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Milan wavering, unfinished business for Messi – what to watch in Europe
this weekend
PARIS, Jan 29, 2021 (BSS/AFP) – Two defeats in four days have turned up the
heat on Serie A leaders AC Milan, while Lionel Messi and Barcelona face
Athletic Bilbao for the third time this month and the best of the rest clash
in Germany.
AFP Sport selects some of the standout football action in Europe this
weekend:
Teetering Milan lean on repentant Ibrahimovic
Bologna v AC Milan, Saturday 1400 GMT
Losses to Juventus and Atalanta this month have slowed AC Milan’s title
charge, but three winnable games await Stefano Pioli’s side before next
month’s rematch with second-placed Inter Milan.
Inter dumped their city rivals out of the Italian Cup in midweek, in a game
largely overshadowed by a stormy exchange between Zlatan Ibrahimovic and
Romelu Lukaku, two former Manchester United team-mates.
Ibrahimovic was later sent off and apologised for his behaviour, but denied
using racist terms towards Lukaku after reportedly accusing him of using
voodoo. The Swede, who has scored in all but one of his eight league starts
this term, will be available for the trip to Bologna.
Messi on revenge mission
Barcelona v Athletic Bilbao, Sunday 2000 GMT
Lionel Messi and Barcelona got the better of Athletic Bilbao when the sides
met on January 6, the Argentine scoring twice in a 3-2 victory at San Mames,
but the Basques settled the score 11 days later in the final of the Spanish
Super Cup as Messi was sent off for the first time in his club career.
The two sides square off for a third time in just over three weeks, this
time at Camp Nou, as Barca hunt a fifth league win on the bounce to stay
within sight of Atletico Madrid.
Messi returned in midweek from a two-match ban for lashing out at
Athletic’s Asier Villalibre, scoring the equalising goal as Barca came from
behind to beat Rayo Vallecano in the last 16 of the Copa del Rey.
Germany’s best of the rest collide
Bayer Leverkusen v RB Leipzig, Saturday 1730 GMT
The prospect of a genuine title race in the Bundesliga appeared credible
just weeks ago, but patchy starts to the new year for Bayer Leverkusen and RB
Leipzig have allowed Bayern Munich to carve out a seven-point lead.
Leverkusen held top spot before a late Robert Lewandowski goal just before
Christmas condemned Peter Bosz’s side to a first defeat of the season, with
three more following in the five games since, plunging them 10 points adrift
of Bayern.
Julian Nagelsmann’s Leipzig enjoyed a brief stint in first place at the
start of the month, but last season’s Champions League semi-finalists have
won just one of their past four games and crashed to a shock loss at Mainz
last weekend.
Famous name returns to Bavaria
Bayern Munich v Hoffenheim, Saturday 1430 GMT
Former Bayern reserve team coach Sebastien Hoeness returns to his old club
attempting to do the double over the European champions, following
Hoffenheim’s 4-1 victory in the reverse fixture that snapped the Bavarian
giants’ 23-match winning streak.
“We had an excellent day. We defended cunningly and had a good plan,”
Hoeness told the Bayern website. “Of course there was also a bit of luck.
Looking back, we were deserved winners. However, Saturday’s meeting is a game
under new conditions.”
Hoeness, 38, is the son of former West Germany and Bayern striker Dieter
Hoeness and the nephew of ex-Bayern president Uli. He coached the club’s
reserve team to the third division title last season before leaving for
Hoffenheim.
Smarting AZ target Ajax revenge
AZ Alkmaar v Ajax, Sunday 1545 GMT
The Covid-19 pandemic brought an abrupt halt to an intriguing battle for
the Eredivisie last year, with Ajax ahead of AZ Alkmaar on goal difference
when the season was cancelled with nine games left.
As a result Ajax qualified for the Champions League group stage, consigning
AZ to qualifying where they ultimately fell short.
Erik ten Hag’s Amsterdam club again lead the way in the Netherlands, with
AZ in fourth place and seeking to avenge last week’s 1-0 loss to Ajax in the
Dutch Cup last 16.
BSS/AFP/GMR/0946 hrs