Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice to set yet another goalscoring landmark and help Juventus to a 3-1 home win over Udinese on Sunday that sent them back to the top of the Serie A table.

Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice as Juventus beat Udinese 3-1

In-form Ronaldo, who has five goals in his last four games, took his tally for the season to 11 in 19 appearances, becoming the only player in Europe’s top five leagues to hit double figures in all competitions in each of the last 15 seasons.

The Portugal international struck twice in the first half before Leonardo Bonucci headed in Juve’s third on the brink of half-time.

Ignacio Pussetto scored a consolation for the visitors late in the game. “The most important thing was to win,” Ronaldo told Sky Sport Italia.

Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates after scoring for Juventus

“This is how we should play, with confidence. Individual performances aren’t what matters, but the collective effort.”

Udinese remain in relegation trouble after falling to 17th place on 15 points, hovering just two points above the drop zone.

Gianluigi Buffon started in goal for Juventus to match Alessandro Del Piero’s club record of 478 Serie A appearances, while Ronaldo was given the rare opportunity to start in an attacking trident alongside Paulo Dybala and Gonzalo Higuain.

They needed just nine minutes to find the breakthrough when Dybala’s deflected shot fell into the path of Ronaldo, who fired in a low finish from the edge of the box.

After Dybala looked to have made it 2-0 with a sublime lob only for it to be ruled out for handball in the build-up, Ronaldo scored again after 37 minutes, latching on to Higuain’s through ball to smash a shot into the bottom corner.

Leonardo Bonucci was also on target as Juventus defeated Udinese

The game was over as a contest by half-time after Merih Demiral rose to head a corner towards the six-yard box, where Bonucci was on hand to nod in off the crossbar.

Ronaldo came close to a hat-trick in the second half when his powerful shot was palmed onto the post by Udinese goalkeeper Juan Musso.

The excellent Buffon was denied a clean sheet at the death when Pussetto prodded in from close range.

Elsewhere, European hopefuls Atalanta lost 2-1 at Bologna to miss out on the chance to move into the top four.

Gian Piero Gasperini’s side remain sixth after goals from Rodrigo Palacio and Andrea Poli put Bologna in command before Ruslan Malinovskiy pulled one back.

Hellas Verona completed a remarkable fightback against Torino as they recovered a three-goal deficit to draw 3-3, with all three substitutes scoring inside the final 21 minutes for the home side.

Two goals from Cristian Ansaldi either side of Alex Berenguer’s strike gave Torino a handsome lead, but Giampaolo Pazzini pulled one back from the penalty spot on 69 minutes, before Valerio Verre and Mariusz Stepinski also found the net.

Source – Sky Sports

The French forward netted an injury-time equaliser against Valencia after the Blancos goalkeeper had seen his header saved.

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Yet again it was Karim Benzema who pulled Real Madrid out of a hole, but this time he had some help from an unexpected source.

It was Thibaut Courtois who set up the Frenchman’s 95th-minute equaliser in Sunday’s 1-1 draw at Valencia, with a gleeful Benzema firing home the rebound from the goalkeeper’s header.

The draw put Madrid back on top of the table with reigning champions Barcelona on 35 points after 16 games going into Wednesday’s Clasico at Camp Nou.

There is nothing between the two teams numerically speaking and both arrive at the rearranged derby conscious of their own flaws and looking to expose their opponents’.

After Barcelona’s shaky 2-2 draw at Real Sociedad left Madrid with the chance to move clear at the top, Los Blancos failed to take advantage.

Mestalla is not an easy place to go and this was never going to be a walk in the park for Madrid.

However, Zinedine Zidane will be frustrated and disappointed with the way his team failed to capitalise on the control they had in the first half, and how they allowed Valencia to edge ahead in the second.

Chances went begging for Los Blancos, with Jaume Domenech making some solid – albeit not spectacular – stops from Toni Kroos, Fede Valverde and Rodrygo Goes’s header.

The best opportunity fell to Benzema, who headed Nacho Fernandez’s cross narrowly wide of the far post.

Given the striker’s impressive form, you expected his header to ripple the net, but it wasn’t to be.

Last weekend, we saw Madrid dominate against Espanyol but not kill the game off until Benzema struck late on, and wondered if their profligacy would be punished in the weeks ahead, against higher calibre opponents.

This was the first hurdle and they almost fell, unable to punish Albert Celades’s side for giving up a handful of opportunities, until Benzema eventually pulled level with Barcelona talisman Lionel Messi as the division’s top scorer on 12 goals apiece.

Chances were much harder to come by in the second half and that’s where Madrid were made to pay for Eden Hazard’s absence.

The Belgian winger, signed from Chelsea in the summer, was built to unpick locks for Los Blancos but Valencia shut the door in Madrid’s face time and again. With no Hazard, there was no way through.

Isco possesses the same type of skills as Hazard but he is still far from his best, a faded presence who only shines in fits and starts.

Rodrygo, brought down in the area in one early, exciting burst faded quickly from the game.

Fede Valverde, playing in Casemiro’s holding role, impressed in one of the other positive spots for Madrid, but Luka Jovic continues to disappoint.

Zidane doesn’t trust the Serbian striker much, only giving him the dregs of games to try and make an impact, which he is failing to do.

Jovic rammed home in the 93rd minute but was clearly offside and it looked like the jig was up, until Madrid’s usual suspect made the difference for them again.

But while Zidane has grown accustomed to relying on his compatriot, Courtois’s rise to form over recent weeks has been a welcome surprise – and his role in the equaliser here was even more unpredictable.

The Belgian shot-stopper had already made a decisive contribution, brilliantly holding his nerve against Ferran Torres as the Valencia man ran through on goal, refusing to move too early and then keeping out the winger’s panicked finish.

Courtois had no chance of saving Soler’s strike but his firm header from the late corner was crucial. It might be the moment his Madrid career truly takes off, and with the Clasico impending, the timing couldn’t be any better.

Source – Goal.com

The Gunners are actually getting worse following the sacking of Unai Emery, as Sunday’s demoralising loss to the Premier League champions underlined.

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This was a game that ended as a contest after just 90 seconds.

As soon as Gabriel Jesus was allowed to ghost through the Arsenal defence and cross for Kevin De Bruyne to score, there was only going to be one winner.

Manchester City may sit 14 points off champions-elect Liverpool before Christmas, but they still operate on another level to this abject Arsenal side.

It ended 3-0 but, i,n truth it could have been anything. City didn’t even have to get out of second gear.

Last season’s title winners were in cruise control and it was yet another panful illustration of how far behind England’s elite Arsenal have fallen.

They sit seven points off the relegation zone and, with two away games coming up at Everton and Bournemouth before Chelsea and Manchester United visit the Emirates, things could look very bleak at the start of 2020 for the Gunners.

A season that started full of optimism has now descended into catastrophe and the most worrying aspect about it all is that you sense there is still worse to come.

There is no head coach, the squad is a mess, confidence levels are at rock bottom and, defensively, Arsenal are as bad as they come.

We’ve seen this season that influential fan groups have joined together to ask owner Stan Kroenke, ‘We care; do you?’ On this evidence, the answer is no.

The fact Arsenal sacked Unai Emery three weeks ago and haven’t even started interviewing for a possible successor sums up the problems at the club right now. Where is the planning? Where is the leadership?

For any big organisation – sporting or otherwise – to be successful, those in power have to be strong and decisive. At Arsenal, however, the ownership is rotten to the core.

Freddie Ljungberg has now taken charge of five games. He’s won one, drawn two and lost two. There has been no improvement, aside from that nine-minute burst at West Ham.

Arsenal head to Everton on Saturday, pitting them against a club who also have a temporary boss in charge. Duncan Ferguson has taken four points from his two games at the helm of the Toffees, inspiring a win against Chelsea and a draw at Old Trafford.

Everton’s players have looked re-energised under their new coach; Arsenal, meanwhile, look as lethargic as they did under Unai Emery.

The way Fernandinho was allowed to walk out of defence and slip the ball through to Jesus in the build up to De Bruyne’s opener inside two minutes summed it up. There can’t be an easier team to play against than Arsenal right now.

City didn’t even have to break sweat. They just sat deep, waited to beat the press and then broke quickly, destroying the home side at will.

Raheem Sterling added a second on 15 minutes and the brilliant De Bruyne made it 3-0 just before half-time. Only a magnificent save from Bernd Leno denied the Belgium international a first half hat-trick.

At that point, you thought Arsenal would at least come out after the interval and show some fight, but they didn’t. In fact, they mustered just three shots in the second 45 minutes, none of which were on target.

The frustration in the stands was there for all to see and Mesut Ozil bore the brunt of it when he was substituted 20 minutes from time. Just as they did for Granit Xhaka two months ago, the boos started to ring out as Ozil trudged off the pitch slowly to be replaced by Emile Smith Rowe.

Unlike Xhaka, Ozil at least managed to stop himself from telling the fans to ‘fu*k off’, but he did rip off his gloves and kick them up in the air before taking his place on the bench.

It was yet another incident which perfectly encapsulated where Arsenal right now. From top to bottom, the club feels broken. It is going to take a brave man to come in to try and fix this mess.

Mikel Arteta is one of the leading candidates to be that man. But as he sat next to Pep Guardiola and saw first-hand just how bad things are at his former club, he must have thought he would be far better off staying exactly where he is.

And to be honest, who would blame him?

Source – Goal.com

The Red Devils boss is keen to add to his squad despite a string of impressive performances from some of the club’s youngsters.

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Manchester United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer says he is targeting “two or three” new signings when the January transfer window opens next month.

The Red Devils have been linked with a number of forwards after the summer departures of Romelu Lukaku and Alexis Sanchez left the club light in attacking numbers.

Norway striker Erling Braut Haaland is one player reportedly attracting interest after scoring 28 goals in just 22 appearances for Red Bull Salzburg this season.

Solskjaer would not be drawn on specific players, though he did confirm that he planned to dip into the transfer market when the window opens next month.

“We’re looking to strengthen in many positions,” said the Norwegian. “If you look at our squad compared to others we’re getting there, but need two or three players to have a squad with enough numbers to rotate throughout a long season and we’ll see what we sign.”

Solskjaer was speaking after his side thrashed Dutch outfit AZ 4-0 at Old Trafford to seal top spot in Europa League Group L.

Academy graduate Mason Greenwood scored twice to become the youngest Manchester United player to score a brace for the club in a major European competition at the age of 18 years and 72 days. Ashley Young and Juan Mata were also on target at Old Trafford.

Speaking about Greenwood, who is the team’s top scorer in Europe this season with five goals, Solskjaer was full of praise.

“I’ve probably said it all before. It’s nothing new – that’s what he does and tomorrow he will probably go into training and score a few more,” added Solskjaer.

“He has always done it. That is just natural for him. He is a natural footballer.

“The closer he gets to goal the more dangerous he is. Right foot, left foot, he is a nightmare for defenders.

“He needs to develop his heading. Then he can be a proper striker.

“I’ve seen a few good ones – I played with Wazza [Wayne Rooney]. But for natural finishing he’s one of the best I’ve seen.

“He’s a different class as a finisher – in and around box you expect him to get a shot off and on target. He is so precise with his finishing.

“Mason must have enjoyed tonight. He’s just going to look forward to Sunday now, but he won’t rest on laurels.”

Source – Goal.com

Gennaro Gattuso has replaced Carlo Ancelotti as Napoli head coach, the club has confirmed.

Former manager Ancelotti was sacked on Tuesday after 19 months in charge in Naples.

Napoli announced the decision to dismiss Ancelotti an hour after he led the club to the knockout stages of the Champions League with a 4-0 home win against Genk, ending a nine-match run in all competitions without victory.

Sky in Italy reported on Tuesday that former AC Milan manager Gattuso was the leading candidate to take over at Napoli, and it is understood the 41-year-old has joined on a provisional six-month deal with an option of a further 12 months.

Napoli, who face Parma in their next game on Saturday, are currently seventh in Serie A.

Sky Sports’ Ben Grounds: Sky Sports News understands Everton will begin contract talks with Ancelotti in the coming days over their vacant manager’s job, although David Moyes could still return to Goodison in an interim role.

Source – Sky Sports

The Frenchman aimed a light-hearted jibe in the defending champions’ direction and conceded Luka Jovic needs more playing time.

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Zinedine Zidane joked his Real Madrid side would have no issues beating last season’s winners Liverpool in the last 16 of the Champions League.

The La Liga giants had already secured their knockout berth before their 3-1 win over Club Brugge on Wednesday and can now turn their attention to the draw for the next stage, which takes place on Monday.

Hans Vanaken cancelled out Rodrygo Goes’ opener within the space of two second-half minutes, but a first Champions League goal for Vinicius Junior and a sublime strike from Luka Modric sealed all three points for Zidane’s side.

Madrid finished second in Group A, five points behind Paris Saint-Germain, which means they will be drawn against the winners of another group, potentially Jurgen Klopp’s Premier League leaders Liverpool.

Asked if the Reds were a team to be avoided, Zidane smiled and said: “If we play Liverpool, we will eliminate them.”

More soberly, he added: “We can’t do anything about the draw.”

Madrid were far from their best in Belgium but Zidane insists he was happy with his side’s performance.

“We are happy with the victory and with the way we played,” he said. “We had difficulty with our game since they usually play with five at the back and, today, they played with four.

“It took 10 or 15 minutes for the players to adjust. The second half was better in every area.”

Luka Jovic was chosen to start in attack alongside Rodrygo and Vinicius, but the Serbian was again unable to make an impression.

He has still scored just one goal in Madrid colours since his move from Eintracht Frankfurt, and Zidane concedes the striker needs more playing time to find his groove.

“I don’t think he feels lost,” the Frenchman said. “He has played little and a player needs to play a lot to be well.

“I think he has done well and has to continue working as he does. It’s a problem of mine, it’s not yours. He needs to continue working and, every time he plays, respond.

“It’s not easy because he doesn’t play much, but knows the situation. He needs to play, it’s true.”

Source – Goal.com

The Portuguese superstar wasn’t happy after being surprised by the supporter post-match.

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Cristiano Ronaldo has responded furiously after being grabbed by a fan on the neck following Juventus‘ 2-0 win over Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League on Wednesday.

The incident occurred shortly after full-time at the match at BayArena, with a selfie-hunting supporter gaining access to the pitch and bypassing security officials on the pitch’s perimeter.

As Ronaldo chatted with team-mate Miralem Pjanic, the fan came up behind the five-time Ballon d’Or winner with a mobile and tried to put an arm around his neck.

The Portugal international ripped his head away away from the supporter and appeared to say, ‘Are you crazy?’, as the offender was led away by security.

It was the second pitch invader incident targeting Ronaldo during the match, with a fan being apprehended by security before reaching the 34-year-old earlier on in the evening.

Juventus had already qualified for the tournament’s round-of-16 as group winners, but still got the job done with two second-half goals.

Ronaldo put the Old Lady ahead on 75 minutes with a tap in after Paulo Dybala’s cross.

Despite Leverkusen having a golden chance to equalise through Charles Aranguiz as full-time approached, Gonzalo Higuain sealed all three points with a low drive in stoppage time.

After topping their Champions League group, Maurizio Sarri’s side could face Real Madrid, Tottenham, Dortmund, Lyon or Chelsea in the round-of-16.

Juve has currently been knocked off their perch in Italy as they sit second in the Serie A, two points behind Inter, despite losing only one game for the league campaign so far.

They have won the last eight Italian top-flight titles but look set for a tough battle with Antonio Conte’s side for honours this season.

The Turin club face league matches against Udinese (home) and Sampdoria (away) next week before travelling to Saudi Arabia for the Supercoppa Italiana contest with Lazio before the Christmas break.

Their star player Ronaldo has had an injury-hampered start to the season, with Sarri opting to rest the former Real Madrid man regularly while also substituting him on occasion.

Ronaldo has nine goals in 18 matches across all competitions for the Italian giants, with seven of them coming in the league.

Source – Goal.com

The Scottish pundit feels the recently fired Italian coach will not be keen on replacing Unai Emery at the helm of the Gunners.

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Sacked Napoli boss Carlo Ancelotti is unlikely to become the next Arsenal manager because of the current state at the Premier League club, according to Greame Souness.

Ancelotti was dismissed by the Serie A club on Tuesday night following their 4-0 win over Genk that secured qualification to the Champions League knockout stage.

Reports of the Italian tactician being in line for a move to the Emirates Stadium have only intensified since his axing from the Naples club, but Souness believes Ancelotti might bypass North London because of the probable struggles ahead.

“Would the big [managers] take Arsenal at the moment? I’m not so sure,” Souness told Virgin Sport Media.

“I don’t think the next man at Arsenal is going to be the one to turn the corner for them. I think there’s a lot of work to be done there, especially with those players.

“I think [Ancelotti] is a big manager and if you look at the jobs he’s had – Real Madrid, PSG, Chelsea – you know Arsenal are a fabulous club, but right now it’s a difficult job, whoever gets it.”

Ancelotti’s future at Napoli was the subject of speculation for a number of weeks after issues developed between the players and management after an order from Aurelio De Laurentiis was disobeyed.

The 60-year-old has managed some of Europe’s biggest clubs, including Juventus, Milan, Chelsea, PSG, Real Madrid and Bayern.

Ancelotti shot to prominence in 2009 when he won UEFA’s Intertoto Cup with Juve before embarking on a eight-year stint with Milan, where he won two Champions League titles and the Scudetto.

He moved on to Chelsea where he clinched the Premier League-FA Cup double in 2009-10, before being sacked at the end of the following season.

League titles at PSG and Bayern followed, while he also lifted another Champions League with Real Madrid in 2013-14.

Ancelotti was appointed Napoli boss at the start of the 2018-19 season on a three-year contract after Maurizio Sarri was poached by Chelsea.

He took the Naples club to second-place Serie A finish in his first season in charge, but they were never really in the hunt for the title as Juventus streaked to an 11-point triumph.

Source – Goal.com

The young Catalan star has continued his stunning breakout season by snaring a European record.

Barcelona attacker Ansu Fati has become the Champions League‘s youngest ever goalscorer, finding the back of the net on Europe’s biggest stage aged just 17 years and 40 days.

Just moments after being brought on against Inter on Tuesday with the scores locked at 1-1, Fati found the bottom left corner with a powerful driven effort.

In the process, Fati broke a record previously held by Peter Ofori-Quaye, who scored for Olympiacos aged 17 years and 194 days in 1997.

Ernesto Valverde’s side were in need of a spark at the San Siro and got it in the form of Fati.

After the Catalans opened the scoring through Carles Perez, Inter equalised just before half-time through Romelu Lukaku with Lautaro Martinez then finding the back of the net twice in the second half, only to be denied both times for offside.

Fati was then introduced for Barcelona in the 85th minute and just a minute later he’d settle the contest after a sharp one-two at the top of the box with Luis Suarez was followed by a pin-point finish.

That record-breaking strike would prove decisive as the Catalans claimed a 2-1 victory to deny Antonio Conte’s side progression to the knockout stage.

Barcelona finished top of Group F having won four and drawn two of their six matches, while Inter ended third, three points shy of Borussia Dortmund.

Fati’s goal continues his breakout season for Barcelona. After making his debut in August, he became the club’s youngest scorer after striking in the same month against Osasuna in La Liga.

In September, the Spain U21 international then made his Champions League debut, becoming the Catalans’ youngest player to feature in the competition.

Having turned heads around the world, Barcelona recently locked Fati down to a contract extension running until 2022 with a release clause of €170m (£144m/$188m).

“La Masía is for me the best school in the world,” Fati said at the time. “They helped me in everything from the first day I arrived and I am very grateful to the people who work there. Everyone is spectacular.

“From the first day, I learned a lot from everyone. Also in difficult times, because they have always been there to support me.

“From now on I have to continue working more than ever to be able to have opportunities and continue enjoying. Everything else will come.”

While Fati’s playing minutes have been reduced over the past month, his father recently ruled out the possibility of a loan move in January.

Source – Goal.com

For Jose Mourinho, praise doesn’t get much higher.

Jose Mourinho, right, took charge of Spurs after Mauricio Pochettino’s sacking

“Sonaldo. Sonaldo Nazario,” said the Tottenham manager when asked for his reaction to Son Heung-min’s extraordinary 70-metre solo run and finish in the 5-0 win over Burnley.

It was a play on Ronaldo Nazario, the original and, for Mourinho at least, best Ronaldo.

Mourinho was a member of Sir Bobby Robson’s backroom staff during the Brazilian’s solitary, but stellar, season at the Nou Camp.

Jose Mourinho, Bobby Robson and Ronaldo were together for a season at Barcelona

Only 20, Ronaldo scored 47 goals in 49 games during the 1996-97 campaign, frequently leaving defenders for dead on swerving, turbo-charged stampedes towards goal.

“Cristiano Ronaldo and Leo Messi have had longer careers. They have remained at the top every day for 15 years,” said Mourinho in October.

“However, if we are talking strictly about talent and skill, nobody surpasses Ronaldo.”

And Son’s goal against the Clarets was just as good as anything on the Brazilian’s showreel.

In the 31st minute, the South Korean picked the ball up on the edge of his own box after a Burnley free-kick was cleared. Twelve seconds and 12 touches later he had shredded the visiting defence and slotted past Nick Pope for a goal-of-the-season shortlist certainty.

Son’s goal was his 10th in 20 games for Tottenham this season

“I just wanted to keep going,” said Son of his goal. “It was a long run and was a lot of time to think. But it is a special goal of course.”

“Sonny stole the show today,” said his captain Harry Kane.

“It was an unbelievable goal, a great counter-attack.”

Former Tottenham striker Gary Lineker, who rarely strayed from the opposition penalty box never mind back into his own half, declared it one of the best goals he had ever seen.

It prompted BBC live text commentator Phil Dawkes to reminisce about AC Milan striker George Weah’s sublime mazy run and finish against Verona in 1996.

Even one of Burnley’s most famous fans had to marvel at Son’s goal.

Source – BBC News