A look at what’s happening in European football on Sunday:
SPAIN
Shaken after three consecutive games without a win in all competitions, Barcelona host Levante in the Spanish league. Coach Ronaldo Koeman is under additional pressure and remains at odds with the club’s president, Joan Laporta, and even some of its players. The Dutch coach will not be on the bench after receiving a two-game suspension for being sent off after complaining to the fourth official after a 0-0 draw in Cádiz on Thursday. The Catalan club is in eighth place, eight points behind the leader Real Madrid with two games less. Real Sociedad, fourth, receives Elche, while Rayo Vallecano, with a good start in First, receives Cádiz. Getafe, last classified, visit Real Betis.
ENGLAND
Tottenham are aiming for their first Premier League win at Arsenal since 2010, as rivals in North London have had an uneven start to the season. Successive 3-0 losses in the Premier League derailed what was an impressive start for Tottenham with a winning hat trick. Tottenham will bring forward Lucas Moura back after missing the last two games with a blow, but Steven Bergwijn and Ryan Sessegnon remain on the sidelines. Arsenal have just six points from five games. Arteta puts Granit Xhaka back on the run after the suspension and COVID-19 crisis. In Sunday’s other match, Southampton host Wolverhampton and are still looking for a first league win of the season. Southampton coach Ralph Hasenhüttl needs forward Adam Armstrong to start finding the net, having scored on his debut, but not in the next four league games. The Wolves got off to a slow start with Bruno Lage, earning three points from five Premier League games with just two goals along the way.
ITALY
Victor Osimhen will look to continue his fantastic form and lead Napoli back to the top of the table when they host Cagliari. Osimhen has scored five goals in his last three matches and played a major role in Napoli’s perfect start to Serie A. Juventus have finally scored their first win of the season midweek and are hoping to build on that against Sampdoria. It is also José Mourinho’s first derby with the capital during Roma’s visit to Lazio. The promoted Empoli and Salernitana face Bologna and Sassuolo respectively, while Udinese host Fiorentina.
Promoted Bochum are looking for a tonic against Stuttgart after losing their previous Bundesliga game 7-0 to Bayern Munich. Stuttgart can expect a furious start from the home team, but will hope to score their second win of the season after beating another promoted team, Greuther Fürth, 5-1 in their first. Freiburg plays host to Augsburg for their final match at the picturesque Dreisamstadion overlooking the Black Forest. Freiburg moves to a newly built stadium after using the Dreisamstadion since 1954.
Unbeaten Marseille’s good start to the season coincides with a change of goalkeeper. Pau Lopez has kept three clean sheets since replacing captain Steve Mandanda, a veteran with 463 league appearances for the club. If he maintains another at home against Lens, López will become the first Marseille goalkeeper to keep a clean sheet in his first four league games since 1950. A Marseille victory may strengthen his position in second place, but Lens cannot. . once so far. On the other hand, Monaco is looking to move further away from the middle table with a victory over the promoted Clermont, who conceded six goals in the middle of the week.
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