European soccer information: Leverkusen keep high, Cole Palmer shines

After the current spherical of home cup matches throughout Europe, league soccer returns with thrilling performances and shock outcomes occurring within the Premier League, Serie A, LaLiga, Bundesliga and Ligue 1.

On Saturday, we noticed Chelsea edge Fulham 1-0 after Cole Palmer put away a penalty whereas Manchester Metropolis delivered a 3-2 comeback victory in opposition to Newcastle United. Elsewhere, Bayer Leverkusen beat Augsburg to retain their maintain on the high of the German league.

In the meantime within the Ladies’s FA Cup, Aston Villa’s woes continued after struggling a 3-0 defeat to Everton. And eventually, in Italy, Napoli received their first recreation since Dec. 16 and are a far cry from their title-winning heroics final season.

Right here is your look again at yet one more rollercoaster weekend in European soccer.

– Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, extra (U.S.)

SATURDAY REVIEW

The lead: Leverkusen win ugly and keep high

The outdated adage is it is advisable win ugly so as to win championships. And league leaders Bayer Leverkusen snatched a last-gasp win at FC Augsburg on their return after the Bundesliga restart, retaining their four-point lead over perennial champions Bayern Munich.

Leverkusen had obtained a probably crushing blow just a few days earlier than the resumption with the information that star striker Victor Boniface had suffered a severe adductor damage. Initially anticipated to be absent for just a few weeks to play on the Africa Cup of Nations, the Nigerian who has scored 10 targets in 16 league video games, will now probably stay on the sidelines till early April.

BAYER LEVERKUSEN WIN IT IN STOPPAGE TIME 😱

THEIR INCREDIBLE SEASON CONTINUES 👏 pic.twitter.com/g0ANSklJnq

— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) January 13, 2024

Supervisor Xabi Alonso opted for a two-man strikeforce with Czech internationals Patrik Schick and Adam Hložek, whereas Florian Wirtz remained on the bench till the 62nd minute because of a niggly damage. Following Bayern Munich’s snug 3-0 win in opposition to TSG Hoffenheim on Friday night, Leverkusen aimed to duplicate their success however struggled to search out the online regardless of quite a few possibilities. Within the second half, a resolute FC Augsburg almost capitalized on a break, however Augsburg captain Ermedin Demirović missed a vital alternative that might have handed Leverkusen their first defeat of the season.

As a substitute, within the fourth minute of added time, Alejandro Grimaldo discovered Exequiel Palacios within the field. Palacios, an unusual presence in that space, capitalized on being unmarked, taking sufficient time to shift the ball onto his left foot and slot a valuable winner previous goalkeeper Finn Dahmen. The resounding cheers from the Leverkusen gamers echoed by means of Augsburg’s WWK Stadion. Alonso’s unwavering emphasis on his group’s must carry out at their peak to remain atop the Bundesliga desk was unquestionably validated by their hard-fought victory in Augsburg. — Constantin Eckner

Saturday speaking factors across the leagues

The place would Chelsea be with out Cole Palmer?

Chelsea secured their third consecutive Premier League victory on Saturday with an unconvincing 1-0 win over Fulham at Stamford Bridge. No prizes for guessing who made the distinction. Cole Palmer’s stoppage-time penalty is his 18th aim involvement (11 targets, seven assists) in all competitions this season, the third-highest tally for a participant 21 or youthful throughout Europe’s high 5 leagues. Solely Actual Madrid’s Jude Bellingham (22) and Bayer Leverkusen’s Wirtz (20) have had a higher affect.

When Palmer misfires, as he did in midweek in opposition to Middlesbrough, Chelsea are inclined to wrestle. Right here, he was the brightest spark in one other largely laborious show which ended with some frantic defending in opposition to a group that had not received at Chelsea since 1979. There can be some concern over how reliant the Blues presently are on a 21-year-old, however on the similar time he gives hope a group can but emerge from Chelsea’s expensively-assembled components.

The sport was additionally notable for a weird PR stunt wherein seven identically dressed males stood up at varied instances close to the dugout to both learn a guide, clear their tooth or test their watches. It was all designed to assist promote a movie involving an organization related to Chelsea co-owner Todd Boehly, who was in attendance to look at such unusual exercise happening just a few yards away from Pochettino. The Chelsea boss afterwards mentioned he was conscious of the incident however it did not detract from the efficiency. Actually, he needs an invitation to the premiere. The lead actor will do properly to duplicate Palmer’s star high quality. — James Olley

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Pochettino hopes Chelsea can ‘develop’ after gritty win

Mauricio Pochettino says Chelsea are “one of many higher groups” within the Premier League over the past month following their 1-0 win over Fulham.

Everton first into the hat for fifth spherical FA Cup draw

With 9 and 11 factors within the Ladies’s Tremendous League respectively, each Aston Villa and Everton welcomed the FA Cup as a much-needed distraction from poor league type, however for hosts Villa it was extra of the identical sub-standard soccer. As for the Toffees, who had been buoyed with the morning bulletins of a mortgage deal for Arsenal’s Katherine Kühl and the signing of Rikke Madsen, there have been extra causes to be optimistic coming into the conflict.

On the pitch, Villa pale early on, and Everton started to dictate the tie, though that they had little to indicate for it come the deadlocked half-time whistle. After the break, the guests managed to make their higher play depend and, simply earlier than the hour, Karoline Olesen gave them the lead with a hammered effort off the bar. A seven-minute brace from Katja Snoeijs wrapped up Everton’s development into the fifth spherical with relative ease and can give Brian Sørensen’s group extra to construct on when the Ladies’s Tremendous League recommences subsequent weekend.

For Villa, it was extra disappointment and underwhelming soccer from a group who rode so excessive final season and haven’t simply didn’t construct this marketing campaign, but additionally have regressed and routinely fallen right into a disconnect on the pitch, elevating questions concerning the suitability of their favoured however simply bypassed 4-3-3. — Sophie Lawson

Napoli clinch late winner win to finish dismal run

The Italians champions have had a rotten season to this point and for 95 minutes within the derby in opposition to Salernitana on the Diego Maradona Stadium it appeared probably it might proceed to be a nasty one for Napoli. After which out of nowhere Amir Rrahmani scored the winner deep in damage time to reward his group its first win in 5 matches!

They wanted a victory so badly and the celebrations confirmed it. For now, they will not fear that they had been a aim down in opposition to the worst group within the league to this point. They will not thoughts that they’re nonetheless enjoying fairly common soccer beneath Walter Mazzarri whose run earlier than this win was one of many worst within the membership’s historical past.

For now, it’s all about Saturday’s outcome which takes them to sixth place within the desk for now earlier than Sunday’s video games. After the humiliation within the Italian Cup in opposition to Frosinone (4-0), the battering by Torino final weekend (3-0), Rrahmani is among the uncommon sources of pleasure Napoli can smile about this season.

After 4 losses (Inter Milan, Juventus, Roma and Torino) and a draw (0-0 in opposition to Monza), that is solely the Neapolitans’ second win in Serie A of their final seven matches! They are going to gladly take it contemplating they’re with out star striker Victor Osimhen who’s on the African Cup of Nations. Let’s have a look at if they will proceed profitable after they face Fiorentina within the Italian Tremendous Cup on Thursday in Riyadh after which Lazio within the league on Jan. 28. — Julien Laurens

People overseas: Balogun and Reyna wrestle as Dest notches help

Each Folarin Balogun and Gio Reyna got here on as substitutes for his or her respective sides this weekend however with out making an affect.

Balogun has scored 4 targets this season for AS Monaco in 15 appearances, an underwhelming sum in comparison with his 21-goal tally final season for Stade Reims. The 22-year-old got here on for Monaco within the forty sixth minute on Saturday, however was unable to make an affect as his facet misplaced to Reims 3-1.

Within the Bundesliga, Reyna has struggled for minutes this season at Dortmund and got here on within the 88th minute, solely to return away with a yellow card in his group’s 3-0 victory. Reyna is but to attain and help this season, and a transfer elsewhere within the January switch window might be his greatest choice to get into high type earlier than this summer season’s Copa America.

Lastly, Sergiño Dest continues to ship for PSV, who sit 13 factors forward of second place Feyenoord within the league, after aiding Luuk de Jong in a 3-1 win over Excelsior. Dest has been sensible this season for PSV in defence, and has a aim and three assists in 19 appearances.

Information of the day

• Chelsea boss Mauricio Pochettino has performed down ideas that the membership must signal a striker in January and dismissed rumours a few hyperlink to Brighton ahead Evan Ferguson. Sources have informed ESPN that the Blues are enthusiastic about Napoli’s Victor Osimhen and Brentford’s Ivan Toney however each offers are seen as extraordinarily troublesome to finish this month. Pochettino responded to those claims by saying: “I by no means mentioned that we want a centre-forward. No, as a result of after that we create an issue, me with my folks. I by no means mentioned that. An important factor is that this membership is able to act and one or one other route however I by no means mentioned we have to add one other participant within the squad.”

• Roma supervisor Jose Mourinho known as himself “Jose ‘Harry Potter’ Mourinho” and prompt he has raised expectations of what the membership can obtain. “The Roma followers are essentially the most unimaginable I’ve seen. Their coach is Jose ‘Harry Potter’ Mourinho and he raises expectations,” he mentioned. “I do not know what number of derbies I’ve performed, 200, 150, they’re all the time particular matches. I’ve received, I’ve drawn, I’ve misplaced, all the time with a distinct expertise.” Roma are 4 factors off fourth place Fiorentina within the race for a spot in subsequent season’s Champions League and have additionally certified for the knockout phases of the Europa League.

• Pep Guardiola hailed Kevin De Bruyne as a “legend” after the midfielder registered a aim and an help on his Premier League return to assist Manchester Metropolis to a dramatic 3-2 win over Newcastle United. “He’s a legend,” mentioned Guardiola. “I had the sensation he’s not prepared for 90 minutes after 5 months so now we have that state of affairs, affect within the final minutes.The aim and the help, he’s liked by our folks and hopefully within the final months he might help us be there to the top.”

And eventually on Saturday …

On mortgage from Manchester United, Jadon Sancho — on his second debut for Borussia Dortmund — made an help in BVB’s 3-0 victory over Darmstadt 98. The 23-year-old spent 4 seasons within the Bundesliga from 2017 to 2021, and after asserting his return to the membership with a nod to Michael Jordan, Sancho’s begin is a cheerful one after a bitter spell at Outdated Trafford and a public row with supervisor Erik ten Hag.

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Sancho units up Reus in his return to Borussia Dortmund

Sancho units up Reus in his return to Borussia Dortmund

Carrying the No. 10 shirt, Sancho got here on within the fifty fifth minute earlier than squaring a ball from the precise flank for Marco Reus to faucet in for the group’s second aim after 77 minutes. Will we see extra of the Sancho from his prior stint at Dortmund?