La Liga and Serie A roundup: Madrid claims El Clasico, Napoli bag six

By Kyle LynchOct 26, 2014, 6:53 PM EDT

Catch up on all of this weekend’s action from Spain and Italy’s top flights.

La Liga

Real Madrid 3-1 Barcelona

In a battle between Spain’s two biggest clubs, Real Madrid handed Barcelona their first La Liga loss of the season. After Neymar put Barca ahead early on in the 4^th minute, goals from Cristiano Ronaldo, Pepe and Karim Benzema led Madrid to three points. The three goals were the first goals conceded by Barca all season.

[ MORE: Full El Clasico coverage | Pique says handball was unintentional ]

Sevilla 2-1 Valencia

With Barca dropping points, Sevilla jumped to the top of the table with a dramatic late win against Villareal. Down 1-0, Denis Suarez knotted the score in the 88^th minute before Carlos Bacca buried a penalty deep into stoppage time to steal three points.

Cordoba 1-1 Sociedad

Real Sociedad looked set for a win after Spanish international Inigo Maritnez put his side ahead in the first half, but former Newcastle man Xisco equalized late in the 87^th minute. The draw gives struggling Cordoba five points in nine matches, as they have yet to win a game in La Liga.

Around La Liga:
Celta Vigo 3-0 Levante
Almeria 0-1 Athletic
Valencia 3-1 Elche
Eibar 1-1 Granada
Malaga 4-0 Rayo
Espanyol 0-0 Deportivo
Getafe CF 0-1 Atletico Madrid

Serie A

source: Getty Images — Gonzalo Higuain’s second half hat-trick led Napoli to an easy win.

Napoli 6-2 Verona

After Emil Hallfredsson put Verona up 1-0 in the first minute of play, it was all Napoli as Gonzalo Higuain bagged a second half hat-trick in a route at Stadio San Paolo. Marek Hamsik added a brace and Jose Callejon also tallied for Napoli.

Sampdoria 0-0 Roma

Following their 7-1 thrashing at the hands of Bayern Munich, Roma could only muster a draw against a Sampdoria side that has yet to lose in Serie A play. Gervinho had chances to put Roma ahead, but a stingy Sampdoria defense that has only conceded four goals in eight matches held Roma scoreless.

Juventus 2-0 Palermo

Juventus remain unbeaten and at the top of the Serie A table after a 2-0 win over Palermo. Goals from Arturo Vidal and Fernando Llorente helped Juve rebound from a 1-0 loss midweek to Olympiacos in the Champions League. Juventus have scored 16 times while only conceding three goals in their first eight Serie A matches.

Around Serie A:
Empoli 0-4 Cagliari
Parma 1-3 Sassuolo
Udinese 2-0 Atalanta
Cesena 0-1 Inter Milan
Chievo 1-2 Genoa
Milan 1-1 Fiorentina
Lazio 2-1 Torino

UEFA Champions League Final: Key battles for Inter Milan vs Manchester City

By Nicholas MendolaJun 10, 2023, 12:16 PM EDT

Manchester City’s quest for the treble hits its final obstacle when Inter Milan goes toe-to-toe with the Premier League and FA Cup champions in Istanbul at Saturday’s UEFA Champions League Final.

Pep Guardiola’s weren’t at their very best against Manchester United in the FA Cup Final and still walked away with its second trophy of the season.

But City’s final two Premier League matches saw dropped points. The stakes were non-existent and the team quite changed by Guardiola, who’s known to fancy a tactical wrinkle. How will things change this weekend?

[ MORE: Man City vs Inter Milan preview, watch info ]

It would be stunning if Inter boss Simone Inzaghi came out in anything but a 3-5-2, which has been his go-to formation for Inter Milan this season regardless of opponent.

But might Inzaghi have something up his sleeve?

Inter’s only losses in the Champions League came in the group stage versus Bayern Munich. Add in their setbacks in Serie A and there’s still been no standard recipe for beating Inter. There isn’t one for Man City, either, of course.

Kevin De Bruyne vs Marcelo Brozovic

If there’s a single player capable of messing with Pep Guardiola’s plan to control the game and get the ball to his creators in dangerous spots, it’s Croatian veteran Marcelo Brozovic. The 30-year-old is a force who can both be the club’s metronome and break up the opposition’s best attacks. There are few players in the world like De Bruyne, but he needs to be found in space and City needs the ball to do that. Brozovic can be a big part of limiting both of those things.

Erling Haaland vs Francesco Acerbi

Maybe the two names need to be switched in order, because Acerbi is going to have his hands full with Haaland. The question is whether the 35-year-old Acerbi, still very good but no longer in his prime, can use his nous and vast experience to limit Haaland’s chances to do the exceptional. Haaland, meanwhile, just has to be himself. Ask yourself who’s being asked more.

Andre Onana vs Man City’s attack

Picking one player, even Haaland or De Bruyne, for this battle is unfair to the exercise because let’s be real. There is no chance that Inter Milan wins this game without a supreme moment or two from its goalkeeper. Andre Onana has played every Champions League match for Inter and has had his fair share of outstanding performances. He’s outperformed expected goals on target by 6.7 goals over the course of the tournament.

Follow @NicholasMendola

Manchester City vs Inter Milan: How to watch Champions League Final, odds, predictions

By Nicholas MendolaJun 10, 2023, 12:15 PM EDT

Manchester City is on the chase for a historic treble and standing in the way is Inter Milan, one of Europe’s precious few clubs to claim such an honor.

[ LIVE: Manchester City vs Inter Milan ]

The Premier League winners three times running have an FA Cup under their belt after beating Manchester United on June 3 and the final jewel in their treble crown awaits with a win in Istanbul on June 10.

[ MORE: How to watch Premier League in USA ]

Pep Guardiola could lead a second club to a treble after he did it with Barcelona in 2008-09, and they would give heated rivals United domestic company on the treble stage right down the road.

Guardiola says it’s now okay to talk about the treble. We agree, and we’ve laid out why the achievement is so special after the jump.

Here’s everything you need to know ahead of Manchester City vs Inter Milan.

How to watch Manchester City vs Inter Milan live, stream link and start time

Dates: 3pm ET June 10, 2023
Online: Live updates via NBCSports.com
How to watch: TUDN, Paramount+

What Premier League clubs have won the treble?

Manchester United won the Premier League, FA Cup, and Champions League in 1998-99.

Sir Alex Ferguson’s Red Devils are the lone Premier League club to win it.

That’s it. For now.

How many times has the treble been won?

Nine times in history has a team won its domestic league, top domestic cup, and the European Cup.

Bayern Munich and Barcelona have each done it twice, with Bayern doing it in 2012-13 and 2019-20 and Barca pulling it off in 2008-09 and 2014-15.

Celtic was the first to win a treble, doing it in 1966-67, while Ajax was the next in 1971-72.

PSV Eindhoven then won it in 1987-88 before Man United made it happen 11 years later. Inter Milan is the only Italian team to pull it off, winning in 2009-10.

(UEFA.com)

Champions League Final odds (Betting odds provided by our partner, BetMGM )

BetMGM is our Official Sports Betting Partner and we may receive compensation if you place a bet on BetMGM for the first time after clicking our links.

Man City (-250) vs Inter Milan (+625) | Draw over 120 mins (+380)

Over 2.5 goals (-160). Under 2.5 goals (+110)

Champions League Final predictions

Joe Prince-Wright: Man City 2-1 Inter Milan
Andy Edwards: Man City 3-1 Inter Milan
Nick Mendola: Man City 2-0 Inter Milan

Manchester City team news, injuries, lineup options

QUESTIONABLE: None

Inter Milan team news, injuries, lineup options

QUESTIONABLE: Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Joaquin Correa. OUT: Dalbert.

Follow @NicholasMendola

How many times has a team won the treble? Man City goes for history

By Nicholas MendolaJun 10, 2023, 12:14 PM EDT

There’s been a lot of treble talk these days, talk that’s found a new level of buzz since Manchester City moved within one win of joining the club.

It’s an elite club, by the way, of teams that have won their domestic league, top domestic cup, and the European Cup.

Nine times in history has a team won the treble, and only once has it been done by a Premier League club.

[ MORE: Recalling Zlatan’s “unicorn” career ]

That’s why Man City’s defeat of Manchester United earlier this month in the FA Cup Final rings so true for the Citizens; The blue side of Manchester would join the red side as treble supporters, as United won the treble in 1998-99.

Man City goes for the third jewel of its treble crown on Saturday versus Inter Milan in Istanbul when it kicks off the UEFA Champions League Final.

For more treble trivia, head below the jump.

How many times has the treble been won?

Bayern Munich and Barcelona have each done it twice, with Bayern doing it in 2012-13 and 2019-20 and Barca pulling it off in 2008-09 and 2014-15.

Celtic was the first to win a treble, doing it in 1966-67, while Ajax was the next in 1971-72.

PSV Eindhoven then won it in 1987-88 before Man United made it happen 11 years later. Inter Milan is the only Italian team to pull it off, winning in 2009-10.

(UEFA.com)

Follow @NicholasMendola

UEFA Champions League odds, predictions for Inter Milan vs Manchester City

By Nicholas MendolaJun 10, 2023, 12:13 PM EDT

Erling Haaland to score a goal at -165? Man City to win at -200?

Yep, Manchester City are the clear favorites to win the 2023 UEFA Champions League Final in Istanbul on Saturday, and the oddsmakers are daring prognosticators to select Inter Milan as treble-ruining upstarts.

In fact, Haaland’s odds to bag a brace, at +350, are better than most players’ odds of scoring at all, with the Norwegian forward’s running mates all around him.

[ MORE UCL FINAL: How to watch | Key battles ]

The only Inter Milan player inside the top ten best odds to score on Saturday is Lautaro Martinez, with “no goal scorer” appearing before the next Inter player’s name arrives on the list (Romelu Lukaku).

How about a correct score? The most likely outcomes are, in order according to BetMGM, 1-0 Man City, 2-0 Man City, and 1-1 after 120 minutes.

And if Inter wins, the odds suggest that 1-0 is the likeliest finish (although 0-0 has better odds).

Champions League Final odds

(One of our betting partners is BetMGM) BetMGM is one of our Official Sports Betting Partners and we may receive compensation if you place a bet on BetMGM for the first time after clicking our links.

Inter Milan (+500) vs Man City (-200) | Draw (+333)

Over/under: Over 3.5 goals (+200). Under 3.5 goals (-275)

Man City to lift the trophy (-450)

Inter to lift the trophy (+275)

Both teams to score (-110)

Champions League Final predictions

Inter Milan is going to surprise many with its quality of play and may even get on the board, but it’s difficult to predict anything but a Manchester City win, isn’t it? Let’s call it a fitting three goals for the treble winners, with Inter nabbing one to keep it interesting in Istanbul.

Follow @NicholasMendola

Transfer news

Kevin De Bruyne vs Marcelo Brozovic

Erling Haaland vs Francesco Acerbi

Andre Onana vs Man City’s attack

Premier League news

How to watch Manchester City vs Inter Milan live, stream link and start time

What Premier League clubs have won the treble?

How many times has the treble been won?

Champions League Final odds (Betting odds provided by our partner, BetMGM )

Champions League Final predictions

Manchester City team news, injuries, lineup options

Inter Milan team news, injuries, lineup options

Premier League news

How many times has the treble been won?

Champions League

Champions League Final odds

Champions League Final predictions