INTER MILAN MISSED the chance to take charge of the Serie A title race after being held to a 2-2 home draw by Bologna.
A win would have moved reigning champions Inter one point behind league leaders Napoli with a game in hand, and they looked to be doing so when Lautaro Martinez fired the hosts ahead on the stroke of half-time from Federico Dimarco’s perfect low cross
But Emil Holm’s wildly deflected finish in the 64th minute gave Bologna — who also took a 15th-minute lead through Santiago Castro but were quickly pegged back by Denzel Dumfries — a fully deserved draw at the San Siro and left Inter three points behind Napoli.
In Germany, Leroy Sane scored a goal in each half as Bayern Munich thumped Hoffenheim 5-0 at home to restore their four-point lead at the top of the Bundesliga table.
Bayer Leverkusen’s 1-0 home win over Mainz on Tuesday had drawn Xabi Alonso’s defending champions within one point, but Bayern had no mercy against a listless Hoffenheim.
Former Manchester City winger Sane, who is looking to impress with his contract expiring in the summer, put the hosts in front six minutes in after a clever exchange of passes with veteran Thomas Mueller.
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Harry Kane created Raphael Guerreiro’s 12th-minute goal, threading a pass to the Portuguese who beat Hoffenheim and Germany goalie Oliver Baumann.
Kane added a goal of his own midway through the opening half, converting from the spot after a handball in the box.
The England captain has now converted 27 straight penalties for club and country dating back to his miss against France in the World Cup quarter-finals in Qatar in 2022.
Sane got his second three minutes after half-time, tapping in a Mathys Tel cross from close range amid more poor Hoffenheim defence.
Serge Gnabry got on the scoresheet after 66 minutes to bring up Bayern’s fifth, his first league goal since September.
Elsewhere, Lamine Yamal starred as Barcelona sailed into the Copa del Rey quarter-finals with a dazzling 5-1 victory over Real Betis.
Atletico Madrid joined them in the last eight with a 4-0 win at second division Elche.
Barca’s 17-year-old starlet Yamal scored and helped create two more goals as Hansi Flick’s side ran riot at the Olympic Stadium.
Gavi sent Barcelona ahead early on, with Jules Kounde, Raphinha, Ferran Torres and Yamal helping the Catalans rack up an impressive win.
After winning the Spanish Super Cup in Saudi Arabia last weekend by thrashing Real Madrid, Barca came into the cup clash with restored confidence, having stuttered in the final weeks of 2024.
In France, two late goals from Bradley Barcola and Goncalo Ramos spared the blushes of defending champion Paris Saint-Germain who booked their place in the last 16 of the French Cup with a nerve-jangling 4-2 win at fifth-tier Espaly.
There was no such reprieve for Lyon, however, who were sent crashing out when they were beaten 4-2 on penalties by another fifth-tier team Bourgoin-Jallieu.
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Inter stutter in Serie A title race while Bayern Munich take control in Bundesliga
INTER MILAN MISSED the chance to take charge of the Serie A title race after being held to a 2-2 home draw by Bologna.
A win would have moved reigning champions Inter one point behind league leaders Napoli with a game in hand, and they looked to be doing so when Lautaro Martinez fired the hosts ahead on the stroke of half-time from Federico Dimarco’s perfect low cross
But Emil Holm’s wildly deflected finish in the 64th minute gave Bologna — who also took a 15th-minute lead through Santiago Castro but were quickly pegged back by Denzel Dumfries — a fully deserved draw at the San Siro and left Inter three points behind Napoli.
In Germany, Leroy Sane scored a goal in each half as Bayern Munich thumped Hoffenheim 5-0 at home to restore their four-point lead at the top of the Bundesliga table.
Bayer Leverkusen’s 1-0 home win over Mainz on Tuesday had drawn Xabi Alonso’s defending champions within one point, but Bayern had no mercy against a listless Hoffenheim.
Former Manchester City winger Sane, who is looking to impress with his contract expiring in the summer, put the hosts in front six minutes in after a clever exchange of passes with veteran Thomas Mueller.
Harry Kane created Raphael Guerreiro’s 12th-minute goal, threading a pass to the Portuguese who beat Hoffenheim and Germany goalie Oliver Baumann.
Kane added a goal of his own midway through the opening half, converting from the spot after a handball in the box.
The England captain has now converted 27 straight penalties for club and country dating back to his miss against France in the World Cup quarter-finals in Qatar in 2022.
Sane got his second three minutes after half-time, tapping in a Mathys Tel cross from close range amid more poor Hoffenheim defence.
Serge Gnabry got on the scoresheet after 66 minutes to bring up Bayern’s fifth, his first league goal since September.
Elsewhere, Lamine Yamal starred as Barcelona sailed into the Copa del Rey quarter-finals with a dazzling 5-1 victory over Real Betis.
Atletico Madrid joined them in the last eight with a 4-0 win at second division Elche.
Barca’s 17-year-old starlet Yamal scored and helped create two more goals as Hansi Flick’s side ran riot at the Olympic Stadium.
Gavi sent Barcelona ahead early on, with Jules Kounde, Raphinha, Ferran Torres and Yamal helping the Catalans rack up an impressive win.
After winning the Spanish Super Cup in Saudi Arabia last weekend by thrashing Real Madrid, Barca came into the cup clash with restored confidence, having stuttered in the final weeks of 2024.
In France, two late goals from Bradley Barcola and Goncalo Ramos spared the blushes of defending champion Paris Saint-Germain who booked their place in the last 16 of the French Cup with a nerve-jangling 4-2 win at fifth-tier Espaly.
There was no such reprieve for Lyon, however, who were sent crashing out when they were beaten 4-2 on penalties by another fifth-tier team Bourgoin-Jallieu.
– © AFP 2025
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