Newcastle United's triumphant end to their 57-year trophy drought and Barcelona's remarkable comeback against Atletico Madrid highlighted an action-packed weekend of European football before the international break.
Newcastle's historic Carabao Cup victory over Liverpool marked the end of nearly six decades without silverware. Local hero Dan Burn, who grew up a Newcastle fan just 15 miles from St. James' Park and was released from the club's youth ranks at age 11, opened the scoring in what can only be described as a storybook moment. The defender, once deemed too tall at 6-foot-7 to play football, worked his way back to the club at age 30 after stints at smaller clubs and even stocking supermarket shelves.
Eddie Howe's tactical masterclass saw Newcastle limit Liverpool to just two shots on target throughout the entire match. The midfield trio of Bruno Guimarães, Sandro Tonali, and Joelinton dominated their Liverpool counterparts, effectively shutting down the Premier League leaders' attacking mechanisms. Alexander Isak's second goal put the match beyond doubt, and despite Federico Chiesa's injury-time consolation, Newcastle secured a well-deserved 2-1 victory.
For Liverpool manager Arne Slot, the defeat highlighted recent concerns about squad rotation and fatigue. Having played 120 minutes plus extra time against PSG in midweek, Liverpool looked haggard and lacking sharpness, similar to their performances against Southampton, PSG, Aston Villa, and Wolves. Slot's limited rotation earlier in the season, while building chemistry under a new system, may have left them short in the stretch run.
Meanwhile, Barcelona delivered a statement win that transforms perceptions about their solidity and mentality. Trailing 2-0 away to Atletico Madrid with just 20 minutes remaining and having registered just one shot on target, Hansi Flick's side mounted an incredible comeback. Robert Lewandowski, 36 years young, initiated the revival with an exquisite control and lightning-quick finish that "can't be taught, only bestowed by a higher power."
Super-sub Ferran Torres equalized before Lamine Yamal's deflected strike completed the turnaround. Torres added a fourth in garbage time to cap a remarkable 4-2 victory that boosted Barcelona's title credentials. While Flick deserves credit for his substitutions, particularly moving Raphinha into a central position, the players' belief and determination were equally crucial.
For Atletico boss Diego Simeone, questions arise about his decision-making. Despite having a deep squad, he made only two changes following their exhausting 120-minute Copa del Rey clash with Real Madrid. His third and fourth substitutions only came after Barcelona had equalized, with one change seemingly aimed at settling for a draw rather than pushing for victory.
In London, Arsenal's 1-0 win over Chelsea proved a surprisingly dull affair, largely due to both teams missing key attacking players. Arsenal were without Bukayo Saka, Kai Havertz, and Gabriel Jesus, while Chelsea missed Nico Jackson, Noni Madueke, Cole Palmer, and Marc Guiu. The makeshift forward lines resulted in a game marked by errors, exemplified by Chelsea goalkeeper Robert Sánchez misjudging Mikel Merino's mishit header for the only goal.
Despite 59% possession, Chelsea managed just two shots on target and eight touches in the opposition box. Arsenal secured three vital points as they focus on their Champions League campaign, where they face Real Madrid next.
Inter Milan took a significant step toward the Serie A title with a convincing 2-0 win at Atalanta, coupled with Napoli's 0-0 draw against Venezia. The victory gives Inter a six-point lead over Atalanta and a three-point margin over Napoli, with tiebreakers in hand against both. Unlike some previous encounters, this wasn't a case of Inter finding a way to win against the run of play – they created better chances throughout, reflected in the expected goals count of 2.45 to 0.64.
Atalanta's frustration showed when midfielder Éderson and manager Gian Piero Gasperini were both sent off. Ederson received a second yellow for sarcastically applauding the referee, while Gasperini's dismissal reflected his persistent anger management issues despite his tactical genius.
Elsewhere, Paris Saint-Germain continued their domestic dominance with a 3-1 win over Marseille in Le Classique, extending their unbeaten Ligue 1 run and maintaining a 19-point lead at the top. Kylian Mbappé powered Real Madrid to a hard-fought 2-1 win at Villarreal, scoring both goals to reach 20 in LaLiga and 31 overall this season.
Bayer Leverkusen maintained their remarkable comeback habit, recovering from two goals down to win 4-3 in injury time against Stuttgart, while Bayern Munich's inconsistent campaign continued with a 1-1 draw against Union Berlin. Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola showed he's still in experimental mode during their 2-2 draw with Brighton, leaving technically gifted players like Bernardo Silva, Phil Foden, and Kevin De Bruyne on the bench in favor of a more direct approach.
In Italy, AC Milan secured a 2-1 win over Como thanks to goals from standout players Tijani Reijnders and Christian Pulisic, while Juventus slipped out of Champions League places following a 3-0 defeat to Fiorentina, leaving manager Thiago Motta under increasing pressure.
As European football enters the international break, the stage is set for an enthralling conclusion to the season across all major leagues.
