FEDERICO VALVERDE’S HEAVILY deflected 95th-minute drive snatched injury-hit Real Madrid a win at Celta Vigo in La Liga tonight.
The Uruguayan midfielder needed a stroke of fortune at the death to pull his team to within one point of leaders Barcelona, who visit Athletic Bilbao on Saturday.
Aurelien Tchouameni opened the scoring for Los Blancos early on but Borja Iglesias soon pulled Celta level at their Balaidos stadium.
Alvaro Arbeloa’s Madrid, without injured striker Kylian Mbappe, had lost their previous two league games and are struggling to find consistent form.
Valverde’s shot, which flew into Celta’s net after bouncing off former Barcelona defender Marcos Alonso, stopped his side going three consecutive La Liga matches without a win.
As well as French superstar Mbappe, the team’s top goalscorer, Arbeloa was without several other players including Jude Bellingham, Rodrygo Goes and Eduardo Camavinga.
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Despite the victory, Madrid’s form and their injury list does not inspire confidence ahead of next week’s Champions League last 16 clash against Manchester City.
*****
Ligue 1
Paris Saint Germain 1-3 Monaco
US STAR FOLARIN Balogun was among the scorers as Monaco won away to Paris Saint-Germain in Ligue 1 tonight, dealing a blow to the side from the French capital before they face Chelsea in a crunch Champions League last-16 tie.
Maghnes Akliouche gave Monaco a first-half lead at the Parc des Princes and Aleksandr Golovin doubled their advantage moments after coming off the bench in the second half.
Bradley Barcola pulled one back for the reigning European champions, but Balogun hit back shortly after with a fifth goal in his last five games as Monaco claimed a precious win in their quest to qualify for Europe next season.
The principality side were seeking revenge after a 5-4 aggregate defeat by PSG in the Champions League knockout phase play-offs last month, when they squandered a two-goal lead before losing 3-2 in the first leg and then came up short with a 2-2 draw in the return.
That result allowed Luis Enrique’s side to reach the last 16 and they are now preparing to put their title on the line against Chelsea, with the first leg in Paris next Wednesday and the return on 17 March.
*****
Bundesliga
Bayern Munich 4-1 Borussia Moenchengladbach
BAYERN MUNICH CRUISED to a win over a struggling Borussia Moenchengladbach on Friday, barely missing the absent Harry Kane as they continued their relentless march towards another Bundesliga title.
Kane was ruled out with a calf strain on Thursday, having scored 45 goals in 37 games in all competitions this campaign. The hosts barely felt the England captain’s absence however, with Bayern winning thanks to goals from Luis Diaz, Konrad Laimer, Jamal Musiala and Nicolas Jackson.
The victory sent Bayern 14 points clear of Borussia Dortmund with nine games remaining, and was an ideal tune-up for next week’s first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie against Atalanta.
Gladbach were reduced to 10 men when Rocco Reitz was sent off after conceding a penalty on 55 minutes, with Musiala scoring from the spot.
Gladbach midfielder Wael Mohya, 17, scored in the 89th minute to become the club’s youngest ever goalscorer.
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Valverde strikes late winner for Real Madrid, PSG beaten by Monaco
La Liga
Real Madrid 2-1 Celta Vigo
FEDERICO VALVERDE’S HEAVILY deflected 95th-minute drive snatched injury-hit Real Madrid a win at Celta Vigo in La Liga tonight.
The Uruguayan midfielder needed a stroke of fortune at the death to pull his team to within one point of leaders Barcelona, who visit Athletic Bilbao on Saturday.
Aurelien Tchouameni opened the scoring for Los Blancos early on but Borja Iglesias soon pulled Celta level at their Balaidos stadium.
Alvaro Arbeloa’s Madrid, without injured striker Kylian Mbappe, had lost their previous two league games and are struggling to find consistent form.
Valverde’s shot, which flew into Celta’s net after bouncing off former Barcelona defender Marcos Alonso, stopped his side going three consecutive La Liga matches without a win.
As well as French superstar Mbappe, the team’s top goalscorer, Arbeloa was without several other players including Jude Bellingham, Rodrygo Goes and Eduardo Camavinga.
Despite the victory, Madrid’s form and their injury list does not inspire confidence ahead of next week’s Champions League last 16 clash against Manchester City.
*****
Ligue 1
Paris Saint Germain 1-3 Monaco
US STAR FOLARIN Balogun was among the scorers as Monaco won away to Paris Saint-Germain in Ligue 1 tonight, dealing a blow to the side from the French capital before they face Chelsea in a crunch Champions League last-16 tie.
Maghnes Akliouche gave Monaco a first-half lead at the Parc des Princes and Aleksandr Golovin doubled their advantage moments after coming off the bench in the second half.
Bradley Barcola pulled one back for the reigning European champions, but Balogun hit back shortly after with a fifth goal in his last five games as Monaco claimed a precious win in their quest to qualify for Europe next season.
The principality side were seeking revenge after a 5-4 aggregate defeat by PSG in the Champions League knockout phase play-offs last month, when they squandered a two-goal lead before losing 3-2 in the first leg and then came up short with a 2-2 draw in the return.
That result allowed Luis Enrique’s side to reach the last 16 and they are now preparing to put their title on the line against Chelsea, with the first leg in Paris next Wednesday and the return on 17 March.
*****
Bundesliga
Bayern Munich 4-1 Borussia Moenchengladbach
BAYERN MUNICH CRUISED to a win over a struggling Borussia Moenchengladbach on Friday, barely missing the absent Harry Kane as they continued their relentless march towards another Bundesliga title.
Kane was ruled out with a calf strain on Thursday, having scored 45 goals in 37 games in all competitions this campaign. The hosts barely felt the England captain’s absence however, with Bayern winning thanks to goals from Luis Diaz, Konrad Laimer, Jamal Musiala and Nicolas Jackson.
The victory sent Bayern 14 points clear of Borussia Dortmund with nine games remaining, and was an ideal tune-up for next week’s first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie against Atalanta.
Gladbach were reduced to 10 men when Rocco Reitz was sent off after conceding a penalty on 55 minutes, with Musiala scoring from the spot.
Gladbach midfielder Wael Mohya, 17, scored in the 89th minute to become the club’s youngest ever goalscorer.
*****
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