Madrid humble Barcelona in Clasico, while Liverpool resolve beats Man City

This play successful European shot had immense games and monolithic talking points galore. From Real Madrid getting the amended of Barcelona successful the Clasico to a depleted Liverpool uncovering a mode to bushed Manchester City astatine Anfield successful the clash of modern-day rivals, this play had everything.

Elsewhere: Serie A's rubric contention got hotter arsenic Napoli stayed connected top, but Milan, Inter and Juventus each got 3 points to support the unit on. Chelsea kept winning nether caller brag Graham Potter, portion Arsenal's singular commencement to the play continued with different victory, 1 that pushed them 4 points wide atop the Premier League table.

- Stream connected ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, MLS, much (U.S.)

It's Monday, and Gab Marcotti reacts to the biggest moments successful the satellite of football.

Jump to: Clasico fall-out | Liverpool bushed Man City | Juventus get a win | Arsenal enactment reddish hot | Union Berlin champion Dortmund | Spurs enactment shift? | Origi issues astatine Milan? | Man United's limits | Mbappe walks backmost PSG exit talk | Atletico spell old-school | Chelsea support winning | Napoli gut it out | Sane stars, Bayern brilliant | Inter backmost connected track

Xavi is right: it's clip for Barcelona to shingle things up aft Clasico defeat

Real Madrid's 3-1 triumph connected Sunday saw them determination 3 points wide of Barcelona astatine the apical of LaLiga. More than that, arsenic Barca manager Xavi himself said, it underscored the gulf successful maturity betwixt the defending champions and his side.

This goes beyond the aged trope of a defensive, counterattacking broadside filled with veterans outsmarting a fresh-faced, up-and-at-them radical specified arsenic Barca. (Not slightest due to the fact that portion Barcelona's mean whitethorn beryllium lower, determination is nary shortage of 30-something leaders, oregon presumed leaders, connected Xavi's side.) Rather, the maturity extends to the manager and the attack to the game. Xavi has been doing it for 3 years, his other fig Carlo Ancelotti for three decades.

And springiness Xavi credit, helium is the archetypal to instrumentality responsibility, saying helium volition ne'er blasted players since helium picks them, aft all, and they spell retired determination pursuing his instructions. So if he's going to instrumentality it connected the chin, what should helium beryllium doing differently?

Exhibit A, arsenic I spot it, is his usage of wide players (or non-use, but arsenic a sub, successful the lawsuit of Ansu Fati). Xavi's aureate years astatine Barcelona arsenic a subordinate came nether 2 antithetic coaches: Louis Van Gaal and Pep Guardiola. As my workfellow Julien Laurens has pointed out, it seems this squad is channeling the Van Gaal concepts much than the Guardiola ones. So overmuch of their play goes done Ousmane Dembele connected the near and Raphinha connected the close to the constituent that the midfield is often a spot subordinate successful presumption of offering penetration.

It was good for Van Gaal, whose wingers were Rivaldo and Luis Figo, among the precise champion successful the satellite and multifaceted players who were acold much than up-and-down wingers. It becomes a occupation -- and Barca go predictable -- erstwhile it's Raphinha and Dembele.

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Julien Laurens afloat expects Karim Benzema to beryllium named the victor of this year's Ballon d'Or award.

It feels arsenic if determination is simply a ton of Van Gaal successful Xavi's Barca and little of Guardiola successful there. The latter, of course, had the payment of Lionel Messi, but his different wide players (Thierry Henry and, aboriginal David Villa) were acold much versatile. What's more, portion helium excessively encouraged agelong spells of possession, particularly initially, it was purposeful possession, designed to unfastened gaps for Andres Iniesta and Xavi to spell vertical erstwhile necessary. We spot small of this successful the existent Barca side, contempt the information that successful Pedri and Gavi helium has the players to bash it. And arsenic a result, we spot little of Robert Lewandowski than we should, oregon rather, we spot less dimensions of him: successful existent beingness helium tin pass, helium tin clasp up play and helium tin driblet to nexus play for midfield runners (all things helium did astatine Bayern), but astatine Barca he's mostly conscionable a extremity scorer. (He's a phenomenal one, sure, but it's a spot similar utilizing your iPhone lone to marque calls.)

And we besides spot small of Ansu Fati. Sure, helium had a horrendous wounded past play and was retired for a agelong time, but he's been backmost successful grooming for six months present and yet has someway managed conscionable 2 starts successful each competitions. This contempt the information that helium has really appeared successful Barcelona's past 18 games, suggesting he's fit. Sure, he's inactive 19 (he turns 20 connected Halloween), but that doesn't look to beryllium an contented for Pedri and Gavi, who are really younger than helium is.

- Ruthless Real Madrid amusement Barcelona however acold they person to go
- Barcelona president confronts referees aft Clasico
- Madrid manager Ancelotti: Clasico triumph reminded maine of Champions League nights

The issues with the backmost enactment and Sergio Busquets' fading powers are somewhat beyond Xavi's control. Eric Garcia is what helium is, Sergi Roberto is simply a makeshift right-back and unless Ronald Araujo and Jules Kounde are some acceptable astatine the aforesaid time, this broadside is bound to beryllium vulnerable. Two of the 3 goals conceded Sunday came from evident idiosyncratic antiaircraft errors. It can't each beryllium the manager's fault.

As for Real Madrid, they got astir things close for astir of the game, which is each you tin inquire for. I did expect them to negociate the lucifer amended astatine 2-0 up and the ending, particularly aft Fati came on, was nervier than it should person been. But with the V2 rockets retired wide (Vinicius and Fede Valverde), Aurelien Tchouameni bossing the midfield and the veterans picking their spots (I particularly liked the occupation Toni Kroos did aft the break), you ever felt they could person kicked it up a notch if needed.

As important arsenic Xavi's enactment with the archetypal XI -- and I'm genuinely funny to spot however helium shakes it up -- arsenic important volition beryllium the messaging from the club. Yes, they're connected the brink of elimination from the Champions League (which volition person superior fiscal repercussions) and they conscionable mislaid a Clasico (which ever impacts morale), but they can't suffer show of the information that determination is plentifulness much to vie for (and they're lone 3 points back). You bash this by staying calm, pushing the close buttons and not trying to face the referee aft the game, similar Joan Laporta did.

A spot much enactment and a small little performative nonsense from the feline who pulls the levers wouldn't spell amiss close now.

Liverpool's show matters much than their triumph implicit Man City

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Shaka Hislop sings the praises of Liverpool aft their 1-0 triumph implicit Manchester City.

Liverpool and Manchester City served up a humdinger Sunday. In presumption of thrills-to-goals ratio, this came adjacent to mounting records. The difference was Mohamed Salah's extremity -- made imaginable by Alisson's speedy reasoning and Joao Cancelo's blunder... seriously, wherefore not driblet disconnected Salah, jockey him and hold for help? -- but determination were truthful galore "might person beens" successful this game. From Salah's first-half accidental (brilliantly saved by Ederson) to Diogo Jota's header connected the 1 hand, to Erling Haaland's chances and Phil Foden's disallowed goal, which truthful incensed Pep Guardiola, connected the other.

(My take? VAR did the close happening successful sending it backmost to referee Anthony Taylor, since Taylor could not person seen Haaland drawback Fabinho's shirt. From determination it's up to Taylor to determine whether, successful keeping with each the physicality helium allowed successful the game, helium thinks it's a foul oregon not. In this case, helium decided it was a foul and disallowed the goal. I tin unrecorded with that.)

- Liverpool condemn chants from Man City instrumentality section
- Guardiola targeted by coins thrown from stands
- Ogden: Salah bests Haaland arsenic Liverpool extremity Man City's triumph streak

I deliberation some teams did themselves proud. Jurgen Klopp made immoderate large calls -- leaving Salah up arsenic a benignant of imperishable "out ball," picking Harvey Elliott (who was excellent) successful midfield and James Milner astatine right-back -- and they mostly paid off. Guardiola volition beryllium accused (as often happens) of "overthinking" for the mode helium reshaped his squad -- a de facto backmost three, Bernardo Silva sitting heavy -- but it created plentifulness of chances for his side. And regular readers volition cognize this, but I'm often reluctant to blasted a manager for trying to get an edge. Especially distant astatine Anfield.

One last thought: Haaland has acknowledged aggregate times that heading is the portion of his crippled helium tin astir improve. If helium does, it's lights retired for defenders and goalkeepers.

Juventus get the triumph they need, but shouldn't work excessively overmuch into it...

It's evident to each that aft consecutive defeats -- against AC Milan (OK) and Maccabi Haifa (not OK) -- and a "ritiro" (a throwback to an archaic Serie A customized whereby players get sequestered successful a edifice oregon a grooming crushed for days up of a match), what mattered for Juventus was getting the 3 points against Torino successful the derby.

A Dusan Vlahovic extremity successful the 2nd fractional gave them conscionable that, but marque nary mistake astir it, this is inactive a wounded team. They didn't adjacent person a changeable connected extremity (let unsocial connected target) for the archetypal 33 minutes (and this was against Torino, not Manchester City) and, of course, the extremity came with 15 minutes to go. And portion they showed much thrust and cohesion aft the break, this set-up -- with Filip Kostic arsenic a winger successful a 4-3-3 -- is not the answer. It's a archetypal babe measurement connected the mode back, similar putting a towel connected an unfastened coiled portion you fig retired what to bash next.

As for Max Allegri, his determination to driblet skipper Leo Bonucci raised eyebrows, and immoderate speculated the seasoned defender was acceptable to determination on. The elemental information though is that his options astatine the backmost are precise limited. Danilo, who started against Torino, is simply a recycled full-back, Allegri doesn't look to beryllium a instrumentality of Federico Gatti and Daniele Rugani is thing to constitute location about. These 2 request each other, astatine slightest for now.

Arsenal disconnected to best-ever Premier League commencement arsenic VAR saves the time vs. Leeds United

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Shaka Hislop says Arsenal deserved their hard-fought triumph implicit Leeds aft an fantabulous commencement to the season.

With the 1-0 win Sunday implicit Leeds United, the number present stands astatine 27 of a imaginable 30 points for Mikel Arteta's crew. Unlike erstwhile outings, they did not play peculiarly good against Leeds and, successful fact, but for VAR things mightiness person turned retired alternatively differently. It's worthy noting due to the fact that this crippled was delayed owed to tech issues with VAR and had it gone up without it (as immoderate argued it should have), Leeds would person had a punishment and Gabriel a reddish paper aft Patrick Bamford ran into the Brazilian defender and past pretended he'd been fouled (so overmuch for the stereotypes, eh?).

Arsenal struggled against a precise good drilled Leeds broadside who astir apt deserved more. There are lessons to beryllium learned present for Arteta. The bully quality though is the luxury of being capable to larn and turn portion inactive taking location the win. And coupled with City's defeat, the spread is present 4 points, which is important too. There are 4 games to spell until the World Cup break: Arsenal could good beryllium apical of the league astatine Christmas.

Luck matters too... and Union Berlin enactment apical aft beating Borussia Dortmund

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Shaka Hislop shares his disappointment with Borussia Dortmund successful their 2-0 decision to table-topping Union Berlin.

This is not to accidental the Bundesliga leaders are lucky, but things got a full heck of a batch easier for them against Borussia Dortmund aft Gregor Kobel's aboriginal blunder talented them the lead. They added a 2nd aft 20 minutes, and the remainder of the crippled followed a acquainted script: Dortmund with tons of sterile possession, and Union being arsenic nonstop arsenic you tin beryllium (which is however you get 16 shots connected extremity with conscionable 23% possession).

- Highlights (U.S.): Union's flying commencement continues with triumph implicit Dortmund

I don't cognize however agelong this crippled program tin output results similar this -- earlier the Sunday clash, they had 16 goals from unfastened play with an xG of conscionable 7.07 -- but Union fans are loving the ride. As for Dortmund, this was astir apt the benignant of crippled wherever they could person utilized Anthony Modeste (who was unavailable) up front. They plugged distant and did make immoderate chances precocious on, mostly done Youssoufa Moukoko, but evidently this is disappointing.

You knew what Union were going to do: it's tenable to expect you to travel up with a crippled program to antagonistic it much effectively.

Tottenham enactment cleanable astatine location and determination up to 3rd arsenic a 3-5-2 enactment beckons

It took Tottenham a portion to interruption down Everton, but this crippled was ne'er truly successful doubt, different than the unusual counterattack from the visitors. Spurs made it 8 wins from 8 games crossed each competitions astatine location and this offers a assurance boost arsenic good aft immoderate patchy outings.

Antonio Conte doesn't usually alteration systems that work, truthful it was absorbing to enactment that aft Richarlison went down injured aboriginal successful the 2nd half, helium sent connected Yves Bissouma and switched to a 3-5-2. With Dejan Kulusevski unavailable and Lucas Moura lone conscionable backmost from his injury, it was the logical happening to do, but arsenic Bissouma was 1 of their large summertime signings and had featured small frankincense far, with Conte opting for the Rodrigo Bentancur-Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg partnership.

Bissouma was precise effective, and I fishy we whitethorn spot this 3-5-2 for a portion (not conscionable until Richarlison oregon Kulusevski return). Against definite opponents, particularly those who support deeper, it tin beryllium a much effectual option.

Milan scrape a triumph successful Verona, but Origi questions remain

Milan hardly sparkled successful their 2-1 triumph distant to Verona and, successful fact, they seemed to bent connected for beloved beingness astatine the extremity against a physical, high-energy hostile that man-marked each implicit the pitch. Sandro Tonali got the victor capping disconnected a bully operation with Ante Rebic and the triumph keeps them third, conscionable 3 points down Napoli. Given the galore absences and the fallout from the midweek spanking astatine the hands of Chelsea successful the Champions League, manager Stefano Pioli volition instrumentality it.

We did spot Divock Origi play the full 2nd fractional and, unthinkable arsenic it whitethorn sound, this is his 2nd longest stint connected the transportation since 2021. For a nine that person been truthful cautious with their signings, going for younker and value, backed up by analytics and numbers, Origi's prime up ever felt strange. Yes, helium scored immoderate large goals successful large games for Liverpool, but he's besides a feline who started conscionable 13 league games successful 4 years astatine Anfield.

This was his eighth appearances successful each competitions for Milan this play and we've yet to spot him person overmuch of an impact. That matters, due to the fact that Milan's different strikers are Olivier Giroud (who is present 36) and Zlatan Ibrahimovic (who is 41 and has yet to play this season). Beyond that, you're forced to recycle Ante Rebic (who has an wholly antithetic accomplishment set) up front. Which is acold from ideal.

Man United amusement their existent limits successful scoreless gully with Newcastle

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Shaka Hislop finds it hard to recognize however Fred and Marcus Rashford some missed chances to triumph the crippled precocious connected for Manchester United vs. Newcastle.

OK, truthful Newcastle United are a bully broadside who played well, Manchester United won the xG conflict and Marcus Rashford's header astatine the extremity could person won the game. (And, you imagine, if that had been Cristiano Ronaldo, whom Rashford substituted, it would person won them the game.) But it was a spot weird to spot Erik 10 Hag talking astir however good his squad played and being truthful chipper successful discussing however his men deserved "a large compliment" for withstanding Newcastle's physicality. (Sure, they play hard, but they're not Tony Pulis' Stoke either.)

- Dawson: Ronaldo makes feelings known arsenic Man United autumn short

It's besides unusual to spot him spell connected astir the extremity referee Craig Pawson disallowed aft Ronaldo stole the shot arsenic Nick Pope was astir to instrumentality a escaped kick. It's not Ronaldo's responsibility it was clever reasoning and possibly Pawson had signalled for play to restart. But it has zero to bash with however United played.

More of a concern, arsenic I spot it, ought to beryllium however this squad operates without Christian Eriksen, the drab show by Bruno Fernandes and the information that Ronaldo (disallowed goals excluded) managed conscionable 1 changeable connected goal. If you're going to commencement him up beforehand -- and it's lone the 2nd clip helium has done it successful the league -- you request to marque definite your squad gets him service.

PSG triumph 'Le Classique' and Mbappe walks backmost his comments

Paris Saint-Germain and Marseille closed retired the play with an enjoyable crippled that saw Igor Tudor's unit bask plentifulness of possession but PSG carve retired the astir unsafe chances. And we adjacent saw Kylian Mbappe grounds his archetypal assistance of the season, mounting up Neymar for the game's lone goal.

Mbappe besides denied reports that helium asked PSG to fto him spell and that signing a caller woody astatine the Parc des Princes was a mistake. He said helium was "napping" erstwhile the quality came retired and that his entourage were each watching his member play successful a younker game. I'm beauteous definite the full French media didn't conscionable marque that communicative up: if they had, you tin beryllium definite PSG would person denied it alternatively than simply hiding down a "no comment."

- Mbappe denies PSG exit rumors

I get it: helium said what helium felt helium needs to accidental and present helium doesn't privation the headache, but he's not helping himself by sending retired mixed messages. It would beryllium acold easier to simply state: "Guys, I don't cognize what the aboriginal volition bring but close present I'm conscionable focused connected PSG and winning the Champions League and Ligue 1. Please don't support asking astir this."

Atletico Madrid spell aged schoolhouse to get 3 large points successful Bilbao

Following the frustrating midweek gully against Bruges, erstwhile they laid siege to Simon Mignolet's extremity without uncovering a mode through, Atleti followed up with a overmuch tighter, gritty and "Cholista" crippled distant to Athletic Bilbao. Defeat would person seen them 4 points retired of 3rd spot and the absorption had taken 10 of 12 points successful their erstwhile 4 outings.

It felt similar an old-school triumph due to the fact that the victor came courtesy of Antoine Griezmann and Atleti needed to excavation heavy to defy the precocious Bilbao onslaught, with Reinildo channeling his interior Diego Godin. This is the tightrope Diego Simeone continues to walk: the grittiness that made him a fable versus the benignant of shot astir apical clubs play. On Saturday it paid off, though the wounded to Jan Oblak does not bode well.

Potter tinkers successful hunt of answers, but Chelsea support winning

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Shaka Hislop is afloat of praise for Kepa Arrizabalaga aft helium made a drawstring of fantabulous saves successful Chelsea's 2-0 triumph distant vs. Aston Villa.

With the 2-0 triumph distant to Aston Villa, Chelsea person notched 5 wins connected the bounce for Graham Potter. Sometimes much than erstwhile happening tin beryllium true: Chelsea deserved it, but Kepa Arrizabalaga made immoderate phenomenal saves and idiosyncratic errors played a portion successful some of Mason Mount's goals. Edouard Mendy is acceptable again (he was connected the bench) but has yet to dislodge Kepa, who appears to person seized the accidental to play astatine levels not seen since helium was successful Spain.

More broadly, Potter is intelligibly inactive trying to find the close set-up portion inactive drilling location his concepts. That helium is winning portion doing it is simply a credit. That it is taking a portion speaks to injuries, but besides to however oddly assembled this squad is. The 3-4-3 enactment utilized Sunday does not look to beryllium the reply -- astatine slightest not with Raheem Sterling, filling successful for the injured Reece James, astatine wing-back -- but astatine this point, it's proceedings and error. The modulation from Thomas Tuchel to Potter successful presumption of playing benignant is not rather arsenic seamless arsenic immoderate thought.

Napoli gut it retired to enactment apical arsenic Spalletti leans connected his subs' bench

Napoli dropped plentifulness of points astatine location past play and determination was a infinitesimal erstwhile it looked similar the clash Sunday with Bologna was heading successful the aforesaid direction. They went a extremity down successful the 41st infinitesimal and, fixed that they had created small successful the archetypal half, the fears weren't illegitimate. But past Juan Jesus scrambled an equaliser conscionable earlier half-time, Luciano Spalletti made 2 cardinal changes and everything was turned connected its head.

Off came Jack Raspadori and Matteo Politano, connected came Chucky Lozano and Victor Osimhen. Lozano enactment Napoli up and, aft a mistake by Alex Meret led to Bologna's equalizer, Osimhen notched the winner.

Twelve of Napoli's 25 league goals this play person travel from substitutes. That speaks not conscionable to the options disposable to Spalletti, but besides to his quality to marque the close changes astatine the close time.

Sane shines arsenic Bayern rampage, Freiburg comes backmost down to earth

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Shaka Hislop lauds Bayern Munich's instrumentality to signifier but is thankful teams specified arsenic Union Berlin are showing immoderate combat successful the aboriginal days of the contention for the title.

Bayern made Freiburg look similar cannon fodder, which is what they've been successful the past, but what they astir surely aren't this season: heading into the game, they had mislaid conscionable erstwhile successful each competitions. But that's however they appeared to a Bayern broadside possibly keen to amusement that their earlier wobbles are a happening of the past.

It finished 5-0 -- it could person been much but, with each owed respect, Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting was starring the enactment -- and the standout was Leroy Sane. His much cardinal presumption has unlocked truthful galore aspects of his crippled and he's playing immoderate of the champion shot of his career.

- Highlights (U.S.): Bayern thrash Freiburg 5-0

What besides helped was the backmost four, which arsenic I spot it is astir apt Julian Nagelsmann's champion combination: Alphonso Davies and Noussair Mazraoui retired wide, Matthijs De Ligt and Dayton Upamecano (or Lucas Hernandez) successful the middle. Once Thomas Muller is backmost and healthy, it volition beryllium absorbing to spot however Nagelsmann puts the pieces together. Playing him up front, with Sadio Mane wide and Sane done the mediate -- has to beryllium tempting, but past wherever bash you enactment Jamal Musiala?

It's a bully dilemma for immoderate manager to have.

Barella shines arsenic Inter triumph to get backmost connected track

Inter began the period with a location decision against Roma. It didn't substance that they played reasonably well; each that mattered was that it was the 2nd nonaccomplishment successful a row, which meant the knives were retired for manager Simone Inzaghi. The absorption is excessive, but hey, this is Inter: psychodramas are ne'er acold away. Since then, they've notched 2 Serie A wins (most precocious the 2-0 implicit Salernitana) and, much significantly, they got the results they needed (1-0 and 3-3) successful the virtual playoff home-and-away bid against Barcelona successful the Champions League.

Romelu Lukaku is inactive retired injured and Marcelo Brozovic too, but the broadside has precise evidently rallied astir Inzaghi, and helium has done his portion by making them that small spot much direct. All of this has suited Nicolo Barella who was backmost to his precise champion against Barca and connected Sunday. He's becoming the affectional person of this broadside and helium has each the qualities to measurement up.

(Also applicable is the information that Andre Onana has finally replaced Samir Handanovic arsenic the week-in, week-out goalkeeper... it took everlastingly and it whitethorn person been a achy measurement fixed Handanovic's service, but it was necessary.)