Aubameyang’s future away from Dortmund, Conte faced with Costa conundrum: The Big Weekend Preview

Borussia Dortmund are currently without Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang due to the Africa Cup of Nations, further harming their chances of a top four finish in the Bundesliga and thus earning a place in next season's Uefa Champions League. Sunday Alamba / AP PhotoShow less

Why the end of 2016/17 is vital for Borussia Dortmund’s chances of keeping their star player and why the Africa Cup of Nations is giving managers nightmares. Thomas Woods presents this week’s European football talking points.

Dortmund losing grip on Aubameyang

Since the 2010/11 season, Borussia Dortmund have finished first or second in the Bundesliga on all but one occasion. It has become almost a given in Germany that Bayern Munich will win the title with Dortmund biting at their heels.

It is going wrong this season for Dortmund though. Despite a hugely talented squad, a mixture of injuries, bad luck and poor performances have left Dortmund in sixth, 12 points off leaders Bayern but also out of one of Germany’s four Uefa Champions League spots.

And now Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, their 16-goal star striker, will miss at least the next two games at the Africa Cup of Nations.

There is so much speculation around Aubameyang’s future, with Barcelona, Real Madrid and the Premier League’s top sides eyeing the striker. Indeed, the Gabon striker’s revelation in December that he “promised” his grandfather he would move to Madrid would hardly have gone down well at Dortmund.

While Aubameyang more recently said he wants to stay at Dortmund, if they miss out on the Champions League, they might as well say goodbye to their star forward.

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Read more

■ Premier League predictions: Can Spurs pile more misery on Man City?

■ Primera Liga in focus: Sevilla thriving under Jorge Sampaoli

■ 'Something is wrong for sure': Real Madrid suffer back-to-back defeats

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Pitches imperfect in Gabon

European club managers will be watching the Africa Cup of Nations with dread. The pitches are often a talking point at the tournament, but those in Gabon are some of the worst in recent memory.

They looked great initially, but quickly cut up and the ball rarely rolls true. With back-to-back games each day, they are becoming a bit of a health hazard.

Players are dropping like flies with injuries. Chelsea full-back Abdul Baba Rahman, on loan at Schalke, went down with a serious looking injury in Ghana’s game at Stade de Port-Gentil on Tuesday. DR Congo ended their match with Morocco with 10 men, with another hobbling around the pitch unable to do much.

With so many players from Europe’s top leagues playing at Gabon 2017, this will be a major talking point come the end of the tournament.

Will Costa be forgiven?

Diego Costa is back in training at Chelsea following his bust-up with manager Antonio Conte. While Chelsea have insisted the fallout — and Costa’s subsequent omission from the team for the 3-0 victory at Leicester City — was related to a difference of opinion over a back injury, the interest from China and the reported £30 million (Dh135.8m) a year salary that would have entailed reportedly played a part in the episode.

Chelsea were adamant that their leading striker would not be leaving in January and it seems their firm stance worked, with Costa returning to training with the senior squad.

But how soon will Conte put Costa back into the starting line-up?

Chelsea have two games approaching that could define their title bid — Liverpool away and Arsenal at home — and Conte would want Costa fit and focused for those fixtures.

Before that they host struggling Hull City on Sunday and second-tier Brentford in the FA Cup so it would be no surprise if Costa is left to stew on the bench a little while longer.

Five games to watch

Manchester City v Tottenham Hotspur, 9.30pm, Saturday

It was Tottenham’s 2-1 win in February last season that solidified their status as serious title challengers and another win here would pretty much end City’s title challenge; they would likely be 13 points behind leaders Chelsea with 16 games left. This could be a season-defining game for both teams.

AC Milan v Napoli, 10.45pm, Saturday

The Serie A title race is almost as exciting as the Premier League. Four teams separated by five points with a fifth, Milan, a further three points back with a game in hand. Leaders Juventus tripped up again at Fiorentina last week giving the chasing pack a chance. Milan have a tough task — the last four encounters between these two ended a combined 12-3 to Napoli and the visitors won 4-0 the last time they visited the San Siro.

Juventus v Lazio, 3.30pm, Sunday

These early European kick offs — 12.30pm in Turin — can put teams off their game and this is such an important match. After their 2-1 defeat at Fiorentina, Juventus only have a one-point lead at the top of Serie A. They have the league’s best defence and have scored 40 goals, but lose to a side who have won seven of their last 10 games and Juve could be second by the end of the weekend.

Arsenal v Burnley, 6pm, Sunday

Arsenal, Liverpool and Chelsea all have home games they should win comfortably this weekend but, if there is to be a shock, Burnley are the side most likely to do it. Yes, Burnley have just one point and three goals on the road this season, but they have a defence that can frustrate the top teams. If this gets to half-time at 0-0, it could get nervy for Arsenal.

Eibar v Barcelona, 11.45pm, Sunday

Sevilla’s terrific comeback win over Real Madrid on Sunday has given Barcelona a major boost to their Primera Liga title chances. They are now only one point behind Sevilla and two back on Madrid. Eibar have a decent home record, with only two defeats this season, but Barca now have a big chance to put a run of wins together. They don’t have a tough fixture until a trip to Atletico Madrid at the end of February.

Plan your weekend — best games on TV

(All games on beIN Sports, kick offs in UAE time)

Friday

Bundesliga — Freiburg v Bayern Munich, 11.30pm

Primera Liga — Las Palmas v Deportivo, 11.45pm

Saturday

Premier League — Liverpool v Swansea, 4.45pm

Bundesliga — Werder Bremen v Borussia Dortmund, 6.30pm

Premier League — Stoke v Manchester United, 7pm

Primera Liga — Real Madrid v Malaga, 7.15pm

Ligue 1 — Nantes v PSG, 8pm

Premier League — Manchester City v Tottenham, 9.30pm

Bundesliga — RB Leipzig v Eintracht Frankfurt, 9.30pm

Serie A — AC Milan v Napoli, 11.45pm

Sunday

Primera Liga — Osasuna v Sevilla, 3pm

Serie A — Juventus v Lazio, 3.30pm

Premier League — Southampton v Leicester City, 4pm

Serie A — Palermo v Inter Milan, 6pm

Ligue 1 — Monaco v Lorient, 6pm

Premier League — Arsenal v Burnley, 6.15pm

Primera Liga — Athletic Bilbao v Atletico Madrid, 7.15pm

Premier League — Chelsea v Hull City, 8.30pm

Serie A — Roma v Cagliari, 11.45pm

Primera Liga — Eibar v Barcelona, 11.45pm

Ligue 1 — Lyon v Marseille, midnight

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