Month: May 2023

Erling Haaland is a “machine” who has banished any doubts over his abilities during his extraordinary debut season with Manchester City, says former Manchester United winger Nani.

Haaland has led City to the brink of a treble in his first campaign since arriving from Borussia Dortmund, with Pep Guardiola’s men retaining their Premier League title and reaching the finals of the FA Cup and Champions League.

The striker has hit an astonishing 52 goals in as many appearances this term, at least 12 more than any other player from Europe’s top five leagues (Kylian Mbappe is second with 40).

Thirty-six of those efforts have come in the Premier League, with Haaland breaking Alan Shearer and Andrew Cole’s shared record of 34 goals in a single campaign in the competition – despite both men reaching that tally in 42-game seasons (Shearer in 1994-95 and Cole in 1993-94).   

While Nani will hope his former side can keep Haaland quiet in next week’s all-Manchester FA Cup final, he has been taken aback by the Norwegian’s achievements this term.

“Haaland is a machine. I think that there are no doubts left about his qualities,” Nani said in an interview with the Go Turkiye YouTube Channel.

“He’s a machine inside the box, he can score in any game. He’s the future.”

Nani was speaking alongside another former Dortmund striker in Michy Batshuayi, who has been similarly impressed by Haaland’s goalscoring prowess.

“He is crazy,” Batshuayi said. “You can feel that he wants to score every single chance. 

“He’s dangerous for the defenders, and he is so young. It’s fantastic to watch a player like him, because you can see that he knows how to do his job, he’s impressive.”

Despite Haaland scoring 20 league goals in each of his two full campaigns with Dortmund, doubts were raised over the 22-year-old’s ability to adapt to English football – particularly when Arsenal seized control of the title race.

Haaland has since silenced his doubters, and Nani says doing so in a foreign country is no mean feat.

“When players are young, moving from your country to a different country is always difficult,” the Melbourne Victory winger added.

“What I can say is, for the player, to be calm and try to adapt to the culture, just play the game they know, adjust to the new challenge, because it is not easy. 

“I’ve played in many different countries, many different cultures, and the most important thing is for you to adapt to what the people from that country do.”

Just one of Everton, Leicester and Leeds can avoid relegation on a tense final day of the Premier League.

While that trio battle it out to avoid joining Southampton in the Championship next season, Aston Villa, Tottenham and Brentford will compete for a Europa Conference League place.

We preview all 10 games as a dramatic top-flight campaign reaches its conclusion.

Arsenal vs Wolves (Sunday, 4.30pm)

After falling short in the title race against Manchester City, Arsenal will look to finish an overall impressive campaign on a high at home to Wolves.

The Gunners have won their last three meetings with the Midlands outfit, having come out on top in just two of eight previously.

They have also won their final league game in each of the last 11 seasons, with Wolves ending their campaign with a defeat on the last five occasions.

Aaron Ramsdale, Gabriel, Ben White and Bukayo Saka have played in all 37 of Arsenal’s Premier League games so far this season. The last time the North Londoners had four players feature in every game of a campaign was in 1990-91.

Aston Villa vs Brighton (Sunday, 4.30pm)

Aston Villa will join Brighton in Europe next season if they beat the Seagulls at home.

A win for Unai Emery’s men would guarantee seventh and therefore a Europa Conference League place, while a draw or defeat would leave them hoping Spurs and Brentford slip up behind them.

The Villans have lost only one of their last seven Premier League encounters with Brighton, including wins in each of their last three, and they are also enjoying a six-game winning streak at Villa Park.

Jacob Ramsey will look to celebrate turning 22 with a goal, while Danny Welbeck has five goal involvements in his last four outings on Matchday 38 of the Premier League (two goals, three assists).

Brentford vs Manchester City (Sunday, 4.30pm)

Brentford must beat champions Manchester City to have any chance of leapfrogging Villa and Spurs and secure European football for the very first time.

However, the Bees were the only side to beat City at the Etihad in the Premier League this season after running out 2-1 winners in November.

Only two teams have ever done the double over the Citizens during a title-winning season — Chelsea in 2013-14 and Tottenham last term.

Erling Haaland has scored five of City’s nine league goals in London this campaign, while Bryan Mbeumo will look to add to his strong late-season record of six goals involvements in six games (four goals, two assists).

Chelsea vs Newcastle (Sunday, 4.30pm)

Chelsea’s miserable season continued with a 4-1 defeat at Manchester United on Thursday and they host another Champions League qualifier in Newcastle here.

The Magpies are looking to complete their first league double over the Blues since 1986-87, though they have won just one of their last 27 league trips to Stamford Bridge.

Kai Havertz (five) and Raheem Sterling (four) are the only two players to score more than one goal at home for the West Londoners this term, with a whopping 10 team-mates stuck on a solitary strike.

Eddie Howe’s men can equal Newcastle’s best ever record of 15 clean sheets in a single Premier League season, having done so in both 1993-94 and 2011-12.

Crystal Palace vs Nottingham Forest (Sunday, 4.30pm)

Nottingham Forest can enjoy their trip to Crystal Palace safe in the knowledge they will be playing Premier League football next season.

Forest are unbeaten in their last seven top-flight meetings with Palace, while they have lost only two of their last nine league visits to Selhurst Park.

Eagles midfielder Eberechi Eze was handed a maiden England call-up this week. His 14 goals involvements this term (10 goals, four assists) are more than any of his team-mates.

The hosts have lost only one of their last nine league games at home and are unbeaten in their four since Roy Hodgson’s return.

Everton vs Bournemouth (Sunday, 4.30pm, Sky Sports)

Everton are the only team out of the three final-day relegation-battlers who still have survival in their own hands, with a win at home to Bournemouth enough to secure their top-flight status.

A draw or defeat to Gary O’Neil’s men would leave the Toffees watching nervously over their shoulders though, with Leicester — who are two points behind — boasting a superior goal difference.

Sean Dyche’s charges are without a win at Goodison Park in four games, losing their last three and scoring just three while conceding 11 in the process.

They have also lost their last three Premier League meetings with the Cherries but Evertonians can take solace in the 70 goals their opponents have shipped this term.

Leeds vs Tottenham (Sunday, 4.30pm, BT Sport)

Leeds will secure an unlikely great escape if they beat Tottenham and both Everton and Leicester suffer defeats.

Should the Toffees draw their clash, the Whites will need to overcome Europa Conference League-chasing Spurs by a three-goal margin to avoid dropping down to the second tier.

They will at least take encouragement from the miserable away form their opponents are currently enduring. 

Ryan Mason’s men are without a win on their travels in seven games — losing five of those and conceding 21 goals.

Leicester vs West Ham (Sunday, 4.30pm, Sky Sports)

Win or bust is also the assignment for Leicester in their home clash with West Ham.

The 18th-placed Foxes are without a victory in five games but a 0-0 draw with Newcastle on Monday gave Dean Smith’s men a slight boost in their hopes of a final-day escape.

Leicester have won their last game of the season in just one of the last seven campaigns, although that did come in 2021-22 in a 4-1 win over Southampton.

West Ham’s Jarrod Bowen has had a hand in five goals in his five Premier League games against the East Midlands side (three goals, two assists).

Manchester United vs Fulham (Sunday, 4.30pm)

United’s 4-1 victory over Chelsea secured a top-four finish in Erik ten Hag’s maiden campaign as they look to extend their impressive home record this term against Fulham.

The Red Devils have not lost a league clash at Old Trafford since the first game of the season against Brighton, subsequently going on to win 14 and draw three at the Theatre of Dreams.

Marco Silva’s Fulham have also enjoyed a season to remember, with their first Premier League top-half finish since 2011-12 already secured.

Aleksandar Mitrovic returns to the scene where he was retrospectively handed an eight-game ban after pushing a referee in an FA Cup quarter-final defeat in March. The Serbian has 14 goals this term, including three in his last two.

Southampton vs Liverpool (Sunday, 4.30pm)

Relegated Southampton’s last Premier League game for at least a season is at home to Liverpool, who have missed out on the top four for the first time in Jurgen Klopp’s tenure.

The team finishing bottom of the Premier League has won their concluding clash in just one of the last 20 campaigns.

James Milner will make his 16th appearance on the final day of a Premier League season should he feature in his last game for the Reds. 

That would be the joint-most ever in the competition alongside Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes, Jamie Carragher and Gareth Barry.

Mohamed Salah has an extraordinary record of 17 goal involvements in 14 league games since the start of March (11 goals, six assists).

Follow each game with our unbeatable live scores service. Simply tap the Scores tab on the web or download the LiveScore app from the App Store for iOS devices or Google Play for Android.

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Jack Fitzwater thanked Livingston for giving him a platform to shine as he prepares to end his three-year stint with the Lions in Sunday’s cinch Premiership fixture away to St Johnstone.

The 25-year-old centre-back joined the club from West Brom in 2020 and has been a mainstay in David Martindale’s defence throughout his time in West Lothian.

However, Fitzwater has decided not to renew his contract with the Lions and will leave the club in search of a new challenge after this weekend’s match.

“It’s been a massive positive from the first minute I walked through the door,” said the Englishman, reflecting on his time with the Lions.

“I wasn’t really sure what Scottish football would be like but, since coming up here, it’s given me a platform to play, impress and improve.

“I came up, jumped in head-first and I’ve really enjoyed it. I’ve been at a really good club as well.

“It’s been nice to get that routine of playing regularly, especially when you can go to places like Celtic Park and Ibrox and play in front of 50-60,000.

“The lads and the staff have helped me out massively and I think year on year I’ve got stronger. I’ve really enjoyed my time here, it’s made me a better player. I’ve made friends for life here.”

Asked why he has decided to move on, Fitzwater – who has interest from clubs in England – said: “I’m at a stage in my career where I just want to see what I can do next. I’m still young and I want to achieve a lot in the game so I’ll just wait and see what happens in the summer.”

Livingston are currently eighth in the league but have the chance to leapfrog Motherwell and finish top of the bottom six if the Steelmen slip up against Dundee United on Sunday.

“We’re disappointed not to finish in the top six,” said Fitzwater, reflecting on the season. “We probably let ourselves down in a few games, but if we can win on Sunday and finish best of the rest it will overall be a good season.”

Ex-Manchester United winger Nani believes the “emotional” power of the Champions League is something that cannot be explained.

Manchester City and Inter will meet at Istanbul’s Ataturk Olympic Stadium next month, with the Premier League club chasing a potential treble in Turkey.

It marks the second final for Pep Guardiola’s team after their 2021 loss to Chelsea, while Inter will feature in a Champions League final for the first time since they won the competition in 2010.

Nani, who now plays for Melbourne Victory in the A-League, reached three finals between 2008 and 2011 with United, and describes the showpiece game as an indescribable event.

“It’s true, you get emotional,” he said in an interview with the Go Turkiye YouTube Channel. “It’s something you can’t explain.

“When I heard the [Champions League] music, I used to sing at the same time. The experience on the field is amazing, it makes you nervous, it makes you anxious for the start of the game.

“But playing in the final is something else. It is something that any player wants to experience. I’ve been lucky in my career to have been able to play in three finals. I was lucky enough to win one of them.

“That feeling is amazing. For a player to explain, it is difficult.

“It is a lot of pressure. On a stage where you’re playing against so many stars, I was very nervous but in the end everything went well.

“When you win the game, you just think about celebrating with your team-mates, with your family, and with the people who love you.”

Asked if any of his former team-mates stood out for their dedication to European question, Nani picked out ex-United team-mate Cristiano Ronaldo, who won his first Champions League title with the club in 2008.

“He’s been the best player everywhere he’s been,” he added. “Ronaldo was amazing. In the Champions League. He always treated those matches differently.

“His preparation and concentration for these matches was completely different from league games. [But] I had a lot of players I enjoyed playing with.

“[Take] Paul Scholes, Wayne Rooney, Rio Ferdinand, and Patrice Evra. All of these players had an elite mentality when it came to the Champions League. It was very special.”

Fenerbahce forward Michy Batshuayi, meanwhile, pointed to one of his former Chelsea team-mates.

“For me, it was Eden Hazard,” Batshuayi said.

“What I liked about him was how relaxed he was, for him, the game was very simple, and because of this, he found it very easy to beat the opponent.

“I love that mentality, it doesn’t put pressure on the player. I have many other players like [Cesc] Fabregas, David Luiz and John Terry.”

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Ten out of 10

Gary Neville believes Erik ten Hag has had a “10-year career” at Manchester United in his first season as manager.

The Dutchman’s Red Devils beat Chelsea 4-1 on Thursday evening to secure their place in next season’s Champions League.

It has been a difficult debut campaign for the ex-Ajax boss, with uncertainty regarding club ownership and setbacks on the field, including a 7-0 thrashing at fierce rivals Liverpool.

Neville said: “I think he has proved he has the confidence and authority to be able to make big decisions.

“That is one thing he has hammered home to everybody. Harry Maguire has not been an easy situation.

“The takeover constantly going on with the Glazer family dragging it out right to the very end. Big defeats at Liverpool, 7-0, Brentford, 4-0, recruitment, massive question marks.

“He has a had a five, 10-year Manchester United managerial career in one season and dealt with it really well, he has proven he has got the capability to deal with it.

“What he has to do now is jump forward next season with new owners, hopefully progress like Jurgen Klopp did with Liverpool to hopefully one day a title.”

Dazzling Dortmund

Borussia Dortmund have released their new home kit for 2023-24, which they will debut in the final match of the Bundesliga season against Mainz on Saturday.

A victory will see Edin Terzic’s side pip Bayern Munich to the domestic crown.

The suave yellow and black shirt is the result of a fan design contest that attracted more than 15,000 submissions.

Team captain Marco Reus was part of the panel that narrowed it down to nine entries, with the winner then decided by a public vote.

The PUMA jersey has a striking silhouette of the club’s iconic Signal Iduna Park stadium and is made with 100% recycled polyester.

Dortmund managing director Carsten Cramer said: “We’re proud to offer our fans the chance to design the club’s kit for the 2023-24 season and involve them in this process.

“The iconic stadium silhouette and the great number of submissions exceeded our expectations, and we‘re looking forward to seeing our fans in the Yellow Wall wearing the jersey next season.”

Shambolic Spurs

Jamie Redknapp has urged Harry Kane to leave Tottenham after the club’s tumultuous 2022-23 season.

The England captain has enjoyed a stellar campaign from an individual perspective, scoring 28 Premier League goals.

But ex-Spurs midfielder Redknapp believes now is the time for the striker to jump ship amid interest from Manchester United, with his contract expiring at the end of next season.

He said: “It’s the facts, Spurs are a shambles. If you are Harry Kane with one year to go this is the time to leave. He has to push now.

“United might get someone, he missed Man City a few years ago, right now he needs to push with one year on his contract to go somewhere.

“Tottenham are like a social experiment of how far you can push your fans before they completely lose it. They need to do something, no one wants to lose Harry Kane, he has been incredible but deserves better.”

Chelsea struggles

Carney Chukwuemeka was very honest in his assessment of Chelsea’s season after their 4-1 thrashing at Manchester United.

The 19-year-old started in midfield alongside Enzo Fernandez and Conor Gallagher as Frank Lampard named the Blues’ youngest ever Premier League starting XI.

After the match at Old Trafford, which leaves the West Londoners sitting 12th in the table, Chukwuemeka said: “We’re in a difficult period. 

“There’s been a lot of transition and change but it’s clear we aren’t playing well enough at the moment. We need to give a lot more for the badge.

“We’re in a difficult period and we need to pull ourselves from this and improve. We’ve got one game left this season and we need to give the fans something to smile about.

“We need to finish this season on a winning note to take into the summer, then come back in pre-season with a different approach and a different mindset to do better.”

Eddie Howe has admitted Newcastle have “massively over-achieved” this season and will have to spend big in the summer if they are to match it next time around.

The Magpies secured a return to the Champions League after a 20-year absence when Monday night’s 0-0 draw with Leicester guaranteed a top-four finish ahead of Sunday’s final-day trip to Chelsea.

That represents a significant upgrade on the club’s target at the start of the campaign, and it will require further investment from their Saudi-backed owners this summer to ensure they can compete on all fronts.

Asked if he was looking forward to that challenge, head coach Howe said: “Ask me in a few months. I don’t know if it’s something you look forward to, but the dynamic will have changed for us.

“I think we have massively over-achieved this year for where we were at the start of the season and to keep over-achieving – and that’s what we’re going to have to do to match the expectation – is going to be our biggest challenge.”

Newcastle have already spent in excess of £250million on players in the three transfer windows since Amanda Staveley’s consortium bought out Mike Ashley in October 2021, and while they have bought astutely and been richly rewarded, Howe is conscious that task will become more challenging.

They will shop this summer in a different market to the one the 45-year-old might have anticipated. The club has long-standing interest in West Ham’s Declan Rice and Leicester’s James Maddison with both tipped to be on the move this summer, although Rice in particular will have suitors, some with even deeper pockets, queuing up.

Asked if his wish-list would include “marquee” signings, Howe said: “Yes, there would be players we’d love to bring in that would be classified in that bracket, I’m sure.

“For me, it’s more about the role they can fulfil in the team – whether that’s viewed positively or as a marquee signing, then great.

“I’m not in my mind thinking, ‘We have to have one of those players that ticks that box for the supporters’. As much as I’d love to do that, it’s about finding the right player in the right position who I think makes us better.”

For all Newcastle’s new-found wealth, Howe has been at pains throughout his reign to stress that unbridled spending is simply not an option, and that the club will have to continue to invest shrewdly.

He said: “Unfortunately players don’t come cheap, especially good players. Yes, we are going to have to spend a certain amount of money. How much that is, I don’t know.

“I still don’t know what my budget is at this moment in time, but there will have to be some expenditure. It will have to be controlled. It will have to be under FFP restrictions, which we have worked under and will continue to work under. They are definitely impacting us and what we will be able to do.”

Howe will be without keeper Nick Pope at Stamford Bridge after he underwent surgery on a hand injury, and he will join Jamaal Lascelles, Javier Manquillo, Matt Ritchie, Joelinton and Joe Willock on the sidelines.

Luton chief executive Gary Sweet “could not be prouder” of manager Rob Edwards after leading the club into the Sky Bet Championship play-off final against Coventry in his first year in charge.

Edwards only joined Luton in November 2022 but has taken them within touching distance of the Premier League after the Hatters beat Sunderland 3-2 on aggregate in last week’s play-off semi-final.

Sweet lauded the 40-year-old former Watford manager’s conduct since replacing the hugely successful Nathan Jones, with Luton vying for a return to the top flight just nine years after playing in non league.

“I couldn’t be prouder of Rob, we couldn’t have had a better human being come in to carry on the great job Nathan did and the mantle he left,” Sweet said.

“But to do that in a way which couldn’t be more befitting than how we want our club to be represented and so Rob’s image and persona is impeccable on that front and reflects us. We’d love to think he’s a lot better than we are (the board).

“I don’t think we can ever represent ourselves as well as he does so I am delighted he is doing that for us.”

Sweet admitted he is not surprised by Luton’s progress in recent years which would see a fourth promotion in 10 seasons if they beat Coventry at Wembley on Saturday.

The chief executive hailed the contributions of players and staff whose joint efforts are the leading factor behind Luton’s upwards trajectory.

“Am I surprised? No, not really,” Sweet said. “We are very patient people and when you’re patient things happen more quickly than you think.

“We have a determination almost from the point of view that it will happen and we will make it happen, we just need to make sure the way it happens is right.

“I am not surprised, forget the players for one minute even though they’re my heroes and I love them because they have been fantastic throughout.

“But the staff here, the board, my fellow managers, everyone you see here in the building are the very pit about the fabric of the culture and in the last week it has shown it.

“We’ve had people work through nights to get job to job done and not one of them has said can I have more money, not one of them has said what’s the benefit for me? They just get on and do their job for the love of the club, for the love of Luton, that’s why we’ve accelerated like we have.”

Despite the high stakes on offer in Saturday’s all-or-nothing showdown, Sweet is confident he will actually be able to enjoy the match.

He said: “Let’s see what happens during the game but I think I will enjoy the game. I’ve got better at that recently, that’s the reason why I let go occasionally. It’s going to be a great game.”

Bruno Fernandes says this will be a positive campaign rather a successful one for Manchester United even if they win the FA Cup.

Erik ten Hag took over a side in disarray last summer after the disjointed Red Devils stumbled home sixth under interim Ralf Rangnick.

The Dutchman quickly improved the quality and mindset at United, who lifted February’s Carabao Cup and overcame some bumps in the road to qualify for next season’s Champions League.

Thursday’s 4-1 win against Chelsea secured a top-four finish with a game to spare and this season could get even better if the beat Manchester City at Wembley on June 3.

“It’s a positive season, not successful because successful is different for this club and for us players it has to be too.

“We did win a trophy. We get into the top four. Now we have another final but whatever happened in that final will not change anything about the season we have done.

“One game can’t define a season that has been long with so many games and we’ve been doing really well and we had our moments that we could have done better, obviously, because if not we would be in a better position than we are actually.

“But still we went to win the Carabao, we’re in the final of FA Cup, in Europa League could have been better, but it is what it is.

“Now, we have the chance to finish in the best way at home against Fulham and after we have time to think about City.”

Ten Hag said after beating Chelsea that this had been a “successful season” for United, but he is unlikely to be annoyed by Fernandes’ comments to the contrary.

After all, the 28-year-old is driving standards on and off the field as the 20-time champions look to launch a first sustained title bid since last winning the Premier League a decade ago.

“(Champions League qualification) is not a relief,” Fernandes said. “I think everyone was aware that it was really important for us to get the top four.

“I think at the same time everyone was really convinced that we will do it.

“We should have done it a little bit early in the season but obviously we had those two away games that we didn’t get any points and it complicated our counts.

“But we get it today and that’s the most important. We get into the top four.

“We are really happy to be in the Champions League next season. But obviously, it’s kind of an obligation for this club to be in these positions.”

Fernandes scored along with Casemiro, Anthony Martial, Fernandes as they saw off wasteful Chelsea 4-1 to put them third in the standings heading into the Premier League finale.

That result extended their unbeaten run at Old Trafford to 29 matches in all competitions and means victory against Fulham can see them equal the club record of 27 home wins in a season.

“I think everyone has seen that (bond with the fans) has been really important for us, not just this season,” Fernandes said about United’s home form.

“I think last season when we struggled, the fans have been always there to support us.

“So, we can’t be now saying that this season they’re there. Obviously, you feel a little bit more belief on their side, you feel more the connection, but they’ve always been there, they’ve been there.

“Since I arrived at the club I think they’ve been always supporting us and obviously when you get results, it’s always better. When you don’t, people are upset and we understand that.”

While United look to end the season on a high, Chelsea just want the campaign to end.

Already assured of finishing in the bottom half after an embarrassing season, interim boss Frank Lampard’s side were second best at Old Trafford.

Young midfielder Carney Chukwuemeka said ahead of the season finale at home to Newcastle: “We’re in a difficult period.

“There’s been a lot of transition and change but it’s clear we aren’t playing well enough at the moment. We need to give a lot more for the badge.”

The 2022-23 Bundesliga campaign will come to a close on Saturday afternoon and Borussia Dortmund are one win away from ending a decade of Bayern Munich dominance. 

The Black and Yellows can win their first title in 11 years with victory over Mainz at Signal Iduna Park.

Ahead of Matchday 34 in Germany, we take a look at how BVB have managed to challenge Thomas Tuchel’s men.

Make or break

Only two points separate Dortmund and rivals Bayern but Edin Terzic’s side are now within touching distance of a famous domestic crown.

Bayern’s fragility has given BVB a shot at glory, with last Saturday’s defeat against RB Leipzig opening the door wide open.

It is a mark of Die Borussen’s maturity that they have held their nerve in recent weeks, notching three wins on the bounce to re-take top spot.

But the league leaders will need to continue to play without fear on Saturday, knowing a draw could grant Bayern the chance to seize the title on goal difference.

Bring it on

Dortmund boss Terzic is well aware his side have plenty still to do, going into the final 90 minutes of a rollercoaster campaign.

The 40-year-old said: “We have suffered and sweated a lot, not just this season. Now it is all about taking the final step together to finally bring the championship trophy back to Dortmund.

“We are delighted to be in this position. You only have to look at the history of our club to see how many times we’ve been German champions.

“Now, the chance is bigger than it has been for a long time.

“We have to go full throttle, and then hopefully we can hold the Bundesliga trophy in our hands.”

Stepping up 

While Bayern have had to deal with a period of crisis, which saw Tuchel replace Julian Nagelsmann last March before suffering a humbling Champions League exit to Manchester City, Dortmund have encountered fewer bumps in the road.

The return of centre forward Sebastian Haller from testicular cancer after Christmas gave BVB a huge boost, while captain Marco Reus, Julian Brandt and England star Jude Bellingham have all played their part.

It has been a real team effort with Haller, Brandt and Donyell Malen leading the way with nine league goals apiece. Interestingly, no side to ever win the Bundesliga has had a top goalscorer with fewer than 11 goals to their name.

Ex-Bayern centre-back Mats Hummels — set to become the first player in German top-flight history to win at least three titles with two different clubs — has marshalled the defence, while their form at the Westfalenstadion has been characteristically strong.

They boast the most points at home in the division (43) and victory against Mainz would see Terzic’s men secure a club-record 12th consecutive league win on their own turf.

Parting gift

Bellingham is reportedly close to agreeing a deal with Real Madrid ahead of the summer transfer window, but the midfield ace is only focused on his current club.

The 19-year-old has been at his brilliant best this season and has spoken about how much winning the title with Dortmund would mean to him.

He said: “We do want to dream, but we need to make sure we do the job first.

“It would mean everything [to win the title], it would mean the world to me.

“I don’t want to get ahead of myself and put myself in a place where I feel like I’ve already won it, but it would be massive.”

A match-winning performance from the Three Lions starlet would be the perfect goodbye before heading to the Bernabeu.

Real Madrid take on Europa League finalists Sevilla on Saturday as they bid to secure second place in LaLiga.

Atletico Madrid are just a point behind Los Blancos but face tough opponents in fourth-placed Real Sociedad, while champions Barcelona host inconsistent Mallorca.

At the other end of the table, relegation-threatened pair Almeria and Real Valladolid meet in Andalusia with only two points separating the latter in 18th from 13th-placed Valencia.

Los Che are in action against second-bottom Espanyol, who are three points from safety and running out of opportunities to escape the drop zone.

Game of the week: Sevilla vs Real Madrid (Saturday, 6pm)

Following a disappointing start to the campaign, Sevilla have rallied to climb within a point of the top seven — as well as reaching the Europa League final, where they will face Roma.

Their next domestic opponents are the mighty Real, who will be keen to avoid the ignominy of finishing below local rivals Atleti in a campaign that has seen Barcelona claim the title with relative ease.

Los Blancos remain the division’s top scorers ahead of Matchday 37, netting 72 times in just 36 games despite not boasting the competition’s leading scorer at this stage.

Instead, Carlo Ancelotti’s side have spread the goals around. They are the only team with five players to have struck at least seven times in the competition — Karim Benzema (18), Vinicius Junior (10), Marco Asensio (nine), Rodrygo (seven) and Federico Valverde (seven).

Barcelona vs Mallorca (Sunday, 6pm)

Barcelona have lost both their LaLiga outings since wrapping up the title at Espanyol, so head coach Xavi will be keen for an improved performance against Mallorca this weekend.

Los Piratas surprisingly find themselves with an outside chance of qualifying for the Europa Conference League, sitting three points off seventh-placed Osasuna.

Despite the Blaugrana’s poor recent form, their defensive record remains remarkable with just 18 goals conceded in 36 league outings — an average of just 0.5 per game. No other side in the division has conceded fewer than 30 at this stage of the season.

The Catalan giants pair that defence with the competition’s most prolific striker in Robert Lewandowski. He is five goals clear at the top of the standings with 23, making him the clear favourite to win the Pichichi Trophy.

Atletico Madrid vs Real Sociedad (Sunday, 6pm)

Fourth-placed Sociedad could yet leapfrog Atleti into third — but they must win this encounter to have any chance of closing the five-point gap between the two.

Los Rojiblancos have been led in attack by their talismanic forward Antoine Griezmann, whose total of 27 direct goal contributions (14 goals, 13 assists) is the second-highest in the division.

The Frenchman’s seven match-winning goals is also the joint-second most in Spain’s top tier, representing half of his total haul.

La Real will look to top scorer Alexander Sorloth to help them earn a result in the capital. 

A remarkable seven of his 11 LaLiga strikes have come away from home — he is one of just three players in the competition to hit double figures while scoring more often on the road.

Almeria vs Real Valladolid (Sunday, 6pm) 

Almeria and Valladolid go into Sunday’s clash desperate for points as they look to finish above the drop zone.

The pair are two of seven teams still threatened by relegation with two games to play, so defeat for either could prove decisive.

It is Almeria’s shortcomings at the back that have put their LaLiga status in jeopardy. Outside of the bottom three, no side has conceded more times than their 62.

Valladolid do boast a similarly poor defensive record (63 goals conceded), though — and despite recording a passable total of 11 wins in 36 games, their 20 defeats is the second-most in the league ahead of only bottom side Elche (23).

Valencia vs Espanyol (Sunday, 6pm)

Of all the teams at risk of going down, Valencia are best-placed to dodge the drop — sitting 13th and two points clear of the bottom three.

But the opposite holds true for their opponents this weekend. Espanyol are three points from safety and appear the most likely to find themselves in the Segunda Division next term.

The Barcelona outfit have, surprisingly, enjoyed a relatively free-scoring campaign. In fact, outside the top five, only Girona have registered more goals than their 47. However, only Elche have conceded more than their 64 goals against.

Los Che, meanwhile, boast the second-best defensive record in the bottom half of the table (42 goals conceded) and will hope they can secure their top-flight status with victory and favourable results elsewhere.

The weekend’s other games

Athletic Bilbao vs Elche (Sunday, 6pm) 

Cadiz vs Celta Vigo (Sunday, 6pm) 

Getafe vs Osasuna (Sunday, 6pm)

Girona vs Real Betis (Sunday, 6pm) 

Rayo Vallecano vs Villarreal (Sunday, 6pm)

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