MATCHDAY: Arsenal, City in action; Mbappé eyes record

By: The Associated Press Posted: 4:39 PM CST Friday, Mar. 3, 2023

A look at what’s happening in European soccer on Saturday:

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A look at what’s happening in European soccer on Saturday:

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This article was published 03/03/2023 (1306 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A look at what’s happening in European soccer on Saturday:

ENGLAND

Arsenal will look to at least maintain its five-point lead atop the Premier League — and might even be thinking about end-of-the-season goal differential — when it hosts Bournemouth. The relegation-threatened visitor has allowed a league-high 48 goals. There are seven league games. Second-placed Manchester City hosts Newcastle in the early kickoff. Fifth-placed Newcastle is on a four-game winless slide in the league and is coming off a 2-0 loss to Manchester United in the League Cup final. Fourth-placed Tottenham plays at Wolverhampton, and free-falling Chelsea hosts Leeds. Crystal Palace visits Aston Villa. Brighton hosts West Ham. Leicester visits last-placed Southampton in the nightcap.

Arsenal's Martin Odegaard celebrates after scoring his side's third goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Arsenal and Everton at the Emirates stadium in London, Wednesday, March 1, 2023. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)

SPAIN

Diego Simeone will establish a milestone for coaching longevity when his Atletico Madrid hosts Sevilla. The Argentine will set a new Atletico record for games coached at 613, one more than Luis Aragonés. Simeone has led Atletico to two league titles, two Europa League titles, a Copa del Rey and two Champions League finals since taking over in December 2011. Fourth-placed Atletico can leapfrog Real Sociedad in third with a victory. Jorge Sampaoli’s Sevilla has one win in the last four rounds and is only two points above the drop zone. Almeria hosts Villarreal hoping to build on its shock 1-0 win over Barcelona last weekend. Mallorca plays last-placed Elche eyeing a win that would lift it into the top half of the table. Relegation-threatened Getafe plays Girona.

GERMANY

Bayern Munich warms up for its Champions League clash with Paris Saint-Germain with a visit to relegation-threatened Stuttgart in the Bundesliga. After Borussia Dortmund beat Leipzig 2-1 on Friday to retake the league lead from Bayern by three points, the latter is playing catchup again. Bayern hosts PSG on Wednesday. Union Berlin hopes to bounce back from its loss at Bayern last weekend by beating visiting Cologne, which has lost its last two games. After starting with three defeats, Hoffenheim coach Pellegrino Matarazzo is under pressure in Mainz. Borussia Mönchengladbach hosts Freiburg, Werder Bremen visits Augsburg and the bottom two meet when Bochum welcomes last-place Schalke.

ITALY

After making his first appearance in more than nine months, Zlatan Ibrahimović will be looking for more playing time when AC Milan visits Fiorentina. The 41-year-old Ibrahimović returned to action on Sunday following knee surgery in May. He played the final 16 minutes of a 2-0 win over Atalanta. Milan is involved in a tight battle for the top four in Serie A and will be hoping to move into second spot. Fiorentina is mid-table after winning only one of its past seven league matches. Atalanta needs to beat Udinese to boost its own hopes of qualifying for next season’s Champions League. Last weekend’s defeat at Milan left it six points below the top four. Also, Monza hosts Empoli.

FRANCE

League leader Paris Saint-Germain hosts Nantes with striker Kylian Mbappé needing one goal to surpass Edinson Cavani and become PSG’s all-time leading scorer with 201. PSG is eight points clear at the top while French Cup winner Nantes is 13th and has lost its past two league games. Mbappé tops the scoring charts with 17 while Lionel Messi has 12 to go with his league-leading 12 assists. In the other game, fourth-placed Lens hosts sixth-placed Lille in their northern derby.

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