A tough week for Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur, two of the rebel clubs in the failed Super League project, got even more difficult when they fell behind on their return to Premier League action on Wednesday.
However, both teams recovered to register vital wins and leave them in good spirits for their next match — their meeting at Wembley Stadium for the EFL Cup final on Sunday.
City fought back from conceding a goal after just 20 seconds to beat Aston Villa 2-1 and move 11 points clear in their march to a third league title in four years. A maximum of eight points are needed by Pep Guardiola’s team from their final five games.
Photo: EPA-EFE
Each side had a man sent off at Villa Park, with City defender John Stones’ straight red card for a reckless lunge late in the first half ruling him out for three matches — starting with the Cup final.
Tottenham needed a late penalty from Son Heung-min to clinch a 2-1 victory over Southampton and close to within two points of fourth-placed Chelsea in the race for Champions League qualification.
LA LIGA
AP, MADRID
Karim Benzema scored two goals and set up another to lead Real Madrid to a 3-0 win over Cadiz in La Liga, in the team’s first game since the implosion of the proposed Super League.
The Cadiz players wore T-shirts before the game condemning the Super League.
Madrid president Florentino Perez had been one of the key figures behind the proposal.
Alvaro Odriozola also scored as Madrid pulled within a point of league leaders Atletico Madrid ahead of their game against SD Huesca.
Elsewhere, Sevilla beat Levante UD 1-0, CA Osasuna defeated Valencia 3-1, Real Betis Balompie held Athletic Bilbao to a 0-0 draw, Deportivo Alaves defeated Villarreal 2-1 and Elche drew 1-1 with Valladolid.
BUNDESLIGA
AFP, BERLIN
Borussia Dortmund moved back within four points of the Champions League places in the Bundesliga as Raphael Guerreiro’s goal late in the game helped seal a 2-0 home win over Union Berlin on Wednesday.
Dortmund moved to four points behind fourth-placed Eintracht Frankfurt, but also only five adrift of VfL Wolfsburg, who beat VfB Stuttgart.
Elsewhere, FSV Mainz 05 won 1-0 against Werder Bremen and Borussia Moenchengladbach lost 3-2 to TSG 1899 Hoffenheim.
SERIE A
AP, MILAN, Italy
Inter on Wednesday were held to a 1-1 draw against Spezia, who are facing possible relegation, but still extended their lead at the top of the Serie A table.
Ivan Perisic canceled out Diego Farias’ opener for Spezia as Inter moved 10 points above second-placed AC Milan after they lost 2-1 at home to US Sassuolo.
“It’s inevitable to feel a bit of pressure, especially as lots of our players are challenging for something important for the first time, but it’s OK, the performance was there,” Inter coach Antonio Conte said. “We must live with the pressure.”
Elsewhere, ACF Fiorentina won 2-1 against Hellas Verona, Juventus came from behind to win 3-1 against Parma, Cagliari inched closer to safety after winning 1-0 against Udinese, Benevento drew 2-2 with Genoa, Torino drew 1-1 against Bologna and Crotone lost 1-0 to UC Sampdoria.
The pressure was already on Real Madrid coach Xabi Alonso before their 2-1 defeat to Manchester City on Wednesday in the UEFA Champions League raised further questions about his future. Arsenal remain perfect in this season’s competition and three points clear at the top of the standings after a 3-0 win against Club Brugge, while defending champions Paris Saint-Germain were held 0-0 at Athletic Bilbao. The clash between Madrid and City was the standout game of the round amid reports this week that Alonso had lost control of the locker room. Speculation over his position is likely to intensify after the latest
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