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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Sport
Guardian sport and PA Media

European roundup: Mbappé has penalty saved before injury strikes in PSG win

Kylian Mbappé’s injury is a worry for PSG, who play Bayern Munich in the Champions League in less than two weeks.
Kylian Mbappé’s injury is a worry for PSG, who play Bayern Munich in the Champions League in less than two weeks. Photograph: Sylvain Thomas/AFP/Getty Images

Kylian Mbappé missed a penalty and limped off injured as Ligue 1 leaders Paris Saint-Germain battled to victory at Montpellier.

The World Cup golden boot winner saw a spot-kick saved by Benjamin Lecomte before a retake was ordered and the France forward missed again. He was then forced off after just 21 minutes having suffered an injury.

PSG would go on to win 3-1, with Fabián Ruiz and Lionel Messi scoring before 16-year-old Warren Zaïre-Emery made sure of victory in stoppage time after Arnaud Nordin pulled one back for the hosts.

A potential injury will be of concern to Christophe Galtier, whose PSG side face Bayern Munich in the first leg of their Champions League tie on 14 February.

Bayern themselves had a much more straightforward evening, beating Mainz 4-0 to reach the quarter-finals of the DFB-Pokal.

João Cancelo provided an assist early on his Bayern debut, crossing for Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting to volley the visitors ahead. Jamal Musiala and Leroy Sané struck before the break to all-but settle the tie, with Alphonso Davies adding a late fourth as Alexander Hack saw red for Mainz in the closing stages.

João Cancelo (left) provided an assist just 17 minutes into this Bayern Munich debut.
João Cancelo (left) provided an assist just 17 minutes into this Bayern Munich debut. Photograph: Thomas Kienzle/AFP/Getty Images

Arsenal loanee Folarin Balogun continued his fine form at Reims, with the young forward hitting a hat-trick in a 4-2 win over Lorient to take him clear of Mbappé as the top goalscorer in Ligue 1.

Elsewhere, second-place Marseille moved up to second place as a João Victor own goal and a late Azzedine Ounahi strike sealed a 2-0 victory at Nantes. They displaced Lens, who slipped to third after losing 1-0 at home to Nice, for whom Gaëtan Laborde hit the game’s only goal.

La Liga pace-setters Barcelona were pushed hard at Real Betis before securing a hard-fought 2-1 win. Raphinha opened the scoring after 65 minutes and Robert Lewandowski doubled the lead before a Jules Koundé own goal made the last five minutes more nervy. A late red card for Betis midfielder William Carvalho helped Barça over the line.

Robert Lewandowski’s goal proved decisive at Real Betis.
Robert Lewandowski’s goal proved decisive at Real Betis. Photograph: Fran Santiago/Getty Images

Serie A bottom club Cremonese shocked Roma with a 2-1 win at the Stadio Olimpico to reach the Coppa Italia quarter-finals. José Mourinho’s side slipped to defeat at home as a Cyriel Dessers penalty and a Mehmet Celik own goal saw Cremonese, without a league victory all season, spring a major surprise.

In the last eight they will face Fiorentina, who ran out 2-1 winners at home to Torino.

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