Flick's Perfect Finals, Kane's 20th Goal, Arsenal's 23 Set-Pieces

Weekend Highlights in European Football Competitions

The weekend was packed with exciting matches across Europe's top leagues, featuring notable performances and unexpected results. In the FA Cup, several top-tier teams faced early exits, while lower league sides made their mark. Barcelona secured a victory in the Spanish Supercopa, and Inter Milan drew with Napoli in Serie A. Meanwhile, Bayern Munich dominated Wolfsburg in the Bundesliga.

FA Cup: Surprises and Records

One of the most shocking outcomes came when Crystal Palace, the FA Cup holders, were eliminated by Macclesfield, a sixth-tier team. This marked the first time in 117 years that a non-league team has knocked out the FA Cup holders. The match also saw Macclesfield score twice against a Premier League side for the first time in 17 years.

Manchester United suffered an embarrassing loss to Brighton & Hove Albion at Old Trafford, which means they will play 40 competitive games this season—the lowest since 1913. Additionally, it was the first time in 44 years that Manchester United lost in both the FA Cup and the League Cup in their opening matches.

Other notable FA Cup stats include:

• Everton became the second top-flight team to lose an FA Cup penalty shootout without scoring any penalties.
• Sunderland’s Robin Roefs saved three or more penalties in an FA Cup shootout, a feat not seen since 2021.
• Manchester City recorded a 10-1 win over Exeter City, matching the largest margin of victory in an FA Cup game.
• Wrexham defeated Nottingham Forest in a penalty shootout, marking their first win over a Premier League team in 27 years.

La Liga and Spanish Supercopa

Barcelona emerged victorious in the Spanish Supercopa with a 3-2 win over Real Madrid. The result extended Barcelona’s winning streak to 10 straight matches, the longest since 2016.

Key stats from La Liga include:

• Gonzalo García contributed five goals in his last three matches for Real Madrid.
• Hansi Flick remains undefeated in finals as a head coach, having won all eight he has participated in.
• Vinícius Júnior ended a 16-game goalless run for Real Madrid, as well as a 19-game drought for club and country.
• Gerard Moreno reached his 126th career goal in La Liga, with nine of those coming for Villarreal.

Bundesliga: Bayern Munich Dominates

Bayern Munich continued their strong form in the Bundesliga, with Luis Díaz scoring his 14th goal of the season. The team also had two result-changing goals after the 90th minute, a feat only surpassed by FC Koln.

Other Bundesliga highlights:

• Borussia Dortmund scored seven goals from substitutes this season, with five different players contributing.
• Stuttgart snapped a 15-game winless streak against Bayer Leverkusen by defeating them 2-0.
• Harry Kane leads the Bundesliga with 20 goals this season, tying Erling Haaland for the top scorer in the top five European leagues.

Serie A: Inter and Napoli Draw

In Serie A, leaders Inter Milan drew 2-2 with Napoli, while AC Milan managed a draw against Fiorentina, who are battling relegation. Scott McTominay, now with Napoli, has matched his two-goal record from his time at Manchester United in just 52 Serie A games.

Key Stats from the Weekend

• Danny Welbeck has scored eight goals against Manchester United, tied for his most against any single opponent.
• Marc Guiu has been directly involved in nine goals in his last nine starts for Chelsea.
• Arsenal has scored 23 goals from set-pieces this season, the most in Europe's top five leagues.
• Macclesfield created history by eliminating Crystal Palace, with a 117-place gap between the two teams in the league pyramid.

These results and statistics highlight the unpredictable and thrilling nature of football, where underdogs can make headlines and records fall on a regular basis.