What you missed this weekend

Another busy weekend laid bare the issues faced by Barcelona, Manchester United and Juventus, while Real Madrid turned on the style, Liverpool lost for the first time, Roma slumped to another defeat and Neymar inspired Paris Saint-Germain.

Here are James Olley, Alex Kirkland and Andrew Cesare Richardson with what you need to know from around Europe.

Go to: Talking points | Top goals | Troubled teams | Weekend MVP

Four talking points

Barcelona implosion shows Xavi’s task

With club legend Xavi Hernandez poised to fulfill his destiny and take charge of the first team, Barcelona went to half-time at Celta Vigo boasting a 3-0 lead, with young star Ansu Fati on the scoresheet again. Things were finally starting to look up.

By the full-time whistle at Balaidos, much of that optimism and excitement had dissipated. Not only had Celta hit back for a LaLiga point — Iago Aspas scored a 96th-minute equaliser in a thrilling game — but Fati had pulled up with a hamstring problem, while Nico Gonzalez and Eric Garcia had also joined an 11-man injury list.

Barca have gifted players capable of brilliance and youngsters ready to step up and become mainstays, but they are flawed from back to front. What has happened to goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen? Will Clement Lenglet ever stop being a soft touch? Does Oscar Mingueza have any future at right-back? And how do you play 4-3-3 when your wingers are perennially injured?

Xavi is more aware than anyone of the size of job he faces, but this game was a useful summary of the good, the bad and the ugly. — Kirkland

HIGHLIGHTS | @RCCeltaEN come from three down to earn 96th minute draw v Barça! 😱

📺 #CeltaBarça pic.twitter.com/79UAThNUU9

— LaLiga English (@LaLigaEN) November 6, 2021

Solskjaer survives as others fall

Two Premier League managers lost their jobs at the weekend, yet Ole Gunnar Solskjaer continues to cling on at Manchester United, whose season is drifting in hopes the struggling manager can somehow turn things around.

It…