New Delhi: This weekend served up plenty of excitement across Europe’s top football leagues delivering decisive goals, stunning upsets, and critical moments in tightly contested title races. La Liga witnessed Atletico Madrid’s gritty win over Getafe to stretch their winning streak while Real Madrid faltered in a dramatic draw leaving the title race delicately balanced. Over in the Bundesliga, Hoffenheim denied Borussia Dortmund a much-needed win with a late equalizer, adding to Dortmund’s struggles.
Serie A offered a mix of history and heartbreak as Atalanta extended their record-breaking winning streak to stay top of the table while Juventus salvaged a point in the dying seconds to keep their unbeaten season alive. In Ligue 1, Paris Saint-Germain widened their lead at the top while Brest and Montpellier stole the spotlight with their remarkable performances. From last-gasp goals to pivotal moments that may shape the season, here is a detailed roundup of the major action that took place this weekend.
La Liga
STANDINGS | It’s tight at the TOP. Here is the #LALIGAEASPORTS table after Matchday 17. 📊 pic.twitter.com/hYkipcxCt3
— LALIGA English (@LaLigaEN) December 15, 2024
Atletico Madrid continued their stellar form with a 1-0 win over Getafe, thanks to Alexander Sorloth’s header in the 69th minute. Sorloth came off the bench and connected with Nahuel Molina’s precise cross to secure Atletico’s 11th consecutive victory across all competitions. The result sees them level on points with Barcelona at the top, with 38 points.
Meanwhile, Barcelona suffered a shocking 1-0 defeat to Leganes at Camp Nou. Sergio Gonzalez’s fourth-minute header proved decisive and exposed Barac’s inability to break down Leganes’ disciplined five-man defense despite dominating possession. This marks their second consecutive home loss in La Liga, leaving them ahead of Atletico on goal difference.
Real Madrid missed the chance to climb to the summit after a dramatic 3-3 draw against Rayo Vallecano. Goals from Federico Valverde, Jude Bellingham, and Rodrygo overturned a two-goal deficit but Isi Palazon’s late strike earned Rayo a valuable point. Madrid sits one point behind the leaders with a game in hand.
Elsewhere, ten-man Mallorca stunned Girona with a 2-1 comeback win. After Donny van de Beek’s opener for Girona, Cyle Larin scored twice, including a second-half winner. Mallorca held firm despite Vedat Muriqi’s red card and delivered a morale-boosting victory.
The title race remains finely poised with Barcelona, Atletico Madrid, and Real Madrid all in contention as La Liga approaches its halfway mark.
Bundesliga
🇩🇪#Bundesliga Standings after Matchday 14 pic.twitter.com/Ske845Bhtm
— GreatSportsResults (@greatsresults) December 15, 2024
In the Bundesliga, Hoffenheim’s Jacob Bruun Larsen scored a stoppage-time equalizer against his former club Borussia Dortmund, securing a 1-1 draw and dropping Dortmund to eighth place. Gio Reyna had given Dortmund the lead early in the second half, capitalizing on a defensive error but Hoffenheim’s late pressure paid off as Bruun Larsen slid in to spoil Dortmund’s celebrations. The result capped a disappointing week for Dortmund who also suffered a 3-2 Champions League loss to Barcelona.
RB Leipzig claimed a 2-1 victory over Eintracht Frankfurt with Lois Openda scoring the decisive goal early in the second half. Benjamin Sesko had opened the scoring for Leipzig before Nathaniel Brown equalized for Frankfurt. The win moves Leipzig to fourth, level on points with Frankfurt.
Stuttgart continued their impressive form with a 3-1 triumph over struggling Heidenheim. Nick Woltemade sealed the win with an 85th-minute penalty, keeping Stuttgart in sixth place with 23 points.
Elsewhere, Bayern Munich remains top of the table despite a 2-1 loss to Mainz. They lead the title race with 33 points while Dortmund are now six points adrift. Hoffenheim, sitting in 14th place, earned a vital point as Heidenheim remained in the relegation zone, third from bottom with 10 points.
As the season progresses Bayern holds a narrow lead but the fight for European spots and survival remains intense.
Serie A
10-straight Serie A wins for 🔝 of the table Atalanta 🔥
They are for real 💪 pic.twitter.com/7JP1K7VnmC
— CBS Sports Golazo ⚽️ (@CBSSportsGolazo) December 14, 2024
Atalanta set a club record with their 10th consecutive league victory as they defeated Cagliari 1-0 to remain atop the Serie A standings. Nicolo Zaniolo came off the bench to score the decisive goal in the 66th minute, turning in Raoul Bellanova’s low cross. Goalkeeper Marco Carnesecchi ensured the clean sheet with several crucial saves including a late effort to deny Cagliari. Atalanta leads the table with 34 points, two ahead of Napoli.
Napoli kept pace with the leaders, overcoming Udinese 3-1. A hurried clearance from Udinese’s Lautaro Giannetti resulted in an own goal before Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa sealed the win with a clinical finish late in the match.
Juventus salvaged a 2-2 draw at home to struggling Venezia. Dusan Vlahovic converted a last-second penalty after a handball by Antonio Candela preserving Juve’s unbeaten record this season. Federico Gatti had earlier put Juventus ahead but Venezia fought back with goals from Mikael Egill Ellertsson and Jay Idzes, nearly shocking the Turin crowd.
Elsewhere, Bologna ended Fiorentina’s eight-game winning streak with a narrow 1-0 victory. Meanwhile, AC Milan were held to a 0-0 draw by Genoa, dampening their 125th-anniversary celebrations. The visitors extended their unbeaten streak to six matches while Milan’s underwhelming performance was met with boos from the San Siro faithful.
Ligue 1
7 points clear at the top for PSG 🥇🔝 pic.twitter.com/QbzceTyADr
— Ligue 1 English (@Ligue1_ENG) December 15, 2024
It was a week to remember for Brest following their Champions League victory over PSV with a commanding 4-1 win against Nantes in Ligue 1. First-half goals from Kamory Doumbia and Brendan Chardonnet set the tone before substitute Abdallah Sima added a brace in the second half. Nantes’ Douglas Augusto scored their lone goal as Brest remained 11th in the table just one point behind Reims.
Nice missed an opportunity to close the gap on European rivals, settling for a 2-2 draw at Montpellier. Despite taking the lead twice Nice couldn’t hold off the hosts, who rallied through defender Theo Sainte-Luce’s 80th-minute equalizer. Returning after months of injuries, Sainte-Luce nearly secured a dramatic winner in the dying moments. Nice remains sixth in the standings.
Elsewhere, Rennes claimed a 2-0 win over Angers while Strasbourg cruised past Le Havre with a 3-0 victory.
Paris Saint-Germain hosted in-form Lyon and increased their lead in the standings by 7 points as they defeated them 3-1. Meanwhile, Montpellier’s spirited effort leaves them rooted to the bottom of the standings, still searching for form despite their late heroics.
Dive into the weekend’s thrilling European football action where Atletico Madrid kept pace at the top of La Liga, Real Madrid missed a golden opportunity and Atalanta continued their dominance in Serie A amidst intense competition. Football Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
