The Super Eagles forward had a forgettable start to the campaign at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona
Napoli striker Victor Osimhen was shown a straight red card in their Serie A opener against newly promoted Venezia on Sunday.
Osimhen was punished for a violent conduct on Daan Heymans in the 23rd minute.
Despite the numerical disadvantage, Luciano Spalleti's men held their visitors to a goalless at halftime.
More to follow...
There are three changes to Levante from their draw with Cadiz as they switch to a 4-3-3 formation. Ancelotti makes just one change to Madrid from their win over Alaves. Isco comes in to replace the injured Modric in midfield.
SUBS: Antonio Blanco, Luka Jovic, Toni Fuidias, Miguel Gutierrez, Alvaro Odriozola, Andriy Lunin, Daniel Carvajal, Rodrygo, Marco Asensio, Jesus Vallejo, Vinicius Junior.
REAL MADRID (4-3-3): Thibaut Courtois; Lucas Vazquez, Nacho, Eder Militao, David Alaba; Isco, Casemiro, Federico Valverde; Gareth Bale, Karim Benzema (c), Eden Hazard.
SUBS: Nikola Vukcevic, Pablo Martinez, Oscar Duarte, Hernani, Enis Bardhi, Mickael Malsa, Coke, Son, Enric Franquesa, Jose Manuel, Daniel Cardenas, Alejandro Cantero.
LEVANTE (4-3-3): Aitor Fernandez; Jorge Miramon, Rober Pier, Ruben Vezo, Carlos Clerc; Gonzalo Melero, Nemanja Radoja, Jose Campana; Jorge de Frutos, Roger Marti, Jose Luis Morales (c).
Fresh from thumping Alaves 4-1 last week, Madrid are in fine fettle. They're unbeaten in their last 19 games in La Liga, the league's best current unbeaten run, and Carlo Ancelotti has slotted back into life as Madrid boss quickly. They'll be confident of a victory here to keep pace with their cross-city rivals Atletico Madrid early on.
Levante are off the mark this season after drawing 1-1 with Cadiz in their opening game, but they're in a bit of a funk. Paco Lopez's team have failed to win in nine league games now harking back to the end of last season and will be keen to get back to winning ways.
Hello! Welcome to our live text commentary of this La Liga match between Levante and Real Madrid at Estadi Ciutat de Valencia.
Liverpool midfielder Xherdan Shaqiri is joining Lyon in a £9.5 million deal, Goal can confirm.
The clubs have agreed a fee for the 29-year-old, who has been given permission to travel to France to finalise his transfer.
Personal terms, it is understood, are already agreed, with Shaqiri set to sign a four-year contract with the Ligue 1 club.
Liverpool had rejected Lyon’s initial offer, thought to be worth only £4 million, earlier this month, with sources describing that particular bid as “ridiculous.”
But the determination of Lyon’s sporting director, Juninho Pernambucano, and manager Peter Bosz to land their top summer target has meant, after lengthy negotiations, a deal could be agreed.
Shaqiri had informed the Reds of his desire to leave this summer in search of regular game time. He will leave having made 63 appearances for the club since joining from Stoke in 2018, and as a Champions League, UEFA Super Cup, FIFA Club World Cup and Premier League winner.
That seems unlikely, in terms of a direct replacement. Harvey Elliott, the gifted 18-year-old, looks to have already filled Shaqiri’s squad position, as a player who can play either as part of a midfield three
or wide on the right of the attack.
Elliott made his first Premier League start in Saturday’s 2-0 win over Burnley, while Liverpool are also enthused by the progress of another teenager, 16-year-old Kaide Gordon, whose development will be watched closely.
Jurgen Klopp has hinted that it is unlikely there will be any further midfield additions before the transfer window closes, though it remains to be seen whether Liverpool look to add an attacker. They are still open to offers for Divock Origi, who was not in the squad against Burnley, while defenders Nat Phillips and Neco Williams may also attract bids in the coming days.
Further reading
The West Africans have been encouraged to use the veteran’s experience in their search for a fifth continental title
Sports Writers Association of Ghana president Kwabena Yeboah believes Asamoah Gyan would be a wise addition to Ghana’s contingent for the Africa Cup of Nations finals in Cameroon.
Out of the Black Stars set-up since playing at the last Afcon in Egypt in 2019, 35-year-old Gyan, last week, expressed his desire for a return to international duty at the January 9 – February 6 continental fiesta.
The striker is Ghana’s all-time top scorer and most-capped player, with 51 goals in 109 appearances.
“I would want to urge to FA to make Asamoah Gyan a part of Ghana’s team for the Cup of Nations,” Yeboah told Joy Sports.
“If not to play, he has a wealth of experience and has a lot of inspiration to give to the players. His presence alone can serve as great inspiration for the players, so I want the FA to make him a part of team Ghana.
“His expression of desire to play again for Ghana shows his level of passion and commitment to the national cause. I guess it’s the reason he gets maligned, castigated and lampooned for the least he does.
“He is Ghana’s all-time top scorer and highest scoring African at the Fifa World Cup [and] that is no easy achievement. As to whether he is ready to don the national jersey again is another conversation all together.”
Gyan, who made his international debut in 2003 and is currently back home playing in the Ghana Premier League, has already featured in seven Afcon finals for the Black Stars, scoring in each.
Presently, he is the West Africans’ second all-time top scorer in the competition, sitting just behind Andre Ayew who has nine strikes to his name.
“We do know that at the last Nation’s Cup in Egypt, then coach of the side Kwesi Appiah brought him on as a substitute in one or two games and we saw what impact he made,” Yeboah added.
“And whether he makes it to Cameroon or not, he should know that the people reserve a place of pride for what he has done for the nation. But as it is always said a prophet is not honoured in his own home.”
Ghana have been drawn against Morocco, Gabon and Comoros in the group stage at Afcon.
The Nigeria defender's contributions were not enough to save the Billy Goats from suffering their first loss of the season
Kingsley Ehizibue provided an assist for FC Cologne's second goal in their 3-2 loss to Bayern Munich in a Bundesliga match on Sunday.
The 26-year-old played in a cross for Marc Uth to finish, which put the two teams level at 2-2 in the 62nd minute.
The outing at the Allianz Arena was Ehizibue's first start of the season after he came on as an 84th-minute substitute against Hertha Berlin last Saturday.
After a goalless first 45 minutes, Robert Lewandowski opened the scoring for the hosts five minutes into second half, thanks to an assist from Jamal Musiala.
Shortly thereafter, Serge Gnabry doubled Bayern Munich's lead in the 58th minute but Cologne responded immediately with Anthony Modeste halving the deficit on the hour-mark.
Two minutes later, Uth gave the Billy Goats hope of picking up an away point, after slotting home a cross from Ehizibue.
However, Gnabry dashed such hopes after grabbing his second goal in the encounter in the 71st minute which secured all three points for Bayern Munich.
Ehizibue was in action for the duration but his defensive impact could not save Steffen Baumgart's men.
The Nigeria defender completed the third-most tackles (three) after Tunisia midfielder Ellyes Skhiri (seven) and Florian Kainz (five), and he also made the joint-most clearances (five) with Rafael Czichos.
On the other hand, Cameroon captain Eric Choupo-Moting was introduced as a 76th-minute substitute for Gnabry but he could not register a shot and open his league goal account for the season.
Sunday’s result was Cologne's first defeat of the season, after they defeated Kevin-Prince Boateng's Hertha Berlin 3-1 on the opening day.
They dropped to eighth on the Bundesliga standings with three points after two matches while Bayern Munich are fourth with four points after the same number of games - two points behind leaders Wolfsburg.
Ehizibue will be looking to make his second league start when FC Cologne host Bochum at the RheinEnergieStadion on Saturday.
The Germany-born right-back is yet to make his debut for the Super Eagles, but he was handed his maiden invitation to Gernot Rohr's team in March 2020 for an Afcon qualifying fixture against Sierra Leone, which was later postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The Senegal star turned heads with his brilliant display against Arsenal, and he has been tipped to play a key role if the Blues are to win the league
Chelsea’s Premier League title ambitions rest largely on the shoulders of Edouard Mendy and not Romelu Lukaku, says former Nigeria international Dele Olorundare.
The Blues continued their impressive start to the 2021-22 English top-flight campaign with a 2-0 defeat of Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday.
First-half strikes from new signing Lukaku and Reece James propelled the reigning European kings past Mikel Arteta’s men in front of their home fans.
However, it was Mendy’s eye-catching showing that caught the fancy of the former Sunshine Stars forward, as the 29-year-old goalkeeper prevented the Gunners from getting a goal, while organising the defence.
“Kudos to [Romelu] Lukaku for getting a goal on his return to Chelsea, but I feel Edouard Mendy deserves all the accolades for a job well done,” Olorundare told Goal.
“After a solid job against Crystal Palace, he put up another masterclass to ensure the Blues did not concede a goal in their second successive outing.
“Even when Chelsea’s backline looks shaky, he showed class to put the chestnut out of the fire. He was the reason Arsenal did not get a goal despite numerous attempts.
“Personally, I think Mendy is the key man to their ambition of emerging as Premier League and not Lukaku like many are already saying.
“Without the Belgian, I still believe the Blues have a way of getting the goals, but in the goalkeeping area. Even Kepa [Arrizabalaga] cannot do the brilliant job Mendy is doing at the moment.
“Also, I feel that he [Mendy] is not getting the accolades he deserves. He is pure class and Chelsea are very lucky to have him in their squad.”
Mendy was lured from Ligue 1 outfit Rennes in a £22m ($31m) deal as the six-time English top-flight kings sought to find greater stability between the sticks as costly errors had crept into Arrizabalaga’s game.
Appreciatively, he has since proven to be one of their bargain signings, helping the Londoners win the Champions League and the Uefa Super Cup.
He is expected to be in goal when the Stamford Bridge giants take on Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool in their next league outing on August 28.
As it stands Thomas Tuchel’s men lead the log on superior goals difference ahead of the Reds after garnering six points from two matches played so far.
The Chelsea forward took just 14 minutes to find the net for the first time this season following his big money return to Stamford Bridge
Romelu Lukaku says his opener for Chelsea against Arsenal on Sunday is the most special Premier League goal he's ever scored.
The striker swept in from full-back Reece James' cross to kickstart the Blues' 2-0 victory in his first start since rejoining the club from Inter. While the finish was straightforward, he did well to hold up the ball in the build-up before making a darting run beyond Gunners goalkeeper Bernd Leno.
Lukaku entered the match with 113 career Premier League goals, though none in the 10 domestic appearances he made during his first stint at Stamford Bridge.
"Yes, that one was the best [Premier League goal] for me," Lukaku said on beIN SPORTS.
"You guys know how emotional it was today. This one is the best of the lot. Obviously, it was only a tap-in but the build up was nice so for me this one was the best.
"It took five minutes or so to understand the movements of my team-mates but I asked a lot of questions. To be honest, this group is very, very talented and hungry.
"It was easy for me to fit in because I played this way with the Belgian national team. The coach prepared us well and we came in with confidence and got a good result."
"I am very happy with how he has integrated already, a very smart guy who likes to be in the group," Tuchel told Sky Sports. "He is very democratic leader, talks to everyone, friendly and is totally competitive. He gives us something we did not have, to protect balls. You cannot start better than a goal and he assisted some chances.
"I didn't expect too much but I wanted to see his capability to adapt and to link up, that is what he did very good and the guys like to play with each other."
The £98 million ($136m) transfer fee it took for Chelsea to land Lukaku will add pressure on the striker to provide immediate goalscoring results - an expectation team-mate Timo Werner struggled with last year when he joined the Blues.
Lukaku's quick goal could alleviate some of that stress, and the team's perfect start to the campaign won't hurt either.
The former defender was commenting after the Glamour Boys played to a 0-0 league draw with TS Galaxy at the Mbombela Stadium on Sunday evening
Former Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates right-back Jimmy Tau feels there is a lack of creativity in the Amakhosi engine room.
Chiefs coach Stuart Baxter started with Phathutshedzo Nange and Cole Alexander in central midfield against the Rockets, with Bernard Parker in the number 10 role. Khama Billiat and Kgaogelo Sekgota played on the wings and Samir Nurkovic as the central striker.
The combination failed to spark Amakhosi to life and they rarely threatened Galaxy’s keeper Vasilije Kolak on the day.
“There are two players where I would love them to reconsider this partnership – we have Nange and Cole Alexander, for me they are the same player,” Tau said after the match in the SuperSport TV studio.
“Because it means that one of them are depriving you the space or the impetus to go forward. You need to get someone who will take the creative aspect of the game. Because they are both work-horses – I love their attitude, I love their presence on the field, they are exceptional players.
“But they are depriving the team of that one player who can release. We had Tensashe Nengomasha who would sit there, we had Thabo Mooki there (two former Chiefs holding midfielders from the past two decades). He could make things happen from central midfield, Chiefs don’t have that player.”
Tau’s fellow analyst Simphiwe Dludlu also questioned the impact made by the team’s more attack-minded central midfielder, Bernard Parker.
“If you use two defensive midfielders it means you are saying, a number 10 needs to be more mobile,” said the former Banyana Banyana player.
“But Parker is not that mobile as a number 10 because when he has possession he’s losing it easily.
“And that’s a red flag already because it means the wingers won’t get the ball and Khama [Billiat] has to come back and fight for the ball instead of getting it in areas where he can be more lethal. Sekgota also has to come back.”
The Red Devils manager felt the Saints were too cynical with their 'flying tackles' on Sunday during their 1-1 draw in the Premier League
Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer took issue with Southampton's physical approach in their 1-1 draw on Sunday, claiming the Saints fouled Bruno Fernandes in the build-up to their goal and generally exerted a rugby-like style in their "flying tackles".
Solskjaer said he appreciates referees being more leniant but warned the Premier League must still protect players, echoing the comments of Liverpool's Jurgen Klopp the day before.
His men battled back from their early deficit to secure a point when Paul Pogba assisted Mason Greenwood, but he was left disappointed by the result.
Solskjaer felt United should have been awarded a free-kick for Jack Stephens' challenge on Fernandes in the build-up to Southampton's goal.
Fernandes was furious with the tough tackle, being booked for his protests - and his manager was similarly unhappy in his post-match press conference.
"We should do better, if you don't get a foul, we should make sure we block the shot, put your body on the line and make sure they don't get a strike on target," Solskjaer said. "That being said, it's a foul, he goes straight through Bruno, with his armpit across him.
"We can't go from one extreme of basketball to rugby now. I like the more lenient way, it's more men's football but still, that's a foul. You could see early on, with the fans, it gets the crowd going flying into tackles and we did suffer a few tackles that was part of their thinking early on if you like."
The head coach enjoyed the goal Manchester United produced to level proceedings but was displeased with their subsequent inability to get another.
"We did well to get the goal, build pressure, had another five or six mins with a good spell and then we lost our way a little bit and maybe tiredness, sloppiness came in and we gave their crowd stuff to cheer about because they had a few counter-attacks and some dangerous moments," he said.
"When Jadon [Sancho] came on, I thought he looked really sharp for the first 10 or 15 minutes but then the whole team fell away and in the last 15 minutes we didn't play particularly well.
"We [recalled Anthony Martial because] we wanted to get Anthony going, to have [another forward], Anthony to drift into the left and Mason coming inside from the right. Mason scores a very good goal, he didn't have one of his best days, but he still contributes."
Las Aguilas are unbeaten in their first five games of the new campaign while Los Xolos are yet to claim a single victory as they travel to the leaders
Club America will be out to maintain their lead at the Liga MX summit when they host winless Club Tijuana at Estadio Azteca on Sunday.
Watch Club America vs Club Tijuana on fuboTV (free 7-day trial)
Las Aguilas are unbeaten in their first five games of the new campaign, while Los Xolos are yet to claim a single victory - setting up their encounter as a potential banana skin for the hosts.
Ahead of the game, Goal has the details of how to watch on TV, stream online, team news and more.
In the United States (US), Liga MX matches can be watched live and on-demand with fuboTV (watch with a 7-day free trial).
New users can sign up for a free seven-day trial of the live sports streaming service, which can be accessed via iOS, Android, Chromecast, Amazon Fire TV, Roku and Apple TV as well as on a web browser.
| Position | Club America roster |
|---|---|
| Goalkeepers | Ochoa, Jimenez, Tapia |
| Defenders | Fuentes, J. Sanchez, Caceres, Valdez, Aguilera, Silva, Layun, Lara |
| Midfielders | Aquino, Madrigal, Benedetti, Cordova, R. Sanchez, Fidalgo, Reyes, Lainez, Ibarra, Naveda, Galvan, Campos, Gutierrez |
| Forwards | Roger Martinez, Castillo, Martin, Lopez, Vinas, Roman Martinez |
Las Aguilas notched up another win to keep themselves atop the pile against Juarez in midweek, but are still likely to have to contend without the injured Leo Suarez and Santiago Naveda for now.
Santiago Solari has no shortage of talents however, with stars like Jorge Sanchez and Henry Martin both likely to carry their fine form onwards for the hosts this weekend.
Predicted Club America starting XI: Ochoa; J. Sanchez, Caceres, Valdez, Fuentes; Aquino, Madrigal; Fidalgo, Cordova, Lainez; Martin.
| Position | Club Tijuana roster |
|---|---|
| Goalkeepers | Orozco, Alcala, Diaz, Mendoza, Higuera |
| Defenders | Angulo, Tercero, Lozoya, Rak, Jara, Lorona, Barbona, Guzman, Manriquez, Yanez |
| Midfielders | Ruiz, Castillo, Pavez, Martinez, Rodriguez, Ortiz, Rivera, Dominguez, Cortizo, Gamiz, E. Lopez |
| Forwards | Manotas, Vazquez, Sansores, D. Lopez |
Two draws in their last two games have helped Los Xolos buck the trend after three straight defeats to open the new campaign - but there is little escaping that they are still to get going.
Robert Siboldi's start to life at the club has been far from a glowing success, but his previous trophy record elsewhere should give him time to further steady the ship.
Predicted Club Tijuana starting XI: Orozco; Lorona, Guzman, Tercero, Angulo; Rivera, Pavez; Cortizo, Martinez, Rodriguez; Manotas.
| Club America results | Club Tijuana results |
|---|---|
| Juarez 1-2 Club America (Aug 18) | Club Tijuana 1-1 Puebla (Aug 17) |
| Atlas 0-1 Club America (Aug 15) | Juarez 1-1 Club Tijuana (Aug 13) |
| Club America 2-0 Philadelphia (Aug 12) | Club Tijuana 0-2 Toluca (Aug 6) |
| Club America 2-0 Puebla (Aug 7) | Leon 2-1 Club Tijuana (Jul 31) |
| Club America 2-1 Necaxa (Jul 31) | Club Tijuana 1-2 Tigres (Jul 25) |
| Date | Result |
|---|---|
| 4/2/2021 | Club Tijuana 0-2 Club America |
| 8/1/2020 | Club America 4-0 Club Tijuana |
| 1/24/2020 | Club Tijuana 0-0 Club America |
| 8/3/2019 | Club America 3-1 Club Tijuana |
| 4/6/2019 | Club Tijuana 3-2 Club America |
Following rumblings of discontent from the CR7 camp, it has been confirmed that Cristiano Ronaldo will not start today, and returning Juventus coach Max Allegri has left his star man on the bench. He is reportedly angling for a move away from Turin before the end of the transfer window and therefore takes a seat alongside summer signing Manuel Locatelli, who last week joined from Sassuolo.
Juventus kick off the new league season having been dethroned as champions after nearly a decade of dominance, so will be intent on getting off to a winning start in Udine. The home side finished in their customary mid-table position last term, but have been regular whipping boys for the Old Lady.
Hello and welcome to live coverage of Udinese v Juventus at the Dacia Arena, in the opening round of the Serie A season!
The 23-year-old made his Gunners debut last week but now faces a spell on the sidelines in isolation
New Arsenal signing Ben White will miss his side's clash against Chelsea on Sunday after testing positive for Covid-19.
White, 23, arrived at Emirates Stadium this summer from Brighton in a transfer worth £50 million ($69m).
He made his debut in last week's Premier League defeat to Brentford but now faces a spell on the sidelines.
White had been expected to retain his place in the middle of defence this weekend despite Arsenal going down 2-0 in a shock loss to the Premier League newcomers on the season's opening day.
Shortly before kick-off, it was confirmed by the club that he would be unable to participate due to Covid.
White and Hector Bellerin, who is carrying a knee injury, are the Gunners' only forced absentees for their crucial London derby.
Rob Holding stepped up from the bench to cover the ex-Brighton man's spot, partnering Pablo Mari in the heart of defence.
There was some positive news for Arsenal, with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang gaining a substitute's berth after his return to fitness.
Aaron Ramsdale, meanwhile, was on the bench just two days after finalising his move from Sheffield United, deputising starting goalkeeper Bernd Leno.
While his recovery from the virus and mandatory self-isolation may delay White's adaptation in north London, he is highly thought of by those in charge and can expect to play a big part in Mikel Arteta's plans.
“Ben was a top target for us and it’s great that we’ve completed his signing," Arteta said upon signing the defender. "Ben has been educated with two very good clubs, Brighton and Leeds, in recent seasons. He has benefitted well from two very good coaching set-ups and has shown with both Brighton and on loan with Leeds what a strong talent he is.
"Ben is an intelligent defender who is very comfortable with the ball at his feet and his style fits perfectly with us. Of course he is still young, so his age and profile fits with what we are building here. We are all looking forward to Ben being central to our future long-term plans."
The PSL debutants had hoped to get their first point in PSL but a concentration lapse allowed their opponents to win in added time
Strydom Wambi came off the bench to break the resilient Royal AM and hand Moroka Swallows a 1-0 win at Volkswagen Dobsonville Stadium in Johannesburg on Sunday.
In the early exchanges, both teams looked unsettled with neither managing to get a real chance. Eventually, the hosts, finally, managed to get their first attempt in the 11th minute.
A long ball in the danger zone was not cleared and the ball fell to Ruzaigh Gamildien who could not keep his shot down despite being in a good area, under no pressure.
The attacker, once again, had another opportunity to find the back of the net in the 17th minute. Lebohang Mokoena played in a good cross into the danger zone, Khethukuthula Ndlovu headed the ball to the 32-year-old who missed the target from 10-yards.
As the game wore on, the debutants struggled to match their opponents and they spent most of the time in their own half and relying on counter-attacks.
Swallows were camped in the visitor's half but they rarely troubled the goalkeeper owing to good defending by the back four. For the entire first 45 minutes, only two off-target attempts were made.
Even after the break, the job was being done in the middle of the pitch with no team getting it easy in the final third. The visitors defended well, clearing any danger that was coming their way.
With 10 minutes to go, Swallows created a chance through Gamildien, once again. He cut in from the right before unleashing a fierce strike that narrowly missed the top corner with the custodian well beaten.
In the 84th minute, Royal conceded a free-kick just outside the danger zone. It was put into the area and Zephaniah Mbokoma headed it on target, but it was too weak to beat Sipho Chaine in goal.
Another attempt, which was off target, came in the 86th minute from the free kick taken by Matlala Makgalwa.
When Swallows had given up hope of getting a goal, things changed in the second minute of additional time. Makgalwa received the ball on the right, brought in a cross which was headed in by substitute Wambi.
Swallows FC: Virgil Vries, Musa Nyatama, Junaid Sait, Wandisile Letlabika, Lehlogonolo Matlou, Khethukuthula Ndlovu, Lebohang Mokoena, Dillan Solomons, Ruzaigh Gamildien, Sasman Yagan, Thabo Matlaba.
Subs: Jody February, Sipho Sibiya, Vuyo Mere, Kamohelo Mahlatsi, Zephaniah Mbokoma, Givemore Khupe, Matlala Makgalwa, Strydom Wambi, Monnapule Saleng
Royal AM XI: Sipho Chaine, Sello Jorry Matjila, Tshepo Rikkhotso, Thato Lingwati, Lucky Given Baloyi, Kamogelo Mashikinya, Lantshene Phalane, Menzi Masuku, Kabelo Mahlasela, Ndumiso Mabena, Elias Pelembe.
Subs: Patrick Nyame, Mokone Mereko, Moffat Mdluli, Harris Brandt Tchilimbou, Reagan Van Der Ross, Zukile Mkhize, Levy Mashiane, Tshepo Malope, Samuel Manganyi
Bayern make two changes to the side that defeated Dortmund in the Supercup during the week. Stanisic makes way for Kouassi, while Kingsley Coman is replaced by Sane.
SUBS: Salih Ozcan, Louis Schaub, Tomas Ostrak, Tim Lemperle, Jonas Urbig, Ondrej Duda, Sebastian Andersson, Kingsley Schindler, Benno Schmitz.
COLOGNE (4-3-1-2): Timo Horn; Kingsley Ehizibue, Jorge Mere, Rafael Czichos, Jonas Hector; Jan Thielmann, Ellyes Skhiri, Florian Kainz; Dejan Ljubicic; Mark Uth, Anthony Modeste.
SUBS: Jamal Musiala, Corentin Tolisso, Chris Richards, Omar Richards, Josip Stanisic, Bouna Sarr, Malik Tillman, Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting, Sven Ulreich.
BAYERN MUNICH (4-2-3-1): Manuel Neuer; Niklas Sule, Dayot Upamecano, Tanguy Kouassi, Alphonso Davies; Joshua Kimmich, Leon Goretzka; Leroy Sane, Thomas Muller, Serge Gnabry; Robert Lewandowski.
Cologne, meanwhile, started the season with a solid 3-1 victory over Hertha. They’ll be hoping to take the confidence from this and get a shock result against Bayern today.
Hello and welcome to live commentary of this Bundesliga fixture between Bayern Munich and Cologne. It was a slow start to the season last time out for Bayern: they drew 1-1 with Borussia Monchengladbach and they’ll be looking to get their first win of the campaign today.
Arsenal have made three changes to their side from their defeat against Brentford last week. Ben White misses out after contracting Covid-19, while Chambers and Balogun are dropped from the starting line-up. Holding slots into the backline in place of White, while Cedric earns the start ahead of Chambers at right-back. Saka comes into the fold for Balogun, which sees Pepe lead the line. Aubameyang returns on the bench after recovering from Covid-19, although Alexandre Lacazette is still missing.
CHELSEA SUBS: Kepa Arrizabalaga, Thiago Silva, N'Golo Kante, Timo Werner, Trevoh Chalobah, Kurt Zouma, Callum Hudson-Odoi, Ben Chilwell, Hakim Ziyech.
CHELSEA (3-4-3): Edouard Mendy; Cesar Azpilicueta, Andreas Christensen, Antonio Rudiger; Reece James, Jorginho, Mateo Kovacic, Marcos Alonso; Mason Mount, Kai Havertz, Romelu Lukaku.
ARSENAL SUBS: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Ainsley Maitland-Niles, Nuno Tavares, Calum Chambers, Reiss Nelson, Mohamed Elneny, Folarin Balogun, Sead Kolasinac, Aaron Ramsdale.
ARSENAL (4-2-3-1): Bernd Leno; Cedric Soares, Pablo Mari, Rob Holding, Kieran Tierney; Albert Sambi Lokonga, Granit Xhaka; Bukayo Saka, Emile Smith Rowe, Gabriel Martinelli; Nicolas Pepe.
Chelsea were excellent in their Premier League opener, defeating Crystal Palace 3-0 on home soil without shifting out of first gear. Marcos Alonso, Christian Pulisic and Trevoh Chalobah all found the net for the European champions to kick off the campaign. The Blues have bolstered their attacking force with the addition of Romelu Lukaku, and he will be desperate to make an impact on his second Chelsea debut. Thomas Tuchel and his men will be out to make a point and send a statement to their title rivals by notching their second win on the bounce.
Arsenal are in desperate need of a response after suffering a 2-0 defeat at the hands of Brentford in their opening match of the season. Goals from Sergi Canos and Christian Norgaard condemned the Gunners to defeat, ramping up the pressure on Mikel Arteta in the dugout even in this early stage of the campaign. The club have been active in the transfer market, but need to prove themselves on the pitch against a high-quality opponent this afternoon.
Good afternoon and welcome to the live commentary of the Premier League clash between Arsenal and Chelsea at the Emirates Stadium.
