Pundit Arena Because Sport Is Everything
Just before Europe’s leagues take a breather for the international break, there is quite the story developing in the Bundesliga.
Bayern Munich could only draw 1-1 with third-placed Hoffenheim (and even that came courtesy of a Stven Zuber own goal to cancel out Kerim Demerbay’s opener), to ensure both sides remain in the league.
Also unbeaten this year are surprise package RB Leipzig. The newly promoted side defeated Mainz 3-1 – with a double from Timo Werner and third coming from Emil Forsberg before Stefan Bell’s consolation – to move level on points with Bayern at the top, separated only by goal difference.
Borussia Dortmund returned to winning ways with a comprehensive 5-2 win at bottom side Hamburg. Pierre-Emerick Aubabeyang, suspended internally for the midweek Champions League win against Sporting CP, was the star of the show in netting four goals, the fourth coming from Ousmane Dembélé. Two goals from Nicolai Muller for the home side added some degree of dignity for the home side at least.
In the league’s other results, Borussia Monchengladbach’s struggles continued with a 3-0 defeat at Hertha Berlin, Inglostadt remain without a win after losing 2-0 to Augsburg, Bayer Leverkusen defeated Darmstadt 3-2, Freiburg were beaten 3-0 at home to Wolfsburg, Eintracht Frankfurt beat FC Cologne 1-0, and Schalke put Werder Bremen away 3-1.
To La Liga next, where Barcelona overcame Sevilla in an exhilarating encounter at the Sánchez Pizjuán. Vitolo had the home side within fifteen minutes, but Luis Enrique’s side battled hard and overturned the deficit thanks Lionel Messi and Luis Suárez. Messi in particular had a fantastic game as Barca move back into second in the table.
Real Madrid, meanwhile, stay on top after dispatching Leganés 3-0. Two goals from Gareth Bale and a third from Álvaro Morata gave Zinedine Zidane’s side the win, the perfect response to the midweek draw in Warsaw.
Atlético Madrid, meanwhile, had a weekend to forget in a 2-0 loss at Real Sociedad.. Goals from Carlos Vela and Willian José, both from the penalty spot, sent Diego Simeone’s side outside of the Champions League places.
Elsewhere Villarreal recovered from last week’s defeat to defeat Real Betis 2-0, Malaga beat Sporting Gijón 3-2, winless Granada played out a 1-1 draw against Deportivo La Coruna, Osasuna lost 1-0 at home to Alavés, Cesare Prandelli’s Valencia lost 2-1 to Celta Vigo, and Espanyol played out a scoreless draw at home to Athletic Bilbao.
Finally to Serie A, where Juventus kept the rest of the chasing pack at bay with a 2-1 win at Chievo. Mario Mandzukic and Miralem Pjanic scored either side of a Sergio Pellissier penalty to give Max Allegri’s side the three points and maintain the four point gap.
Second-placed Roma, meanwhile, stayed in the hunt with a 3-0 win at home to Bologna. Former Chelsea winger Mohamed Salah was the hero for the Giallorossi by netting a hat-trick, taking his Serie A tally for the season to eight in twelve games.
Managerless Inter left it lat to defeat bottom side Crotone at the San Siro. Ivan Perisic and a Mauro Icardi double, all coming within the last five minutes, ensured the win and moved them back into the top half of the table.
Rivals AC Milan continued their upturn in form with a 2-1 win at Palermo. Ilija Nestorovski cancelled out Suso’s early opener, but Gianluca Lapadula proved to be the hero with the winning Milan goal eight minutes from time.
Elsewhere, Napoli dropped to sixth with a 1-1 draw at home to Lazio, Torino enjoyed a fine 5-1 win against Cagliari, Empoli recorded a 4-0 victory at Pescara, Sassuolo went down 3-0 at home to Atalanta, Fiorentina played out a 1-1 draw against Sampdoria, while Genoa versus Udinese ended in the same scoreline.
