A look at what’s happening in European soccer on Friday:
GERMANY
Germany defender Nico Schlotterbeck makes a quick return to Freiburg with his new team Borussia Dortmund to get the Bundesliga’s second round underway. Schlotterbeck was outstanding in his league debut for Dortmund last weekend, playing in the win against Bayer Leverkusen despite a shoulder injury. “I felt a brutal pain. The doc said maybe the should came out briefly and then went back in again,” Schlotterbeck said afterward. It’s bound to be an emotional return for the 22-year-old defender, who will be on the opposing side to his older brother Keven Schlotterbeck. Their parents will be able to watch together. Last weekend they split duties with one going to Augsburg to watch Keven while the other went to Dortmund. Anthony Modeste could also make his Dortmund debut following his switch from Cologne on Monday.
SPAIN
The La Liga season kicks off with Osasuna hosting Sevilla ahead of weekend action for the rest of the teams. Sevilla signed Isco Alarcón this week but the former Spain and Real Madrid midfielder did not make the trip. Coach Julen Lopetegui said Isco “has to go through a series of stages that he did not complete in preseason and get ready to help us with our difficult objectives for this season.” Lopetegui has guided Sevilla to three consecutive fourth-place finishes — and Champions League berths.
FRANCE
Nantes hopes to find the net when it hosts Lille. The French Cup winner drew 0-0 with Angers in its opening game. Nantes has signed Evann Guessand on loan from Nice and Mostafa Mohamed on loan from Galatasaray to make up for the departure of striker Randal Kolo Muani to Eintracht Frankfurt. Lille has benefited from the new manager bounce by routing Auxerre 4-1 last weekend. This initially looked like a transition season for Lille, which has lost key players like Sven Botman, Renato Sanches, Burak Yilmaz, Zeki Celik, Xeka and Amadou Onana. But Portuguese coach Paulo Fonseca, who replaced Jocelyn Gourvennec this summer, could turn Lille into a contender for European spots after a disappointing mid-table finish last season.
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