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Serie A leaders Napoli eased to a 3-0 home win over bottom side Cremonese, claiming their sixth consecutive league win.
Napoli took the lead in the 21st minute through winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia who kept the ball from going off the pitch and went on to finish his solo effort with a low shot into the bottom right corner. Striker Victor Osimhen doubled their advantage shortly after the hour mark from close range, scoring in his sixth league game in a row to make it eight goals in 2023.
Substitute midfielder Eljif Elmas sealed the win 11 minutes from time, after he was set up by defender Giovanni Di Lorenzo. Napoli are 16 points above second-placed Inter Milan, who travel to Sampdoria on Monday. Cremonese, who are still without a league win this season, remain bottom on eight points.
A first-half goal by midfielder Adrien Rabiot earned Juventus a 1-0 home win over Fiorentina in Serie A, stretching the visitors’ winless run to five games.
Juventus, who have now kept one more clean sheet this season (14) than they did in the 2021-22 campaign, moved up three places to ninth on 29 points from 22 games. They sit one point behind eight-placed Udinese and Torino in seventh.
Rabiot put the hosts in front in the 34th minute with a close-range header from a delightful cross by Ángel Di María. The Viola goalkeeper, Pietro Terracciano, parried the ball but goalline technology showed it had crossed the line.
Juve striker Dusan Vlahovic thought he had made it 2-0 on 59 minutes when he lobbed the goalkeeper, but what would have been his first goal against his former club was ruled out by the VAR for offside.
Substitute Moise Kean had two good chances for Juventus after coming on for Vlahovic, but his first effort was saved by Terracciano, and the other was off target.
In Spain, Pedri’s strike earned Barcelona a battling 1-0 win over Villarreal on Sunday to move 11 points clear of second-placed Real Madrid.
The champions, who won the Club World Cup on Saturday, face Elche in midweek to try and bite back into the growing gap. Barcelona rode their luck in a gripping clash at Estadio de la Ceramica but held off a Yellow Submarine onslaught to continue marching towards their goal of winning the title for the first time since 2019.
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Defender Ronald Araujo in particular made a number of superb blocks and interceptions to help protect Barcelona’s slim advantage until the end, locking in another clean sheet. Robert Lewandowski missed a big chance in the opening stages, firing too close to veteran goalkeeper Pepe Reina when through on goal.
However the Polish international, La Liga’s top scorer, made up for it with a cushioned pass for Pedri to open the scoring after 18 minutes. Barcelona fashioned a superb team move, finished off by the 20-year-old midfielder for his fourth goal in seven games across all competitions.
Elsewhere, 10-man Atlético Madrid beat Celta Vigo 1-0 after the second-half substitute Memphis Depay opened his account for the club following his January move.
With a draw looking the most likely result after both teams missed chances, a blocked shot fell to Depay in the 89th minute, and the Dutch forward swivelled and directed a scuffed shot into the net.
Atlético had been reduced to 10 men in the 70th minute when Stefan Savic wrestled Celta forward Haris Seferovic to the ground at the edge of the box.
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