Riqui Puig Masih Terus Sindir Xavi
Riqui Puig tampak masih kesal dengan Xavi Hernandez. Mantan gelandang Barcelona itu menyindir bekas pelatihnya di media sosial.
Xavi Hernandez Sport News
Barca Kurang Meyakinkan, Xavi Salahkan Media
Barcelona memang kembali ke jalur kemenangan usai menang tipis atas Deportivo Alaves 2-1. Pelatih Xavi Hernandez menyalahkan media terkait performa Barca yang kurang meyakinkan.
Lewandowski double gives Barca comeback win over Alaves
:Robert Lewandowski scored twice as Barcelona fought back after conceding an early goal to beat lowly Alaves 2-1 in LaLiga on Sunday, rescuing the Spanish giants after two losses in their last three games in all competitions.
Arteta avoids fresh VAR row as Arsenal cruise despite red card
LONDON: Mikel Arteta side-stepped a fresh VAR row after 10-man Arsenal ignored Fabio Vieira’s red card to beat Burnley 3-1 on Saturday. Arsenal midfielder Vieira was sent off in the closing stages at the Emirates Stadium for a high challenge on Josh Brownhill. It was the kind of flashpoint that could have provoked another angry reaction from Arteta. The Gunners boss is waiting to discover if he will face a Football Association charge after he criticized the officials following last weekend’s controversial 1-0 loss at Newcastle. Arteta was asked to provide his observations to the FA having labelled Anthony Gordon’s goal “embarrassing” and a “disgrace” after VAR gave it despite a clear foul by Newcastle’s Joelinton. But the Spaniard opted against any more rants, largely because the Vieira decision was hard to argue with and Arsenal took the win anyway to move level on points with leaders Manchester City. “With the red card... yes, VAR was right, he said. “The referee was right.
Kane scores brace as Bayern go top, Dortmund lose at Stuttgart
BERLIN: Harry Kane scored two first-half goals as Bayern Munich beat promoted Heidenheim 4-2 on Saturday, sending the Bavarians to the top of the table. Heidenheim replied with two goals in three second-half minutes to equalize and Bayern needed late goals from Raphael Guerreiro and Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting to secure victory. Bayern finish Saturday atop the table but Bayer Leverkusen — who have won 15 and drawn one of their 16 matches in all competitions this season — can return to the top with a win on Sunday over Union Berlin. “It was a changing match,” said Thomas Mueller.
Girona wins again to keep Spanish league lead after 2-1 comeback at Rayo
BARCELONA, Spain: Girona fought back for a 2-1 victory at Rayo Vallecano to ensure it kept its surprising lead of the Spanish league on Saturday.Rayo went ahead from Álvaro García’s goal in the sixth minute. But Ukraine striker Artem Dovbyk equalized three minutes before halftime when he was set up by countryman Viktor Tsyhankov for his team-high seventh goal of the season.Brazilian winger Sávio put the visitors ahead in the 65th when he finished off a Dovbyk shot that was blocked by goalkeeper Stole Dimitrievski.Girona opened up a five-point gap over Real Madrid, which hosts Valencia later Saturday.Girona, which two seasons ago was in the second division, is partly controlled by Manchester City’s Abu Dhabi ownership even though it has one of the lowest payrolls in the league of just 51 million euros ($54 million).The numbers are impressive for the Catalonia team that is in only its fourth season in the top flight in club history.
Lindelof rides to Man Utd’s rescue to beat Luton
MANCHESTER, United Kingdom: Victor Lindelof was Manchester United’s unlikely hero as they moved into the Premier League’s top six with a 1-0 win over Luton on Saturday. The Swedish defender scored his first goal for nearly three years by smashing in from close range after Luton failed to clear a corner. United boss Erik ten Hag desperately needed a response after his side slumped to a ninth defeat in 17 games this season by losing 4-3 to FC Copenhagen on Wednesday. The English giants may be at risk of an early exit from the Champions League, but they have now won four of their last five in the Premier League. All of those victories have been by a single goal and the manner of victory was again far from convincing for United in the Hatters’ first trip to Old Trafford since 1991. Rasmus Hojlund scored twice on his return to Denmark in midweek to take his tally to five goals in four Champions League games. However, Hojlund is still yet to net in the Premier League. The £64 million ($78 million) signing missed two big chances to break his duck. Hojlund’s best piece of play then teed up Alejandro Garnacho, who failed to beat Thomas Kaminski when clean through on goal. United had to wait until just before the hour mark to make the breakthrough. Marcus Rashford’s low cross was deflected back into the path of Lindelof, who made no mistake from 10 yards out. Rashford was among those guilty of wasting opportunities to add to United’s lead. But United were rarely troubled defensively as they registered a first Premier League clean sheet at Old Trafford since the opening weekend of the season. Victory takes United within six points of league leaders Manchester City. Luton remain outside the relegation zone only on goal difference.
Barca are in a dip, not a crisis: coach Xavi
BARCELONA: Barcelona coach Xavi Hernandez insisted Saturday his club were in a dip but not falling into crisis and said president Joan Laporta had full confidence in his project. The Spanish champions have played poorly in recent weeks and fell to an embarrassing 1-0 defeat by Ukrainian side Shakhtar Donetsk in the Champions League on Tuesday in Hamburg. Despite the loss, Barcelona are still joint group leaders and expected to qualify for the knock-out phases, and are third in La Liga. The Catalans lost at home to Real Madrid in the Clasico on October 28 and scraped a 1-0 win at Real Sociedad last weekend, despite a drab performance. “I don’t think this is (my worst moment) at all, my worst moment as a coach came last year,” Xavi told a news conference, referring to his team’s Champions League group stage elimination. “I have lived through terrible crises here, this doesn’t go that far, it’s a dip ... we haven’t played well, we have to recover our game. “Getting that back is key — as a coach, I feel good, this is nothing to do with the situation we had last year.” Spanish media singled out Xavi for criticism after the Shakhtar loss, but the coach said Laporta was ‘calm’. “After each game we speak with the president,” explained Xavi. “We are very united, he’s a very positive person, more than me even, and he is very calm.