European Football: Betis And Bellerín Deny Real Madrid, Eta’s Union Lose At Leipzig

Héctor Bellerín struck heavy into stoppage clip to gain Real Betis a 1-1 tie against Real Madrid connected Friday, dealing different rustle to nan visitors’ fading title hopes.

Álvaro Arbeloa’s broadside appeared connected people for a constrictive triumph aft taking nan lead successful nan 17th minute. Federico Valverde fto alert from extracurricular nan container and nan Betis goalkeeper, Álvaro Valles, could only parry nan shot into nan way of Vinícius Júnior, who reacted swiftly to guideline a neat decorativeness conscionable wrong nan correct post.

Jude Bellingham astir made it 2-0 soon after, but Betis gradually grew into nan title and began to threaten. Andriy Lunin kept nan visitors up earlier half-time pinch 3 crisp saves to contradict Cedric Bakambu and Antony. Madrid resumed power aft nan break but were wasteful successful beforehand of goal.

Kylian Mbappé endured a frustrating evening, blazing complete from a Trent Alexander Arnold walk and later seeing a extremity ruled retired for offside. Lunin continued to shine, producing a stunning one-handed prevention to contradict Cucho Hernández successful nan 65th infinitesimal and different good extremity from Natan 9 minutes later.

Vinícius squandered a gilt-edged chance aft a dazzling tally from nan near arsenic Madrid grounded to put nan crippled beyond reach, and they paid nan value successful nan 93rd minute. Ferland Mendy mislaid possession to Antony wrong nan container and nan shot collapsed kindly for Bellerin, who drove a debased effort done a wood of legs and into nan net.

“In situations for illustration this, there’s not overmuch to deliberation about. I’m not 1 for shooting from distance; I look for nan cross. Amidst each nan legs, it went in,” Bellerín told Dazn. “I deliberation we were successful power for astir of nan lucifer and deserved much than conscionable a point. They’re a superb team, but we had plentifulness of chances.”

Real Madrid beryllium 8 points down leaders Barcelona, who could agelong their advantage to 11 points pinch triumph complete Getafe connected Saturday. Barça could seal back-to-back titles against their bitter rivals successful nan clásico astatine Camp Nou connected 10 May.

RB Leipzig defeated Union Berlin 3-1 successful nan Bundesliga connected Friday, handing coach Marie-Louise Eta her 2nd conclusion successful arsenic galore games successful charge. Max Finkgräfe, Romulo and Ridle Baku scored arsenic Leipzig earned a 5th consecutive victory, successful a crippled overshadowed by sexism allegations complete a societal media post.

Eta, who is nan first female coach successful nan Bundesliga, has been nan taxable of a torrent of sexist maltreatment connected societal media. Leipzig were accused of joining successful connected Thursday erstwhile they responded to a station connected X from Union saying it was a “nice city”.

RB Leipzig’s relationship posted photos of Eta posing pinch erstwhile Leipzig coach Marco Rose and erstwhile players Dominik Szoboszlai and Emil Forsberg. The caption read: “Your caput coach didn’t conscionable find nan metropolis beautiful nice...”

Finkgräfe opened nan scoring successful nan 22nd infinitesimal by thumping Leopold Querfeld’s headed clearance wrong nan correct post. Brazilian guardant Romulo shrugged disconnected Querfeld’s anemic situation to people 3 minutes later, and Union suffered different rustle erstwhile keeper Frederik Rønnow had to spell disconnected injured, replaced by Carl Klaus.

Though her squad improved aft nan break, Eta made 3 changes astir nan hr mark, only for Yan Diomande to group up Baku for nan third. Danilho Doekhi scored Union’s consolation pinch a header successful nan 77th minute, and substitute Ilyas Ansah thought he scored different successful stoppage time, only to person it ruled retired for offside.

Union Berlin's caput coach Marie-Louise Eta oversaw a 3-1 conclusion to third-placed RB Leipzig. Photograph: Filip Singer/EPA

In Ligue 1, Lens came backmost from 3-0 down astatine mid-table Brest to rescue a 3-3 draw, but still handed reigning champions Paris Saint-Germain an advantage successful nan title race.

Last week, Lens allowed 2 early goals against Toulouse but bounced backmost to triumph 3-2; this clip Pierre Sage’s broadside gave themselves an moreover bigger upland to climb. A seventh-minute opener from Daounda Guindo was followed by goals from Lucas Tousart and Junior Dina Ebimbe arsenic nan hosts went into nan break successful full command.

Lens person shown awesome resilience this play to motorboat an unexpected title title, and substitute Florian Thauvin pulled them backmost into nan crippled connected nan hr mark. Abdallah Sima added a 2nd 4 minutes later and Allan Saint-Maximin completed nan comeback successful stoppage clip erstwhile he coiled successful a melodramatic equaliser.

PSG clasp a three-point advantage complete Lens pinch a crippled successful hand; nan 2 sides meet astatine Stade Bollaert-Delelis successful a delayed title showdown connected 13 May.

Allan Saint-Maximin (right) scored a precocious equaliser to gain Lens a constituent astatine Brest. Photograph: Fred Tanneau/AFP/Getty Images

Napoli cruised to a 4-0 triumph astatine location to Cremonese connected Friday, a consequence which intends Serie A leaders Internazionale will person to hold different week to unafraid nan title.

Napoli are second successful nan standings connected 69 points, 9 down Inter who are distant to Torino connected Sunday. Cremonese stay heavy successful relegation trouble, level connected 28 points pinch Lecce, who recreation to Hellas Verona connected Saturday.

Scott McTominay opened nan scoring early on, collecting Kevin De Bruyne’s walk and taking a touch earlier rifling a debased changeable into nan bottommost area of nan nett for his ninth convention extremity of nan season. Napoli doubled their lead connected nan changeable of half-time pinch an ain goal, Rasmus Højlund’s changeable deflecting successful disconnected Filippo Terracciano.

Antonio Conte’s broadside vanished nan crippled disconnected successful first-half stoppage time, pinch McTominay making an acrobatic pullback from nan byline to support nan shot successful play earlier De Bruyne drilled his changeable beyond Audero. Alisson Santos added a 4th successful nan 52nd minute, finishing from nan separator of nan area aft a agelong solo run.