Barcelona relies on its star Yamal.. ((United)) falters and ((City)) seeks balance

There is great controversy over who deserves to win the Ballon d'Or this year, but if Yamal continues his recent level throughout the season, awarding the prize next year may become very easy.

The young winger delivered one of his best matches when he led Barcelona to a crushing 4-1 victory over its host, Turkey's Galatasaray, in the second round of the Champions League on Tuesday, as the Catalan team achieved its tenth victory in ten matches this season in all competitions.

The team of German coach Hansi Flick, which continues to deliver impressive performances, has scored 43 goals during that period, including seven goals in the last two matches, despite the absence of its Brazilian international star Raphinha.

An exceptional dribble by Yamal contributed to creating a goal for English international Anthony Gordon in Istanbul, and his precise cross also resulted in another goal scored by Fermín López.

Yamal told "Movistar" channel: "I managed to dribble well and paved the way for Gordon, and that is the most important thing; it was effective in the end."

Yamal was lucky in one instance when the ball rebounded to him from a defender, but he showed quick thinking and excellent reaction to keep it and pass it to the former Newcastle United winger.

The 19-year-old player received the Man of the Match award and also received great praise from his coach after a new performance in which he confirmed his decisive ability to bypass defenders and create danger.

Flick told reporters: "It is wonderful to have a player of such a level. He changed the course of the match for us, and that was truly wonderful."

He added, "In the second half, he was amazing; the way he controlled the match, and the assists... what he does is incredible."

Yamal has raised his tally to eight goals and nine assists in ten matches with Barcelona this season.

Supporting elements

However, perhaps the most impressive aspect of Barcelona's start is that its attacking brilliance does not depend on just one player.

The absence of Raphinha gave an opportunity to the former Brazilian striker for England's Arsenal, Gabriel Jesus, who succeeded in replacing him, while German international Karim Adeyemi added goals and great speed whenever there was a need to replace Gordon.

In midfield, Flick has many options such as Gavi and Dani Olmo without the team losing its identity, while Dutchman Frenkie de Jong is nearing a return after injury.

This depth will become increasingly important as Barcelona enters the busiest and most difficult periods of autumn.

Some critics pointed out that the team has not yet faced one of the European continent's giants, and that the match against Galatasaray away from home was perhaps the toughest test it has faced so far.

This opinion will be tested at the end of the week when Barcelona faces the brilliant Real Betis team, led by its Chilean coach Manuel Pellegrini, at La Cartuja stadium in Seville.

The Andalusian team occupies third place in the league, five points behind Barcelona and one point ahead of Real Madrid, and has also achieved two wins in two matches in the prestigious continental competition.

Creative playmaker Isco and former Barcelona winger, Moroccan international Abdessamad Ezzalzouli, are among Real Betis' most prominent weapons, and Barcelona's defense has shown enough fragility to suggest the possibility of being punished if it loses focus.

After the Betis match, Barcelona awaits a European test against France's Paris Saint-Germain, the European champion for the last two years, then plays the El Clásico match on October 25 against Real Madrid, led by its Portuguese coach José Mourinho, in the league.

These strong tests will be a good measure of Barcelona's chances of competing for titles this season, and will also give Yamal and his teammates a chance to prove their ability to maintain their amazing scoring rates against the strongest competitors.

After winning the World Cup with Spain, Yamal's chances of winning the Best Player in the World award on October 26 seem high, but he is currently performing at levels much higher than what he provided during Spain's successful run this summer.

Premier League

Manchester United heads to the stadium of its traditional rival Leeds United on Sunday amid mounting pressure on coach Michael Carrick, while its neighbor Manchester City seeks to regain balance by continuing its perfect start in the English Premier League, despite the ambiguity surrounding its future.

Brighton could be one of the biggest beneficiaries if City faces harsh penalties for violating financial rules.

The "Seagulls" are living a prosperous period, as they are only two points behind second-placed Arsenal, before their revenge match against Crystal Palace.

Agence France-Presse reviews the most prominent highlights of the seventh round of the Premier League this weekend.

Worst start for Manchester United in 40 years

Manchester United is experiencing its worst start in the league in 40 years, and chaos within the club increased after its Argentine defender Lisandro Martínez attacked the club's management due to the lack of investment in the team's squad following the 0-2 loss to Atlético Madrid on Tuesday in the Spanish capital in the second round of the Champions League.

The Argentine player directed his criticism at technical director Jason Wilcox after the "Red Devils" only signed three midfielders during the transfer window.

But Martínez himself was among the players most responsible for the team's poor start, after his role in some of the goals United conceded against Fulham and Tottenham in recent weeks.

United has won only one of its first six league matches, and also exited the League Cup last month at the hands of Brighton.

Leeds has not achieved any victory over the "Red Devils" at Elland Road since 2002, but it handed Carrick his only home loss during his interim period in charge of the team last season when the two teams met in April.

Carrick is increasingly threatened with becoming just another coach who fails to stop the sharp decline the club has been suffering from since the retirement of the Scottish Sir Alex Ferguson in 2013.

But the coach confirmed that the expected hostile atmosphere represents an ideal opportunity to respond.

Carrick said: "What a great match on Sunday to prepare for. It is a big match for us, for the club, for history, and for the fans. Everything about this match makes it a great confrontation, and we will be ready for it."

Manchester City case keeps the league in suspense

Manchester City leads the standings with six wins from six matches, but that could become worthless if it fails to overturn the ruling that convicts it of more than 100 alleged violations of Premier League regulations.

The team of Italian coach Enzo Maresca ignored this issue and achieved a big 3-0 victory over its host Liverpool last weekend, and also provided a strong reaction in the second half despite losing to its guest, France's Paris Saint-Germain, the title holder for the last two years, 2-4 in the second round of the prestigious continental competition in an exciting match on Tuesday at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester.

But the ambiguity surrounding its future has kept the entire league in suspense.

City denies committing any violation, while the case, which began eight years ago, still needs several more months before the appeal is considered and any potential penalties are announced.

Former England national team coach Gareth Southgate said: "My fundamental conviction is that none of this is good for football, and there are no winners in it."

City can extend the lead at the top to six points when it hosts Ipswich Town on Saturday, knowing that Arsenal, the title holder, will not play its match against Nottingham Forest until 24 hours later.

"Fierce" Brighton dreams of the Champions League

Arsenal's only defeat this season came against Brighton (0-3), which may continue its amazing rise this season in light of the struggles of many traditional big clubs.

Brighton made its way through the various divisions and reached European competitions thanks to the experience of its owner, Tony Bloom, in data analysis.

But the club has never played in the Champions League.

Despite its repeated sale of its most prominent stars to wealthier clubs, its success in attracting the right players and coaches has allowed it to continue shining.

This also made it a team loved by neutral fans, but its German coach Fabian Hürzeler wants his players to show a tougher face against Crystal Palace on Sunday.

Hürzeler said: "We want to be fierce. We want to create an atmosphere full of energy that makes playing here very difficult for any team. We have to continue building that with our fans and not remain just the nice club."

The round witnesses two risky trips for Chelsea and Liverpool on Saturday against their hosts Everton and Brentford respectively, while Fulham meets Hull City, and Newcastle United meets Aston Villa on the same day.

Bournemouth also plays against Sunderland on Sunday, and the round concludes on Monday with a meeting between Tottenham and Coventry City.

Italian League

Inter Milan, the title holder, seeks to compensate for its continental disappointment and defend its lead in the Italian Football League when it visits Bologna today, Saturday, in the seventh round.

Inter suffered a harsh 3-4 defeat at home to Belgian side Club Brugge on Tuesday in the second round of the Champions League at the San Siro, marking the first time in its history that it has suffered four consecutive defeats in the prestigious continental competition (it fell 1-2 to Spanish side Real Madrid in the first round, and was eliminated from the playoff round qualifying for the round of 16 last season with two losses to Norwegian side Bodo/Glimt 1-3 and 1-2).

However, the "Nerazzurri" do not have the luxury of dwelling on this setback, as there are only two points separating the top three teams in the league after six rounds, meaning the margin for error is extremely slim.

Inter leads Lazio on goal difference, with the latter facing a difficult trip to Turin to face sixth-placed Juventus, who are buoyed by their comeback victory over their hosts, Spanish side Celta Vigo (2-1), in the second round of the Europa League. Inter is also two points ahead of Roma, who are themselves wounded after squandering a 3-1 lead against their guests, Spanish side Real Madrid, before losing 3-4 in the final ten minutes.

Romanian coach Cristian Chivu's team needs, above all, to improve its results away from home, having won only once in its last four away games in all competitions (two draws and a defeat). This series began in Bologna (3-3) last May, even though Inter had already secured the league title at that time.

Inter, seeking a morale-boosting win before hosting Ukrainian side Shakhtar Donetsk next Wednesday in the third round of the prestigious continental competition, will be without the services of its captain and Argentine international striker Lautaro Martínez, who is expected to be out for more than a month after suffering a muscle injury against Club Brugge.

In contrast, Bologna will seek to achieve two consecutive league wins for the first time this season, after defeating Lecce 2-1 last weekend in its first victory of the season (two draws and 3 defeats), slightly widening the gap from the relegation zone.

This is the first of three consecutive matches against teams starting this stage in the top five (it visits fourth-placed Cagliari and fifth-placed Milan), making the "Rossoblu's" task difficult if it wants to move away from the danger zone.

New coach Raffaele Palladino has given a morale boost to the team, which has not lost in its last two matches under his leadership (a win and a draw), and he hopes to continue this positive streak.

An easy test for both Roma and Napoli

Roma returns to league competition after a catastrophic collapse in the Champions League, as it faces an easy test against its guest Genoa, led by its coach, the former capital team legend Daniele De Rossi.

Roma had maintained a streak of 14 consecutive matches without defeat in all competitions (10 wins and 4 draws) since last April, but it conceded three goals in seven minutes at the end of its European clash against Real Madrid and lost 3-4.

The "Giallorossi" must recover quickly, as they know that a win would give them 17 points after seven league matches for the first time since the 2014-2015 season, despite drawing their last two matches. They are also set to host Slovakian side Slovan Bratislava next Tuesday in the Champions League.

Coach Gian Piero Gasperini's team enters the match with great confidence in light of a streak of 15 consecutive matches without a loss at home in the league (11 wins and 4 draws).

As for Genoa, led by De Rossi, it scored two goals in the first 15 minutes and defeated Fiorentina 2-1 last weekend, achieving its first league victory this season.

Upon his return to the Olympic Stadium, De Rossi has the opportunity to lead the "Grifone" to two consecutive league victories for the first time since last April.

Roma will miss the services of its Dutch international striker Donyell Malen due to suspension.

Napoli's situation is no different from Roma's following its resounding 1-3 loss to its host, Spanish side Villarreal, in the Champions League, as it visits Venezia, the bottom-placed team and the only one without any league win so far.

Napoli, last season's runner-up, seeks to achieve a measure of stability after its loss to Villarreal, which was its fourth in the last seven official matches (two wins and one draw).

As for Como, the fourth team representing Italy in the Champions League, which also lost to Dutch side Feyenoord 2-3, it visits Fiorentina on Sunday before hosting English side Manchester United on Wednesday in the continental competition.

The stage features a fiery summit between Milan and Atalanta tomorrow, Sunday.

French League

Monaco seeks to extend its stay alone at the top of the French football league tomorrow, Sunday, when it visits Lorient in the seventh round, while Paris Saint-Germain, its direct pursuer and the defending champion, hopes to continue its recovery after its big win over its host, English side Manchester City (4-2), in the Champions League.

Monaco's adventure at the top of the league has continued since the first round. This leadership came logically, as the team of coach Filipe Luís, the former Brazilian international defender, in addition to playing attractive football since the beginning of the season, has proven great effectiveness after having already defeated Paris Saint-Germain, Marseille, and Lens.

However, the first place is not guaranteed for the Principality club. The team, which defeated its guest, Bulgarian side CSKA Sofia (2-1), on Thursday in the Conference League, leads with 14 points, but stumbled with a draw against Toulouse (2-2) after the resumption of competitions following the international break.

Lille and Rennes are chasing it by one point, waiting for any stumble, and the Parisian giant, which started the season modestly, has returned strongly and is now only three points away.

The wonderful performance presented by Paris Saint-Germain against Manchester City (4-2) on Wednesday in the second round of the Champions League, in addition to three consecutive league victories after two draws and a defeat, was a clear threat message to Monaco and the rest of the competitors.

Spanish coach Luis Enrique's team will have the opportunity to confirm its strong return when it faces Strasbourg today, Saturday.

As for Lille, seeking to compensate, it will be required to overcome the effects of the harsh defeat against English side Arsenal (0-3) in the Champions League if it wants to take advantage of any potential stumble by Monaco.

Italian coach Davide Ancelotti's team will get a chance to show its ability to recover again when it hosts Brest on Saturday as well.

Rennes' situation is not much different in terms of positive momentum. After four wins in five matches, the latest of which was a wide victory over Auxerre (4-1), the team, which defeated its guest, Greek side OFI (2-1), in the second round of the Europa League, enters this stage with high morale.

But Paris FC, its opponent on Sunday, will not be an easy opponent. The team has shown solidity since the beginning of the season under the leadership of Liam Rosenior, despite suffering its first defeat a week ago against Lorient.

Marseille required to confirm

Two other teams that participated in the Europa League on Thursday also have a good opportunity during this stage.

Lyon, fourth with 11 points behind the top three, which defeated its guest, English side Crystal Palace (3-2), has the opportunity to take advantage of its competitors' results to return to the podium. Its match with Nice, ninth with 8 points, will be an important test, especially since its opponent has regained its balance in the last two matches after a season start that caused concern.

As for Marseille, thirteenth with 6 points, a different task awaits it. The team has exited the relegation zone after finally achieving its first league victory after four consecutive defeats, by defeating Troyes 2-0, and is no longer currently threatened with relegation.

But the recovery journey seems long, while the most difficult challenge remains confirming this improvement. Therefore, its trip to Angers, twelfth with 7 points, on Sunday will not be easy, especially since it comes after a new fall at home with its loss to Greek side Olympiacos (0-1) in the second round of the Europa League.

The matter is further complicated because the atmosphere in Marseille is still turbulent, as its coach Bruno Génésio denied on Wednesday the existence of any "problem" with his Brazilian striker Paixão, who left the pitch angry late in the victory match over Troyes, but he confirmed at the same time that the player feels "frustrated" due to not moving to English side Sunderland during the summer.