Champions League is back: Real-Inter headlines tonight
The Champions League returns and the lunchtime menu is already set: tonight Real Madrid-Inter leads six matchday-one fixtures. But the morning also speaks Italian, between Fiorentina's coaching U-turn and Juventus' injury emergency.
Let's start with what the pitch has already told us. In Serie A's matchday three, the weekend produced a three-way tie at the top: Lazio won 2-1 at Udinese, with Frattesi and debutant Gudmundsson decisive according to Gazzetta and ANSA, while Cagliari edged Lecce 1-0. Elsewhere the round delivered a 1-1 draw in the big match Juventus-Milan, a 2-2 between Bologna and Sassuolo, Frosinone-Venezia 3-2 and Parma-Monza 1-1.
The morning brings two heavy stories. Fiorentina have changed coach: Grosso has been sacked and Vanoli is already confirmed as his replacement, as reported by Sky TG24 and Corriere dello Sport. At Juventus, meanwhile, it's an injury alarm: Locatelli has a meniscus problem and, according to Sky Sport, Askanews and Tuttosport, surgery is expected, with a layoff estimated at three to six months. Ahead of tonight, Sky Sport also flags Dimarco's absence, ruled out of Inter's big match through injury.
And now the main course of the afternoon and evening: the Champions League is back with matchday one. It kicks off at 18:45 with Club Brugge-Aston Villa and AEK-LASK; at 21:00 the quadruple headline, with Real Madrid-Inter, Porto-Manchester City, Borussia Dortmund-Villarreal and Lille-Real Betis (all times CET). Spotlight on Madrid: on the eve, Gazzetta reports, Lautaro called the Champions "a target, not an obsession", while Chivu admitted he would have wanted "one more day of rest".
The Italian sides' European schedule continues tomorrow with Napoli-Arsenal (where, per NapoliCalcioNews, the hosts will be without Neres and Anguissa), and on Thursday with Fenerbahce-Roma and Como-RB Leipzig. The same run of fixtures also features Barcelona-Feyenoord and Liverpool-Atletico Madrid on Wednesday.
A glance at the tables before heading back to work. In Serie A, Roma, Inter and Lazio share top spot on 9 points after three rounds, with Roma first on goal difference; at the bottom Fiorentina, Genoa and Venezia are still on zero. The top scorer is Malen (Roma) with 5 goals. Abroad, Manchester City and Arsenal lead the Premier League with a perfect record, Barcelona top LaLiga, Augsburg surprise at the summit of the Bundesliga and Monaco fly high in Ligue 1.
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