European roundup: Giroud sends Milan top as Barcelona’s Depay grabs late win

Barcelona fought back to earn a 2-1 win in a frantically entertaining match at Elche as a late penalty from Memphis Depay ensured they continued their revival after a difficult start to the season.

Having fallen as low as ninth in November, when their coach Ronald Koeman was fired, Xavi Hernández’s revitalised Barca have climbed into La Liga’s top three with 48 points, leapfrogging Betis in third place.

Mid-table Elche opened the scoring right before half-time when Pedri tried to clear the ball but gifted a perfect assist to Fidel Chaves, who out-ran Dani Alves and scored with an angled shot just inside the right post.

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Ferran Torres scored the equaliser in the 61st minute after great play from Ousmane Dembélé down the right flank. His cross was deflected by Jordi Alba and the former Manchester City forward, in the right place at the right time, turned it home from close range.

Barça’s winner came after the video assistant referee spotted a handball from an Elche defender inside the area and Depay rifled his penalty into the top left corner.

Atlético Madrid produced an impressive win by beating Real Betis 3-1 and moved into fourth place, with João Félix’s contribution decisive. Betis are now fifth, dropping two places in the space of a few hours.

The Portugal forward scored in the second minute and although Betis equalised just before half-time through Cristian Tello, Félix restored the lead on the hour and Thomas Lemar made sure of the points in Seville with nine minutes left.

In Serie A, Milan reclaimed top spot with a hard-earned win away against Napoli, thanks to Olivier Giroud’s second-half goal.

Napoli would have gone top with