Milan cut Inter’s lead at the top of Serie A to seven points after a 1-0 victory in the derby at San Siro. Pervis Estupiñán’s first-half strike saw Milan complete a Serie A double over their fierce city rivals for the first time since 2011.
Inter had gone 15 league matches undefeated since their 1-0 loss to Milan in November but it was the full-back Estupiñán who found the only goal in the 35th minute.
“It is the most important goal of my life, really,” Estupiñán told DAZN after the match.
The Milan manager, Massimiliano Allegri, quickly cooled any talk of the Scudetto, stating that a top-four placement and spot in next season’s Champions League is the main goal. “We defended in an orderly way and had a few favourable situations. That said, Inter clearly remain the favourites for the championship,” he said.
Roma’s Champions League hopes suffered a blow with a 2-1 loss against Genoa. Evan Ndicka quickly equalised after Junior Messias had given Genoa the lead but Vitinha scored the winner 10 minutes from time.
Lecce claimed victory in the big match at the bottom, beating Cremonese 2-1 to move three points clear of the drop zone. Cremonese drop into the bottom three.
Struggling Verona earned a surprise 2-1 win at Bologna, with Scottish striker Kieron Bowie firing the decisive goal to end a run of 12 games without a victory. They still sit seven points from safety after Fiorentina drew 0-0 with Parma, while Cremonese drop into the bottom three with a 2-1 defeat at Lecce.
In Germany, Wolfsburg sacked their head coach, Daniel Bauer, on Sunday after the club’s managing director for sport departed on Saturday with the club mired in the relegation zone.
The dismissals of Bauer and Peter Christiansen came after Saturday’s 2-1 home defeat to Hamburg, which prompted an on-field melee between both sets of players, and angry scenes from fans at the Volkswagen Arena. Veteran coach Dieter Hecking has been announced as Bauer’s replacement.
Bauer, who was previously the club’s Under-19 coach, took over from Paul Simonis in November and becomes their second managerial casualty this term. Wolfsburg’s winless run in the Bundesliga stretches to eight games, with the VW-backed club 17th in the table and at risk of their first-ever relegation from the top division.
Wolfsburg fans attended the team’s training session on Friday in an effort to rouse the players, and displayed a banner before the game warning it was their last chance. At full-time, masked supporters threw black flares onto the field and unfurled a new message: “Chance wasted, support withdrawn.”
The stricken club, title winners in the 2008-09 season, have turned to 61-year-old Hecking, who led Wolfsburg to DFB-Pokal and Supercup trophies in 2015. Hecking has been out of work since leaving second-tier Bochum early this season.
St Pauli’s goalless draw with Eintracht Frankfurt on Sunday means Wolfsburg are four points from guaranteed safety.
Werder Bremen thumped 10-man Union Berlin 4-1. Derrick Köhn put Berlin ahead from the penalty spot in the 18th minute but András Schafer was sent off just a minute later and their opponents took full advantage.
In Ligue 1, Lens moved within a point of leaders Paris Saint-Germain on Sunday after beating bottom side Metz 3-0 at home.
Saudi international Saud Abdulhamid drilled in the opening goal late in the first half and Florian Thauvin doubled the hosts’ immediately after the break. Amadou Haïdara wrapped up the victory on 52 minutes as Lens won for the first time in three matches to relaunch their pursuit of PSG, who lost 3-1 at home to Monaco on Friday.
Villarreal stayed on track for a Champions League place and moved level on points with Atlético Madrid after a 2-1 home win over Elche. Tajon Buchanan fired the hosts in front, with Santiago Mouriño adding the second before half-time.
Valencia pulled away from danger after a dramatic end to their 3-2 victory over Alavés.
Two goals from Lucas Boyé looked set to decide the contest in Alavés’ favour but Eray Cömert equalised in the 90th minute and Hugo Duro scored the winner from the penalty spot nine minutes into stoppage time after the visitors had had both Jon Pacheco and Ander Guevara sent off.
