Hot-headed Higuain sees red with Milan and Betis burn Barcelona at Camp Nou
Ian Hawkey looks at some talking points in Europe heading into the international break
Higuain, moany loanee
No AC Milan-Juventus collisions pass off without sparks, but Sunday’s showdown at San Siro turned into quite the bonfire. Up on the pyre, Gonzalo Higuain, a very explosive Ex.
Higuain is the Juventus striker who was loaned out to the Italian champions’ supposedly fiercest domestic rivals Milan in the summer. Milan and Juve may be antagonists on the pitch, yet they readily put that aside for business – so Juve could make space in the team, and on the wage-bill, for youknow-who.
Nor was that the first time in Higuain’s career than he has been cast in Cristiano Ronaldo’s shadow.
When the Portuguese went to Real Madrid, the Argentine gradually dropped back in the queue for privileged forward roles. Pride pricked, Higuain had been serving Milan ably – seven goals in 12 games – and heard his manager, Gennaro Gattuso describe him as “our most important player” ahead of the meeting with his parent club.
What he did not hear, evidently, was Gattuso’s prematch advice.
“He needs to be calm,” said his boss, knowing the emotional charge the striker would carry into the match.
Juve took an early lead, through Mario Mandzukic. Higuain’s mercury rose when he thought he had been denied a penalty, Mehdi Benatia handling the ball as he marked Higuain.
VAR scrutinised the incident and Milan had their spot-kick. Higuain took it, Wojciech Szczesny saved it, with a deliberate, committed dive to his right, a leap informed by careful study: the Juve keeper had, after all, trained on a daily basis with Higuain throughout last season.
Ronaldo, never away from the spotlight, also had a word, advising Szczesny of what he knew about the Higuain penalty technique from their four years as Madrid colleagues.
Ronaldo then put Juve 2-0 ahead. Less than 200 seconds later, Higuain was shown a red card, after a foul on Benatia earned a booking and his rant at referee Paolo Mazzoleni guaranteed his expulsion.
He did not go quickly, shepherded to the touchline by various colleagues and old Juve allies with his fuse alight.
“We are human, and maybe referees should sometimes show more understanding,” said Higuain afterwards, “but I am very sorry.”
Betis conquer the fortress
It had been 42 matches since Barcelona lost at home. It had been 15 years since their conceded four goals at Camp Nou.
It had been more than two decades since Real Betis emerged from Catalan cauldron with three points.
That is even longer than Joaquin, the 37-year-old evergreen
still wearing his hometown club’s green-and-white has been around as a senior player.
Fittingly, it was he who scored the second of the seven goals in a dramatic, portentous 4-3 away win.
Barca stay top of La Liga, but there are three clubs just a point behind. And look who’s lurking at a much-improved four points off the lead.
Real Madrid have won four out of four under Santigo Solari, who was appointed after the 5-1 thrashing at Camp Nou two weeks back.
It also proved enough for Solari to go from being interim to permanent in the position in charge of the European champions.
Alcacer is ace in the pack
Is there a better loanee than Paco Alcacer? The Spain striker, rented from Barcelona by Borussia Dortmund, reached his 400th minute of action for the Bundesliga leaders this weekend.
That is not many, but, boy, does he maximise them. Dortmund were trailing 2-1 at home to Bayern Munich when he came on.
An Alcacer run opened up space for Marco Reus to equalise. An Alcacer goal sealed the 3-2 win that puts Dortmund seven points clear of fifth-placed Bayern, champions for the last six years.
Alcacer, who has started just two of his six league games, now has eight Bundesliga goals, one every 29 minutes on the pitch.
Henry’s horror show
“Maybe I should register as a player again” sighed Thierry Henry, Monaco’s new but wearied manager, as more injury problems accumulated on top of his team’s second 4-0 home defeat within five days.
This one was inflicted by a merciless Paris Saint-Germain, who look down through a very long telescope at Monaco, who pipped them to the French title only 18 months ago.
The champions are 13 points clear at the Ligue 1 summit. Henry’s Monaco are joint bottom.