European Football

[taz]

FT: Borussia Monchengladbach 1-0 Mainz

Borussia Monchengladbach have moved to within 4 points of Bayern Munich at the top after approaching the midway stage of the campaign. Mainz meanwhile are only two points above the dropzone. The winning goal came after just 5 minutes when the talismanic Marco Reus picked out Patrick Herrmann who then fired the ball through the legs of Christian Wetklo. Midway through the 2nd half, Juan Arango had a great opportunity to extend the lead but was denied by Wetklo.

Matchday 17 of 34

Friday 16 December

Bayern Munich 3-0 Cologne

Saturday 17 December

Bayer Leverkusen 0-3 Nuremberg
Hamburg 1-1 Augsburg
Freiburg 1-4 Borussia Dortmund
Hoffenheim 1-1 Hertha Berlin
Wolfsburg 1-0 Stuttgart
Schalke 5-0 Werder Bremen

Sunday 18 December

Kaiserslautern 1-1 Hannover
Borussia Monchengladbach 1-0 Mainz

[taz]

FT: Napoli 1-3 Roma

Roma scored an impressive win over Napoli at San Paolo joining them on 21 points and in pursuit of the Champions League slots. The deadlock was broken after just three minutes after Erik Lamela sprinted past Hugo Campagnaro and Paolo Cannavaro down the left and Lamela's low cross was spilled into the net by the palms of Morgan De Sanctis. Midway through the opening half, Juan Zuniga drilled the ball low across the box and Marek Hamsik 2 yards out with the whole goal to aim at diverted the ball over the goal. Lamela found himself in the box again before the half hour but was denied by Campagnaro and minutes later, Lamela went close again with an effort hitting the woodwork. On the hour mark, a low Francesco Totti cross was diverted home by Pablo Osvaldo for 2-0. WIth 10 to go, Hamsik pulled a goal back from acute angle and Napoli thought they had found the equaliser with a minute to go but the offside flag was correctly raised against Edinson Cavani and moments later, a Fabio Simplicio shot took a deflection off Cannavaro and looped past De Sanctis for 1-3.

Matchday 16 of 38

Saturday 17 December

Chievo 2-0 Cagliari
Fiorentina 2-2 Atalanta
Milan 2-0 Siena

Sunday 18 December

Catania 2-0 Palermo
Cesena 0-1 Inter
Genoa 2-1 Bologna
Juventus 2-0 Novara
Parma 3-3 Lecce
Lazio 2-2 Udinese
Napoli 1-3 Roma

[taz]

FT: Paris St Germain 0-0 Lille

The clash between PSG and Lille was a drab encounter. The point apiece meant PSG go joint top with Montpellier while Lille remain 2 points behind them.

Matchday 18 of 38

Saturday 17 December

Brest 1-0 Auxerre
Caen 1-2 Nancy
Dijon 1-2 St Etienne
Marseille 2-1 Lorient
Montpellier 1-1 Toulouse
Nice 2-0 Valenciennes
Lyon 2-1 Evian

Sunday 18 December

Ajaccio 1-0 Rennes
Bordeaux 1-0 Sochaux
Paris St Germain 0-0 Lille

[taz]

FT: Valencia 2-0 Malaga

Valencia have moved to within of 4 points of 2nd placed Barcelona and 7 points off Real Madrid after victory over Malaga at Mestalla. They took the lead with 10 to go before the break when Jonas split the defence apart allowing Roberto Soldado to round Willy Caballero and slot the ball home. Just past the hour, Soldado volleyed home a Jordi Alba cross.

Matchday 17 of 38

Tuesday 29 November

Barcelona 4-0 Rayo Vallecano

Saturday 17 December

Real Mallorca 1-2 Getafe
Sporting Gijon 1-2 Espanyol
Athletic Bilbao 2-1 Real Zaragoza
Sevilla 2-6 Real Madrid

Sunday 18 December

Atletico Madrid 0-2 Real Betis
Granada 2-1 Levante
Osasuna 2-1 Villarreal
Racing Santander 0-0 Real Sociedad
Valencia 2-0 Malaga

[taz]

FT: Siena 0-0 Fiorentina

The Tuscan derby between Siena and Fiorentina finished all square. The result still leaves both sides in the bottom half of the table. Emanuele Calaio nearly opened the scoring on the half hour when he nodded a Franco Brienza cross onto the bar. Calaio then went close again just before the hour with a header and with 5 to go, Calaio nealryl won the game for Siena but his volley was expertly blocked by Artur Boruc.

[taz]

FT: Cagliari 0-2 Milan

Milan have provisionally returned to the top of the table after a sound victory at Cagliari. Milan took the lead 4 minutes in after Robinho took the ball past Michael Agazzi and his low cross was diverted into the net for a Francesco Pisano own goal. On 15 minutes, Albin Ekdal saw a 30 yard drive saved by Christian Abbiati. Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored the the 2nd goal on the hour mark after Zlatan Ibrahimovic found himself in acres of space and he placed the ball past Agazzi.

[taz]

FT: Nancy 1-3 Marseille

Marseille have moved upto 5th after a resounding victory away to Nancy. Marseille took the lead 20 minutes in after Mathieu Valbuena played a 1-2 with Loic Remy before bursting past Jordan Loties and firing the ball home. Nancy equalised 10 minutes before the break when Reynald Lemaitre headed home a deep Jean Calve cross. Minutes later, Morgan Amalfitano whipped in a cross for Stephane Mbia to score a superb diving header to put OM back in front. Lucho Gonzalez wrapped up the result in the final minute with a clean strike.

[taz]

FT: Udinese 0-0 Juventus

Juventus missed out on the chance of going back top of Serie A after being held to a draw at Udinese. Juventus are level on points with Milan but Milan have a superior GD. Udinese remain 3rd two points behind the top 2. The best chance of the game came 5 minutes from time when Fabio Quagliarella fired an attempt at goal from the edge of the box but Samir Handanovic was equal to it.

[taz]

FT: Inter 4-1 Lecce

Inter came from a goal down to secure an emphatic victory over bottom Lecce and go into the winter break in 5th. Lecce had the first opportunity 10 minutes when Davide Brivio saw an effort go just narrowly wide. However, 10 minutes later, Christian Obodo picked out Luis Muriel for Muriel to fire a low shot into the net for 1-0. 10 minutes before the break, Giampaolo Pazzini tapped home a Maicon corner for the equaliser. 5 minutes into the 2nd half, Ricky Alvarez fed the ball to Diego Milito to slot home the second. With 15 to go, Yuto Nagatomo got beyond Juan Cuadrado and he picked out Esteban Cambiasso to slot home for 3-1. With 10 to go, Ricky Alvarez got himself on the scoresheet after good work from Nagatomo.

Matchday 1 of 38

Tuesday 20 December

Siena 0-0 Fiorentina
Cagliari 0-2 Milan

Wednesday 21 December

Udinese 0-0 Juventus
Atalanta 4-1 Cesena
Bologna 0-2 Roma
Inter 4-1 Lecce
Lazio 0-0 Chievo
Napoli 6-1 Genoa
Novara 2-2 Palermo
Parma 3-3 Catania

[taz]

FT: St Etienne 0-1 Paris St Germain

Paris St Germain have moved back to the top of the table 3 points clear of Montpellier at the midway point of the season after a narrow victory at the Stade Geoffrey Guichard. The winner came just past the half hour when a Mathieu Bodmer header rebounded off the post onto the back of Stephane Ruffier for an own goal.

Matchday 19 of 38

Tuesday 20 December

Nancy 1-3 Marseille

Wednesday 21 December

Auxerre 2-2 Dijon
Evian 4-2 Montpellier
Lille 4-4 Nice
Lorient 0-0 Caen
Rennes 1-0 Bordeaux
Sochaux 0-2 Ajaccio
Toulouse 0-0 Brest
Valenciennes 1-0 Lyon
St Etienne 0-1 Paris St Germain

[Lupa]

[RomaShield27]

I thought Ancelotti said he wants to get another job in England before returning to Italia? Of course, I'm sure it has nothing to do with a bag full of cash being dumped at his feet.

[taz]

FT: Real Madrid 5-1 Granada

Real Madrid have extended their lead at the top to 6 points after a comfortable victory at home to Granada. It took 20 minutes for the deadlock to be broken. Cristiano Ronaldo lifted the ball into the box for Mesut Ozil to flick the ball into the path of Karim Benzema to score. 2 minutes later, Granada equalised when an Ikechukwu Uche cross was headed home by Fran Rico. 10 minutes before the break, Mesut Ozil delivered a corner for Sergio Ramos to brilliantly head home. 2 minutes into the 2nd half, good work from Marcelo saw him play the ball across to Gonzalo Higuain to fire home for 3-1. Benzema made it 4-1 minutes later when a long ball from Mesut Ozil was latched onto by Benzema and he slotted the ball past Roberto. Ronaldo completed the rout with a minute to go with a rifled shot from the edge of the box.

[taz]

FT: Inter 5-0 Parma

Inter thrashed Parma at San Siro to move within to 3 points of the top 3. Diego Milito opened the scoring 15 minutes in when he diverted home a Ricky Alvarez cross. 5 minutes later, Milito had a shot pushed out by Antonio Mirante but Thiago Motta was on hand to volley home the rebound from 20 yards. 2 minutes later, Sebastian Giovinco went close with a header but with 5 to go before the break. Milito made it 3-0 when Maicon lifted the ball into the area for the unmarked Milito to head home. Giampaolo Pazzini made it 4-0 10 minutes into the 2nd half after he latched onto a Milito pass and he duly lifted the ball over Mirante. Replays suggest that Pazzini was just offside but went undetected. Marco Davide Faraoni made it 5-0 with 10 to go with a fantastic 20 yard dipping shot.

[taz]

FT: Malaga 0-0 Atletico Madrid

Malaga were held at La Rosaleda by Atletico Madrid who played their first match under Diego Simeone at the helm. The game was starved of any notable opportunities. Salomon Rondon went close 15 minutes in but his powerful header was superbly saved by Thibaut Courtois. Diego Godin went close for Atleti with 20 to go as he rose to head a corner goalwards but Santi Cazorla was on the line to block. Atleti claim their 2nd point away from home this season.

[taz]

FT: Udinese 4-1 Cesena

Udinese have kept the pressure on Juve and Milan at the top with a convincing victory over Cesena. 45 seconds had elapsed and Antonio Floro Flores beat the offside trap to unselfishly play the ball across to the unmarked Antonio Di Natale to finish. 15 minutes gone, Floro FLores dinked the ball over the Cesena defence for Di Natale's header lacked power and was comfortably held by Francesco Antonioli. 5 to go before the break, Maurizio Lauro's cross hit the crossbar and the rebound fell to Luca Ceccarelli who headed the ball across for Eder to fire home the equaliser. 10 minutes into the 2nd half, Udinese retook the lead when a Kwadwo Asamoah strike from 20 yards squirmed under Antonioli. Just past the hour, Cesena were reduced to 10 men when Lauro was shown a 2nd yellow. With 15 to go, Dusan Basta made it 3-1 with a 25 yard effort and Di Natale got his 2nd with 10 to go as he stroked the ball beyond Antonioli.

[taz]

FT: Atalanta 0-2 Milan

Milan remain at the top of Serie A after victory away to Atalanta. Midway through the first half, Thomas Manfredini brought down Alexandre Pato conceding a penalty which Zlatan Ibrahimovic converted. With 10 to go, Ibrahimovic picked out Kevin-Prince Boateng in to the box to sweep home the 2nd.

[taz]

FT: Villarreal 2-2 Valencia

Valencia came from two goals down to salvage a draw at El Madrigal. Villarreal took the lead 15 minutes in when Marco Ruben went past two players before playing a 1-2 with Nilmar and then duly lifting the ball over Diego Alves. 5 minutes later, it was 2-0 after the unmarked Gonzalo Rodriguez headed home a Borja Valero corner. Valencia equalised 5 minutes before the break after a superb volleyed cross from Miguel was headed home by Sofiane Feghouli. With 3 minutes to go, a poor Cristian Zapata clearance allowed Aritz Aduriz the opportunity to stroke home the equaliser. The result leaves Villarreal in the drop zone while Valencia remain 3rd.

[taz]

FT: Real Betis 2-0 Sporting Gijon

Real Betis recorded their 3rd straight win with victory over Sporting Gijon. The victory lifts Betis into the top half while Sporting remain in the relegation zone. Rqoue Santa Cruz swept home a Benat cross midway through the first half to open the scoring. Before the break, Sporting were reduced to 10 men after Lora was shown a second yellow. Ruben Castro had the chance to double the lead with 15 to go but he inexplicably missed from 6 yards. Jorge Molina did make it 2-0 in stoppage time when he played a 1-2 with Jonathan and was through on goal to finish. Sporting then had Carmelo sent off finishing the game with 9 men.

[taz]

FT: Palermo 1-3 Napoli

Napoli have joined Roma in 6th after victory away to Palermo. Goran Pandev opened the scoring 10 minutes before the break when slid home a low Walter Gargano cross. 5 minutes later, Pandev had an opportunity to make it 2-0 but he fired over from a promising position. Edinson Cavani made it 2-0 10 minutes into the 2nd half with a sublime 25 yard curler. Marek Hamsik made it 3-0 on the hour after he rounded Francesco Benussi to tap home the third. Fabrizio Miccoli looped a header over Morgan De Sanctis late on to get a consolation for Palermo.

Matchday 17 of 38

Saturday 7 January

Siena 4-0 Lazio
Inter 5-0 Parma

Sunday 8 January

Udinese 4-1 Cesena
Atalanta 0-2 Milan
Bologna 2-0 Catania
Cagliari 3-0 Genoa
Lecce 0-1 Juventus
Novara 0-3 Fiorentina
Roma 2-0 Chievo
Palermo 1-3 Napoli