England: Manchester United take the best of Leeds
On a field at the limit of the passable as it was waterlogged, Manchester United beat Leeds at the end of a match rich in goals (2-4). But the Mancunians were scared: while they were quietly leading the debate thanks to goals signed Harry Maguire (34th) and Bruno Fernandes (45th + 5), they were heckled on the way back from the locker room. Rodrigo scored a goal as sublime as it was involuntary on a fleeing cross which finished in the top corner of David De Gea (53rd) and Raphinha equalized the following minute following a good cross from Daniel James (54th).
But in an end to the game chopped by faults, the Peacocks were unable to keep the score. Fred put Manchester United back in front on a pass from Jadon Sancho (70th) and young Anthony Elanga drove the point home, well served by Bruno Fernandes (88th).
The Mancunians thus consolidate their 4th place while Leeds stagnates in 15th place.
Spain: Barça crushes Valencia thanks to Aubameyang
It is a serene Barça, now undefeated for five matches in all competitions, that we saw on Sunday. After its draw against Naples in the Europa League on Thursday (1-1), the Catalan club easily beat Valencia (1-4) as part of the 25th day of La Liga. A winter rookie stood out: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored a hat-trick (23rd, 38th, 63rd) on assists from Jordi Alba, Gavi and Pedri.
Assisted pass radius, Ousmane Dembélé, finally back in the starting XI after the series of his aborted transfer this winter, also put himself forward by being at the origin of the second goal of the Blaugrana, signed Frenkie De Jong (32nd) . Enough to draw a convincing success, barely challenged by a goal from Carlos Soler (53rd).
Barça thus regains 4th place, with Bétis, Sevilla FC, held in check earlier in the afternoon, and Real Madrid, wide winner on Saturday, still ahead of him.
Italy: Inter fails at San Siro against Sassuolo
Inter Milan missed the opportunity to return to AC Milan at the top of Serie A after their 2-0 home defeat against Sassuolo (11th) on Sunday, during the 26th day.
After the misstep of their rivals and neighbors on Saturday at Salernitana (2-2), Simone Inzaghi’s players could become leaders again, but the Nerazzurri missed their match on Sunday.
At San Siro, Simone Inzaghi’s players, already beaten in the Champions League on Wednesday by Liverpool (2-0), were picked cold by a very enterprising Sassuolo team, rewarded with goals from Giacomo Raspadori (8th) and Gianluca Scamacca (26th). Sassuolo managed to preserve their lead thanks to several exceptional saves from their goalkeeper, Andrea Consigli. Stefan De Vrij reduced the score with a header in added time, but his goal was disallowed after the video was called for an interist handball early in the game.
Germany: Bayern on a walk against Greuther Furth
Bayern Munich have long led people to believe that it would not be an easy match against the bottom of the Bundesliga, who was unable to score in the first period and who even conceded the opener of Branimir Hrgota (42nd). But nothing came of it: on returning from the locker room, the Bavarians unfolded, with a double from Robert Lewandowski (46th, 82nd), an own goal from Sebastian Griesbeck (61st) and a final goal by Eric-Maxim Choupo -Moting (90th + 1), already a passer on Lewandowski’s first goal. The Polish striker has 28 goals in 23 Bundesliga matches.
Borussia Dortmund, runners-up to Bayern, scattered Borussia Mönchengladbach (6-0) thanks to goals from Marco Reus (26th, 82nd), Donyell Malen (32nd), Marius Wolf (70th), Youssoufa Moukoko (74th ) and Emre Can (90th+1). Six points now separate Marco Rose’s men from those of Julian Nagelsmann.