Nantes down Bordeaux, Bastia beat Rennes

A freak own goal helped Nantes to a 2-1 win over Bordeaux, struggling Bastia beat Rennes and a brace from Brazilian Diego Rigonato helped Reims past Evian in Ligue 1 action on Saturday.

Nantes ended their three-match losing run thanks to Jordan Veretout's opener, cancelled out by Kian Hansen's own goal.

In the 66th minute Bordeaux's young Slovenian reserve keeper Azbe Jug haplessly scored the decider when the ball, rebounding off a post, struck him on the head and ended up in his own net.

Nantes remain seventh with Bordeaux in fifth, on 31 points, one behind Saint-Etienne who face Nice on Sunday.

Also on Sunday Paris Saint-Germain are at lowly Guingamp and leaders Marseille are at south coast rivals Monaco.

Sixth-placed Rennes were thwarted 2-0 at Bastia, playing much of the game a man down after Fallou Diagne's 26th minute red card.

A first half stoppage time goal from Ryad Boudebouz and Yannick Cahuzac's effort nine minutes from time earned Bastia a precious fourth win of the season.

They climbed one place into third from bottom, on 17 points, one behind Guingamp.

Reims' Brazilian midfielder Rigonato scored either side of the break in Reims' pulsating defeat of Evian, while on a high-scoring day in the French top flight Lens came from behind to salvage a 3-3 draw at Montpellier.

On Friday, Ligue 1's leading scorer Alexandre Lacazette grabbed a brace as Lyon beat bottom club Caen 3-0 to make it eight consecutive home wins.

Cole still 'important' for Roma - Garcia

Roma coach Rudi Garcia insisted there was still room at the Serie A side for Ashley Cole amid media speculation the former Arsenal and Chelsea striker could be tempted by a January transfer to the Major Soccer League in the United States.

Cole's failure to settle in Italy's top flight has led to his demotion to the Roma bench and allowed German-born Greek international Jose Holebas to tighten his grip on the left-back position.

Former England international Cole was run ragged by Arjen Robben during a 7-1 Champions League drubbing to Bayern Munich in October and since then has featured only sparingly for the Serie A title challengers.

Once considered one of the strongest left-backs in the world, Cole is rumoured to be considering his options having last played in a 2-1 away win over Atalanta last month.

But Garcia insisted: "Ashley is doing fine, he's a professional. He's simply up against the fact Jose (Holebas) is doing very well at the moment. He's been great in the last few games.

"He (Cole) remains an important player for us."

Roma, who sit three points behind leaders and champions Juventus, face a tough trip away to third-placed Genoa later on Sunday.

Garcia's men crashed out of the Champions League following a 2-0 defeat to Manchester City in midweek and have dropped into the Europa League.

With the Giallorossi entering the Italian Cup fray with a last 16 tie at home to Empoli on January 20, Garcia added: "... we'll be giving it everything we have on all three fronts: Serie A, Europa League and Coppa Italia.

Sampdoria end Juve's winning home streak

Sampdoria ended Juventus's run of 25 successive Serie A home wins when they drew 1-1 against the Serie A leaders on Sunday thanks to a second-half goal by substitute Manolo Gabbiadini.

Juventus dominated the first half and went ahead when Patrice Evra was left unmarked at a corner to head his first Serie A goal since his move from Manchester United in the close season.

The Frenchman's goal was debatable, however, as television replays showed that Claudio Marchisio had placed the ball outside the quadrant when he took the corner.

Sampdoria goalkeeper Sergio Romero kept the visitors in the game, and they stunned the home crowd by equalising with their first real chance early in the second half.

Gabbiandini scored with a delightful goal, curling a left-foot past Gianluigi Buffon from the edge of the penalty area.

Sampdoria, who were the last Serie A side to win away to Juventus in January 2013, nearly snatched a winner when another Gabbiadini effort was brillianty saved by Buffon.

Juventus lead Serie A with 36 points from 15 games while Sampdoria are fifth on 26.

AS Roma can reduce Juve's lead to one point if they win at third-placed Genoa later on Sunday.

Moyes can emulate Toshack impact

Manchester United's loss is Real Sociedad's gain according to midfielder Esteban Granero, who believes David Moyes can emulate former manager John Toshack and become a fan favourite at the Basque Country club.

Moyes joined the struggling Spanish side last month looking to rebuild a reputation badly damaged by an ill-fated 10-month spell at Old Trafford where he replaced retired Alex Ferguson.

Toshack also arrived for the first of three spells at the northern Spain club with something to prove after an underwhelming one-year reign at Portuguese side Sporting.

He won the King's Cup in 1987 and endeared himself to the club's fans for coining a new brand of "Spanglish", literally translating English phrases into Spanish with comic effect.

Moyes has already been teased for saying "uno, dos, tres, cuatro" in Spanish at a recent news conference and was pictured mistakenly shouting "Stefano" to Granero in his first game in charge.

"Toshack was a legend because of what he achieved, not because of the phrases but they added to the legend," Granero said in an interview in the Independent.

"Aside from the excellent translator (Moyes) has alongside him, there are five or six players who speak English and our goalkeeper Enaut Zubikarai has just started with an English teacher, too.

"Harry's [Redknapp, Granero's manager at Queens Park Rangers in 2013] London accent made him tougher for me to understand than David."

When Moyes was confirmed as their new manager Granero phoned close friend Juan Mata, who Moyes brought to Old Trafford for a then club record transfer fee of £37.1 million in January.

"Juan spoke very highly of him," Granero added.

"We all know what the big clubs are like, the criticism comes quickly and the coach always pays. But their loss is now our gain."

Sociedad finished fourth in La Liga in 2012-13 and seventh last season but have struggled so far in this campaign, winning only three of 14 league games to sit 15th.

But Granero, a La Liga winner at Real Madrid in 2012, believes Moyes can lead the side back to the Champions League.

"That is the challenge. The president wants it and I think the coach has come for that. We achieved it last season and we want it again. We know we have to go one step at a time but we have to be confident and ambitious.

Stuani helps Espanyol down Granada

Espanyol substitute Christian Stuani scored in the 90th minute to snatch a 2-1 win over 10-man Granada in the Spanish league on Sunday.

The Uruguay forward raced in at the far post to volley home Lucas Vazquez's cross after Granada was left a man down in the 82nd when Juan Carlos Perez received his second booking for handling the ball.

Vazquez had already played a part in Espanyol's first goal in the 34th when his deflected cross fell to Felipe Caicedo, who poked it past goalkeeper Roberto Fernandez.

Granada equalised through Youssef El Arabi in the 61st after forward Ivan "Riki" Sanchez-Rico made his season debut as a substitute to energise the visitors.

Espanyol rose to 11th place. Under first-year coach Sergio Gonzalez the Barcelona-based side hasn't lost in seven straight home games after losing its home opener.

Stuani, a starter in recent seasons, has flourished coming off the bench and leads Espanyol with six goals in the league.

"It was a very important goal after we lost at Barcelona (5-1)," said Stuani. "We had a debt to settle with our fans."

Granada, in 16th, remained winless in 11 rounds and two points above the relegation zone.

Later, Atletico Madrid host Villarreal and look to capitalise on Barcelona's 0-0 draw at Getafe on Saturday. A win would lift Atletico level with the Catalan club in second place behind leader Real Madrid.

Athletic Bilbao also visits Real Sociedad in a Basque Country derby, while Sevilla hosts Eibar.

BVB have 'awesome' problems - Klopp

Borussia Dortmund's Jurgen Klopp says the 2013 Champions League finalists have "awesome problems" after dropping back into the relegation places following their defeat at Hertha Berlin.

Hertha striker Julian Schieber, who quit Dortmund for Berlin at the end of last season, scored the hosts' first-half winner which saw them overtake 16th-placed Borussia to go 13th in the table.

Dortmund qualified for the Champions League's last 16 as group winners ahead of Arsenal, but their dire domestic form this seaso has seen them win just four of their 15 Bundesliga matches.

They are the only team in Germany's top flight to have lost nine matches having started December bottom of the table.

Despite Saturday's defeat, Dortmund's fans applauded the squad after the final whistle at Berlin's Olympic Stadium and Klopp led his side to their fans' corner to acknowledge them.

"We need all the support we can get, we hear week after week that we are a great team, but this 'awesome' team also has awesome problems," admitted Klopp.

"The first half was the complete opposite of how we wanted to play.

"We weren't determined enough which is completely the wrong path to take in a game like this."

Klopp, who steered Borussia to the 2011 and 2012 Bundesliga titles, has a contract until 2018 and has been told his job is safe, but last season's runners-up were poor in Berlin.

"We're in a relegation battle, we've accepted the situation the way it is," admitted Klopp.

Dortmund host second-placed Wolfsburg on Wednesday, then are away to fellow strugglers Werder Bremen next Saturday in the last game of the year before the Bundesliga breaks for the winter.

"We now have two games left to dramatically improve our league position in the second half of the season and that is our task," said Klopp.

There was more bad news in Berlin as Armenia play-maker Henrikh Mkhitaryan came off after 35 minutes and could be ruled out of their last two games.

"He felt a sharp pain, which is not good when you have three games in a week, and it looks like he won't play again this year," said Klopp.

Bayern go ten clear, BVB crash

Bayern Munich underlined their status as Bundesliga champions-in-waiting as Saturday's 4-0 thrashing of Augsburg moved them 10 points clear at the top of the German league.

With second-placed Wolfsburg playing Paderborn on Sunday, Bayern seized the chance to extend their lead at third-placed Augsburg and remain on course for a third straight title.

Bayern, who started with Thomas Mueller and Mario Goetze on the bench, can further hammer home their superiority later this week when they host Freiburg on Tuesday before travelling to face Mainz on Friday in their last league match of 2014.

"I am very, very proud, because I know how hard it is to win at Augsburg," said Bayern coach Pep Guardiola.

"We were much more aggressive and combined quicker in the second-half.

"Once again, I am surprised by the mentality of these players, who have already won everything, but they always just want to win, win, win.

"We have two more games now this week which we'll try to win.

After a goalless first-half, Bayern burst into life after the interval as Arjen Robben netted twice while Medhi Benatia and Robert Lewandowski were also on target.

Centre-back Benatia headed his first Bayern goal on 58 minutes, then Robben slotted his ninth in all competitions just two minutes later when he curled his shot in around the post.

Poland striker Lewandowski claimed their third when he fired home a final pass from captain Bastian Schweinsteiger on 68 minutes.

Robben added the fourth three minutes later as Augsburg's defence capitulated.

Despite qualifying for the Champions League's last 16, Borussia Dortmund dropped back into the relegation places after slumping to a 1-0 defeat at Hertha Berlin.

Dortmund's ninth defeat in 15 league games – the most in Germany's top flight – saw them drop to 16th from 14th having started December at the bottom.

To rub salt into the wounds, Julian Schieber scored the first-half winner against his old club.

"We hear week after week that we are a great team, but this 'awesome' team also has awesome problems," admitted Dortmund coach Jurgen Klopp.

Klopp had to replace attacking midfielder Heinrikh Mkhitaryan, who has injured his thigh, for Poland's Jakob Blaszczkowski with 35 minutes gone.

Blaszczkowski lost possession in midfield, Norway's Per Skjelbred pounced on the loose ball and fed Berlin striker Schieber, who fired home on 40 minutes.

Only Hanover 96's 3-3 draw at Werder Bremen prevented Dortmund dropping to second from bottom.

Spanish striker Joselu scored twice for Hanover to claim four goals in his last three league games.

Stuttgart remain bottom of the league despite picking up a point with a 1-1 draw at mid-table Mainz.

Having scraped into the Champions League's last 16 with a 1-0 win at Slovenia's Maribor on Wednesday, Roberto di Matteo's Schalke 04 slumped to a 2-1 defeat at home to Cologne.

Nigeria striker Anthony Ujah scored his fourth goal in five league games just after the break before midfielder Matthias Lehmann netted a penalty.

Teenage replacement Leroy Sane scored his first goal for Schalke by way of consolation on only the 18-year-old's fourth league appearance as Schalke dropped to sixth.

Hamburg were held to a goalless draw at Freiburg with both teams just above the bottom three.

On Sunday, fourth-placed Bayer Leverkusen host Borussia Moenchengladbach with Lucien Favre's side just one place behind in the league table.

On Friday, Hoffenheim enjoyed a 3-2 win at Eintracht Frankfurt to stay seventh and just outside the European places for next season.