Despite an 18th day of the Premier League disrupted by the Covid-19, matches were played in the four major foreign leagues. A hierarchy begins to emerge for Manchester City, Inter and Bayern. For their part, Chelsea, Atlético de Madrid and Dortmund still disappointed. We take a look back at the highlights of this European weekend.
England: Manchester City consolidates its leader’s chair, the anger of Thomas Tuchel
Will we play in the Premier League during the holidays, as is customary? While waiting to be fixed, a truncated 18th day took place this weekend. In an England heavily affected by the Omicron variant, only four matches have been maintained. And the first four were there. The good deal is to the credit of Manchester City, dashing winner of a pale Newcastle team (0-4). The defending champion increases his lead over Liverpool, now by three points.
1 – Manchester City will spend Christmas Day top of the Premier League for a third time, also doing so in 2011-12 and 2017-18, two seasons in which they went on to win the competition. Merry.
– OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) December 19, 2021
Because the Reds could not do better than a draw (2-2) on the lawn of Tottenham. After a very spectacular meeting, Liverpool stalled after six consecutive wins. This result is even rather flattering for the players of Jürgen Klopp, reduced to ten and who suffered many chances.
For Chelsea, it is time for this month of December to end. The Blues, held in check at Wolverhampton (0-0), have won only one of their last four games. More than the result, coach Thomas Tuchel regrets that the championship is not interrupted. For the German,“health and protection” players are not respected.
Health, the Gunners have it, thank you for them. Large winner of Leeds (1-4), Arsenal continues a third success and consolidates its 4th place. From there to imagine the Londoners back in the Champions League?
Germany: Bayern widens the gap a little more
The Rekordmeister rushes towards a ninth consecutive title. Bayern Munich, wide winner of Wolfsburg on Friday night (4-0) with a goal from Dayot Upamecano, has a little more established its domination on the Bundesliga. The Bavarians are now nine points ahead of Borussia Dortmund. Beaten by Hertha Berlin (3-2), BVB have won only one of their last four games. But the pace set by his pursuers is not the fiercest. The new 3rd, Freiburg, victorious over Leverkusen (2-1), is five points behind.
43 – Bayern München’s Robert Lewandowski has scored 43 #Bundesliga goals in 2021, setting a new record for the most goals scored within a single calendar year in the competition. Unstoppable. #FCBWOB pic.twitter.com/eP0fCDU3GM
– OptaFranz (@OptaFranz) December 17, 2021
Because everything is very open: the 8th, Mainz, is only five lengths from Friborg. A fight to which Leipzig is not yet invited: the partners of Christopher Nkunku, beaten by the relegation Bielefeld on Saturday (0-2), are only 9th.
Spain: Atlético at its worst, Barça is back
The reigning Spanish champion is painful to see. Miraculously qualified for the knockout stages of the Champions League, Atlético de Madrid is only fifth in La Liga. After his new defeat in Seville (2-1), he is thirteen lengths behind the leader, his neighbor Real, forced to draw (0-0) against Cadiz. A third loss in a row in La Liga, which had never happened under the Simeone era, which began in 2011. As a result of the races, the Colchoneros are even … the third Madrid team in the standings, since the astonishing Rayo Vallecano (2-0 winner of Alavés) ahead of them in fourth position.
Despite their chaotic start to the season, Barça is back in the race. Pitiful winners of Elche (3-2), the Catalans point to three units of the Champions League. A gap that could be closed on Tuesday, in a late match against Sevilla.
Italy: Inter impressive autumn champion, regrouping among pursuers
We thought Inter were destitute after a complicated summer, marked by several important departures including Romelu Lukaku and Achraf Hakimi. But the new coach Simone Inzaghi was able to mobilize the troops in a hyper offensive style, as evidenced by this new ride against Salernitana (5-0). Best attack of the Boot (48 goals!), Inter are four points ahead of their runner-up Napoli, winner on AC Milan (1-0) in the last match of the weekend, while ‘An equalizer for the Lombards in added time was refused by the VAR for an offside position by Olivier Giroud, on the ground. A victory which offers the honorary title of autumn champion to the Interists.
[ VIDEO] #SeriesA
OH LA VAR CANCELED THE MILANESE EQUALIZATION !!!
A justified choice for you? pic.twitter.com/TEij2Zd8Pi– beIN SPORTS (@beinsports_FR) December 19, 2021
Milanese and Neapolitans are tied on points, two lengths ahead of 4th, Bergamo. Yet on a series of six straight Serie A wins, Atalanta was swept away by AS Roma (1-4). A stop for the Bergamasques, who let Inter escape. With formidable efficiency, the Romans of José Mourinho are back in the wheel of Juventus (5th) and Fiorentina (7th). La Viola could not do better than a draw (2-2) against Sassuolo, but its pyrotechnician Dusan Vlahovic, still a scorer, scored his 33rd goal of the year 2021. The only one to have achieved such a performance? Cristiano Ronaldo, in 2020.
6 – Dusan Vlahovic has scored in all his last six Serie A appearances, only one Fiorentina player has done better in a single #SeriesA season in the three points per win era: Gabriel Batistuta (11 in 1994). Gunslinger.#FiorentinaSassuolo
– OptaPaolo (@OptaPaolo) December 19, 2021