Category: Italy Serie A

American father and son began positively at the Stadio Olimpico but botched managerial decisions soured mood

A banner raised by Roma supporters before their Coppa Italia game at home to Sampdoria on Wednesday spoke to the prevailing mood. “Club and players: all a bunch of frauds,” it read. By recent standards, that was rather tame.

The Friedkin Group, which completed its takeover of Everton on Thursday, has owned Roma since 2020 and enjoyed notable successes: hiring José Mourinho as manager and delivering him the squad he needed to win the first Europa Conference League, as well as finishing as Europa League runners-up a year later. However, the decision to fire the Portuguese in January divided opinion among the fanbase, and the sacking of his successor, Daniele De Rossi, in September sparked open revolt.

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• Kane returns from injury in Bundesliga thrashing
• Milan beat Verona 1-0; Girona sink Real Valladolid

Bayern Munich stamped their authority on the Bundesliga by hammering fourth-placed RB Leipzig 5-1 in a game that featured two goals in the opening two minutes for the first time in the league’s history.

Having lost their first league match of the season to Mainz last week, Bayern delivered a commanding performance against a Leipzig side who struggled to build any attacking momentum.

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Thiago Motta’s reboot of the Turin giants is stalling even if they are yet to suffer a Serie A defeat

Sir Alex Ferguson diminished Arsenal’s Invincibles of 2003-04, who went an entire Premier League season without defeat, by accusing them of “too many draws”. What, then, would he make of this year’s Juventus? They are the only unbeaten team in Serie A, yet they have won just six out of 16 games.

Saturday’s match at home to Venezia was expected to provide the seventh. Juventus had broken a run of four consecutive draws by beating Manchester City in the Champions League. Sure, Pep Guardiola’s team have been in a tailspin, but they are not the only ones. Venezia sat dead last in the Serie A table, without a win since October.

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• Leganés defender Sergio González scores early winner
• Sørloth moves Atlético above Real Madrid into second

Barcelona lost 1-0 to Leganés, allowing Atlético Madrid to pull level with them at the top of La Liga. Sergio González’s fourth-minute header for Leganés proved enough to stun the wasteful hosts, who lost their second consecutive league game in front of their own fans. The defender rose unmarked at the near post to fire an unstoppable header past Iñaki Peña.

Despite dominating with over 80% possession, Barça were clueless as they sought to overcome a disciplined and well organised five-man defence, spurning a handful of opportunities.

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• Leverkusen four points behind after win at Augsburg
• Real Madrid drop points despite Jude Bellingham goal

Lee Jae-sung scored either side of the break as Mainz stunned Bayern Munich 2-1 on Saturday to end the league leaders’ unbeaten start as their advantage at the top was cut to four points.

Lee struck four minutes before the break, the South Korea international pouncing on a defensive blunder by the lacklustre visitors. The 32-year-old then doubled the hosts’ lead on the hour, turning beautifully in the box to finish a superb attacking move that left the Bayern defence frozen to the spot.

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Marco Baroni’s team have been a surprise package this season: shaking off a wobbly start to win 11 of 12 games

Less than 72 hours after kicking off a Coppa Italia game at home to Napoli, Lazio lined up to face a different team dressed as the same one. Their opponents on Sunday wore the club badge of the opponents they had beaten 3-1 on Thursday, yet none of the faces were familiar.

That was because Napoli’s manager, Antonio Conte, had made a full 11 changes to his starting team. He would not say outright that he had deprioritised the cup, but it was clear he viewed the players used on Thursday as his second string.

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• France attacker scores injury-time goal for 4-3 win
• Napoli miss chance to return to top with Lazio loss

A second-half double from Antoine Griezmann earned Atlético Madrid a stunning 4-3 comeback home win over Sevilla in La Liga on Sunday, as the hosts claimed their ninth straight win in all competitions.

Atlético made a dominant start at home, with Griezmann hitting the crossbar before Rodrigo De Paul opened the scoring in the 10th minute, hammering a rocket from the edge of the box and into the top corner. Dodi Lukebakio equalised just two minutes later with a powerful low strike following a corner before Isaac Romero put Sevilla ahead after a quick counterattack in the 32nd minute, shooting across Jan Oblak, who could only get a finger to the ball.

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• Jamal Musiala scores twice in 4-2 win over Heidenheim
• Betis level late against Barça; Real Madrid beat Girona

Two second-half goals from the substitute Jamal Musiala put Bayern Munich six points clear at the top of the Bundesliga with a nervous 4-2 home victory over Heidenheim.

The Bavarian club, who take on Shakhtar Donetsk in the Champions League on Tuesday, were without the injured Harry Kane, Manuel Neuer and Serge Gnabry. Eager to bounce back from their midweek German Cup defeat by Bayer Leverkusen,the hosts were in control from the start and took an 18th-minute lead when unmarked Dayot Upamecano headed in.

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Fiorentina and Inter players had squabbled over a VAR check before the hosts’ midfielder suffered a cardiac arrest

Before Edoardo Bove fell, it had seemed as though a disallowed goal was the most important thing in the world. Fiorentina and Inter were waiting for a VAR check to confirm whether the ball really had gone out as Denzel Dumfries set up Lautaro Martínez to score in the 17th minute of their top-four clash. Players and coaches voiced their disagreement in the usual theatrical terms.

And then, it did not matter at all. Bove had not involved himself in the discussion, waiting in the far half of the pitch. He dropped to a knee for a moment, presumed to be tying a shoelace, but in fact using his hands to steady himself on the turf. After standing back up, he took a handful of steps then collapsed beside Hakan Calhanoglu.

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• Club statement says Bove ‘stable’ but ‘under sedation’
• Midfielder collapsed during Serie A match against Inter

The Fiorentina midfielder Edoardo Bove is being treated in intensive care after collapsing on the pitch during the team’s Serie A match against Internazionale on Sunday.

In an official statement, the club said: “ACF Fiorentina and the Careggi university hospital have announced that footballer Edoardo Bove, who was treated on the pitch following a loss of consciousness during the Fiorentina v Inter match, is currently under sedation and is hospitalised in intensive care.”

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• Midfielder nets winner in 1-0 victory at Torino
• Bellingham and Mbappé on target for Madrid

Scott McTominay’s first-half goal earned leaders Napoli a 1-0 win at Torino as Antonio Conte’s side opened a four-point gap at the top of the Serie A standings.

The Scotland midfielder found the net around the half-hour mark when he struck a shot powerfully inside the near post after receiving a precise pass from Khvicha Kvaratskhelia. Napoli move on to 32 points, with four teams level on 28 points: Atalanta, Lazio, Inter and Fiorentina.

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• Leaders slip to surprise 2-1 defeat at home in La Liga
• Griezmann clapped by Valladolid fans after stunning goal

Barcelona suffered their first home defeat of the season as Las Palmas stunned the Spanish league leaders 2-1 at the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys.

Barcelona have played superbly in the first three months under Hansi Flick. Coming into the visit of Las Palmas, Barça were flying high after convincing victories over Real Madrid in La Liga and Bayern Munich in the Champions League, winning all eight home games to start the campaign. But Flick’s side have now gone three La Liga rounds without a win. Before the loss to Las Palmas, Barça fell 1-0 at Real Sociedad and drew 2-2 at Celta Vigo.

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Goalkeeper is at heart of team reviving and defying expectations thanks to seven straight Serie A wins

David de Gea said on day one that he wanted to “make history” with Fiorentina. Three months later, you could make a case he has already succeeded. The Viola won their seventh consecutive Serie A game on Sunday, 2-0 away to Como. Only once before – back in 1960 – have they achieved such a run in the Italian top-flight.

The Spaniard has been essential. De Gea collected his fifth clean sheet against Como, more than any other goalkeeper has managed since he made his league debut on 15 September. He is having to work for them, too.

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• Madrid beat Leganés to move four points off Barcelona
• Lukaku takes Napoli back to top spot in Serie A

Kylian Mbappé ended his goal drought and England’s Jude Bellingham scored too as Real Madrid thrashed Leganés 3-0 in La Liga on Sunday.

Leganés’ defence kept Real at bay in the first half but the visitors took the lead three minutes before the break when Vinícius Jr teed up Mbappé, who slotted home for seventh league goal this season. Real enjoyed most of the possession in the second half and the Uruguayan midfielder Federico Valverde scored with a powerful low free-kick after Bellingham had been fouled at the 66th minute.

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• Barça blow two-goal lead after Marc Casadó is sent off
• Simeone wins 700th game at Atléti; Inter 5-0 Verona

Celta Vigo fought back with two late goals in quick succession to hold Barcelona to an-action-packed 2-2 draw. It looked as though Barça were cruising towards victory after the La Liga leaders opened a two-goal lead thanks to strikes by Raphinha in the first half and by Robert Lewandowski after an hour’s play, but the script changed when Marc Casadó was sent off due to a second yellow card for a foul in the 82nd minute.

With Barcelona down to 10 men, the home side piled on the pressure and managed to score twice, through Alfonso González then Hugo Álvarez in the 84th and 86th minutes respectively.

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