European roundup: Neymar carried off before Messi’s late winner for PSG
Lionel Messi scored a stunning freekick in added time to earn Paris SaintGermain a 4-3 comeback win over Lille and lift them eight points clear at the top of the Ligue 1 standings.
PSG, who have struggled for consistency since their return from the World Cup break, extended their lead over second-placed Marseille who travel to Toulouse later on Sunday.
Kylian Mbappé, making his first start after a two-week injury layoff, opened the scoring in the 11th minute with a brilliant piece of individual skill.
“The match was not great, we made a lot of mistakes but we have shown that even when the context is not favourable, we can get through. We are a different team, we can get by all the time,” Mbappé told Prime Video. Christophe Galtier’s side doubled their lead six minutes later when Neymar tapped in a Vitinha cross to finish off a flowing move.
However, Lille were far from passive and Bafodé Diakité nodded home an André Gomes cross to pull one back in the 24th minute. PSG suffered a blow early in the second half when Neymar was taken off on a stretcher with a suspected ankle injury.
Lille won a penalty after Marco Verratti tugged Tiago Djaló’s shirt and Jonathan David coolly converted the spot-kick to level the scores. Lille piled on the pressure and were rewarded when Gomes pinged a long ball into the feet of Jonathan Bamba, who smashed his effort past Gianluigi Donnarumma to give his side the lead.
The visitors let their intensity drop, however, and they were punished when Mbappé turned in Juan Bernat’s cross to make it 3-3. Messi won a free-kick five minutes into stoppage time and the Argentinian curled it into the bottom corner to score his 11th league goal of the season..
In Germany, Borussia Dortmund crushed Hertha Berlin 4-1 with a goal and an assist from Karim Adeyemi to join leaders Bayern Munich at the top of the Bundesliga.
Adeyemi, the Germany international, put the hosts ahead with a superb backheel flick from a Marco Reus assist in the 27th minute before turning provider to feed Donyell Malen at the far post for their second goal four minutes later. Adeyemi then had to be taken off after pulling a thigh muscle while setting up their second goal.
The visitors cut the deficit one minute after the restart through Lucas Tousart but a sensational Reus free kick into the top corner in the 76th minute restored order for Dortmund before Julian Brandt netted their fourth.
Meanwhile, Union Berlin missed the chance to move top after stumbling to a 0-0 draw against bottom side Schalke to slip to third place on goal difference.
Atlético Madrid’s Antoine Griezmann scored a brilliant late goal to claim a battling 1-0 win at home to Athletic Bilbao and strengthen their grip on fourth place in La Liga. Atlético were the better side for large parts of the game but were left to rue a flurry of missed chances until Griezmann broke the deadlock in the 73rd minute. Elsewhere, Barcelona secured a hard-fought 2-0 victory against Cádiz. Goals from Sergi Roberto and Robert Lewandowski were enough to re-establish their eight-point lead over secondplaced Real Madrid.
Goals by forward Moises Kean and winger Angel Di María gave Juventus a 2-0 victory at Spezia, extending their winning streak in Serie A to three games. Juve moved up to seventh on 32 points from 23 games. They are 10 points off fourth spot.