FFor coach Ronald Koeman, the air at the Spanish top soccer club FC Barcelona is getting thinner and thinner. The Catalans suffered their fourth defeat in the last six competitive games on Wednesday evening with a 0-1 (0-1) at promoted Rayo Vallecano.
Old star Radamel Falcao (30th) left national goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen with his fourth goal of the season no chance to defend himself. The Dutch international striker Memphis Depay missed the possible compensation when he failed with a penalty he had inflicted on Rayo goalkeeper Stole Dimitrievski (72nd).
After ten game days and the third league loss of the season, Barca stagnated at 15 points in mid-table. Rayo keeps four points ahead of the flagging title candidate close to the Champions League places.
Italy’s record champions Juventus Turin suffered a severe setback after their recent upswing. In the anniversary game of coach Massimiliano Allegri, who sat on the bench for the club for the 200th time in Serie A, the old lady lost 1: 2 (0: 1) at home to Sassuolo Calcio due to a goal in stoppage time.
Maxime Lopez (90th + 5) made the decision after a counterattack, previously the former Schalke Weston McKennie (76th) had equalized the guest tour by Davide Frattesi (44th). For Juventus it was the first defeat after nine competitive games. With 15 points Turin is only eighth in the table, Juventus had made a powerful false start to the season.
Allegri is only the third Juve coach after Marcello Lippi and Giovanni Trapattoni to reach the 200-game milestone.
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