What Did I Miss?

Talking Points:

Manchester United lose to Wolves 2-1:

At the start of last week Manchester United were knocked out of the FA Cup in the quarterfinals by Wolves, in only Ole Gunnar Solskjær's second loss, the other being United's loss in the first leg to PSG. After the 2-1 loss to Wolves Solskjær said it how it was saying that they, "got what they deserved" and calling it "the poorest performance since I've come here." Some people have said that this loss actually helps United in their quest for the top 4 because they will play less games and have more rest. This makes sense except for the fact that getting dumped out of the FA cup with a poor performance could prove to be a big blow to the team's confidence. If this loss does in fact hurt their confidence and if they lose their next game, Solskjær may have his first major morale problem on his hands and his first big chance to show his man-management skills.

Juventus lose to Genoa 2-0:

In another surprising defeat, Juventus lost the first game of their Serie A campaign 2-0 to Genoa. It doesn't make a very big difference to their title challenge because they're still 15 points ahead of second-placed Napoli. But similar to Manchester United it could hurt their confidence. A drop in their confidence could damage their Champions League push. Although they face Ajax in the quarterfinals, who are weaker than most of the teams left in the competition, Ajax showed that they can be dangerous when they took advantage of a weak Real Madrid side. Juventus were also very poor in the first leg loss to Atletico Madrid, which they lost 2-0. "I expected a different Juventus" Allegri said after the loss to Genoa and fortunately for him and his side, there is a different Juventus because Ronaldo was left out of the squad that took the trip to Genoa. As we saw in the second leg against Atletico, Ronaldo can be the definition of a game-changer for Juventus.

Inter Milan beat AC Milan 3-2:

The Milan Derby or Derby della Madonnina is one of the biggest rivalries in the world. The both Milan-based clubs have had legendary teams such as the great AC Milan side of the mid-90's lead by Arrigo Sacchi and Jose Mourinho's treble winning Inter side in 2009/10. They also are 2 of the only teams in the world to share a stadium, the San Siro. For those reasons they have conjured up some great games over the years and this 5-goal thriller was no exception. Inter took the lead less than 3 minutes in, when Vecino tapped the ball in. It took another 48 minutes for the next goal, when Inter's Stefan de Vrij headed the ball in indirectly from a corner. AC Milan got one back only 6 minutes later as Bakayoko headed the ball in from a free kick into the box. But another 10 minutes later Inter were given a penalty which was converted by Lautaro Martinez. It only took 4 minutes for AC Milan to score when Musacchio tapped the ball in but Inter held on and won 3-2 in another thrilling game at the San Siro.

Barcelona beat Real Betis 4-1:

This was Barcelona at their very best. A Messi hat trick and a brilliant Suarez solo goal sealed a 4-1 for the Blaugrana. Messi first goal was a blistering free-kick into the top left hand corner, where no goalkeeper in the world could reach. His second came at the very end of the first half, courtesy of a back-heel from Suarez. Then after he missed twice just moment earlier, it was Suarez's turn to get on the scoresheet. He danced past 4 Betis defenders and slotted the ball past the keeper to score. After Betis got one back, Messi scored his third and Barcelona's fourth. On the edge of the box, Messi pulled off a perfectly placed chip over the keeper, dipping perfectly into the far corner. Messi would later received a standing ovation from the Betis supporters and picked up the match ball on a wonderful night for him and Barcelona.

Chelsea lose to Everton 2-0:

Chelsea's current run of form is upsetting to see for Chelsea supporters. The last Chelsea game I watched was the draw to Wolves. It was the most boring game I've ever seen. It was the same old side-to-side possession play that Sarri has been too stubborn to adjust. Unfortunately Sarri hasn't seemed to changed his ways. He blamed the loss on his players mentality and defended his tactics, saying that, "the problem was mental on the pitch, so the system and tactics are not important." The other strange thing about the loss was the reaction from Chelsea supporters. When our slump began, the Chelsea fans and other fans alike were quick to comment and criticize Sarri and the players. After this loss everyone seems to have accepted Chelsea averageness. This can't happen because it allows Sarri to continue his stubborn ways without anyone acknowledging the flaws in his tactics and it allows Abramovich to say, 'the fans don't mind so Sarri can stay.'