slotted the ball past Koen Casteels.

In Spain, Athletic Bilbao sacked their coach Gaizka Garitano hours after their 1-0 victory at dwelling in opposition to Elche. Garitano was promoted from reserve-team coach to first-team supervisor in December 2018 and led the crew to final yr’s Copa del Rey last. He leaves the crew ninth within the standings on 21 factors after profitable six, drawing three and dropping eight of their 17 video games this season. Lionel Messi produced an help on his return to motion as Barcelona gained 1-0 at basement boys Huesca. Messi, again within the crew after sitting out Tuesday’s 1-1 draw in opposition to Eibar because of an ankle harm, teed up Frenkie De Jong with a superb go within the twenty seventh minute at.

Luis Suárez scored a Ninetieth-minute winner as Atlético Madrid defeated Alavés 2-1 to retake the Spanish league lead. Suárez scored from shut vary, changing a cross by João Félix after Atlético had conceded an equaliser within the 84th minute.

In the meantime in Italy, a purpose in every half earned 10-man AC Milan a 2-0 victory at Benevento, restoring their place on the prime of the Serie A desk. Inter Milan had thrashed Crotone 6-2 to briefly transfer prime however Milan quickly discovered themselves in entrance in Campania because of Franck Kessie’s Fifteenth-minute penalty.

Milan’s job was made harder after Sandro Tonali was despatched off within the thirty third minute. The referee had proven the midfielder a yellow card for a harmful deal with however modified it to purple after consulting the monitor.

Rafael Leao made it 2-0 4 minutes into the second half, whereas the hosts missed a penalty. Milan stay unbeaten and have 37 factors from 15 video games, one level forward of Inter. “This was one other powerful victory contemplating the numerical inferiority,” the Milan supervisor, Stefano Pioli, mentioned.

Lautaro Martínez’s first hat-trick for Internazionale had earlier helped them to crush Crotone, incomes a eighth successive Serie A win.

Crotone, who’re second-bottom, took a shock Twelfth-minute lead by Niccolò Zanellato. However Romelu Lukaku despatched his strike associate Martínez by to stage eight minutes later, earlier than an personal purpose by Luca Marrone had Inter in entrance. A Vladimir Golemic penalty then levelled issues up once more.

Martínez brilliantly gave Inter the lead within the 57th minute earlier than Lukaku added one other seven minutes later. The Argentinian accomplished his treble 12 minutes from time, earlier than Achraf Hakimi put the icing on the cake.

Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice and created one other purpose as Juventus acquired again to profitable methods in Serie A with a 4-1 victory over Udinese. Ronaldo opened the scoring with a trademark drive earlier than teeing up Federico Chiesa for the second.

Ronaldo’s second purpose put the consequence past any doubt, with Marvin Zeegelaar scoring an injury-time comfort for Udinese. There was, nonetheless, nonetheless time for Paulo Dybala to attain a fourth.

Elsewhere in Serie A, Edin Dzeko scored a late winner to earn Roma a battling 1-0 win in opposition to Sampdoria, maintaining his aspect third. Roma regarded set to lose floor within the title race as they laboured in torrential rain, failing to create probabilities within the first half.

Nonetheless, moments after the previous Manchester United defender Chris Smalling had headed in opposition to the crossbar, Dzeko scored his third purpose in as many video games to settle a decent contest.

Atalanta thrashed high-flying Sassuolo 5-1 and Lazio have been held to a 1-1 draw at Genoa, whereas two implausible Piotr Zielinski objectives steered Napoli to a 4-1 win at Cagliari.

Zielinski gave his aspect the lead with an arrowing strike earlier than João Pedro equalised on the hour. Nonetheless, Zielinski was not achieved: he danced by the house defence two minutes later to place Napoli again in entrance, earlier than a purpose by Hirving Lozano and a penalty from Lorenzo Insigne ensured Gennaro Gattuso’s aspect moved again into the highest 4.

Lazio had excessive hopes of victory at relegation-threatened Genoa. After Ciro Motionless gave his aspect the lead from the penalty spot within the Fifteenth minute, Lazio regarded set to earn solely their second win in six matches in all competitions. They may not construct on their lead, nonetheless, and Mattia Destro earned Genoa some extent within the 58th minute.

Sassuolo had a impolite awakening at Atalanta, who rained in 23 pictures of their rampant 5-1 win. Torino have been one other aspect to win convincingly, 3-0 at Parma, whereas Fiorentina have been held to a disappointing 0-0 draw at dwelling in opposition to Bologna.