PARIS: Monaco’s freefall towards relegation in France continued as the pricipality club lost 2-0 away to fellow strugglers Dijon in their first match since Thierry Henry’s departure and the return of Leonardo Jardim.

They went behind in the 24th minute when Kwon Chang-hoon scored and were reduced to 10 men on the hour mark when Naldo, after a challenge on Julio Tavares, was sent off for the second successive league game. Dijon then extended their lead in the 69th minute through Naim Sliti.

Jardim, a day after being reappointed as head coach following Henry’s exit, watched from the stands at the Stade Gaston Gerard, with caretaker Franck Passi in the dugout.

Second-bottom Monaco remain three points from safety, while Dijon – celebrating their first league win under Antoine Kombouare – are up two places to 16th, two points clear of the relegation zone.

Bottom club Guingamp stay a point behind Monaco after their 1-0 home loss to Reims, for whom Mathieu Cafaro scored in the 38th minute. Guingamp also had a man sent off, with Papy Djilobodji being given his marching orders in the second half.

A stoppage-time goal from Kenny Lala gave fifth-placed Strasbourg a 1-0 home win against Bordeaux. The visitors wore jerseys with the name ‘Emi’ and the number nine on for the pre-match warm-up, in tribute to their former player Emiliano Sala after a plane carrying the striker went missing.

In Spain . . .

Atletico Madrid cut the gap to La Liga leaders Barcelona to two points after beating Getafe 2-0 at the Metropolitano.

Diego Simeone’s second-placed side went ahead through Antoine Griezmann’s strike in the 27th minute, and 10 minutes later Saul Niguez doubled the advantage. Getafe, who remain sixth, had two players sent off late on, with Djene Dakonam being dismissed in the 88th minute and Leandro Cabrera in stoppage time.

Sevilla moved up a place to third, pushing Real Madrid down to fourth, after thrashing Levante 5-0 at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan stadium, their first win in five league games. All the goals came in the second half – from Wissam Ben Yedder, Andre Silva and Franco Vazquez, a Pablo Sarabia penalty and Quincy Promes’ finish on the follow-up after his spot-kick was saved by Oier Olazabal.

Valencia rose two places to seventh with a 3-0 home win over second-bottom Villarreal, Mouctar Diakhaby scoring early on before Denis Cheryshev and Rodrigo added goals after the break.

In Italy . . .

Napoli’s hopes of catching Serie A leaders Juventus suffered a dent after drawing a blank in a 0-0 draw at top-four rivals AC Milan. They returned to the San Siro one month after defender Kalidou Koulibaly was the subject of alleged racist chanting in a 1-0 defeat at Inter Milan,.

Jose Callejon clipping the crossbar was the closest Napoli came to a breakthrough, although both goalkeepers were pressed into action on multiple occasions in a see-saw encounter.

Napoli had Fabian Ruiz sent off deep into time added-on after receiving a second yellow card.

Fabio Quagliarella’s penalty double helped Sampdoria thrash Udinese 4-0. Quagliarella struck from the spot in either half before Karol Linetty and substitute Manolo Gabbiadini added gloss to the scoreline.

In Germany . . .

Andre Breitenreiter faces the sack after Hannover 96 were thrashed by 5-1 by leaders Borussia Dortmund. They are second from bottom, level on points with last-placed Nuremberg, and Breitenreiter received little support from club president Martin Kind or general manager Horst Heldt before the game.

Kind said the club needed to consider all options and “anything else would be dishonest.”

Dortmund stretched their lead over defending champion Bayern Munich to nine points. Marco Reus, back after an ankle injury, scored one, set up another, and missed what seemed a certain goal as his team turned up the pressure on Bayern.

Dortmund defender Achraf Hakimi opened the scoring in the 24th minute after playing a one-two with Raphael Guerreiro, and the home side killed the game with three goals in quick succession from the hour-mark.

First, Hakimi capitalized on a Hanover mistake to set up Reus, then Jadon Sancho gave Mario Goetze a simple finish. Four minutes later, Reus repaid Guerreiro for his earlier assist. Reus tried lifting the ball over goalkeeper Michael Esser minutes later but Hannover captain Waldemar Anton got back to clear. Marvin Bakalorz pulled one back late for the visitors, but Axel Witsel fired in off the post in stoppage time.

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