The weekend is over and Deadline Day is upon us, but we have a lot to unpack following another wild weekend across Europe's top soccer leagues. Pep Guardiola and Manchester City fell to a 5-1 thrashing at Arsenal that was entirely deserved given their poor performance, leaving him a lot to figure out. The Milan derby delivered a ton of fireworks in Serie A, with Inter's late goal earning them a 1-1 draw and showing that they're a credible contender for the title despite Napoli's slender three-point lead atop the table.
Elsewhere, Liverpool got a fortunate win at in-form Bournemouth despite not playing brilliantly. Should Arne Slot & Co. be concerned about the squad's fitness levels heading into a critical period of the season? And Real Madrid lost at Espanyol in dramatic fashion.
Beyond that, there was a lot to unpack about Barcelona, Tottenham, Bayern Munich, Napoli, Paris Saint-Germain, Manchester United, Bayer Leverkusen and others, so let's get to it. Here are musings and reactions to the most memorable moments of the weekend.
It's not the score that should concern Pep Guardiola, but the performance
Break it down and you can explain away several of Arsenal's goals -- arguably those of Ethan Nwaneri, Miles Lewis-Skelly and Thomas Partey -- to individual brilliance and randomness, as evidenced by their combined xG of 0.11. Take them out of the mix as things beyond a manager's control and it's a 2-1 defeat rather than a 5-1 away defeat against the second-placed team in the table, which isn't terrible.
But if you did that, you'd be deluded. The real concern is that Manchester City managed a single shot on goal -- Erling Haaland's equalizer -- in the second half. More than the five goals, that's the humiliation: one of football's greatest attackers reduced to this. You have to try really, really hard to be this bad.
You can deal with folks making mistakes because they try something difficult or risky or simply because they're not that good. The chances City gifted Arsenal in the first half fall into those categories. What is harder to deal with is the futility we saw after the break, whether from Phil Foden and Bernardo Silva -- who are supposed to be leaders on this team -- or from Omar Marmoush, who basically disappeared after the break. Yeah, you win and lose as a team and Pep Guardiola gets paid the big bucks to bear the responsibility, but he was let down on Sunday, and it's not the usual scapegoats (Stefan Ortega and Manuel Akanji) who need to be held to account.
The curious thing with City is this feels like a total collapse of planning. If the squad really is weary at this stage, you would think they'd use January to pick up guys who could have an immediate impact to ensure a Champions League run and a top four/five finish. Instead, they spent $150m on two youngsters (Vitor Reis and Abdukodir Khusanov) who are long-term projects and Marmoush, a guy who may be a one-season (or even half-season) wonder.
How does that help Guardiola, whose long-term future remains unclear? Who is green-lighting these vast expenses when Hugo Viana isn't taking over as Sporting Director until the summer? And if they miss out on the Champions League and have the 115 charges still hanging over them, how much harder is it going to be to attract talent for the inevitable rebuild?
So many questions, nobody to answer them.
Gabriele Marcotti believes Arsenal's titles hopes are very dependent on keeping Kai Havertz fit for the rest of the season.
As for Arsenal, the boost is psychological as much as anything. They weren't exceptional, but they didn't need to be, and they still scored five against the champions while showcasing two more exciting teenagers.
And while Kai Havertz missed an absolute sitter and continues to be under fire from some, it's worth noting that he has scored more league goals in fewer games from open play this season than Ollie Watkins, the guy many thought should replace him.
Inter is now streets ahead of Milan after their late but fully deserved equalizer
Derbies have outsized importance in Milan. Had Samuel Chukwueze tracked back properly, Nicola Zalewski would not have chested the ball into Stefan de Vrij's path for Inter's injury-time equalizer. And Sérgio Conceição, for all of AC Milan's issues, could gloat about winning two derbies in less than a month.
Except it didn't work out that way. Rather than gloating, the Milan boss needs to roll up his sleeves. Relative to the Champions League horror show in Zagreb last week, he did get a reaction in terms of effort, but Milan were still outplayed. Inter's xG was considerably higher, they hit the woodwork twice and had a cast-iron penalty appeal (Strahinja Pavlovic on Marcus Thuram) ignored by the referee. Inter's intensity and relentlessness, even when not everything is clicking as it should, is exactly what Conceicao says is missing from his Milan team.
The arrival of Santiago Giménez should help, but probably only in the medium-term: It's a big transition from the Eredivisie to Serie A, especially for a forward. Making his debut, Kyle Walker was marginally better than the guys he was brought in to replace, but that's not saying much. In addition to obsessing over getting a tune out of Rafael Leão and Theo Hernández, Conceicao needs to fix the midfield, because as we saw Sunday, without Youssouf Fofana (suspended) they simply get overrun.
As for Inter, it feels like two points dropped. The good news is that Hakan Calhanoglou is back and Napoli also dropped points. This team has the experience, quality and depth to win Serie A. On Sunday, they showed again that they have the mentality to do it.
Liverpool get more than a hint of good luck vs. Bournemouth
Luis Miguel Echegaray is joined Janusz Michallik to give their immediate reaction to Liverpool's hard-fought win over Bournemouth.
On Saturday, Liverpool got a 2-0 road win against a form side that hadn't lost since November, so you can only be happy in terms of results. You're still six points clear at the top, with a game in hand. But in terms of what actually happened in the 2-0 win at Bournemouth, this could have easily gone the other way.
The Lewis Cook-on-Cody Gakpo penalty that yielded Mo Salah's opener was soft. Salah's strike that put the game away was genius, which is why Slot talked about how grateful he was to have him on board. Bournemouth also hit the woodwork twice and forced a couple of superb saves from Alisson, and Justin Kluivert somehow missed an open goal sitter.
Does this foreshadow some kind of drop-off, especially with the rescheduled Merseyside derby and an upcoming trip to the Etihad to face Manchester City? Potentially. You have to go back in time to find the last truly impressive Liverpool win against a top opponent, and some of these guys have played a ton of minutes. If you're glass-half-empty, you may find some battle-weariness, which isn't great since we have four months of the campaign to go.
On the flip side, Slot has scarcely made a wrong step. And the good news is that Liverpool won't be playing Bournemouth -- a side that's giving everyone fits -- until next season. That said, you can be sure Slot is working to figure things out.
Real Madrid dominate, but referee calls go against them
Gemma Soler breaks down Real Madrid's disappointing defeat and what it means moving forward.
The last thing LaLiga needs is its biggest club complaining about referee persecution. Not just because of Real Madrid's history and dominance, but because conspiracy theories are never good for business. And in the week that the president of the Spanish FA revealed that club boss Florentino Perez wants him to bring in English referees, LaLiga certainly didn't need a controversial call.
And yet, that's what they got.
Real Madrid were dominant away to Espanyol, hitting the woodwork three times, and limiting the opposition to 0.18 xG and one shot on target until five minutes from time, when Carlos Romero capped off a well-executed transition by scoring the only goal of the game.
The problem? Not long before, Romero had hacked down Kylian Mbappé from behind as he ran down the flank. The referee pulled a yellow when many would have expected a red. This only fueled conspiracy speculations, since it followed the Vinícius goal that was disallowed in the first half for a foul by Mbappe who appeared to many to simply free himself from an opponent's hold.
I've made this point before, and it stands. It's not a good look for Real Madrid -- the richest, best-supported, most successful club in Spain -- to needle match officials in this way, especially when they do it preventatively by house organ Real Madrid TV. That said, Saturday felt like two points dropped through bad officiating. A stopped clock is right twice a day.
QUICK HITS
10. Simeone hits 500 and Atletico Madrid hit form just in time for the derby: Diego Simeone, taking charge of his 500th Liga game (eighth-most, but unlike the others, all with the same club), guided Atletico Madrid to a 2-0 win over Mallorca that confirms his team's state of grace. It's not so much that they've won 18 of their last 20 games in all competitions, but more the fact that when called upon, the right people are stepping up at the right time. On Saturday, it was Koke, Alexander Sorloth and Samuel Lino who answered the call, which only serves to further underscore just how deep this team is. With the Madrid derby -- and a chance to go to the top -- a week away, the only stain on his weekend was Robin Le Normand's caution, which means he'll be suspended for the Real Madrid game.
9. Ousmane Dembélé on fire for PSG as Luis Enrique does things his way: The word "fluid front three" is a bugbear of mine, but with Paris Saint-Germain and Luis Enrique, it makes sense. Bradley Barcola, Ousmane Dembele and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia (making his PSG debut) really did play that way for the hour or so they were on the pitch together in the 5-2 away win against Brest. It takes a lot of effort and a lot of time on the training pitch to build the necessary chemistry. But if anyone has the doggedness and vision to make it work -- as well as the string of not-so-critical league games in which to learn how to do it -- it's Luis Enrique.
8. Lamine Yamal's highlight moment overshadows routine 1-0 win over Alaves: This wasn't the sort of performance to write home about, but against a parked bus -- and with a bit of fatigue after their Champions League exertions on Wednesday -- you're not going to blame Barcelona for not running up the score. The fact that Alaves managed an xG of just 0.09 tells its own story. The highlight for me wasn't Robert Lewandowski's tap-in, though we should note he's up to 30 goals this season and it's still early February -- not bad for a 36-year-old. No, it was Lamine Yamal's early run, an absurd combination of technique, awareness, athleticism, strength and balance. On the Gab + Juls show, Julien Laurens and I debated whether it was reminiscent of Lionel Messi or George Weah. The fact that it called to mind both players tells you just how special Yamal is. And he's still too young to vote.
7. Vincent Kompany's Bayern Munich need to grow up: Sometimes the "maturity" card gets played unfairly. Not here. You can't be 4-0 up at home against the second-bottom team in the league and concede three times, squeaking a 4-3 win. It's just not what grown-up clubs of Bayern's magnitude do. Bayern started slow, could have easily gone down a goal early, dominated for a long-stretch and then suffered a late defensive collapse with those two injury time goals. The result was never really in peril, but the damage done to the confidence in this team is real.
6. Don't be fooled by Randal Kolo Muani's goal, as it's still baby steps for Juventus: At least it's a win after two straight defeats, right? And given that 4-1 victory over Empoli was only their second of 2025, that's not nothing. Still, you need to take it with a pinch of salt. Yes, it's nice that Kolo Muani bagged two goals, but the first came after his opponent crumpled to the ground and he shot from three yards out, while the second consisted of Tim Weah's shot deflecting off him and into the net when his back was turned. Juve's other two goals came in injury time. I'm not a Renato Veiga guy, and even less of a Lloyd Kelly guy, and I hate seeing Dusan Vlahovic come off the bench (though maybe his goal will change that). In other words, I'm confused as you are about Thiago Motta and what he's trying to do.
5. Borussia Dortmund still have plenty at stake for Kovac: If you wanted to be really cynical, you might suggest that the players wanted to look their best for incoming boss Niko Kovac, who takes over Monday. Whatever the case, they dominated for long stretches in the 2-1 win over Heidenheim and served up a reminder that, for all their ills, there is still a lot of talent here. Sure, they're in the bottom half of the table, but they're just five points from the top four and are still alive in Europe. Kovac's tenure can't be seen as some sort of long-term rebuilding. There are goals to reach in the present, and they have the tools to do it.
Gab Marcotti explains why Napoli manager Antonio Conte will be unhappy after his club surrendered a late goal to Roma.
4. Napoli drop points at Roma and only have themselves to blame: Manager Antonio Conte tried to put a brave face on it, noting that Roma's celebrations after Angeliño's injury time equalizer made it 1-1 somehow showed how feared and respected his Napoli side are. Maybe it was a way to distract from the fact that Napoli really should have done better. Yes, Roma away is a tough out, but the game was sandwiched between a key Europa League match and the Coppa Italia quarterfinal against Milan on Wednesday, and so Claudio Ranieri left no fewer than six regulars on the bench, including Paulo Dybala, Artem Dovbyk, Lorenzo Pellegrini and Leandro Paredes. Napoli took a first-half lead and then wilted, managing just two shots (total xG of 0.09) in the second half. Some blame fatigue, but it's hard to accept when this team gets a week-long break in between each game. Others blame lack of depth; again, hard to swallow when you consider they had Gio Simeone, Giacomo Raspadori, Cyril Ngonge, Billy Gilmour and Philip Billing on the bench -- the last three being Conte signings. It's OK to say you get it wrong sometimes.
Janusz Michallik reacts to Tottenham's 2-0 win away at Brentford in the Premier League.
3. Tottenham finally win, and do it by playing the opposite of "Angeball:" I know the cliché -- a win is a win, especially when you haven't had one in the league since mid-December -- and we can praise Spurs' resilience and effort despite the long list of injured and unavailable players. But Sunday's 2-0 away victory over Brentford should fool nobody. The home side had the upper hand and created plenty more chances. Tottenham looked nothing like an Ange Postecoglou team (no judgement here, just noting how they were on the back foot for much of the game), and the opener was a gift from the opposition keeper. It's three points and you'll take them, but we'll need to see something different if they're going to scale their way up the table and, more importantly, lay the foundation for something better next season.
2. Boniface is back with a bang, but Leverkusen need to check themselves: They're rolling along nicely. Sunday's 3-1 win over Hoffenheim was their 13th of the last 15 games and they're second in the Bundesliga table -- but there are lessons to be learned for Xabi Alonso's crew. They could have killed this game off early, but, instead, with the help of Alex Grimaldo's sending off, they risked letting Hoffenheim back in. That's something they need to fix. The additions of Emi Buendia (unlucky to be subbed off after the red card) and Mario Hermoso add depth, though what really moves the needle is the return from injury of Victor Boniface, who got on the scoresheet too. Last year, they came within a whisker of a historic Treble. That probably won't happen this season, but they'll go deep -- provided they don't beat themselves.
Mark Ogden believes Ruben Amorim wants Alejandro Garnacho to stay at Manchester United however the board are open to selling the forward.
1. I was kinda half-joking when I said Man United should tank the league and focus on the cups: And yet, that's maybe what Ruben Amorim is doing? Go past the headline (embarrassing as it is) of the 2-0 defeat to Crystal Palace -- who have five defeats in their last six league games at Old Trafford -- and consider instead his decision to start Kobbie Mainoo at center forward (and, by extension, Bruno Fernandes in midfield). What if this is what he's actually doing? Experimenting in the league knowing they won't be relegated and, realistically, won't be qualifying for the Champions League? Putting all the eggs instead on winning the Europa League and the FA Cup? He won't -- and can't -- admit it, but it wouldn't necessarily be a bad decision, provided it helps him assess his squad and gives him the answers he needs to rebuild in the summer.