Another weekend is in the books, and Europe's top soccer leagues certainly delivered. We had another shocking Barcelona defeat in LaLiga as Real Madrid close the gap at the top, and we got Arne Slot's Liverpool cruising past Pep Guardiola and Manchester City in the Premier League's big game. And we saw Harry Kane hobble off hurt as Bayern Munich drew with Borussia Dortmund in Der Klassiker.
We also saw more chaos for RB Leipzig, a dominant win by Chelsea (over Aston Villa) and Arsenal (over West Ham), late drama for Juventus and former Man United midfielder Scott McTominay looking the part in Napoli's latest 1-0 victory to keep them top of Serie A. (Oh, and in a non-Europe bonus, we've got some analysis of Botafogo's first Copa Libertadores trophy -- and what a game it was.)
So, let's get to it. It's Monday, and here is Gab Marcotti's full batch of reactions to the most memorable moments in the world of soccer.
Man City losing at Liverpool wasn't a surprise ... but the way it happened was
Both were mildly shocking: Man City being as poor as they were and Liverpool playing so well. But let's start with the latter because Liverpool's performance could get a little lost amid the City crisis.
For Liverpool, this game came immediately after the visit of Real Madrid -- battered, bruised and injury-hit Real Madrid, but still, you know, the European champions -- and they played as if they'd had weeks to prepare. The second goal came late, but really, Liverpool could have been up three or four by that stage, as evidenced by their final xG count of 3.57.
Winning convincingly against two sides who were arguably the best in the world six months ago in the space of four days tells you more about Liverpool than their results this season -- which, by the way, have been stratospheric (played 20, won 18, one draw and one defeat.) You can spread the credit around, but it is has to start with Arne Slot.
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| Slot, left, definitively got the better of Guardiola and a Man City side in transition on Sunday. It speaks both to his brilliant work since arriving at Liverpool and the struggles ahead for City. Andrew Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images |
Here's a quick reminder: Slot had never worked at a club of this magnitude; he moved to a new league, replaced a legend (Jurgen Klopp), saw the club's one summer signing (Federico Chiesa) hardly play, taught an inconsistent 22-year-old to play a new position (and Ryan Gravenberch has been phenomenal), and had to deal with arguably the club's three best players (Mohamed Salah, Virgil Van Dijk, Trent Alexander-Arnold) all being a few months' away from free agency.
There's no doubt I've made all these points before, but they're worth making again. Context matters. And while Liverpool may not have always played well this season, their results are far ahead of any reasonable curve.
On to City and Pep Guardiola. Reacting to adversity is a learned skill, and he's never had to deal with anything of this magnitude. Six defeats in the past seven games and the one draw saw them blow a 3-0 lead, which felt like a defeat. How do you turn it around?
On Sunday, Pep opted to make radical changes. Mateus Nunes and Rico Lewis started out wide, Éderson was dropped for Stefan Ortega (perhaps the weirdest move of the bunch), Savinho and Jérémy Doku began on the bench, along with Josko Gvardiol. He said the goal was to keep possession with a short passing game and control the match that way.
As it happened, the Gravenberch-Alexis Mac Allister-Dominik Szoboszlai trio ran roughshod over Bernardo Silva and Ilkay Gündogan in midfield. Erling Haaland was left isolated up front, while the much-criticized back line got little cover from the reshaped midfield.
You feel silly even second-guessing Pep -- he of six league titles in seven years, as he reminded the Anfield crowd who taunted him -- but there's a lot that seemed odd. From Ederson (OK, not great against Feyenoord but one of the few City players who lived up to his paycheck this season) to not using real wingers until the hour mark (especially against Alexander-Arnold and Joe Gomez).
You wonder if, in these situations, Haaland could be used differently, too. He's become more one-dimensional at City -- which, in many ways, makes sense, since he's been scoring freely -- but maybe this was the game to do something different, like dropping him to occasionally press Gravenberch or find mismatches with the fullback. He has broken records as an attacking terminus, but surely there's more he can do.
Phil Foden can obviously do more, as he showed us last season, but with those players around him, it was always going to be rough.
Which brings us to Kevin De Bruyne and Jack Grealish. De Bruyne made his return from injury four weeks ago, and since then, he has started zero games and not played more than 23 minutes off the bench (he had 13 yesterday). Surely, at this point, he's fit? Even just to hit set pieces? As for Grealish, the £100m man: yes, he played 90 minutes against Feyenoord, but is 13 minutes with the score 2-0 really the most you could muster for him?
Just because he's never had to figure his way out of a prolonged crisis like this one doesn't mean he won't get out of it. He's too smart a guy, too good a coach, blessed with too good a team. The questions are when and how.
I wasn't sure City would get a result at Anfield, but I felt pretty sure they would turn in a better performance than we've seen in recent games. Instead, it got worse.
"Don't think that things can't get worse, because they can always get worse." That's what Pep said a week ago. At least he was right about that.
A big defeat with big consequences, but let's not panic over Barcelona just yet
Is it a big deal that little Las Palmas ruined Barcelona's 125th birthday, beating them 2-1 on the road and leaving them just one point clear of Real Madrid at the top of the table, but having played one more game? You bet.
Does it necessarily mean the wheels are coming off for Hansi Flick? I'm not sure.
Saturday's defeat was different from some of the prior lacklustre outings. Barcelona didn't play particularly well but still put together an xG of 2.30 (to 0.50) while outshooting Las Palmas 27-5. There were two penalty shouts (on Pau Cubarsí and Pau Víctor) that, on a different day, may well have gone Barça's way. Both goals were as much a function of the much talked-about "high line" as they were individual errors (yes, you, Hector Fort).
Perhaps most importantly, Hansi Flick's football needs chemistry. He lost Alejandro Balde early, opted for Pablo Torre and Fermín López instead of Dani Olmo and Lamine Yamal (with a view towards midweek fixtures, presumably) and started Gavi in a holding midfield position, replacing Marc Casadó. That's a lot of change for a side that played the same players week in, week out for the first two months of the season.
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| Raphinha and Barcelona dropped more points this weekend, and at home to Las Palmas, but there's still no reason to panic. Urbanandsport/NurPhoto via Getty Images |
Flick's football is high-risk, high-reward. That's just the way it is. You play that way because you think, over time, it gives you the best results. When you slip up, sure, you look silly, but that doesn't mean you rip up the blueprint. Rather, you figure out how to best integrate your returning stars, and you certainly don't freak out over losing a match you pretty much dominated.
Bayern Munich drop points vs. Borussia Dortmund, but Der Klassiker draw underscores the gap between the two sides
Bayern manager Vincent Kompany may well find that he got some decisions wrong. Mathys Tel (making his first Bundesliga start in three months) and, to a lesser degree, Leroy Sané were curious choices to take on a Borussia Dortmund side who had won back-to-back games when he had Michael Olise and Kingsley Coman available. So was the choice of Thomas Müller to deputize at centerforward after Kane came off injured. (At that stage, just move to Tel to play through the middle and send on a winger: you can always call on Müller later.)
But one of the nice things about managing Bayern is that you're loaded with talent and you have players who rarely deliver a stinker for 90 minutes, which is sort of what happened
After a tame first half that saw Bayern manage just four shots (one on target), they came alive after the break, even before the introduction of Coman with half an hour to go. A Jamal Musiala header was all they reaped in terms of goals, but they could have had more.
Until Aleksandar Pavlovic returns, Kompany's options in the middle of the park remain limited, so, to some degree, you can give him a pass in that department. But Musiala and the crop of wingers -- not to mention Kane -- ought to be more than enough against most teams.
As for Dortmund, they squandered the lead that Jamie Gittens gave them with his gorgeous goal: befuddling Konrad Laimer, racing down the wing and then beating Manuel Neuer (who probably should have done better) with his weaker foot. Losing Waldemar Anton during the game was a blow and there's no Julian Brandt, but thinking this team is solid enough to take a lead against Bayern and simply defend it at home is just deluded. Yet, that seemed to be coach Nuri Şahin's game plan. Inviting the pressure backfired badly.
Saturday's 1-1 result made it abundantly clear that until something changes, that 10-point gap between BVB and Bayern won't go away.
Down to 10 men inside two minutes and 2-0 up at half-time, Botafogo win their first Copa Libertadores
When Gregore got himself sent off for an ugly foul after just 64 seconds, it looked as if a 2-0 half-time lead for Botafogo seemed about as probable as November snow in Buenos Aires. Having to play virtually a whole game with a man down usually leads you to hunker down, but Luiz Henrique was in the right place at the right time -- and with the right reaction speed, unlike the Atletico Mineiro defense -- and he was there again, winning a penalty courtesy of Éverson's rash challenge in the box, which Alex Telles put away.
Credit Luiz Henrique as the man-of-the-match, credit Artur Jorge (following in the footsteps of the late great "other" Artur Jorge) and credit Botafogo, but Atletico Mineiro can also blame themselves. It wasn't just their poor defending, either. Even with an extra man, there was very little urgency in the first half and what little drive they could muster came after the break, when substitute Edu Vargas pulled one back and squandered the chance to equalize. Botafogo even added a third in garbage time to win 3-1.
When you have 20% possession and are a man down, limiting your opponent to four shots on target is a testament to your defending. And Botafogo -- who have a three-point lead in Brazil's Serie A -- can complete a historic Double as early as this Wednesday.
Edoardo Bove's collapse brought out the best in football
Maybe it's the fact that we've witnessed this before, with Evan N'Dicka last April and, of course, Christian Eriksen at the Euros in 2021. But the scenes from Florence, when Fiorentina midfielder Edoardo Bove collapsed after tying his shoe in the match against Inter, were distressingly familiar. Players gathered around him to form a human shield, crowd silenced. Worry, fear and anger in the air and in people's expressions.
Bove was taken to the hospital following a cardiac arrest. He later regained consciousness and, by Monday morning, local media were reporting that he was telling friends and family that he "was fine." But the shock remains and Serie A rightly abandoned the game: it will be replayed in February or April, depending on when the calendar allows.
The moment itself was terrifying, but if there is some encouragement -- other than the fact that he's not in immediate danger -- it rests in the reaction. The fans were respectful, the players immediately took action, the medical support was swift. Messages of solidarity poured in from all over the world.
In a weird way, it was a reminder of one of the things we share as humans: life can be taken from us at any moment. Let's take care of each other, not just in moments like this, but in every moment we share with each other.
Quick hits
10. Arsenal's mojo is definitely back: Maybe you weren't convinced by the Martin Ødegaard masterclass against Forest, because that was at home. Maybe the 5-1 road win against Sporting in the Champions League didn't quite do it for you because, well, their opponents had just lost their manager (Ruben Amorim) to Manchester United. How about a London derby away to West Ham, then? Ødegaard and Bukayo Saka (who already has 10 assists... the Premier League record, held by Kevin De Bruyne and Thierry Henry, is 20) tore the opposition apart in the first 36 minutes as Arsenal raced to a 4-0 lead. It finished 5-2, with all seven goals coming in the first half. The gap with Liverpool (11 points) may be beyond them, but we can definitively say the rough patch is over. They're clicking just like Mikel Arteta wants them to click.
9. Real Madrid couldn't have asked for a better weekend: A bounce-back, no-fuss win over Getafe, Barça, losing 24 hours earlier, another 90 convincing minutes under his belt for Raúl Asencio, Rodrygo back from injury and Kylian Mbappé not just scoring, but looking busy too. Yes, he could have had a hat-trick and settled for just the one goal in the 2-0 win, but after the missed penalty and M.I.A. performance at Anfield, it was important for him to show up. Madrid may be decimated by injuries, but they're not going away. One more thing: Endrick remained on the bench, which means he has still played just 66 minutes of LaLiga football this season. I'm all for apprenticeships, but maybe it's time to mull over a January loan just to get him playing time?
8. Cole Palmer is no longer carrying Chelsea ... and that's a good thing: It's not that he was subpar -- in fact, he offered up his usual threat on the ball and delivered a gorgeous goal to seal the 3-0 win over Aston Villa -- it's just that the supporting cast are now clicking nicely. From Moisés Caicedo (nominally playing right-back, but stepping into midfield in possession) to Enzo Fernández back to his old self, to Nico Jackson scoring again, the supporting cast are stepping up and thriving in Enzo Maresca's 4-1-4-1 formation. The first half was tighter than the scoreline suggests (Aston Villa also spurned two good chances), but Chelsea's energy and precision made all the difference after the break. It's way tight near the top, but they're second and confidence is growing.
7. Atlético Madrid suddenly turn into xG and possession monsters: Eleven goals, 37 shots, and nearly 7 xG in their last two outings tell their own story. Sure, Salzburg in midweek and Valladolid on Saturday are pretty tame opposition, but the Atlético of the past, even against poor teams, would have scored and sat on the lead, maybe nicking something on the counter. This iteration kept hammering away and, in Antoine Griezmann and his goal of the season contender, had an inspired leader showing the way forward. There have been so many false dawns I'm not going to be fooled into announcing "Cholismo 2.0" from Diego Simeone, but surely the confidence you built up from playing this ought to teach you something?
6. Is Yunus Musah Milan's "Equalizer?" Manager Paulo Fonseca hailed Milan's comprehensive 3-0 win over Empoli as "balanced." There's little argument there: they created plenty and held the opposition to zero shots on target. (However, with Theo Hernández and Emerson Royal as fullbacks, you're always going to be a little on edge.) The key here might be Yunus Musah, who lined up in a nominal right wing position, but in fact rampaged up and down the flank, turning into an auxiliary right-back off the ball. Why is that important? Because it allowed Milan's back line to slide across and compensate for the left side, which is manned by Hernandez and Rafael Leão. The latter is Milan's most gifted player and biggest threat, but his shortcomings out of possession are well-chronicled. With center-forward Álvaro Morata and Christian Pulisic in the No.10 position turning into busy worker bees when Milan are defending, it allows the Rossoneri to keep Leão as an outlet. Not only does it keep him fresh, but it avoids asking him to do things he just doesn't do well. It's not a permanent fix, but it worked both away to Real Madrid and home to Empoli, opposite ends of the footballing spectrum.
5. Big result and baby steps for Man United, but at least they're going in the right direction: We told you, it was always going to take time for Manchester United to metabolize Ruben Amorim's football. Sunday's 4-0 scoreline against Everton looks gaudy, but needs to be taken with a big pinch of salt. United's first goal came courtesy of a big deflection. The second was a gift from Everton, and so was the fourth. The 1.07 xG is nothing to write home about and, at least before they fell into the hole, Everton created several chances. That said, there are plenty of positives for United. Winning big generates belief and confidence. Joshua Zirkzee, deployed in one of the attacking midfield slots, showed what he can bring in terms of passing and pressing. Kobbie Mainoo passed the test in midfield (some though he lacked the dynamism) and Amad Diallo has taken to Amorim like a duck to water. The road ahead is long, and Amorim's final United might look very little like this one, but at least there's forward progress.
4. Scott McTominay powers Napoli as "Conte Method" drives results: He may not have been everyone's cup of tea at Old Trafford, but Scott McTominay is thriving in the shadow of Mount Vesuvius, and he can thank Antonio Conte for that. On Sunday, they won 1-0 away to Torino in vintage Conte fashion: conceding little, overpowering the opposition physically (yes, it helps a lot when you're not in Europe) and minimising risks while still creating chances (they could have scored three or four). His use of McTominay -- as a hard-working "Mister Bump" in attacking midfield, teaming up with another heavyweight like Romelu Lukaku -- gets the best out of him and makes them very awkward to play against. There's a sense of inevitability, and deja vu, creeping in.
3. Silly to boo Juventus off the pitch for conceding a late equalizer: It's a question of identity. You have a fan base largely accustomed to grinding out results for whom giving up leads is a cardinal sin. So when, deep in injury time, with Juventus leading 1-0 at Lecce, Andrea Cambiaso lost the ball leading directly to Lecce making it 1-1, he was bound to be wrecked by the fans, much like his coach, Thiago Motta. Cambiaso made the wrong decision (obviously), but it came from the right place: wanting to add to the lead and having an attacking mentality. Oh, and let's be clear on where Juventus are right now. They had nine players unavailable, and Nicolo' Fagioli, who has started all of 25 top-flight matches, was the most experienced player on the bench. Yes, they're making mistakes, but they're growing. Slowly, perhaps, but the direction of travel is clear.
2. PSG held at home by Nantes and fans grumble ... memo to Luis Enrique that they're not happy: Maybe they should be OK with it, since the numbers are overwhelmingly in Paris Saint-Germains' favour: 24 shots on goal to 5, 10 on target to 2, 2.73 xG to 0.65. Sure, variance and all that, but it doesn't change the fact that you drew at home against a side that had lost four in the spin (and seen their Ultras revolt in their last home game) and sits second-bottom in the table. Nor does it change the fact that the continuous fiddling with the lineup (Gigio Donnarumma was back in goal after the Matvei Safonov horror show, but then since seemingly one big name has to always sit out, Ousmane Dembélé made way on the right flank) is difficult for folks to understand. Much like Luis Enrique's aversion towards Randal Kolo Muani (though, at least with Gonçalo Ramos back did play a genuine center-forward, only to -- in typical Lucho fashion -- get testy when asked about it afterwards). He's a great coach, but nothing is ever straight-forward with this guy...
1. Leipzig's nightmare continues... when does the accountability begin? Are we seeing more cracks in the famed Red Bull model? Leipzig contrived to lose 5-1 at home to Wolfsburg, which means that in six Bundesliga and Champions League games in November, they managed five defeats and a scoreless draw. Sure they have some injuries -- above all, Xavi Simons -- and in certain games they've paid an outsized price for individual errors, but Saturday was a different story. Despite 62% possession at home, they were outshot (13-9) and handily lost the xG battle (2.33-1.07). Manager Marco Rose has the vote of confidence (for now), but sporting director Rouven Schroeder has left for sister club Salzburg who, incidentally, aren't doing great either, sitting sixth out of 12 clubs in the Austrian top flight. Incoming Red Bull Group supremo Jurgen Klopp has his work cut out for him.
- Gabriele Marcotti, Senior Writer, ESPN FC
