The story
The Spanish championship is more open than ever. FC Barcelona is mired in a swamp of problems, both sporting and financial. Real Madrid are constant in their inconstancy. Atlético de Madrid are still in good form after their title last year, admittedly, but not dominating too much.
Result: there is no favorite this season in La Liga. Clubs that knock on the door regularly see it opening up in a concrete way.
This is the case of Real Sociedad, established in San Sebastián, in the Basque Country. On Sunday, she took the lead in the championship on her own, drawing 1-1 against Athletic Bilbao, her biggest rival, in the Basque derby. They have 25 points, one more than Sevilla and Real Madrid, with one more game played.
This success, the Basque club owes it in particular to Imanol Alguacil Barrenetxea – or, more simply, Imanol. Hired in 2011 as director of the youth categories, Imanol led an ambitious reorganization of this club, which was once still in danger of relegation. He gradually rose through the ranks until he was named the senior club’s head coach in 2018.
PHOTO JAVIER BARBANCHO, REUTERS
Head coach Imanol Alguacil Barrenetxea
Here he is now with 7 wins and 4 draws in 12 games this season. His only defeat (4-2 against Barça) dates from August 15. The defense is tight: it ranks third in La Liga in terms of conceded goals. David Silva and Martín Zubimendi take care of a creative midfielder. Young attackers Alexander Isak and Mikel Oyarzabal (absent Sunday) are the headliners of an attacking sector whose production is diversified.
If there was a season where everything could finally fall into place for Real Sociedad, it might just be this one.
The goal
Just because your club is languishing in the bottom of the standings doesn’t mean you can’t afford an anthology goal.
Was this the thread of thought for Saint-Étienne midfielder Wahbi Khazri when he tried his formidable strike on Saturday against Metz? We dare to believe that it is.
The Tunisian international grabs the ball in his penalty area, and is allowed to advance without pressure up to 10 meters from the center circle. He notices that goalkeeper Alexandre Oukidja is well advanced, on the other side. Why not ?
This goal, scored from a distance of 68 meters, is the most distant in Ligue 1 since the statistics company Opta collected the data, since 2006.
This achievement was 1-1 at 16e minute in a clash between two clubs fighting against relegation in Ligue 1.
The performance
Six goals in two games. Who says better ?
Giovanni Simeone is all fired up in Italian Serie A these days.
The Hellas Verona striker had scored four (four!) Goals against Lazio Roma last week. Six days later, he offered himself a two-goal performance against Juventus, leading his club to a 2-1 victory.
The Argentinian, son of Atlético de Madrid coach Diego Simeone, is acquiring a notoriety of his own. He now has eight Serie A goals, just one unit behind leaders Ciro Immobile. And it looks like it only marks bombs.
His irresistible 2-0 strike drove Juve even more to despair. It is that the Turinese, ninth at the end of the 11e day in the Italian league, looking for each other since the departure of Cristiano Ronaldo. Simeone, with his growing killer instinct, took full advantage of it.
The 26-year-old wears the number 99. Far be it from us to make questionable comparisons with a certain “Wonder” of ice hockey, but its current form gives us the temptation.
In bulk
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PHOTO PETER NICHOLLS, REUTERS
Goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale made one of the saves of the season against Leicester on Saturday. He took off at full length to reach the free kick shot by James Maddison in the middle of the axis. The ball deflected over the crossbar and fell in front of the keeper at the right corner of the net. Ramsdale blocked the ball a second time, which was eventually cleared at the goal line. Arsenal won 2-0.
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PHOTO FROM LILLE TWITTER ACCOUNT
The goal leader in French Ligue 1 is neither Kylian Mbappé, nor Neymar, nor Lionel Messi. This is the Canadian Jonathan David. The Lille striker has eight goals this season. His last, he precisely executed against Paris Saint-Germain. Lille nevertheless lost 2-1 on Friday.
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PHOTO PHIL NOBLE, REUTERS
Who was going to be able to stop Liverpool, who were on an irresistible streak of two 5-0 Premier League wins? The answer: Graham Potter’s surprising Brighton. The Reds quickly took a 2-0 lead in the first half, and the Seagulls looked completely taken aback. But they gradually regained their bearings and eventually tied it 2-2, courtesy of Leandro Trossard’s right foot (11) in the 65e minute.
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SCREENSHOTS FROM REMOTE ESPN
Portugal’s João Felix has yet to score this season for Atlético de Madrid. He finally opened his counter to face Betis 3-0 on Sunday… not without the intervention of the VAR. But the story of this goal, it is especially the reaction of his trainer Diego Simeone, in lodge since suspended. His joy at the location of the release of his young foal was contagious.
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