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Haaland, Conte, Real Sociedad – what to watch out for in Europe this
weekend
PARIS, Nov 27, 2020 (BSS/AFP) – Erling Braut Haaland is after more goals,
Real Sociedad are hoping to maintain their brilliant start in La Liga and the
under-pressure Antonio Conte needs his Inter Milan side to get back to
winning ways.
AFP Sport previews the standout football action on the continent this
weekend:
– Is there any stopping Haaland? –
Borussia Dortmund v Cologne, Saturday 1430 GMT
Haaland may fancy his chances of adding to his remarkable goals tally this
weekend as Dortmund host struggling Cologne.
The Norwegian’s brace against Club Brugge in the Champions League took him
to 17 for the season in all competitions, with nine in Dortmund’s last four
matches. He scored four times at Hertha Berlin last weekend.
Haaland has also now scored 16 Champions League goals in just 12
appearances — Lionel Messi had two goals and Cristiano Ronaldo none after
the same number of appearances.
It appears there is no stopping the 20-year-old and certainly not Cologne,
who are second-bottom and still to win after eight Bundesliga games this
season.
– Pressure building on Conte –
Sassuolo v Inter Milan, Saturday 1400 GMT
Antonio Conte’s position as Inter coach is looking a little shakier after
their 2-0 home loss to Real Madrid on Wednesday left the Nerazzurri looking
at a group-stage exit from the Champions League for the third season running.
“If I don’t get to eat my panettone this year it will be because I don’t
deserve to,” Conte said on Thursday in reference to the traditional Italian
Christmas delicacy. The phrase is often used when a coach is at risk of
losing his job.
Inter’s form in Serie A is better but after eight games last season’s
runners-up are fifth, five points behind leaders AC Milan and three points
behind unbeaten Sassuolo in second.
A defeat this weekend would leave Conte right up against it before his side
play for their Champions League lives against Borussia Moenchengladbach.
– All not well at PSG –
Paris Saint-Germain v Bordeaux, Saturday 2000 GMT
PSG are two points clear at the top of Ligue 1 going into their clash with
Bordeaux, which they will be expected to win. However the pressure is
building on their coach too, with Thomas Tuchel’s team not in a comfortable
position in the Champions League either.
They beat RB Leipzig on Tuesday but their performance was poor and a defeat
against Manchester United next could leave last season’s runners-up at risk
of a group-stage exit.
Tuchel appeared agitated and irritated when he spoke to the media after the
Leipzig game and his mood will be scrutinised again on Saturday as PSG look
to bounce back from losing their last Ligue 1 outing, 3-2 at Monaco.
– Messi to return for Barcelona? –
Barcelona v Osasuna, Sunday 1300 GMT
Lionel Messi had a midweek off from Champions League duty as he was rested
for Barcelona’s 4-0 win at Dynamo Kiev.
That was because Messi needed a break, and also because Barca coach Ronald
Koeman needs the Argentine to help turn around their worrying form in La
Liga.
They host Osasuna having won just once, and lost three times, in their last
six league games to slip to 13th, 12 points behind leaders Real Sociedad
albeit with two games in hand.
Another slip-up here would be little short of disastrous for Koeman, who is
without defensive talisman Gerard Pique for two months with a knee injury.
– Real Sociedad chase seven in a row –
Real Sociedad v Villarreal, Sunday 2000 GMT
The game of the weekend in La Liga is in San Sebastian as Real Sociedad
chase what would be a club record seventh straight league win when they host
Villarreal.
La Real are three points clear of Atletico Madrid, albeit having played two
games more, and have been inspired by the goals of Mikel Oyarzabal as well as
the form of the evergreen David Silva, back in his homeland after a decade at
Manchester City.
However Silva is set to miss Villarreal’s visit with a hamstring injury,
and Unai Emery’s team will hope to take advantage — they are in good form
too, sitting third, four points off the pace.
BSS/AFP/GMR/0911 hrs