Barcelona 3-1 Atletico Madrid

Barcelona put a week of turmoil behind them with
a 3-1 win over champions Atletico Madrid to
reignite their La Liga title challenge.
Head coach Luis Enrique was widely criticised for
his team selection in last weekend's dispiriting
1-0 loss at Real Sociedad and a 5-0 midweek
thrashing of Elche in the Copa del Rey did not
prevent him from entering Sunday night's pivotal
Camp Nou encounter under heavy scrutiny.
A rumoured rift between Luis Enrique and Lionel
Messi dominated the pre-match build-up, but
Barcelona's star man produced a majestic and
tenacious display, laying on goals for attacking
colleagues Neymar and Luis Suarez to ensure the
hosts led 2-0 10 minutes before half-time.
Messi blotted his copybook by conceding a 57th-
minute penalty that Mario Mandzukic converted
to hand Atletico a lifeline, although Diego
Simeone's men could not follow Wednesday
night's stirring 2-0 cup win over city rivals Real
Madrid with another memorable success on the
ground where they famously secured the Liga
crown on the final day of last season.
It was Messi who fittingly had the final word,
ending a run of seven goalless matches against
Atletico three minutes from time
and closing Barca to within two points of leaders
Real having played a game more
Atletico are three points further back in third
after a match where their enterprising start
quickly unravelled into a torrid opening half.
Messi skewed a ninth-minute shot wide but
created the opening goal from the inside-right
position.
Suarez failed to control his team-mate's low
cross with his thigh but Juanfran's missed
clearance left Neymar with a far-post finish.
It was almost double misery for Atletico in the
13th minute as goalkeeper Miguel Moya fumbled
a Neymar strike and recovered sharply to thwart
Suarez.
The visitors responded in robust fashion as a
shuddering tackle from Jose Gimenez left Neymar
with a bloodied right ankle and left-back Jesus
Gamez – seemingly targeted by Barca on his
second league start for Atletico – was booked for
clattering through Messi.
On his return to the field, Neymar passed up a
glorious 23rd-minute chance to double his tally
with a back-post header after Messi sent Suarez
scampering away down the right.
Moya stood firm to deny Messi when some
dazzling footwork left Gamez in his wake and the
mercurial Argentine was to the fore when Barca
doubled their lead, albeit with a slice of fortune.
Referee Alberto Undiano Mallenco did not penalise
Messi for an apparent handball before a driving
run left the Atletico defence is disarray and
allowed Suarez to slam home his second Liga
goal.
Any ill-feeling from Simeone's men towards the
official was partially undone 11 minutes into the
second half when, in an unlikely role reversal,
Messi clipped Gamez's ankle in the area and
Mandzukic blasted the resulting penalty – and his
team's first shot on target – high into the centre
of the goal.
Atletico turned up the heat during the closing
stages, when tempers threatened to boil over on
both sides, but they were unable to fully wrestle
control from Barcelona.
Following a particularly fractious period of play,
Messi converted a cross from the excellent Ivan
Rakitic at the second attempt to ensure Barca
overcame an opponent they failed to beat over six
games last season.

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Napoli 1-3 Juventus

 Juventus moved three points clear at the top of the Serie A table thanks to a 3-1
victory over Napoli at the San Paolo.
With nearest challengers Roma held to a 2-2 draw by fierce rivals Lazio earlier on
Sunday, Massimiliano Allegri's men took full advantage at a tricky venue
historically.
Paul Pogba opened the scoring at the San Paolo, a venue where Juve had not won
since 2000, with a stunning volley in the 29th minute that marked his fifth goal of
the campaign.
Napoli levelled in the 64th minute thanks to defender Miguel Britos, but any hope of
the hosts completing the turnaround were dispelled by two further second-half
goals from Juve.
Martin Caceres - who had not featured for the Turin club since October due to a
thigh injury - restored Juve's lead in the 69th minute by turning home an Andrea
Pirlo free kick.
A Caceres own goal was chalked off and Napoli spurned a number of late chances
before Arturo Vidal slammed in a third in stoppage time to give Juve a measure of
revenge for their Supercoppa Italiana defeat to Rafael Benitez's side last month.
In an otherwise quiet start, Napoli wasted a gilt-edged chance to take the lead as
Jonathan de Guzman blazed over the crossbar from close range after Giorgio
Chiellini failed to clear.
Juventus had struggled to impose themselves on the game but took the lead in
magnificent fashion through Pogba.
Carlos Tevez's strike rebounded off Fernando Llorente and straight to the France
midfielder, who arced a superb first-time hit from the left-hand side of the area
into the bottom-right corner.

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Roma 2-2 Lazio

Francesco Totti has been heralded as a genius after his goalscoring heroics saved
Roma from derby day defeat to Lazio on Sunday.
The Giallorossi went 2-0 down in the opening 30 minutes through goals from
Stefano Mauri and Felipe Anderson, but the veteran Italian forward turned the tie
around with two strikes in the second half.
The striker even took a celebratory selfie after equalising for Roma with an
acrobatic finish and his coach revealed that the 38-year-old had correctly predicted
he would have a major impact on the derby match.
"Totti is a genius and he showed it," Garcia told Sky Sport. "He said beforehand
that this was his game and he was right."
The French trainer, who guided Roma to second in Serie A last season, was
pleased with the way his players fought back after a poor first-half performance
and is keeping his fingers crossed that Napoli do his team a favour by beating
Juventus later on Sunday.
"When you draw 2-2, it's better to be 2-0 down and fight back than the other way
round. The lads played a great second half and reacted so well," Garcia added.
"Lazio didn't have that many chances in the first half and mostly they were gifted
to them by us. We need to improve on that, as we knew that with the pace of
Antonio Candreva and Felipe Anderson we couldn't afford to lose the ball cheaply.
"Now we are top on level terms with Juventus, though our objective was to be top
on our own. Tonight there is fourth against first and we obviously would prefer a
Napoli victory."
Roma are on 40 points after 18 Serie A matches - level with Juventus prior to
Massimiliano Alleg

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Manchester United 0-1 Southampton

Tadic slotted in the rebound from a Graziano Pelle shot that struck the post on 69
minutes to give the Saints the lead in a game United had dominated.
The hosts rallied but were unable to muster a single shot on target for the entirety
of the match, with Juan Mata missing two gilt-edged opportunities to secure them
a point.
Ronald Koeman - widely documented to have a frosty relationship with opposite
number Louis van Gaal following disagreements during their time at Barcelona and
Ajax - saw his side avenge their 2-1 defeat when the teams met at St Mary's
Stadium last month.
The injury-enforced withdrawal of Toby Alderweireld was the only low point for
Southampton, while Van Gaal has work to do to rediscover his side's finishing
touch if they are to regain third place.
Nathaniel Clyne - back in the Saints' starting XI for the first time since Boxing Day
- went close inside two minutes as he dragged a shot wide before Di Maria's
inviting cross failed to find a touch from any United team-mates.
Like Clyne, Alderweireld was also returning for the visitors, having not featured in
the FA Cup draw with Ipswich Town, but the Belgian was forced off injured inside
20 minutes and replaced by Florin Gardos.
While the opening half hour was largely devoid of clear-cut chances, United ended
the first period on top.
Van Persie played in Di Maria with a clever looped ball, but the former Real Madrid
man miscontrolled, before the Dutchman saw an effort inside the area collected by
Fraser Forster following a deflection off Gardos.
A tame, wayward effort from Di Maria - starting for United for the first time since
November following injury troubles - proved the final chance of a low-key half in
which neither side mustered an attempt on target.
The second half continued in much the same vein as the first, with United labouring
up front against a resolute Southampton back line.
Without Radamel Falcao - scorer of two of United's last five Premier League goals
prior to Sunday's clash and who failed to gain a place in the matchday squad - the
likes of Di Maria, Van Persie and Wayne Rooney struggled.
Chances continued to be at a premium for both sides, but crucially Southampton
took theirs with the help of some calm finishing from Tadic before Juan Mata failed
to make the most of two clear opportunities.
Attacking midfielder Tadic's goal - which followed up his effort in the 2-0 victory
over Arsenal on New Year's Day - proved the difference as Southampton moved
into third, two points clear of United, who have now won just one of their last five
league matches.

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Arsenal 3 - 0 Stoke City

Alexis Sanchez was again Arsenal's inspiration as
they coasted to a 3-0 win over Stoke City on
Sunday.
The irrepressible Sanchez scored his 11th and
12th Premier League goals of the season either
side of half-time after setting up Laurent
Koscielny's early opener at the Emirates Stadium.
David Ospina was handed a first top-flight start
in Arsenal's goal as Arsene Wenger dropped
Wojciech Szczesny, who was caught smoking in
the dressing room after the New Year's Day loss
at Southampton.
But Stoke were rarely able to get near the
Colombian, let alone test him, in a game that was
dominated throughout by the hosts.
It was a completely different story for Ospina's
opposite number Asmir Begovic, to whom Stoke
were grateful for keeping the score down as they
slipped to defeat at the Emirates for a seventh
successive season.
Stoke boss Mark Hughes gave a debut to Philipp
Wollscheid in defence and was able to call on
Bojan Krkic after the Spaniard's hamstring injury
– but it was another ex-Barcelona man who stole
the headlines, as Sanchez lit up yet another
Premier League game.
On a day full of positives for Wenger, Mesut Ozil
made his long-awaited return from injury as a
late replacement for Olivier Giroud.
However, Mathieu Debuchy's enforced early
withdrawal with a serious-looking shoulder
problem may temper the Frenchman's joy.

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Inter 3 - 1 Genoa : Mancini claims first home win in Serie A

Roberto Mancini claimed his first home win in
Serie A since returning to Inter as they beat
Genoa 3-1 on Sunday.
The 50-year-old head coach had only taken one
point in his previous two home fixtures, but goals
from Rodrigo Palacio, Mauro Icardi and Nemanja
Vidic finally gave him all three points at San Siro.
Palacio opened the scoring early with a poacher's
finish after Icardi's effort had been saved, with
the latter heading in the second just before the
break.
Armando Izzo got the visitors back into the game
with five minutes remaining, the defender firing
home from close range, but Vidic's first goal for
Inter sealed the points for the hosts.
Inter's first home win since October moves them
to within two points of their opponents and fifth-
placed Sampdoria.
Mancini, who gave Lukas Podolski his full
debut as one of four changes, saw his side
threaten inside the opening two minutes as Fredy
Guarin played a throughball for Icardi.

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