SPAIN
Real Madrid suffer blow with Luka Modrić injury
After a small fall which saw Real Madrid lose two consecutive games in Copa del Rey and La Liga action, Los Blancos got back to their winning ways Saturday with a 2-1 win over Malaga. Luka Modrić got the start and played 78 minutes with Mateo Kovačić coming in for him late because of an undisclosed injury. It has now been ruled that both Modrić and Marcelo will be out one month and will miss key La Liga and Champions League games. Sergio Ramos would score twice for Real Madrid in the first half and that would be all his side needed. Ronaldo was quiet in this game as Real keep their one point lead on Sevilla in La Liga with one game in hand. On Wednesday, Real Madrid will try to overturn a 2-1 first leg loss to Celta Vigo in the Copa del Rey quarterfinals.
Ivan Rakitić played the full match for Barcelona on Sunday in a routine 4-0 victory over Eibar. Rakitić did not reach the scoresheet but much will be asked from Barca’s Croatian midfielder as they enter the Champions League knockout rounds and play crucial doubles in contention for the La Liga crown. Barca currently sit two points back of leaders Real Madrid. Atletico Madrid needed an 80th minute equalizer from Antoine Griezmann to force a 2-2 draw with Athletic Bilbao. Šime Vrsaljko played the full 90 minutes and neither Athletic Bilbao goal was his fault. Duje Čop got the start and played 76 minutes as Sporting Gijon played out a scoreless draw with Real Betis.
ENGLAND
Dejan Lovren (6) looks on as Swansea score one of their 3 goals
Dejan Lovren and Liverpool had a disastrous Saturday they will quickly want to forget. At home to a troubled Swansea City side, the Reds suffered a shock 3-2 loss which drops them to fourth on the English table; only earning two points in their last three Premier League matches. Defender Dejan Lovren played the full 90 minutes and was partially responsible for Swansea’s first goal as he was late to get to his man following a corner. Liverpool would claw back from a 2-0 deficit to level the game at 2-2, but more sloppy defending from Lovren led to the eventual game winner when the Croatian bit at the Swansea attack and let Sigurdsson fire in the winner. Now Liverpool trail leaders Chelsea by 10 points and second place Arsenal only by two.
Lovren at fault for Swansea goals 1 & 3
Italy
Mario Mandžukić with a solid game against Lazio on Sunday
PHOTO: Juventus
Juventus still lead serie A following their 2-0 win over Lazio on Sunday. Having lost the previous match in Florence, Allegri decided to change the shape of his team and to field as much offensive threat as possible. Mario Mandžukić played from the first minute in an unusual left forward position in the new 4-2-3-1 to support Higuain and Dybala. The former Munich star first serves an assist to Dybala that is worth the initial 1-0, then shows that he feels part of the project and that the team is more important than his ego as he runs up and down the flank to help the midfield and give more balance to the whole team with his usual warrior attitude. In other words the player that all managers dream about. Marko Pjaca came on in for Higuain with 3 minutes to go. Enough to miss a good chance.
Marcelo Brozović and Inter collect 3 points as Palermo slip up on Sunday
PHOTO: inter
Inter got their 6th W in a row following their 1-0 in Palermo on Sunday. Marcelo Brozović and Ivan Perišić were both starters. Brozović was not as involved as previous matches and his passing was not as precise as it could be. Though he was probably the player who ran the most on the pitch and if the former Dinamo Zagreb star did not he can blame his fellow countryman Posavec. Ivan Perišić’s dribbling was not at his peak but he managed to chip in a good amount of crosses but unfortunately none of them were converted. The former Wolfsburg star did give good defensive support and was subbed off in the 77th minute. Josip Posavec made at least 3 important saves that kept palermo in the game. He surrendered to Joao Mario, but was not at fault. It would be difficult to ask for more.
Milan lost home to Napoli 2-1 on Saturday night on the most exciting match of the weekend. Vincenzo Montella’s pretentious tactics left Napoli full space to make use of their best offensive quality: velocity. The rossoneri went immediately two down within ten minutes and risked a humiliating 3rd goal twice in the first half. Then, as more balance was gained, Milan took full control of the game and made Napoli look like one of those minnows that are content with a lucky away point. Napoli were pushed back but luckily managed to resist and get 3 pivotal points that keep them fighting for a Champions League spot. The rossoneri will have to bring down their expectations to a more feasible Europa League seed.
Mario Pašalić celebrates Milan goal with teammates on Saturday
Photo: ilnapolista.it
Mario Pašalić was a starter for Milan and improved as time passed by. His slow pace did not allow him to be involved much at first when Napoli would go and score with 3 passes, but then his physique helped Milan gain momentum and press up high and put pressure on his opponents. His attitude allowed to recover the ball that Kucka pushed in for the final 2-1. His second half was way better as he was absolutely dominant from a physical point of view and almost scored when he hit the top bar.
Ivan Strinić played well in a rare start for Napoli
Photo: ilnapolista.it
Ivan Strinić should have been a designated victim of Suso’s skills but apparently Montella decided to grace him by moving the Spanish forward towards the middle in the first half. As a result the Croatian left back faced Abate, upon whom he had the best, and in the second half never was left alone. A positive defensive performance for the former Hajduk Star. His offensive support was not requested. Marko Rog came on in with 5 minutes to go and helped the team to resist the last 5 minutes by winning some free kicks.
Pašalić 6,5 “Double faces. Looks like a shy baby in the first half as much as he is amongst the first to react. Attacks Jorginho and Tonelli to win back the ball worth the first goal and hits the top bar in the second half.”
Marko Rog No vote
Strinić 6 “A quiet match, with no offensive game and no fear of Suso. Mission accomplished.Though picks up an unrighteous yellow card.”
Fiorentina came home from Chievo with 3 great points following a neat 3-0. Of the 3 Croatians, only Milan Badelj claimed a place in the starting line up. The former Hamburg SV midfielder did give the team full and continuous defensive support, though his passing was below his standards especially in the first half. Both Hrvoje Milić and Nikola Kalinić looked on from the bench. The former Dnipro star having been the center of market speculation during the whole week, has finally announced that he would not move to China and that he is happy to stay in Florence. “We are happy that Nikola is still with us” an official statement from the club reads. “Especially because that offer did not sound like it could be turned down,” the statement continues. “He showed again his human values, which we never doubted, and his professional behavior. Bravo Nikola!”.
Badelj: 6 “Less precise than usual, but good defensive support.”
Udinese lost 1-0 in Empoli. Stipe Perica came on in the 10th minute of the second half but his performance was rather insufficient. The bianconeri stopped being dangerous the minute the former Zadar giant stepped in. Atalanta keep their dream alive as they beat Sampdoria 1-0 on Sunday. Ante Budimir came on in the 83rd minute to support the team up front, but he gives notice of his presence only for a couple of fouls.
Germany
Andrej Kramarić scored off the bench in Hoffenheim’s 2-0 win on Saturday at Augsburg. Kramarić came on right after halftime and scored Hoffenheim’s second goal, stabbing home a Mark Uth cross in the 64th minute. Hoffenheim hold onto third place with the win, as three teams sit within two points below them.
Kramarić Goal: 1:25
Ante Rebić played the first 72 minutes for Eintracht Frankfurt on Saturday in their 3-0 loss to 2nd-placed RB Leipzig. What was already going to be a tough task turned to near impossible in the 3rd minute, when Frankfurt picked up a red card and went down a man. The Frankfurt attack was quiet for most of the match, generating only four total shots, three of which came through Rebić. Frankfurt remain 6th in the Bundesliga, with 29 points in 17 matches.
Tin Jedvaj was an unused substitute in Bayer Leverkusen’s 3-1 win over Hertha Berlin on Sunday. Leverkusen are 8th in the Bundesliga after 17 matches.
Alan Halilović remains out of the squad for Hamburg, who fell 1-0 at Wolfsburg on Saturday. There have been rumors floating around that several clubs are interested in acquiring Halilović’s services in the winter transfer window this January.
France
Danijel Subašić started in net as AS Monaco cruised to a 4-0 victory over last placed Lorient. Subašić had an easy day, making four easy saves in his clean sheet. With Nice drawing on Saturday, Monaco now sit alone atop Ligue 1, one point ahead of Nice and three ahead of PSG.
Next Matches:
Tuesday, 1/24
Fiorentina at Napoli(Coppa Italia),
Wednesday, 1/25
Milan at Juventus(Coppa Italia), Atlético Madrid at Eibar(Copa del Rey), Real Madrid at Celta de Vigo(Copa del Rey),
Thursday, 1/26
Real Sociedad at Barcelona(Copa del Rey),
Saturday, 1/28
Hamburger SV at Ingolstadt, Hoffenheim at RB Leipzig, Pescara at Inter, Atlético Madrid at Deportivo Alavés,
Sunday, 1/29
Monaco at PSG, Genoa at Fiorentina, Juventus at Sassuolo, Milan at Udinese, Palermo at Napoli, Barcelona at Real Betis, Sporting Gijón at Athletic Club, Real Sociedad at Real Madrid,
~Ante Kvartuč reporting from sunny Southern California, Zach Gilfix reporting from Minneapolis, MN and Salvatore Cagnazzi reporting from Italy