Inter overtake Juventus to reclaim top spot

Inter Milan reclaimed top spot in Serie A as they beat fifth-placed Fiorentina 1-0 on Sunday courtesy of an early header from Lautaro Martinez.

Inter, who were crowned Italian Super Cup champions for third consecutive year on Monday, moved back top in the standings on 54 points, one ahead of second-placed Juventus who have played one game more.

Juve squandered the chance to increase their lead over Inter when they were held to a 1-1 home draw by lowly Empoli on Saturday after playing most of the game with 10 men.

Fiorentina have not won any of their three Serie A games in 2024, losing two and drawing one.

The Viola, who are fifth with 34 points and also have a game in hand, next travel to 14th-placed Lecce on Friday. Inter host Juventus on Feb. 4.

PSG give up two-goal lead to draw 2-2 with Brest

Paris St Germain gave up a two-goal advantage to draw 2-2 at home to Brest on Sunday as the hosts missed the chance to extend their Ligue 1 lead.

Luis Enrique’s side, who finished with 10 men after Bradley Barcola was sent off in stoppage time, remained top with 44 points, six clear of second-placed Nice. Brest are third with 35 points, one ahead of AS Monaco.

The capital side will take on Strasbourg on Friday before hosting Brest again in the French Cup last-16 next Wednesday.

Rashford absence an ‘internal matter’, says Ten Hag

Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag said Marcus Rashford’s absence for their FA Cup fourth-round fixture against Newport County was an “internal matter” after the Premier League club said the forward “was not well enough” to be in the squad.

United said in a statement before their 4-2 win that the 26-year-old England international had “stayed at Carrington to train as he recovers”.

“He reported ill and the rest is an internal matter,” Ten Hag said on Sunday. “It is an internal matter. As I said, we will deal with it. I will deal with it.”

Rashford, United’s Player of the Year in the last campaign, has four goals and six assists in all competitions this season.

Keeper Gazzaniga shines as Girona reclaim top spot with win at Celta

Girona reclaimed top spot in LaLiga with a 1-0 win at Rafa Benitez’s Celta Vigo on Sunday, thanks to a Portu strike early in the first half and to their goalkeeper Paulo Gazzaniga, who excelled for the unexpected season leaders.

Girona sit alone at the summit with 55 points after 22 games, one ahead of second-placed Real Madrid, who have a game in hand and face Getafe on Thursday. Real and Girona will clash at Santiago Bernabeu in two weeks.

Barcelona are a distant third on 44 points after enduring a traumatic 5-3 loss to visitors Villarreal on Saturday before their coach Xavi Hernandez announced he was stepping down as manager at the end of the season.

After being knocked out of the Copa del Rey in a 3-2 loss at Mallorca in midweek, Girona bounced back and played a solid match at Vigo against a Celta side who are struggling at 16th in the standings, just above the relegation zone.

Liverpool through to FA Cup fifth round, Wolves win game marked by fan violence

Liverpool cruised into the fifth round of the FA Cup with a 5-2 rout of Championship Norwich City on Sunday, to kick off Juergen Klopp’s long goodbye at Anfield, while crowd trouble marred Wolverhampton Wanderers’ 2-0 victory over West Bromwich Albion.

Twelve-time winners Manchester United gave up a two-goal lead before escaping Rodney Parade with a 4-2 victory over fourth-tier Welsh side Newport County.

Liverpool’s beloved manager announced on Friday that he would leave the Merseyside team at the end of this season, his ninth at the helm.

Liverpool will next play either Watford or Southampton after that fourth-round game earlier on Sunday ended in a 1-1 draw thanks to a last-gasp goal by Southampton’s Stuart Armstrong to force a replay.

Wolves’ victory in their fourth-round match at West Brom was interrupted for nearly 40 minutes due to clashes involving the two sides’ supporters.

Wolves were leading 2-0 when projectiles were hurled on to one end of the pitch in the 82nd minute, sparking a brawl in a corner at The Hawthorns.

The Football Association has launched an investigation into the disturbance that led to two arrests, calling it “completely unacceptable.”

The delay prompted officials to push back the draw for the FA Cup fifth round — originally scheduled for just before the Liverpool-Norwich 1430 GMT kickoff — to halftime of that game.

Bayern sign defender Boey from Galatasaray for 30 million euros

Injury-hit Bayern Munich have signed fullback Sacha Boey from Galatasarayon a contract until 2028, the German champions said.

The 23-year-old former France youth international had joined Galatasaray on a four-year contract in 2021 from Stade Rennais.

He scored his first Champions League goal for the club in a 2–2 draw against Copenhagen on Sept. 20 2023.

Turkish Super League champions Galatasaray said in a statement that Bayern would pay a fee of 30 million euros ($32.59 million).

The Bavarians, second in the Bundesliga behind Bayer Leverkusen, have been struggling with a growing list of injury absences including defensive stalwarts Dayot Upamecano and Konrad Laimer, who were injured in their midweek win over Union Berlin and will be out for weeks.

Defensive midfielder Joshua Kimmich was also injured in that game, while defenders Kim Min-jae and Noussair Mazraoui are on international duty and right back Bouna Sarr is injured.