Matt's Musings

As the football keeps coming thick and fast, there is plenty to digest this week.

Injuries take their toll
Another week and yet more serious injuries. First, in the Premier League, Spain’s fulcrum Rodri was taken off in Manchester City’s game with Arsenal, and the worst fears suggest he may have done his Anterior Cruciate Ligament. Then, about an hour later, Marc-André ter Stegen was forced to leave the field at La Cerámica on a stretcher. Tests showed that he has torn his patellar tendon and will have surgery, keeping him out effectively for the remainder of the season. This particular injury is the same as one of Ronaldo’s worst, when his knee infamously ‘popped’ on his return for Inter against Lazio in 2000.

Barcelona captain ter Stegen is consoled by his team-mates on Sunday.

For both players to suffer such devastating injuries is cruelly ironic for different reasons. In Rodri’s case, it was only last week he was leading calls for players to be considered more carefully with the growing numbers of fixtures. The City star even hinted at players taking organised action to force authorities to take remedial measures, a call echoed by Dani Carvajal and Jules Koundé among others.

For ter Stegen, the season-ending injury comes just days after he was heavily scrutinised and even abused after Barça’s Champions League defeat in Monaco. A penny for the thought of those callous keyboard warriors now. 

Fixtures for a packed week
The fun all began last night with the closing encounter from Matchday 6. Mallorca grabbed a dramatic late winner in Seville. As the clock ticked towards 94 minutes, the game seemed to be destined for an unlikely draw, but Valery Fernández fixed it for the visitors, with a low, deflected drive from a corner. 

Mallorca are jubilant after consecutive away wins and three victories in four puts them in the top five.

Ez Abde couldn’t believe his misfortune when his shot struck both posts early in the second half at the Benito Villamarín. Betis took the lead early on through Gio Lo Celso, but Mallorca hit straight back when Dani Rodríguez found the back of the net. This was all in the first eight minutes of the game. With overturned red cards and disallowed goals, this game had plenty to keep the fans entertained at the end of Matchday 6.

Betis were crestfallen to lose so late in the game, but for Mallorca, it was their first win over Los Verdiblancos since 2013, and their first LaLiga win in the region of Andalucía since the same year. It gives Jagoba Arrasate another statement result, and puts them fifth in the table on 11 points from six matches, their second best start in the last 20 years. Their only defeats were a last-minute reversal at home to Villarreal, and their first away trip of the season to Arrasate’s old stomping ground, El Sadar.

The week continues with a full round of fixtures, with the exception of two matches already played last week. Sevilla face another hugely significant match at home to Real Valladolid, a clash in which they expect to win and their fans demand it. Valencia then take on Osasuna fresh from their resuscitative first win of the campaign at the weekend. Against Los Rojillos there is a strong chance of making that back-to-back wins, given Vicente Moreno’s less than impressive record on the road. Real Madrid close tonight’s action with a match against in-form Alavés. Will Carlo Ancelotti make more rotations? Will Kylian Mbappé score again? Will there be more penalties awarded?

On Wednesday, two treats from Catalunya await us. Firstly, Girona will be looking to bounce back from three straight defeats when they take on Rayo, before Barcelona return home to face Getafe. Will they maintain their 100% record?

Thursday brings another match in Barcelona, as Espanyol take on Villarreal. Las Palmas seek their first win in seven months and 20 matches as they host Betis, before Celta host Atleti. Claudio Giráldez’s side have won all three home matches so far this season, while Atleti will be looking to bounce back from their stumble at Vallecas. Diego Simeone’s side can scarcely avoid another slip-up ahead of the derbi madrileño at the weekend. Partidazo in prospect.

The two Basque sides begin their European adventures this week, too. Real Sociedad travel to France to face Nice on Wednesday aiming to put their poor domestic start to one side. On Thursday, Athletic’s first European match in six-and-a-half years is a mouthwatering one: away in Rome. As the documentary on the Williams brothers is released, what script will be written in the Olimpico (the scene of one of Ernesto Valverde’s darkest nights, no less)?

The eagerly-anticipated documentary was released last Friday.

Quirk of the week
Claudio Bravo has offered himself to Barcelona in their hour of need this week. The decorated Chilean, who only retired last month, was quoted by Win Win as saying he was ready to reverse that decision if Barcelona asked him to replace their injured captain. The former Real Sociedad, Manchester City and Betis man played three seasons at Camp Nou under Luis Enrique, but never played for them in the Champions League, eventually losing his place in all competitions to the German stopper. It would be an almighty story if Bravo, now 41, was drafted in to replace the man who took his spot eight years ago.

Back in time? Could Bravo make a sensational return to Barcelona?

The Catalans have to decide whether to stick with back-up goalkeeper Iñaki Peña and look to recruit in January, or sign a replacement immediately. Under the current rules, they can only bring in Free Agents, including the likes of Keylor Navas, Loris Karius and Edgar Badia. Wojciech Szczęsny is another rumoured name who recently hung up his gloves, but this is perhaps a less likely option.