Girona head coach Michel was left to rue a lack of attacking options but urged his side to cope with injury absences after Saturday's 1-0 defeat to Real Sociedad.
Last season's surprise package Girona have struggled to find form this campaign, slipping to 13th in the LaLiga standings after their fourth defeat in 10 games.
Mikel Oyarzabal scored the only goal of the game on the stroke of half-time as Girona put in another disappointing performance at home.
Michel lamented his side's depleted attack following injuries to forwards Bryan Gil, Yaser Asprilla and Abel Ruiz.
"We have to keep working, the offensive potential of the team without injured players... you lack depth, you always lose somewhere, we don't have any player on the pitch who can play as a winger," the Spanish manager told reporters.
"We need to improve in our final pass, in our one-on-one determination, to get into the box more. These things are the most difficult thing in football, scoring goals.
"Last year we had a lot of goals, this year it's harder for us."
Fans at Girona's Montilivi stadium expressed their frustration after another underwhelming performance, but Michel backed his players in the face of criticism.
"Fans have to understand the process in which the players are. There is no player, because I would not allow it, that does not give his maximum performance in terms of attitude, mentality, illusion, motivation, energy," he said.
"If they say that we play good or not, I respect that, but we try to play good football and mistakes are part of the game.
"It's not easy, we faced a team with 14 internationals and for the first half hour we tried to go for them... you can't say to any Girona player that they don't give their all for this shirt."
Girona will look to bounce back when they Slovan Bratislava in the Champions League on Tuesday.
Paris Saint-Germain scored three second-half goals as they thrashed Strasbourg 4-2 and returned to the top of the Ligue 1 table.
They leapfrogged Monaco, who drew earlier in the day, thanks to goals from Senny Mayulu, Marco Asensio, Bradley Barcola and Lee Kang-in on Saturday.
PSG midfielder Mayulu, who had struck the post moments before, broke the deadlock in the 18th minute after finding himself unmarked in the box and unleashing a powerful shot that soared into the roof of the net.
Asensio extended the lead just two minutes after the break, standing in the right place to deftly knee in a rebound from goalkeeper Djordje Petrovic, who had parried Desire Doue's attempt.
While PSG dominated the match, Strasbourg seized their opportunity when Sekou Mara pulled one back in the 58th minute.
Barcola was denied a penalty by a VAR review but stroked in their third goal moments later before Saidou Sow was handed a reprieve after putting the ball into his own net, only for play to be pulled back for an offside in the build-up.
The score still was not done though, as substitute Lee coolly slotted into an empty net before Pape Diong halved the deficit once again from a corner in stoppage time.
Data Debrief: PSG find their groove
Despite going unbeaten so far in the league this season, Luis Enrique's side have still come under criticism for their performances of late, having gone on a three-match winless run in all competitions before this win.
PSG have won each of their first four home games of a Ligue 1 season for the fourth time in the 21st century though, after 2017-18 (17 under Unai Emery), 2018-19 (15 under Thomas Tuchel) and 2021-22 (seven under Mauricio Pochettino) - they have won the league on each of those occasions.
But Strasbourg certainly put up a fight - they had 16 shots to PSG's 18, with eight of those on target, just two less than their opponents. They also accumulated 2.22 expected goals (xG), while their hosts registered 3.63.
AC Milan head coach Paulo Fonseca praised his team's resilience in overcoming the challenge of playing a man down during Saturday's narrow home win against Udinese.
Milan won 1-0 in the Serie A clash at home after an early goal from Samuel Chukwueze, despite being reduced to 10 men following Tijjani Reijnders' red card at the half-hour mark.
"I must say that the game had two parts. The first one until minute 30 when we received a red card," Fonseca told DAZN.
"We played 30 minutes with great personality and quality. It was close to my idea. After the red card, it was a game made of team spirit.
"We suffered, but we suffered together. If there was any doubt on whether this team was united, today we proved we are."
Fonseca believed his side deserved the win, despite Udinese having two goals disallowed, one from Kingsley Ehizibue and another from Christian Kabasele following a tight offside call.
"It would have been unfair for the team. We had the best chances and it would have been unfair not to win this game. The team deserved these three points," he said.
The former Roma boss also praised midfielder Christian Pulisic for his effort, including an assist and his defensive work, after Reijnders got sent off.
"Christian's game was fantastic. This is the spirit that we must always have," he said.
For Udinese manager Kosta Runjaic, the defeat was a bitterly disappointing affair as his side failed to take the opportunity of their numerical advantage.
"I'm not a referee. I am the coach. It’s senseless to say anything," Runjaic said about the two disallowed goals.
"Even with a man up, it was not easy against a team that defended deep. We needed patience, good passing rhythm and circulation and a bit of luck.
"Surely I don’t like the result because it was possible to go home with a draw."
Vinicius Junior produced the second-half winner as Real Madrid moved level on points with LaLiga leaders Barcelona after Saturday's 2-1 win over Celta Vigo.
Kylian Mbappe gave Madrid the lead with a brilliant long-range strike in the 20th minute, yet Williot Swedberg equalised for the home side with a first-touch effort from a counter-attack shortly after half-time.
Carlo Ancelotti's side went ahead again when substitute Luka Modric, who became Madrid's oldest player in history, played Vinicius through before the Brazil winger rounded Vicente Guaita to score the winner.
It could have been a different story, however, if not for substitute Tasos Douvikas missing a golden opportunity to level late on.
Madrid held on, though, as victory left the champions second in the LaLiga standings on 24 points, level with leaders Barcelona before their game in hand at home to Sevilla on Sunday.
Data Debrief: Vinicius the hero on Modric's landmark game
Vinicius has been involved in at least one goal in each of his last six LaLiga games (four goals and three assists), his best such run in the competition.
It proved a landmark game for substitute Modric, too, as the Croatia midfielder became Madrid's oldest player in history, aged 39 years and 40 days.
Modric moved past Madrid great Ferenc Puskas for the club record, while the midfielder has been part of 363 wins for Los Blancos, which is 22 more than nearest rival and former team-mate Karim Benzema.
This was his 547th appearance for the LaLiga champions as well, a tally no player can match since his debut for the club in August 2012.
Mario Gila's late own goal handed Juventus a 1-0 home win against 10-man Lazio in Saturday's Serie A clash.
Gila edged Juventus in front in the 85th minute when he attempted to block Juan Cabal's cross, diverting past his own goalkeeper Ivan Provedel instead.
Lazio had battled hard for over an hour after defender Alessio Romagnoli was sent off for a last-man tackle on Pierre Kalulu.
The referee initially failed to deem Romagnoli's challenge as a foul, though a VAR review saw Juve awarded a free-kick and veteran centre-back Romagnoli dismissed.
Victory leaves unbeaten Juventus second on 16 points, level with leaders Napoli and two points above third-placed Inter Milan, who both have a game in hand.
Data Debrief: Defence key for magic Motta
Motta's strong start to his Bianconeri tenure has been built on a remarkable defence, with Juve only conceding once in the league through their first eight Serie A matches.
That is the fewest goals Juve have ever conceded through as many league matches to start the campaign, bettering the two in the 1966-67, 1986-87, 2004-05 and 2005-06 seasons.
This win may have come as no surprise, too, considering Juve have beaten Lazio 87 times in the competition, their most against one opponent in history (also level with Inter).
Morgan Rogers saluted Aston Villa's quick response to falling behind early on after his side came back to beat Fulham 3-1.
Rogers scored the equaliser after nine minutes to get the visitors back on level terms after Raul Jimenez had put Fulham ahead early at Craven Cottage.
Ollie Watkins's header and Issa Diop's own goal in the second half secured the win that moved Unai Emery's side into fourth on 17 points, only behind Arsenal and Manchester City on goal difference.
Rogers lauded how important the quick response was to taking all three points in London.
"It was massive to respond how we did so quickly. It helped settle the nerves and we were generally playing well and to get it so quick did help," he told PLP.
"They scored in the first five minutes, but we knuckled down after that and we dominated pretty much most of the game. We should have scored a few more, but in the second half we put our foot on the gas, and we deserved the win.
"After the international break you start fresh with a clean slate and to get the win is massive. We have an important week and it's just the start of it."
While level at 1-1, Emiliano Martinez saved Andreas Pereira's penalty to keep Villa in the game after Matty Cash had handled the ball in the box.
"That's why [Martinez] is the best. That's what he does. If it goes 2-1 anything can happen in the game," praised Rogers.
Fulham's Kenny Tete emphasised the defeat rested on more than the penalty miss on what proved to be a wasteful day for the hosts.
"It happened and you have to push for more - it is what it is. [At] half-time, we changed the game-plan, it was a bit better. Then it goes 2-1 and you know it is going to be difficult," he reflected.
"We could have had a bit more luck, but I don't want to point to that. It wasn't our day and we could have done better. We can look in the mirror and we have to do better and train harder. Frustrated."
Fulham had the better expected goals (xG) total at full-time with 1.78, compared to Villa’s 1.68, though this was impacted by their penalty.
The hosts also had to play 26 minutes of the match with 10 players after Joachim Andersen received his marching orders, while Villa also saw Jaden Philogene dismissed in the 93rd minute.
"Obviously a disappointed feeling. I think we started well. Then we were unlucky with the own goal. But, we get a penalty and we didn't score it. It was going to be a difficult afternoon," added Tete.
William Saliba's red card marked Arsenal's third dismissal in just eight Premier League games, leaving Mikel Arteta frustrated by the mistakes that led to their 2-0 defeat to Bournemouth.
The France centre-back was sent off following a VAR review in the 30th minute for bringing down Evanilson and denying him a goalscoring opportunity.
Despite digging in, Arsenal were unable to maintain their unbeaten start, as Ryan Christie and Justin Kluivert's second-half goals subjected them to a first defeat of the season.
It is the first campaign since 2011-12 that the Gunners have had as many as three players sent off in their opening eight matches of a Premier League season.
In fact, since Arteta's first game in charge of Arsenal on Boxing Day 2019, they have been shown 18 red cards in the top flight, at least five more than any other side.
While they managed to hold onto results against Brighton and Manchester City after going down to 10, Arteta admitted it was going to cost them eventually.
"It's very difficult to win in the Premier League with 10 men for 60-70 minutes, it's just an accident waiting to happen. We have had to go through it in three games and that cost us the game," he told BBC Match of the Day.
"We had the big chance and the moment in the game to score and have a different result, and then we conceded a goal. We try to stick to the rules. The three [red cards] have been different ones and three very different outcomes.
"The team tried, the effort with 10 men was fantastic, but today it was not enough to win the game. It took us a while to understand what we had to do in the first 15 minutes to start with, then we grabbed the game, but after 30 minutes, the game changed."
Bournemouth secured just their second-ever Premier League victory over Arsenal in 15 meetings, and their first since January 2018, when they won 2-1.
Andoni Iraola's substitutes did the damage for the Cherries, with Kluivert both scoring and assisting in a Premier League game for the first time.
Iraola was delighted by the maturity shown in his team's performance as they bounced back from a disappointing loss to Leicester City before the break.
"It was quite a mature win because it is a tricky situation [playing against 10 men]," Iraola told Sky Sports.
"We started well for the first 30 minutes and then the red card changes the game. We had to control the game, attack but not lose our minds, as even with 10 men, set plays, free-kicks they could be a threat. Luckily for us, we took the benefit of having one man more.
"Before half-time, we missed a couple of chances and at the beginning of the second half we managed not to finish, so we had to have patience to take the benefit of having one more player without losing our heads.
"We were playing very well the first 30 minutes. It was a very level game, which is very good when you face this opposition. It became easier with 11 v 10 but everything is not done, you have to finish the job, and we did it."
Rafael Nadal said Novak Djokovic had helped push him beyond his limits for 15 years after losing one final clash with the Serbian at the 6 Kings Slam in Saudi Arabia.
Djokovic and Nadal met in the third-place play-off at the inaugural event in Riyadh, having lost their respective semi-finals against Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz on Friday.
Nadal, who will hang up his racket after the Davis Cup Finals next month, was beaten 6-2 7-6 (7-5) by his great rival in his final match at an individual event.
The duo – who made up two-thirds of tennis' 'Big Three' alongside Roger Federer – have won 46 grand slam singles titles between them and met in 60 ATP Tour-recognised matches, with Djokovic winning 31 to Nadal's 29.
Djokovic is also the only player to ever defeat Nadal at all four grand slams.
Speaking after Saturday's match, an emotional Nadal thanked Djokovic for the role he played in his glittering career, saying: "Novak, you helped me go over my limits for 15 years.
"I would probably not be the player I am without you. I wish you the best of luck for the future."
When asked what he will miss most after his retirement, Nadal added: "Almost everything.
"It has been a dream come true to be able to play for almost 20 years, being competitive, having the chance to play in the best places in the world, which I watched on TV as a kid.
"I cannot thank you enough for the support and love I have received all around. It was an amazing journey at every single tournament over the years. I feel very fortunate to be a tennis player."
Djokovic, who also defeated Nadal at the Paris Olympic Games at the Spaniard's favoured Roland-Garros venue in July, then outlined his hope that his rival will not turn his back on the sport entirely.
"I don't know where to start with Rafa," Djokovic said. "An amazing career. I could speak all night. It has been an honour to share the court with you.
"I go back to the very first match we played and who would know we would be standing here almost 20 years later, playing 60 times. I have the utmost respect for you. Incredible athlete, incredible person.
"The rivalry has been incredible, very intense, so I hope we will have the chance to sit on the bench somewhere, have a drink and reflect.
"I know how much sacrifice there has been. It is an emotional day, so don't leave tennis, man! Stay with us! You have left an amazing legacy."
Nadal will be part of the Spain team that faces the Netherlands in the Davis Cup Final 8 on November 19, with a semi-final matchup against Germany or Canada on the line.
West Indies ODI captain Shai Hope knows all too well that winning their three-match series against Sri Lanka will be incumbent on players pulling their weight and executing with precision.
In fact, Hope highlighted the need for consistency across all departments, stressing that no one can afford to have an off day if the team is to compete at the highest level and climb back up the ICC rankings, as crucial ICC ranking points and World Cup qualification implications are at stake in this series.
The opening match of the series will take place at the Pallekele Cricket Stadium on Sunday. Game time is 4:00am Jamaica time and 5:00am Easter Caribbean Time.
“We're looking ahead, so we got to ensure that we play good cricket and see if we can get ourselves back up the rankings. We don't necessarily have to qualify this time around, but we got to take it one step at a time because, as much as we are looking ahead, we still got to make sure we stay in the present as well,” Hope said in a pre-game press conference.
“We've got a few new members, we got some returning guys, and we've got to gel those consistent performances together as best as we can. Especially now when things are not looking too bright for us in the last couple of years. But I'm sure we've got everything in the tank that we need to become a successful team,” he added.
Despite having undeniable talent, the West Indies have struggled to string together efficient performances in the ODI format, in particular, and Hope believes this is where the team must show improvement if they are to rise in the rankings, as the Caribbean side is currently lagging at 10th in the rankings.
“We want to improve in all areas. As you can see, we're not where we want to be, but this is how it goes. Sometimes you can't win every game, but in order to be one of the top teams in the world, you got to be a lot more consistent in all three areas. So we just need to be more ruthless when it comes to our preparation and the way we go out there on the field and just find ways to win key moments in games and do it more consistently,” Hope stressed.
With Sri Lanka expected to pose a tough challenge, especially on their home turf, Hope is determined to ensure that his squad is mentally and physically prepared for what lies ahead.
“Well, whenever you come to Sri Lanka, you got to expect the ball to do a little bit, especially from a spin bowling standpoint. But yeah, we can't have too much of a predetermined mindset; we have to wait and see what the pitch is going to offer tomorrow (Sunday).
“It's important to have an idea, but at the end of the day you still got to play what you see. It's important that we understand that it can look like a dust bowl but play pretty much straight on, so we got to make sure we're very adaptable in that aspect and ensure that we're ready to play whatever they throw at us,” Hope noted.
While his squad includes the likes of vice captain Alzarri Joseph, Brandon King, Evin Lewis, Sherfane Rutherford, Romario Shepherd, Roston Chase, and young stalwarts such as 17-year-old Jewel Andrew, Hope emphasized the need for each player to focus on executing their roles with discipline.
“Everyone has to pull their weight. I'm not going to single out and say the fast bowler has to do x or y. But yes, we know the quality of bowlers that we have, and as long as the confidence is there and the planning is there, all we need to do is execute. So the rest is up to us; we've got the ball in our court, and so we've got to make sure we're playing good cricket starting with this first game on Sunday,” the Barbadian ended.
Max Verstappen came out on top in Formula One for the first time since June after Saturday's sprint victory at the United States Grand Prix.
The Red Bull driver claimed pole position for the 19-lap race in Austin, holding on throughout to increase his drivers' championship lead by two points over Lando Norris, who finished third.
That ended a nine-race wait for victory, across eight races and one sprint, as Verstappen led from start to finish, ensuring the momentum in the world championship battle swung firmly back in his favour.
Carlos Sainz ended second after Norris went too deep into Turn One on the final lap, though the McLaren driver fended off Charles Leclerc – who finished fourth – after a near-miss between the pair.
George Russell started slow but recovered to take fifth, one spot ahead of Mercedes team-mate Lewis Hamilton, while Haas pair Kevin Magnussen and Nico Hulkenberg made up the top eight.
Red Bull had struggled amid Verstappen's winless run, but will now take confidence into qualification later on Saturday before Sunday's main-event race as he looks to extend his 54-point lead over Norris.
"It feels a bit like old times! I'm very happy. If you look at the whole race, Ferrari was also very quick," a relieved Verstappen concluded.
Norris was subsequently confirmed to be under investigation after the race for "driving erratically" in his final-lap battle with Leclerc.
Data Debrief: Red Bull redemption
With Verstappen's eight-point haul in the sprint, Red Bull have now managed points in 62 consecutive events, equalling the third-best run in F1 history (also Mercedes, 62, on two separate occasions).
Verstappen's next challenge will now be to end his eight-race wait in Grand Prix action for victory, which is his worst such streak since going 11 races without a win in 2020.
Top 8
1. Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
2. Carlos Sainz (Ferrari)
3. Lando Norris (McLaren)
4. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)
5. George Russell (Mercedes)
6. Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)
7. Kevin Magnussen (Haas)
8. Nico Hulkenberg (Haas)
CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS
Drivers'
1. Max Verstappen (Red Bull) - 339
2. Lando Norris (McLaren) - 285
3. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) - 250
Constructors'
1. McLaren - 522
2. Red Bull - 483
3. Ferrari - 453
Girona's indifferent start to their LaLiga campaign continued as they slipped down to 13th following a 1-0 loss to Real Sociedad.
Coming off a gutsy victory over Athletic Bilbao, last season's surprise package Girona have failed to string consecutive wins together this term and have 12 points from 10 league games.
The visitors went ahead when captain Mikel Oyarzabal headed home Ander Barrenetxea's cross from the left for his first goal of the season.
Arnaut Danjuma had some presentable opportunities to restore parity, but the former Villarreal, Tottenham and Everton forward failed to bury any of his three shots.
Indeed, without Bryan Gil and Yaser Asprilla, who were injured, Girona failed to test La Real too much, accumulating only 0.38 expected goals (xG) from their eight attempts as they slumped to a fourth league defeat of the season.
Data Debrief: La Real continue to get the better of Girona
Girona have played more games against La Real without winning (P9 D6 L3) than they have against any other opponent in LaLiga.
Indeed, La Real have not lost any of their last five games against Girona in all competitions (D3 W2).
Girona boss Michel has managed eight games in all competitions against La Real without a win, too.
Harry Kane's hat-trick guided Bayern Munich to a 4-0 victory over visiting Stuttgart on Saturday to snap their three-game winless run across all competitions.
Kane, who had missed a golden chance in front of goal in the 51st minute, broke the deadlock six minutes later, rifling in from outside the box.
The England captain, who had not scored in his previous two Bundesliga games, then drilled in following a goalmouth scramble on the hour.
He secured his hat-trick in the 80th minute with his eighth league goal of the season after Joao Palhinha's shot was blocked, with substitute Kingsley Coman curling in Bayern's fourth goal in the 89th.
The result keeps the Bavarians at the top of the standings on 17 points, with a better goal difference than RB Leipzig, who were 2-0 victors at Mainz earlier on Saturday.
Freiburg are third on 15 with champions Bayer Leverkusen in fourth, one point back after their 2-1 win over Eintracht Frankfurt.
Data Debrief: Goals galore for Kane and Bayern
This marked Kane's third hat-trick of the season for Bayern in all competitions. It brings his tally in the Bundesliga to eight goals this season, topping the charts at Bayern.
Bayern have scored in their last 14 games in the Bundesliga, their longest run of games with a goal in the competition since a run of 43 games from September 30, 2022 to January 12, 2024.
Bayern are also unbeaten in their seven games so far this season and have scored at least six more goals than any other team in the division (24, Leverkusen have 18).
Ten-man Milan held on to secure a 1-0 home win over Udinese thanks to Samuel Chukwueze's early goal.
Chukwueze struck low into the corner from a Christian Pulisic assist in the 13th minute of Saturday's Serie A contest at San Siro.
Yet the challenge of holding onto that lead was made much tougher when midfielder Tijjani Reijnders was sent off.
Netherlands international Reijnders received his marching orders in the 29th minute after colliding with Sandi Lovric, who was through on goal.
Milan are third in the league standings with 14 points, equal with Inter Milan in second and two behind leaders Napoli.
Udinese pushed to exploit their numerical advantage in the second half and they found the net through Christian Kabasele deep into stoppage time.
However, after a lengthy VAR check, the goal was disallowed for offside, ensuring the win for Milan.
Data Debrief: Captain America
Milan star Pulisic is the only player to have scored 10+ goals (17) and provided 10+ assists (11) from the beginning of last season in Serie A.
In fact, only Chelsea's Cole Palmer (44 – 28G, 16A) has been directly involved in more goals than Pulisic (28 – 17G, 11A) of midfielders in the big five European Leagues from the beginning of 2023-24.
Milan had to do it the hard way following Reijnders' dismissal. Only Bologna (54) have received more red cards than Milan in the last 10 Serie A campaigns (53).
Novak Djokovic edged out Rafael Nadal to finish third at the 6 Kings Slam in Saudi Arabia after an emotional last clash between two greats of the sport.
Nadal and Djokovic lost to Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner respectively in the semi-finals, setting up a memorable third-place play-off between this pair of tennis heavyweights on Saturday.
Spain's Nadal is set to retire after the Davis Cup Finals conclusion in November, with his last outing in an individual event ending in a 6-2 7-6 (7-5) defeat ahead of his impending retirement.
The 38-year-old struggled in the first set against familiar foe Djokovic, who broke in the opening game en route to a comfortable first-set victory.
Nadal improved in the second set as the pair exchanged early breaks, with Djokovic forced to work to stay in the contest.
That resilience paid dividends for the Serbian to put him on the brink of victory, though Nadal managed to save a match point with a blistering forehand winner before levelling at 5-5.
Djokovic's dominant first serve did not let him down in the tiebreak, though, as the 24-time major champion battled past Nadal for one final time.
Data Debrief: Djokovic snatches bragging rights
Though this was an exhibition encounter, Djokovic will be delighted to have had the final say in the last dance between this great duo.
Across 61 meetings in official tour-level competitions, Djokovic boasts a slightly favourable record, winning 32 times and losing on 29 occasions.
This Riyadh victory may prove the final meeting of any kind between the pair, though it will live long in the memory as Nadal prepares for an emotional farewell in Malaga.
SportsMax is the Caribbean sports channel of choice, committed to providing sporting content of the highest quality to the Caribbean, delivered by a team of highly innovative, passionate and qualified professionals.
(876) 619-7629
digitalmedia@sportsmax.tv
