🥐 LaLiga shaken up, Champions League night... 5️⃣ stories to start your day | OneFootball

Spanish football wakes up to a complete shake-up in the standings after a night of high tension at Montilivi.

FC Barcelona has surrendered the top spot to Real Madrid in a match marked by their own mistakes, Girona’s fighting spirit, and a refereeing controversy that promises to fuel sports talk shows all week long. With the race for LaLiga more open than ever, both the boardrooms and locker rooms are in turmoil over Soto Grado’s decisions.

Meanwhile, the continental spotlight shifts today to Lisbon, where Real Madrid begins its assault on the Champions League playoffs with Kylian Mbappé returning to the starting lineup. It won’t be just any match, as all eyes are on the reunion with José Mourinho, who has heated up the atmosphere in the build-up.

Madrid seizes the top spot

La Liga has a new leader. FC Barcelona’s stumble on their visit to Girona (2-1) has handed the top spot on a silver platter to Real Madrid. Hansi Flick’s team, which seemed solid at the summit, collapsed in a match where poor finishing and defensive lapses punished the Blaugranas excessively. With this result, the championship takes an exciting turn just before entering the decisive stretch of the season.

Controversy at Montilivi over Koundé

The center of discord came in the 80th minute. An action by Echeverri on Jules Koundé, which ended in a stamp, preceded Fran Beltrán’s decisive goal. Despite heated protests from the Barça side, Soto Grado did not call a foul and VAR did not intervene, sparking outrage among the visitors. Post-match statements reflect a Blaugrana locker room deeply frustrated with refereeing decisions at key moments.

Mbappé and Mourinho meet in Lisbon

Real Madrid returns to Lisbon today to face Benfica in the first leg of the Champions playoff. After the bitter memory from 20 days ago in Portugal, Álvaro Arbeloa seeks redemption by betting on a muscular midfield. The big news is the return of Kylian Mbappé to the starting lineup, in a build-up dominated by the words of José Mourinho, who has once again exercised his media magnetism against his former team.

High-voltage Tuesday in Europe

It’s not all about Madrid in this Champions League. The playoff before the round of 16 brings us spectacular matchups. PSG visits the Louis II to face Monaco in a European French derby tinged with internal tensions in the Parisian locker room. In addition, Signal Iduna Park will witness a clash of styles between Borussia Dortmund and the always dangerous Atalanta. There’s a lot at stake and the margin for error is minimal.

Respect for Ramadan in the Premier League

In a great show of sensitivity, the Premier League and the EFL have confirmed that they will allow brief pauses in their matches so that Muslim players can break their fast during Ramadan. Between today and March 18, referees will facilitate players and coaching staff to hydrate or eat at sunset. This measure reinforces English football’s commitment to the diversity of its protagonists.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.

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