Barcelona win, Messi commemorates Maradona
In Spain, the form curves of the top clubs Real Madrid and FC Barcelona show different tendencies. One day after the 1: 2 (0: 1) bankruptcy of the Whites, who started with Toni Kroos in the starting eleven, against Deportivo Alaves, Barca came to an easy 4: 0 (2: 0) against CA Osasuna. Martin Braithwaite (30th) scored the opening goal for Barca, Antoine Griezmann (42nd), the ex-Munich Philippe Coutinho (52nd) and Lionel Messi (73rd) increased to 4-0 with a dream goal. In memory of Diego Maradona, the multi-time world footballer took off his Barcelona jersey and showed himself in the black and red jersey with the number 10 of the Argentine club Newell’s Old Boys.
Barcelona moved up to within three points of Real. For the Catalans, captain Messi was back in the starting line-up after he was last spared in the Champions League game by coach Ronald Koeman. Goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen was the usual secure support of his team.
Atletico Madrid, who played in the Champions League on Tuesday at defending champions Bayern Munich, won 1-0 (0-0) at Valencia CF on Saturday and stayed in touch with the top. Real has been waiting for a win for three league games. Lucas Perez (5th) gave the guests the lead with a converted hand penalty, aided by a bad pass by Belgian goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, Joselu (49th) extended the Alaves lead shortly after the restart. Casemiros (86th) connection goal was without consequences.
England: Tottenham remain leaders
Tottenham Hotspur remain leaders of the English Premier League after matchday 10. A goalless draw at London’s local rivals FC Chelsea with German national players Timo Werner and Kai Havertz was enough for Spurs. As the front runner, Tottenham is level on points with the football champions Liverpool FC, who temporarily took first place on Saturday evening, but the Spurs have the significantly better goal difference.
After just eleven minutes, Chelsea striker Timo Werner scored the alleged lead for the hosts at Stamford Bridge, but the goal did not count due to an offside position. Overall, the Blues acted a little more offensively than the Spurs, had more possession and shot more often on goal. But Tottenham opposed it.
The offensive forces Christian Pulisic, Olivier Giroud and Kai Havertz, who returned to the squad after surviving the corona infection, were also unable to change anything at 0-0. Spurs coach José Mourinho seemed reasonably happy with the result and left Gareth Bale on the bench.
Italy: Inter Milan in good shape
Inter Milan presented themselves in good shape three days before the game at Borussia Mönchengladbach in the Champions League. On the ninth matchday of Serie A, the Milanese won 3-0 (2-0) at Sassuolo Calcio and are now second behind their city rivals AC Milan. Inter also passed the tied team from Sassuolo, which suffered their first defeat of the season after five wins and three draws.
The basis for the clear away win were two goals in the opening phase by Chilean Alexis Sanchez (4th) and an own goal by Vlad Chiriches (14th). In the second half, Roberto Gagliardini (60th) made everything clear. In the 10th minute, the game was briefly interrupted in memory of the deceased Diego Maradona, matching the former shirt number of the Argentine football legend.
The bottom of the group, Inter, has to win the game in the premier class on Tuesday (9 p.m.) in Mönchengladbach if the team wants to overwinter in Europe. In the first leg in Milan both teams had separated 2-2.
Meanwhile, Juventus Turin missed the jump to second place in the evening and remain fourth. The team of the German world champion Sami Khedira, who was last on the pitch for his club in March, couldn’t get beyond a 1-1 (1-1) at Benevento Clacio. Alvaro Morata (21st) had put Juve in the lead, Gaetano Letizia (45th + 3) scored for the hosts. Goal scorer Morata saw the red card with the final whistle.
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