Far from the domestic games of Ligue 1 and the start of the knockout stages of the CAN, the foreign Championships continued on Saturday 22 and Sunday 23 January, before a fortnight’s interruption. A new episode rich in events, starting with a Premier League that never ceases to surprise, on and off the meadows. Didn’t follow anything from the European weekend? Do not panic, we take stock.
City slowdown, bottle throwing and drone theft: a lively weekend in the Premier League
End of series for Manchester City, held in check in Southampton (1-1) after 12 successes in a row. The lead of the Cityzens in the lead remains substantial (9 points more than Liverpool, winner at Crystal Palace, 3-1), but the Reds have a game in hand. It will still take more to worry Pep Guardiola.
It is rather in the fight for the Champions League that the battle rages. Minimalist, Manchester United waited for additional time to dispose of West Ham (1-0). Enough to steal 4th place from his opponent of the weekend and take advantage of the missteps of Arsenal (0-0 against the red lantern Burnley) and Tottenham (defeated 2-0 by Chelsea).
Lucas Digne probably did not expect such a debut. Transferred from Everton to Aston Villa, the French left-back was targeted, along with his teammate Matty Cash, by bottle throwing from his former audience after a goal from his team. Remained a few seconds on the ground, the ex-Lillois got up and the match was able to end (0-1 for Villa). An incident which reminds, if necessary, that France does not have the monopoly of overflows in the stands.
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Far from Goodison Park, a match was stopped on this 23rd day. We were playing the 35th minute of a seemingly uneventful Brentford-Wolverhampton when a drone flew over the enclosure, prompting the referee to interrupt the match for almost twenty minutes. In question, fears linked to the pirate distribution of images, in the country where the amount of TV rights exceeds five billion euros.
Play has been halted due to a drone above the stadium
The teams are heading back into the tunnel
0-0 #BrentfordFC #BREWOL pic.twitter.com/rZ0iCuBF0L
— Brentford FC (@BrentfordFC) January 22, 2022
Failure of goals in Serie A, Thiago Motta asserts himself on the bench of Spezia Calcio
For several years, Serie A has been trying to get rid of its defensive Championship label. If the beautiful spectacle offered in recent seasons proves critics wrong, this 23rd day risks giving them food for thought. Four meetings ended in a 0-0, including the two main posters, Milan-Juventus and Lazio-Atalanta.
In the midst of this slump, Napoli (4-1 against Salernitana) and Roma (2-4 at Empoli) are restoring their image. The Neapolitans are now second, four points behind a victorious Inter of Venice (2-1).
Far from these concerns, Spezia Calcio are experiencing the best series in their young history in Serie A. Having climbed into the top flight last year, the Aquilotti have chained a third victory in a row in a Ligurian derby against Sampdoria (1- 0). A nice revenge for coach Thiago Motta, on the bench since this summer. After a first failed experience in Genoa, the former PSG player won over and his team, 14th, is eight points ahead of the red zone.
FULL-TIME
VINCIAMO NOIII!
VINCE LOSPEZIA!!!! #SpeziaSamp 1-0 pic.twitter.com/5vjSfHbizl— Spezia Calcio (@acspezia) January 23, 2022
In La Liga, Benzema misses his first penalty in La Liga since his arrival
It took thirteen years to see Karim Benzema miss a penalty in La Liga in the colors of Real Madrid. The French international, released prematurely following a pain in the thigh, participated in spite of himself in the poor performance of Merengues too bland. And again, Eder Militão limited the damage by snatching the draw (2-2) against Elche. Without consequence, since the Sevillian dolphin also flinched against Celta Vigo (2-2).
1- Karim Benzema ha fallado su primer penalty con el @real Madrid in @LaLiga
vs Alaves
in Las Palmas
in Girona
in Valencia (LUD)
in Valladolid
vs Leganes
in Eibar
in Sevilla (RBB)
vs Alaves
v Villarreal
in Cadiz
v.Celta
v Valencia
v Elche
Notice pic.twitter.com/QUIjrF9wiZ— OptaJose (@OptaJose) January 23, 2022
For anyone who doubted it, the Simeone magic still works, at least sparingly, at Atlético. Same means this year, the Colchoneros were tremendously courageous to overthrow Valencia (3-2), with two goals in added time. Here they are now 4th, just ahead of a Barça again sufficient but victorious at Alavés (0-1).
In the Bundesliga, Moussa Diaby at the party, status quo in mind
Since his arrival in the Bundesliga in 2019, Moussa Diaby has continued to progress. The French new-international stood out with a terrific hat-trick in Bayer Leverkusen’s 5-1 win over Augsburg. The left foot of the Parisian titi struck three times, for the first time in his young career. At 22, Diaby is blazing in a ship anchored in third place.
triple trouble #M19 pic.twitter.com/9OGYppva3X
— Moussa Diaby (@MoussaDiaby_19) January 22, 2022
Far ahead of Leverkusen, Bayern and Dortmund are engaged in a duel for the title for the moment dominated by the Bavarians. The Rekordmeister made short work of Hertha Berlin (1-4), with a new goal from Corentin Tolisso. Bayern maintain their six-point lead over a BVB who continue to hang on. Borussia won for the third time in a row at Hoffenheim (2-3), thanks in particular to Erling Haaland’s 16th goal.
In a very tight Championship (4 points between 3rd and 7th), Union Berlin is in a good 4th qualifying place for the Champions League. Victorious over Mönchengladbach (1-2), the club from the capital, promoted two years ago, extends its unbeaten streak to six games and begins to dream of a European destiny.