MATCHDAY: Manchester City at Sheffield United, Bavarian duel for Bayern
A look at what’s happening in European soccer on Sunday:
ENGLAND
Manchester City travels to Sheffield United looking to continue the reigning champions perfect start to the new Premier League season. City has strengthened its attacking options by signing winger Jérémy Doku from French club Rennes, with the Belgian potentially in line to make his debut on Sunday. Newcastle hosts Liverpool in a meeting between top-four hopefuls, with both teams seeking their second win of the season. Newly promoted Burnley host Aston Villa.
SPAIN
Barcelona visits Villarreal without injured midfielder Pedri González and Ronald Araújo. Sixteen-year-old Lamine Yamal could make a second straight start for Xavi Hernández’s side. Barcelona needs to win to keep in touch with Real Madrid, which has taken nine of nine points so far, while the defending champions have four from six points. Valencia seeks a third win in as many games this season hosts Osasuna, while an unbeaten Real Betis is at Athletic Bilbao.
ITALY
After kicking off its title defense with a victory at Frosinone, Serie A champion Napoli will be looking to make it two wins out of two when it hosts Sassuolo. The visitors lost their opening match 2-0 at home to Atalanta. Juventus also started the season with a win – at Udinese – and it hosts Bologna. It is a second tricky test for Bologna, which lost to AC Milan in its opener. Lazio, last season’s runner-up, surprisingly lost at Lecce last weekend and will be looking to do much better when it hosts newly-promoted Genoa. Lecce visits Fiorentina, which comfortably beat Genoa 4-1.
GERMANY
It’s derby day in the Bundesliga with Bayern Munich visiting Augsburg for a Bavarian duel and Eintracht Frankfurt making the short trip to Mainz. Bayern forward Harry Kane will be encouraged by Augsburg’s shaky defense. Augsburg conceded four goals in its opening game against Borussia Mönchengladbach last weekend, though showed it can attack too by scoring four. Bayern’s defensive line featuring new signing Kim Min-jae will be expected to do better than Gladbach. Bayern routed Werder Bremen 4-0 in its season opener.
FRANCE
Seven-time champion Lyon has started its campaign very poorly, having lost its first two matches in the top flight for the first time since the 1966-67 season. It faces a tough trip to Nice without suspended captain Alexandre Lacazette, and a long list of injured players including Dejan Lovren, Clinton Mata and goalkeeper Anthony Lopes. Also, unbeaten Montpellier takes on Reims, having scored six times in its opening two matches after adding Jordan winger Mousa Al Tamari and forward Akor Adams to its squad during the offseason. Lille travels to Lorient without winger Adam Ounas, who picked up a thigh injury this week.
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