The Euro Preview: Are Borussia Dortmund title contenders or pretenders?
Borussia Dortmund lead the Bundesliga pack. Can they outdo Bayern Munich and take the league crown this season with their young squad?
Bundesliga
Borussia Dortmund is having a strong season, leading the pack in Germany and outpacing Bayern Munich. Will it last? That’s the big question surrounding BVB.
While it may only be the start of November, this weekend’s games could be essential in determining whether BVB can solidify first place or if Bayern can recover and resume their Bundesliga supremacy after closing the gap last weekend.
It may be too early to tell whether BVB under Lucien Favre are for real or not, but the team needs to remain consistent and win again on matchday 10 when they play at Wolfsburg on Saturday. At the same time, Bayern host Freiburg.
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Last season was much like this year. BVB got off to a strong start, then saw a massive slump in form. Bayern, on the other hand, started off badly and then powered their way to another title. This season, BVB have a young squad (led by striker Jadon Sancho’s impressive form), but one capable so far at managing so many high-pressure contests.
“We had a great start,” striker Christian Pulisic told ESPN. “I think the biggest goal is to stay consistent through the season.”
La Liga
Real Madrid, after their 5-1 drubbing against Barcelona last Sunday, has become a mid-table team after their poor start. The aim now is to try and get out of the hole they create for themselves.
The club sacked Julen Lopetegui a day after the humiliating defeat and replaced him with the relatively unknown Santiago Solari.
Real’s announcement of Solari’s appointment made it clear he’s only a temporary solution before a better-known manager could be signed. Former Italy and Chelsea boss Antonio Conte was expected to be announced as manager, but the deal fell through at the last minute. Conte remains an option, but it seems less likely than it did before.
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Los Blancos host Valladolid on Saturday in a game they must win to try and get back into the top four. It remains to be seen whether Solari can galvanize this talented group that includes eight Balon d’Or nominees.
In other games: Barcelona, who are in first place, play on the road Saturday against Rayo Vallecano. Surprise side Alaves, who are just a point behind, are on the road this Sunday against Eibar.
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Serie A
League leaders Juventus play Saturday at the Allianz Stadium against Cagliari in an effort to maintain their six-point advantage over Inter Milan and Napoli, who are tied for second.
The Old Lady are flying high thanks to Cristiano Ronaldo. The Portuguese star has been on a torrid scoring run after a slow start. His sensational form has come in the form of seven goals in 10 league matches, equalling the scoring record set by the legendary John Charles during the 1957-58 season.
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Juve’s opponents, however, haven’t surrendered quite yet. Napoli play Empoli at home on Friday, while Inter Milan play the following day at home against Genoa. AC Milan, meanwhile, play Sunday at Udinese.
Inter Milan have been most impressive in recent weeks. The Nerazzurri, after Monday’s 3-0 win in Rome against Lazio, are surging on the shoulders of striker Mauro Icardi, who had a brace in that game. Icardi has six goals and two assists in league play this season.
“It’s a fascinating season so far,” former Inter owner Massimo Moratti told TeleRadioStereo. “Juve are breaking away, but Napoli and Inter play such good football that it gives them hope.”