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Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain look susceptible after weekend defeats, whereas Erling Braut Haaland laid down one other marker, Zlatan Ibrahimovic retains on scoring too, and Norwegian membership Bodo/Glimt have a report which is able to take some beating.
AFP Sport rounds up a number of the fundamental speaking factors from throughout the continent:
– Barcelona are unrecognisable –
If Barcelona thought maintaining Lionel Messi in opposition to his will would suffice to make them contenders in La Liga this season, it’s not working.
The Argentine was a peripheral determine as Ronald Koeman’s group produced a mediocre efficiency and misplaced 1-0 to Atletico Madrid on Saturday, a consequence which left them twelfth in La Liga, 9 factors behind Diego Simeone’s group in second. They’re 12 factors behind leaders Actual Sociedad, albeit with two video games in hand.
The Basque membership are flying, having equalled a membership report of six straight league wins, whereas Barcelona have received simply as soon as, and misplaced 3 times, in the identical interval.
Atletico are presumably now the title favourites, unbeaten in 24 league video games, and all of it factors to the Catalans dealing with a combat simply to complete within the high 4.
All of the extra in order the accidents are piling up: In opposition to Atletico they noticed Gerard Pique go off with a critical knee damage and misplaced Sergi Roberto to a thigh tear. Each are anticipated to be out for 2 months.
– Haaland is unstoppable –
Erling Braut Haaland retains on breaking information. On Saturday the Norwegian sensation, aged 20 years and 4 months, scored 4 instances within the second half in Borussia Dortmund’s 5-2 win at Hertha Berlin, changing into the youngest participant to internet 4 in a single Bundesliga sport.
Named final week because the winner of the Golden Boy for Europe’s greatest younger participant, as awarded by Italian sports activities every day Tuttosport, he has 10 Bundesliga objectives for the season and 15 in all competitions. To not point out six for his nation.
Haaland’s figures have been mindblowing since he burst onto the scene final season with Salzburg, and he has now scored a complete of 23 objectives in 22 Bundesliga matches following his transfer to Dortmund in January.
That beats the tally of Hamburg legend Uwe Seeler, who scored 20 in his first 22 outings of the primary Bundesliga season in 1963/64.
– PSG implode and provides hope to rivals –
Kylian Mbappe, that different younger putting phenomenon, has now scored 99 objectives for Paris Saint-Germain since signing from Monaco in a 180 million-euro deal ($215m) deal in August 2017.
On Friday he grabbed a first-half brace to place PSG 2-0 up away in opposition to his previous aspect, however the champions imploded within the second half and ended up shedding 3-2, with a late Cesc Fabregas penalty deciding the sport.
After eight consecutive Ligue 1 wins, PSG’s momentum has been stalled and they’re now simply two factors away from Lille on the high.
And their defensive weaknesses could come again to hang-out them in an important Champions League conflict with RB Leipzig this midweek. Presnel Kimpembe is suspended for that match, and Abdou Diallo is within the firing line after his error gifted Monaco the essential penalty.
The jury stays out on final season’s Champions League finalists.
– Evergreen Zlatan –
Will Haaland and Mbappe nonetheless be banging within the objectives as they method 40? Zlatan Ibrahimovic is, and AC Milan are on high of Serie A.
On Sunday the Swede scored twice earlier than limping off with a thigh pressure because the Rossoneri received 3-1 at Napoli to remain two factors forward of Sassuolo on the high, and stay unbeaten.
Ibrahimovic is the highest scorer in Italy with 10 objectives, regardless of turning 39 final month. Milan coach Stefano Pioli should hope the veteran ahead is just not lacking for too lengthy. The early indications are he will likely be out for a minimum of 10 days.
– Northern delights –
Milan’s different goal-scorer in Naples was Jens Petter Hauge, the winger signed from Bodo/Glimt in the beginning of the season.
Hauge’s previous membership have coped effective since his departure and on Sunday turned Norwegian champions for the primary time.
From the small city of Bodo, simply north of the Arctic Circle and a 16-hour drive from Oslo, Bodo/Glimt are the northernmost top-flight champions ever in line with sports activities knowledge consultants Gracenote who say they’ve stolen that exact prize from KA Akureyri, former Icelandic title winners.
Bodo/Glimt have received the league with 5 video games to spare and can enter subsequent season’s Champions League.
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