Juventus’ impressive recent run of form shows no sign of ending. On Serie A matchday 17 they beat newly promoted FC Carpi 3-2. They have now won seven league games on the spin and are fourth in the table (33 points). Sami Khedira was named in their starting XI.
Khedira put in another strong performance and assisted Mario Mandzukic’s goal to make it 1-1 after 18 minutes. The former Bayern München star also gave Juventus a 2-1 half time lead (41’) with France’s Paul Pogba clinching the victory after the break (50’). The Turin side struggled at the start of the season but are now performing well consistently and face FC Bayern in the last 16 of the Champions League.
Die Mannschafts’s Antonio Rüdiger also had reason to celebrate on Sunday. His AS Roma side beat Genoa 2-0 on Sunday to end a run of four games without a win. Despite the result, they remain fifth in the table with just 32 points. Rüdiger played the full 90 minutes.
Miroslav Klose was absent as Lazio won 2-1 away to table toppers Inter Milan. Antonio Candreva (5’, 87’) netted both goals for the Rome side. His second goal saw him tuck home the rebound after his penalty was kept out.
Liverpool lose ground
Liverpool missed out on the chance to occupy a European slot over Christmas as a result of their 3-0 defeat to Watford on Sunday. Jürgen Klopp’s side, which featured Emre Can, are now three games without a win (one draw, two defeats).
Klopp’s men currently have 24 points and are ninth in the table, five points and four places behind Bastian Schweinsteiger’s Manchester United, who lost 2-1 to Norwich City on Saturday. The DFB Team captain was suspended for the game.
Trapp shuts Caen out
World Cup winner Lukas Podolski fired Galatasaray into third place in the Turkish SüperLig courtesy of his eighth goal of the season. The 126-time Germany international netted to make it 2-0 to Gala after 40 minutes. The Istanbul side went on to beat Akhisar Belediyespor 3-2 at home.
Table toppers and local rivals Besiktas, who have Mario Gomez in theri squad, face Osmanlispor FK on Monday (19:00 CET).
Real Madrid romp to victory
Toni Kroos returned to the Real Madrid starting XI on Sunday as they crushed nine-man Rayo Vallecano 10-2 at home. Real now have 33 points to their name this term, two points behind leaders Barcelona. The Catalan side also have a game in hand, as they were in Japan this week to contest the Club World Cup.
Vallecano were reduced to nine men before the half hour mark, with Tito (straight red) and Baena (two yellows) receiving their marching orders. Goals from Gareth Bale (25’ and 41’) and Cristiano Ronaldo (30’) turned a 2-1 deficit into a 4-2 lead at the break. Danilo (3’) had given Real the lead but the visitors turned the game on its head before falling behind. Further goals after the interval from Karim Benzema (48’/80’/90’), Ronaldo (53’) and Bale (61’/70’) wrapped up the Madrid side’s second-highest win in history.
Gary Neville is still searching for his first win as Valencia boss. The former England international has now overseen four league games, but is yet to taste success. On Saturday, the six-time Spanish champions drew 2-2 with Getafe. Shkodran Mustafi played the full 90 minutes.
Paco Alcacer (15’) and Santi Mina (35’) netted for Valencia, who are eighth in the table with 22 points.
Juve win again
Juventus’ impressive recent run of form shows no sign of ending. On Serie A matchday 17 they beat newly promoted FC Carpi 3-2. They have now won seven league games on the spin and are fourth in the table (33 points). Sami Khedira was named in their starting XI.
Khedira put in another strong performance and assisted Mario Mandzukic’s goal to make it 1-1 after 18 minutes. The former Bayern München star also gave Juventus a 2-1 half time lead (41’) with France’s Paul Pogba clinching the victory after the break (50’). The Turin side struggled at the start of the season but are now performing well consistently and face FC Bayern in the last 16 of the Champions League.
Die Mannschafts’s Antonio Rüdiger also had reason to celebrate on Sunday. His AS Roma side beat Genoa 2-0 on Sunday to end a run of four games without a win. Despite the result, they remain fifth in the table with just 32 points. Rüdiger played the full 90 minutes.
Miroslav Klose was absent as Lazio won 2-1 away to table toppers Inter Milan. Antonio Candreva (5’, 87’) netted both goals for the Rome side. His second goal saw him tuck home the rebound after his penalty was kept out.
Liverpool lose ground
Liverpool missed out on the chance to occupy a European slot over Christmas as a result of their 3-0 defeat to Watford on Sunday. Jürgen Klopp’s side, which featured Emre Can, are now three games without a win (one draw, two defeats).
Klopp’s men currently have 24 points and are ninth in the table, five points and four places behind Bastian Schweinsteiger’s Manchester United, who lost 2-1 to Norwich City on Saturday. The DFB Team captain was suspended for the game.
Trapp shuts Caen out
Kevin Trapp helped his Paris Saint-Germain side keep up their incredible unbeaten sequence in France’s Ligue 1 on Saturday. Saturday’s 3-0 victory over SM Caen means they remain unbeaten in the table. PSG have won 16 of their 19 league games this term and they’ve kept 11 clean sheets. The German keeper preserved his shutout this weekend by saving Andy Delort’s late penalty. PSG’s goals were scored by Angel Di Maria (16’, 50’) and Zlatan Ibrahimovic (36’).
