The Athletic has hand-picked five of the most intriguing weekend fixtures from around Europe…
Borussia Dortmund vs. RB Leipzig, Signal Iduna Park
Saturday 4 October, 14:30 BST/9:30am ET
To call it the Jurgen Klopp derby might be a stretch, but to say there is no love lost between his current and former employers would be an understatement.
In Dortmund, the loathing of RB Leipzig runs to existential depths. A historic club with a proud community focus, Black and Yellow fans have frequently been the most outspoken critics of the 2009-founded side, whose controversial conformity to the Bundesliga’s 50+1 rule has rankled fans across Germany.
Many of them judge the Red Bull model to be the marketing tool of an energy drink company and a challenge to German football’s soul, making no secret of hiding their displeasure. Protests have included abstaining from attending away games at Red Bull Arena, while in 2017, 28 Dortmund fans were arrested for throwing cans and stones at Leipzig fans.
Naturally then, Klopp’s unveiling as global head of soccer at Red Bull in January was not received particularly well by the masses who revered his swashbuckling management at Signal Iduna Park — as he expected.
“I knew it (would come),” Klopp told The Athletic in a wide-ranging interview published this week.
“I’m German. I know what people in Germany think about the involvement of Red Bull in football. They love Red Bull. In all departments. But in football? No. So whatever, they want to do it that way.”
After a poor season last year saw them miss out on Europe, Leipzig have started well following Klopp’s close involvement in their summer business, rebounding from a catastrophic 6-0 opening day defeat at Bayern Munich to to win four in a row.
It gives Ole Werner’s side the chance to leapfrog their hosts, who have similarly shrugged off a horror start — a late collapse at St. Pauli — with a perfect record. Dortmund striker Serhou Guirassy has picked up where he left off, scoring four in four league games after notching 21 Bundesliga goals last year.
Jurgen Klopp now heads up Red Bull’s global football operations. (Photo by Rudy Carezzevoli/Getty Images)
Sevilla vs. Barcelona, Ramon Sanchez PizjuanSunday 5 October, 3:15pm BST/10:15 am ET
If Sevilla were looking for some inspiration on how to bring down La Liga’s only undefeated side, they may well have found it in the fatal form of a vertigo-inducing Barcelona high-line against Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday night.
Despite missing a host of stars through injury, Champions League holders PSG rebounded from an early onslaught at Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys to exploit Hansi Flick’s ultra-high defensive line at the death, Achraf Hakimi galloping clear to square for Goncalo Ramos to make it 2-1.
Granted, 36-year-old Cesar Azpilicueta — as tenacious as he is — didn’t pose half of Hakimi’s pace a decade ago, let alone now, but the stubborn insistence by Barcelona to sit their back four on the halfway line should bring hope to a Sevilla side in dire need of it.
Matias Almeyda’s team were soundly outplayed at struggling Rayo Vallecano last weekend before substitute Akor Adams snatched a victory with his side’s only shot on target, lifting them into 10th and away from the relegation trapdoor they narrowly skirted last season.
Akor Adams celebrates his winning goal last weekend (Florencia Tan Jun/Getty Images)
With that being their third away win of the season, there’s a case to say Sevilla would rather be facing Barcelona in their temporary Montjuic home. A draw with Elche has sandwiched defeats to Getafe and Villarreal in the fixtures hosted at Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan so far.
What’s more, after losing by an aggregate score of 9-2 in the league last season, Sevilla haven’t beaten Barcelona in La Liga since 2015, drawing just four times since. That victory came the season after Alexis Sanchez left Catalonia for Arsenal, with the Chilean now set to face off against his old employers following his move to Andalusia from Udinese this summer.
For Flick and Barcelona, it’s an opportunity to dust themselves down after midweek defeat and keep their noses ahead of Real Madrid after their rivals blundered in the derby against Atleti.
Monaco vs. Nice, Stade Louis IISunday 5 October, 4:15pm BST/11:15am ET
Even in a preview of football on the continent, Manchester United and Sir Jim Ratcliffe cannot escape unscathed.
Though there has been some good news for Europa Conference League-bound Lausanne in Switzerland, INEOS’ other club Nice have matched United in sitting on just seven points after a dreary first six games of the Ligue 1 campaign.
What’s worse is that, unlike in Manchester, it was all quite peachy in the French Riviera last year. A fourth-placed finish marked Nice’s best domestic campaign and put them a successful qualifying round away from a first Champions League proper appearance in 65 years.
Yet the hope of that campaign has long since-faded, smothered by a comprehensive Champions League playoff loss to Benfica before being stifled further by three league defeats and a home loss to Roma in the Europa League.
Perhaps manager Franck Haise and co. can take inspiration from Atletico Madrid and get back on track with a resounding derby win.
Champions in 2017, Monaco have held bragging rights in recent years but have made a stuttering start, with resounding defeats at Club Brugge and Lorient taking the shine off their fourth-place league position, though grabbing a late point against Manchester City in the week was a boost.
The performances of Ansu Fati, with four goals in his first three games, have been a bright spark. Once tipped as the heir to Lionel Messi, the former Barcelona No. 10 is looking to reboot his career after joining on loan with an option to buy this summer.
Juventus vs. Milan, Allianz StadiumSunday 5 October, 7:45pm BST/2:45pm ET
A fragile but entertaining Juventus against a miserly Milan — what is going on over in Italy?
A huge clash in Serie A sees Massimiliano Allegri return to his old stomping ground in Turin looking to continue his brilliant start to league-leading life in Lombardy. After five clean sheets in six games, the Rossoneri had to channel all their new-found defensive nous to survive a 40-minute Neapolitan siege last week following Pervis Estupinan’s red card and penalty.
Yet despite Kevin De Bruyne’s conversion from the spot, Milan — ahead thanks to another stellar performance from Christian Pulisic — held on against Napoli to win 2-1 and leapfrog the reigning champions, as well as Roma, on goal difference.
After 11 goals and 11 assists in Serie A last season, Pulisic has soared into an early lead of the golden boot race with four goals and two assists in five games, as well as two further goals in the Coppa Italia.
(PIERO CRUCIATTI/AFP via Getty Images)
The American will fancy his chances of adding to his haul against a Juventus side that seem incapable of keeping opponents out. A 90th minute equalizer from last year’s loanee Renato Veiga undid their comeback efforts at Villarreal in the Champions League on Wednesday, resigning them to a fourth straight score draw.
Anyone who caught the three-day footballing feast of the 4-3 win over Inter and the 4-4 epic at Borussia Dortmund will have no complaints, but Igor Tudor’s side desperately need to tighten up if they are to land their first Scudetto since 2020.
As fun as young stars Kenan Yildiz and Francisco Conceição are at the top end, two clean sheets and 12 goals conceded across eight games are not title-winning defensive numbers.
Porto vs. Benfica, Estadio do DragaoSunday 5 October, 9:15pm BST/4:15pm ET
After a midweek return to London, the world’s most anticipated reunion tour continues. It’s a weekend off for Liam and Noel, but a return to where “The Masterplan” began for one José Mourinho.
Because while he may have made his managerial debut in the Benfica dugout he now occupies, albeit for only a few fleeting months in late 2000, it was four years later at this weekend’s opponents Porto that Mourinho truly announced himself to the world.
Two dominant Primeira League titles, the Taca de Portugal, the UEFA Cup and – of course – the Champions League crown all poured into Portugal’s second city across two storied seasons before Mourinho’s departure to Chelsea, who welcomed him back with open arms and custard creams on Tuesday.
Yet his former understudy Andre Villas-Boas, now President of Porto, does not anticipate the 62-year-old getting similarly serenaded when he returns to the Estádio do Dragão for O Clássico – regardless of his “eternal” history at the club.
“FC Porto’s history also became great because he [Mourinho] won against its biggest rival,” Villas Boas said.
“In that sense, Jose Mourinho will now receive the same reception as any coach of our main rival, that is, the coach of Benfica.“
(Alex Broadway/Getty Images)
As at Stamford Bridge, Mourinho will be the firm underdog. Played seven, won seven, scored 19, conceded just once: Porto have made a stunning start under former Ajax boss Francesco Farioli, permitting Dragões fans to dream of a first title since 2022.
Lose, and Mourinho’s Benfica will be seven points adrift already.
(Top photo: Image Photo Agency/Getty Images)