Six Things We Learned From Europe's Top Leagues This Weekend
4th February 2019
While Real Madrid are ominously finding form ahead of the return of the Champions League, PSG's first Ligue 1 loss of the season will have encouraged their future European opponents Man United
- Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was in attendance to watch his side's future Champions League opponents Paris Saint-Germain as they lost 2-1 in Lyon
- Massimiliano Allegri insisted that his Juventus side's leaky defence was only a temporary setback and not a worry ahead of their upcoming Champions League last-16 first leg at Atletico Madrid
- Jurgen Klopp would have noted with interest just how easily Bayer Leverkusen's slick attack tore open the Bayern Munich defence as they beat the Bavarians 3-1 on Saturday
PARIS, France-
While Real Madrid are ominously finding form ahead of the return of the
Champions League, Paris Saint-Germain's first Ligue 1 loss of the season will
have encouraged their future European opponents Manchester United.
With Juventus and
Bayern Munich having defensive difficulties exposed too, AFP Sport looks at
what we learned from the weekend across Europe:
- Momentum with Madrid -
There have been few
weekends in La Liga this season when Real Madrid can claim to have come out on
top, but this was one. Perhaps not in terms of the table, where they still
trail Barcelona by eight points and Atletico Madrid by two. But the gaps were
reduced after a 3-0 win over Alaves took advantage of Barca drawing with
Valencia and Atletico losing at Real Betis. Barcelona are still very much in
the driving seat but the momentum appears to be with Madrid, who have put
together a run of five wins in a row. Another over Atletico next weekend would
see them leapfrog their city rivals into second, with the resumption of the
Champions League just around the corner.
READ
ALSO: Atletico Blow Chance To Cut Barca Lead On Morata Debut
- PSG form will encourage Solskjaer -
Manchester United
manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was in attendance to watch his side's future
Champions League opponents Paris Saint-Germain as they lost 2-1 in Lyon. And
the Norwegian can have taken plenty of positives from the way a makeshift PSG
side -- without the injured Neymar or a recognisable central midfielder in
their starting line-up -- had their unbeaten record in Ligue 1 this season
ended. United are approaching the first leg of their last-16 tie next week in
terrific shape with nine wins and a draw in 10 games under Solskjaer.
Meanwhile, PSG need to get Marco Verratti back to fitness and new midfield
signing Leandro Paredes up to speed in time for the Old Trafford trip.
- Leaky defence not worrying Allegri -
Massimiliano Allegri
insisted that his Juventus side's leaky defence was only a temporary setback
and not a worry ahead of their upcoming Champions League last-16 first leg at
Atletico Madrid. For the first time in seven years Andrea Barzagli, Leonardo
Bonucci and Giorgio Chiellini were all out injured at the same time as Juve
were held 3-3 by Parma, three days after a 3-0 Cup defeat at Atalanta. The last
time they conceded three goals in consecutive games was under Antonio Conte in
2013. "We still have a healthy advantage (in Serie A) and this setback
will ultimately do us good," said Allegri, who expects Chiellini to be fit
for Madrid.
READ
ALSO: Moussa Dembele Stars As Lyon End Leaders PSG Unbeaten Run
- Zaniolo in Totti footsteps -
Nicolo Zaniolo, 19,
rescued a 1-1 draw against AC Milan to become the youngest Roma player to score
his first three senior goals for the capital side since club legend Francesco
Totti, aged 18 years in 1995. "He's like Totti, one who speaks little and
always wants the ball," said coach Eusebio Di Francesco of the youngster.
"I hope he can continue to play with that joy and verve."
- Bayern vulnerable on break -
Jurgen Klopp would
have noted with interest just how easily Bayer Leverkusen's slick attack tore
open the Bayern Munich defence as they beat the Bavarians 3-1 on Saturday,
proving the vulnerability of the defending Bundesliga champions to quick
counter-attacks. Kevin Volland and Lucas Alario finished off rapid-fire
breakaways with superb second-half goals for Leverkusen. "We got into an
exchange of blows with Leverkusen and they killed us," admitted Bayern
coach Niko Kovac, whose side face Liverpool at Anfield on February 19 in the
first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie. Kovac's experiment of playing
Joshua Kimmich and Leon Goretzka -- who scored Bayern's goal -- in central
midfield back-fired as Leverkusen poured through the middle while centre-backs
Mats Hummels and Niklas Suele lack the pace to plug the gaps, leaving space to
exploit.
READ
ALSO: Bayern Munich To Appeal Mueller's Champions League Suspension
- Ronaldo no lucky charm -
A day after scoring
twice for Juventus in their draw with Parma, Cristiano Ronaldo was in Lisbon to
watch his first club Sporting in the derby against Benfica. But Ronaldo's
presence certainly did not inspire the Lions, who were outplayed in a 4-2 home
defeat that leaves them well off the pace in fourth in the Portuguese league.
According to local media, Ronaldo had seen enough after Benfica went 3-1 up
early in the second half, and headed for the exit.