MATCHDAY: PSG looks to pressure leaders; Karius could start

Updated Oct. 1, 2020 7:02 p.m. ET

Associated Press

A look at what’s happening around European soccer on Friday:

FRANCE

Paris Saint-Germain has a chance to exert some pressure on the front runners when it hosts Angers at Parc des Princes. Since losing the first two games of the season and scraping an injury-time win in the third, the defending champion has won three straight games to claw some of that lost ground back and climb up to seventh place. PSG coach Thomas Tuchel expects to have both Neymar and defensive midfielder Idrissa Geuye fit to face eighth-place Angers, which is level on points with PSG. Both players have recovered from calf-muscle injuries and taken part in the past two training sessions. Neymar has yet to score for PSG this season after failing to net in three matches of the Final Eight during PSG's run to the Champions League final last month.

GERMANY

German goalkeeper Loris Karius has returned to the Bundesliga and could make his Union Berlin debut against former side Mainz. The Liverpool goalkeeper, who is on a season-long loan at Union, hopes to restart his career after a fall from grace going back to a shaky performance in the 2018 Champions League final loss to Real Madrid. But Karius may have to wait for his chance behind Andreas Luthe. Luthe also joined Union in the offseason and started both of the side’s Bundesliga games so far. Finnish striker Joel Pohjanpalo could also make his Union debut against visiting Mainz. Union is bidding to survive its second season in Germany’s top flight.

ITALY

Fiorentina hosts Sampdoria with both sides smarting after giving up leads and losing their previous match. Fiorentina twice led before losing 4-3 at Inter Milan while Sampdoria led 2-0 against newly-promoted Benevento but lost 3-2. Samp will be hoping to avoid making it three defeats out of three. Fiorentina managed to win its opener.

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