A look at what’s happening in European soccer on Saturday:
ENGLAND
The first Premier League match of the day is the biggest: Leader Manchester City hosts second-placed Chelsea. The Blues trail by 10 points and hope to keep their title hopes alive against the defending champion. Chelsea defender Andreas Christensen has tested positive for COVID-19 and will miss the game. City also has new virus cases, though manager Pep Guardiola wouldn’t identify how many or who on Friday. Newcastle made an embarrassing exit from the FA Cup but will hope new striker Chris Wood will help against relegation rival Watford. Last-placed Norwich hosts Everton, and Southampton visits Wolverhampton. Cristiano Ronaldo is expected back for Manchester United's visit to Aston Villa in the evening match. United beat Villa 1-0 last weekend in the FA Cup. Villa manager Steven Gerrard says new additions Philippe Coutinho and Lucas Digne are “both fit and in contention.”
Manchester City's head coach Pep Guardiola gestures during the Premier League soccer match between Arsenal and Manchester City at the Emirates Stadium, in London, England, Saturday Jan. 1, 2022. (AP PhotoMatt Dunham)
ITALY
After losing in the Italian Super Cup, Juventus turns its attention back to Serie A and a home match against relegation-threatened Udinese. Juventus lost against bitter rival Inter Milan 2-1 after extra time on Wednesday. It was the Bianconeri’s first defeat since November as they showed signs of getting into their stride following a difficult start to the season. Victory on Saturday would send Juventus level on points with fourth-placed Atalanta, albeit having played two more matches. Udinese, which has been hard hit by the coronavirus, is only four points above the drop zone and reeling from a hefty 6-2 loss to Atalanta last weekend. Lazio will be hoping for its first win of 2022 when it visits last-placed Salernitana, and struggling Sampdoria hosts Torino.
GERMANY
Manchester United's Cristiano Ronaldo wears the captain's armband during the English Premier League soccer match between Manchester United and Wolverhampton Wanderers at Old Trafford stadium in Manchester, England, Monday, Jan.3, 2022. (AP PhotoDave Thompson)
Bayern Munich visits Cologne as it aims to bounce back from a loss to Borussia Mönchengladbach. Bayern can field most of the players who missed last week's defeat while infected with the coronavirus, but left back Alphonso Davies remains out after heart muscle inflammation was detected following his infection. Gladbach aims to follow up its win over Bayern with another against Bayer Leverkusen, which is challenging for Champions League qualification. Third-placed Hoffenheim is looking to extend its good form against Union Berlin. Wolfsburg hosts Hertha Berlin in a match between teams which hoped for European places this season but instead are close to the relegation zone. Mainz hosts Bochum.
FRANCE
With Lionel Messi taking longer than he expected to recover from the coronavirus, Kylian Mbappe will again spearhead Ligue 1 leader Paris Saint-Germain's attack at home against Brest. Messi missed PSG’s 1-1 draw at Lyon last weekend. While PSG enjoys an 11-point lead it's a far different story for Saint-Etienne. One of France's most storied clubs — it has won a record 10 league titles — is last ahead of the home game against sixth-placed Lens. Saint-Etienne has just two wins, and even another victory would not move it off the bottom.
SPAIN
Sevilla crosses Seville to play at Real Betis in an always hotly contested derby in the Copa del Rey. Sevilla has won six of its last seven matches across all competitions. It also won at Betis 2-0 in La Liga this season. Both rivals are enjoying excellent campaigns, with Sevilla in second place and Betis right behind in third in the league. Also in the Copa del Rey round of 16, Espanyol travels to Mallorca, while Rayo Vallecano and Cádiz play at second-division sides Girona and Sporting Gijón, respectively.
More AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
A look at what’s happening in European soccer on Saturday:
GERMANY
Bayern Munich can seal a record 10th consecutive Bundesliga title in style with three games remaining with a victory at home over second-placed Borussia Dortmund. Bayern is hoping to continue its strong record against Dortmund after winning their last seven encounters. In Europe’s top five leagues, Bayern is tied for the record of nine consecutive titles with Juventus, which won Serie A every season from 2012 to 2020. For Dortmund, Erling Haaland ended a goal drought by scoring twice against Wolfsburg last week amid speculation over his future. Elsewhere, Leipzig hosts Union Berlin for the second time this week after winning their German Cup semifinal, and Champions League-chasing Freiburg hosts Borussia Mönchengladbach. Bayer Leverkusen visits last-placed Greuther Fürth, Eintracht Frankfurt takes on Hoffenheim, and Cologne plays Arminia Bielefeld.
PSG's Kylian Mbappe, center right, celebrates his goal with teammates during the League One soccer match between Angers and Paris Saint Germain, at the Raymond-Kopa stadium in Angers, western France, Wednesday, April 20, 2022. (AP PhotoJeremias Gonzalez)
FRANCE
Paris Saint-Germain is just one point away from sealing a record-equaling 10th league title. With five matches left to play this season, Mauricio Pochettino’s players have the opportunity to wrap up their dominant campaign in front of their home fans against Lens at the Parc des Princes. PSG has a 15-point lead over Marseille and can be crowned even if it loses against Lens on the condition that Marseille does not beat Reims on Sunday. PSG is set to move level with Saint-Etienne, which won its 10th title in 1981 and is fighting to stay up this season. Only two of PSG's previous titles — in 1986 and 1994 — were conquered before Qatar Sports Investments took over PSG in 2011 with the aim of turning it into a world-class club. Also, Saint-Etienne hosts in-form Monaco and Montpellier travels to Lyon.
ENGLAND
Manchester City's head coach Pep Guardiola gestures during the English Premier League soccer match between Manchester City and Brighton and Hove Albion at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, England, Wednesday, April 20, 2022. (AP PhotoDave Thompson)
Manchester City can move four points clear of second-placed Liverpool in the back-and-forth Premier League title race with a home win over relegation-threatened Watford. A victory for City would put pressure on Liverpool ahead of its Merseyside derby against Everton on Sunday. More intrigue this weekend might lie in the race for Champions League qualification, with two candidates meeting at Emirates Stadium when fifth-placed Arsenal hosts sixth-placed Manchester United. Arsenal is tied on points with fourth-placed Tottenham, with United three points back. Tottenham visits Brentford in a match between Christian Eriksen's past and present clubs. Last-placed Norwich is eight points from safety heading into a home match against Newcastle, and Leicester hosts Aston Villa in the other game.
SPAIN
Real Betis and Valencia play the final of Spain’s Copa del Rey in Betis’ hometown of Seville. The match will be at Estadio La Cartuja, a neutral ground where Spain’s national team played its group phase matches for last year’s European Championship. Valencia will be seeking its ninth Copa del Rey after winning No. 8 in 2019. Betis’ second and last cup title came back in 2005. The winner will also earn a Europa League berth.
ITALY
Inter Milan forward Edin Džeko could bring up a century of Serie A goals by scoring twice against his former club as the defending champion hosts Roma. Džeko has a total of 98 goals in the Italian league — 13 for Inter this season and the rest in five years at Roma. A win would send Inter to the top of Serie A, with current leader AC Milan playing at Lazio on Sunday. Inter will also be buoyed after beating Milan 3-0 midweek to reach the Italian Cup final. A win could reignite Roma’s challenge for a Champions League berth. Atalanta has seen its hopes of a top-four finish evaporate following a run of three straight defeats and it visits relegation-threatened Venezia. Two other sides battling the drop, Sampdoria and Spezia, travel to Hellas Verona and Torino respectively.
More AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
