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European Midweek Preview: Lazio hosts Napoli, Bayern travels to Schalke, and more

 

There may not be any Champions League fixtures taking place this week, but that doesn’t mean there won’t be any top action on display in Europe. The top match during the midweek action takes place from Rome as Lazio welcomes Napoli to the Olimpico. The hosts are in fourth place and have not lost yet this season. Ciro Immobile leads Lazio with six goals in four league matches this season, including five in September. Napoli leads the Serie A table with a perfect 12 points out of 12. Forward Dries Mertens has spearheaded the Napoli attack with five goals, including a hat trick in a 6-0 rout of Benevento this past weekend.

Elsewhere this week, the third round of the English League Cup kicks off with several Premier League teams facing off. Juventus hosts Fiorentina in Serie A action, while Bayern Munich travels to Schalke in Bundesliga play.

Here’s a closer look at this week’s upcoming action:

ENGLISH LEAGUE CUPĀ 

With four all-Premier League ties taking place this week in the League Cup, the top one comes from Leicester on Tuesday. The Foxes welcome Liverpool to the King Power Stadium, looking to snap a three match winless run. Leicester defeated Sheffield United, 4-1, in the second round as Islam Slimani led the way with a brace. Liverpool is also winless in their last three matches, including a 1-1 draw with Burnley over the weekend. Last year’s semifinalists will be the favorite to get it done on the road with plenty of attacking talent in their arsenal.

On Wednesday, West Bromwich Albion has a tough test facing off with Manchester City. The Baggies are winless in their last three matches, drawing with Brighton and West Ham in that span. Tony Pulis’ side brushed aside Accrington Stanley in the second round, 3-1, with three different players scoring. Manchester City is 5-0-1 across all competitions this season, posting three clean sheets in the last three matches. Sergio Aguero has six goals this season, including five in the month of September. City won by a score of 7-1 in two league meetings with WBA last season.

Here’s all of this week’s third round League Cup fixtures for EPL sides:

Tuesday

  • Leicester City vs. Liverpool
  • Burnley vs. Leeds United
  • West Ham United vs. Bolton Wanderers
  • Crystal Palace vs. Huddersfield Town
  • AFC Bournemouth vs. Brighton & Hove Albion
  • Reading vs. Swansea City
  • Tottenham Hotspur vs. Barnsley

Wednesday

  • Everton vs. Sunderland
  • Arsenal vs. Doncaster Rovers
  • Chelsea vs. Nottingham Forest
  • West Bromwich Albion vs. Manchester City
  • Manchester United vs. Burton Albion

SPANISH LA LIGA

Barcelona will look to stay perfect this season in a match against Eibar on Tuesday. The hosts are coming off a strong week, defeating Juventus, 3-0, and Getafe, 2-1. Leo Messi leads the attacking front with five goals, while Luis Suarez is back to full fitness for the Catalan side. Eibar is coming off a 1-0 victory over Leganes, which gave them six points in the new campaign. Brazilian striker Charles is the forward to watch for the visitors after scoring one of the team’s two goals this season.

Real Madrid looks for a third consecutive victory, facing off with Real Betis on Wednesday. Zinedine Zidane’s side defeated Real Sociedad, 3-1, on Sunday, with Gareth Bale getting on the scoresheet. The Welshman will be the player to watch with Karim Benzema out injured for a few more weeks. Betis defeated Deportivo, 2-1, on Saturday, using a brace from Joaquin to claim three points. The visitors will look for their first win over Los Blancos since a 1-0 win back in November 2012.

Here’s all of this week’s La Liga fixtures:

Tuesday

  • Valencia vs. Malaga
  • Barcelona vs. Eibar

Wednesday

  • Athletic Bilbao vs. Atletico Madrid
  • Leganes vs. Girona
  • Deportivo vs. Alaves
  • Sevilla vs. Las Palmas
  • Real Madrid vs. Real Betis

Thursday

  • Villarreal vs. Espanyol
  • Celta Vigo vs. Getafe
  • Levante vs. Real Sociedad

GERMAN BUNDESLIGA

Bundesliga action returns on Tuesday with Bayern Munich traveling to Schalke. Carlo Ancelotti’s men have kept clean sheets in their last two matches, scoring seven goals in the process. Striker Robert Lewandowski has eight goals across all competitions, including three in September. Schalke has won the last two league fixtures by a combined score of 5-2. Midfielder Nabil Bentaleb leads the team with two goals this season, while four others have added a goal apiece.

A pair of U.S. internationals face off on Wednesday as Hamburg hosts Borussia Dortmund. Hamburg has lost two in a row, failing to score in either match. Striker Bobby Wood has one goal this season, and will look to add to that total on Wednesday. Dortmund crushed Koln, 5-0, on Sunday, with Maximilian Philipp and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang each netting a brace. 19-year-old Christian Pulisic has a goal and assist in five matches so far this season.

Here’s all of this week’s Bundesliga fixtures:

Tuesday

  • Borussia Monchengladbach vs. Stuttgart
  • Schalke vs. Bayern Munich
  • Augsburg vs. RB Leipzig
  • VfL Wolfsburg vs. Werder Bremen

Wednesday

  • FC Koln vs. Eintracht Frankfurt
  • Hertha Berlin vs. Bayer Leverkusen
  • SC Freiburg vs. Hannover
  • Hamburg vs. Borussia Dortmund
  • FSV Mainz vs. 1899 Hoffenheim

ITALIAN SERIE A

The other eye-catching fixture on Wednesday comes from Turin as Juventus hosts Fiorentina. After a shocking defeat against Barcelona last week in UCL play, the Old Lady bounced back by defeating Sassuolo, 3-1, on Sunday. Paulo Dybala is on fire for Juventus, scoring all eight of his goals this season in league play. He is three goals away from equaling his league tally from all of last season. Fiorentina has won two in a row, crushing Hellas Verona 5-0 and easing past Bologna 2-1. Eight different players have scored a goal so far, with Milan Badelj and Cyril Thereau leading the attacking front.

Here’s all of this week’s Serie A fixtures:

Tuesday

  • Bologna vs. Inter Milan

Wednesday

  • Benevento vs. AS Roma
  • Atalanta vs. Crotone
  • Cagliari vs. Sassuolo
  • Genoa vs. Chievo Verona
  • Hellas Verona vs. Sampdoria
  • Juventus vs. Fiorentina
  • Lazio vs. Napoli
  • AC Milan vs. Spal
  • Udinese vs. Torino

 

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