Leicester City beats Liverpool 3-1 four days after Ranieri sacking

Leicester City 3-1 Liverpool: Jamie Vardy brace and Danny Drinkwater stunner seals Foxes' first league win of 2017 four days after Claudio Ranieri's sacking

Jamie Vardy overhit his cross and Riyad Mahrez chased it all the way to the corner in a way that seemed strangely unfamiliar. 

Christian Fuchs arrived at pace and the pair exchanged quick, urgent passes. Fuchs centred, perfectly, and there was Vardy to head Leicester's third.

'Leicester City,' sang the fans, 'we know what we are.' Indeed we do; but the players would get very upset if we said it. For this was a performance that bore as much resemblance to what we have seen from these players as Leicester 2015-16 does to the campaign so far. 

Bar this game. For here were Leicester back to their best. Claudio's away, and now the mice will play. Leicester defeated Liverpool by an even greater margin than in this fixture last year — 3-1 instead of 2-0 — and it could have been more. 

Vardy looked one of the best goalscorers in the Premier League again, the defence were forceful and tight, even Mahrez put in a shift. Kasper Schmeichel made several good saves — from Philippe Coutinho and Adam Lallana — and Coutinho pulled one back for Liverpool after 68 minutes, but there was only going to be one winner here.

As they were last year, Leicester are simply better at Liverpool's greatest strength. The pace and effort Jurgen Klopp seeks in his own men pales beside Leicester on a good day. They were ferocious again, closing the red shirts down, harrying, hustling. 

Liverpool could not handle them, could not cope with the absence of time, the speed with which everything had to be done. Klopp's team have not lost a game this season with more than a week to prepare, and they had a fortnight to ready themselves for this.

But they weren't ready for Leicester – not for a team that now appears revitalised having rid themselves of the coach who engineered the greatest campaign in English football history. 

In the 65th minute – Claudio Ranieri's age – the fans sang his name, but who knows if he was even watching. If he was, it may have been with pursed lips. Here were his boys, back to their best, but considering what had gone before, it was hardly edifying. 

The fact is, Leicester played the first half like champions. Champion chisellers.

There was nothing in this display to convince us that Ranieri had been anything but the victim of a dressing-room coup.

This was a different Leicester. Not a new Leicester, because we have seen it before, but a Leicester that had not been sighted since May last year and the title run-in.

They snapped into Liverpool with a ferocity and desire that has simply been missing. They played it fast, played it furious, played with the intensity Klopp seeks from his men. And just as they had in this fixture last season, that relentlessness just blew Liverpool away.

It is just over a year since these teams met at the King Power Stadium, a Leicester win that confirmed their seriousness as title contenders and served as a prelude to the win Ranieri was proudest of all season — away at Manchester City. 

It is hard to believe the coach that masterminded the greatest title-winning season of them all is gone less than a year later, but here we are. There were handmade signs, a hired hearse outside with a blue-and-white floral display reading RIP FOOTBALL, but once the action began Ranieri's name was not mentioned again.

The locals were too busy cheering on the team who had suddenly reappeared and attempting to ingratiate themselves with caretaker boss Craig Shakespeare. 'Shakey, give us a wave,' they sang — and naturally he obliged.

Others had a darker take. 'Leicester has Shakespeare in charge tonight,' tweeted Gary Lineker. 'In the words of his Claudio, "Done to death by slanderous tongues was the hero that here lies".' 

Much Ado About Nothing, act five, scene three, if you're interested. The fans were not. This was a night to get behind the team, they had decided, as long as the team were worth getting behind.

And it was. The moment Vardy left a mark on Sadio Mane with less than a minute gone, we knew. Liverpool were playing a different team to the one that surrendered so meekly at Swansea. 

So it proved. Liverpool had been on one of those mid-winter warm-weather training trips that worked so well for Stoke at the weekend, but Leicester looked twice as fast. Maybe taking the first six months of the season off is as beneficial as a week in La Manga.

Leicester exposed Liverpool just as they had a year ago. Quick ball in to Vardy, long throws into the box by Fuchs. The first of those after five minutes found Robert Huth, whose header was kept out by goalkeeper Simon Mignolet.

Just two minutes later, a repeat projectile was half-cleared and fired back in by Vardy, the ball bouncing up off the turf and steered on by Shinji Okazaki's head. Again Mignolet saved.

Huth was causing plenty of problems from set-pieces and in the 15th minute he headed a Marc Albrighton header over. The pressure was building, though, and Lucas Leiva in particular was struggling to cope with Vardy.

After 20 minutes, Schmeichel hit a simple long ball down the middle which Vardy plucked out of the air as if his boots were coated in adhesive. He took it down, took it past Lucas, but failed to get a true connection on his shot, which Mignolet saved. Nathaniel Clyne dived full length to head the loose ball out for a corner. 

Liverpool could not hold, though, and with 28 minutes gone, Leicester scored their first league goal in nearly 11 hours of football. 

A game of head tennis in the centre of the pitch went horribly wrong for Liverpool, Albrighton played the finest of through-passes first time and Vardy was on to it, as he would have been a year ago — if not a month — outstripping Liverpool's defence and finishing first time past Mignolet at the near post.

The Liverpool goalkeeper was forced to save again from Wilfred Ndidi after 34 minutes, but shortly before half-time, Leicester made it two. Albrighton's cross was half-cleared by James Milner, falling to Danny Drinkwater, who struck it first time from 25 yards out low into the corner. 

The King Power erupted and maybe somewhere in Rome, a very decent man reached for his remote control and, with a little sigh, changed the channel.

Real Madrid clawed back wins 3-2 over Villareal, keeps La Liga lead

Villarreal 2-3 Real Madrid: Last gasp Alvaro Morata header keeps Los Blancos top of La Liga

Real Madrid scored three goals in 19 minutes to over-turn a 2-0 deficit against Villarreal and go back to the top of La Liga.

Barcelona had overtaken them in their afternoon kick-off against Atletico Madrid but Barça’s gain was wiped out just five hours later by a Real Madrid team who dozed through the first hour of this match, conceding twice, but still won with Gareth Bale, Cristiano Ronaldo and Alvaro Morata all scoring.

Manu Trigueros scored the first goal of the game on 50 minutes and it was no more than Villarreal deserved.

Samu Castillejos is a featherweight forward but he still overpowered Marcelo at the back post to head down towards Tirgueros who lashed his shot past Keylor Navas before Sergio Ramos – who was the closest defender to him – could react.

Madrid fans might have thought it would be a wake-up call but Zinedine Zidanes’s side kept on snoozing and when Bruno threaded the ball through to Cedric Bakumbu he ran clear of Ramos and curled his shot around Navas and inside the post to make it 2-0.

Zidane sent on Isco and he got Madrid moving down the right in a move that ended with a Bale cross and a Ronaldo volley that came back off the post – a reaction at last, but would it be too late?

It was September, 14 2013 when Bale scored on his debut on this ground. He’s won two Champions League since and they’ve changed the name of the Stadium but just as with three years ago he converted from close range for his team – this time powering Dani Carvajal’s cross with a fine header.

Then came a moment of controversy, and the equaliser. Bruno handled in the area but it looked completely unintentional as the ball bounced off a team-mate in a crowded penalty box.

La Liga rule changes at the start of the season made it clear that if the ball hits a player having cannoned off another player then it's not a penalty. Fran Escriba was furious on the bench and the Villarreal coach was sent off before Ronaldo slammed in the spot-kick – his 57th penalty in the league. No one has scored more in the history of the competition.

Villarreal looked broken. They had worked so hard to get two goals in front but then frozen at the prospect of beating Real Madrid.

They were in Europa League action in midweek but rested the entire team because they were already all-but out of the competition at the hands of Roma, so there was no real excuse. Now they were playing if they had all walked back from Rome.

Madrid in contrast were full of life and pushed for the winner.

It came on 83 minutes when Isco and Toni Kroos won the ball in midfield, Marcelo charged down the left and crossed for substitute Alvaro Morata to nod past Aitor Fernandez.

The substitute goalkeeper could have done better, allowing the ball to squirm under his dive on the line. This game might have gone differently had Villarreal not lost keeper Sergio Asenjo in the first half.

No goalkeeper has conceded fewer goals in the Spanish first division this season coming into the game but Asenjo is also the most injury-prone keeper in Spain and he needed treatment after making a fine block from a Benzema chance.

At first he looked fit to carry on but the keeper went to ground again moments later and had to be replaced ten minutes before the break. Three torn cruciate ligament injuries in his career have made the Spain international more cautious than most keepers and he was taken to hospital for tests with Fernandez coming on.

With Fernandez on Villarreal still got themselves two goals in front but it was like poking the beast with a stick. Madrid reacted and with three second half goals turned the game on its head and moved back to the top of La Liga.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic leads Manchester United to EFL Championship

 

Manchester United 3-2 Southampton: Zlatan Ibrahimovic is the Red Devils' Wembley hero as he scores a brace in EFL Cup triumph over plucky SaintsRead more: 

Southampton had the better final, Manchester United the better player. The one, the only, Zlatan Ibrahimovic. This was his cup, even more than theirs. It was a fine game and Southampton had the best of it. Yet they were never in front and there was always the danger it would end in tears. Why? That man. There was no significant period of the game in which United dominated, but nor was there a moment when Ibrahimovic did not look capable of being the deciding factor. What a player he is. For all his achievements across Europe, it has taken this, a season in the twilight of his career, to convince the sceptics here of his career, to convince the sceptics here of his greatness. 

It is more than just his 26 goals. It is occasions like this when Ibrahimovic commands the stage as only a giant of the game can. It does not matter how well his team are playing. It is irrelevant who deserves what. Zlatan decides.

On Sunday he decided the first major trophy of the season should go to United.

He decided the Community Shield should be theirs in August, too — and Jose Mourinho counts that. He bought him to make the difference and he has not disappointed. Mourinho always knew what United were getting in Ibrahimovic; now the rest of the country does, too.

He is great, make no mistake. He scored a great free-kick to put United ahead against the run of play and his goal that won the match — after Southampton had fought back — was great, too.

Started by Ibrahimovic, finished by him as well.

He is a target man in the truest sense of the term, always showing, always offering the out ball when his team-mates are pressed. A leader, too. It was noticeable when Jesse Lingard scored United's second — another beauty, by the way — he immediately shared the joy with Ibrahimovic. It is as if he has become the father figure for the younger United players, the way Eric Cantona was to a previous generation.

Yet it would be harsh to make it so much about one man when Southampton were a huge part of this game. Arguably, they deserved to win. Southampton endured a trio of setbacks in the first half that would have crushed a lesser side. Instead, from 2-0 down, and having had a good goal disallowed, they stood level on 48 minutes. 

Southampton had the best of the play, but trailed as a result of two moments of sublime individual finishing from United.

In addition, they would have opened the scoring were it not for a flag which, we now know, denied striker Manolo Gabbiadini a hat-trick.

These are bad breaks that any team can ill-afford against opponents as well-equipped as United; on such a big occasion, it must have been doubly hard to take.

Credit coach Claude Puel, too, for taking the game to United from the start. There were just two minutes on the clock when Dusan Tadic whipped the ball across the face of goal, unfortunate not to find a team-mate to administer the vital touch. A similar move, getting in behind United, but this time from the opposite flank, should have given Southampton the lead on 11 minutes.

It was Cedric on the right, hitting a low cross which was turned in by Gabbiadini. A flag was up. Ryan Bertrand was in an offside position, but he did not play the ball. Gabbiadini did, and he came from behind United's defenders. It should have stood. 

As so often happens in these circumstances, United made the most of their good fortune. In the 18th minute, Oriol Romeu was booked for a foul on Ander Herrera 25 yards from goal. Ibrahimovic stood over it, having scored four goals in his last four finals for Paris Saint-Germain. There was only going to be one taker and Ibrahimovic took full advantage of Southampton's little errors.

Juan Mata stepped out of the wall and left an inviting gap, captain Steven Davis was distracted and did not jump to block at the vital moment, goalkeeper Fraser Forster seemed slow to react. He was beaten to his right.

Still, Southampton pressed. David de Gea saved from James Ward-Prowse and Tadic, and then it happened again. United's second was against the run of play, too, but it is hard to say they got lucky with a goal so sweetly taken.

Anthony Martial and Mata were involved before Marcos Rojo slipped the ball to Lingard in a central position. He finished beautifully, passing the ball into the corner through Southampton legs. And that should have been it. Southampton could have easily surrendered, cup final or 

not.

Instead, 10 minutes later they were level, and might even have been ahead. The last meaningful attack of the first half got them back in it.

 He appeared to be talking him through instructions when Ibrahimovic had the last word. United cleared and broke. Ibrahimovic took the ball, knocked it some way ahead to gain distance, but knew he could not win the foot race. So, he laid it off.

Did he then sprint into the box? No, he's too smart for that. He watched United build the pressure. Martial held on to the ball and made progress, gamely. He laid it out to Herrera.

Now Ibrahimovic was interested, as was Mourinho on the touchline. The striker had started his run into the box moments earlier, timing the arrival to perfection to meet a cross with a header that left Forster no chance.

Mourinho told Rooney to sit down. Ibrahimovic stayed on and Mourinho collected his 11th cup win in 13 finals.

'Zlatan gave us the cup,' he said, as his players cavorted with the trophy. Southampton might not have deserved to lose, but Ibrahimovic deserved to win. And, special player that he is, he was happy to carry United along with him.

Messi saves Barcelona from Atletico Madrid 2-1

Barca Blaugranes

Barcelona and Atlético Madrid put together a fantastic football match that ended with a 2-1 victory for the Blaugrana in the last La Liga encounter between these two Spanish giants at the Vicente Calderón. Both teams attacked each other in a match filled with many exciting moments, and Lionel Messi scored a late winner to give the Catalans three gigantic points in the title race.

FIRST HALF

The first half hour of the initial period was fully controlled by the hosts, who pressured the ball high up the pitch, recovered it and forced Ter Stegen into a few big saves. The Blaugrana couldn't control possession in the midfield and were on the back foot for most of the half, creating some chances on the counter but not doing anything dangerous.

But as we approached the end of the half, the visitors took control of the ball, finally, and then began to scare the Colchoneros and Jan Oblak had to make two amazing stops to keep the score at zero.

At halftime, Atlético were the better side but couldn't score, and Barça showed good signs of what was to come in the final period.

SECOND HALF

Luis Suárez and Antoine Griezmann wasted chances they normally wouldn't in the first five minutes of the second half, and it was clear we'd have an action-packed period. The two teams continued to trade shots and fouls, and then the goals came.

First, a total mess in the box with players from both teams scrapping to find the ball eventually ended with Rafinha Alcântara scoring a really nice goal with his right foot. Atlético answered quickly when Diego Godín headed the ball in and tied the game with 20 minutes to go.

Both teams tried to go forward in search of the game-winner, and it was Barça that got it thanks to the world's greatest player: Lionel Messi was at the right place at the right time, and scored a clutch goal in the 86th minute. Three massive points for Barça, and Messi is Messi.

---

Atlético: Oblak; Vrasljko, Savic, Godín, Luis; Koke, Gabi, Saúl, Carrasco (Torres); Griezmann, Gameiro (Correa)

Goal: Godín (70')

Barcelona: Ter Stegen; Piqué, Umtiti, Mathieu (Digne); Roberto (Gomes), Busquets, Iniesta (Rakitic); Messi; Rafinha, Suárez, Neymar

Goals: Rafinha (64'), Messi (86')

A.S. Monaco's continues to march to the title

 

BBC

Ligue 1 leaders Monaco moved three points clear with victory at Guingamp. Monaco defender Kamil Glik stabbed in the opener from Thomas Lemar's first-half free-kick, helped on by Guingamp winger Jimmy Briand's poor clearance.  

Falcao saw a bicycle kick diverted just over the bar, before 18-year-old striker Kylian Mbappe was fouled in the box by keeper Karl-Johan Johnsson. Fabinho's chipped penalty put Monaco 2-0 up, before Etienne Didot fired home a late consolation from outside the box. 

 Second-placed Nice had moved level on points with Leonardo Jardim's side with a 2-1 home victory over Montpellier on Friday. Defending champions Paris St-Germain, in third, are now six points behind Monaco but can narrow the gap when they play at Marseille on Sunday (20:00 GMT). 

Monaco were beaten 5-3 by Manchester City in their Champions League last-16 first leg on Tuesday. They host City for the second leg on Wednesday, 15 March. Elsewhere, Bordeaux moved up to fifth with a 3-2 win away to a Lille side that had two players sent off in the final 10 minutes. 

 Bottom side Lorient lost 1-0 at Rennes, who move up to eighth, Angers beat Bastia 3-0, and Nancy and Toulouse played out a goalless draw.

Ranieri sacked after 296 days of winning title for Leicester City

Claudio Ranieri sacked by Leicester 298 days after Premier League title win

Leicester City have sacked Claudio Ranieri just nine months after he led the club to their first Premier League title.

Ranieri guided Leicester to the most unlikely of title wins last season and went on to win FIFA's Coach of the Year for the achievement.

However, Ranieri and Leicester have struggled this season, with the club sitting just one point and one position above the relegation zone, having failed to score a single league goal in 2017.

Leicester are still in with a chance of qualifying for the quarterfinals of the Champions League following Wednesday's 2-1 round-of-16 first-leg defeat to Sevilla, but the club have opted to remove Ranieri ahead of Monday's Premier League clash against Liverpool.

A Leicester statement read: "Leicester City Football Club has tonight [Thursday] parted company with its first team manager, Claudio Ranieri.

"Claudio, appointed City manager in July 2015, led the Foxes to the greatest triumph in the club's 133-year history last season, as we were crowned champions of England for the first time. His status as the most successful Leicester City manager of all time is without question.

"However, domestic results in the current campaign have placed the club's Premier League status under threat, and the board reluctantly feels that a change of leadership, while admittedly painful, is necessary in the club's greatest interest."

Leicester were favourites to be relegated upon Ranieri's appointment, having been involved in a relegation fight the season before under Nigel Pearson.

Valencia put Real Madrid to the Sword 2-1 at Mestalla

 
By Pete Jenson for MailOnline PUBLISHED: 19:39 GMT, 22 February 2017 | UPDATED: 20:17 GMT, 22 February 2017

Real Madrid were put to the sword by Simone Zaza as Valencia ruined Cristiano Ronaldo’s 700th club football appearance by winning 2-1 at the Mestalla.

Ronaldo scored with a towering header but the night belonged to the Italian international whose sensational first half strike will have West Ham supporters scratching their heads as to which Zaza it was they signed on loan last summer.

This was the chance for Real Madrid to go four points clear of Barcelona in the first of two games in hand but it was Zaza voom after just five minutes when the West Ham flop, who failed to score in 11 games in England, got his second goal in two games for his new club. 

And what a goal it was. Valencia goalkeeper Diego Alves launched his team first real attack down the right and Munir El Haddadi crossed for Zaza, who made light of having his back to goal and Raphael Varane for close company by spinning 180 degrees and firing into Keylor Navas’ top right-hand corner in one movement.

Four minutes later and it was 2-0. Once again the lightning break came down the right. This time Munir fed Zaza, who played in Nani who fed Fabian Orellana who buried the chance. Two winter signings for Valencia and both had scored.

Real Madrid tried to fight fire with fire and Cristiano Ronaldo had a shot saved by Alves. James Rodriguez then tried to convert Ronaldo’s cross at the far post but Munir had sprinted back to save on the line. 

Real Madrid kept chasing the game and the Valencia threat was reduced when Nani had to hobble off and Guilherme Siqueira came on to make it double full backs for the home side down the left. 

It was Nani’s Portugal team-mate who was next to make his mark on the game. Marcelo crossed with the outside of his left-foot and Ronaldo rose above the Valencia defence and hung in the air long enough to guide the centre past Alves for 2-1.

No one has scored more headed goals than Ronaldo in Europe’s top league over the last 10 seasons. He has 51, two more than Swansea’s Fernando Llorente.

Real Madrid started the second half as they finished the first but they couldn’t make the pressure pay and Valencia could have had two penalties on the break.

First Zaza raced away for what could have been his second of the game but Dani Carvajal barged him off the ball just as he was about to shoot past Keylor Navas. Then Munir raced away and went down after Ramos stood on his ankle just inside the area.

Valencia had their own slice of luck when Eliaquim Mangala scythed down Karim Benzema and was only shown the yellow card. Zaza hobbled off with 18 minutes left and the sight of midfielder Mario Suarez replacing him sent out the message – we hold what we have. But could they? 

Manchester City come from behind win against Monaco 5-3

By Martin Samuel for the Daily Mail PUBLISHED: 21:36 GMT, 21 February 2017 | UPDATED: 10:28 GMT, 22 February 2017

Maybe this is the game through which Manchester City will finally learn to love the Champions League. For if they cannot now, they probably never will.

There were eight goals scored, and all but the last changed the state of play. Manchester City ahead, Monaco level, Monaco ahead, Manchester City level, Monaco ahead, Manchester City level, Manchester City ahead. And then even further ahead.

It was the first time eight goals had been scored in the first leg of a Champions League tie, and the first in a European Cup tie since Real Madrid beat Swarovski Tirol 9-1 on October 24, 1990.

There is a substantial difference, however, between a one-sided drubbing and this twister of a tie, in which reputations were made and trashed as the energy and balance of power deliriously swirled.

What an occasion it was, what a spectacle. City almost out of Europe one moment, appearing stronger than ever the next — 3-2 down with 20 minutes to go, 5-3 up 12 minutes later. And Monaco missed a penalty.

A word of warning, mind you. Against a Monaco team with this attacking potential, even two goals clear, no tie is over with 90 minutes still to play. City will have to be at their best in the return. Both teams are at their strongest going forward, and 3-1, for instance, would send Monaco through.

Perhaps, after this, City’s supporters will begin to see Europe’s greatest tournament as more than a vehicle to vent their anger at UEFA. They were ready to shout conspiracy here, too, after a first-half penalty they thought should have been awarded, and one in the second-half they thought shouldn’t — they were right about the first, not the second — but they went home happy enough.

And why not? It was the greatest match here since Sergio Aguero’s title-winning goal against Queens Park Rangers and, naturally, he was at the centre of it last night, too. Twice, he equalised, and also had a hand in the fifth. His opposite number for Monaco will feel more of a mix of emotions. Radamel Falcao scored twice — as many goals as he got in this city for Manchester United in an entire season — but missed the penalty that changed the game. Had it gone in, Monaco would have led 3-1 and maybe City would have crumbled.

Instead, Falcao’s failure re-energised the stadium in a howl of righteous anger and encouragement. Even though Monaco did score again after that, this surge of emotion carried City forward.

It had started well enough, the hugely impressive Leroy Sane shooting over after seven minutes, Monaco’s defensive rock Kamil Glik booked for a foul on him moments later – and out of the return leg. City had already gone close twice when they opened the scoring after 26 minutes. 

Raheem Sterling scored it, but Sane’s celebrations were wildest, and justifiably so. It was Sane in midfield, holding off a succession of challenges and keeping the ball under control; Sane who worked the ball to David Silva; Sane who made ground for the return and Sane who struck the cross. Sterling, in a great spot, tucked it away, but Sane was worthy of an assist. About four of them, in fact.

City’s flaws, however, are significant — and one of them is the distribution of goalkeeper Willy Caballero. The problem is Pep Guardiola wants him to be something he is not: good at football.

He had already mislaid several passes when, in the 31st minute, he tried to float one into midfield, failed miserably, and saw the ball mopped up by Fabinho, who laid the ball off, got it back and hit a deep, low cross that Falcao met with a magnificent diving header. Here, at last, was the player Manchester United thought they were getting in 2014.

There followed the incident that looked to have turned the game in Monaco’s favour, while also turning the air blue with local fury. In the 34th minute, Aguero was put away, rounding goalkeeper Danijel Subasic only to be sent tumbling. Referee Antonio Mateu Lahoz brandished what many expected to be a red for the Monaco man. Instead, it was a yellow, provoking groans. Groans that turned to howls on realisation it was a yellow for Aguero, for diving.

The mood was hardly improved when Yaya Toure was booked for a foul on Bakayoko – thanks to another alleged pass from Caballero — and then Fernandinho followed him. The free-kick this time was taken quickly, 18-year-old Kylian Mbappe alert to it, Nicolas Otamendi and Caballero not. What started as a simple chip over the top was smacked smartly into the net by the teenager tagged the new Thierry Henry. He certainly looked the part in spells here.

The second half, however, belonged to City. Eventually. 

First, the game-changer. In the 48th minute, as if to hone the local persecution complex, Monaco were awarded a penalty. That it looked justified, Otamendi bringing down Falcao, seemed to hardly matter. Outrage enveloped the Etihad. If this affected Falcao, he is not the player he looked at other times. Either way, he took an age over the kick and then struck it, soft to the right and far too near City’s goalkeeper. Never give a sucker an even break. Falcao did. Caballero saved.

Now the stadium was beserk for revenge. Maybe this troubled Subasic. His goalkeeping for City’s equaliser was as poor as Falcao’s penalty taking. Sterling put Aguero away, but hopeless handling from Subasic at the near post turned a tame shot into an equaliser and brought to an end 580 minutes of goalless Champions League knockout football for Aguero.

But if there is a lesson for City in the return it is that Monaco were not done. Falcao got away from Stones with ease and finished with a quite sublime chip over the head of Caballero, from close range, up and down like Andy Murray to the back of the court.

Yet, having seemingly thrown it away, again, from nowhere a blue tornado arrived.

For some reason, Monaco forgot City’s defensive vulnerability and allowed themselves to be pushed back. Fatal mistake. City, like them, are at their best going forward and Aguero has a point to prove, having lost his place to Gabriel Jesus. What a sweet strike it was to equalise again – volleying in a David Silva corner from 12 yards, but Monaco had allowed him far too much space.

Now Guardiola’s men were as irresistible as Monaco had once seemed. Another corner saw them ahead, this time from Kevin De Bruyne, flicked on by Toure and converted by Stones, inexplicably unmarked, at the far post. Had he not put it in, it would have fallen to Aguero, similarly unguarded. Monaco were falling apart.

The fifth confirmed that. Toure, Silva, Aguero and finally Sane combined in a wonderful passing move, yet with a striking absence of challenges from men in red shirts.

Delirium reigned. There have been a few revivals here, but none quite like this.

Gareth Bale marks Real Madrid return with Espanyol goal

He's been out for three months, but Gareth Bale did not take long to mark his return to the Real Madrid side with a goal on Saturday.

The Wales international was introduced as a 71st-minute substitute against Espanyol, making his first appearance since November 22 after a spell out with injury.

Just 13 minutes later he found the back of the net to help Real secure a 2-0 victory.

The goal was Bale's 23rd in his last 28 La Liga matches and sees Real move four points clear of second-placed Barcelona, who have also played a game more.

Alvaro Morata scored the opener for Zinedine Zidane's side at the Bernabeu in the 33rd minute.

Barca are in action on Sunday evening, live on Sky Sports, when they host Leganes, looking to bounce back from their midweek Champions League thrashing by Paris Saint-Germain.

Marseille manage win over Rennes without Bafetimbi Gomis

Marseille showed they can cope without top scorer Bafetimbi Gomis by beating Rennes 2-0 at home in Ligue 1 on Saturday, a win that maintains their push for a top-four finish and place in the Europa League next season.

Gomis has been Marseille's best player this season, scoring 16 league goals, but he picked up a knee injury last weekend and is expected to be out for up to six weeks.

In his absence, wingers Clinton N'Jie and Florian Thauvin grabbed second-half goals as Marseille moved level on points with fifth-place Saint-Etienne and one point behind fourth-place Lyon. They are both playing on Sunday.

France playmaker Dimitri Payet went close three times -- hitting the crossbar with a rasping shot -- before starting the move that led to N'Jie's goal in the second half.

Five minutes later, Thauvin scored a powerful swerving shot into the top corner from 20 yards after running onto a neat back heel from midfielder Morgan Sanson.

Inconsistent Marseille have won their past three home games but lost their last three away.

Next up is a home game next Sunday against bitter rivals Paris Saint-Germain -- a must-win game in the eyes of the passionate Marseille fans at Stade Velodrome.