Bayern Munich brushed off the disappointment of a midweek Champions League exit to stretch their lead at the top of the Bundesliga with a 3-2 win against Wolfsburg.
Two first-half goals from Jamal Musiala - which came either side of an Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting tap-in - put Hansi Flick's side in control at the Volkswagen Arena.
Despite Wout Weghorst and Maximilian Philipp getting on the scoresheet for the hosts, Bayern were able to see out the win.
It extends their advantage over second-placed RB Leipzig in the title race to seven points, with five rounds of games remaining.
The two sides here traded early chances in an exciting start, with Choupo-Moting stinging the palms of Koen Casteels from distance before Manuel Neuer brilliantly kept out a Ridle Baku effort that was dribbling goalwards.
An open game was always going to suit the visitors more, and they took the lead with just 15 minutes gone as Musiala collected a loose ball in the box and dribbled inside before a powerful effort was deflected home.
If Wolfsburg goalkeeper Casteels was maybe unlucky with that one, he had no excuse for Bayern's second, which came about when he dropped a seemingly harmless David Alaba cross at the feet of Choupo-Moting, who couldn't miss from close range.
It looked like Bayern might rue two misses from Leroy Sane in the aftermath of that goal, particularly as Weghorst finished calmly into the far corner after Wolfsburg pinched possession high up the pitch.
But Musiala quickly restored the two-goal advantage with a brilliant, looping header back across goal from Thomas Muller's right-wing cross to make it 3-1 at half-time.
The 18-year-old almost had a hat-trick shortly after the restart but could not get enough power on an effort that was cleared off the line by Maxence Lacroix.
Wolfsburg made the most of that escape by almost immediately moving within a goal of Bayern, Philipp sidefooting home a delicious cross from the left-hand side.
The hosts would have hoped to use that goal as a springboard to a rewarding comeback, but they were unable to build sustained pressure across the remaining half-hour as the league leaders held on for an important three points.
What does it mean? Bayern in the hotseat
Bayern were bitterly disappointed to see the defence of their Champions League title ended by PSG in midweek but it now looks increasingly likely that they will add a familiar piece of silverware to their collection this season.
The absence of any European distractions will surely only aid the champions in a title race they are already controlling.
Musiala gives Flick regrets
As he reflects on that Champions League exit at the hands of PSG, Bayern boss Flick might wonder whether he should have made more use of Musiala as he looked to make up for the loss of Robert Lewandowski's goal threat.
The teenager only featured in the second leg - and even then as a late substitute - but showed his nose for goal here in scoring twice from three shots to make it three goals in his last two Bundesliga outings.
Casteels blunders
Any Bundesliga team hoping to get one over on Bayern simply cannot afford to give goals away, but that is exactly what Wolfsburg's goalkeeper did here to help the visitors into a two-goal lead.
He was otherwise solid, ending the match with five saves to his name, but his erratic first-half display ultimately proved the difference between the sides.
What's next?
Bayern are back in Bundesliga action on Tuesday when they face Bayer Leverkusen at the Allianz Arena. Wolfsburg, meanwhile, will continue their Champions League 2021-22 chase at home to mid-table Stuttgart on Wednesday.
Zinedine Zidane joked he has not been a coaching "disaster" for Real Madrid and is not fretting about his contract situation.
Across his two spells in charge of Madrid, Zidane has led the club to 11 trophies. They remain in the hunt for glory in LaLiga and the Champions League this season.
The Frenchman's deal is set to expire in June 2022 and he has often shied away from confirming his long-term commitment to Los Blancos.
Club president Florentino Perez was this week re-elected for a fifth straight term running until 2025, but Zidane was guarded when asked he if could remain for the same period.
"I'm delighted that he's continuing on as president, but I'm not looking any further ahead than tomorrow's game," Zidane said at a news conference to preview Sunday's LaLiga meeting with Getafe.
"Nobody knows what'll happen later, so we just have to focus on the day to day.
"You can have a four- or five-year contract and leave tomorrow, or you can have a one-year contract and stay longer. That doesn't mean anything."
Zidane averages a trophy every 16 games with Madrid, but his detractors suggest his success is largely down to inheriting an incredibly strong squad.
"It's true that I'm lucky enough to coach this team and to be at this great club. I don't think that I'm an awful coach, but I'm sure that I'm not the best around," joked Zidane.
"I enjoy what I do and the important thing is that you're passionate about the things you enjoy.
"I know where I am and the important thing is that you always give your best. That's what me and my players, who are the most important ones, do.
"I'd like to talk more about football, but it's as if people are more interested in talking about other things. I think that it's better that we talk about football because I know that you all enjoy talking about football.
"I am happy, but I am just focusing on tomorrow's game. I never look into the future."
With Eden Hazard and Dani Carvajal having suffered setbacks in their returns from injury and Ferland Mendy out with a muscle issue, Zidane only named 16 players for the trip to the Coliseum Alfonso Perez.
However, Madrid are on a 10-game unbeaten away run in LaLiga and Getafe have not won a home game against them since August 2012, losing five of the most recent six such meetings.
The last time Madrid went on a longer undefeated away streak in the top flight was in 2017, during Zidane's first spell in charge.
LaLiga's reigning champions moved into second by defeating Barcelona in El Clasico last weekend, with Atletico Madrid just one point ahead of them at the summit.
Despite having some key absentees against Getafe, Zidane believes he and his team have what it takes to get a positive result.
"My biggest strength in this role is that I enjoy myself every day and I've got a team that works really hard and is always hungry for more, despite having already won so much," said Zidane.
"We're going to keep battling and working because we also known how to dig in and that's something you have to do if you're going to win games. The result of our work is that it allows you to achieve something really special.
"The players believe in what they do and the challenges make us stronger. I'm really proud of that and that they're always hungry for more.
"Seeing my players so focused on everything we do fills me with joy. They're ready and we need to recover. Recovery is all about the small details to make sure you're ready when the games come round."
Cristiano Ronaldo will miss Juventus' Serie A clash with Atalanta on Sunday because of a thigh problem as head coach Andrea Pirlo blamed the player's workload.
The Portugal forward has been struggling with the injury sustained in Juve's 3-1 win over Genoa last Sunday and has not taken a full part in training this week, with Paulo Dybala set to start instead.
Juventus have drawn all three of the Serie A games Ronaldo has missed in this campaign, scoring just three goals in the process.
In the league fixtures where Ronaldo has played a part this season, Juve have a win percentage of 66.7 per cent from 27 games (18 wins, five draws and four losses) and have scored an average of 2.1 goals per game.
Pirlo lamented Ronaldo's absence and acknowledged the number of games the 36-year-old has played for club and country in a short timeframe have taken a toll on his fitness.
"Ronaldo will not be in for the match tomorrow," Pirlo said at a media conference on Saturday.
"In recent days he has not been able to recover from the flexor problem after last Sunday's game, he does not feel able to push it and would have risked it too much.
"We have decided to leave him at rest and we will try to recover him for Wednesday's match [against Parma]. This problem arose already on Monday after the game. He tried and went out with the team [in training] but couldn't push as he wanted.
"It was too risky to push it. The many matches, even those with the national team, influenced him and so many games did not allow him to recover.
"He has always been in good condition, then the matches in the national team accumulated. He too told me that he shouldn't have played the third game, but then that goal [against Serbia] was cancelled and they didn't get six points.
"They forced him to play the third as well, otherwise he would have returned to Juventus before the third."
Atalanta’s last win against Juventus in Serie A came back in February 2001 and since then the Bianconeri have won 24 of the 32 league games between the two sides, drawing eight.
However, Juve have won only one of their last six games against Atalanta (D4 L1) when all competitions are taking into account, getting that victory in November 2019 in Bergamo.
Defending champions Juve are third in Serie A heading into Sunday's games – sitting 12 points behind leaders Inter, and a point ahead of Atalanta in fourth.
Pirlo added: "We have focused ourselves on a new goal, which is not the one suitable for Juventus who have always fought to win the championship.
"But unfortunately the points are a bit distant and the goal must be to finish the season well and reach the final goal [of Champions League qualification].
"We have worked well during the week knowing that Atalanta are a team with particular characteristics.
"They play a different football than the other teams and therefore we tried moves to counter their fierce pressure. We worked intensely during the week and I'm happy and confident for the game."
Lewis Hamilton was shocked to claim his first Formula One pole position in four races as both Red Bull drivers rued missing out by the narrowest of margins.
Mercedes driver Hamilton took pole in qualifying for the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix by just 0.035 seconds over Sergio Perez, with Max Verstappen just 0.087s back in third.
Charles Leclerc was fourth for Ferrari at Imola, with Hamilton's team-mate Valtteri Bottas struggling to eighth place.
That may give Red Bull a strategic advantage for the race, especially with their cars on split strategies as Perez will start on soft tyres while Hamilton and Verstappen will be on mediums.
Still, Hamilton was thrilled to emerge on pole, which came as a surprise to him after Red Bull's pace this weekend and the fact he did not improve on his first flying lap on Q3.
"It has been great," said Hamilton, who impressively won the first race of 2021 in Bahrain despite Red Bull appearing to have a pace advantage.
"I definitely didn't expect us to be ahead of two Red Bulls.
"They have been so quick this weekend, six tenths ahead at times, but the car was already feeling better from the beginning this weekend.
"Respect to the team for their hard work to narrow down the window [to Red Bull].
"I'm so happy because the first lap was really nice, really clean. The second had some improvements but overall wasn't as good as the first.
"I came around the last corner and heard that I got the pole and was super grateful."
The first qualifying session was halted with a red flag after a crash for Yuki Tsunoda, a session Bottas topped as both Williams cars progressed.
Perez – on his soft tyres – emerged at the top of the timesheets in a Q2 session that saw Carlos Sainz, Sebastian Vettel and Fernando Alonso among the eliminated drivers.
A dramatic Q3 then saw Hamilton just hold on to his lead set after the first runs.
Lando Norris thought he had put his McLaren on the front row, only to discover he had exceeded track limits, meaning he settled for seventh behind Pierre Gasly and team-mate Daniel Ricciardo.
Perez thanked his team after claiming second but felt he should have had pole.
The Mexican said: "Well done to the team. I made a mistake on Friday and made them the team work hard so it is a good recovery.
"The most important thing is we showed progress. I never expected to be here after where we were on Friday but we have been improving.
"It is P2, but I should've been on pole – I made a mistake on the final corner.
"Everything is positive and we have to make sure we keep progressing and Sunday is when it matters.
"Anything can happen – a different [tyre] strategy to Lewis and Max. It will be interesting to see what we can do. The important thing is we get those points and that learning which is the priority."
Verstappen had claimed the last pole of 2020 and the first pole of this season, while Bottas had started at the front in the penultimate race of last year.
World champion Hamilton ended his wait for pole here, but Verstappen is eager to make life difficult to him.
The Dutchman said: "Not so good in Q3. I went off at turn three, so a bit messy, just not a good lap.
"You can't be good every time, so we'll see what went wrong – but it was definitely not the easiest in Q3.
"It's still P3, which is a good starting position. It's going to be interesting. We have the two cars on the different tyres and we will try to make it difficult for them."
A 99th career pole position for Hamilton saw him make Imola the 30th circuit where he has topped the qualifying timesheet.
PROVISIONAL CLASSIFICATION
1. Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) 1:14.411
2. Sergio Perez (Red Bull) +0.035s
3. Max Verstappen (Red Bull) +0.087s
4. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) +0.329s
5. Pierre Gasly (AlphaTauri) +0.379s
6. Daniel Ricciardo (McLaren) +0.415s
7. Lando Norris (McLaren) +0.464s
8. Valtteri Bottas (Mercedes) +0.487s
9. Esteban Ocon (Alpine) +0.799s
10. Lance Stroll (Aston Martin) no time set
Domingo Miotti was the hero for Western Force as the Waratahs were denied a first win of the Super Rugby Australia season, with the home side snatching a 31-30 success.
Miotti converted Jordan Olowofela's try in the closing stages, but it still appeared the excellent kicking of Ben Donaldson – making his first start – would be enough to guide the Waratahs to victory.
Yet presented with a line-out and the opportunity to kick the ball into touch to mark full time, the Waratahs turned the ball over, giving the Force one last chance.
It was an opportunity they seized on, with 20 phases of play resulting in a penalty which Miotti sent through the posts and completed the turnaround for the Force, who were 30-21 down with 10 minutes remaining.
While the Waratahs stay bottom on three points, the Force are in third place, three points ahead of the Rebels in the hunt for a semi-final play-off.
Jamie Maclaren scored five times as Melbourne City thrashed 10-man Melbourne Victory 7-0 in an astonishing derby match.
City moved top of the A-League on Saturday with a Melbourne derby victory that will live long in the memory.
Andrew Nabbout had given the hosts an early lead but there were no signs an extraordinary contest was on the cards until a 30th-minute red card for Victory captain Adama Traore for a foul on the goalscorer.
Nabbout won a penalty shortly after the red card which was converted by Maclaren and it stayed 2-0 until the 64th minute.
That was when the floodgates opened.
Substitute Marco Tilio set up Maclaren for the third goal before winning a penalty that the striker converted to bring up a hat-trick with 15 minutes left to play.
The lead remained at four until a remarkable spree saw City score three times in the space of 178 seconds from the 84th minute.
Maclaren scored two of them before Adrian Luna finished the rout in style, leaving the Victory players dumbfounded.
Tilio ended the night with two assists while Luna had a game-high four key passes, with Victory mustering only one shot on target compared to 10 for the hosts.
City had beaten their rivals Victory 6-0 in the first derby of the season, with this match capping a remarkable double.
In the first game of the day, Western United defeated Central Coast Mariners 1-0 in Tasmania.
A fifth-minute goal from Connor Pain – after a one-two with Besart Berisha – proved to be the only goal.
Central Coast have now fallen to one point behind Melbourne City at the top of the table.
Damian McKenzie scored a last-gasp penalty as the Chiefs came from behind to edge out the Crusaders 26-25 and move second in Super Rugby Aotearoa.
McKenzie was on supreme form with the boot throughout Saturday's contest in Hamilton, and he proved decisive from 35 metres with three minutes remaining.
It was a different story for Richie Mo'unga, who missed what should have been an easy conversion from a Codie Taylor try early in the second half.
Mo'unga's mistake enabled the Chiefs to capitalise – Jonah Lowe crossing over in the corner to set the stage for McKenzie's winning penalty.
Lachlan Boshier also went over for the hosts, with McKenzie having kicked all nine of their points in the first half.
Tries from Leicester Fainga'anuku and Will Jordan had propelled the top-of-the-table Crusaders to a 17-9 half-time lead, but indiscipline in the closing stages cost them. With four straight wins under their belts, the Chiefs are second on 16 points, ahead of the Blues and the Highlanders.
Cristiano Ronaldo is happy at Juventus and looks primed to stay at the club for multiple years, according to his former Real Madrid and Portugal team-mate Pepe.
The forward has 25 goals in 27 Serie A matches this season, topping the league's scoring charts, four clear of nearest rival Romelu Lukaku.
Ronaldo has been prolific since signing for Juve from Real Madrid in 2018 and continues to be so at the age of 36, now three goals away from reaching 100 for the Italian club in all competitions.
However, his future was thrown into the spotlight after Juventus once again failed to reach the latter stages of the Champions League this season, with Pepe and Porto knocking them out in the last 16.
Domestically, Inter look poised to end Juve's run of nine straight Scudetto successes and Ronaldo has been linked with a move away amid speculation over Juve's financial situation and direction of their project.
But Pepe thinks Ronaldo's accomplishments are being underestimated and sees him remaining at the highest level for the foreseeable future.
Pepe was asked if Ronaldo would contemplate a return to playing in Portugal, where he started his career with Sporting CP.
He told Novo: "Honestly, given how I know him, I don't know if he would tolerate the way many people talk about football in Portugal.
"I think he is happy in Turin. He is the leading goalscorer in Serie A. Those who criticise him don’t know how difficult it is to score more than 30 goals every year.
"What Cristiano can do is incredible. And I hope he will stay there for more years, giving joy to football lovers and representing Portugal very well, as he has always done."
Ronaldo - defended by head coach Andrea Pirlo last week for throwing his shirt after failing to score in a win over Genoa - is under contract with Juve until June 2022, while at international level he has Euro 2020 and the World Cup coming up for his country before the end of next year.
Juventus are away to Atalanta on Sunday, a team they have beaten only once in their last six meetings across all competitions.
However, Ronaldo will be buoyed that Juve have scored at least two goals in each of their last seven away games against Atalanta in Serie A.
Joel Embiid was backed for MVP honours by teammate Ben Simmons after a stellar display led the Philadelphia 76ers to a 106-103 win over the Los Angeles Clippers.
Embiid posted 36 points and 14 rebounds as the 76ers extended their winning streak to four games, while ending the Clippers' seven-game run.
It made him the first 76ers player with at least 36 points and seven rebounds in three consecutive games since Charles Barkley in 1990, while Embiid is also the first Philadelphia player with at least 35 points in three straight games since Allen Iverson in 2006.
According to Simmons, rival players are becoming clueless about how to handle the 76ers star.
"I don't think teams really know what to do when guarding him," Simmons said. "I think he's clearly the MVP this season.
"He's been so dominant and consistent this whole year and he's been healthy which has been great for us. So I don't know how to stop him!"
With Philadelphia (39-17) leading the way in the Eastern Conference, the admiration is mutual between Embiid and Simmons.
Embiid, who spoke about having two or three men on his case each time he had the ball, suggested Simmons also merits award consideration.
"We've got someone in Ben who should be defensive player of the year," Embiid said in his post-game news conference.
"He's been dominant all season on that end of the floor. That's something he wants so much and he deserves it.
"That's an award, when I got to the league, that I always wanted to win. At some point in my career that's something I want to win, but this year he's been a master, he deserves it.
"The way he guards every player on the floor. He's been bringing it, so I really do think he should be the defensive player of the year."
The Los Angeles Dodgers outlasted the San Diego Padres 11-6 after 12 innings in an enthralling MLB showdown between the National League West rivals.
Padres star Fernando Tatis Jr returned from a shoulder injury to face World Series champions the Dodgers in the series opener and he hit a home run in the fifth inning – a 410-foot bomb – to mark his comeback on Friday.
The Padres tied the game in the bottom of the ninth after Eric Hosmer's single allowed Manny Machado to score in San Diego.
Tensions threatened to boil over after benches cleared in the 10th when Dodgers pitcher Dennis Santana struck Jorge Mateo.
San Diego and Los Angeles could not be separated until Corey Seager's two-run homer sparked a Dodgers onslaught in the top of the 12th inning, which finished with five runs.
The red-hot Dodgers extended their winning streak to seven games, while improving to an MLB-best 12-2.
Reds stay hot
The Cincinnati Reds eased past the Cleveland Indians 10-3. Cincinnati are now 6-1 at home this season with 67 runs scored (9.6 per game). Per Stats Perform, it is the most runs by a team in their first seven home games of a season since the 1900 Boston Beaneaters (Braves franchise) had 71. The Reds' plus-38 run differential (67-29) at Great American Ball Park is the highest by any National League squad through seven home games since the 1894 Cleveland Spiders (plus-44).
Washington Nationals ace Max Scherzer surpassed Cy Young for the 22nd most strikeouts (2,807) of all-time. Three-time Cy Young Award winner Scherzer struck out the side in the seventh inning, finishing with 10 and 2,808 for his career. The Nationals edged the Arizona Diamondbacks 1-0.
Justin Upton smashed a grand slam as the Los Angeles Angels crushed the Minnesota Twins 10-3.
Yankees continue to underwhelm
The star-studded New York Yankees dropped to an American League (AL) East-worst 5-8 following an 8-2 loss to rivals the Tampa Bay Rays. The Yankees walked seven Rays batters, had just three hits, struck out 14 times and tallied three errors that led to three unearned runs. Yankees fans made their feelings known after throwing balls onto the field, which led to a stoppage.
Schwarber lifts Nationals
Kyle Schwarber's walk-off homer saw the Nationals beat the Diamondbacks. His 463-foot shot was Schwarber's first home run for Washington.
Friday's results
Atlanta Braves 5-2 Chicago Cubs
Washington Nationals 1-0 Arizona Diamondbacks
Philadelphia Phillies 9-2 St Louis Cardinals
Tampa Bay Rays 8-2 New York Yankees
Cincinnati Reds 10-3 Cleveland Indians
Miami Marlins 4-1 San Francisco Giants
Baltimore Orioles 5-2 Texas Rangers
Pittsburgh Pirates 6-1 Milwaukee Brewers
Los Angeles Angels 10-3 Minnesota Twins
Oakland Athletics 3-0 Detroit Tigers
Los Angeles Dodgers 11-6 San Diego Padres
Seattle Mariners 6-5 Houston Astros
Chicago White Sox-Boston Red Sox (postponed)
Toronto Blue Jays-Kansas City Royals (postponed)
New York Mets-Colorado Rockies (postponed)
Blue Jays at Royals
After Friday's game was postponed, the Toronto Blue Jays (6-7) and Kansas City Royals (7-4) will contest a doubleheader on Saturday. Steven Matz will start game one for the Blue Jays as the Royals counter with Mike Minor. Toronto's Tommy Milone will take to the mound in the game two, with Ervin Santana handed a Kansas City start.
The snowfall that hit Madrid in February 2018 initially appeared worse than it was, with the seas of white that engulfed fields, pitches and gardens in Spain's capital clearing quicker than one might have expected.
It was enough to cause Real Madrid to cancel their training for the day on February 5, allowing Cristiano Ronaldo an unexpected day off on his birthday – though certain sections of the media were particularly critical of the club for essentially shutting down with a crucial Champions League tie against Paris Saint-Germain little more than a week away.
As it happened, Madrid went on to claim a third successive European crown, so the issue of a day off almost certainly won't have been raised again. However, it was this snowfall that proved a major disruption to the trial of a kid from the Canary Islands who was "about to sign", according to his father.
Pedri, 15 at the time, did not join Real Madrid. While he may have been shown the cold shoulder amid the snowfall, the midfielder subsequently signed with local side Las Palmas. And then Barcelona came calling.
Almost a year on from initially agreeing a deal with the Blaugrana, Pedri's presentation at Barca in August 2020 came at a particularly difficult time for the club, but those in the know were well aware that the teenager's arrival was a real coup.
Made for Barca
A diminutive, but effortlessly silky midfielder, it's little wonder Pedri linked up with Barca. "I have that Barca DNA," he said to EFE in his first major interview after his move was confirmed in 2019. "My desire is to resemble [Andres] Iniesta. I have always said he is my idol and he'll remain that until I die."
Pedri's rise was impressive. In a little over a year, he progressed through the Juvenil A, B and Division de Honor teams in Las Palmas' academy before being introduced into the first-team picture in 2019 for pre-season.
He quickly became an undisputed starter – he initially didn't expect to even reach the Division de Honor team in 2019-20.
Las Palmas had been cautious about showing him off too early, aware that such a talent would immediately attract offers. Instead, they reportedly waited until they had him secured to a professional contract with a €30million release clause and then promised they'd sell him to an interested party straight away.
Barca made their move in September 2019. An initial €6m could become €25m should Pedri meet certain criteria at Camp Nou – and at this point, few would bet against him.
Once again Real Madrid were left frustrated, with a second attempt to sign Pedri coming too late – not that they would have necessarily been successful otherwise, as the teenager's father is the president of a local Barcelona supporters' club, which his grandfather founded.
"Barca DNA" indeed.
"One in a million"
Pepe Mel was the coach who put his faith in Pedri back in 2019, the experienced tactician clearly stunned by the youngster's abilities.
"Look at this boy, because he's one in a million and he doesn't know it," Mel said at the time. "He will define a new era in Spanish football."
A bold prediction of one so young, but Pedri took to first-team football with immense comfort, his performances in the Segunda in 2019-20 suggesting he was ready for LaLiga straight away and that Mel's foretelling was on the money.
While he displayed the skillset to play virtually anywhere across the midfield for Las Palmas, by his own admission Pedri felt most effective in the centre where he can take the game to the opposition, exploit gaps in defences and dazzle with his close dribbling.
Despite his age, Pedri was a key player for Las Palmas last season, scoring four goals and setting up another six. Six of those goal involvements came in the first 10 matches of the campaign, highlighting there was a bit of a dip in terms of overall productivity – though he was still effective.
Despite missing a chunk of the 2019-20 campaign to take part in the Under-17 World Cup in October and November, Pedri played more league matches (36) than anyone else for Las Palmas and his 60 chances created was unmatched among team-mates. Only nine players in the entire league produced more key passes.
Nineteen Segunda players attempted more dribbles than Pedri's 108, but only three of those could better his 62 per cent completion rate.
And of 1,284 attempted passes, 80 per cent found a team-mate. While by no means a startling statistic on its own, context is key – many of those with better records on the face of it were central defenders or players operating in less-congested areas of the pitch than Pedri.
One thing was abundantly clear: Pedri was already operating at a high level for a 17-year-old, and with something of a new era sweeping over Camp Nou when he arrived in August, it perhaps wasn't a surprise to see him settle quickly.
It had initially been expected that Pedri would spend another season on loan in the second tier with Las Palmas, or move to Barca's B team had they been promoted to the Segunda.
Then he began attracting loan interest from LaLiga clubs, but in Ronald Koeman he found a coach ready to give him the opportunity.
He's certainly taken it.
Fitting the mould
While there was never any doubt about Pedri's technical abilities, adapting his game to fit in at a club with a style of play as iconic and ingrained as Barca's was likely – in theory – to take time. Regardless of how things work at Las Palmas, Barcelona are simply a different beast in every way, shape or form.
Yet, arguably the most impressive element of Pedri's breakout season is how quickly he's managed to immerse himself intrinsically in Barca's philosophy, so much so that talk of being "Iniesta's heir" doesn't sound quite so reactionary anymore, which in itself shows his progress.
The best way to showcase how he's adapted to life at Barca is by looking at sequence involvement data, which outlines how integral to a team's build-up play a certain player is.
The only midfielders involved in more passing sequences ending in a shot than Pedri (136) have been Nabil Fekir of Real Betis (143) and Barcelona's own Frenkie de Jong (152), both of whom have played considerably more minutes in LaLiga.
Pedri also ranks similarly high in terms of secondary chance creation – so, the pass to the player who sets up the subsequent shot – with Messi (64), Dani Parejo (37) and Fekir (36) the only individuals beating his 31.
When you also factor in that Pedri's 37 chances created this term puts him behind only Messi (65) and Jordi Alba (42) in the Barca team, this all highlights just how much influence the now 18-year-old already has on their general play.
Not only is he frequently teeing up shots himself, but he's one of Barca's most-involved players when it comes to retaining possession as they probe packed defences. And it's not as if Pedri is constantly offloading the ball once he has possession either - he has created eight chances following a carry (defined as a movement of at least five metres with the ball), the third most among central midfielders in LaLiga this term, evidence his ability on the ball also helps drive Barca forward and spark opportunities.
It's precisely these factors that make comparisons with Iniesta seem more sensible, particularly since Koeman recognised he'd be at his most effective in the middle.
But Pedri, who earned his first senior Spain caps last month, appears to have the quality to carve out his own lasting legacy at Camp Nou. A first experience of winning silverware in Saturday's Copa del Rey final will surely just be the start if Barca see off Athletic Bilbao.
Snow may have prevented a move to Madrid three years ago, but Pedri's outlook at Barcelona is gloriously bright.
Joel Embiid dominated as the Eastern Conference-leading Philadelphia 76ers held off the Los Angeles Clippers 106-03 in a blockbuster NBA showdown.
Embiid posted 36 points and 14 rebounds as the 76ers extended their winning streak to four games, while snapping the Clippers' seven-game run on Friday.
After being outscored 20-3 early in the opening quarter, the Kawhi Leonard-less Clippers rallied to take the lead during the closing stages of the final period in Philadelphia.
But the 76ers (39-17) scored seven straight points to move clear 99-94 and they never relinquished the lead, despite the Clippers' efforts.
MVP hopeful Embiid – averaging 34.5 points and 11.0 rebounds over his last four games – became the first 76ers player with at least 36 points and seven rebounds in three consecutive games since Charles Barkley in 1990, while he is the first Philadelphia player with at least 35 points in three straight games since Allen Iverson in 2006.
Having topped Eastern Conference rivals the Brooklyn Nets on Wednesday, it is just the third time in franchise history the 76ers have claimed back-to-back wins against teams 20-plus over .500 after 1966 and 1983.
Paul George put up 37 points and nine rebounds for the Clippers (39-19), who also had a season-high 18 points from Patrick Patterson.
George joined Bob McAdoo, World B. Free and Leonard as the only players in Clippers history to have five straight games with 30-plus points.
The NBA-leading Utah Jazz (42-14) rallied to beat the Indiana Pacers 119-111 after All-Star Donovan Mitchell exited due to an ankle injury.
Mitchell suffered a sprained ankle in the second half, having scored 22 points before leaving in the third quarter.
All-Star team-mates Rudy Gobert (13 points and 23 rebounds) and Mike Conley (10 points and 10 assists) both had double-doubles, while Bojan Bogdanovic put up 24 points.
Randle dazzles to fuel Knicks
Julius Randle's 44 points and 10 rebounds led the New York Knicks past former team the Dallas Mavericks 117-109. Randle became the first Knicks player since Bernard King in 1985 to record 40-plus points, 10-plus rebounds and five-plus assists in a regular-season game. He also became the first Knicks player since Carmelo Anthony in 2013-14 to register multiple 40-point games in a single season.
The San Antonio Spurs lost 107-106 to the Portland Trail Blazers but Dejounte Murray starred with 13 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists for his third triple-double of the season. The last Spurs player with that many triple-doubles in a season was David Robinson in 1993-94.
MVP frontrunner Nikola Jokic finished with 29 points and 16 rebounds as the Denver Nuggets crushed the lowly Houston Rockets 128-99.
Russell Westbrook inspired the Washington Wizards' 117-115 overtime victory against the New Orleans Pelicans after scoring 10 of their 12 points in the additional period. Former MVP Westbrook tallied 36 points, 15 rebounds and nine assists – finishing just short of a seventh consecutive triple-double. The league's leading scorer Bradley Beal added 30 points.
A Kevin Durant double-double of 25 points and 11 assists guided the Nets to a 130-115 win at home to the Charlotte Hornets. Miles Bridges put up a career-high 33 points for the Hornets.
Jimmy Butler's 30 points and 10 rebounds were not enough after the Miami Heat were upstaged 119-111 by the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Houston humbled
It was a tough outing for the Rockets in Houston. Kevin Porter Jr. headlined their woes after he finished one-for-nine shooting for four points in 32 minutes. He missed all three of his attempts from beyond the arc.
The Orlando Magic lost again, beaten 113-102 by the Toronto Raptors. Orlando's Gary Harris was scoreless from the field. He was 0-for-seven from the field, while failing to make both of his three-point shots.
No-el!
New York's Nerlens Noel made an emphatic block to deny Dorian Finney-Smith.
Friday's results
Utah Jazz 119-111 Indiana Pacers
Detroit Pistons 110-104 Oklahoma City Thunder
Philadelphia 76ers 106-103 Los Angeles Clippers
Washington Wizards 117-115 New Orleans Pelicans (OT)
Brooklyn Nets 130-115 Charlotte Hornets
Toronto Raptors 113-102 Orlando Magic
Memphis Grizzlies 126-115 Chicago Bulls
Denver Nuggets 128-99 Houston Rockets
Minnesota Timberwolves 119-111 Miami Heat
Portland Trail Blazers 107-106 San Antonio Spurs
New York Knicks 117-109 Dallas Mavericks
Jazz at Lakers
Defending champions the Los Angeles Lakers (34-22) will host the high-flying Jazz in a Western Conference showdown at Staples Center on Saturday.
Los Angeles Dodgers star Cody Bellinger has been diagnosed with a hairline fracture in his left fibula.
World Series champions the Dodgers have been without 2019 National League (NL) MVP Bellinger since April 5 with what was initially described as a bruised calf.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts provided an update on two-time All-Star Bellinger before Friday's blockbuster against NL rivals the San Diego Padres.
"At least we know what Cody is dealing with," Roberts told reporters.
"Certain players heal differently, so I just don't know where Cody is going to be at.
"But I can say comfortably that it's not a day-to-day thing, and we can just put it on the back burner, let Cody do his rehab and join us hopefully soon."
Bellinger is hitting .211 (four-for-19) with two RBIs in four games this season.
The high-flying Dodgers are 6-1 since Bellinger went down with the injury.
Roberts added: "Now, it's just more of getting that thing healed up, and when he's ready to go, he'll be back with us.
"He's just rehabbing and doing everything he can to join us as soon as possible."
The Dodgers' 11-2 record is the best in the majors and tied for the best in team history through 13 games in a season (four other times, most recently 2005).
Roberts' Dodgers won the season series with San Diego last season, 6-4 – their 10th consecutive year doing so.
Their .659 winning percentage against the Padres since 2011 (118-61) is the best by any team against a current divisional opponent over that span, per Stats Perform.
The high-flying Utah Jazz have some extra star power off the court after NBA great Dwyane Wade purchased an ownership stake in the franchise.
Wade – a three-time champion and 13-time All-Star – joins majority owner Ryan Smith in Utah, where the Jazz lead the NBA with a 42-14 record this season.
The 39-year-old Wade won three titles with the Miami Heat, having also played for the Chicago Bulls and Cleveland Cavaliers before retiring in 2019.
"When you're able to get an opportunity to meet someone like Ryan that has been very successful in business, that can educate you, that can teach you — I'm all about I want mentors, and Ryan became a mentor to me," Wade said after joining a shortlist of former players with ownership stakes in NBA franchises, alongside Hall of Famer Michael Jordan (Charlotte Hornets), Los Angeles Lakers great Shaquille O'Neale (Sacramento Kings) and Grant Hill (Atlanta Hawks).
"Did I ever think that this would be a part of our conversations? No, I did not. But this was always a goal of mine, to one day hopefully be a part of something bigger than I, and that's what the Utah Jazz is — something bigger than myself."
"The respect I that I have for that [Heat] organisation will not go anywhere, the love that I have for the [Heat] fans -- that goes nowhere," Wade told ESPN.
"But this is about the next phase of my life as an investor, a businessman, an entrepreneur. For me, this is an opportunity to grow."
The Jazz – spearheaded by All-Stars Donovan Mitchell, Rudy Gobert and Mike Conley – are eyeing their maiden NBA championship.
Utah have suffered back-to-back first-round exits in the playoffs, having last reached the NBA Finals in 1998 – beaten by Jordan's Bulls.
"Dwyane is not only a basketball legend, he is also a great leader, businessman, and human being," said Smith. "As we continue to build on the incredible legacy of the Utah Jazz franchise, we are excited to add Dwyane's experience and expertise to the equation.
"Utah is an amazing place and I couldn't be more thrilled about the future of the franchise and the future of this state. Dwyane's influence will be important to both."
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