Fantastic, isn’t it? Each summer time, Europe’s manage 5 leagues enter their golf equipment’ names right into a gadget so legendary you’re departed with the influence it’s carried round in a locked suitcase by way of a boffin who has been handcuffed to it. The fixture laptop, if truth be told a black pc, makes use of an set of rules to randomly draw up the soccer calendar, making an allowance for a couple of variables.
And but, each and every season, one of the most greatest video games in England, Spain, Italy, France and Germany truncate up all at the similar weekend. If this isn’t one of the vital first nefarious signs of AI’s intentions to clutter with us, The Athletic doesn’t know what’s.
First up in this monster of a weekend is El Clasico on Saturday night, as Los angeles Liga leaders Barcelona tackle second-placed Actual Madrid. Next there’s a blockbuster triple-header on Sunday; Premier League-leading Liverpool advance to Arsenal in 3rd, Juventus (3rd) head to Inter Milan (moment) for the Derby d’Italia and Marseille, any other aspect in 3rd spot, host first-placed Paris Saint-Germain in Le Classique.
3 of the ones 8 groups are reigning champions in their nation (Madrid, Inter, PSG) and any other (Arsenal) have come very alike for the generation two seasons, completing 5 and two issues adrift of four-in-a-row identify winners Manchester Town, together with of their 2022-23 treble marketing campaign.
Lining up towards those aspects this weekend are 4 coaches who’ve simplest been of their jobs a couple of months — however who’ve began smartly.
Hansi Flick has Barcelona feeling like Barcelona once more, regardless of being neither Catalan nor Dutch. Thiago Motta is unbeaten in Serie A having dressed Allegri-ball up in untouched, extra fashionable garments — Juventus have conceded simplest as soon as in 8 league video games. Marseille began the Roberto De Zerbi generation with a 5-1 away win towards Champions League qualifiers Brest and hammered Montpellier 5-0 on their personal sound utmost Sunday. Arne Slot took at the mammoth process of moving into Jurgen Klopp’s footwear at Liverpool, and has gained seven video games out of his 8 Premier League fits thus far.
The after two days provide those challengers with the hardest check in their credentials but…
Hansi Flick and a Barcelona that ‘only think about scoring’
Actual Madrid (second) vs Barcelona (manage)
Saturday; 8pm GMT, 3pm ET
If there was once a unmarried symbol to sum up Barcelona’s begin to the season, it could most likely be that of Hansi Flick, status at the touchline in a saggy blue T-shirt — fingers in wallet and straggly-haired — obtrusive linear forward with narrowed, inscrutable visuals.
Definitely negative supervisor had ever regarded so indignant on the visible in their staff going 7-0 up.
Flick doesn’t have to mention a lot to put across the ruthlessness that has fuelled Barca’s transformation underneath his guard, and that emphatic win over Actual Valladolid on the finish of August was once a daunting display of what can occur once they merely don’t let up. “The intensity didn’t drop at any moment, and that is good,” he stated straight-faced later the sport, as though expectancies have been met, in lieu than exceeded.
(Javier Borrego/Europa Press by way of Getty Photographs)
One of these businesslike method has saved requirements lofty at Barca this season, and except blips towards Monaco and Osasuna — the endmost involving an early purple card, the previous some large rotation — Barcelona have ruled 11 out of eleven video games. They manage Los angeles Liga no longer simplest on issues, however in maximum alternative metrics; pictures, targets, anticipated targets (xG); ownership and area tilt; tournament win-rate and ball medications within the attacking 3rd.
When they have got ownership, the speculation is to stretch the sound time overloading the center with unhealthy, technical avid gamers, depending at the pinpoint passing of the centre-backs — specifically Pau Cubarsi — to search out the gaps. Right here, in a win towards Athletic Bilbao in what was once simply Flick’s moment authentic contest in fee, we will see Alejandro Balde pushing on from left-back to reserve the width, with Lamine Yamal at the alternative aspect, time 4 attacking avid gamers take a seat between the strains of the opposition’s 4-4-2.
From right here, Cubarsi has the equipment to dictate the assault; he can progress broad and direct into Yamal who’s one-v-one together with his full-back, or he can punch the ball throughout the strains, as he does with laser-like consistency.
This go via to Dani Olmo, as an example, takes six avid gamers out of the sport and leaves the midfielder bearing ailing at the opposition’s again 4.
That talent to change up the week of the assault has made the residue for Barca this season, with Yamal himself mentioning their direct play games as key to their good fortune: “When we recover the ball, we only think about scoring,” he informed Spanish soccer outlet Jijantes.
Disagree participant has embodied that philosophy fairly like Raphinha, already only one objective in the back of his file single-season tally of 10 in a Barcelona blouse. In a position to each run the left flank and loose into the ones central areas, the dynamism of his motion continues to tug opposition avid gamers all over the place the sound.
The realistic to life under makes use of information from SkillCorner to seize the efficiency of the Brazilian’s off-the-ball motion; no longer simplest is he the participant with probably the most high-intensity sprints in Los angeles Liga this season, no one comes alike to his 153 runs in in the back of the opposition defence. His athleticism and pace permit him to begin runs from deep and tear via your offside lure, as he did past and past once more in Barca’s 4-1 thumping of Bayern Munich within the Champions League on Wednesday.
This Barcelona staff have enough of technical methods up their sleeve, however their most efficient strategy to objective thus far this season has been to utility sheer ahead momentum to clash into the areas their positional play games opens up.
Keep away from defeat as of late in Madrid, and a identify fee may in point of fact begin to whip situation.
Methods to guard
- UK: Premier Sports activities, Los angeles Liga TV
- United States: ESPN+, Fubo
Thom Harris
Liverpool glance extra mature underneath Arne Slot — off and on the ball
Arsenal (third) v Liverpool (manage)
Sunday; 4.30pm GMT, 12.30pm ET
Any supervisor who succeeded Jurgen Klopp at Anfield was once destined to be dealt a tough hand. Klopp’s high-octane, frenetic taste of play games was once breathless till the utmost — who may just observe the most efficient office in Liverpool’s fashionable historical past?
But Arne Slot was once dealt one of the vital ideal fingers in Eu soccer — inheriting a squad ready-made to push for titles this season.
So, what has modified in Liverpool’s enjoying taste? Strangely modest.
The transition has been smoother than anticipated, with Liverpool profitable 11 in their opening 12 fits for the primary past of their 132-year historical past, additionally breaking a membership file with six successive away victories initially of a season. If Liverpool had been enjoying with their center within the Klopp generation, they’re now enjoying extra with their head, appearing a better adulthood of their contest each when they have got the ball and when the alternative quantity are in ownership.
A affected person build-up and cautious development throughout the thirds is the noteceable trade in Liverpool’s taste this season, however there’s a refreshing pragmatism to Slot’s method.
If groups take a seat off, centre-backs Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate will struggle to attract them out with a slower, thought to be build-up. Press too lofty, even though, and Van Dijk can punish you with a line-breaking go into Ryan Gravenberch or a zinged cross-field diagonal to Mohamed Salah.
Sure, Slot prefers a thought to be taste of play games, however he’s conscious about the qualities he has at his disposal — which can also be unpredictable for combatants to arrange for.
“(Last season) they used every moment they could to play in behind or deep,” Slot stated of Liverpool’s 2023-24 aspect in an interview with UK broadcaster Sky Sports activities. “That meant that the game was sometimes open, so I have told them to get a better judgement in risk and reward. If you can put someone through in front of the goalkeeper, please try to do so. If not, sometimes it’s a good idea to keep the ball.”
The go back of Liverpool’s transitional taste was once box-office leisure from time to time in Klopp’s goodbye season, however their openness in assault become their Achilles’ heel out of ownership.
Fast regains lofty up the area and counter-pressing movements had been common underneath the German, however Liverpool had a addiction of being horribly uncovered if that press was once mistimed: their 3.1 ‘direct attacks’ — a proxy of counter-attacking — conceded in keeping with 90 mins utmost season was once the sixth-highest within the Premier League.
Issues have tightened up since Slot got here in. Liverpool’s urgent depth — denoted by way of their passes allowed in keeping with defensive motion (PPDA) — is decrease and their quantity of lofty regains has diminished in change for better defensive construction. That is maximum usually unmistakable of their 4-2-4 situation out of ownership, with wingers blocking off passes out to the full-backs and a striker (Diogo Jota) and attacking midfielder (Dominik Szoboszlai) fighting the ball from being improved via central areas…
…however with the potential for adapting, as proven this generation towards RB Leipzig within the Champions League by way of Slot’s tweak to a 4-1-4-1 off the ball.
The decision? Liverpool are the similar; similar, however other. Slot is development at the foundations Klopp laid, subtly filling in any cracks that had been settingup to emerge utmost season.
Methods to guard
- UK: Sky Sports activities
- United States: Peacock Top rate
Mark Carey
Thiago Motta’s Juventus have ideal defensive file within the manage 5 leagues
Inter Milan (second) v Juventus (third)
Sunday; 5pm GMT, 1pm ET
It will be facile to indicate Juventus have modified to bring to stick the similar. They appointed an it seems that determined untouched teacher this summer time, spent greater than €100million (£83m/$108m on the flow change charges) on 9 signings and promoted extra academy youngsters from their Upcoming Gen early life construction programme.
Nonetheless unbeaten within the league later 8 video games, Juventus surely glance other in additional than simply group of workers underneath Thiago Motta. No person in Serie A holds onto the ball greater than them, they assemble extra passes than someone else and will play games slick sequences from again to entrance like the one who resulted in Alessio Romagnoli’s first-half purple card in utmost Saturday’s 1-0 house win towards Lazio. Romagnoli was once the utmost guy and slid in on Pierre Kalulu, his fellow defender and previous AC Milan team-mate, later the Frenchman have been despatched via on objective like a centre-forward in lieu than a centre-back.
Romagnoli catching Kalulu utmost weekend (Domenico Cippitelli/NurPhoto by way of Getty Photographs)
In any case even though, their winner that month simplest arrived by way of a overdue personal objective. Juventus’ struggles to split ailing 10 males for over an pace underscored their common problem in busting via deep defences. They’ve the league’s ninth-best assault in the case of targets scored and feature marginally out-performed their xG (11 to ten.4) because of long-distance, low-percentage targets from Samuel Mbangula and Andrea Cambiaso. 13th in pictures in keeping with 90, Juventus are twelfth for touches within the opposition penalty branch, with Cambiaso and Kenan Yildiz the main protagonists in getting the ball into the field via their carries and passes.
The summer time sale of Moise Kean to Fiorentina and Arkadiusz Milik’s extended witchery at the sidelines with a knee trauma ruthless Dusan Vlahovic is the one recognised Disagree 9 within the squad. Abilities equivalent to Yildiz, 19, are nailed-on starters for the primary past of their careers and it’s most likely difference to be expecting them to assemble game-defining moments each few days. Juventus’ midfielders have not begun to chip in with any targets this season.
In mitigation, overdue switch trade, accidents and the total overhaul provide as quiet pleas for persistence. On the again, Motta’s Juventus play games at the ball in addition to Allegri’s Juventus impaired to barricade the area. Their 0 non-penalty targets conceded is the most efficient file in Europe’s manage 5 leagues — they usually started the season alternating successive 3-0 wins with back-to-back 0-0 attracts.
It has, from time to time, been monotonous and dull.
Because the opening weekend’s 3-0 defeat of newly-promoted guests Como, lovers at Juventus’ Allianz Stadium have watched them rating a penalty towards Cagliari, get pleasure from that personal objective by way of Lazio, and fail to search out the web towards Roma, Napoli and, this midweek, Champions League guests Stuttgart, who deservedly inflicted their first defeat of the marketing campaign.
“Allegri with new tricks” is still the incorrect strategy to characterise Motta, irrespective of their interestingly indistinguishable press convention strains. However a distinct taste has thus far delivered a indistinguishable spectacle. For now, effects have lined up for that, despite the fact that the following day’s Derby d’Italia towards Inter, the membership with whom Motta gained the treble as a participant, may usher in the unlit of his grace duration.
Methods to guard
- UK: TNT Sports activities
- United States: Paramount+, Fubo
James Horncastle
Roberto De Zerbi and Marseille: hearth, meet hearth
Marseille (third) v Paris Saint-Germain (manage)
Sunday; 7.45pm GMT, 3.45pm ET
In Might this yr, Brighton & Hove Albion introduced Roberto De Zerbi would let fall his head teacher function on the finish of the 2023-24 season. I joked to a pal that he must fasten Marseille.
A case of unstoppable pressure meets immovable object: the passionate, noisy Marseille ultras intimated Marcelino into resigning utmost season. Then seven video games. That very same marketing campaign ended with De Zerbi because the joint-most-booked supervisor/head teacher within the Premier League and announcing that he disliked “80 per cent” of English referees. Hearth, meet hearth.
De Zerbi become Marseille’s 6th head teacher, full-time or period in-between, in 13 months.
Tactically, they have compatibility. The membership motto — droit au however — interprets as ‘straight to the goal’. De Zerbi’s 4-2-3-1 setup goals of the choreographed passing patterns that bait the opposition and play games via them — it’s how Brighton (underneath the Italian) beat Marseille (underneath Gennaro Gattuso) to complete first of their shared Europa League workforce utmost season.
It’ll miracle no one that De Zerbi has caught to his ideas. Marseille are moment to Paris Saint-Germain for ownership (60.6 in keeping with cent) in Ligue 1. Their territorial dominance within the first 8 video games has unmistakable them shift right into a 3-2-5 build-up, with the left-back pushing on and the left winger transferring into the half-space.
De Zerbi may — emphasis on may — pitch ailing the way towards higher opposition, however Marseille have flown out the blocks underneath him. There’s De Zerbi’s trademark Disagree 9 losing in, slow-then-quick attacking play games as soon as the opposition midfield fold is crack, and wingers crashing the back-post with an emphasis on cutbacks.
Glance out for Luis Henrique particularly, a 22-year-old who Marseille signed 4 years in the past however is simplest now starting himself within the first staff later 18 months on mortgage again in his local Brazil. He’s scored 4 targets and assisted 3 in Ligue 1 this season, time working as a winger, and has a penchant for a screamer. Former Manchester United ahead Mason Greenwood joined this summer time and has six targets in 8 video games.
Marseille (21) are the second-highest-scorers in Ligue 1 (later PSG’s 25) time having the fewest headed objective makes an attempt within the league (seven). This encapsulates how a lot in their soccer is performed at the ground.
5 wins and 17 issues from 8 video games is considered one of Marseille’s ideal begins in fresh historical past. Within the generation 10 seasons, simplest in 2022-23 (20 issues) did they have got extra issues at this level.
Even though there might be considerations over sustainability, with Marseille operating scorching at each ends. They’re probably the most scientific staff in Europe’s manage 5 home leagues for overperforming anticipated targets (by way of 7.7), with their prospect founding (12.3 xG) virtually precisely alike their prospect concession (11.2 xGA). But they have got a objective residue of +13. It really works… till it doesn’t.
Marseille will want the ones margins to fall their means on this contest, as they have got a unfortunate fresh file towards the following day’s combatants: in PSG’s Qatari-owned generation (so, over the generation 13 years), Marseille have gained 3 of the 31 conferences, shedding 24 occasions. They did beat them within the Coupe de France, the French identical to the FA Cup in England, in February 2023 however have no longer pop out on manage on this league fixture, at their Velodrome house, since November 2011.
Methods to guard
Liam Tharme
(Pictures: Getty Photographs; design: Eamonn Dalton)
