AC Milan loses at home and Loftus-Cheek hospitalized after collision with Parma goalkeeper

MILAN (AP) — AC Milan lost more ground to city rival Inter Milan after a 1-0 loss to Parma at home on Sunday in a match which saw Milan midfielder Ruben Loftus-Cheek hospitalized after a collision with the Parma goalkeeper.

Loftus-Cheek was struck on the head after colliding with Edoardo Corvi after a cross into the area about 10 minutes into the match at San Siro.

The 30-year-old Loftus-Cheek had a bloodied face while being treated on the field. He was stretchered off with a neck and head brace, and later taken to hospital.

Italian media reports said the England international and former Chelsea player sustained broken teeth and was being examined for head trauma.

“Our thoughts are with him,” Parma coach Carlos Cuesta said.

Mariano Troilo scored with a header off a corner in the 80th minute to give Parma the win. The goal was initially disallowed for a foul but the call was reversed after video review.

Milan had entered the match looking to cut its gap to Inter to seven points. Inter moved 10 points clear with a 2-0 victory at Lecce for its seventh straight league win on Saturday.

Milan had already lost points at home in a 1-1 draw against Como on Wednesday.

It was the third win in a row for Parma, which is in 12th place.

Fourth-place Roma opened a four-point gap to fifth-place Juventus. Roma scored three second-half goals in a 3-0 home win against 16th-place Cremonese, which has lost 12 consecutive matches.

Roma is tied on points with third-place Napoli.

Seventh-place Atalanta scored two second-half goals to rally to a 2-1 win over third-place Napoli at home. It was Atalanta's third straight league win. Napoli hasn't won in three consecutive matches in all competitions.

Genoa beat Torino 3-0 at home to end a three-game winless streak. Torino, which played the entire second half with 10 men, hasn't won in four straight matches in all tournaments.

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Parma's Mateo Pellegrino is challenged by AC Milan's Strahinja Pavlovic and Adrien Rabiot during the Italian Serie A soccer match between AC Milan and Parma in Milan, Italy, Sunday, Feb. 22 , 2025. (Spada/LaPresse via AP)

AC Milan's Christian Pulisic, right, in action during the Italian Serie A soccer match between AC Milan and Parma in Milan, Italy, Sunday, Feb. 22 , 2025. (Spada/LaPresse via AP)

AC Milan's Adrien Rabiot, left, fights for the bass with Parma's Emanuele Valeri during the Italian Serie A soccer match between AC Milan and Parma in Milan, Italy, Sunday, Feb. 22 , 2025. (Spada/LaPresse via AP)

Parma's Mariano Troilo celebrates scoring during the Italian Serie A soccer match between AC Milan and Parma in Milan, Italy, Sunday, Feb. 22 , 2025. (Spada/LaPresse via AP)

AC Milan's Ruben Loftus-Cheek, left, fights for the bass with Parma's Emanuele Valeri during the Italian Serie A soccer match between AC Milan and Parma in Milan, Italy, Sunday, Feb. 22 , 2025. (Spada/LaPresse via AP)

MADRID (AP) — Barcelona took advantage of Real Madrid's stumble and regained the Spanish league lead with a comfortable 3-0 win over relegation-threatened Levante on Sunday.

Marc Bernal, Frenkie de Jong and Fermín López scored a goal each as Barcelona ended a two-game losing streak to get back in front of rival Madrid, which lost 2-1 at Osasuna on Saturday.

Barcelona moved one point ahead of Madrid, which had won eight in a row in the league before losing to Osasuna.

“We know it isn’t easy to start winning again after two defeats, but the team gave a very good response” Barcelona coach Hansi Flick said.

Barcelona was coming off a 2-1 loss to Girona in the league and a 4-0 loss to Atletico Madrid in the first leg of the Copa del Rey semifinals.

“It was important to win and earn three points again,” Barcelona defender João Cancelo said. “Soccer gives you these opportunities to rebound and that's what we did today, playing well again after two bad games.”

Barcelona had earned a clean sheet only once in its previous six games in all competitions.

Bernal scored from close range four minutes into the match at the Camp Nou Stadium. The 18-year-old Bernal had scored his first goal with the first team two rounds ago in a win over Mallorca.

“They had an early chance but my goal helped us settle and gain some confidence,” Bernal said.

De Jong added to the lead from inside the area in the 32nd and López sealed the victory with a beautiful long-range shot in the 81st, with the ball ricocheting off the post before going into the net.

Levante's Australian goalkeeper Mathew Ryan kept Barcelona from adding the fourth with a pair of outstanding saves in a row in the final minutes, first off a header by Raphinha and then off a point-blank strike from López on the rebound.

It was the fourth straight defeat for Levante, which is in 19th place. It is one point ahead of last-place Oviedo, which has a game in hand.

Levante has only one victory in its last eight matches.

Pedri entered the match in the 66th to make his return to action nearly a month after an injury layoff.

Lamine Yamal celebrated his 100th win with Barcelona, becoming the youngest player to reach that mark in official matches for the club.

The 18-year-old Yamal's 139 games include 16 draws and 23 defeats.

Flick downplayed Yamal's apparent disappointment at being replaced in the final minutes.

Third-place Villarreal, Barcelona’s next league opponent, restored a three-point gap to fourth-place Atletico Madrid by coming from behind to beat Valencia 2-1 at home. Atletico beat seventh-place Espanyol 4-2 at home on Saturday.

Sixth-place Celta Vigo defeated relegation-threatened Mallorca 2-0 at home with veteran forward Iago Aspas scoring in the 85th and 90th minutes. Celta had been winless in four straight league matches. Mallorca has lost six of its last eight games.

Sevilla won 1-0 at 10-man Getafe for its second win in its last 10 matches in all competitions.

Djibril Sow scored a 64th-minute winner for the visitors. Getafe played a man down from the 26th after a straight red card for Djene Dakonam.

The result left Sevilla in 11th place, immediately above Getafe.

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Barcelona's Lamine Yamal runs during a La Liga soccer match between Barcelona and Levante in Barcelona, Spain, Sunday, Feb. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Joan Monfort)

Barcelona's Fermin Lopez celebrates after scoring during a La Liga soccer match between Barcelona and Levante in Barcelona, Spain, Sunday, Feb. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Joan Monfort)

Barcelona's Raphinha hugs Fermin Lopez after a goal during a La Liga soccer match between Barcelona and Levante in Barcelona, Spain, Sunday, Feb. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Joan Monfort)

Barcelona's Frenkie de Jong scores during a La Liga soccer match between Barcelona and Levante in Barcelona, Spain, Sunday, Feb. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Joan Monfort)

Barcelona's Lamine Yamal, left, and Marc Bernal celebrate after a goal during a La Liga soccer match between Barcelona and Levante in Barcelona, Spain, Sunday, Feb. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Joan Monfort)