European football: An early Federico Valverde goal guided Real Madrid to a 2-0 home win against Villarreal in La Liga, bringing the defending champions level on points with leaders Barcelona, but at the likely expense of right-back Dani Carvajal.
Real taken the lead in the 14th minute when Valverde hit a fantastic long-range volley off a Luka Modric corner. In the 73rd minute, Brazilian attacker Vinícius Júnior scored a powerful drive from outside the area, increasing the lead.
Carvajal was injured in the second half stoppage time at Santiago Bernabéu, collapsing in pain after kicking an opponent’s leg. The Spain international sobbed as he was carried off the field on a stretcher.
“It seems to be a serious knee injury; it will be investigated into in the coming hours,” Real manager Carlo Ancelotti said.
“The players are sad, worried, because something happened that comes a lot, because of the calendar, and it happened to an extremely important player for us.”
On Sunday, Barcelona will go to Alaves, who are currently in 11th place.
Marcus Thuram scored a hat-trick to lead Inter to a 3-2 home victory over 10-man Torino in their Serie A match, following an early red card for visiting defender Guillermo Maripán.
Inter is second in the league, with 14 points, two behind Napoli. Torino ranks sixth.
Inter took the lead in the 25th minute after Maripán was sent off for a late challenge on the French forward, with Thuram scoring from close range five minutes later.
Thuram extended Inter’s advantage in the 35th minute with another close-range header. Torino, on the other hand, equalized a minute later when Duván Zapata finished from inside the box, capitalizing on a defensive error.
Thuram scored his hat trick on the hour mark, scoring off a rebound after Torino goalkeeper Vanja Milinkovic-Savic saved a header.
The drama continued as Torino forward Nikola Vlasic converted a penalty four minutes later after Hakan Calhanoglu handled Adam Masina in the box. However, the visitors were unable to muster a late drive for an equalizer.
Thuram, who is the league’s joint leading scorer this season with seven goals, believes Inter cannot afford to keep conceding goals.
“Not only are the defenders and goalkeepers to blame, but the attackers as well. We have 11 players on the pitch, and not surrendering goals is everyone’s responsibility. “We will try to get better in the upcoming games,” he told me.
“There is a lot of work, particularly in the penalty area. For me, scoring is always a nice feeling, but I always want to be a player that prioritizes teamwork.”
Bayer Leverkusen scored twice in the first eight minutes, but the Bundesliga champions lost their lead, settling for a 2-2 draw with visitors Holstein Kiel.
Victor Boniface put the hosts ahead after four minutes with his fourth league goal of the season. Before promoted Kiel had time to recover, Leverkusen scored again, this time with Jonas Hofmann’s low drive, to open up a two-goal lead following an error by Kiel goalkeeper Timon Weiner.
Kiel, on the other hand, scored on the stroke of halftime with Max Geschwill’s header at the far post, and Fiete Arp equalized in the 69th minute with a penalty. Leverkusen is sixth in the rankings with 11 points.
Borussia Dortmund suffered a 2-1 loss against Union Berlin, just days after defeating Celtic 7-1 for their best European success.
Union’s Kevin Vogt snapped a 10-year Bundesliga goal drought after converting a penalty in the 26th minute. Vogt’s previous goal came on October 18, 2014, marking a Bundesliga record 275 matches between goals for an outfield player.
Dortmund lacked the aggression that they displayed in their Champions League victory against the Scots on Tuesday, and they allowed another before halftime through Yorbe Vertessen’s low shot from the edge of the box.
Julian Ryerson scored for the visitors just after the hour mark, but despite late pressure, they were unable to equalize. Dortmund slid to seventh place in the standings, with 10 points.