European football round-up: Back to the top for Bayern Munich in Bundesliga

Thomas Muller was spot on for Bayern Munich as they made it three wins out of three to return to the top of the Bundesliga yesterday.

The Germany international scored two goals – his fourth and fifth of the season, the second a penalty – in a 3-0 win over Bayer Leverkusen, who had come into the Allianz Arena level on points with their hosts.

Arjen Robben also scored from the spot as Bayern showed they remain the team to beat in Germany this season.

Cologne’s impressive start to the season continued yesterday with a 2-1 comeback win at home to Hamburg.

Wolfsburg moved to the top of the table with a 3-0 win at home to Schalke without Manchester City-bound Kevin de Bruyne, and Cologne now have seven points from three games.

After former Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Lewis Holtby Hamburg ahead early in the second half, Cologne levelled through Philipp Hosiner on 76 minutes, but the game turned on a red card and penalty.

Hamburg’s Emir Spahic was sent off after getting the slightest of touches on Cologne striker Anthony Modeste on 79 minutes. The Frenchman gratefully struck home the resulting penalty to the fury of the visitors’ bench.

Japan striker Yoshinori Muto warmed up for his country’s World Cup qualifier on Thursday with his first two Bundesliga goals in Mainz’s 3-0 win over Hanover.

Paris Saint-Germain

Zlatan Ibrahimovic could make his first Ligue 1 appearance this season in today’s away game against Monaco after recovering from a knee injury. The Sweden striker, who missed the first three matches after spraining his knee in the preseason Champions Trophy against Lyon in Montreal, was included in the squad that will travel to the principality. “He will be in the squad tomorrow against Monaco. We will see whether he starts the game,” coach Laurent Blanc said yesterday. Blanc also said he counts on new signing Angel Di Maria, who joined from Real Madrid in the close season, to make an impact in his league debut. PSG have not conceded a goal in three games but have only scored four. “I think that Di Maria brings a lot to this team. We need to be more efficient offensively. Di Maria will bring us his work rate and his technique,” Blanc said.

Bayern Munich

German champions Bayern Munich are set to sign France Under 21 winger Kingsley Coman from Juventus, according to reports. Italy’s Gazzetta dello Sport and German daily Bild say a transfer sum of around €25 million (Dh102.7m) has been agreed for the 19-year-old Coman, who is expected to arrive in Munich today for the obligatory medical check. “Coman is leaving the club, it’s his wish,” Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri said yesterday without revealing the teenager’s future employers. The background to Munich’s interest in Coman is that Bayern coach Pep Guardiola wants to have two pacey wingers for this season’s Uefa Champions League campaign, having exited the competition in the semi-finals for the last two seasons. Bayern lacked pace out wide in the second half of last season when wingers Franck Ribery and Arjen Robben went down with injuries. Ribery, 32, has not played since March. Just like Bayern’s summer signing Douglas Costa, 24, Coman can play on either wing, and the pair would be natural heirs to Robben, 31, and former France international Ribery.

Villarreal

Spanish U21 international Denis Suarez has joined Villarreal from Barcelona, although the European champions will have a buy-back option on the player for the next two seasons. Suarez, 21, joined Sevilla on a two-year loan at the start of last season but, despite playing his part as the club won the Europa League for a fourth time, has seen his first-team opportunities at the Sanchez Pizjuan limited. That loan agreement has now been cut short to allow the former Manchester City midfielder to join Villarreal.

Southampton

Graziano Pelle says Southampton must move on from their indifferent start to the season, starting against Norwich City today. Ronald Koeman’s men are without a win in their opening three Premier League fixtures and were knocked out of the Europa League at the play-off stage after defeat to Danish champions Midtjylland on Thursday. Add to that several injuries to key personnel and constant transfer speculation surrounding Victor Wanyama and Sadio Mane, and it has been a difficult start to the campaign. “We have an amazing group,” Italian forward Pelle said. “We don’t have a problem with each other. Football is a lot about confidence. When the result doesn’t come, everything looks like it is not your moment. We can’t any more think about what has happened.”

Lyon

Nabil Fekir scored a hat-trick to help Lyon claim a 4-0 win at Caen and gain some confidence after a stuttering start to the season. Fekir scored on both sides of the interval, finishing off good work from teammates Corentin Tolisso and Mathieu Valbuena as Lyon played some neat football. Claudio Beauvue added the fourth goal three minutes from time. Fekir, who was voted the French league’s best prospect last season, now has four goals from as many appearances in Ligue 1 this season.

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