RB Leipzig’s Xavi Simons scored twice on his comeback from injury to help his team to a 4-2 Bundesliga victory over visiting Werder Bremen on Sunday as the new Red Bull head of global soccer Jürgen Klopp watched from the stands.
Klopp, who ended a successful nine-year stint at Liverpool last summer and has coached Mainz and Borussia Dortmund in the Bundesliga, started his new role this month and will act as an adviser for the Red Bull-owned clubs in Germany, the United States, Brazil and Austria.
The Dutch international Simons had been out of action since a ligament injury in October but he looked in top form as he fired Leipzig into a 24th-minute lead in his first start since.
Werder, who had won their last three league games before the winter break, levelled two minutes later through Mitchell Weiser but Simons bagged his second goal of the afternoon with a superb solo effort and a slightly deflected effort that went in off the crossbar. Benjamin Sesko put the game to bed two minutes after the restart with a stunning strike.
The hosts went close to a fourth goal in the 81st after a sensational solo run by Antonio Nusa but his low shot bounced off the post. Christoph Baumgartner did better in stoppage time to make it 4-1 before Werder pulled a goal back through Oliver Burke.
Leipzig are in fourth on 30 points, level with third-placed Eintracht Frankfurt. Bayern Munich lead the title race on 39 points after their 1-0 win over Borussia Mönchengladbach on Saturday. Werder dropped to eighth on 25.
Atlético Madrid secured their 14th consecutive victory across all competitions – a club record – to reach 44 points and go top of La Liga with a 1-0 win over Osasuna.
The hosts dominated the match but the game was goalless at half-time before the former Manchester City striker Julián Álvarez broke the deadlock in the 55th minute from close range.
Atlético had around 60% possession in the first half but struggled to convert that to goals after going close through Antoine Griezmann and Álvarez.
“We are very happy [with our streak], we’ve been doing great work, but we have to keep working with humility. Good things will come,” Álvarez said.
In Serie A, Napoli increased their lead at the top with a comfortable 2-0 win over Hellas Verona, thanks to an early own goal from the goalkeeper Lorenzo Montipo and a stunning second-half strike from André-Frank Zambo Anguissa.
Antonio Conte’s side took an early advantage within five minutes when Giovanni Di Lorenzo’s effort hit the post and bounced off Montipo’s back and into the net.
Napoli dominated but wasted several chances to double their lead before the break, with Romelu Lukaku and Scott McTominay going close. However, it was Zambo Anguissa who sealed the victory after the break with an unstoppable shot in the 61st minute.
Internazionale secured a 1-0 win at lowly Venezia thanks to an early goal from Matteo Darmian that lifted them to second place in the table. The visitors took the lead after 16 minutes when Lautaro Martínez unleashed a low volley, forcing the Venezia keeper Filip Stankovic into a one-handed reflex save, but the rebound fell perfectly for Darmian, who slotted it home. Napoli are top on 47 points, four ahead of Inter, who have two games in hand.
Paris Saint-Germain remained unbeaten and seven points clear at the top of the French league – halfway through the season – after Ousmane Dembélé scored twice in a 2-1 win over Saint-Étienne on Sunday.
Dembélé scored in the 13th minute and netted from the penalty spot 10 minutes later after a video review spotted a handball from Léo Pétrot on Achraf Hakimi’s cross. The decision seemed harsh as the ball grazed Pétrot’s hand without him knowing.
PSG have been linked with a move for Georgia winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia from Napoli, but it was another Georgian who scored for 16th-place Saint-Étienne as Zuriko Davitashvili neatly curled in a free kick midway through the second half.
