European football preview: High-flying Atletico Madrid face Barcelona
A 5-1 thumping of Champions League opponents Panathinaikos was the perfect remedy for Barcelona following their shock 2-0 defeat against Hercules last weekend.
It was also the perfect response ahead of their crucial Primera Liga clash against Atletico Madrid at the Vicente Calderón Stadium on Sunday evening.
Lionel Messi produced an exceptional performance at the Nou Camp on Tuesday night, scoring two goals and wowing the crowd with a series of typically breathtaking moments. The Argentinean genius could prove the difference between the two sides this weekend, but Atletico’s record against the reigning champions suggests this match will be tight, with plenty of goals.
In the last seven league matches between the two clubs, 39 goals have been scored. And in the last three matches at the Vincente Calderón, Atletico have taken maximum points. The last time Barcelona beat Atletico in their own backyard was May 2007, and on that night the visitors ran out 6-0 winners.
A similar scoreline is unlikely this Sunday. However, with Barcelona’s array of stars, it’s not beyond the realms of possibility, despite Atletico’s good start to the campaign.
Pep Guardiola will keep a close eye on Real Madrid’s away tie against Real Sociedad on Saturday evening. Jose Mourinho’s men recorded their first win of the season against Osasuna last weekend, and followed that up with a 2-0 victory over Ajax in mid-week.
Sociedad have enjoyed a decent start to the season with a win and a draw after winning promotion back to the top-flight. They welcome Real Madrid to the Estadio Anoeta for the first time since 2007 and will look to maintain their unbeaten record with a shock win against Mourinho’s men.
Elsewhere in Europe, AC Milan are in action against Catania on Saturday. The Rossoneri got back to winning ways in the Champions League after a Zlatan Ibrahimovic brace sealed a 2-0 win over Auxerre. Last weekend Massimiliano Allegri’s side were humbled by Serie A new boys Cesena, and Milan will need to avoid complacency to keep their title-winning dream on track.
Rivals Inter Milan play Palermo at La Favorita the next day, and will be keen to build on last week’s 1-0 victory against Udinese. The Nerazzurri haven’t suffered defeat against Palermo since September 2005 and boast an impressive recent record against the Rosanero.
Another match to whet the appetite from the Italian top-flight this weekend is Sampdoria v Napoli. Inspired by the mercurial Antonio Cassano, Samp have been going great guns in the league so far this season and currently sit in third place. As for Napoli, they’ve drawn their first two matches, but shouldn’t be underestimated going into Sunday night’s fixture.
The standout match in France’s Ligue 1 this weekend involves two of the biggest clubs in the division. Bordeaux and Lyon were both expected to be challenging for top spot at this stage of the season, but that hasn’t been the case.
In fact, Bordeaux are in the relegation zone, having picked up just four points from their first five matches, while Lyon haven’t fared much better. Last season’s Champions League semi-finalists only have a point more than their opponents after managing to score just four goals.
Meanwhile, the pressure is beginning to increase on Wolfsburg manager Steve McClaren after three defeats in his first three league matches in charge of the Bundesliga club.
Wolves take on fourth-placed Hannover at the Volkswagen Arena, and their opponents will be full of confidence after recording two wins and a draw so far this season.
McClaren, who won the Eredivisie title with FC Twente earlier this year, hasn’t quite mastered his German accent yet, and could find himself on the verge of a shock dismissal if his side lose their fourth successive league match on Saturday.
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