European football roundup: Marc Guiu, 17, scores winner for Barca; Aston Villa thrash West Ham

Teenage debutant Marc Guiu stated he won’t be able to sleep after snatching champions Barcelona a 1-0 win over Athletic Bilbao simply seconds after approaching from the bench on Sunday in La Liga, taking the Catalans as much as third.

Xavi Hernandez’s Barca will face leaders Actual Madrid subsequent Saturday within the Clasico only one level behind their bitter rivals, and second-placed Girona, who beat Almeria 5-2 earlier on.

For a very long time it appeared like Barcelona wouldn’t discover the breakthrough towards their Basque guests however striker Guiu, 17, netted beneath a minute after being thrown on by Xavi.

The ahead was slipped in by the silky Joao Felix and slotted previous Unai Simon, who obtained a hand to his shot however couldn’t maintain it out.

“Tonight I won’t sleep,” Guiu informed DAZN.

“I can’t believe it, I can barely breathe, I’m enjoying the moment.”

Guiu turned the newest on a conveyor belt of youths to make their debuts for Barca as their La Masia academy continues to provide gems.

“It surprises me that they aren’t scared, I see them with a spark, they look at me with a face saying ‘Put me on, you’ll see that it will go well’,” stated Xavi.

“I saw that with Gavi, Balde, Lamine, Fermin, and with Marc, he doesn’t look afraid.”

Xavi began Inigo Martinez on the again towards his former membership and 20-year-old Fermin Lopez on the left of the assault, one other academy product, with Barcelona all the way down to the naked bones.

A number of common starters, together with key striker Robert Lewandowski, are out injured.

Felix clipped the highest of the crossbar however the hosts have been negated within the first half by former Barcelona coach Ernesto Valverde’s Athletic, who took the sting out of the sport and sometimes sprang ahead with each Williams brothers threatening from the flanks.

Marc-Andre ter Stegen tipped over an Inaki Williams effort after which parried a strike from the Ghana worldwide, with Martinez producing a chic block to disclaim his sibling Nico from the rebound.

Approaching the hour mark Barcelona carved out their greatest likelihood, when Simon brilliantly denied Lopez from shut vary, after initially saving from Felix’s low strike.

One other adopted when Felix fed substitute Lamine Yamal within the space however the 16-year-old starlet dragged his shot broad of the close to submit.

{The teenager}’s arrival helped Barcelona acquire the higher hand and Joao Cancelo was the subsequent to attract a save from the watchful Simon.

Instantaneous influence

Xavi introduced on Guiu within the 79th minute and along with his very first contact he broke into the world after which with one other confidently fired previous Simon.

“It’s the best day of his life, surely,” added Xavi.

Filled with power, the striker was quickly booked for an tried slide deal with which caught the goalkeeper as he tried to cease him clearing his strains, as he was roared on by the jubilant residence followers.

“Today we scratched back two points on Madrid and it’s vital to win this Clasico because we’re playing at home,” added Xavi.

Barcelona’s victory takes them above Atletico Madrid, fourth, whereas Valverde’s Athletic are sixth.

“I’m annoyed because it went just past me and maybe I could have done a bit more,” Simon informed DAZN.

“We really wanted to get three points to make a big gap above seventh place.”

Earlier Girona thumped bottom-of-the-table Almeria after getting back from two targets down.

The Catalan facet continued their excellent season, levelling leaders Actual Madrid on 25 factors after 10 video games after Los Blancos drew 1-1 at Sevilla on Saturday.

Almeria, nonetheless chasing their first win of the season, moved forward when Leo Baptistao netted after two minutes after which struck once more mid-way by the primary half to please coach Gaizka Garitano in his first recreation.

Nonetheless Michel’s Girona responded in a outstanding six-minute salvo earlier than the break, began by Ivan Martin within the thirty seventh minute after he had an earlier strike dominated offside.

Artem Dovbyk bagged a brace of his personal with two neat finishes within the thirty ninth and forty third minute to ship the hosts forward.

Brazilian winger Savinho and substitute Cristhian Stuani rounded off the rout.

Premier League: Aston Villa thrash West Ham to shut in on prime 4

Unai Emery urged Aston Villa to chase their goals this season after thrashing West Ham 4-1 on Sunday to shut inside two factors of the highest of the Premier League.

Douglas Luiz scored twice, whereas Ollie Watkins and Leon Bailey have been additionally on course as Villa recorded an Eleventh consecutive residence Premier League win.

Villa have been remodeled in simply over a 12 months since Emery took cost, with solely Manchester Metropolis and Arsenal having gained extra Premier League factors in 2023.

Victory takes Villa as much as fifth within the desk, however inside putting distance of leaders Metropolis.

Captain John McGinn has spoken of harbouring ambitions to qualify for the Champions League and Emery is targeted on at the least securing European soccer for a second consecutive season.

“One of our dreams is to be with the top seven teams and to do something in Europe,” stated Emery, whose facet are within the Europa Convention League this season.

“To get European football is very important and that is the work we need to try to do. We need to be consistent in what we are doing.”

Luiz is only one of quite a few gamers which might be acting at a special stage beneath the Spaniard and continued his scoring streak at Villa Park.

The Brazilian turned the primary Villa participant to attain in six consecutive residence Premier League video games when his strike from the sting of the field had an excessive amount of energy for Alphonse Areola within the West Ham aim on half-hour.

Luiz then took the possibility to double his facet’s benefit from the penalty spot early within the second interval after Edson Alvarez tripped Ezri Konsa.

Jarrod Bowen diminished West Ham’s arrears simply 5 minutes later when his shot spun off Pau Torres into the far nook for his one centesimal profession aim.

Nonetheless, any hope of a Hammers’ fightback was snuffed out by the in-form Watkins on a day that proved a actuality verify for David Moyes’ males.

“I see the players every day and know the levels. We need to play really well to keep it up with the top six teams,” stated Moyes.

“The players are good players but as you can see, if this is the level we need to reach, then we need to improve greatly.”

Contemporary from scoring the winner towards Australia for England in a uncommon run out at worldwide stage as Harry Kane’s understudy, Watkins blasted in his eighth aim of the season from a slim angle.

Bailey then exemplified the spectacular attacking arsenal that Villa have amassed in current switch home windows.

The Jamaican was left on the bench as Nicolo Zaniolo began regardless of being the topic of an investigation from Italian prosecutors over a betting scandal.

However Bailey made essentially the most of his quarter-hour on the sphere as he lower inside Nayef Aguerd with a stepover and fired into the highest nook.

Serie A: Locatelli sinks 10-man Milan as Juve shut in on Inter

An emotional Manuel Locatelli fired Juventus to inside two factors of Serie A leaders Inter Milan with the one aim in Sunday’s 1-0 win at 10-man AC Milan, the Italy midfielder’s boyhood membership.

Massimiliano Allegri’s facet prevailed at a packed San Siro due to Manuel Locatelli’s long-range strike within the 62nd minute, seven years to the day after scoring the successful aim for Milan towards Juve.

Juve, who like Milan have been lacking a clutch of first-choice gamers from their beginning XI, keep third however are closing in on Inter and some extent behind Milan who’ve surrendered prime spot to their native rivals.

Milan youth product Locatelli broke down in tears on the remaining whistle however his shot wouldn’t have gotten previous third-choice goalkeeper Antonio Mirante had it not been for a large deflection off substitute Rade Krunic.

“It’s always special playing here,” stated Locatelli to DAZN.

“Life took me on another path and I’m playing for the team I should be. But it’s amazing that it was my goal which won it. It was emotional.”

Mirante, beginning his first match in over two years, hadn’t had a single save to make as much as that time, even after Malick Thiaw was despatched off 5 minutes earlier than the break for rugby tackling Moise Kean.

Italy ahead Kean then missed a golden alternative to place Juve forward on the stroke of half-time when he pushed Adrien Rabiot’s deep cross broad from inches out.

Milan began the second half stronger however Locatelli’s aim deflated the hosts and led to the remainder of the match being nearly a non-event, as Juve have been content material to easily management the match moderately than press residence their benefit.

Mirante did make his presence felt late on, neatly tipping over substitute Dusan Vlahovic’s drive with 5 minutes remaining and pulling off an excellent double save from Andrea Cambiaso and Vlahovic.

Milan now must journey to PSG on Wednesday earlier than going through champions Napoli in Naples subsequent weekend after an unlucky defeat.

“We played well with 11 men, we played well with 10 men, if we’d been a bit more alert then we could have got a result because we weren’t the worse team even when we were a man down,” stated Milan coach Stefano Pioli.

Roma late present

Stephan El Shaarawy pushed Roma to inside touching distance of the Champions League locations when he lashed the one aim of a 1-0 win over Monza on the Stadio Olimpico in Rome.

Roma, who additionally struck the woodwork late on by Romelu Lukaku and Sardar Azmoun, are seventh following their third straight league win and three factors behind Napoli and fourth-placed Fiorentina who face Empoli on Monday.

El Shaarawy’s first aim of the season got here within the remaining minute of a troublesome match towards Eleventh-placed Monza who needed to play the whole second half with 10 males following Danilo D’Ambrosio’s harsh sending off for 2 bookable offences 4 minutes earlier than half-time.

“When I saw Azmoun’s shot, more than Lukaku’s, hit the post I thought, ‘Bah, if that doesn’t go in’… but Stephan has a feeling for goals and scoring late so he won the match for us,” stated Mourinho to Sky Sport.

Mourinho was despatched off in stoppage time as tensions flared between the 2 dugouts after El Shaarawy struck, the Portuguese making a crying movement on the Monza employees.

Defeat for Monza was harsh because the away facet put up a courageous struggle regardless of being a person down for half the match, El Shaarawy’s winner the primary aim they’ve conceded from open play since being thumped by Atalanta initially of September.

Roma have been briefly sixth however have been bumped down a spot by Atalanta who squeezed to a 2-0 win over promoted Genoa which took them as much as 16 factors, two forward of Mourinho’s workforce.

Bologna are nestled behind Roma on aim distinction after beating promoted Frosinone 2-1 whereas Filippo Inzaghi’s new workforce Salernitana and Cagliari drew 2-2 in a frantic match between two struggling sides.

Ligue 1: Monaco retake prime spot, Lyon fall to backside

Aleksandr Golovin scored twice as Monaco battled again from a aim all the way down to defeat Metz 2-1 on Sunday and return to the Ligue 1 summit, as winless Lyon slumped to the foot of the desk.

Monaco had began the weekend on the prime of the desk, however wins for Paris Saint-Germain and Good had seen them slip to 3rd place.

Senegalese teenager Lamine Camara gave struggling Metz a shock lead within the fourth minute.

However Adi Huetter’s Monaco didn’t panic and nearly equalised by Mohamed Camara, earlier than Russian Golovin hammered residence within the forty second minute.

Golovin curled in an excellent free-kick across the wall early within the second half to present the hosts the lead they usually held on with ease.

Monaco moved again one level clear on the prime from second-placed Good, with reigning champions PSG some extent additional again in third.

“We have to work a lot, a lot in certain areas of the field,” stated Huetter, who succeeded Philippe Clement as Monaco coach earlier than the beginning of the season.

“During the match, I wasn’t really calm. But I’m very happy with the fact that we’re the leaders, with three consecutive victories.”

Lyon’s abysmal begin to the marketing campaign continued because the seven-time French champions have been crushed 2-1 at residence by earlier backside membership Clermont.

Fabio Grosso’s facet stay with out a victory in 9 league matches this time period and have solely three factors on the board after a turbulent few months.

The hosts fell two targets down earlier than half-time as targets from Muhammed Cham and Yohann Magnin put Clermont on observe for his or her first win of the season.

An personal aim from Florent Ogier early within the second interval gave Lyon hope, however they may not discover an equaliser and at the moment are the joint-lowest scorers within the division with Clermont on simply seven targets.

“We’re not where we should be,” Lyon president John Textor informed Amazon Prime.

“There isn’t a threat of relegation however we might have a mediocre season, that’s potential.

“That is the risk. I believe in our coach, I believe in the team, everyone is working really hard.”

Lille beat Brest 1-0 with an early aim from Yusuf Yazici which noticed them climb above their opponents into fourth on aim distinction.

Elsewhere, Toulouse and Reims performed out a 1-1 draw, whereas Nantes noticed off Montpellier 2-0.

On Saturday, PSG cruised previous Strasbourg 3-0 and Good edged out 10-man rivals Marseille 1-0.