Both Inter and Milan fall into the bad weekend bracket albeit for very different reasons while Manchester City still look unstoppable
LOSERS
Inter
It had to happen eventually, but who would have thought it would be home to Udinese after being able to make it out alive away to Roma, Napoli and Juventus? The Nerazzurri suffer the first defeat of the season and lose the top of the table, conceding three goals and being unable to react in the second half.
AC Milan
Reports suggest Gennaro Gattuso was ready to resign after he saw how relaxed the players were following the 3-0 loss to Verona. The directors convinced him to remain, but there’s no doubt that the Rossoneri are continuing the downfall, every week getting worse and worse and without showing any signs of a reaction.
[fve]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PegOrQpSz1M[/fve]
Galatasaray
An eight point lead thrown to the bin, second place in the Turkish lead, five defeats over the past nine games and the inevitable consequence: Igor Tudor sacked as coach. Galatasaray’s defeat to newly promoted club Yeni Malatyaspor was the nail in the coffin for the former Juventus player, as his team simply struggled to react in recent weeks, and have been overtaken by Istanbul Basaksehir.
Bayern Munich
The 2-2 between Schalke and Eintracht Frankfurt makes one team particularly happy: Bayern Munich. The Bavarians win again and solidify their leadership with 11 points over second, a number that is beginning to be enough to have the Bundesliga won and focus on the Champions League. Jup Heynckes’ work has been exceptional since taking over from Carlo Ancelotti, and Bayern are quickly back in their usual place.
WINNERS
Manchester City
It’s becoming almost a joke: City are cruising past every single opponent, making it look so so easy. If the big clubs can’t even get a point against the Citizens, then the Premier League could almost end now. Still unbeaten, and able to pile together 52 points. Pep Guardiola’s best ever team?
Real Madrid
Of course, it was just a formality. But every game needs to be won. And no one does it better than Cristiano Ronaldo. One goal of the recent Ballon d’Or winner was enough to get rid of Gremio and hand Real Madrid the Club World Cup, the icing on the cake of Los Blancos best ever season, with five titles won under Zinedine Zidane. Simply the best club of 2017.
Barcelona
If Real Madrid won everything in 2017, Barcelona will try do the same in the new year. La Liga is promising to be exciting until the very end, but if there’s a team leaping towards the title, it’s Ernesto Valverde’s. An easy 4-0 result over Deportivo La Coruna with a great night for Luis Suarez and Paulinho to continue the march.
[fve]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P9bZ8YI90oU[/fve]
Tottenham
To lose to Manchester City is more than acceptable this season. To do it conceding four goals and to be seventh with 31 points after 18 games not so acceptable. Especially considering Spurs’ growth in the past two years, from the title challenge to Claudio Ranieri’s Leicester City to last year’s improvement. Everyone expected Mauricio Pochettino’s side to make the final step, instead it has gone backwards. Yes, the Champions League has been great so far, but Spurs might not be in the competition next season.
