Atalanta defeated Gattuso

After a draw in the first semi-final match of the Italian Cup (0: 0) in the second game, Atalanta, for which Oleksiy Miranchuk is playing, began to put pressure on Napoli from the start.

This tactic proved effective already by the 16th minute, when Duvan Zapata's goal and his transfer to Matteo Pessina practically removed all questions about the winner in the pair.

1 + 1 - Duván #Zapata has both scored and provided assist in two matches with Atalanta in 2021 (v Sassuolo in Serie A and tonight), as many as in the entire 2020. Predator. # AtalantaNapoli # CoppaItaliapic.twitter.com / IS8xZR5QFn

- OptaPaolo (@OptaPaolo) February 10, 2021

Realizing this, Atalanta slightly slowed down, allowing the Neapolitans to play one goal after the break.

But the goal did not affect the general nature of the confrontation, which was confirmed at the end of the match by Pessina, who scored a double after another transfer from Zapata.

Atalanta's Russian midfielder Alexei Miranchuk watched the match from the bench, but never entered the field.

Nevertheless, together with the Bergamasks, he won the right to compete for the trophy with Juventus on May 19.

Note that the failure jeopardized the further work of Gennaro Gattuso.

The head coach of Napoli was given two matches by the management to keep his position.

Otherwise, the ex-Italian midfielder will be replaced by Rafa Benitez.

Reno lost the cup match, followed by a battle in Serie A with Juve, the champion of Italy.

Künde outshined Messi

In Spain, Sevilla beat Barcelona dry in the first semi-final match of the King's Cup.

French defender Jules Kunde actually turned off the Catalan captain Lionel Messi from the game, repeating what he had done twice in previous meetings with the grand.

The superstar from Argentina could not distinguish himself (with seven strokes), and the team of Ronald Koeman remained without victories in those fights.

However, Kunde became the most talked about player of the match also because he scored a goal that any top-class forward would envy.

Having run half the field, the defender beat several opponents and sent the ball into the goal of Marc-Andre Ter Stegen with a spectacular blow.

Jules Kounde goal against Barcelona.

Bad defending from Busquets and Umtiti.

pic.twitter.com/jtR4WCSUzm

- Lloyd Dsouza (@ Lloyd_Dsouza03) February 10, 2021

At the end of the match, Barça conceded another goal after hitting their former player Ivan Rakitic.

In addition, referee Antonio Mateu Laos refused to use VAR in the episode with the appointment of a free kick in favor of the Catalans, where Suso stopped Jordi Alba against the rules.

Although, judging by the repetition of the episode, the contact still took place inside the penalty area, which gave Blaugrana the right to a penalty kick.

Now at Camp Nou, Lionel Messi and his teammates have to play two goals, which is incredibly difficult against such disciplined and motivated Sevilla.

Guardiola has become a legend

The success of Manchester City in the match against Swansea from the second division was read ahead - the difference in the class of performers is too great.

The only question was the score.

At the same time, in case of victory, the vice-champion of England set a new record for the Premier League teams - fifteen victories in a row in all competitions.

WWWWWWWWWWWWWWW



Goals: 40


Conceded: 5


Clean sheets: 10



Pep Guardiola's Man City have made history.

📜 pic.twitter.com/wqUjwoUOGp

- Squawka Football (@Squawka) February 10, 2021

Previously, the best in the nomination were considered "Preston" (1892) and "Arsenal" (1987), which, with a difference of almost a century, issued a series of 14 victories that seemed unattainable.

However, the team of Pep Guardiola, having beaten the Welsh 3: 1, opened a new page in football history.

The Spaniard also conquered the iconic individual milestone.

Guardiola took his 200th win at the helm, even though he pitched a semi-reserve squad against Swansea.

However, the fusion of experience and youth turned out to be so strong that even Kyle Walker was inspired.

Man City take the lead as Kyle Walker's cross bobbles all the way in 😳 # FACuppic.twitter.com / NR6q888xG5

- Goal (@goal) February 10, 2021

The full-back hasn't featured in the FA Cup for over a decade, since he defended Aston Villa's colors.

However, the Welsh scored.

It was only after the match that he admitted that the trajectory of the ball thrown into the net is pure coincidence.

Though well-deserved, since City's superiority was not in doubt. 

But “Everton” didn’t have enough even two goals to knock Tottenham out of the tournament in regulation time.

What happened at Goodison Park from the 36th to the 43rd minute would surely have plunged most of the Premier League teams into a stupor, but not Jose Mourinho's team.

The guests did not seem to notice the three goals in the net of Hugo Lloris - and continued to play straight football.

It brought success in the opening, when Davinson Sanchez scored.

The Spurs hoped for the same after the break, remembering that Harry Kane and Son Heung Min only need a few centimeters of free space to create a scoring chance.

The calculation was justified: after the repeated success of Sanchez, it was a bunch of London forwards that brought the guests a draw and brought the match into overtime.

4/4 - In what is the 981st match of his managerial career, this is the first time a José Mourinho side has both scored and conceded at least four goals in a single game.

Hijinks.

pic.twitter.com/95xhi3OTRF

- OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) February 10, 2021

Here the stories about the grand comeback would have a happy ending.

But Gilfi Sigurdsson intervened in the Hollywood denouement.

In regulation time, he scored two assists and a goal against his former teammates.

In addition, his accurate pass to Bernard drew the line in the confrontation between the tops of the Premier League.

The match became the most productive in the FA Cup in six decades (if we talk about the meetings of the teams of the elite division), and the club under the leadership of Mourinho conceded five goals only for the third time in the Portuguese career.

Neymar injured, Domenech fired

The union of the ex-coach of the French national team Raymond Domenech and Nantes initially looked dubious.

The specialist has not been at the helm of a professional club since 2010, while attempts to lead national teams without top status (Cameroon, Serbia) ended in failure.

The 69-year-old specialist won his last victory as a club coach with Lyon back in 1993.

And therefore it was difficult to understand what he is able to offer a modern team.

As it turned out, Domenech did not invent any innovative ideas or tactics during the downtime.

In eight matches since Raymond's appointment in December 2020, Nantes have never won, dropping into the relegation zone from Ligue 1. And in 1/32 of the Canary Cup, scoring first, then allowed Lance to answer with four accurate strikes.

The goal of the prestige of Kader Bamba, who scored a double at the close of the meeting, did not decide anything: Nantes said goodbye to hopes for a trophy, and Domenech - to work.

Less than an hour after the final whistle, the veteran was replaced by Antoine Comboiret, local media reported.

PSG also ran into trouble.

The national champion in the first half against Caen had the ball 71 percent of the time, but only once shot on target.

Whereas nominal outsiders with counterattack attacks seriously bothered Sergio Rico several times.

However, after the break, Mauricio Pochettino's wards almost immediately scored (Moise Keane scored), after which the match was irrevocably taken over by the capital.

True, PSG fans did not see more goals, but the team had already completed the task for the evening.

Although not without nuances: due to injury, Neymar left the field ahead of schedule, thereby calling into question his participation in the Champions League match against Barcelona.

Less than a week is left before the fight.

pic.twitter.com/6A2JRnAW8y

- Portal Neymar Jr (@ njrnewsbra2) February 10, 2021

Alexander Golovin's Monaco also achieved minimal success.

According to the tradition of recent weeks, the Russian midfielder appeared on the field after being replaced - and therefore had only a little less than 20 minutes for self-realization.

The midfielder failed to upset "Grenoble", but he helped the team to keep the advantage gained by Stefan Jovetic and move into the next stage of the game.