Honestly, today felt like one of those strange, disjointed Sundays where the biggest stories weren't necessarily found in the scorelines. If you're looking for who won today in soccer, the short answer is: Everton, Valencia, and Fiorentina. But that barely scratches the surface of what actually went down on the pitch.
Between a somber tribute in Italy and a goal-starved stalemate in the English Midlands, the weekend wrapped up with more of a tactical whisper than a roar.
The Premier League Grind: Toffees Taste Victory
Everton fans are probably breathing a massive sigh of relief right about now. They headed into Villa Park as the underdogs, but walked away with a gritty 1-0 win over Aston Villa. It wasn't pretty. It was, basically, a masterclass in "parking the bus" after snagging an early lead.
Villa dominated the ball. They looked sharper. Yet, they couldn't find the back of the net. For a team that had the chance to climb into second place and keep the pressure on Arsenal, this was a massive, frustrating stumble.
Earlier in the day, Wolves and Newcastle played out a match that most people will forget by tomorrow morning. A 0-0 draw.
💡 You might also like: El Salvador partido de hoy: Why La Selecta is at a Critical Turning Point
Newcastle dominated large stretches, but Wolves—who have been sitting at the very bottom of the table—showed a weird kind of resilience. They’ve now gone five games unbeaten across all competitions. For a team that only had two points from their first 18 matches, this "boring" draw is actually a huge win for their survival hopes.
Emotion in Italy and Consistency in Spain
Over in Serie A, the result at the Stadio Renato Dall'Ara felt secondary to the atmosphere. Fiorentina secured a 2-1 win over Bologna, but the headlines were all about Rocco Commisso. The Fiorentina owner passed away early Saturday, and the players wore special tribute shirts. When the winning goal went in, the celebration was visibly heavy with emotion.
- Fiorentina beat Bologna 2-1.
- AS Roma managed a 1-0 victory against Torino.
- Parma and Genoa ended in a scoreless 0-0 deadlock.
In La Liga, Valencia managed to sneak a 1-0 win away at Getafe. If you've followed Valencia lately, you know they’ve struggled for consistency, so three points on the road is huge. Meanwhile, Atletico Madrid did exactly what Atletico does: they ground out a 1-0 win over Alaves. It’s clinical, it's predictable, and it keeps them in the hunt.
Celta Vigo also picked up a 1-0 win against Rayo Vallecano. Notice a pattern? It was a day for 1-0 scorelines.
📖 Related: Meaning of Grand Slam: Why We Use It for Tennis, Baseball, and Breakfast
The Heavyweights Under the Lights
As the sun set, all eyes turned to the Reale Arena. Real Sociedad vs. Barcelona is usually a banger, and tonight was no different in terms of tension. Barcelona came into this on an 11-game winning streak. They've been scoring for fun.
But Sociedad at home is a different beast. They defended with their lives. Hansi Flick’s side looked a bit leggy, perhaps finally feeling the weight of that congested January schedule.
What Most People Get Wrong About Today's Results
People often look at a 0-0 or a 1-0 and think "boring."
In reality, these results shifted the momentum of the relegation battles and the European spots significantly. Newcastle's failure to score means they missed a golden chance to leapfrog into the top five. Wolves' "boring" point might be the one that actually keeps them in the Premier League come May.
👉 See also: NFL Week 5 2025 Point Spreads: What Most People Get Wrong
Real winners from January 18, 2026:
- Everton: A massive away win that disrupts the top-four race.
- Fiorentina: A win fueled by pure sentiment and grit.
- Wolverhampton: The "invisible" winners who are slowly climbing out of the abyss.
If you're tracking your fantasy league or just checking the table, keep an eye on the defensive stats from today. The big-name strikers mostly went missing, but the center-backs had a field day.
For those looking ahead, the focus now shifts to the midweek cup fixtures and the closing of the winter transfer window. If your team didn't score today, expect the "we need a striker" rumors to hit fever pitch by tomorrow morning. Grab a coffee, check the injury reports for the upcoming round, and maybe keep an eye on the Moroccan league results if you're really into the deep-cut stats.