03/11/2025

SPORTS MONDAY | NOV 3, 2025

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BAYERN MUNICH cruised to a 3-0 home win over Bayer Leverkusen yes terday despite benching Harry Kane and several others ahead of Wednesday’s trip to European champi ons Paris Saint-Germain. Chelsea loanee Nicolas Jackson grabbed his first Bundesliga goal, Serge Gnabry opened the scoring and Bayern forced an own goal, all in a busy first half. “It was a really nice sign from the coach that he trusts us in a game like this and those who haven’t played from the start come in and perform like that,” Gnabry told Sky Germany . Bayern coach Vincent Kompany benched Kane for the first time in any competition this season, as well as for wards Michael Olise, Luis Diaz and defender Dayot Upamecano. The absences did not bother Bayern, who have begun the season in fearsome form. The victory was their 15th in 15 games, extending their own record for the best start to a season in the history of Europe’s top-five leagues. Gnabry opened the scoring with 25 minutes gone, catching former Liverpool centre-back Jarell Quansah napping to score on the counter. An unmarked Jackson headed in a cross shortly after. Just before halftime, France centre back Loic Bade cut the ball into his own net while trying to control a Raphael Guerreiro pass. The defeat ended Leverkusen’s unbeaten run away from home at 37 matches, a Bundesliga record. Leverkusen had not lost to Bayern in the league since September 2022, a run which included their unbeaten league and cup double in 2023/24. The victory restored Bayern’s five point lead atop the table. In the Champions League, Bayern, who have won three from three, sit second in the table on goal difference behind PSG. RB Leipzig’s teenage forward Yan Diomande scored one goal and forced another as his side beat Stuttgart 3-1 at home. Leipzig returned to second spot after Dortmund had leapfrogged the Red Bulls with a 1-0 win at Augsburg on Friday. Asked if Leipzig were Bayern’s main challengers, captain David Raum said his side were “only focusing on our selves”, but added: “We don’t have to hide the mentality and the momentum we currently have.” Eintracht Frankfurt’s struggles con tinued with a 1-1 draw at last-placed Heidenheim, days after Dortmund booted them out of the German Cup. The draw leaves Frankfurt in sixth, having won just once in their past seven matches in all competitions. Union Berlin and Freiburg played out a scoreless draw in the German capital, with both sides having goals struck off by VAR. Elsewhere, Borussia M’gladbach won their first Bundesliga game since March with Haris Tabakovic bagging a brace in a 4-0 victory at St Pauli. Jens Stage equalised with four min utes left as Werder Bremen snatched a 1-1 draw at lowly Mainz. – AFP Bayern ease past Leverkusen to stay on top

Ramos header earns PSG late win over Nice SUBSTITUTE Goncalo Ramos scored with a powerful header in the 94th minute to give European champions Paris Saint-Germain a late 1-0 win over Nice in Ligue 1 yesterday. It is after Marseille won 1-0 at Auxerre to move into second. The introduction of Ramos in the 72nd minute in place of Senny Mayulu supplied the injection of attacking thrust the Parisians needed.

goal after half an hour was enough to earn a victory at Auxerre and they moved into second place. Marseille host Italian side Atalanta in the Champions League on Thursday. Monaco suffered their first home defeat of the season as they slipped to a 1-0 loss at home to Paris FC. Monaco will have to pick themselves up for the journey to the Arctic Circle to face Norwegian side Bodo Glimt in the Champions League on Wednesday. – AFP

with a corner from Lee Kang-in that was glanced on by the head of Khvicha Kvaratskhelia. Ramos gave the corner flag a powerful karate kick in celebration as the home fans roared their approval. PSG coach Luis Enrique said: “We were too quiet in the first half hour but then we got better, we put the work in and we definitely deserved the win.” Marseille failed to shine but England midfielder Angel Gomes’

Ramos finally turned PSG’s overwhelming possession into three points at the Parc des Princes and Luis Enrique’s side can now switch their focus to the visit of Bayern Munich in the Champions League on Wednesday. PSG have a two-point lead at the top of Ligue 1.

The Portuguese international, making his 100th appearance for PSG, forced a fine save from Nice goalkeeper Yehvann Diouf shortly before his decisive goal. As the seconds ticked down, Ramos connected from close range

Mbappe extends Real’s lead Madrid stretched their league lead to seven points with comfortable win over Valencia K YLIAN MBAPPE struck twice as Real Madrid romped to a 4-0 win over Valencia yesterday to move seven points clear at the top of La Liga. Valencia goalkeeper Julen Agirrezabala the wrong way to put his team ahead. It was his 12th league goal of the season, extending his reign at the head of the Spanish scoring chart. and Vinicius appeared to ask Mbappe to take the penalty, which he wasted. Instead that job was left to Bellingham, who brilliantly found the bottom corner with a power ful drive from distance.

Jude Bellingham and Alvaro Carreras also scored for the rampant hosts as they racked up an easy victory ahead of Wednesday’s Champions League clash at Liverpool. Vinicius started on the left of Madrid’s attack after he apologised for his high-profile sulk fol lowing his substitution in the Clasico win over Barcelona last weekend. Madrid coach Xabi Alonso went with arguably his strongest side, despite his team’s advantage in the table and the impending visit to Anfield. Mbappe’s double and Bellingham’s strike gave Madrid a commanding three-goal lead at the break and effectively fin ished the game. “We had a spectacular first half, and at 3-0 up it’s normal that you relax a bit,” Fede Valverde told Real Madrid TV . “We have to enjoy (playing

Madrid cruised through a second half without great incident until Carreras smashed home the fourth in the 82nd minute. “I’m proud, these things happen when they happen, I wasn’t in a hurry, my job is (defending),” said Carreras. “We have a good mentality when we lose the ball (to press), we’re doing these things well.” Villarreal continued their strong start to the La Liga season by thrashing Rayo Vallecano 4-0 to climb above Barcelona into second place provisionally on Saturday. Villarreal’s key man was playmaker at the Estadio de la Ceramica. “I’m very happy, I’m finding my form more and more, and my teammates make things easy for me,” Moleiro told DAZN . Atletico Madrid earned a comfortable 3-0 win over Sevilla to tighten their grip on fourth and pull level on points with Barca. Atletico extended their unbeaten league run to 10 matches and kept a third consecu tive La Liga clean sheet. “The team have done good work in these last three games,” said Atletico captain Koke. “We kept a clean sheet, which is very important for us and this part of our iden tity will help us fight for big things.” – AFP Alberto Moleiro, who joined from Las Palmas in the summer. He scored a fine individual goal and set up another

Mbappe’s 13th was soon to follow, with Arda Guler spotting Mbappe’s dart into space at the back post and crossing for the forward to volley home.

Vinicius should have killed the game off before halftime but his poor penalty down the middle was saved by Agirrezabala. Thierry Correia clumsily felled Carreras

with Mbappe), get the best out of him so he keeps scoring goals for Real Madrid. “He will achieve every thing because he’s one of the best in the world.” Valencia, now winless in six league games and down in 18th, set up to defend and in the opening stages it seemed to be working. However Madrid were awarded a penalty after a VAR review when Eder Militao’s header hit Cesar Tarrega on the hand. Mbappe missed from the spot against Barcelona last week but the French superstar coolly sent

Kylian Mbappe (left) celebrates scoring Madrid’s first goal with Jude Bellingham (centre) and Vinicius Junior. – REUTERSPIC

Spalletti begins Juve tenure with win at Cremonese, Napoli held LUCIANO SPALLETTI got off to a winning start in charge of Juventus yesterday as his new team beat Cremonese and their goalscorer Jamie Vardy 2-1. why they sit ninth after being promoted last season. with it, but we can work on that.” For the second time in as many matches goalkeeper Vanja

are, alongside Juve and third-placed Inter Milan, just four points from the summit. Napoli now turn their attention to the visit of Eintracht Frankfurt on Wednesday, with Antonio Conte’s team on three points from their three Champions League matches following a thumping at PSV Eindhoven last month. Como sit sixth in Serie A, a point behind Juve and the Milan clubs, after extending their unbeaten league run to eight matches. Atalanta’s unbeaten record fell with a 1-0 defeat at Udinese in the day’s early kickoff, Nicolo Zaniolo netting the winner five minutes before halftime. – AFP

Former England international Vardy halved the deficit in the 83rd minute when he held off Federico Gatti before bursting through and confidently rolling home his second Serie A goal. “We did well for a good chunk of the first half, then we started to concede too much, and it was the same at the start of the second half… there’s a bit to work on,” Spalletti told Sky Sport . “We need to grow, and quickly. We have potential and I trust the players, but the pressure of playing for Juventus can weigh on the players… Some of them struggle

Milinkovic-Savic saved Napoli’s blushes by keeping out a penalty, this time stopping Alvaro Morata from netting his first goal for Como after bringing down the Spain forward midway through the first half. That was by far the best opportunity of a cagey, intense contest in Naples which has given Napoli’s rivals the chance to apply more pressure in the battle for the Scudetto . Roma trail Napoli by a single point and can move top with a win on Sunday night at AC Milan who

Serie A leaders Napoli though could only manage a goalless draw with Como. Birthday boy Filip Kostic took just 84 seconds to score the first goal of the Spalletti era. And another close-range finish from Andrea Cambiaso in the 68th minute made sure dominant Juve moved fifth, four points behind Napoli. Juve started yesterday’s tough Serie A match just one point above spirited Cremonese, who showed