Mar 30, 2025, 03:40 PM ET
Barcelona stay unbeaten in 2025, having long past 20 video games with out recording a loss this 12 months underneath Hansi Flick. Can both Actual Madrid or Atlético Madrid dent the Blaugrana‘s lead within the LaLiga identify race?
Within the FA Cup, Manchester Town will glance to seek out solace of their disappointing season as they’re now two video games clear of successful the oldest festival on this planet. Will Pep Guardiola win himself every other trophy, or will there be every other wonder within the festival’s lengthy and coveted historical past?
In the meantime, within the Bundesliga, Marco Rose is out of a role at RB Leipzig with Zsolt Lőw coming in to switch him. Can the Hungarian supervisor save Die Roten Bullen‘s season with vital fits left to play?
Sam Tighe, Sam Marsden and Constantin Eckner make observations from throughout Europe to convey you on top of things on what you will have neglected this weekend.
Best takeaway: Pep’s tremendous subs save the day
Eyebrows have been raised when the teamsheets brought to Bournemouth’s Energy Stadium, as Manchester Town’s XI seemed curious for the flawed causes. With Kevin De Bruyne, Phil Foden, Mateo Kovačić, Ilkay Gündoğan, and Bernardo Silva all beginning, no person may just doubt the standard of the Voters’ midfield — however you want to query the place the herbal width may come from.
The ones considerations proved honest because the guests struggled within the first 1/2, going into the destroy 1-0 down. It is not that they did not create possibilities — Erling Haaland neglected a trio of excellent ones, together with a penalty — however they performed into Bournemouth’s arms by way of congesting the center of the pitch after which dropping the bodily combat.
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Guardiola wasted little time in addressing this. For the second one 1/2, he despatched Nico O’Reilly — a central midfielder — on at left-back, requested him to raid up and down the flank, and he right away modified the sport. His first using run was once promising, then his moment teed up Haaland for the equalizer. Fourteen mins later, his artful flicked cross discovered fellow exchange Omar Marmoush, whose strike discovered some way via Kepa Arrizabalaga’s body.
In a season the place Guardiola has been firmly wondered from a tactical point of view, this served as a pleasing reminder that he can nonetheless turn the script of a sport with a artful transfer.
Highest fit: AFC Bournemouth 1-2 Manchester Town
Town’s comeback victory was once the pick out of the bunch this weekend, because it was once the nearest fit that in reality featured a function! The Cherries had the reigning champions at the ropes within the first 1/2, however a mixture of Guardiola’s tweaks and sheer squad intensity became issues round in the second one. One of the most interaction within the field between De Bruyne, Gündoğan, and Jack Grealish was once a sight to behold.
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Guy Town come from at the back of to achieve the FA Cup semifinal
Guy Town ranking two targets in the second one 1/2 to overcome Bournemouth 2-1 within the FA Cup quarterfinals.
Highest function: Eberechi Eze, Crystal Palace vs. Fulham
Eze opened the scoring for Crystal Palace at Craven Cottage with an attractive function. The combo of keep watch over and tool on a strike that stayed low, and how it whistled previous Bernd Leno’s outstretched arm, was once a sight to behold.
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Onuoha ‘proud’ to look former teammate Eze shining for Crystal Palace
Nedum Onuoha explains Eberechi Eze’s adventure from scorching prospect at QPR to England goalscorer and FA Cup semifinalist with Crystal Palace.
MVP of the weekend: Marcus Rashford, Aston Villa
This may fairly simply be Eze or O’Reilly, too, however within the pursuits of selection, it is price giving Rashford his plant life. The 27-year-old has been a massively certain presence for Aston Villa since becoming a member of on mortgage in January, however after bagging his first targets for the membership, we will be able to now say he has actually arrived. — Tighe
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Onuoha: Rashford proving some extent with brace in FA Cup quarterfinal
Nedum Onuoha reacts to Marcus Rashford’s efficiency in Aston Villa’s 3-0 win in opposition to Preston North Finish.
Best takeaway: Barça’s momentum continues to skyrocket
Barcelona’s free-scoring assault continues to entertain and, extra importantly, force them against the LaLiga identify. Robert Lewandowski scored two times on Sunday as they beat Girona 4-1 to take his tally for the season to 38 in all competitions and reestablish Barça’s three-point lead on the best of the desk.
There was once additionally every other function for Ferran Torres, the fifteenth of the marketing campaign for a participant maximum incessantly used off the bench — as he was once right here — and every other dazzling efficiency from Lamine Yamal. The 17-year-old’s loose kick was once deflected in by way of Girona defender Ladislav Krejčí for the opener, and handiest the crossbar, nonetheless shaking now, averted him from including a 5th in a while.
Barcelona’s 4-1 win over Girona assists in keeping them best of the LaLiga desk, 3 issues above Actual Madrid. (Picture by way of Judit Cartiel/Getty Pictures)
It was once the 20 th time this season Barça have scored 4 or extra targets in a aggressive sport. They have got performed 45. They have got scored 139 targets: over 3 on moderate in line with fit. Sunday’s win got here with out Raphinha, too, who was once afforded a leisure after back-to-back video games with Brazil closing week.
The numbers are exceptional. Hansi Flick’s aspect at the moment are unbeaten in 20 video games in all competitions in 2025. They have got gained 9 in a row in LaLiga. There may be nonetheless paintings to be finished — a moment leg within the Copa del Rey semifinal in opposition to Atlético Madrid on Wednesday, 9 extra fits in LaLiga, and a UEFA Champions League quarterfinal tie in opposition to Borussia Dortmund — however the momentum is excellent and actually with them at this time.
Highest fit: Actual Madrid 3-2 Leganés
Barça’s lead on the best stays handiest 3 issues after Madrid fought again to overcome Leganés on Saturday. Leganés led on the destroy after targets from Diego García and Dani Raba cancelled out Kylian Mbappé’s penalty. However Madrid fought again in the second one 1/2 to seal every other Santiago Bernabeú comeback, with targets from Jude Bellingham and a moment for Mbappé.
Highest function: César Azpilicueta, Atlético Madrid vs. Espanyol
It was once a memorable weekend for Azpilicueta as he scored his first function since 2022. And what a function: a volley from over 20 yards which opened the scoring in opposition to Espanyol. Sadly for Atlético, this will were the weekend when their identify hopes disappeared. The sport ended 1-1 and they’re now 9 issues adrift of Barça.
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Azpilicueta ratings sensational volley for Atletico Madrid
Take a look at this rasping volley by way of César Azpilicueta to provide Atletico Madrid the lead at Espanyol.
MVP of the weekend: Lamine Yamal, Barcelona
The battle between Mbappé (22 league targets) and Lewandowski (25) for LaLiga’s Golden Boot is heating up after each gamers netted braces, however no person was once extra amusing to look at than Yamal this weekend. There have been such a lot of moments of brilliance: The early likelihood he created for Lewandowski, the dribble previous 3 Girona gamers which simply lacked a end, the back-heeled cross to Jules Koundé and his overdue, rifled effort off the bar have been simply one of the moments that introduced the gang on the Olympic Stadium to their toes. — Marsden
Best takeaway: Leipzig make managerial trade to save lots of their season
Any other supervisor bites the mud. What has lengthy been rumored has in any case come true, as RB Leipzig sacked Marco Rose following a 1-0 loss to Borussia Mönchengladbach. Leipzig had an ideal begin to the season however have necessarily been in a droop since November, which incorporated disastrous leads to the UEFA Champions League level. They have got now handiest gained two in their previous 11 Bundesliga video games.
“In gentle of the advance and the loss of effects, we’re satisfied that we’d like a brand new impetus for the rest video games to satisfy our season targets,” wearing director Marcel Schäfer stated. Zsolt Löw, a former assistant of Thomas Tuchel, was once introduced as the brand new supervisor, even though he has handiest signed a freelance till the top of the season.
For some time, it appeared like cases may just save Rose’s activity. The 48-year-old is a Leipzig local, with each his dad and grandfather additionally being former footballers from the world. Plus, when Jürgen Klopp took over as World Head of Football at Purple Bull initially of the 12 months, the sensation was once that he may just assist his former participant as Rose performed left-back at Mainz underneath Klopp between 2002 and 2008.
However in any case, the truth that Leipzig are in peril of lacking out on qualifying for subsequent season’s Champions League and are these days at the back of the likes of Eintracht Frankfurt and Mainz within the Bundesliga standings was once reason why sufficient for Leipzig’s higher-ups to phase techniques with Rose.
Highest fit: Bayern Munich 3-2 St. Pauli
Bayern have suffered two setbacks all the way through the world destroy, with each center-back Dayot Upamecano and left-back Alphonso Davies being out for the following couple of months because of knee accidents. The house sport in opposition to St. Pauli was once the primary check for a reorganized again line and it went somewhat affordable. It was once 1-1 at half-time earlier than Bayern pulled away following the period thank you to 2 targets by way of Leroy Sané.
Highest function: Felix Agu, Werder Bremen vs. Holstein Kiel
Werder Bremen beat Kiel 3-0 in taste, with each Marvin Ducksch and Agu scoring gorgeous targets. Agu’s screamer for the 2-0 got here in a while earlier than the hour mark following a Bremen counterattack the place Ducksch sprinted down the correct wing earlier than crossing, which a Kiel defender flicked to the a long way nook of the field in an try to transparent the placement. Alternatively, Agu was once appropriate there to take a marginally within after which curl the ball into the highest nook.
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Felixagu with a Impressive Function vs. Holstein Kiel
Felixagu (Werder Bremen) with a Impressive Function vs. Holstein Kiel, 03/29/2025
MVP of the weekend: Borussia Dortmund’s Nico Schlotterbeck
Schlotterbeck’s defensive talents have every now and then been referred to as into query, even supposing the 25-year-old has change into a reliable tackler through the years. However what no person may just critically deny is that the left-footer is a skilled ball-playing center-back, to the purpose that he’s now even regarded as as a set-piece taker.
He hadn’t taken a nook within the Bundesliga till Sunday, when Schlotterbeck assisted two targets en path to Dortmund’s 3-1 win over Mainz via nook kicks. Excluding that, he performed an ideal sport along Emre Can and Waldemar Anton in Dortmund’s again 3. — Eckner
What else you neglected this weekend
Beşiktaş destroy Galatasaray’s unbeaten season quest
Galatasaray suffered their first league defeat of the season on Saturday by the hands of archrivals Beşiktaş. It is a outcome that now not handiest snaps their 28-game unbeaten streak, but additionally ruins their quest for an unbeaten league marketing campaign.
Portuguese duo Rafa Silva and Gedson Fernandes scored both sides of a Lucas Torreira strike to win it 2-1 for the Black Eagles. Gala right-back Przemyslaw Frankowski was once despatched off after a VAR evaluate within the first 1/2, which understandably formed the sport.
It opens up the possibility of a real identify race to near out the season, as Galatasaray’s nine-point lead on the best has now reduced in size to 6. Crucially, second-placed Fenerbahçe — who’re led by way of José Mourinho — have a sport in hand to play, in order that lead may just conceivably shrink once more to only 3. — Tighe
Recreation over for PSV?
PSV Eindhoven’s identify protection could be over once they have been overwhelmed 2-0 at house by way of Eredivisie leaders Ajax on Sunday. The Dutch champions were in horrible shape since December, however a win in opposition to Ajax would have injected lifestyles again into the combat for best spot.
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As a substitute, targets from Davy Klaassen and Bertrand Traoré sealed a victory that took Ajax 9 issues transparent of PSV, who’ve now gained handiest 4 in their previous 12 league video games. Ajax have taken complete good thing about PSV’s cave in. Francesco Farioli’s aspect have gained 11 in their previous 12 video games, and few would wager in opposition to them successful the league for the primary time since 2022. — Marsden
First rate get started for Tudor underneath tough cases
The Italian Serie A noticed every other supervisor being sacked per week in the past, as Juventus parted techniques with Thiago Motta after devastating losses to Atalanta and Fiorentina. Whilst Juventus would apparently love to convey present Napoli supervisor Antonio Conte again to Turin, they needed to go for a distinct answer, hiring former participant Igor Tudor as transient supervisor.
Tudor has the danger to stay his activity if he qualifies for the Champions League. He has taken one step in that path, with Juventus beating Genoa 1-0 on Saturday. Kenan Yıldız scored the deciding function, assisted by way of Dušan Vlahović, who’s reportedly set to stick with the membership past the summer time.
However a easy win may now not convey Juventus again into navigable waters, since the membership are apparently afflicted by way of monetary woes. Managerial adjustments would possibly not assist that state of affairs given the additional prices concerned. Motta continues to be underneath contract till 2027 and continues to obtain a once a year wage within the vary of €5 million.
Alternatively, qualifying for probably the most profitable Eu competitions would undoubtedly assist the base line and may nearly be a need for the proud membership to stay competing with the likes of Internazionale and Napoli. Tudor is aware of his task. — Eckner
