New Delhi: This weekend brought its fair share of drama and unexpected twists, leaving plenty to talk about as the season unfolds. From shocking upsets in La Liga to Harry Kane’s injury setback in the Bundesliga and a Serie A title race that’s becoming tighter by the week, European football once again proved why it’s the heart of the sporting world.
The weekend show was also marred by a concerning player collapse in Florence, adding an unsettling note to the action. With standout individual performances, surprising results, and moments that could define the season, here is a detailed roundup of the major action that took place this weekend.
La Liga
📊 STANDINGS | Here’s how the #LALIGAEASPORTS table looks after Matchday 15.. pic.twitter.com/ndQdAC1Dyg
— LALIGA English (@LaLigaEN) December 2, 2024
In La Liga, Barcelona’s title charge took a significant hit as Las Palmas stunned the league leaders with a 2-1 victory at the Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys. Despite dominating possession, Barca struggled to convert chances with goals from Sandro Ramírez and Fabio Silva sealing a famous win for the visitors as they spoiled the Catalans’ 125th anniversary celebration. Raphinha’s equalizer offered temporary hope but the Catalans were unable to find a second. This marked Barcelona’s third consecutive game without a win adding to recent frustrations under Hansi Flick.
Meanwhile, Real Madrid capitalized on their rivals’ struggles by dispatching Getafe 2-0 at the Santiago Bernabeu. Jude Bellingham coolly converted a penalty after Antonio Rüdiger was fouled and Kylian Mbappe added a spectacular second goal as he curled in from outside the box. The win brings Carlo Ancelotti’s side within a point of Barcelona, with a game in hand.
In other results, Atletico Madrid enjoyed a dominant 5-0 victory over Valladolid, highlighted by Antoine Griezmann’s stunning solo effort. Athletic Bilbao climbed into the top four after Oihan Sancet’s double secured a comeback 2-1 win at Rayo Vallecano. Girona also held Villarreal to a dramatic 2-2 draw, with a 97th-minute equalizer from Ladislav Krejci keeping the visitors’ European hopes alive.
The title race is intensifying after gameweek 13 as Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid close in on Barcelona’s lead.
Bundesliga
🇩🇪#Bundesliga standings after Matchday 12 pic.twitter.com/B9x52sKsVO
— GreatSportsResults (@greatsresults) December 1, 2024
In Bundesliga, crises are brewing at RB Leipzig with their manager left with one game to prove himself after the team slumped to a 5-1 home defeat at the hands of Wolfsburg. The Red Bulls haven’t won for six games and they have lost all five of their Champions League ties this season. Though they had a tough fixture run including games with Liverpool, Atletico Madrid, Inter Milan, and Juventus, they are unused to such poor runs.
Bayern Munich remain at the top of the Bundesliga despite being held to a 1-1 draw by Borussia Dortmund. Dortmund initially took the lead through Jamie Gittens but Bayern quickly responded with an equalizer from Jamal Musiala. However, the match saw a setback for Bayern as Harry Kane limped off with an injury. The striker is expected to make a return before the end of 2024.
Eintracht Frankfurt continued their strong form with a dominant 4-0 victory over Heidenheim. Omar Marmoush, who has been in sensational form scored twice and brought his tally to 13 goals in 12 league matches. Fares Chaibi and Hugo Ekitike also found the net further solidifying Frankfurt’s status as a serious title contender. The win moved them to within four points of Bayern at the top.
In other Bundesliga action, Mainz secured a 2-0 win over Hoffenheim with Jonathan Burkardt scoring twice to lift them into seventh place.
Serie A
A look at the table after matchweek 14 📊#SerieA pic.twitter.com/u6QUBKGcgu
— Lega Serie A (@SerieA_EN) December 2, 2024
Napoli extended their lead at the top of the Serie A standings with a 1-0 victory over Torino. Scott McTominay’s decisive strike in the 31st minute assisted by Khvicha Kvaratskhelia marked the Scotland midfielder’s third league goal of the season. Despite Torino’s defensive resilience led by Vanja Milinkovic-Savic’s standout saves they failed to capitalize on a late opportunity as Saul Coco missed from close range.
Elsewhere, AC Milan secured a commanding 3-0 win over Empoli. Tijjani Reijnders’ duel brace and Alvaro Morata’s goal sealed the victory. The triumph showcased Paulo Fonseca’s team’s attacking prowess and moved them closer to the top four.
Juventus missed the chance to climb into the top spots after Ante Rebic’s stoppage-time equalizer earned Lecce a 1-1 draw. Andrea Cambiaso’s deflected strike gave Juventus the lead but wasted first-half opportunities came back to haunt them as Lecce remained unbeaten with their eighth draw of the campaign.
Lazio’s five-match winning streak ended in a 3-1 defeat at Parma with Dennis Man and Anas Haj Mohamed starring for the hosts. Meanwhile, Fiorentina’s clash with Inter was abandoned due to Edoardo Bove’s on-pitch collapse overshadowing the weekend action.
Ligue 1
PSG widens the gap at the top 🔝🥵 pic.twitter.com/hPpIIx2pSE
— Ligue 1 English (@Ligue1_ENG) December 1, 2024
In Ligue 1, Marseille climbed into second place as they overtook Monaco with a dramatic 2-1 win over them at Stade Velodrome. Monaco took the lead through Aleksandr Golovin’s deflected strike but Luis Henrique equalized for Marseille in the second half. In the dying moments, Mason Greenwood converted a penalty to secure all three points.
Paris Saint-Germain were held to a 1-1 draw at home against Nantes. Achraf Hakimi’s early goal was canceled out by Matthis Abline’s strike just before halftime. Despite pressing for a winner PSG couldn’t break down Nantes’ defense and the visitors earned a valuable point. PSG still leads the league with 33 points, seven ahead of second-placed Monaco.
Lille dropped points in a 2-2 draw at Montpellier where Arnaud Nordin’s injury-time goal salvaged a point for the bottom club. Lyon bounced back with a 4-1 win over Nice as Alexandre Lacazette braced a hat-trick while Toulouse defeated Auxerre 2-0 at home. Angers secured a vital 1-0 win over Le Havre to move away from the relegation zone.
Catch up on this weekend’s thrilling European football action from Barcelona’s disappointing loss to Harry Kane’s injury setback along with other standout moments. Football Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
