Higuain misses penalty as Juve extend lead at the top of Serie A table

MILAN: AC Milan forward Gonzalo Higuain missed a penalty and was later sent off in a fit of rage on Sunday as his side lost 2-0 at home to Serie A leaders Juventus, the side that sent him out on loan to the San Siro this season.

Mario Mandzukic and Cristiano Ronaldo struck early and late for the Turin side but it was Higuain who stole the headlines for the wrong reasons as Milan dropped out of the top four.

SOLARI GETS CONTRACT

MADRID: Interim Real Madrid manager Santiago Solari was appointed permanent coach on Monday after overseeing a startling upturn in the European champions’ fortunes since he stepped in to replace Julen Lopetegui. “Everything is in order. Real Madrid have worked out his contract and there are no problems,” the Spanish football federation stated.

Solari has led Real to four wins out of four since being installed on a caretaker basis following Lopetegui’s abrupt sacking last month. And with 15 goals scored and only two conceded he has established the best ever start for a Real manager.

After thrashing Melilla in the Copa del Rey, they won 5-0 away to Viktoria Plzen in the Champions League, between victories over Real Valladolid and Celta Vigo in La Liga.

The upturn has left Madrid only four points adrift of league leaders Barcelona and on the brink of qualification for the last 16 in Europe. The win saw Real climb to sixth on 20 points from 12 matches in a jam-packed La Liga table, closing the gap after the leaders were left on 24 points with their 4-3 home defeat by Real Betis.

PSG THRASH MONACO

PARIS: Thierry Henry’s disastrous start as coach of Monaco continued on Sunday as Edinson Cavani’s VAR-assisted hat-trick helped Paris Saint-Germain to an easy 4-0 win in the principality that saw them extend their perfect record in Ligue 1 this s eason.