MATCHDAY: Arsenal under pressure; CL qualifying wraps up

Updated Aug. 24, 2021 1:30 p.m. ET

share

facebookxredditlink

A look at what’s happening in European soccer on Wednesday:

ENGLAND

Arsenal's season has started in disappointing fashion with losses in its first two games in the Premier League and things could get even worse for under-pressure manager Mikel Arteta if his team loses in the English League Cup. Having failed to qualify for European competition for the first time in 25 years, Arsenal is playing in the second round of the League Cup and faces an away match at West Bromwich Albion — a team that has just been relegated from the top flight. West Brom has made an encouraging start in the second-tier Championship, winning three of its first four games and drawing the other. Arsenal, meanwhile, has been hit by injuries and coronavirus withdrawals, and lost to both Brentford and Chelsea without scoring. There's an all-Premier League match between Newcastle and Burnley, and Southampton heads to fourth-tier Newport County.

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE

There could be a new Sheriff in the Champions League. The serial champion of Moldova aims to be the first team from that country to advance to the 32-team group stage. Sheriff takes a 3-0 lead into the second leg of its playoff against Dinamo Zagreb. Shakhtar Donetsk has a 1-0 lead from the first leg before hosting Monaco, and Brondby tries to overturn a 2-1 deficit against visitors Salzburg. The groups will be drawn on Thursday in Istanbul.

GERMANY

Bayern Munich visits fifth-tier Bremer SV for their rescheduled German Cup first-round game. The teams were supposed to play earlier this month but the match was called off due to several coronavirus infections among the Bremen-based team’s players. More than half of the team was ordered into quarantine as a precaution. Bremer SV is expecting around 10,000 fans for what would be its biggest game. It will be played in former Bundesliga team Werder Bremen’s home stadium.

___

More AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

share

in this topic

Arsenal

Bayern Munich

West Brom