Smolov’s game and the defeat of Cheryshev
After the goal of Fyodor Smolov against Real Madrid, the fans were waiting with great interest for the next Celta match in Example, because the Celts had to take the modest Leganes at home, who, moreover, was left without their best scorer Martin Brightwhite, who moved to Barcelona . It seemed that in this fight the Russian would have a great chance to prove himself, since he managed to upset the top club from Madrid.
In fact, the meeting turned out to be difficult for both Smolov and Celta as a whole, although it ended in a victory for the hosts with a minimum score. This was largely due to the removal of midfielder Philip Bradaric for a dangerous tackle already in the middle of the first half.
Left in the minority, the wards of Oscar Garcia were forced to act for the most part second number. The Russian in such a game was lost and did not remember almost nothing. He did not even manage to break through the opponent’s goal.
In the 65th minute, the coach decided to remove Smolov from the field. By that time, his team was leading with a minimum score thanks to the successfully played standard. As a result, she did not miss her “Celta” and won a second victory in the Example in the last three matches. This allowed the Celts to leave the relegation zone again.
But for another Russian legionnaire, Denis Cheryshev, the evening was not so successful. “Valencia” after a devastating defeat from the “Atalanta” in the Champions League, lost a lot and “Real Sociedad” - 0: 3. The only plus for the Russian midfielder is that for the first time in 5.5 months he spent on the field the whole match in Example.
The misfire of Real Madrid and the incredible goal of the captain Levante
In turn, “Real” after a lost victory in the match with “Celta” was marked by an even louder embarrassment. Madrid managed to concede on the road with a minimum score of “Levante”. Zinedine Zidane's team attacked the whole game, delivered 19 shots on goal, but failed to score.
The hosts had half a moment ten minutes before the end. The captain of the team Jose Morales struck an incredible blow from the summer into the near nine from the left corner of the penalty area. Thibault Courtois was clearly not ready for this.
The defeat of the problems of “Real” did not end. During the second half, due to another injury, I had to change Eden Azar, who only recently returned to duty after a three-month absence.
- © LevanteUD
Benefis Messi and Brightwite Recognition
The misfire of the main competitor helped to return to the first line of “Barcelona”, which did not leave the slightest chance to “Eibar”. Blue garnet scored five unanswered goals against the opponent’s goal, while Lionel Messi managed to distinguish himself again. He left the field without a goal in the last four matches of the Examples, and this “dry” series was the longest for him since 2014.
However, in a duel with Eibar, the Argentine finally broke through, and he designed poker. Footballer scored for every taste: with a neat blow from outside the penalty area, and in finishing off, and after a fine pass from a partner. At the same time, one of the assists was given to him by the already mentioned newcomer Brightwright, who came on as a substitute closer to the final whistle. Later, he even jokingly declared that he would not wash clothes after hugging with Messi.
Lionel now has 18 goals in his current draw Examples, and he leads the tournament in the scorers of the tournament.
Lampard's victory over Mourinho and the VAR scandal
In England, in a central match of the tour, Jose Mourinho came to visit his former Chelsea team with the intention of upsetting Frank Lampard's “apprentice” and taking revenge from the young specialist for losing in the first round.
But Tottenham lost again. The bloodless team simply did not have enough strength after a difficult meeting with Leipzig on Wednesday. In addition, due to injuries of Song Heung Min and Harry Kane, the guests were forced to act without nominal attackers and created all their moments mainly due to standard provisions.
Helped Chelsea and a quick ball Olivier Giroud. After that, the team could calmly act on the score. Everything finally became clear at the beginning of the second half, when Marcos Alonso doubled the advantage of the hosts. True, Tottenham Hotspur did not give up until the last and in the end scored one goal. More precisely, the “spurs” were helped by Cesar Aspilicueta, who knocked the shell right in the foot of Antonio Rudiger, from whom he ricocheted into the goal.
However, after the game more and more they discussed not the result, but the scandalous episode with the participation of the midfielder of the guests Giovanni Lo Chelso. In the center of the field he stepped on Aspilikuete’s foot and almost broke his opponent’s ankle. But after watching the replay, the judges decided not to punish the Argentine, which caused anger Lampard, who after the game said that “VAR can not cope” with the tasks assigned to him.
By the way, Frank himself became only the second coach, who managed to defeat Mourinho twice during the season. The first this was Jaime Pacheco with Boavista in the Portuguese Championship 19 years ago.
Guardiola's successful substitution and fifth unrealized Manchester City penalty
Meanwhile, Manchester City beat Leicester on the road with ease and broke away from the main pursuer in the fight for second place by seven points. The townspeople scored the only goal only ten minutes before the final whistle, when Gabriel Jesus closed the ball to Riyad Marez.
However, the guests could not have brought matters to such a hassle if they had realized the penalty awarded after the hour of the game. But Sergio Aguero was not able to “beat” Casper Schmeichel from a “point”. It is curious that in the current season the team has serious problems with the penalty. Of the 15 players, “City” sold only ten, and Jesus - only one out of three.
Thousand match Ronaldo and the 16th goal in 11 meetings
A successful game day turned out not only for Messi, but also for his main rival in world football, Cristiano Ronaldo. The Portuguese returned to Juventus after missing the previous round of the national championship and helped the Turin beat the SPAL on the road. Moreover, this game became the 1000th in his career (“Sporting B” - 2 matches, “Sporting” - 31, “Manchester United” - 292, “Real” - 438, “Juventus” - 73, Portuguese national team - 164) .
Of course, in such a meeting, Ronaldo simply had no right not to score. He opened an account at the end of the first half, closing the cross from the flank of a partner. After the break, Aaron Ramsey scored and secured a “Juve" victory.
Cristiano scored a goal in the 11th Serie A match in a row and repeated the achievement of Fabio Quagliarella and Gabriel Batistuta. Moreover, in these games he scored 16 goals. The record may fall within a week, when Juventus will take Inter in a key fight in the fight for the championship.
- Reuters
Holland's next goal and Lewandowski's double
In the German championship, the leading Bavaria and the Leipzig chasing it with the Dortmund Borussia won the Champions League next week. The trip to London did not stop the team of Julian Nagelsman from sending five goals to the Schalke goal. And the yellow-blacks outplayed Werder Bremen thanks to another Erling Holland goal, which was already his 12th in eight games for Dortmund in all tournaments.
In turn, Bayern almost lost points in a match with an outsider Paderborn. The Munich team stepped forward twice, but the humble guests each time found the strength to win back. But when Robert Lewandowski scored a double in the 88th minute, the team laid down their arms. These goals helped the Pole to break away even more from Timo Werner in the scorer race. At the moment, the striker has 25 goals in the Bundesliga.
Misfire "Monaco" without Golovin
Meanwhile, “Monaco” without the disqualified Alexander Golovin interrupted the three-match winning streak in League 1. Monegasques on the road failed to beat the “Dijon” fighting for survival. Moreover, the account at the beginning of the second half was opened by the hosts. The guests only managed to restore the status quo. Guillermo Maripan did this ten minutes before the end.