The ultimate Champions League matchweek of 2025 has wrapped up and it ended with a significant headline-grabbing fixture as on the Santiago Bernabeu stadium. For Pep Guardiola, it’s an incredible victory that sends his aspect to fourth within the whereas for Xabi Alonso, the loss marks a second straight in all competitions, with simply two victories from the final eight matches.
The sport, which is these days thought-about considerably of an intercontinental clásico, began with fireworks and an aggressive intent from Los Blancos as they wished to make a press release.
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Alonso is at present going by considerably of a mini-turmoil in his first season as membership supervisor with stories of discontent inside the dressing room. Issues haven’t gone nicely on the pitch both after a 2-0 loss to Celta Vigo this previous weekend that now has Actual Madrid 4 factors behind league chief Barcelona in La Liga.
So, the sport towards Man Metropolis was crucial.
Kylian Mbappé, coping with a muscular downside, missed the match and although Rodrygo ended a 32-match purpose drought to offer them the early lead, Man Metropolis shortly turned issues round with objectives from Nico O’Reilly and an Erling Haaland penalty, holding on regardless of Thibaut Courtois’ heroics to win within the Spanish capital.
In different matches Wednesday, Noni Madueke scored a beautiful brace whereas Gabriel Martinelli scored a phenomenal third purpose as Arsenal gained 3-0 towards Membership Brugge thus ending the 12 months on the high of the desk and making historical past within the competitors by profitable its first six video games. PSG drew with Athletic de Bilbao and it was a World Cup host theme for Juventus as USMNT’s Weston McKennie and Canada’s Jonathan David scored for Juventus within the workforce’s 2-0 win over Pafos.
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In the meantime on Tuesday, Liverpool earned an necessary, morale-boosting 1-0 victory towards Internazionale, Chelsea’s winless run continues with a 2-1 loss to Atalanta while Bayern Munich’s younger prodigious expertise Lennart Karl made Champions League historical past within the Bavarians’ 3-1 win over Sporting.
The League Part gained’t return till Jan. 20 and it’ll come again with two remaining matchweeks, however let me stress: the race for the automated high eight spots stays extraordinarily aggressive.
Pep Guardiola’s Manchester Metropolis proved to be an excessive amount of for Xabi Alonso’s Actual Madrid.
(NurPhoto through Getty Photographs)WinnersPep Guardiola
The Catalan supervisor entered enemy territory in Madrid and led his workforce to a formidable, resilient victory over Actual Madrid. He gambled on just a few substitutions within the second half however ultimately, because of his administration, Metropolis gained and ended the 12 months in fourth of the League Part desk.
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Arsenal’s Noni Madueke
After dropping to Aston Villa final weekend, Arsenal returned to profitable methods with a 3-0 victory over Membership Brugge and alongside Gabriel Martinelli’s implausible third purpose, it was Noni Madueke who stole the present with an incredible double over the Belgian aspect. His opener was an impressive left-footed thunderbolt from outdoors the field that despatched the Gunners right into a rhythm, prompting them to a few factors and the highest of the League Part desk.
This is the reason Madueke got here to Arsenal from Chelsea final summer time, so he might turn out to be another on the fitting hand aspect and permit Bukayo Saka to relaxation in matches that permit him to take action. Depth is vital in title-winning campaigns and Mikel Arteta is aware of that if there’s silverware to be gained, gamers like Madueke will probably be key.
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Bayern Munich’s Lennart Karl
The 17-year-old attacker turned the youngest participant in Champions League historical past to attain for the third straight recreation as Bayern Munich got here from behind to win 3-1 towards Sporting and conclude 2025 in second place and three factors behind Arsenal. There’s no denying his skills and never since Thomas Müller have the Bavarians loved the star-driven inception of an academy product within the beginning XI.
At 5-foot-6 with a really sturdy heart of gravity, it’s very troublesome to not see that his recreation is much like a sure Argentine World Cup star. Whether or not his profession comes even near Lionel Messi’s is one other query however one factor is for positive, Lenny Karl is an impressive expertise and Bayern Munich may be very fortunate to have him.
With simply two wins in eight matches, Xabi Alonso’s Actual Madrid undertaking is on shaky floor.
(Europa Press Sports activities through Getty Photographs)LosersXabi Alonso
After dropping to Man Metropolis, the Actual Madrid supervisor is now in a particularly fragile scenario at a membership, a membership by the way in which that calls for a lot, the place perfection is nearly a necessity. So now, Madrid has gained solely twice within the final eight matches and finds itself in seventh place within the League Part desk and 4 factors from Barcelona in La Liga. If the membership loses towards Alaves on Sunday, and even draw — Florentino Perez’s persistence will probably be near the end line.
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Chelsea
Regardless of taking the lead, Enzo Maresca’s aspect misplaced 2-1 to Atalanta and with two matches remaining within the League Part, it most definitely appears that the Blues will want two wins from two with the intention to hopefully safe a top-eight automated spot.
After the sport, Maresca mentioned that his workforce “misplaced management” of the scenario as soon as they conceded the equalizer and to be trustworthy, “dropping management” is just about inside Chelsea’s DNA. At its finest, it embraces the chaos however continues to be capable of maintain the defensive position. And in reality, even after 1-1, Chelsea ought to have scored just a few extra instances.
However when issues should not going its method, cracks start to open and that’s what occurred on Tuesday in Bergamo, particularly as soon as Enzo Fernandez and Trevoh Chalobah have been changed on the break. Exterior of the field turned rather more inviting and Atalanta’s Charles De Ketelaere, who was very spectacular, took full benefit establishing for the opener and scoring the winner.
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So far as Chelsea is anxious, it’s now going by two straight loses and 4 with no win in all competitions. Maresca is aware of that issues must be tightened up.