Barcelona seeks to extend lead, Napoli’s strong run, and Amorim’s upcoming Manchester United move

Robert Lewandowski is scoring a goal every 64 minutes in La Liga. Barcelona is set to face local rivals Espanyol on Sunday (15:15 GMT), a match that could see them expand their lead at the summit of La Liga to seven points. The club’s forward, Robert Lewandowski, currently leads La Liga’s scoring charts with 14 goals, which is double the tally of any other player. This includes a brace he scored in the recent 4-0 triumph over Real Madrid. The impressive adaptation of coach Hansi Flick to his role with the Catalan club has prompted discussion. Spanish football expert Guillem Balague commented on the Euro Leagues podcast, stating, “Tactically he has done things very well.” Balague added, “He does owe a bit to Xavi, but that defensive line is the highest in Europe and no other team provokes more offsides. All that is [down to] Hansi Flick.” Meanwhile, the fixtures for second-placed Real Madrid and third-placed Villarreal have been postponed due to severe flash floods affecting the Valencia region. Real Madrid’s match was originally scheduled against bottom-of-the-table Valencia, and Villarreal was slated to host Rayo Vallecano. Atletico Madrid, experiencing a period of instability with three losses in their last five La Liga and Champions League matches, will host Las Palmas on Sunday at 13:00 GMT. Scotland midfielder Scott McTominay has scored two goals for Napoli so far. Napoli will strive to maintain their Serie A title challenge as they face third-placed Atalanta. The team managed by Antonio Conte boasts an unbeaten run of 10 matches, securing victory in nine of them. They will aim to preserve or expand their four-point advantage over Inter Milan on Sunday (11:30 GMT). Italian football expert James Horncastle remarked, “This is what Antonio Conte does in Italy.” He elaborated, “If we go back to matchday one, they lost 3-0 at Hellas Verona. The transfer window was still open, he hadn’t got some of the players he really wanted, like Scott McTominay – ‘McTomadona’ – and Billy Gilmour.” Horncastle continued, “Once McTominay integrated he has been very useful playing off Romelu Lukaku, he has the engine to be in a midfield three but also has the energy to break behind Lukaku.” He concluded, “And they have arguably one of the best dribblers in the world in Khvicha Kvaratskhelia. I think they will win the league. Napoli are looking very good.” However, Atalanta, featuring Serie A’s leading scorer Mateo Retegui, has suffered only one defeat since August, and a victory would bring them within three points of the top spot. Second-placed Inter will host Venezia, who are currently struggling, at 19:45 GMT. Juventus, who remain undefeated but have recorded six draws in their 10 matches, are scheduled to visit Udinese on Saturday (17:00 GMT). In the Bundesliga, the top two teams, Bayern Munich and RB Leipzig, are both scheduled for matches on Saturday. Both clubs currently hold 20 points, maintaining a five-point lead over their closest competitors. Bayern will host fourth-placed Union Berlin at 14:30 GMT, concurrently, Leipzig will travel to face Borussia Dortmund, who are currently seventh, at 17:30 GMT. Reigning champions Bayer Leverkusen, positioned third in the league, will commence the weekend’s fixtures with a home game against Stuttgart on Friday (19:30 GMT). Unbeaten Ligue 1 leaders and consistent champions Paris St-Germain are set to host Lens, a team that has drawn five of its nine matches, on Saturday at 16:00 GMT. Monaco will aim to draw level on points with PSG before the latter’s match, as they are scheduled to host Angers on Friday (18:00 GMT). The two teams occupying the bottom positions in the league, Le Havre and Montpellier, will face each other on Sunday at 16:00 GMT. Sporting will be under increased scrutiny when they host Estrela on Friday at 20:15 GMT. This fixture will mark Ruben Amorim’s initial game at the helm since the announcement of his appointment as Manchester United’s head coach, effective from 11 November. Consequently, Amorim is still slated to manage Sporting for their Champions League encounter against Manchester City on Tuesday. His last match with the Portuguese club will be a league fixture against his former team, Braga, on 10 November. Sporting has achieved victories in all nine of their initial Portuguese league games this season; however, they hold only a three-point lead over Porto, who are scheduled to host Estoril on Sunday (20:30 GMT). In the Netherlands, the leading two teams are set to compete directly against each other. PSV, having secured wins in all 10 of their Eredivisie matches this season, will visit second-placed Ajax, who trail by eight points, on Saturday at 17:45 GMT. Sandi Toksvig will be accompanied by Gyles Brandreth, Lulu, Emmanuel Sonubi, and Alan Davies. Opportunities will be available to sing along to tracks by Queen, Taylor Swift, Bon Jovi, Katy Perry, and other artists. Ben Fogle and Kate Humble are returning to cover the festive events at Longleat Safari Park. Topics covered include microplastics present in air, soil, and waterways, as well as the seasonal issue of food waste. This content is copyrighted by BBC in 2024. The BBC disclaims responsibility for the content found on external websites and provides information regarding its external linking policy.