Dozen wins for Juventus, hat-trick for Ronaldo
Sunday, January 31, 2016
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Juventus recorded their 12th consecutive Serie A win and Cristiano Ronaldo hit a treble as Real Madrid responded to Barcelona's defeat of Atlético on an entertaining weekend.
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SUNDAY
Chievo 0-4 Juventus (Morata 6 40, Alex Sandro 61, Pogba 67)
Having ended his 20-game barren spell in the midweek Coppa Italia semi-final win against Inter, Álvaro Morata continued his return to form with a first-half double as the Bianconeri secured their 12th successive Serie A victory in style at mid-table Chievo. Deputising for the injured Mario Mandžukić, Morata took his tally to four in five days before Alex Sandro made it 3-0 at the back post and Paul Pogba sealed the triumph with his fifth league goal of the season.
Real Madrid 6-0 Espanyol (Benzema 7, Ronaldo 12pen 45 82, James Rodríguez 16, Duarte 86og)
Zinédine Zidane's side returned to winning ways in emphatic fashion thanks in part to a Cristiano Ronaldo hat-trick – the Portugal forward moving on to eight league strikes against Espanyol this season. It was Karim Benzema who got the show on the road, however, while James Rodríguez added the third and Oscar Duarte scored an own goal to leave Madrid four points behind Liga frontrunners Barcelona.
Wolfsburg 1-1 Köln (Draxler 67; Modeste 75)
Wolfsburg are winless in six Bundesliga outings after Anthony Modeste cancelled out Julian Draxler's second-half opener with his fifth goal in six league games against the Wolves. Last season's runners-up, in seventh, are now four points adrift of fourth-placed Leverkusen.
MK Dons 1-5 Chelsea (Potter 22; Oscar 16 32 44, Hazard 55pen, Traoré 62)
Oscar notched a first-half treble as Chelsea booked an FA Cup fifth-round meeting with Manchester City in style. Diego Costa teed up the Brazil schemer for the opener, but the second-tier outfit equalised six minutes later via Darren Potter's deflected strike. Oscar completed his hat-trick with two fine efforts before Eden Hazard, who had not scored in his previous 28 Chelsea outings this term, added a fourth via a spot kick. Substitute Bertrand Traoré claimed his first senior goal for the Blues with a side-foot finish to seal the triumph.
Bayern 2-0 Hoffenheim (Lewandowski 32 64)
Robert Lewandowski notched a brace for the fifth time this season as Bayern marked the 500th match at Fußball Arena München with their tenth consecutive Bundesliga home success this term. Lewandowski took his league tally to 19 this term, converting Douglas Costa's low cross in the first half before slotting in a second against Hoffenheim after being sent clear by Philipp Lahm. The German champions remain eight points clear of nearest challengers Dortmund.
Moreirense 1-4Benfica(Iuri Medeiros 90+2; Jonas 16 67, Mitroglou 43, Gaitán 75)
The Eagles stayed within two points of Portuguese pacesetters Sporting CP courtesy of a comfortable triumph – their seventh straight league success. Jonas opened the scoring and later added his second to take his Liga haul this term to 21 goals from 20 matches, with Kostas Mitroglou and Nicolás Gaitán also getting in on the action.
Gent 2-1 Waasland-Beveren (Depoitre 18, Dejaegere 70; Buatu-Mananga 16)
Hein Vanhaezebrouck's charges kept themselves on top in Belgium with a third consecutive league win, but they had to come from behind to do it. Laurent Depoitre hit a quick equaliser for his fourth strike in three First League outings, and Brecht Dejaegere maintained the Buffalos' three-point cushion with 20 minutes to go.
St-Étienne 0-2 Paris (Ibrahimović 61 90+2)
Zlatan Ibrahimović starred for the French champions as they equalled the record for the longest sequence of games unbeaten in Ligue 1 – 32. The Sweden striker finished off a Serge Aurier cross for his first just after the half-hour and also had the final word, taking his personal haul in the league to 19 this term and lifting Paris 24 points clear of Monaco.
SATURDAY
Barcelona 2-1 Atlético (Messi 30, Suárez 38; Koke 10)
Barcelona survived an early scare as they came from behind to see off an Atleti side they began the day level with at the Liga summit. Koke's controlled finish gave the visitors the lead, but Lionel Messi and Luis Suárez struck before half-time. The Rojiblancos' hopes ended as Filipe Luis and Diego Godín both received red cards, and Luis Enrique's team are now three points clear with a game in hand.
Arsenal 2-1 Burnley (Chambers 19, Sánchez 53; Vokes 30)
Alexis Sánchez scored the winner on his first start since November as the Gunners battled past second-tier Burnley in the fourth round to maintain hopes of a third successive FA Cup triumph. Calum Chambers' excellent outside-of-the-foot finish opened the scoring and Sánchez's clinical second took the hosts through after Sam Vokes had powered in a header before the interval, the Clarets refusing to go quietly.
Aston Villa 0-4 Manchester City (Iheanacho 4 24 74pen, Sterling 76)
Kelechi Iheanacho's impressive rise to prominence this season continued as the 19-year-old struck a hat-trick to send the Premier League's second-placed side past bottom club Villa and through to the FA Cup fifth round. The Nigerian forward – starting in place of Sergio Agüero – scrambled in from close range to open the scoring before calmly slotting in a penalty. He completed his treble on the break before Raheem Sterling tapped in a fourth.
PSV 4-2 De Graafschap (De Jong 17, Pröpper 31, Narsingh 44, Pereiro 84; Van De Pavert 68, Straalman 80)
PSV finished the weekend a point above Ajax at the summit after securing a fifth successive Eredivisie win. The hosts were cruising when 3-0 up at the interval, but nerves set in as the visitors closed to within one goal. Uruguayan substitute Gastón Pereiro wrapped things up with six minutes to go to seal the points for Phillip Cocu's men. Second-placed Ajax missed the chance to return to the top after dropping two points at Roda on Sunday.
Roma 3-1 Frosinone (Nainggolan 18, El Shaarawy 48, Pjanić 84; Ciofani 24)
Stephan El Shaarawy marked his Roma debut with an extraordinary scorpion flick as Luciano Spalletti secured his first win in his second spell as Giallorossi boss. Radja Nainggolan broke the deadlock with a stunning strike of his own, but it was 1-1 when El Shaarawy expertly diverted in a cross from another player making his bow for the club, Ervin Zukanović. Miralem Pjanić sealed victory – only Roma's second in 14 games.
MONDAY
Zenit v Brøndby (friendly)
No game: Dynamo Kyiv