Paris (AFP)
Shocks galore in the major European championships this weekend, with in England an enticing Chelsea - Manchester City which was the poster of the last Champions League final won by the Blues, or an interesting Inter Milan - Atalanta Bergamo in Calcio.
Several derbies are also on the menu, including the Roman one between AS Roma and Lazio which will boil the Stadio Olimpico, or the one in north London between Tottenham and Arsenal.
- Germany: Bayern in the red lantern
Bayern, leader, travels Friday (8:30 p.m.) to the other promoted Fürth, red lantern.
The "Rekordmeister" is going through a euphoric period, with seven consecutive victories in all competitions and 37 goals scored, or more than five average per game!
For this meeting of the 6th day, Serge Gnabry is uncertain (flu) and Nagelsmann will miss a few options in attack with the absences of Kingsley Coman (heart operation) and Jamal Musiala (ankle), but Thomas Müller, Robert Lewandowski and Leroy Sané, currently successful, will be loyal to the post.
The poster for this day will pit the fourth Leverkusen against the fifth Mainz (Saturday 3:30 p.m.), two ambitious people who target European places.
Wolfsburg, tied for second on points with Bayern, will have a difficult trip to Hoffenheim on Saturday (3.30 p.m.).
Leader until the 4th day, Wolfsburg and his French Maxence Lacroix, Josuha Guilavogui and Jérôme Roussillon, in the Lille group in the Champions League, have a solid defensive base, but are struggling in attack.
Dortmund, in ambush at a point from Bayern and Wolfsburg, moves Saturday (6.30 p.m.) to Mönchengladbach in a Borussia derby with a particular taste.
Dortmund have started their season well, the Mönchengladbach "Colts" and their new coach Adi Hütter, after a catastrophic start, are 16th, in a relegation position, with only one victory in five days (4 pts).
Greuther Fürth coach Stefan Leitl, here during the Bundesliga match in Stuttgart on August 14, 2021, is about to welcome Bayern Munich ogre THOMAS KIENZLE AFP / Archives
With Dortmund, Erling Haaland will continue his standoff against Lewandowski for the scorers classification: each has already scored seven times in the first five days.
- Italy: first derby for Mourinho and Sarri -
José Mourinho and Maurizio Sarri, responsible for restoring the image of Roma and Lazio, will discover the fervor of the Roman derby on Sunday.
In a boiling Stadio Olimpico, despite a gauge still limited to 50% as in all stadiums in Italy, the two coaches have the opportunity to enter a little more into the hearts of the tifosi in the event of success.
Sarri returns to the bench after two suspension matches following his exclusion in Milan (0-2) on September 12.
This will only be the second face-to-face meeting between the two technicians.
The first, between Sarri's Chelsea and Mourinho's Manchester United in October 2018 (2-2), was remembered because of the Portuguese's bloodthirsty blow that Sarri's deputy came to celebrate in front of him the equalization of the "Blues" in additional time.
AS Roma coach Jose Mourinho gives instructions to his players opposed to Sassuolo at the Olympic stadium, September 12, 2021 Vincenzo PINTO AFP / Archives
The other derby of the weekend, at San Siro, will be "nerazzuro", between Inter Milan, provisional co-leader, and Atalanta (4th).
A first real test for the two clubs, separated by three points in the standings.
Juventus (13th), after their difficult first victory Wednesday at La Spezia (3-2), will try to continue their "recovery operation" at home against Sampdoria (12th).
- England: Chelsea-Manchester City, a score to settle
Poster of the final of the last Champions League, which had turned to the advantage of the Blues (1-0), Chelsea-Manchester City which opens the 6th day of the Premier League on Saturday (1:30 p.m.) will be the big poster of the week -end.
For the reigning champion, City, the stake will be twofold: not to be left behind by one of the leaders on whom he is three points behind, and to take revenge on the C1 final lost on May 29.
This match will be closely watched by Manchester United who will host Aston Villa (10th) at the same time and Liverpool who will travel to the promoted Brentford (9th) at 6.30pm.
Manchester City captain Fernandinho in a duel with N'Golo Kanté, during the last C1 final won by Chelsea in Porto, May 29, 2021 SUSANA VERA POOL / AFP / Archives
Sunday will be animated by the North London derby between Arsenal (13th) and Tottenham (7th), at 5.30pm.
Two teams with crossed destinies, the Spurs having won their first three matches and lost the following two while the Gunners have the exact opposite record.
Monday, the day will end with Brigton's trip to Crystal Palace: surprising 4th just a short distance from the leading trio, Graham Potter's men will try to hang on to the right wagon against those of Patrick Vieira (14th), in net progress in the game but struggling to capitalize on their strengths.
- Spain: Real Madrid-Villareal, continental shock
Real Madrid, who crushed the promoted Mallorca 6-1 Wednesday at the Santiago-Bernabeu to return to leader, receives on Saturday (9 p.m.) the Villarreal of Unai Emery, reigning Europa League winner but in big difficulties since the resumption with a only victory in six matches, Wednesday against Elche (4-1).
Thanks to a great Karim Benzema, Real Madrid outclassed Mallorca (6-1) at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium, September 22, 2021 GABRIEL BOUYS AFP / Archives
The other Liga leaders will have matches within their reach: Atlético Madrid, defending Spanish champion, travels to Vitoria-Gasteiz to face the red lantern Alavés in raising the curtain on Saturday (2 p.m.), while Barcelona receives Levante on Sunday (4:15 p.m.), with the hope of seeing Ansu Fati and Ousmane Dembélé reappear and come back to the two Madrid giants in the standings.
The fourth undefeated of this start of La Liga, the Sevilla FC team (3rd), will receive on Saturday (6.30 p.m.) a team also subscribed to the second half of the standings, Espanyol Barcelona, 13th.
The Celta Vigo-Granada match at the end of Monday (9:00 p.m.) will be that of the poorly classified to exit or move away from the red zone.
© 2021 AFP