"The European soccer weekend again delivered a ton of talking points across the top leagues -- and the English FA Cup, which completed its fourth round this weekend -- but where do we begin? Let's start in Italy, and a top-of-the-table derby clash between Inter Milan and Juventus that yielded five goals, plenty of drama ... and plenty of controversy after a first-half dive led to a red card that changed the game."
"The referee made a mistake, but the teams, their players, and their officials, should know better. In England's FA Cup, Liverpool wrapped a big win over Premier League rivals Brighton that showed further signs of their progress in a difficult season. In Spain, Real Madrid turned in another wobbly performance but did get a big win over LaLiga's red-hot Real Sociedad, and in Germany, Harry Kane made it to 500 club/country goals as Bayern Munich rolled over Werder Bremen to stay way out in front of the chasing pack in the Bundesliga."
"Ideally, we'd be talking about an engrossing match -- the latest edition of the Derby d'Italia -- pitting Italian footballing royalty against each other. A game that saw Juventus twice come from behind against the league leaders, Inter, only to be pipped by a dramatic Piotr Zielinski goal in the 90th minute. We'd be talking about Manuel Locatelli's drive and Francesco Pio Esposito's goal, Inter's ability to turn it on when it matters and how Juventus, after Luciano Spalletti's arrival, play some of the best football in the league."
A controversial first-half dive resulted in a red card that shifted momentum in the Inter Milan versus Juventus derby and overshadowed a five-goal thriller. Piotr Zielinski struck a 90th-minute winner after Juventus twice came from behind, with contributions from Manuel Locatelli and Francesco Pio Esposito. Liverpool advanced in the FA Cup with a strong win over Brighton, showing signs of progress in a difficult season. Real Madrid eked out a victory over Real Sociedad despite an uneven display. Bayern Munich dominated Werder Bremen as Harry Kane reached 500 club-and-country goals. Other clubs including Atletico Madrid, Marseille, Chelsea, and Napoli remain central to unfolding title races and debates over VAR and officiating.
Read at ESPN.com
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