European Paper Review: Comeback of leader Barca, Game, Set and Cristiano, and are Bayern imploding slightly?

Andy Mitten rounds-up the latest news being reported on the continent in the European paper review.

‘Comeback of the leader,’ was the headline on Sunday’s Catalan daily SPORT after Barcelona came from a goal down to best Atletico Madrid at Camp Nou in a game watched by the biggest crowd in world football this season – 94,990.

The giants were level on points at the top of La Liga, though Barça had a game in hand.

“Goals from Messi and Suarez gave a great blow to the league,” added SPORT - that is, a blow to the chances of everyone else.

Barça are now three points clear with a game in hand on Atleti and a better head-to-head record, having beaten them home and away. They’re four clear of Real Madrid – and have already won at the Bernabeu, with the Camp Nou clasico to follow in April.

Real Madrid hammered Espanyol at home as they always do, this time 6-0 with a hat-trick from Ronaldo. “Game, Set, and Cristiano,” was the headline of Monday’s MARCA after Ronaldo drew level with Suarez at the top of the Pichichi chart with 19. “He silences his critics,” added MARCA.

In Valencia, Gary Neville didn’t silence Valencia’s critics though Valencia fans were hugely supportive during the game as their unbeaten home record went to a Sporting Gijon team in the relegation zone at the start of the day.

“The best performance but the worst result,” said Neville, who takes his team to Barcelona for the Copa del Rey semi-final on Wednesday. Without a league win since October, Neville’s young side are only five points off the relegation zone.

In Germany, Bayern Munich might have gone into match day 19 with an 8 point lead at the top of the Bundesliga but all is seemingly not well on Säbener Straße.

An unnamed “mole” told Kicker on Thursday that the mood in the dressing room was “not good” and that Pep Guardiola was unhappy at “indiscipline” in his team in the run up to last week’s unconvincing win at Hamburg, even accusing several squad members of being overweight.

“Are Bayern imploding slightly?” asked Sportbild ahead of Sunday’s visit of TSG Hoffenheim, although talk of the “mole affair” soon dissipated after goals from Robert Lewandowski secured a comfortable 2-0 win.

The victory restored the champions’ lead in the title race after Borussia Dortmund had temporarily closed the gap to 5 points with a controversial win over FC Ingolstadt on Saturday. “Three incorrect decisions and one striker - Ingolstadt feel cheated” summarised the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung after Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s brace settled the game.

The visitors’ manager Ralph Hasenhüttl called the referee’s decision to allow the Gabonian’s first goal “an absolute disgrace”. Not only was the striker offside, but a replay of the infringement was even shown on the big screens inside the Westfalenstadion.

Third placed Hertha Berlin “squandered victory” (Sportbild) away at Werder Bremen as the hosts fought back from 1-3 down to draw 3-3, and Bayer Leverkusen climbed to fourth with a “convincing” (Rheinische Post) 3-0 defeat of Hannover.

Kicker was full of praise for Leverkusen’s “storm duo” of Stefan Kießling and Javier Hernandez – the former with one goal and one assist, the latter with yet another Bundesliga brace.

Borussia Mönchengladbach have started the second half of the season in the same way they started the first – with back to back defeats. “[Christian] Clemens treats himself on his 100th game” said Kicker, as the winger celebrated his Bundesliga landmark with the winning goal for Mainz.

“Negative Gladbach trend continues” said Spiegel. “The [André] Schubert effect has ended”, added Sportbild as the former interim manager enters the most difficult phase of his reign with the Foals having won only one of their last five games.

“Stuttgart riding a wave of euphoria” enthused Kicker as the Swabians made it two wins in two since the winter break with a 2-1 victory over Hamburg on Saturday evening. “Stuttgart prevail in game of 1,001 chances” exaggerated the FAZ, but it was nevertheless an exhilarating encounter at the Mercedes-Benz-Arena as new signing Artem Krawets came off the bench to net a stunning late header in a “spectacular end to the game” (Kicker).

There was praise in France for Angel Di Maria this week as L’Équipe compared his “subtle balls over the top and manner of deceiving goalkeepers from near and far” to Roger Federer. But it was Zlatan Ibrahimovic who stole the headlines again with both goals as PSG defeated St Étienne 2-0. “Paris always find the key” said Le Parisien as the leaders equalled Nantes’ record of 32 league matches unbeaten.

PSG’s distant followers all went head-to-head as Angers “outclassed” Monaco (Le Monde) to leapfrog the side from the principality into second place, whilst Caen went level on points with fourth place Nice after “punishing” the Niçois for missing chances (L’Équipe).

Lyon’s struggles continued as they “crashed in Bastia” (Le Monde). “Lyon, it’s just not working” scolded L’Équipe, calling the performance in the 1-0 defeat “mediocre” and adding that they have only taken five points from a possible 30 since beating St Étienne on November 8th. Marseille rescued a “miraculous” (L’Équipe) 96th minute point in a 1-1 draw at home to Lille.

In Italy, AC Milan’s excellent 3-0 derby win against Inter made the front page of Monday’s La Gazzetta dello Sport, complete with a large photo of the victorious Milan players celebrating in front of their curva. ‘Milan triumph – derby dominated by the Rossoneri,’ reads the front page, ‘Inter nightmare: Icardi misses a penalty, Mancini sent off.’

Inter’s defeat and Fiorentina drawing at Genoa leads Gazzetta to conclude that Serie A is a now a ‘Two Horse Race”. The two are leaders Napoli, who beat Empoli 3-1 at home and Juventus, who won 4-0 at Chievo. Ominously, their coach Allegro told Gazzetta: “We aren’t satisfied yet.”