World Soccer - UK (2020-02)

BORUSSIA DORTMUND

HOW QUICKLY CAN ERLING HAALAND

BE INTEGRATED INTO THE TEAM?

How the newly arrived Norwegian striker

settles in following his €20million move

from Red Bull Salzburg could be vital.

The 19-year-old was in sensational form

for the Austrian side in the group phase,

scoring eight goals in six games, but he

is still a little rough around the edges.

13-month ban and resigned – he was
a popular figure at the club.
On the eve of the Champions
League restart, Leonardo’s two biggest
headaches undoubtedly relate to the
futures of attacking superstars Neymar
and Kylian Mbappe.
Neymar – who makes no secret of his
wish to quit the Ligue 1 champions as
soon as possible, preferably to rejoin his
old club Barcelona – is hardly committed
to the cause, while Mbappe, who is a
target for Real Madrid, has to decide

whether he wants to put pen to paper

on a massive new contract to remain in

France. Mbappe says that he does not

want to “make waves” at this juncture,

but is he stalling?

PSG’s German coach Thomas Tuchel

is another who could soon be moving on.

Rumours abound that he and Leonardo

are not exactly working hand-in-hand.

And with the Bayern Munich job up for

grabs in June, he may be tempted to

head back to his homeland.

Nick Bidwell

REAL MADRID

CAN ISCO MAINTAIN HIS

OUTSTANDING FORM OF LATE?

Not so long ago, after dropping down

the pecking order, the Malaga-born

playmaker looked destined for the

Bernabeu exit. But now, thanks to coach

Zinedine Zidane, he is a player reborn.

Clever, brilliant and incisive, Real’s hopes

may rest on him having conquered his

inconsistency once and for all.

ATALANTA

HAVE THE ITALIAN SIDE GONE

AS FAR AS THEY CAN?

The first debutants to reach the

knockout stage since Leicester City

three years ago, the Bergamo outfit

could be tempted to say “job done” and

risk losing a degree of their competitive

intensity. Some would argue that Atalanta

are too naive at this level and that they

play too open a game.

Where next...Neymar

(left) and Mbappe

Sensational...

Erling Haaland

Reborn

...Isco

Debutants

...Atalanta