First test for Milan, clash ManU-Liverpool
AC Milan, reigning Italian champions, rub shoulders with Atalanta Bergamo on Sunday for a first reveal of their state of form, in a European football weekend marked by perilous events for FC Barcelona and Real Madrid , as well as a clash between Manchester United and Liverpool.
– Italy: trial by fire for Milan. After a victorious warm-up lap for all the greats of Serie A against second-tier teams during the resumption last weekend, place Sunday evening at the first test for AC Milan at Atalanta Bergamo. Winner of Udinese (4-2), the rossonero champion showed that he already had the fangs. But Olivier Giroud’s team, perhaps still on the bench due to the great form of Ante Rebic, must be wary of a less sparkling Dea but determined to rebuild their health after a mixed season, as showed his solid initial victory against Sampdoria (2-0). It will be the first Lombard derby of a season that will see a lot with five clubs from the region in the top flight – with Inter Milan, Monza and Cremonese. Inter (against La Spezia), Napoli (against Monza) and Roma (ahead of Cremonese) will be keen to make a successful debut at home against opponents within their reach. On the other hand, mistrust will be de rigueur for Lazio, expected on Saturday evening by a Torino with attractive recruitment. Caution also for Juventus, where Angel Di Maria, after his remarkable debut last Monday against Sassuolo (3-0), went to join an already busy infirmary for the start of the season (Pogba, Szczesny, Chiesa, Aké).
– Spain: Barça and Real in minefield. FC Barcelona already has no more time to lose… The Catalan club, canceled (0-0) by Rayo Vallecano at Camp Nou for its return to business last weekend, hopes to win its first success of the season. But Xavi’s team will have a lot to do on the Real Sociedad pitch on Sunday evening. It will be necessary to see if the star rookie Robert Lewandowski opens his goal counter in the Blaugrana jersey, while the captain of Real Madrid Karim Benzema, the Pole’s announced rival for the title of “Pichichi”, has not yet scored either. in La Liga. Real Madrid, winner (2-1) in the snatch on the lawn of promoted Almeria last weekend, goes to Vigo tomorrow evening to challenge Celta, another complicated trip. At the top of the standings, Atlético Madrid, winners (3-0) at Getafe last weekend, and Villarreal, who dominated Valladolid by the same score, meet Sunday evening at the Metropolitano stadium to keep the LaLiga lead. .
– England: duel of fear ManU-Liverpool. At the end of the 3rd day next Monday, the Reds, in poor shape, travel to the Red Devils in bad shape as the Premier League’s red lantern (beaten twice). Erik ten Hag, Manchester United’s new Dutch technician, is having a very complicated start, between the humiliation suffered at Brentford (4-0) last Saturday and the management of the case Cristiano Ronaldo, eager to leave. Mancunian leaders are firing on all cylinders on the transfer market to attract recruits, so far without result. Liverpool, for its part, conceded two draws and cannot afford to see Manchester City, crowned last season with a point ahead of Fabinho’s teammates, soar in the standings. The Mersey club must digest the departure of Sadio Mané to Bayern Munich this summer. This trip to Old Trafford will be without his announced successor, Uruguayan striker Darwin Nuñez, sent off last Monday against Crystal Palace (1-1). The Citizens, leaders with two successes without having conceded the slightest but, will challenge Sunday Newcastle, which for the moment has been quite wise on the transfer window despite the generous means of its Saudi owners. And Arsenal, the only other team to win twice, travel to Bournemouth tomorrow.
– Germany: Leverkusen already under pressure. Borussia Mönchengladbach (3rd with 4 points) on the occasion of temporarily taking the lead tonight in the event of victory against Hertha Berlin, at the start of the 3rd day of the Bundesliga. Unexpected red lantern after two games, Bayer Leverkusen for its part made its worst start to the season since 1979 and absolutely had to win at home against Hoffenheim to avoid a crisis. Like Leverkusen and Eintracht Frankfurt (1 point), RB Leipzig has still not won a single match, held in check in Stuttgart (1-1) and against Cologne (2-2). The match against Union Berlin will be crucial in order not to let Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund, the only two teams with two victories, escape the table. Bayern, easy winner of Wolfsburg (2-0) in its Allianz Arena last week, will travel to Bochum on Sunday, while Borussia, which overthrew Freiburg (3-1), receives Werder Bremen.
– France: OL rested against Troyes. Exempted last weekend, Lyon receives Troyes this night after two weeks of rest, at the start of the 3rd day of Ligue1, marked by the clash on Sunday evening between the last two champions of France, Lille and Paris SG. Olympique Lyonnais will have to get back into the rhythm: Peter Bosz’s players have not stepped onto the pitch since August 5, the evening of their inaugural victory against Ajaccio (2-1). Their meeting of the 2nd day in Lorient, initially scheduled for last Sunday, has indeed been postponed because of the state of the lawn of the Breton club. The reception of Troyes will therefore be the first of three suspension meetings to be served for goalkeeper Anthony Lopes, guilty of an outing too committed against Ajaccio and excluded. He will be replaced by Rémy Riou, an experienced 35-year-old doorman recruited this summer. In case of success against Estac, twice beaten this season, OL would come back to match Paris SG, impressive leader during the first two days. The Parisians (6 points) travel to Lille (4 points) on Sunday for a highly symbolic match, with the return to the North of coach Christophe Galtier, French champion with LOSC in 2021, and midfielder Renato Sanches, just transferred from Lille to Paris. In the meantime, Marseille receives Nantes tomorrow evening in a duel of clubs qualified for the European Cups, in the wake of Monaco-Lens.
Source: AFP
AC Milan, reigning Italian champions, rub shoulders with Atalanta Bergamo on Sunday for a first reveal of their state of form, in a European football weekend marked by perilous events for FC Barcelona and Real Madrid , as well as a clash between Manchester United and Liverpool. – Italy: test of fire for Milan. After a victorious warm-up lap…