Naples had been waiting for 33 years … and will have to wait at least a few more days to win their third Italian championship, after their draw on Sunday against Salernitana. Karim Benzema and Erling Haaland write a little more history of their respective championship. And in Ligue 1, PSG, without envy, bowed and kept OM alive for the title race.
PSG lose, OM hope, Angers in Ligue 2
PSG, without envy, tasteless in the game and reduced to ten for more than an hour, sank on Sunday at the Parc des Princes against Lorient (1-3) during the 33rd day of Ligue 1. Les Merlus, who remained out of five matches without a win, logically took advantage of it against Parisians who once again had a mediocre match, passive and unable to have a start, despite an opportunistic goal from Mbappé (29th).
With this defeat, the third in four matches at the Parc, the 11th title for PSG is not in danger but the Parisians see OM getting closer once again. The Marseillais, long trailing, finally got the better of Auxerre on Sunday (2-1) at the Stade Vélodrome. Before moving to Lens (3rd) next week, Marseille (2nd) – on a series of eight matches without defeat in the league – is temporarily ahead of the northern club by four lengths, which will play in Toulouse on Tuesday in a late match.
Monaco, meanwhile, saw red on Sunday a little earlier in the day. The Monegasques clearly did not digest the slap received eight days ago at the Bollaert stadium against Lens (3-0), their competitor for qualification in the Champions League. Unresponsive and apathetic, the Rock club got away with one more humiliation at home against Montpellier (0-4), one of the teams in form at the moment.
Finally, this 33rd day was marked by the official relegation of Angers to Ligue 2. Beaten in Rennes on Sunday (4-2), the Angevins can no longer catch up with their arithmetic delay in the race to maintain. Overwhelmed by extra-sporting affairs and in distress on the ground, the SCO, the red lantern of the championship since the 12th day, is 18 points behind Nantes, Brest and Strasbourg, who are currently vying for the place of first non-relegation. A delay impossible to fill, with five more matches on the calendar.
Barça goes to the title, Karim Benzema enters a little more in History
FC Barcelona crushed Betis Sevilla (4-0) on Saturday at Camp Nou for the 32nd day of La Liga. The Catalans maintain an eleven-point lead at the top of the standings over Real Madrid (2nd). Defender Andreas Christensen opened the scoring with a header (14th) for Barça. Then after the expulsion of Edgar Gonzalez for a second yellow card (33rd), Robert Lewandowski doubled the bet from the right (36th). Raphinha sealed the success of the Blaugranas in stride, at the end of a brilliant pass from Sergio Busquets (39th), before Guido Rodriguez ended up scoring against his side (86th).
Real Madrid also largely won on Saturday against Almeria (4-2) thanks in particular to a hat-trick from Karim Benzema. The 2022 Ballon d’Or benefited from two five-star services from the Brazilians Vinicius (5th) and Rodrygo (17th), who each signed a festival on their wing before serving the French goleador against the cages, then the French striker sealed his hat-trick on penalty (41st).
Karim Benzema thus joins the top four … of the best scorers in the history of the Spanish championship. This hat-trick allows him to reach the bar of 236 goals scored in La Liga, and thus overtake the Mexican Hugo Sanchez (234 goals). “KB9” can still hope to join the historic center forward of Athletic Bilbao Telmo Zarra (253 goals) before his retirement to join the top 3 of this ranking. But the first two places, occupied by Lionel Messi (473 goals) and Cristiano Ronaldo (311 goals), seem out of reach.
Although in good shape, the Merengues will have to watch out for their 2nd place because their Madrid rival is not far away. Atlético Madrid (3rd, two points behind Real) outclassed Valladolid on Sunday (5-2). Nahuel Molina (20th), José Maria Gimenez (24th) and Alvaro Morata (38th) gave the Colchoneros a three-goal lead straight away. Valladolid sounded the revolt with a penalty converted by Cyle Larin (40th) and an uncrossed header from a corner signed Sergio Escudero (74th). But Joaquin Fernandez, with an own goal (86th), then Memphis Depay on the counter (90th + 3), sealed the victory for Madrid.
Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund neck and neck
Winner in the difficulty of Hertha Berlin (2-0), red lantern and close to relegation, Bayern Munich took over the lead of the Bundesliga on Sunday without however reassuring, four days before the end of the season. After Borussia Dortmund’s draw on the lawn of the poorly ranked Bochum (1-1) for the small Ruhr derby on Friday evening, Thomas Tuchel’s men painfully seized the opportunity to regain their chair as leader with 62 points in counter, one more than the BVB.
There are four matches left until the end of the season. The Munich residents will travel twice, to Bremen next week and to Cologne for the last day, two teams which have almost ensured their maintenance (35 points each), and will receive Schalke in the fight for maintenance and RB Leipzig in the fight for qualifying for the Champions League.
For its part, Borussia will receive three times, including the last day against Mainz, in its Westfalenstadion where it has won its last five matches. Suffice to say that Bayern have no room for maneuver if they want to clinch an eleventh consecutive German title and save their season, while the threat of a year 2023 without a trophy looms – which would be a first since 2011 in Munich.
It should also be noted that Union Berlin was held in check on Saturday on its lawn at Bayer Leverkusen (0-0). The Berliners missed the opportunity to get closer to Borussia Dortmund, and see the race for the next Champions League tighten with the successes of Freiburg (0-1 in Cologne) and RB Leipzig (1-0 against Offenheim) .
La Salernitana delays the coronation of Naples, the race for the C1 rages
Naples will still have to wait to secure the title of Italian champion which is reaching out to them, after being joined in the last minutes by Salernitana (1-1), Sunday during the 32nd day. But it is probably only a matter of days: Napoli only need one point in the last six days to secure their third scudetto, more than three decades after the two of the time. Maradona (1987, 1990).
The 55,000 tifosi of the Maradona stadium, like the Neapolitans who were already gathering in town, were already celebrating the third title which seemed acquired after Mathias Olivera’s header from a corner (62nd) when Boulaye Dia spoiled the party, a few minutes from the end. end (84th). The Neapolitans have been waiting for their third scudetto for 33 years, so they will have to wait a little longer. And it will probably be done in the same festive spirit that bathed the city all day, despite the final disappointment.
In the race for the Champions League, AS Roma and AC Milan neutralized each other (1-1) on Saturday in a crazy end to the match where the Milanese Alexis Saelemaekers (90 + 7th) responded to Giallorosso Tammy Abraham ( 90+4th). This draw between the Rossoneri (5th) and the Giallorossi (6th), still tied on points, benefited Inter Milan, now 4th with the same number of points after their success against Lazio Rome (3-1) . Juventus Turin has, meanwhile, more than three points ahead of this trio after their draw in Bologna (1-1). The battle for the C1 will remain breathtaking until the end.
Manchester City takes first place, United and Newcastle at the rendezvous
Four days after winning their summit against Arsenal, Manchester City won (2-1) on Sunday at Fulham, which allowed them to take the lead in the standings on this 34th day of the English Championship. With a point ahead of their main rival Arsenal and one more game to play, the Citizens have their destiny in their hands more than ever to retain their title.
If the victory was less controlled than during the shock against the Gunners (4-1), it took shape from the start of the match with a penalty converted by the inevitable Erling Haaland. The Norwegian has equaled the record of – 34 – goals scored in a season in the Premier League since its creation in 1992, tied with Andy Cole (1994) and Alan Shearer (1995). He still has a few days left to write a little more history… for his first season across the Channel.
For their part, the Red Devils beat (1-0) the team in form at the moment, Aston Villa, which remained on ten matches without defeat. While Casemiro had shot the crossbar ten minutes earlier, Bruno Fernandes took advantage of a Rashford strike badly repelled by Emiliano Martinez to score from a tight angle (1-0, 39th). This victory allows Erik Ten Hag’s players to consolidate their fourth qualifying place for the next Champions League, seven points behind Liverpool and with one more game to play.
Also note the more complicated than expected victory of Newcastle against the bottom of the championship, Southampton (3-1), which allows the Magpies to keep two points ahead of Manchester United, in third position.
Finally, the psychological fragility of Tottenham was again highlighted in Liverpool (4-3), with a start to the match that looked a lot like last Sunday’s collapse at Newcastle (6-1), and a fatal goal conceded in added time, when Spurs had just come back three goals clear.
With AFP
