Bayer Leverkusen will need a perfect performance if they are to earn a result against Bundesliga title rivals Bayern Munich on Saturday, according to Xabi Alonso.
Leverkusen became the first team to go unbeaten through a Bundesliga campaign as they clinched their first title last season, ending Bayern's 11-year reign in the German top flight.
Bayern are determined to bounce back under new boss Vincent Kompany, though, and they sit three points clear of Leverkusen ahead of the teams' huge meeting at the Allianz Arena.
With four wins from four games and a goal difference of +13 (16 scored, three conceded), they have made the joint-best start to a season in Bundesliga history – only Bayern themselves in 2016-17 and Stuttgart in 1996-97 have matched that record.
Alonso is expecting a huge challenge against his former club, telling reporters: "The anticipation is great and we want to show a good game.
"We need a perfect performance to take something home with us. FC Bayern have made a good start to the season, it will be a challenge tomorrow.
"We need to play at our highest level, with and against the ball for 90 minutes. Bayern will go full throttle, we have to be ready for that."
Leverkusen have already conceded nine goals in the Bundesliga this term, the most they have allowed at this stage of a season since 2014-15 (also nine).
The last reigning champions to ship nine goals in their first four games of a campaign were Kaiserslautern in 1998-99, while the last holders to concede more were Bayern in 1974-75 (11).
After a rollercoaster 4-3 win over Wolfsburg last time out, Alonso is desperate to see his team tighten up at the back.
"The team has to be compact, we have to defend together as a team. We have a clear gameplan, we can't be too soft and we can't allow large gaps," Alonso said.
"We have a clear gameplan as to how we want to play. We will give everything... If we don't defend well, it's hard for the players to win. We want to be consistent. We don't want to be up and down."
Following their trip to Bayern, Leverkusen host Italian giants AC Milan in the Champions League on Tuesday.
ISSA takes disciplinary action against three Dinthill players after fracas with match official
Two players from Dinthill Technical High School have been banned from taking part in any Inter-Secondary Schools Sports Association (ISSA) competition for one year, while a third was suspended for three games following an incident involving match officials at the end of a daCosta Cup match against McGrath High last Saturday.
In a release on Thursday, after a meeting of its disciplinary committee, ISSA revealed that Maalick Whyte and Shamair Hutchinson have been banned from participating in any ISSA-run competitions for one year, effective September 26, 2024, while Tyrese Gowe, was hit with the three-match suspension.
The Linstead-based school was also placed on a three-year probation and faces the possibility of suspension should its players breach the disciplinary code of conduct within the period of probation.
Reports are that players were involved in a confrontation with the referee after the game, and it was alleged one of them physically assaulted the official.
ISSA pointed out that the decision represents its commitment to ensuring that all rules are adhered to and the actions of the student athletes were unacceptable.
“The Inter-Secondary Schools Sports Association reminds all its various stakeholders that we are committed to ensuring that all our student-athletes display the requisite decorum befitting their status as ambassadors of our schools and the various competitions in which they compete. We strongly condemn any acts of indiscipline and more so acts of physical aggression and/or assault on any match official,” ISSA's release said.
No love lost for Motta ahead of Genoa return
Thiago Motta is relishing the chance to end Juventus' three-match winless run in Serie A against former club Genoa this weekend.
Motta, who has taken nine points from his first five games as Juventus head coach, returns to the Stadio Luigi Ferraris after playing and managing the Grifone.
The 42-year-old made 27 appearances for Genoa in all competitions, scoring six goals in the 2008-09 season before moving to Inter the following campaign.
Motta then returned as their head coach in 2019, replacing Aurelio Andreazzoli, but managed just two wins from his 10 games in charge (D3 L5) before being sacked.
"I've experienced so many good moments. It was a privilege. I enjoyed it both as a player and as a coach. I'm always happy to return there," Motta said.
While Juventus come into the encounter unbeaten, and the only team yet to concede in Europe's major top five leagues, they have struggled at the top end of the pitch.
The Bianconeri have drawn each of their last three league matches against Roma, Empoli and Napoli with a score of 0-0.
Juventus could draw four goalless games in a row for the first time in their history in Serie A, but Motta was not worried about his team's goal-scoring form.
"The offensive phase is not just one player, but the whole team," Motta said.
"We took an important step in the game against Napoli. We took the ball away from a great team.
"We have to put attackers and midfielders in a position to do well. We have to create as a team.
"They always want to win. I always want to win too. But there are many things behind a win.
"In the end, our goal is to win with our game. I have never perceived anxiety in my team. We always want the positive result."
Emery demands better from Villa despite strong start
Unai Emery is not satisfied with Aston Villa's performance levels despite their impressive start to the Premier League season, demanding a step up when they go to Ipswich Town.
Villa have won four of their five Premier League games this season to sit third in the table, just one point adrift of pacesetters Manchester City.
Emery's team fought back to beat Midlands rivals Wolves 3-1 last week before overcoming Wycombe Wanderers in the EFL Cup in midweek, while they also started their Champions League campaign with a comfortable 3-0 win at Young Boys.
Despite seeing his team win three straight Premier League games ahead of their trip to Portman Road, Emery wants more.
"Ipswich will be different but difficult, like the match before. We are trying to build a team. We have to try to get stronger tactically with our players," Emery said.
"We want to increase our levels individually and collectively through them and the process has been positive because we are getting points in this way.
"But of course, we have to improve a lot of things. The match we played against Wolverhampton was very good to analyse deeply how we were playing.
"We are winning but we are needing to change something to improve because maybe, in our matches, it is not enough to get to the other side like we are."
Ipswich, meanwhile, are one of six teams yet to register a Premier League victory this season, though they did deny fellow promoted club Southampton last time out, Sam Morsy netting a stunning 95th-minute equaliser in a 1-1 draw.
Boss Kieran McKenna has hailed his captain's tendency to pop up with crucial goals, though he feels the Egyptian needs to work on his celebration.
"It was one of the shortest knee-slides I've seen so I think there's a bit of work to do on the technique of the slide!" McKenna said.
"He's scored a few big goals for us to be fair and he's always come up with a slightly different celebration so maybe he isn't a regular enough scorer to have a stock one.
"If he can keep popping up with big goals, he can do whatever he wants!"
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Ipswich Town – Arijanet Muric
Although he only has one Premier League clean sheet in 14 games for Burnley and Ipswich, according to Opta's expected goals on target (xGoT) model, Muric has prevented 9.4 goals in the competition (21 goals conceded from an xGoT of 30.4).
That is the best prevention rate of any goalkeeper in the Premier League since he made his debut on March 16. He may have a busy game ahead of him this weekend.
Aston Villa – Ollie Watkins
Since Emery's first Aston Villa game in November 2022, only Erling Haaland (66) and Mohamed Salah (59) have been involved in more Premier League goals than Watkins (53 – 35 goals, 18 assists).
Watkins has five goal contributions (three goals, two assists) to his name in all competitions this season and could get some joy against an Ipswich defence that has given up 11.09 expected goals against (xGA) this season – the sixth-worst figure in Europe's top five leagues.
MATCH PREDICTION – ASTON VILLA WIN
Ipswich have only won one of their 10 previous Premier League games against Villa (two draws, seven defeats), triumphing 1-0 at Villa Park back in March 1994.
The Tractor Boys are winless through their first five games of the campaign, drawing three and losing two. They last had a longer winless run at the start of a top-flight season in 1982-83, failing to win any of their first six but ultimately finishing in the top half.
Ipswich have actually drawn their last three league matches, last drawing more successive games as a Championship club between February and March 2017. They last had a longer run of draws as a top-flight side in 1992 (five between August and September).
Villa come in as favourites, as they look to win their first three away games in a Premier League season for just the second time, previously doing so in 2020-21.
Emery has won nine of 10 league games against newly promoted clubs as Villa boss, including all four to take place on the road. Overall, he has a win percentage of 78% (14 wins, two draws, two defeats) in 18 meetings with Premier League new boys.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Ipswich Town – 26.2%
Aston Villa – 49%
Draw – 24.8%
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