18 things we loved this weekend: De Jong, Azpilicueta, Mane, Balogun…
Chelsea stole the headlines this weekend after beating Palmeiras and becoming world champions for the first time in their history.
Elsewhere, Barcelona needed a 96th-minute equaliser to avoid defeat in the Catalan derby and there were plenty more great moments from across the Premier League, Football League and Europe.
We’ve rounded up the best of the action on and off the field.
Chelsea
A brilliant achievement.
FIFA Club World Cup 🏆
Champions League 🏆🏆
Europa League 🏆🏆
UEFA Super Cup 🏆
Premier League 🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆
FA Cup 🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆
League Cup 🏆🏆🏆
Community Shield 🏆🏆Chelsea complete the set ✅ pic.twitter.com/g67NYVB9sc
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) February 12, 2022
Cesar Azpilicueta
Captain. Leader. Legend.
Cesar Azpilicueta: “I expected the Palmeiras’ players to come around the penalty taker. I already told Kai he was going to shoot. I just tried to release the pressure from him.”
Great from our captain 👏 https://t.co/3zErRzMF7g
— Jéssica Frota (@Je_Frota) February 13, 2022
Antonio Rudiger
Try telling Rudiger that the Club World Cup doesn’t matter.
I LOVE RUDIGER SO MUCH 🤣💙🔥pic.twitter.com/pxXmPbnH2Y
— Ali (@TheBeardedRauI) February 12, 2022
Luuk de Jong
De Jong came to Barcelona’s rescue yet again.
Luuk de Jong equalises AT THE DEATH! 😱😱
Barca break Espanyol hearts late on in a thrilling derby 🔵🔴 pic.twitter.com/1bjM0t0hPZ
— Viaplay Sports UK (@ViaplaySportsUK) February 13, 2022
Fabinho
We love players showing their personalities in interviews.
Fabinho's answer when he was asked about Burnley's chances against Liverpool is just priceless 😂 pic.twitter.com/wMQmKWF8I5
— DAZN Football (@DAZNFootball) February 13, 2022
Sadio Mane
Mane returned from AFCON and was unsurprisingly full of confidence.
Yep, Sadio Mane has unfinished business pic.twitter.com/B9mDF0a9cV
— . (@ChiesaLFC) February 11, 2022
Folarin Balogun
A ridiculously cheeky assist from the Arsenal loanee.
— Balogun (@balogun) February 13, 2022
Pepe
Never change Pepe. Never change…
Five minutes of ABSOLUTE CHAOS to end a thriller between Porto and Sporting 🤯😳
Pepe received one of three red cards shown after the final whistle, as carnage broke out between both sets of players and staff.
The Dragons extend their unbeaten run to 50 matches! 🔵👏 pic.twitter.com/i0F2Dmf1Dh
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) February 11, 2022
Nabil Fekir
A free kick that Lionel Messi would be proud of.
Nabil Fekir with a STUNNING free kick! 😱
You won't see too many hit or placed better than that one 🎯 pic.twitter.com/BBUpkxyzct
— Viaplay Sports UK (@ViaplaySportsUK) February 13, 2022
KobbIe Mainoo
We hope Mainoo apologised to that Chelsea defender.
Kobbie Mainoo 😬 pic.twitter.com/wywueYDUmp
— utdreport Academy (@utdreportAcad) February 12, 2022
Diego Moreira
We’re now going to start watching Benfica B on a weekly basis.
DIEGO MOREIRA SHOWBOATING! WOW 🤭😳
— Benfica Youth (@SLBenficaYouth) February 13, 2022
Ruslan Malinovskyi
What a strike.
RUSLAN MALINOVSKYI THUNDERBOLT!! 😱😱
The Ukrainian comes off the bench and produces a moment of magic to open the scoring for Atalanta.
Struck that so cleanly 💥 pic.twitter.com/PSXyxqv1RD
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) February 13, 2022
Gerrit Holtman
Bochum have lost 7-0 and won 4-2 against Bayern Munich this season. Bonkers.
That is some way to put your club 4-1 up against the #Bundesliga record champions.
Gerrit Holtmann, take a bloody bow son. 🙇♂️ pic.twitter.com/uiMOIzkzVs
— Bundesliga English (@Bundesliga_EN) February 12, 2022
Ricardo Quaresma
Quaresma has just cemented his status as our favourite footballer.
Ricardo Quaresma has had enough of time being wasted pic.twitter.com/x64NzkU6SQ
— Salim Masoud Said (@salimosaid) February 13, 2022
Lucas Paqueta
Very nice.
😏 𝘼𝙗𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙡𝙖𝙨𝙩 𝙣𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩… 😏 @LucasPaqueta97 #OLOGCN pic.twitter.com/4vxMHN2PJz
— Olympique Lyonnais 🇬🇧🇺🇸 (@OL_English) February 13, 2022
Wes Hoolahan
Wessi for the 2022 Ballon d’Or.
Even at 39-years old, you're just not getting the ball off Wes Hoolahan 😍pic.twitter.com/4zZV7WErG7
— Balls.ie (@ballsdotie) February 13, 2022
Fashion Sakala
We’re still not sure how Sakala managed to score from that angle.
Fashion Sakala caught everyone out with that strike! 😂
Rangers are rampant 🔵 pic.twitter.com/V5iR2peH7N
— Viaplay Sports UK (@ViaplaySportsUK) February 12, 2022
Arkadiusz Milik
There’s never a bad way to score a late winner but this was pretty special.
The chest control before delivering this bicycle kick 😳
Take a bow, Arkadiusz Milik! 🚲 pic.twitter.com/SqPfPDH34m
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) February 13, 2022
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