Action has begun in the Premier League, La Liga and Ligue 1 after a month-and-a half-long break for the FIFA World Cup in Qatar. Arsenal and Liverpool won two games out of two, while Manchester City dropped points against Everton. Kylian Mbappe was at it again just 11 days after scoring three goals in the World Cup final, clinching the winner for PSG against Strasbourg.
Here is a recap of all the action, and a preview to all the action to come.
Premier League
Premier League resumed quickly after the FIFA World Cup, starting with the Boxing Day games.
Arsenal extended its lead at the top of the table to seven points at the turn of the year, beating West Ham United and Brighton & Hove Albion. Manchester City, on the other hand, dropped points against Everton. Its goal-machine Erling Haaland picked up from where he left off, scoring three goals from two games.
Behind them are Newcastle United, which has continued its remarkable run, and Manchester United. The Red Devils first brushed aside Nottingham Forest 3-0, and then eked out a 1-0 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers. Marcus Rashford continued to be in form, scoring in both games.
Tottenham Hotspur is the only team in the top five not to taste success after restart, securing just a point from its post-Christmas double fixtures. In the first Premier League game of 2023, it suffered a chastening defeat at home to Aston Villa.
Liverpool, though not flawless, secured a pair of crucial wins – against Aston Villa and Leicester City. The win against the Foxes came courtesy of a couple of own goals from Leicester defender Wout Faes.
La Liga
Karim Benzema was quick to brush aside his disappointment of missing out at the FIFA World Cup, helping Real Madrid beat Real Valladolid with a late brace. The win, coupled with Barcelona’s scrappy 1-1 draw with Espanyol, meant the eternal rivals entered 2023 level on points.
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With the titans fighting out evenly, the second El Clasico of the season, scheduled on March 19, could be vital. The two teams have a comfortable cushion of nine points over third-placed Real Sociedad, while Atletico Madrid is a further two points behind, on fourth.
Diego Simeone’s side, too, had to grind out a result. Forward Alvaro Morata led the way, scoring a double against Elche.
Further down the points table, heavyweight Sevilla is mired in a relegation battle. It is currently occupying the 17th position in the league, setting up a nervy second half of the season for its fans.
Ligue 1
Just 11 days after his heroic performance in the World Cup final, Kylian Mbappe proved his mettle in handling high-pressure situations, clinching the winner for PSG deep into injury time against relegation zone dweller Strasbourg. The Parisians, who were without World Cup winner Lionel Messi, also had to deal with the premature exit of Neymar, who was booked for simulation and was sent off.
Rescue act: Kylian Mbappe scores from the penalty spot against Strasbourg deep into injury time. This goal proved crucial as PSG collected all three points. | Photo Credit: REUTERS
The team started the new year with a shock 1-3 defeat to second-placed Lens. With this result, the gap between these two teams has reduced to four points.
Marseille, Lille, and Lyon are further behind in the points table.
Bundesliga
Of the five major European leagues, Bundesliga will be the one to start last. Action begins only on January 21 with a clash between leader Bayern Munich and third-placed RB Leipzig.
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After a shaky start to the season, 10-time defending champion Bayern Munich has reclaimed its position at the top of the table. It has a four-point lead over SC Freiburg.
Julian Nagelsmann’s team has quickly moved on from the departure of star forward Robert Lewandowski. Teenage sensation Jamal Musiala has now become the central figure of the team, leading both the goals and assists tally in the league for his side.
Frieburg and Union Berlin are the unusual presence in the top five. Union Berlin, the shock leader earlier in the season, is now fifth. The two teams have pushed heavyweight Borussia Dortmund down to sixth.
Dortmund has heavily invested in the youth. Jude Bellingham is one of its three captains, while 18-year-old Youssoufa Moukoko is establishing himself as the next big player.
Serie A
Napoli’s bid to claim its first Serie A title in more than 30 years will continue on January 5 with an away game against fellow title contender Inter Milan.
Luciano Spelletti’s ‘fluid football’ has taken Italy by storm. The Neapolitans hold a commanding lead over AC Milan, which travels to Salernitana for the league’s first match after resumption.
Napoli’s breakout star – Georgia’s Khvicha Kvaratskhelia – and the league’s top scorer Victor Oshimen have waited eagerly for the FIFA World Cup to end so they can resume their scintillating run as goalscorers.
Below Napoli in the points table, the competition is intense. Six teams are separated by just six points.
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