Titles, promotion, relegation and European football. It’s all on the line this weekend, as the European calendar nudges towards its curtain call.

In France and Spain, outsiders have the chance to secure the championship on the final days of their respective seasons and can each do so with a victory. Meanwhile, in Serie A and the Premier League the focus is on the top four. Starting us off is finely-poised Championship playoff tie.

All kick offs are in Eastern time. Enjoy your weekend and enjoy the games!

Brentford vs. Bournemouth

Saturday, May 22, 7:30 a.m. ET, ESPN+

Although the other playoff semi between Swansea City and Barnsley should be a cracker later in the day too, there was only room for one of the matches in our selections this week. Brentford welcoming Bournemouth to the Brentford Community Stadium should be a brilliant way to begin the weekend.

It’s Bournemouth who hold a slender 1-0 advantage going into this one. Arnaut Danjuma’s goal was enough for them to take the win at the Vitality Stadium in an absorbing contest and Cherries boss Jonathan Woodgate will be delighted with how his team performed on the night.

Still, it’ll take an almighty effort for them to hang on to that advantage. Brentford have been one of the standout sides in the Championship this season and although they weren’t quite on it from an attacking perspective earlier in the week on the south coast, in Ivan Toney they have the second tier’s top marksman.

For Brentford it’ll be a historic day regardless, as fans will be allowed into their new stadium for the first time. Manager Thomas Frank and his players will want to give supporters heading to their new home some positive memories to go with their first experiences.

Real Valladolid vs. Atletico Madrid

Saturday, May 22, 12 p.m. ET, beIN SPORTS en Español, fuboTV, Sling Latino, Fanatiz and Vidgo

Despite some major stutters in the second half of the season, Atletico Madrid are just one win away from the La Liga title at Real Valladolid.

Last weekend it appeared as though their chances had gone, as they were 1-0 down to Osasuna after 83 minutes and with Real Madrid winning at Athletic Bilbao, relegated to second in the table. However, late goals from Renan Lodi and Luis Suarez sparked wild scenes at the Wanda Metropolitano, giving Atletico a huge advantage going into the final day.

Real Madrid are the only team who could catch Atletico this weekend and will kick off at the same time at Villarreal. With the latter in action in the Europa League final against Manchester United on Wednesday, they are expected to rest a number of key players.

Valladolid need to win if they’re to have any chance of staying in the division too, as they are vying for safety with Elche and Huesca. But given what’s up for grabs for Atletico, taking three points from this fixture feels like a huge task.

Leicester City vs. Tottenham

Sunday, May 23, 11 a.m. ET, NBCSN, fuboTV, Hulu Live and Sling Blue

Leicester City’s chances of a Champions League place are fading fast late in the campaign and they must win against a toiling Tottenham Hotspur if they are to secure a top-four berth on the final day.

Although last weekend was a memorable one for Leicester after they beat Chelsea 1-0 in the FA Cup final, they were beaten by the Blues in the Premier League on Tuesday. It was a result that meant a top-four spot was out of their hands and Liverpool moved above them with a win at Burnley a day later.

While Liverpool and Leicester are on the same points, the former’s superior goal difference means the Foxes realistically need to better their result. The Reds will be big favorites when they take to the field against Crystal Palace at Anfield on Sunday though.

As for Tottenham, they need a win to secure European football next season. They are in seventh going into this one, but could be leapfrogged by both Arsenal and Everton if results were to go against them on Sunday.

Atalanta vs. Milan

Sunday, May 23, 2:45 p.m. ET, ESPN+

There’s a three-way fight for the final Champions League spot in Serie A and Milan have left themselves with a lot to do on the last day of the campaign, as they gear up for a trip to second-placed Atalanta.

Milan are in third going into this match in Bergamo, but if they were to drop points then both Napoli and Juventus could leapfrog them. There’ll be huge regret among Rossoneri supporters that they toiled to a 0-0 draw with strugglers Cagliari last weekend, as a win would’ve put Stefano Pioli’s team in an excellent position.

Even so, looking at things from a more positive perspective, a win over Atalanta would see Milan surge past them into second place in the table and that’d be fitting for a team that led the way for long spells of the campaign.

Atalanta have been excellent in recent weeks, but are likely to be a little leggy and a little weary on Sunday. On Wednesday they were beaten 2-1 by Juventus in the Coppa Italia final in a pulsating contest; in Serie A they’ve surged into second spot with a run of nine wins and two draws in their last 11 matches.

Angers vs. Lille

Sunday, May 23, 3 p.m. ET, beIN SPORTS XTRA, fuboTV and Fanatiz

Lille have been the biggest surprise in European football this season and they are one win away from what would be a remarkable Ligue 1 title.

Paris Saint-Germain were once again expected to be the dominant force in French football, but an inconsistent campaign from them has left the door ajar. Lille have marched through it and are out to repeat the heroics of the 2010-11 side, who also scaled the summit of the table.

They could’ve made it a little easier for themselves going into the final weekend. Last time out they drew 0-0 at home to Saint-Etienne, meaning a win is imperative on the final day for Christophe Galtier’s side, assuming PSG win at Brest on the same day.

Angers are languishing down in 12th place and have lost six of their last seven games. While they will be keen to play the role of party poopers on the day, Lille couldn’t really ask for more ideal opposition to cap of what’s been a campaign to remember.

There’s silverware to win and Champions League spots to be seized across European football this weekend.

In Italy the title is already decided, but the top-four fight remains in flux and is likely to be colored further by two huge derbies this week. In England there’s the FA Cup final, while in France and Italy there are crucial showdowns from absorbing title races.

All kick offs are in Eastern time. Enjoy your weekend and enjoy the games!

Juventus vs. Inter Milan

Saturday, May 15, 12 p.m. ET, ESPN+

Walking out at the Allianz Stadium will be a satisfying moment for the Inter players and their manager Antonio Conte on Saturday, with their title win confirmed and the chance to deal a serious blow to Juventus’ already toiling season.

While Juventus got back to winning ways in midweek against Sassuolo, they are still outside the top four spots heading into this weekend’s fixtures. Losing the league title to Inter obviously represents a major blow to Andrea Pirlo’s team, but not qualifying for Europe’s elite competition would’ve been unthinkable at the start of the campaign.

Even if Juventus find a way past their Derby d’Italia rivals on Saturday, finishing in the top four is not in their hands. Atalanta and Milan are three points clear of them, while Napoli, who are a point clear of Juventus after last weekend, are in fantastic form

Inter may have the Scudetto wrapped up, but former Juventus midfielder and manager Conte is not the kind of character to let his players slack off in the final weeks of the season. Having been in the Bianconeri’s shadow for the best part of a decade, his players have the chance to exert a measure of revenge at last in Turin on Saturday.

Chelsea vs. Leicester City

Saturday, May 15, 12:15 p.m. ET, ESPN+

Chelsea and Leicester will put aside their league and European—in the case of the former—ambitions this weekend when they contest what should be a fantastic FA Cup final at Wembley.

While the Champions League title later this month will be the main target for Blues boss Thomas Tuchel, in his first season in charge of the London club getting a piece of silverware secured would be a big first step.

Although a rotated Chelsea team were below par in a midweek loss to Arsenal, they are still the narrow favorites on Saturday. In his time at the club Tuchel has already showcased a cultured tactical intuition on the big occasion, as was evident in the way he set up his team to beat Manchester City in the semi-finals.

Leicester made a huge step towards securing Champions League football for next season when they beat Manchester United on Tuesday and that’ll relieve some of the pressure on them going into the final. A top-four finish and a trophy would represent an incredible campaign for the Foxes, with their coach Brendan Rodgers surely in contention for Manager of the Year accolades.

Roma vs. Lazio

Saturday, May 15, 2:45 p.m. ET, ESPN+

The other concern for Juventus is that in the event of a loss on Saturday, they could yet be caught by Lazio, who will clash with their fierce rivals Roma in a crucial Derby Della Capitale later in the day.

Lazio are currently in sixth, five points behind Juventus, but have a game in hand on the former champions. That’ll be against the Juve’s rivals Torino, who are likely to be reeling on the back of a 7-0 loss to Milan last week.

After challenging for the title last term, this season has been a little disappointing for Lazio, with the balance and consistency that made them such a force in 2019-20 not quite there. At this stage, a Champions League place appears to be beyond them, although they will be watching the result of the Derby d’Italia early in the day to see if they can apply pressure to Juventus.

As for Roma, they were handed a favor by Juventus in midweek after they beat Sassuolo, who have been hunting down the Gialorrossi for a European spot. With Jose Mourinho set to take charge at the Stadio Olimpico next season, it feels vital the team gets some sort of European qualification at the end of a challenging term.

Athletic Club vs. Real Madrid

Sunday, May 16, 12:30 p.m. ET, beIN SPORTS, beIN SPORTS en Español, Fanatiz, fuboTV, Sling Latino and Sling World Sports

Real Madrid are clinging on in the race for the La Liga title, but will need to win against Athletic Club at San Mames on Sunday if they are to seriously maintain their slim ambitions.

After their win at Granada on Thursday, Los Blancos are two points behind their city rivals Atletico Madrid, with just two games to play. At the same time as this match on Sunday, Atletico are at home to midtable Osasuna, meaning the pressure is likely to be heaped on Zinedine Zidane’s side.

It means the match to watch will be in the Basque Country, as Real seek to overcome obdurate opponents in Athletic. It’s the kind of opposition Zidane’s players have toiled in this season on occasion and playing such a physical opponent at the end of a draining campaign will represent a big challenge.

After losing two Copa del Rey finals in the space of a couple of weeks, Athletic’s season has slowly fizzled out. However, they are renowned for raising themselves for big occasions like this and will want to end their home campaign on a high.

Lille vs. Saint-Etienne

Sunday, May 16, 3 p.m. ET, beIN SPORTS XTRA, Fanatiz and fuboTV

Lille are on the brink of a shock Ligue 1 triumph and could secure the title this weekend when they welcome Saint-Etienne.

After Paris Saint-Germain suffered a surprise draw with Rennes last weekend, Les Dogues only need four points from their last three games to guarantee top spot come the end of the campaign. This match, against midtable opposition with little to play for, provides them with an excellent chance to take a big step forward in that pursuit.

All Ligue 1 matches in this penultimate round will kick off at the same time on Sunday and you can bet Lille supporters will have an eye on PSG’s meeting with Reims if things are going well for them; any dropped points for PSG and a win for Lille would end the former’s title hopes.

Saint-Etienne have won their last two and can be a dangerous opponent on their day. However, given what’s at stake for Lille here, they are huge underdogs on what may turn out to be a historic evening in France.

There’s that end-of-season feel to soccer at the moment, with night matches starting in a late-spring hue and every kick of ball feeling so vital to so many teams.

Across Europe there is still much to play for too. In Spain, four teams remain in contention for the title and they will each play one of the other across two games this weekend. In Germany and Italy the focus is all on the top four, while the Premier League title can be decided in a dress rehearsal for the upcoming Champions League final.

All kick offs are in Eastern time. Enjoy your weekend and enjoy the games!

Borussia Dortmund vs. RB Leipzig

Saturday, May 8, 9:30 a.m. ET, ESPN, ESPN Deportes, ESPN+, fuboTV, Sling Orange and Hulu + Live TV

Borussia Dortmund will be out to continue their recent revival in a crucial game on Saturday, with second-place RB Leipzig the visitors to the Westfalenstadion.

BVB were able to get the better of Wolfsburg a fortnight ago, putting them within touching distance of the top four again. They are in fifth, but just two points behind last week’s opponents who are in third and one off Eintracht Frankfurt, who also lost in their previous outing to put their hopes of Champions League qualification in some jeopardy.

Dortmund deserve credit for the way in which they’ve managed to thrust themselves back into the race for fourth, with four wins in succession in the Bundesliga. After a recent lean spell, Erling Haaland is back among the goals too, with four scored in the last three games.

It’ll be intriguing to see what kind of opposition Leipzig pose to Dortmund, as they are pretty secure in second place. The club have also had a significant month too, with confirmation coming that their current manager Julian Nagelsmann will take over as Bayern Munich manager at the end of the 2020-21 campaign.

Barcelona vs. Atletico Madrid

Saturday, May 8, 10:15 a.m. ET, beIN SPORTS, beIN SPORTS en Español, Fanatiz, fuboTV, Sling Latino and Sling World Sports

For so long, this is the game in La Liga that so many have been looking forward to, as leaders Atletico Madrid take their two-point lead to Barcelona, who are one of their two nearest challengers for top spot.

Although Barcelona got back to winning ways last weekend with a 3-2 win over Valencia, they will still be lamenting their last outing at the Camp Nou. They were stunned by mid-table Granada, losing 2-1 and missing the chance to scale the summit in the process; it means the pressure is on them to win this weekend.

Atletico are stuttering to the finishing line and manager Diego Simeone will know just how significant a game this is for his team. While a draw would keep Barcelona at bay, Real Madrid are just two points behind them going into the weekend’s fixtures and could make up ground in a huge match of their own on Sunday.

Both teams will approach the game in an entirely different way from a stylistic perspective. But the need for each to win and seize the title initiative should make this an absorbing spectacle, especially given the game that follows in Madrid the following day.

Manchester City vs. Chelsea

Saturday, May 8, 12:30 p.m. ET, NBC, fuboTV, Sling Blue and Hulu + Live TV

After marvelous midweeks in which they both booked places in the Champions League final, Manchester City and Chelsea will attempt to realign their focus on the Premier League this weekend.

City were dominant against PSG on Tuesday, asserting their position as arguably the strongest team in European football this season. They’ve undoubtedly been the best team in England and a win at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday would be enough for them to clinch the Premier League, making it three in four years for Pep Guardiola’s team.

Chelsea have already beaten City in one competition recently, knocking them out of the FA Cup at the semi-final stage. That will give them confidence ahead of Saturday’s clash and the Champions League final, although for the moment their focus needs to be on finishing in the top four of the Premier League, with West Ham, Tottenham and Liverpool still not out of the fight.

Given the depth in their respective squads and verve with which both teams play their football, this will be an intriguing encounter and potentially an early chapter in what may develop into a fascinating rivalry in the coming years.

Real Madrid vs. Sevilla

Sunday, May 9, 3 p.m. ET, beIN SPORTS, beIN SPORTS en Español, Fanatiz, fuboTV, Sling Latino and Sling World Sports

Real Madrid and Sevilla will be hoping Atletico Madrid and Barcelona cancel one another out on Saturday, giving them the chance to make up ground on Sunday.

Sevilla felt like a serious part of this engrossing title battle until Monday, when they were shocked in the final minute by Athletic Club in a 1-0 loss. It means they are now six points back on Atletico with four games to play and realistically they will need to win them all if they’re to pull off a miracle.

They will fancy their chances against Real Madrid though. Zinedine Zidane’s side have been looking a little jaded lately and they were dominated on Wednesday by Chelsea in the Champions League. The team is looking in need of some refurbishment, albeit they are still in with a great shout of winning this season’s domestic title.

Zidane will be hoping some of the battle-hardened warriors in his team can go to the well again in the final weeks of the season. But based on their recent showings, Sevilla are in with a chance of getting a result in the capital.

Juventus vs. AC Milan

Sunday, May 9, 2:45 p.m. ET, ESPN+

The campaign has been one of disappointment for different reasons for AC Milan and Juventus, although both will want to secure a spot in the top four as a consolation prize.

If Milan were offered fourth spot, which they currently occupy, at the start of the season then they would’ve been content. However, having been in the title race for so long and limply faded away, there’s a sense that this season may fizzle out completely in the final weeks, with Napoli just one place and two points behind.

The disappointment for Juventus is that after nine years at the summit of Italian football, they haven’t even been in the title race this season. They are also on 69 points and while it’s unthinkable to ponder the Bianconeri not qualifying for the European Cup next term, a loss here would leave them in serious jeopardy.

With Inter’s title win confirmed, it’s been a challenging few days for their twi main rivals. If either were to slip out of the top four this weekend, you suspect it wouldn’t go down well with either set of supporters.

After omitting some of the biggest names in European football last weekend, it’s time to check in on the progress of a few this week as things start to get serious across the continent.

The title race in France is gripping, so it’s no surprise that two games from Ligue 1 make this weekend’s cut. There’s also a clash from La Liga, where there’s a four-team fight for top spot, as well as games from the Premier League and Bundesliga, where Champions League places are still up for grabs.

All kick offs are in Eastern time. Enjoy your weekend and enjoy the games!

Paris Saint-Germain vs. Lens

Saturday, May 1, 11 a.m. ET, beIN SPORTS Connect, Fanatiz, fuboTV and Sling World Sports

The Champions League feels like it’s been the focus for PSG in the latter weeks of the campaign, but they approach this game with Lens facing the prospect of winning neither the European Cup nor the Ligue 1 title.

On Wednesday, PSG were beaten 2-1 by Manchester City in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final, meaning they have a mountain to climb to keep their chances alive. It’ll be intriguing to see how Mauricio Pochettino’s team react to that setback and what changes are made to the team on Saturday with the second leg in mind.

PSG can’t afford to take too many chances with their lineup though, as anything other than a win here would leave their hopes of another Ligue 1 title in tatters. Lille remain a point clear of the Parisians with four games to play; they are in action against Nice later in the evening.

A win for PSG would heap the pressure on the current leaders, but getting over the line against Lens will not be straightforward. The visitors sit in fifth this season after a campaign of encouragement under Franck Haise and will want to consolidate their place as the best of the rest in the final four matches.

Borussia Dortmund vs. RB Leipzig

Saturday, May 1, 12:30 p.m. ET, ESPN+

Borussia Dortmund will be out to continue their recent revival in a crucial game on Saturday, with second-place RB Leipzig the visitors to the Westfalenstadion.

BVB were able to get the better of Wolfsburg last weekend, putting them within touching distance of the top four again. They are in fifth, but just two points behind last week’s opponents who are in third and one off Eintracht Frankfurt, who also lost in their previous outing to put their hopes of Champions League qualification in some jeopardy.

Dortmund deserve credit for the way in which they’ve managed to thrust themselves back into the race for fourth, with four wins in succession in the Bundesliga. After a recent lean spell, Erling Haaland is back among the goals too, with four scored in the last three games.

It’ll be intriguing to see what kind of opposition Leipzig pose to Dortmund, as they are pretty secure in second place. The club have also had a significant week, with confirmation coming that their current manager Julian Nagelsmann will take over as Bayern Munich manager at the end of the 2020-21 campaign.

Manchester United vs. Liverpool

Sunday, May 2, 11:30 a.m. ET, NBCSN, Telemundo, fuboTV, Hulu Live and Sling Blue

Liverpool’s hopes of finishing in the top four have suffered a couple of significant blows lately, making this trip to Manchester United on Sunday crucial for Jurgen Klopp’s team.

The Reds were stunned by Newcastle United last weekend, with Joe Willock’s stoppage-time equalizer earning the visitors a point at Anfield. The likes of Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Diogo Jota were far too profligate with their opportunities and the defending Premier League champions paid a harsh price.

The draw with Newcastle and another tie against Leeds in similar circumstances have left the Reds as outsiders in the fight for the top four. Should Chelsea beat Fulham on Saturday, Klopp’s team will be seven points back on a Champions League place ahead of their trip to Old Trafford.

United will want to add to the misery of their north-west rivals. However, given they are comfortable in second spot and this game is sandwiched by two legs of their Europa League semi-final against Roma, Liverpool may feel as though they are playing the Red Devils at an opportune time, that despite their six-goal mauling of the Italians on Thursday.

Monaco vs. Lyon

Sunday, May 2, 3 p.m. ET, beIN SPORTS XTRA, Fanatiz and fuboTV

Although Lille and PSG lead the way in Ligue 1, Monaco are not out of the fight for the title yet, while their opponents on Sunday are clinging on to the coattails of the top three.

Lyon supporters will head into this game feeling immense regret. Last weekend their team appeared poised to surge into a strong position, as they were 2-0 up against Lille. However, a collapse from Rudi Garcia’s men saw the leaders roar back and win, leaving Lyon trailing the summit by six points.

Meanwhile, Monaco are keeping themselves in the hunt, with just two points separating them and Lille. They are the most in-form team in France at the moment, winning their last five in succession and putting themselves in a position to pounce if either of the top two slip up in the remaining weeks.

With Lyon secure in fourth, they should approach this game in an attacking mindset and an open contest should follow. Given Monaco’s array of firepower, that kind of approach might make this the standout game on the continent this weekend.

Valencia vs. Barcelona

Sunday, May 2, 3 p.m. ET, beIN SPORTS, beIN SPORTS en Español, Fanatiz, fuboTV and Sling World Sports

It was anticipated that Barcelona would be in the driving seat in the La Liga title scrap by the time they took the field against Valencia on Sunday, but this remarkable race took another twist ahead of a crucial round of matches.

Barcelona needed to beat Granada on Thursday to jump to the top of the table ahead of Atletico Madrid and they appeared on course for a comfortable win when Lionel Messi put them in front in the first period. But Granada responded magnificently after the break and fought back to win 2-1, leaving the Blaugrana in third spot.

The frustration on the night clearly got the better of Ronald Koeman, who was dismissed from the dugout for his protestations. After such a huge blow to their title chances, it’s going to be a big challenge to get the players prepared for their trip to the Mestalla on Sunday night.

Valencia are in 14th and have had a campaign to forget, with relegation still technically a possibility with five games to go.

After the events of the previous few days in football, it only seems appropriate to take the focus away from the dirty dozen who sought to destroy the ethos and values of the game for a weekend. They’ve had enough attention, haven’t they?

We have a cosmopolitan lineup nonetheless, with a vital game in English football’s second tier followed by eye-catching clashes in Germany, Spain, Italy and France.

All kick offs are in Eastern time. Enjoy your weekend and enjoy the games!

Bournemouth vs. Brentford

Saturday, April 14, 7:30 a.m. ET, ESPN+

The Championship regular season is rattling towards a thrilling conclusion, with the fight for Playoff spots set to take centre stage in the final three games.

This showdown between Bournemouth, who are seeking to return to the Premier League after their relegation last term, and Brentford, who missed out on promotion to Fulham in last year’s Playoff final, should be a thriller, with the two top-scoring teams in the league coming head to head.

A draw for Reading on Wednesday night at Luton allowed both of these teams a little more breathing room going into this one. The Royals are in seventh and seven points behind Brentford, who sit in fifth. The Bees have a game in hand on their rivals, including Bournemouth who are two points ahead of them in third.

While both teams should have enough to qualify for the Playoffs, a win here would guarantee as much. It would allow their respective coaches to rotate their squads in the final weeks of the campaign, which could give them a crucial advantage in their push for Premier League football.

Wolfsburg vs. Borussia Dortmund

Saturday, April 14, 9:30 a.m. ET, ESPN+

The race for Champions League football is beginning to heat up in the Bundesliga. Wolfsburg and Borussia Dortmund are set to play a huge part in what promises to be a fascinating battle.

Wolfsburg have arguably been the biggest surprise in the German top flight this season. They have surged up to third place in the table and have looked every inch a team worthy of playing in Europe’s top competition next term.

There were some smalls signs of a wobble when they suffered consecutive losses recently, although they got back to winning ways on Wednesday with a comfortable 3-1 win at Wolfsburg. It leaves them on 57 points going into the weekend, five points ahead of their upcoming opponents Dortmund, who are in fifth.

Three wins in succession have pushed Dortmund back into the fight for the top four, as they now trail Frankfurt in fourth by just four points. Although they’ve not been consistent this term, they remain a ferocious attacking force on their day and they can set up a gripping finale to the German season with three points on the road here.

Sevilla vs. Granada

Sunday, April 25, 12:30 p.m. ET, beIN SPORTS, beIN SPORTS en Español, Fanatiz, fuboTV, Sling Latino and Sling World Sports

Sevilla are La Liga’s in-form team at the moment and can fuel late-season hopes of a possible title charge with another three points against Granada on Sunday.

For long spells of the Spanish top-flight season, it looked as thought the title race was going to be a one-horse race and in recent weeks it’s developed into a three-team tussle. With six wins and a draw from their previous seven games, the Andalusian outfit have forced their way into contention with six games to go.

On Wednesday, Sevilla churned out the kind of result required to get over the line in these title races, with Youssef En-Nesyri netting in the second half to see them earn a narrow win. The Moroccan has not been a guaranteed starter for Julen Lopetegui’s team this term, although he still has an impressive 17 goals to his name.

Granada have had a season to remember, including a remarkable run to the Europa League quarter-finals. They have an outside chance of qualifying for that competition again this season and that carrot should be enough to make this an awkward assignment for the title chasers.

Atalanta vs. Bologna

Sunday, April 25, 2:45 p.m. ET, ESPN+

After a memorable win over the Serie A champions last weekend, Atalanta have managed to put themselves in an excellent position to qualify for the Champions League and they will want to cement that place with victory on Sunday at home to Bologna.

While it took them a while to get up to speed this season, La Dea have emerged yet again as one of the strongest teams in Serie A, as well as one of the most entertaining outfits in all of European football.

That being said, a draw at Roma on Wednesday opened the door for some of the teams chasing them down for a top-four berth. Napoli’s win over Lazio on Thursday means they’re now in fifth spot, just two places and two points behind Atalanta in third.

Atalanta will be confident of taking another positive step forward this weekend though. Bologna are stuck in mid-table, have little to play for and if they find themselves on the back foot early on, may well wilt against the tides of black and blue attacking pressure.

Lyon vs. Lille

Sunday, April 25, 3 p.m. ET, beIN SPORTS Connect, Fanatiz, fuboTV and Sling World Sports

Arguably the biggest game of the weekend comes from the most exciting title race in European football, as Lyon and Lille both hold hopes of being crowned champions this term.

At the moment, it’s Lille who lead the way, although there’s only three points separating them and Lyon, who are in fourth. It means the connotations from this weekend’s match are enormous for the destination of the French crown.

For Lille to be top at this point in the season represents a remarkable achievement on their part, although having got this far so close the end of the campaign, it’ll be devastating for Christophe Galtier’s team if they don’t get the job done.

Lyon are not to be written off either though. While they’ve been outsiders in this race in the main, a win on the road at the league leaders would inject huge impetus into their hopes of coming out on top in this four-team scuffle.

There’s a mixture of league and cup matches to take in this weekend, as the season begins to reach a nail-biting point for a number of outfits.

All kick offs are in Eastern time. Enjoy your weekend and enjoy the games!

Everton vs. Tottenham Hotspur

Friday, April 16, 3 p.m. ET, NBCSN, Universo, fuboTV, Sling Blue and Hulu + Live TV

Everton and Tottenham are clinging on in the race for European football, although the loser of this match at Goodison Park may find themselves out of it altogether.

At the start of the campaign, these two teams were playing as well as anyone. However, they have each struggled to preserve that attacking swagger and in recent weeks in particular they have both found it a slog.

Everton’s issues have not been helped by a remarkable injury crisis, with 11 first-team players unavailable for their 0-0 draw at Brighton & Hove Albion on Monday. Manager Carlo Ancelotti will have some key men back for this fixture, although star striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin looks unlikely to be involved.

Spurs are in desperate need of a spark too, having won just one of their last four Premier League games. They’ve already lost to Everton twice this season, including a remarkable 5-4 in the FA Cup earlier in the year; neutrals tuning in on Friday would love to see a repeat of that.

Manchester City vs. Chelsea

Saturday, April 17, 12:30 p.m. ET, ESPN+

While Sunday’s FA Cup semi-final between Southampton and Leicester City should be an entertaining game, it’s Saturday’s other semi-final that captures the attention, with Premier League leaders Manchester City facing a rejuvenated Chelsea.

For City, the prospect of what would be an incredible quadruple remains alive after their Champions League win over Borussia Dortmund. While that pursuit will take a physical toll on the players, Pep Guardiola has the luxury of an amazing squad to choose from and it’ll be fascinating to see how much he rotates here.

Although Chelsea aren’t in the hunt for four prizes, with the FA Cup and Champions League up for grabs it could be a memorable end to the season yet. Thomas Tuchel has breathed fresh life into the Blues since his arrival and they appear as well equipped as anyone in Europe to give City a serious test.

In a boost to the English game, some supporters will be permitted entry to the stadium as lockdown restrictions continue to ease. This should be a fantastic spectacle for those fortunate to be at Wembley.

Barcelona vs. Athletic Club

Saturday, April 17, 3:30 p.m. ET, ESPN+

Just two weeks on from their Copa del Rey final loss to Real Sociedad—the postponed 2020 edition–, Athletic Club have another shot at the competition on Saturday against Barcelona.

For the Blaugrana, the Copa represents a bare minimum at this point. Ronald Koeman’s team are out of the Champions League and are in third position in La Liga following their 2-1 loss to Real Madrid last weekend. It means the pressure is ramped up ahead of this encounter.

Athletic haven’t been at their free-flowing best lately and appeared inhibited by playing their Basque rivals on this stage a fortnight ago. Given they are clearly the underdogs for this fixture, manager Marcelino will want to see his players relax a little more.

The Bilbao outfit do have positive recent memories of playing Barcelona in a cup final. They emerged victorious against the Catalan giants in the Spanish Super Cup earlier in the year, with Inaki Williams’ stunning goal in extra time seeing them emerge 3-2 winners from a thrilling encounter.

Atalanta vs. Juventus

Sunday, April 18, 9 a.m. ET, ESPN+

The race for the Champions League spots is really beginning to heat up in Serie A and this clash between Atalanta and Juventus will go a long way towards determining who seizes them.

After nine years at the summit of Italian football, Juventus’ dominance is poised to come to an end this season, with Inter Milan racing clear from the pack. That will be a disappointment for new manager Andrea Pirlo, although not making it into the top four and back into the Champions League would be a disaster.

As things stand, the Bianconeri are in third place and three points clear of Napoli, who are in fifth. Between those sides is Atalanta, who have found their form late in the campaign and surged into the reckoning for a European berth.

While Napoli have a challenging game this weekend, it’s feasible that one of these teams will find themselves out of the top four this weekend. Given the enterprising style of the home side and defensive solidity of the visitors, a fascinating clash of style under intense pressure looks to be on the cards.

Napoli vs. Inter Milan

Sunday, April 18, 2:45 p.m. ET, ESPN+

Napoli are clinging on in the race to finish in a Champions League berth and will take a big step towards that if they can beat runaway leaders Inter Milan.

It’s been a season of inconsistency for the home side, although when they put things together they can beat any team in Serie A. Aside from a loss to Juventus, they’ve been in exceptional form, winning six and drawing one of their other previous eight matches.

Inter are a force of nature at the moment though, leaving the competition trailing with a phenomenal late-season surge. After winning their last 11 games in a row in Serie A, they are course to coast to the title and victory at the San Paolo would be a huge step towards it.

It’ll be a huge ask for Napoli, but with two of their big rivals for a Champions League spot locking horns this weekend, it’s a fantastic chance for them to muscle their way back into contention.

There are enormous games across the board in Europe this weekend, most pertinently in Spain and France where the title races look poised to go down to the wire.

In LaLiga, there are a couple of fixtures to savor featuring three teams involved in the fight for top spot, while in France the defending champions are under pressure to keep their crown. In Germany and England, the focus is on the race for European qualification.

All kick offs are in Eastern time. Enjoy your weekend and enjoy the games!

Eintracht Frankfurt vs. Wolfsburg

Saturday, April 10, 9:30 a.m. ET, ESPN+

Frankfurt and Wolfsburg have been the two biggest surprises is the Bundesliga this season, so it should be an intriguing encounter when they meet on Saturday.

Both sides are in a strong position to qualify for the Champions League, with Wolfsburg in third and four points clear of Frankfurt who are in fourth. The side in closest proximity to the top four is a toiling Borussia Dortmund outfit, who are seven points behind.

For Wolfsburg, a win here would surely be enough to guarantee elite European football again next term. After finishing seventh last season, they’ve pushed on again under the guidance of manager Oliver Glasner, boasting the joint-best defensive record in the division. If results go their way this weekend, they could find themselves in second place.

Frankfurt have also built on last season’s mid-table finish. While Wolfsburg have based their season on a strong defensive setup, Adi Hutter’s team are much more enterprising, with only Bayern scoring more goals than them in 2020-21. The front two of Andre Silva and Luka Jovic have proven too hot for many Bundesliga defenses to cope with.

Strasbourg vs. Paris Saint-Germain

Saturday, April 10, 11 a.m. ET, beIN SPORTS, Fanatiz, fuboTV, Sling Latino and Vidgo

While PSG are flying in the Champions League, domestically they’ve had big issues this season and they’ll be seeking to put that right against Strasbourg on Saturday.

PSG suffered a major blow in their pursuit of the title last weekend, when they were beaten by Lille. Not only did Lille move three points clear of the Parisians at the top with a win, Neymar was sent off for Mauricio Pochettino’s team and he will be subsequently banned for this encounter.

Even so, PSG showed what they are capable of in midweek, when they produced a brilliant counter-attacking performance to beat European champions Bayern Munich 3-2. Kylian Mbappe was once again the star of the show with two goals and he’ll be bristling with confidence for this important game.

Strasbourg have little to play for, as they’re sat in 13th and seven points clear of relegation trouble. It means there’s no excuse for PSG, who will have to react to Lille’s result at Metz on Friday night.

Real Madrid vs. Barcelona

Saturday, April 10, 3 p.m. ET, beIN SPORTS, beIN SPORTS en Español, Fanatiz, fuboTV, Sling Latino and Vidgo

Real Madrid and Barcelona have done brilliantly to claw themselves back into title contention in LaLiga. Saturday’s Clásico in the capital could provide a major springboard for one of them to reel Atletico in.

Barcelona are the form team in LaLiga going into this fixture, winning their last six matches and going 19 games without defeat in the top flight. After a challenging start to the campaign, manager Ronald Koeman has found a formula and they are just one point back on leaders Atletico going into this crucial round of fixtures.

The Catalans should be fresher for this match, as Real played Liverpool in the Champions League on Tuesday. Zinedine Zidane would have been encouraged by the way his team played though, turning in arguably their standout performance of the season in a 3-1 win; he will hope his experienced players are clicking into gear at the perfect time, as they have done so often before.

With nine games to go in the season, the result of this Clásico won’t necessarily be decisive in ruling a side of the title race. But after both sides have made up a lot ground on Atletico over such a long period, a defeat may prove to be difficult to recover from.

Tottenham vs. Manchester United

Sunday, April 11, 11:30 a.m. ET, Peacock Premium

The pressure is building on Tottenham Hotspur and Jose Mourinho, who welcome Manchester United to north London this weekend for what should be a tense fixture.

Spurs were well below their best last time out, as Newcastle grabbed a deserved 2-2 draw. Mourinho was noticeably agitated after the game, bemoaning his players’ struggles at seeing out matches by defending without organisation and aggression.

Nevertheless, they are well in the hunt for a top-four finish, with just three points separating them and West Ham United in fourth. With Harry Kane in form they are capable of scoring at any time too; the England captain’s brace at Newcastle took his goal tally to 19 for the Premier League season, to go with an impressive haul of 13 assists too.

United have been excellent away from home this term and are secure in second going into this round of fixtures. After their Europa League clash with Granada on Thursday, some changes may be needed to keep the team fresh for what should be a big test at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Real Betis vs. Atletico Madrid

Sunday, April 11, 3 p.m. ET, beIN SPORTS, beIN SPORTS en Español, Fanatiz, fuboTV, Sling Latino and Vidgo

There’s a sense of Atletico Madrid’s season unravelling at the moment and manager Diego Simeone will want his players to put things right at Real Betis on Sunday.

Atletico know that at least one of, if not both of, their title rivals will drop points in the Clasico on Saturday, so there is a chance to bolster their lead to some degree. However, every match seems to be a toil for the Madrid club at the moment, with the pressure of leading the way clearly biting.

That much was evident last weekend, when they suffered defeat to Sevilla. Not only did they perform poorly, yellow cards for Marcos Llorente and Luis Suarez—arguably Atletico’s two best players this season—mean that they will miss Sunday’s match due to suspension.

That will be a boost to Betis, who will hope to follow the example of their Andalusian rivals from a week ago. They are in sixth place going into the weekend’s matches, dead level on points with Real Sociedad in fifth and Villarreal in seventh, and in a full-blooded fight for a Europa League spot.

It’s full steam ahead to the end of the domestic season in European football and there’s a fantastic slate of fixtures to get stuck into following its glorious return from the international break.

All kick offs are in Eastern time. Enjoy your weekend and enjoy the games!

Paris Saint-German vs. Lille

Saturday, April 3, 11 a.m. ET, beIN SPORTS Connect, Fanatiz, fuboTV, Sling World Sports and Vidgo

It’s the biggest game of the Ligue 1 season on Saturday, as Lille host Paris Saint-Germain with the two teams almost deadlocked at the summit of the table.

After an important win over Lyon before the international break, it’s PSG who have the advantage, with their superior goal difference giving them an edge over Lille. They’ve been inconsistent under new manager Mauricio Pochettino, but still have the firepower to get them out of trouble when it comes to Ligue 1 clashes.

Lille don’t have world-class talents like Neymar and Kylian Mbappe to rely upon. Instead, their surprise run to the top of the Ligue 1 table has been centered on a strong defense and astute in-game management. Manager Christophe Galtier has done a stellar job and will want to see his players bounce back from a disappointing loss to Nimes before the break.

The Parc des Princes represents a huge challenge for Lille though, especially as PSG will be sensing blood. If the defending champions can surge three points clear of Lille with a win here, it’s easy to see them putting distance between themselves and the chasing pack in the final eight games.

RB Leipzig vs. Bayern Munich

Saturday, April 3, 12:30 p.m. ET, ESPN2, ESPN Deportes, ESPN+, fuboTV, Sling Orange, Hulu + Live TV and Vidgo

If RB Leipzig are to provide serious competition to Bayern Munich at the top of the Bundesliga in the remaining weeks of the season, then it feels like a win over them is imperative on Saturday.

Bayern have hit form at the perfect time this term and have been able to build a four-point advantage over Leipzig at the top of the table. They flexed their muscles before the international break in spectacular fashion, racing into a 4-0 lead over Stuttgart despite seeing Alphonso Davies sent off early in the contest.

Leipzig have done well to keep pace for large parts of the season and have the tools to cause issues for Bayern. The one area of concern for manager Julian Nagelsmann will be finding the attacking formula to cause problems for a ropey Bayern defence; their top scorer in the league this season is on a meagre six goals.

Bayern’s top scorer has 35 by contrast, Robert Lewandowski. However, he will miss Saturday’s match with an injury issue and the league leaders will need to find a different route to goal as a result.

Arsenal vs. Liverpool

Saturday, April 3, 3 p.m. ET, NBCSN, Telemundo, Peacock Premium, fuboTV, Sling Blue and Hulu + Live TV

The most intriguing game of the Premier League weekend will come from the Emirates Stadium, with Arsenal and Liverpool looking to keep their respective European hopes alive.

The Gunners were able to salvage a positive result from a desperate situation before the international break, recovering from a 3-0 deficit to draw 3-3 with West Ham United. Although there are still clearly big issues to iron out for manager Mikel Arteta, the team does appear to be making important strides.

Liverpool were also winners in their last game, digging out a 1-0 win at Wolverhampton Wanderers. The man on the scoresheet that night was Diogo Jota and his return to the side has been welcomed by Reds supporters; he also netted three times for Portugal during the international break.

The Reds are in seventh spot going into the weekend fixtures, five points off the Champions League places. They’ll still be looking towards the top four, although a win for Arsenal on Saturday would move them to within a point of the defending Premier League champions.

Real Sociedad vs. Athletic Club

Saturday, April 3, 3:30 p.m. ET, ESPN+

After its suspension a year ago, the 2020 Copa del Rey final will be played on Saturday between Basque giants Real Sociedad and Athletic Club.

For both sets of supporters, the absence of a crowd represents a major shame, as each following brings a color and fervor to contests between these teams. However, the cities of Bilbao and San Sebastian are poised to come to a standstill on Saturday evening, with all watching on as the sides battle it out at La Cartuja in Seville.

Neither side comes into the game in the best form, with Sociedad losing their last two in La Liga and struggling for consistency after their excellent start to the season. Athletic are also without a win in three, although have shown an appetite for the big occasion already this year, beating Real Madrid and Barcelona on their way to the Spanish Super Cup.

The final of the 2021 edition of the competition will be played in two week’s time, with Athletic again involved against Barcelona. However, this showdown with their nearest and not-so-dearest is the one they’ll be desperate to emerge victorious from.

Sevilla vs. Atletico Madrid

Sunday, April 4, 3 p.m. ET, beIN SPORTS, beIN SPORTS en Español, Fanatiz, fuboTV, Sling Latino and Vidgo

The pressure was ramping up on Atletico before the international break and they’re straight back at it on Sunday, with a testing trip to Sevilla on the agenda for them in La Liga.

Having marched into a massive lead at the top earlier in the season, Atletico’s advantage has been slowly chipped away at in recent weeks. Going into the weekend’s matches, they now lead Barcelona by just four points and Real Madrid by six.

Atletico were 1-0 winners over Alaves in their last match before the international break, but they needed a brilliant late penalty save from Jan Oblak to keep them ahead. Manager Diego Simeone will hope the international break provided a chance for his players to refresh, as they were clearly feeling the effects of a long season beforehand.

If they are jaded then Sevilla have it in them to strike. Julen Lopetegui’s team are secure in fourth spot and subsequently the Champions League for next season, although they still have an outside chance of catching Real Madrid and finishing in the top three in the final 10 games.

There are five games from five separate competitions to savour this weekend, with local scores to settle, league places to gain and opportunities to be seized in cup tournaments.

All kick offs are in Eastern time. Enjoy your weekend and enjoy the games!

Brighton vs. Newcastle United

Saturday, March 20, 4 p.m. ET, Peacock Premium

This match may be the least glamorous of the five selected, but Brighton and Newcastle are in a desperate fight to stay afloat in the Premier League this season.

It’s Brighton who have the slight advantage going into this match at the Amex Stadium, sitting in 16th place, both a point and a place clear of Newcastle. After a rotten run, they were able to earn a crucial win at Southampton last weekend and plunge their upcoming opponents closer to the drop.

Newcastle are two points clear of the bottom three. Even so, there’s a sense of dread among their fanbase, with disillusionment with the manager and a succession of injury problems meaning it’s been hard to build momentum. They were at least able to avoid defeat last weekend, drawing 1-1 with Aston Villa thanks to Jamaal Lascelles’ stoppage-time goal.

With all the teams at the bottom finding the going tough, three points at the expense of a rival in this encounter would be enormous. For Brighton in particular, it feels like a massive chance to put some daylight between themselves and the relegation fight.

Celtic vs. Rangers

Sunday, March 21, 8 a.m. ET, ESPN+

For the first time in 10 years, Celtic will welcome Rangers to their home for an Old Firm game as Scottish champions.

The match will undoubtedly be the nadir in what has been a campaign to forget for Celtic, who spurned the chance to win what would’ve been a tenth successive title. Having been so dominant in Scotland for so many years, it’ll irk their supporters to be so far off the pace set by their bitter rivals.

As for Rangers and their manager Steven Gerrard, the match represents a chance to rub it in even more. They’ve dropped just 12 points in the SPL this season and are on course to go through the entirety of the term unbeaten.

Much of the discussion pre-match has been centred around whether Celtic will give Rangers a traditional guard of honour. At this point that gesture appears unlikely, with Gerrard’s players opting against one for Celtic themselves in a similar position last year.

Leicester vs. Manchester United

Sunday, March 21, 1 p.m. ET, ESPN+

It’s FA Cup quarter-final weekend in England, with Manchester United’s trip to Leicester City the standout match of the four.

After their Europa League exploits in Milan on Thursday, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer will be keen for his players to refocus their attention on another fight for silverware. They produced a professional performance to advance at the San Siro, with the returning Paul Pogba scoring the only goal of a tight game.

Brendan Rodgers will also place a lot of priority on this competition, with his team proving this season that they can mix it with the best in the Premier League. While they have a number of injury issues to contend with, Foxes fans will hope the week off will see them have a physical edge over the visitors.

When the two teams met at Leicester in the Premier League, they played out a gripping 2-2 draw. With the attacking talent set to take to the field, it’d be a major shock if we didn’t see another action-packed encounter.

Real Sociedad vs. Barcelona

Sunday, March 21, 4 p.m. ET, beIN SPORTS, beIN SPORTS en Español, Fanatiz, fuboTV, Sling Latino and Vidgo

Barcelona have clawed their way back into contention for the La Liga title in recent months and this visit to Real Sociedad represents one of their biggest tests between now and the end of the campaign.

Sociedad’s early-season hopes of a Champions League push have faded significantly as the campaign has gone on, although they still represent a big threat on home soil. Consistency has been a big problem for Imanol Alguacil’s team, but If they play to their best they are a match for anyone.

Barcelona have been able to find consistency as of late and at the moment they are playing the best football of Ronald Koeman’s tenure as manager. A 4-1 win over Huesca on Monday put them to within four points of leaders Atletico Madrid, who have seen a huge lead evaporate in recent weeks.

Crucially for the Blaugrana, Lionel Messi is enjoying his best spell of the campaign too and so often it’s the genial forward who proves to be the difference for Barcelona in these critical matches at the business end of the season.

Lyon vs. Paris Saint-Germain

Sunday, March 21, 4 p.m. ET, beIN SPORTS Connect, Fanatiz, fuboTV, Sling World Sports and Vidgo

Matches between Lyon and PSG are always significant in France, but it’s been a long time since these two Ligue 1 juggernauts played out a more significant game.

Going into the weekend the two sides are deadlocked on 60 points, three points shy of surprise leaders Lille. The leaders are at home to 19th-place Nimes earlier in the day, so will have likely built up a six-point gap at the top by the time this encounter kicks off.

The pressure is undoubtedly on PSG, who suffered a shock loss to Nantes last weekend at the Parc des Princes. Manager Mauricio Pochettino has steered his team into the quarter-finals of the Champions League, but relinquishing their domestic dominance will surely not be well received by supporters.

While they are one of the biggest names in French football, few anticipated Lyon to be so high up the table this late into a Ligue 1 season. If Rudi Garcia’s men can get three points here, then they will surely believe themselves to be in with a chance of their first title in 13 years.

Five matches. Four derby games. Across three continents. All on one day. Doesn’t get much better than that does it?

All kick offs are in Eastern time. Enjoy your weekend and enjoy the games!

Arsenal vs. Tottenham Hotspur

Sunday, March 14, 12:30 p.m. ET, NBCSN, Telemundo, fuboTV, Sling Blue and Hulu + Live TV

There’s a fascinating edge to this weekend’s North London derby, with Arsenal looking to get into the race for a European spot and Tottenham Hotspur trying to maintain their charge towards a top-four position.

After a difficult beginning to the year, in recent weeks Spurs have started to replicate the levels we witnessed from them earlier in the campaign. With Gareth Bale rejuvenated and Harry Kane in blistering form again, they have the attacking firepower to match any opponent in the league.

They will travel to the Emirates Stadium to face an Arsenal team that continue to have ups and downs under Mikel Arteta. Last weekend they were in total control of their match against Burnley, before a terrible error from Granit Xhaka allowed their hosts to equalize. Against Spurs, they will need to raise their levels to get any type of result.

Both teams were in action in the Europa League on Thursday and enjoyed comfortable victories. If they each go into this match with the mindset of winning, then it feels as though the goals could flow in the capital.

Manchester United vs. West Ham

Sunday, March 14, 3:15 p.m. ET, NBCSN, Universo, fuboTV, Sling Blue and Hulu + Live TV

West Ham will be looking to make a big statement in the race for a top-four berth on Sunday when they welcome Manchester United to Old Trafford.

The Red Devils showed how effective they are away from home last weekend, when they deservedly beat runaway leaders Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side may fluctuate in terms of their performance levels, but on the road they tend to get the job done.

West Ham will pose a different test to City. The foundation of the Hammers’ shock rise this season has been the organisation and aggression they operate with, meaning they will likely be happy to concede possession. With their excellent midfield base of Tomas Soucek and Declan Rice, they will seek to soak up pressure and then spring forward.

The Hammers should be fresher after United’s Europa League draw with AC Milan in midweek and if they can win on Sunday, they’d move to within three points of the Red Devils with a game in hand.

Sevilla vs. Real Betis

Sunday, March 14, 4 p.m. ET, beIN SPORTS en Español, fuboTV, Sling Latino and Vidgo

Sevilla and Real Betis will contest the Andulsian derby on Sunday and it’s a match that’ll have more than just local pride up for grabs.

Sevilla had long looked secure in the top four of La Liga, having been one of the most consistent teams in the league this season. However, they’ve stuttered recently, losing their last three matches domestically—including a dramatic defeat to Barcelona in the Copa del Rey—and suffering elimination to Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League this week.

It means they go into this derby in fourth and with only a three-point cushion to Real Sociedad a place back. A further place and three points back are Real Betis, who will be getting increasingly confident about sneaking into a Champions League berth.

At the moment, Betis are La Liga’s most in-form outfit, with four wins in succession propelling him up the table. On Monday, they produced a dramatic fightback to beat Alaves 3-2 and should be brimming with belief heading into this match at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan.

Boca Juniors vs. River Plate

Sunday, March 14, 5 p.m. ET, TyC Sports, fuboTV and Fanatiz

The supporters may add to the spectacle of the Superclasico more than any other fixture in world football, but any meeting between Boca and River at the Bombanera is worth tuning in for.

It’s early days in the Argentine Primera Division and after inconsistent beginnings to the season for both teams, they will each be seeking to use this encounter as a springboard for a prosperous run.

Of the two, it’s Boca who have been the most dependable in their four games, with two wins and two draws so far. Last weekend Miguel Russo’s mean really clicked into gear too, as they hammered Velez Sarsfield 7-1 away from home, with veteran forward Carlos Tevez among the scorers.

River also had a big win recently, hammering Racing Club 5-0 in the Super Cup. However, they were unable to back up that performance in the league last week, with Argentinos Juniors winning 1-0 at the Monumental thanks to a 91st-minute goal.

Chivas Guadalajara vs. Club America

Sunday, March 14, 10 p.m. ET, Telemundo, Universo and fuboTV

The cherry on the weekend comes from the Mexican top flight, with the country’s own Super Clasico set to go ahead between Chivas Guadalajara and Club America.

It’s America who will be the big favourites for this encounter, with former Real Madrid boss Santiago Solari steering them to a fine start to the campaign. After 10 games they are in second and only two points off top spot. While they may not be as free-flowing as last season, they boast a balance that’ll likely result in a more significant title push this term.

By contrast, Chivas have yet to get going. They are dwelling down in ninth and although they’ve only lost a couple of their 10 games so far, six draws would’ve no doubt frustrated the fanbase and their coach Víctor Manuel Vucetich.

With no supporters in attendance, this is another encounter that may lose some of its sparkle. But tensions tend to run high when these two teams come together and the sight of each other’s jersey’s should be enough to raise standards.

In European football’s major leagues, we’re at or beyond the two-thirds-point. It means ambitions are being zeroed in on and each match, especially between positional rivals, takes on that extra little bit of significance.

This weekend there are a lot of them. Manchester and Madrid will be focused on derby matches, while in Germany the two most prestigious teams in the country meet; elsewhere, there’s a clash between two surprise title contenders in France and a key contest in the Champions League fight in the Premier League.

All kick offs are in Eastern time. Enjoy your weekend and enjoy the games!

Bayern Munich vs. Borussia Dortmund

Saturday, March 6, 12:30 p.m. ET, ABC, ESPN+, ESPN Deportes, fuboTV, Sling TV and Hulu + Live TV

While the latest Klassiker doesn’t have title implications for both teams, Bayern Munich taking on Borussia Dortmund remains the most captivating game in Germany.

Bayern remain on track for yet another title, although RB Leipzig have been able to chop down the gap in recent weeks. Leipzig are a couple of points back on the leaders and could find themselves top of the pile if they can get a win over Freiburg earlier in the day.

Even so, Bayern are unlikely to be fazed by a challenge. While they haven’t been as consistent as they were last term, there’s a sense that when the big games do come around they produce their best. They have an excellent record in this fixture too, winning seven of the last eight Bundesliga meetings between the teams.

Dortmund may be underdogs here, but they need to find some consistency if they are going to finish in a Champions League berth. They are in fifth, three points behind Frankfurt in fourth spot; in the last couple of weeks they’ve started to look a little more like themselves, with four wins in a row in their last four competitions.

Atletico Madrid vs. Real Madrid

Sunday, March 7, 10:15 a.m. ET, beIN SPORTS, beIN SPORTS en Español, fuboTV, Sling World Sports, Sling Latino and Vidgo

It’s a huge weekend in the La Liga title race, with Atletico Madrid hosting Real Madrid at the Wanda Metropolitano.

Leaders Atletico have an advantage going into the clash, with a five-point lead over Real and Barcelona and a game less played. Going eight points clear of Los Blancos on Sunday would surely give Zinedine Zidane’s team too much work to do in defence of their crown.

Real will be kicking themselves for slipping up on Monday ahead of this game. Eventually, they were able to muster a point against Real Sociedad, with Vinicius Jr.’s late equalizer making it 1-1 on the night; while they bossed possession in the game, there’s still a lack of fluency about Zidane’s team.

After a wobble in recent weeks, Atletico produced an impressive performance to get back on track last weekend, winning 2-0 at Villarreal. A victory for Diego Simeone’s side in the derby would feel like a massive step towards their first Spanish top-flight title since 2014.

Manchester City vs. Manchester United

Sunday, March 7, 11:30 a.m. ET, NBCSN, Telemundo, fuboTV, Sling Blue and Hulu + Live TV

Manchester City will be out to continue their incredible winning run at the expense of their local rivals Manchester United on Sunday.

With their 4-1 success against Wolves on Wednesday, Pep Guardiola’s team made it 21 games won in a row in all competitions. It’s a streak that’s taken them into a 14-point point lead at the top of the table over the Red Devils and a victory on Sunday would be the gloss on an incredible spell for the Etihad Stadium outfit.

United shouldn’t be taken lightly though. While they’ve been frustrating in recent games—back-to-back 0-0 draws with Chelsea and Crystal Palace have dragged them back into the top-four battle—away from home they’re still incredibly hard to beat, having not lost on the road at all this season.

Still, this current City side provide a challenge that no other team can in the Premier League and it’d be a big surprise if they failed to extend their remarkable sequence further on Sunday.

Chelsea vs. Everton

Monday, March 8, 1 p.m. ET, NBCSN, fuboTV, Sling Blue and Hulu + Live TV

Chelsea and Everton both picked up massive wins on Thursday, setting up this clash at Stamford Bridge perfectly.

The Blues currently occupy fourth spot in the table, although Everton are only a point behind their opponents with a game in hand. It’s a contest that also promises to be an intriguing tactical battle between Toffees manager Carlo Ancelotti and Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel.

Chelsea do seem to be purring under their new coach, producing a brilliant performance to beat Liverpool at Anfield 1-0. While their primary ambition will be to finish in the top four in the Premier League, the manner in which they’re playing means they should be looking towards Manchester United and Leicester.

Everton shouldn’t be discounted in their push for the Champions League either, as they have a canny manager in Ancelotti and a red-hot forward in Richarlison. They’ve also been excellent on the road this season, with no team in the division boasting more away wins.

We’re on the brink of a big weekend across European football, with more clarity to come on the destination of silverware and Champions League spots.

Coming up are two cracking games from the Premier League, another two from La Liga and a vital showdown in Serie A.

All kick offs are Eastern time. Enjoy your weekend and enjoy the games!

Manchester City vs. West Ham United

Saturday, February 27, 7:30 a.m. ET, NBCSN, Universo, fuboTV, Sling Blue and Hulu + Live TV

It’ll be West Ham’s turn to attempt to stop the Manchester City juggernaut on Saturday, as first meets fourth to begin a new Premier League weekend.

After their routine win over Borussia Monchengladbach in the Champions League on Wednesday, it’s now 19 victories in a row for Pep Guardiola’s imperious side. A 20th success in succession would put them 13 points clear of Manchester United and Leicester City, who each have testing matches this weekend.

West Ham can go into this match knowing the pressure is off, although they will be hopeful of getting something from the Etihad Stadium having enjoyed a remarkable campaign. They are currently well in the hunt for a Champions League spot, with David Moyes team defying the pre-season concerns over a possible relegation battle.

After playing Wednesday night, City might be a little bit jaded for the early kick off. However, Guardiola is close to having a fully-fit squad to call upon and even if he does rotate his side, the drop-off in quality will be minimal.

Sevilla vs. Barcelona

Saturday, February 27, 10:15 a.m. ET, beIN SPORTS, beIN SPORTS en Español, Fanatiz, fuboTV, Sling World Sports, Sling Latino and Vidgo

The two most in-form sides in La Liga go head-to-head in Andalusia on Saturday, with Sevilla hosting Barcelona at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan.

Although both teams recently suffered disappointing home losses in the Champions League, domestically they’ve found things a lot easier. Sevilla are on the hunt for what would be a seventh win in succession—three points here would take them above Barcelona— while their visitors are now on a 14-game run without a loss.

Barcelona won’t feel totally out of the title race yet, as they’re only five points off Atletico Madrid, who still have a game in hand. However, there’s still a feeling that a poor result isn’t too far away for this team, as was the case when they were well beaten 4-1 at the Camp Nou by Paris Saint-Germain.

Sevilla also have positive recent memories of playing Barcelona, winning 2-0 in the recent first-leg of their Copa del Rey semi-final. Saturday’s clash will actually be the first of two meetings in quick succession for these two outfits, with the second leg of that encounter to be played on Wednesday.

Chelsea vs. Manchester United

Sunday, February 28, 11:30 a.m. ET, NBCSN, Telemundo, fuboTV, Sling Blue and Hulu + Live TV

Chelsea can thrust themselves back into major contention for the top four on Sunday, when second-place United visit Stamford Bridge.

Overall it’s been a brilliant start to life with the Blues for Thomas Tuchel. Having won four and drawn one of their five Premier League matches with him at the helm, they produced their best performance of his short tenure on Tuesday, winning 1-0 against Atletico Madrid; the Premier League side were in complete control against the La Liga pace-setters.

United should be the fresher of the two teams on Sunday, as they were able to rest a number of players for their Europa League second leg with Real Sociedad. Manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer will hope the break for some key men can give them an edge, as they’ve been a little inconsistent in recent weeks.

When the two sides met earlier in the campaign they played out a cagey 0-0 draw. But with United seeking to keep pace with City and Chelsea much improved since their change of manager, the return fixture in the capital should be a lot more watchable.

Roma vs. Milan

Sunday, February 28, 2:45 p.m. ET, ESPN+

Back-to-back losses in Serie A for Milan have seen them surrender top spot to Inter and they need a performance on Sunday to ensure they stay in contention for the Scudetto.

Last week, Milan were hammered 3-0 by their city rivals and didn’t resemble the team that has led the way for so long in the Italian top flight this term. While they remain in second place, with Inter up against Genoa earlier in the day at San Siro, there’s every chance the deficit could be extended come kick off.

Any slender hopes Roma had earlier in the season of winning the title have faded lately, with Paulo Fonseca’s team lacking the consistency needed to keep pace with the elite sides. However, they remain in the top four going into this weekend and on home soil they have been excellent this term, boasting the best home record in the division.

There’s a precedent for these two teams playing out thrilling matches too. At San Siro, the two were involved in a thrilling 3-3 draw.

Villarreal vs. Atletico Madrid

Sunday, February 28, 3 p.m. ET, beIN SPORTS, beIN SPORTS en Español, Fanatiz, fuboTV, Sling World Sports, Sling Latino and Vidgo

Atletico Madrid are currently enduring their first major wobble of the 2020-21 season, making this clash with Villarreal a crucial one to keep their domestic season on track.

Atletico have been beset by injury issues recently, as well as a Covid-19 outbreak in the squad. Nevertheless, manager Diego Simeone would’ve wanted to see more from his players against Chelsea in the Champions League and last weekend when they were beaten 2-0 by Levante.

The Levante slip-up allowed Real Madrid to cut down the deficit to their local rivals at the top of the table, with Atletico’s lead now only three points, albeit with a game in hand. Simeone will be desperate to keep the champions at arm’s length, as they have the experience his Atletico team lack when it comes to La Liga pushes.

Villarreal away is traditionally one of the toughest La Liga fixtures, but this may be a good time for Atletico to take them on. They may sit in sixth going into the weekend, although Unai Emery’s team are on a six-game run without a win.

There are big games and derby games wherever you look in Europe this weekend, as we gear up for one of the most fascinating set of fixtures of the season.

There are two games from Serie A, a league with what is now comfortably the most exciting title race on the continent. Elsewhere, there are bitter local scores to settle in the Premier League and the Bundesliga, before the weekend is rounded off with a huge clash from France.

All kick offs are in Eastern time, enjoy the weekend and enjoy the games!

Liverpool vs. Everton

Saturday, February 20, 12:30 p.m. ET, NBC, Universo, fuboTV, Sling Blue and Hulu + Live TV

Liverpool will be out to end their recent poor form in the Premier League on Saturday night, when they welcome an inconsistent Everton team to Anfield.

The Reds may have earned a commendable 2-0 win over RB Leipzig in midweek, but domestically they are enduring a torrid run, with three successive defeats behind them. Manager Jurgen Klopp will be encouraged by some recent displays though, not to mention Liverpool’s dominant record in this fixture down the years.

Everton’s push for a top-four spot has stuttered as of late, suffering back-to-back losses to Fulham and Manchester City before this one. However, they have been dangerous away from home in 2020-21, with their last away loss coming on November 1; they have taken 17 points from a possible 21 in their previous matches away from Goodison Park.

That form may indicate Everton have a chance in this one, although history shows just how big a task this will be for Carlo Ancelotti’s team. They haven’t won at Anfield since 1999 and haven’t been in front at the stadium since 2012.

Schalke vs. Borussia Dortmund

Saturday, February 20, 12:30 p.m. ET, ESPN+

Fresh from a memorable 3-2 win over Sevilla in the Champions League, Borussia Dortmund will be out to pour more misery on the rivals Schalke in a campaign to forget.

Erling Haaland continued to add to his glowing reputation for Dortmund on Wednesday, as he struck twice in the impressive success over the La Liga side. Interim manager Erdin Terzic will hope that the striker can carry that form into their domestic matches, where things haven’t been going quite so well.

Dortmund are down in sixth going into the derby with just one win in their last six top-flight outings. However, a match with Schalke represents a perfect opportunity to add some momentum back into their campaign.

Schalke appear doomed at the foot of the table, with a solitary victory to show from their 21 games. With nine points between them and the relegation playoff spot, manager Christian Gross will know the team’s recovery needs to start this weekend.

AC Milan vs. Inter Milan

Sunday, February 21, 9 a.m. ET, ESPN+

The biggest Milan derby in a decade? It certainly feels so, as Inter and AC Milan go into this showdown first and second in the Serie A standings respectively.

Milan have led the way for much of the campaign, although they relinquished their grip on top spot last weekend after a 2-0 defeat to newly-promoted Spezia. They also had a draining game in the Europa League on Thursday, drawing 2-2 with Red Star Belgrade in a pulsating contest.

Inter were the beneficiaries of Milan’s loss last weekend and an accomplished performance against an in-form Lazio saw them move up into top spot. With Juventus off the pace and other sides struggling for champion-like consistency, a win for Antonio Conte’s team would make them massive favorites for the Scudetto.

Not only is top spot up for grabs, both teams will be out to settle some scores after an ill-tempered meeting in the Coppa Italia last time they met. The nose-to-nose clash between Romelu Lukaku and Zlatan Ibrahimovic has been immortalized as a mural in Milan ahead of this showpiece encounter.

Atalanta vs. Napoli

Sunday, February 21, 12 p.m. ET, ESPN+

Thoughts of a title push may be beyond Atalanta and Napoli, but the attacking quality on the field on Sunday means this isn’t one to be missed.

Napoli remain infuriatingly inconsistent but showed a dogged determination to compliment their attacking flair last weekend when they battled to a 1-0 win over Juventus. It kept them within a point of the Bianconeri and if Gennaro Gattuso can find a dependable formula, they have the personnel to comfortably finish in the top four.

Atalanta are in sixth and level on points with their opponents going into this encounter. Gian Piero Gasperini’s team have been let down by too many draws this term, although when they’re in full flight it’s difficult for any outfit to contain them.

The two sides will know each other well too, having played each other twice already this month—they drew 0-0 in Serie A, before Atalanta got the best of a Coppa Italia quarter-final, winning 3-1. If Gattuso’s side can find a way through this tussle, it’d feel like a significant sign of progress.

Paris Saint-Germain vs. Monaco

Sunday, February 21, 3 p.m. ET, beIN SPORTS, Fanatiz, fuboTV, Sling World Sports and Vidgo

Fresh from their historic win over Barcelona in the Champions League, PSG will turn their attention back to the domestic title battle on Sunday when they welcome a rejuvenated Monaco to the capital.

Mauricio Pochettino would’ve been delighted with the way his side performed at the Camp Nou, dominating Barcelona and surely putting the tie beyond doubt with a rampant 4-1 win. While there will be some tired legs in the squad after a huge effort, confidence will surely be sky-high among the players.

While that’s a worry for Monaco, they will be confident of causing problems for the champions. Since their title-winning season in 2017, this is arguably the best the principality club have looked, with last weekend’s draw to Lorient ending a run of seven straight Ligue 1 wins.

Following his iconic hat-trick against Barcelona, all eyes will be on Kylian Mbappe again on Sunday against his former club. If he performs anywhere near to the standard he did on Tuesday, then a long night is on the cards for the visitors.

As we rattle past the halfway stage in a number of European football’s elite leagues, results are starting to take on added significance in the fight for titles and Champions League qualification.

It makes this set of encounters all the more intriguing, with so many teams’ campaigns seeming to sit on a knife edge. We’ve got two eye-catching showdowns from the Premier League, another pair from Serie A and a meeting between two of Spain’s biggest names thrown in for good measure.

All kick offs are Eastern time. Enjoy your weekend and enjoy the games!

Leicester City vs. Liverpool

Saturday, February 13, 7:30 a.m. ET, NBCSN, Universo, fuboTV, Sling Blue and Hulu + Live TV

The remaining shreds of hope Liverpool had of defending their title were set alight by a rampant Manchester City last time out and the Reds face another daunting challenge at Leicester in the first match of the Premier League weekend.

Liverpool have a number of centre-back injuries to contend with at the moment, but there’s an undeniable lack of spark in their play too. Not only is there an uncertainty at the back, the formidable trio of Mohamed Salah, Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane appear jaded.

With the champions now surely looking at a top-four finish rather than top spot, Leicester will see Jurgen Klopp’s team as a direct rival. Former Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers will feel as though his players can add to the poor form the visitors have been enduring too; a win for the Foxes would see them move six points clear of the Reds.

Last season, Liverpool produced arguably their best performance of the title-winning campaign when they hammered a then-second Leicester 4-0 at the King Power. Those levels feel a long way away for Klopp’s side at the moment, but victory here would be a big step forward after a challenging spell for the team.

Napoli vs. Juventus

Saturday, February 13, 12 p.m. ET, ESPN+

Napoli and Juventus have both endured disappointing seasons by their own high recent standards, meaning both outfits will be desperate for three points here to ignite their campaigns.

Juventus will feel as though they could yet win the Serie A title. Despite being slow out of the blocks under new manager Andrea Pirlo, some important wins and missteps from the sides ahead of them in the division mean they are still only seven points off top with a game in hand. They also boast a collection of players who know what’s required to come through in pressure situations.

Aside from Juventus, Napoli boast one of the best squads in the Italian top flight, but as of yet manager Gennaro Gattuso has not been able to get a consistent tune out of his players. They go into this weekend in sixth and knowing Champions League qualification is a bare minimum come the end of the season.

Napoli’s fortunes could turn around quickly with a win on Saturday, as there’s only a five-point gap to their opponents. Juventus will be narrow favorites for the contest, although it’s difficult to know what to expect from either of these two sides at the moment.

Manchester City vs. Tottenham

Saturday, February 13, 12:30 p.m. ET, NBC, Universo, fuboTV, Sling Blue and Hulu + Live TV

With their 4-1 win at Anfield last weekend, Manchester City are in total control of the Premier League title race and will be favorites to take another step towards glory when Tottenham Hotspur come to town on Saturday evening.

City have been mechanical in their recent matches, as a 3-1 win over Swansea City in the FA Cup made it 15 consecutive wins in all competitions. With the defense secure and the attack starting to purr, there’s an ominous feeling about Pep Guardiola’s team and what they can accomplish this term.

Spurs don’t appear as sure of themselves, as was evidenced by their 5-4 loss to Everton on Wednesday in a thrilling FA Cup tie. While there was a lot more spark in attack from Jose Mourinho’s men, they were consistently undone by defensive sloppiness and individual errors. That’s something they will need to stamp out if they’re to get anything on Saturday.

When the two teams met earlier in the season, it was Spurs who prevailed in a professional 2-0 win against a toothless City. But plenty has shifted since then and you sense Mourinho would be delighted if his team could emerge from the Etihad with a point to show for their efforts.

Real Madrid vs. Valencia

Sunday, February 14, 10:15 a.m. ET, beIN SPORTS, beIN SPORTS en Español, Fanatiz, fuboTV, Sling World Sports, Sling Latino and Vidgo

Atletico Madrid’s draw with Celta Vigo on Monday meant the door has been left a little ajar for Real Madrid in the La Liga title race, but they will need to be practically perfect between now and the end of the campaign.

Los Blancos go into this game with Valencia having chopped the gap down to Atletico to five points, although the leaders do still have two games in hand. A testing trip to Granada for Diego Simeone’s side may give Real the opportunity to make further inroads on Sunday too.

Overall, it’s been a season of inconsistency for Zinedine Zidane’s team, with potentially promising runs punctured by shock losses. One of those was at home to Levante earlier this month, although they’ve responded well with back-to-back victories over Huesca and Getafe.

In the past, Valencia would’ve been a dangerous game for the home team, but this term they’ve been struggling near the relegation zone. Los Che are in 12th and only four points off the drop, but they did beat Madrid 4-0 in a remarkable game when the sides met at the Mestalla earlier in the season.

Inter Milan vs. Lazio

Sunday, February 14, 2:45 p.m. ET, ESPN+

There are a number of teams who will still fancy their chances of getting in the mix for the Scudetto in Italy; fifth-place Lazio, who travel to second-place Inter, are one.

Having found the going tough earlier in the season, Lazio have emerged as a force again in recent weeks, striking the trademark balance that has made them a force to be reckoned with under Simone Inzaghi. With six top-flight wins registered in a row, they are a dangerous opponent for Inter.

The hosts will know how tricky this match promises to be and it’s the kind of contest they need to come through if they’re to end up top of the pile come May.

As much as Inter have shown some vulnerabilities at times this term, in Serie A they remain a tough nut to crack. The visitors will be looking to hand the Nerazzurri just their second loss in 18 league matches on Sunday evening.

It’s coming thick and fast at the moment isn’t it?

The majority of Europe’s top leagues are catering for midweek and weekend matches at the moment, meaning legs are tired and games are stretched. It’s made for a lot of turgid encounters, but some encapsulating ones too.

This weekend there are showdowns from Germany, Spain and Italy to get stuck into, as well as two from the Premier League.

All kick offs are in Eastern time. Enjoy your weekend and enjoy the games!

Arsenal vs. Manchester United

Saturday, January 30, 12:30 p.m. ET, NBC, Telemundo, fuboTV, Sling Blue and Hulu + Live TV (free trial)

An intriguing game is on the cards at the Emirates Stadium, with a rejuvenated Arsenal team up against a stuttering Manchester United.

The Red Devils appeared to have a routine task going back to the summit of the Premier League on Wednesday, but they were beaten at home by rock-bottom Sheffield United. It was a match reminiscent of earlier in the campaign for United and the defensive sloppiness in their play will worry manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

They will be facing a much-improved Arsenal too. After enduring a mid-season slump under Mikel Arteta the Gunners have picked up the pace again in recent weeks, winning five and drawing one of their last six Premier League matches. In Bukayo Saka, they have one of the division’s most exciting young talents too.

United have been frequently talked about as possible title contenders this term. If they are to last the pace, responses to setbacks like they suffered in midweek are imperative. Arsenal will sense blood and a possible push for European football in the second half of the season.

RB Leipzig vs. Bayer Leverkusen

Saturday, January 30, 12:30 p.m. ET, ESPN+

Second hosts third in the Bundesliga on Saturday night, with Leipzig and Leverkusen in a fight to be the best of the rest this term.

Realistically, the title hope has gone for both of these teams, as losses last weekend coupled with a win for Bayern Munich left them seven points and 10 points off the pace respectively. Nevertheless, this should still be an entertaining occasion at Red Bull Arena.

Leipzig would have been especially frustrated with their 3-2 defeat to Mainz last weekend, as they had twice taken the lead in the game only to be pegged back. Julian Nagelsmann’s team has been so strong in defence in 2020-21 and he’ll be hoping the leaking of goals last week was just a temporary aberration.

Leverkusen are clinging on to third place having struggled in recent weeks. Their home loss to Wolfsburg made if four defeats in seven games and while they may have the attacking variety to cause problems for Leipzig on Saturday, keeping their hosts out may be too much of an ask on recent evidence.

Atalanta vs. Lazio

Sunday, January 31, 9 a.m. ET, ESPN2, ESPN Deportes, fuboTV, Sling Orange and Hulu + Live TV (free trial)

The Serie A title race has a fascinating look to it as things stand. Both Atalanta and Lazio will feel capable of putting themselves in the mix over the coming weeks, as they meet for the second time in five days.

The two played out a thriller in the Coppa Italia quarter-final on Wednesday, with Atalanta edging the contest 3-2 despite seeing Jose Luis Palomino sent off in the second half.

At the moment, it’s Atalanta who appear the most likely of the two to tussle for the Scudetto. La Dea may have sold their long-time star forward Papu Gomez to Sevilla, but they showed they still have attacking potency with a masterful 3-0 win over AC Milan last weekend at the San Siro.

It was the kind of performance that will give them confidence of pushing into contention for top spot, although it’s important they back it up with a strong display against an improved Lazio team; they’ve won four in a row in the league. After all, the capital club can go above their hosts this weekend if they were to win in Bergamo.

West Ham United vs. Liverpool

Sunday, January 31, 11:30 a.m. ET, Peacock Premium

The Premier League’s other standout game comes from the London Stadium on Sunday, with the season’s surprise package West Ham welcoming champions Liverpool.

The Reds got back to winning ways on Thursday night, when they were able to dispatch of a below-par Tottenham team 3-1. Having struggled for fluency in the final third in 2021, manager Jurgen Klopp would’ve been pleased to see Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino back on the scoresheet again.

Based on recent evidence, West Ham are likely to provide stiffer opposition for Liverpool than their city rivals. David Moyes’ team have been in excellent form recently, with their 3-2 win over Crystal Palace in midweek temporarily taking them into the top four.

The Hammers’ brilliant recent form means they can take a free swing at Liverpool on Sunday, although you suspect they’ll look to be compact and counter. The worry for West Ham will be that Liverpool have been much improved in attack in their last two games and confidence will be up again after their fine win on Thursday.

Barcelona vs. Athletic Club

Sunday, January 31, 3 p.m. ET, beIN SPORTS, beIN SPORTS en Español, Fanatiz, fuboTV, Sling World Sports, Sling Latino and Vidgo (free trial)

Barcelona will be looking to keep their slim title hopes alive on Sunday, when they welcome Athletic Bilbao to the Nou Camp.

The two sides recently met in the final of the Spanish Super Cup and it was Athletic who had the edge in that fixture, with Inaki Williams’ stunning goal in extra time seeing the Basque team home 3-2.

Since that success, which also saw Athletic beat Real Madrid, Marcelino has steered them to three successive wins in all competitions, including an impressive 5-1 trouncing of the usually diligent Getafe. They will travel to Barcelona believing the firepower is there to cause some big issues.

The Blaugrana have found a winning formula in the league as of late, with five wins in succession helping them up to fifth spot. Even so, there’s a 10-point gap to leaders Atletico Madrid—who have a game in hand too—meaning that there is practically no room for slip-ups if Ronald Koeman’s team are to give themselves a fighting chance come the run-in.

There’s been a lot of football over the last few days. Still, I bet you want a bit more, don’t you?

On Friday, Saturday and Sunday there are contests to savor. The FA Cup draw has churned out some eye-catching affairs, while there are big games at the top of the table in both Germany and Italy to keep you engrossed.

All kick offs are in Eastern time. Enjoy your weekend and enjoy the games!

Borussia Monchengladbach vs. Borussia Dortmund

Friday, January 22, 2:30 p.m. ET, ESPN+

The selections get underway with an intriguing match from Germany’s top flight as Borussia Monchengladbach host Borussia Dortmund.

For Monchengladbach boss Marco Rose, it’s likely to be an especially pertinent occasion, as he is widely anticipated to be the man who will take over at the Westfalenstadion on a permanent basis next season. That’s after Dortmund sacked Lucien Favre, who also managed Monchengladbach, earlier in the campaign.

In Monchengladbach, Dortmund will have a serious opponent to overcome. Although the hosts are renowned for their inconsistency, when they put things together they’re capable of playing some stellar attacking football; their memorable 3-2 win over Bayern Munich earlier this month is indicative of what they can do against sides who leave space to counter into.

A Champions League place appears to be the limit of Dortmund’s ambition this season, as they trail the leaders by 10 points. After a draw with Mainz and a midweek loss to Bayer Leverkusen, the onus is on them to get back to winning ways at a testing venue here.

Chorley Town vs. Wolverhampton Wanderers

Friday, January 22, 2:45 p.m. ET, ESPN+

The fourth round of the FA Cup gets going on Friday with a quintessential tie, with Premier League outfit Wolverhampton Wanderers visiting Chorley Town, who are in the sixth of the Football League.

The National League North side beat Derby County to make it to this stage, continuing their dream run in the competition. While the Rams were nowhere near full strength having been struck by a Covid-19 outbreak, Chorley’s players will relish the opportunity to test themselves against some of the best players in European football.

Wolves do have an abundance of class within their ranks, but they’ve shown vulnerabilities as of late that will give Chorley hope. They’ve been beaten in their last two Premier League games and are struggling to find the balance that has made them such a fearsome prospect in the last two Premier League campaigns.

Manager Nuno Santo will want to rest some key men for this encounter, although on an uneven pitch and with wild weather forecast, you sense Wolves supporters won’t want the coach to take any chances on what could possibly be an awkward night.

Milan vs. Atalanta

Saturday, January 23, 12 p.m. ET, ESPN+

The standout Serie A fixture of the weekend sees the surprise leaders AC Milan go up against the league’s great entertainers Atalanta.

While plenty have been waiting for Milan’s lead at the top to be gradually cut down, there don’t appear to be many signs of them wilting under the pressure of a title push. They lead their local rivals Inter by three points as we reach the halfway point of the 2020-21 term this weekend.

Milan do have the toughest test of all the teams vying for the Scudetto in Week 19 though, as Atalanta represent a nightmare opponent. Although they haven’t been quite as consistent this term, they retain an attacking ferocity and variety that few teams can match in Italian football. They’re on a nine-game run in Serie A without losing too.

One of the hallmarks of Milan’s surge to the top of the table has been their ability to find a way to win in challenging circumstances. If they grab three points here, it will feel like a big step towards a shock glory come the end of the season.

Schalke vs. Bayern Munich

Sunday, January 24, 9:30 a.m. ET, ESPN+

It’s bottom hosting top in the Bundesliga on Sunday, with Schalke looking to spring one of the biggest shocks in many years of German top-flight football against Bayern Munich.

Schalke may have finally won a league match a couple of weeks ago, but new manager Christian Gross has had to cope with familiar issues in the previous two games, where they’ve slumped to defeat. It means they remain rooted to the bottom of the table and eight points behind Cologne, who occupy the relegation playoff spot.

Bayern have endured some ups and downs this season, but they remain at the summit and four points clear of RB Leipzig. There have been some displays of complacency, having been beaten by Monchengladbach when they led 2-0 and losing to Bundesliga 2 team Holsten Kiel in the DFB-Pokal.

Even so, it would be a huge surprise if Schalke managed to take anything from this clash and if Bayern can get on the scoresheet early it may be a long afternoon for the home team.

Manchester United vs. Liverpool

Sunday, January 24, 12 p.m. ET, ESPN+

I know these two teams failed to deliver a watchable spectacle a week ago, but already the narratives around Manchester United and Liverpool have shifted so much in the space of a week.

Liverpool go into this FA Cup contest in dire need of a win. On Thursday, they were beaten at home in the Premier League for the first time since 2017 and the 1-0 surrender meant it’s now four games in a row in the League without scoring for the previously untouchable English champions.

After a 0-0 draw with Liverpool at Anfield on Sunday, United added clout to their title credentials with a 2-1 win at Fulham. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s squad is a fantastic groove at the moment and as we approach the business end of the campaign they appear ready to fight for silverware on multiple fronts.

Both managers would typically make big changes to their starting lineups at this stage of the FA Cup, but the high-nature showdown of the fixture should see both call on strong sides. With a winner required on the day, it should also be a lot more open than last week’s stalemate.

Derby matches, top-of-the-table encounters and cup finals. There’s not much more we could really ask for from this weekend if we’re being honest!

All kick offs are in Eastern time. Enjoy your weekend and enjoy the games!

Lazio vs. Roma

Friday, January 15, 2:45 p.m. ET, ESPN+

There’s a showdown in the Eternal City on Friday night to ignite this weekend of high-class action, with Lazio and Roma going head-to-head at the Stadio Olimpico.

While it was Lazio who emerged as serious contenders for the Scudetto last season, this term it’s the turn of Roma. Their hopes were checked a little last weekend after a thrilling 2-2 draw with Inter Milan, although they’re still just six points back on leaders AC Milan and manager Paulo Fonseca has the Giallorossi playing some thrilling football.

Lazio found it hard to get going in the early weeks of the season, although with seven points from the last nine available there are some signs that Simone Inzaghi’s team are rediscovering the levels of 2019-20. Win here and they’d only be three points behind their bitter rivals.

The Derby della Capitale is one of the fixtures in Europe that suffers most from the lack of supporters, who typically provide a colorful and raucous backdrop. But with a lot at stake under the Olimpico floodlights, this encounter should be one to savour for those watching on around the world.

Ajax vs. Feyenoord

Sunday, January 17, 10:45 a.m. ET, ESPN+

Like so many of European football’s biggest leagues, the Dutch top flight has a tight title race this season. Ajax and Feyenoord are both in the fight.

Even though there’s still plenty to play for in the Eredivisie, Ajax are the big favorites to finish top of the pile again after a big win on Thursday. They were locked 1-1 with Twente going into the final minute of their match, before veteran forward Klaas-Jan Huntelaar scored in the 90th and 91st minute to put the Amsterdam club three points clear at the top.

It’s Feyenoord who are in closest proximity to Ajax going into the weekend and boasting the division’s best defensive record, they’ll be confident of coming away from the capital with a result.

With just one loss in the league this season, Dick Advocaat’s side will undoubtedly be a tough nut to crack. Where they may struggle on Sunday and for the remainder of the season is finding to find the firepower to match that of their big rivals.

Liverpool vs. Manchester United

Sunday, January 17, 11:30 a.m. ET, Peacock Premium (free trial)

Anfield will play host to the biggest game in the Premier League so far this season on Sunday, with Manchester United heading to Liverpool as the division leaders.

When Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool side hammered Crystal Palace 7-0 in December, there was a sense of inevitability that they would waltz away with the title. However, they’ve run into trouble in recent weeks, suffering a loss to Southampton on the back of successive frustrating draws against West Bromwich Albion and Newcastle United.

Although it wouldn’t be a catastrophe for the Red Devils if they were to lose on Sunday, if they could take three points from Anfield it’d be a big statement. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has been able to get a tune out of the United players and has shrewdly rotated what is arguably the deepest squad in the division at the moment.

Liverpool have typically saved their best for these fixtures in recent years and while they have injuries in defence, it’d be a shock if they didn’t turn in a strong performance. It’ll be intriguing to see if this new version of United can keep pace with them and potentially push clear at the summit.

Inter Milan vs. Juventus

Sunday, January 17, 2:45 p.m. ET, ESPN+

After one of the biggest city derbies in Italy on Friday night, it’s the Derby d’Italia on Sunday, when Inter Milan will welcome defending champions Juventus to the San Siro.

It promises to be one of the most crucial matches in years between these great rivals. Juventus are clinging on in the fight for the Italian top-flight title, with seven points between them and AC Milan, who have played a game more. A win for Inter, who are four clear of the Bianconeri, would potentially put the holders out of the race.

Inter thrust themselves into contention with a string of six wins in a row over the festive period, but Antonio Conte has watched his team toil a little since then. Against Roma last weekend, they were able to carve out a number of opportunities despite having less of the ball; Conte will be concerned with the defensive frailties the team has showcased as of late though.

Juventus were 3-1 winners over Sassuolo last time out, although it took them a while to click into gear. Having given themselves hope in the Scudetto fight with a win at the San Siro against AC Milan recently, Andrea Pirlo will be looking to his big players to come to the fore again in a huge fixture.

Barcelona vs. Athletic Club

Sunday, January 17, 3 p.m. ET, ESPN, ESPN Deportes, ESPN+ (in Spanish), fuboTV, Sling Orange and Hulu + Live TV (free trial)

The Spanish Super Cup final takes place on Sunday, with Barcelona and Athletic Club meeting after a pair of thrilling semi-finals.

The Blaugrana needed penalties to eventually overcome Real Sociedad, with the teams locked at 1-1 beforehand. Manager Ronald Koeman would’ve been pleased to see his players prevail in such a high-pressure scenario without their talisman Lionel Messi; the iconic forward looks set to be fit for Sunday’s showpiece too.

In the other semi there was a shock, as the Basque giants were able to overcome Real Madrid 2-1. New manager Marcelino would have been delighted with the aggression and intensity his players showed, with Raul Garcia’s first-half brace putting the team in a strong position; Lois Blancos, despite the best efforts of Karim Benzema, were unable to recover.

The Estadio La Cartuja in Seville will host the final and with the running track around the outside and 60,000 empty seats, the atmosphere may be eerie for the players. Even so, there’s enough quality in both of these squads to give what’s been an intriguing mini-competition a memorable conclusion.

With the festive period getting smaller in the wing mirror, football across Europe will settle back into a much more familiar pattern in the coming weeks.

In England, it’s the FA Cup and the standout tie of the round features in our selection. Elsewhere, there are huge games at the top of the Bundesliga and Serie A, as well as two eye-catching tussles from La Liga.

All kick-offs are in Eastern time. Enjoy your weekend and enjoy the games!

Sevilla vs. Real Sociedad

Saturday, January 9, 8 a.m. ET, beIN SPORTS XTRA and Fanatiz (free trial)

Despite some early-season hope of a title push, expectations have been recalibrated a little for Sevilla and Real Sociedad ahead of this showdown at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan.

Of the two, it was Sociedad who appeared best equipped for that kind of challenge, although in recent weeks they’ve slipped out of form and down the table. There have been small signs of the San Sebastian side getting their act together again, with four points from their last two games, including a win over Athletic in the Basque derby.

Sevilla sit in sixth going into this showdown in Andalusia, but will feel confident about making their way back towards the top four. They trail their opponents by three points going into this weekend’s tussle, although have three games in hand on them.

The home side are proving tough to beat, although they aren’t necessarily free flowing in the attacking third at the moment. If Julen Lopetegui can find a way to bring some extra creativity into the setup, then Sevilla should be in the mix for a Champions League place for the duration of 2020/21.

Atletico Madrid vs. Athletic Club

Saturday, January 9, 10:15 a.m. ET, beIN SPORTS, beIN SPORTS en Español, Fanatiz, fuboTV, Sling World Sports, Sling Latino and Vidgo (free trial) MATCH POSTPONED

The standout fixture in Spain this weekend comes from the capital, where La Liga leaders Atletico Madrid will want to tighten their grip on top spot against Athletic.

It’s been a mixed week for Atletico, which started with a vital 2-1 win over Alaves in La Liga. A last-gasp goal from Luis Suarez proved to be the difference in a tight encounter and it ensured Atletico preserved a two-point lead to Real Madrid at the summit; Diego Simeone’s team have two games in hand too.

However, they were brought crashing down to earth in the Copa del Rey in midweek, as third-tier Cornella dumped them out of the competition in the second round. Even though the league appears to be the team’s priority this year, it’s hard to imagine Simeone being too happy with their efforts in the cup.

Athletic have had a turbulent campaign and after sacking Gaizka Garitano as manager, Marcelino took charge for the first time on Wednesday in a 3-2 defeat to Barcelona. With some more time to work with his team on the training pitch this week, the Basque giants should be able to make this an awkward night for their hosts.

RB Leipzig vs. Borussia Dortmund

Saturday, January 9, 12:30 p.m. ET, ESPN+

Bayern Munich returned to the top of the Bundesliga last weekend; if either RB Leipzig or Borussia Dortmund have designs on keeping pace with the champions, this encounter on Saturday will be significant.

At the moment, it’s Leipzig who appear better equipped for the long haul. Julian Nagelsmann has made his team the outstanding defensive outfit in Germany this season and with that foundation they have a chance of getting something out of every game.

Where they may need to show more is in attack. While the plan is clearly to share the goals around following the summer sale of Timo Werner, it’ll be a concern to the manager that left-back Angelino and forward Yussuf Poulsen are the team’s joint-top scorers in the Bundesliga this term with four goals.

For Dortmund, it feels like now or never if they are going to hold title ambitions, with eight points and six points separating them from Bayern and Leipzig respectively. Their inconsistency may cease in the coming weeks though, as Erling Haaland returned to the team and Jadon Sancho got back on the scoresheet last weekend.

Roma vs. Inter Milan

Sunday, January 10, 6:30 a.m. ET, ESPN+

The most exciting title race in Europe this season may well come in Serie A, with Inter Milan and Roma fully in the mix ahead of their meeting at the Stadio Olimpico this weekend.

Inter will feel as though they missed a huge opportunity in midweek, as a 2-1 loss to Sampdoria ended their run of six consecutive league wins. It also meant that AC Milan remained top of the pile despite their defeat to defending champions Juventus, who suddenly appear to be right in the mix once again.

What those results have also done is open the door for Roma, who have quietly strung together an impressive run and moved up into third. Victory on Sunday would be enough for the Gialorossi to move level on points with Antonio Conte’s team.

With Inter and Atalanta the only two teams in Serie A to have scored more times than Roma this season, this morning matchup in the Eternal City should be the perfect way to start off your Sunday.

Marine vs. Tottenham Hotspur

Sunday, January 10, 12 p.m. ET, ESPN+

As much as the match between eighth-tier Marine and Tottenham Hotspur represents perfectly what the FA Cup is about, it’s hard to not envisage what kind of occasion this would’ve been for the Merseyside club had supporters been allowed in.

Still, the community has rallied around the Crosby outfit, with former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher sponsoring the fixture, virtual tickets for the encounter sold and both the Reds and Everton offering their training facilities to the Northern Premier League team.

Marine beat Havant & Waterlooville to make it to this stage of the competition and while the challenge will be enormous for them, they’ll fancy their chances of causing some problems for what promises to be a much-changed Spurs team.

Jose Mourinho will surely make sweeping changes after his side’s League Cup semifinal win in midweek. However, it’s unlikely he’ll take anything lightly on Sunday, with the Tottenham manager always putting a huge emphasis on the domestic trophies.

As much as this time of year clearly takes a physical toll on our favorite footballers, if we’re being selfish it’s still the best time of the season to consume the Beautiful Game, isn’t it?

This weekend’s selections perfectly encapsulate what are intriguing situations across European football at the moment, with serious title races seemingly on the cards in Spain, Germany, England, Italy and France; one match from each league makes up the latest Top 5.

All kick offs are in Eastern time. Enjoy the weekend and enjoy the games!

Barcelona vs. Valencia

Saturday, December 19, 10:15 a.m. ET, beIN SPORTS, beIN SPORTS en Español, fuboTV, Sling World Sports, Sling Latino and Vidgo (free trial)

Back-to-back wins in La Liga have helped Barcelona steady the ship somewhat in recent weeks, but Valencia will be keen to plunge the Catalans back into crisis ahead of Christmas.

The Blaugrana may not have been anywhere near their free-flowing best in recent wins over Levante and Real Sociedad, although they are wins that’ll give under-pressure manager Ronald Koeman some room to breathe in the weeks to come.

Still, given their start to the season, there’s now an onus on Barcelona to be almost perfect if they’re to become a serious challenger for the La Liga title this term. Going into the weekend matches they are still six points behind leaders Atletico Madrid, having played a match more than the capital club.

Valencia are in need of a spark to get their season going again, with no wins in their last four. They’ve shown they can mix it with the top sides already this season though, with a 4-1 win over defending champions Real Madrid undoubtedly the highlight of their campaign.

Bayer Leverkusen vs. Bayern Munich

Saturday, December 19, 12:30 p.m. ET, ESPN+

When we think of potential title challengers to Bayern Munich in the Bundesliga, the mind immediately leaps to RB Leipzig or Borussia Dortmund. But it’s a different contender who has emerged as possible rivals to the champions ahead of a meeting with them this weekend.

Indeed, it’s Bayer Leverkusen leading the way in the German top flight. Despite the summer sales of key men in Kevin Volland and Kai Havertz, Leverkusen have found a way to flourish and in Leon Bailey, they have a rejuvenated winger who is one of the most exciting players in the division at the moment.

Bayern haven’t been absolutely at it as of late either. In midweek they needed goalkeeper Manuel Neuer to make an inspired save to help them through to a 2-1 win over Wolfsburg and Leverkusen will be out to seize on some of the vulnerabilities that have been on show occasionally in recent weeks.

The champions are still heavy favorites for the title as things stand, but if Leverkusen can land another blow on them here and move four points clear of them, then perhaps we can get excited about an overdue fight to the wire at the top of the Bundesliga.

Manchester United vs. Leeds United

Sunday, December 20, 11:30 a.m. ET, NBCSN, Telemundo, fuboTV, Sling Blue and Hulu + Live TV (free trial)

16 years on from their relegation from the top flight, Leeds United will renew their rivalry with Manchester United in the Premier League again on Sunday.

The two sides have met in cup competitions since and have won one game apiece—Leeds’ 1-0 win at Manchester United in 2010 in the FA Cup being the most memorable—but it’s been a while since the overall quality gap between these two sides was so small.

Leeds have been the great entertainers of this Premier League season and after some tough results they were able to hit their stride again in midweek, hammering Newcastle United 5-2. The intensity with which Marcelo Bielsa’s side played and the attacking combinations they were able to strike will have the Red Devils on alert.

As for United, on Thursday they battled to a 3-2 win over Sheffield United to keep in touch at the top of the Premier League table. Despite their issues this season, they are just five points back on leaders Liverpool with a game in hand.

Lazio vs. Napoli

Sunday, December 20, 2:45 p.m. ET, ESPN+

With the Serie A title race seemingly wide open this season, Lazio and Napoli will not want to be left behind by the pack of sides fighting for top spot.

At the moment it’s Lazio, who were in the race for the Scudetto for so long in 2019-20, who are in danger of missing out on the fight. Simone Inzaghi’s team have yet to find any real form in the early weeks of the campaign and lack the pinpoint balance that made them such a hard side to get the better of last season.

It’s why Napoli, who are in fourth and six points clear of Lazio in ninth, are the slight favourites heading to the Stadio Olimpico. Inter did a job on them last weekend in a 1-0 win, but overall Gennaro Gattuso’s team has the firepower to match almost any side in the top flight.

For Napoli, a win here would be of huge significance and would signify their seriousness as a possible challenger to Juventus, Inter and leaders AC Milan. If Lazio want to be included in that conversation, they need to put together a positive run of results from somewhere and Sunday would be a great place to start.

Lille vs. Paris Saint-Germain

Sunday, December 20, 3 p.m. ET, beIN SPORTS Connect, fuboTV, Sling World Sports and Vidgo (free trial)

Like Bayern and Juventus, Paris Saint-Germain are currently struggling to assert their dominance on a domestic league they’ve long dominated.

And like Bayern, this weekend PSG will face the team that’s taken a surprise lead. Lille have been fantastic as of late and their third win in a row on Wednesday—a 2-0 victory at Dijon—ensured they went into this weekend’s enormous clash as the league leaders too.

In previous seasons, you’d expect PSG to pick up their game and find a way to win in this fixture. However, with Neymar sidelined and the team seemingly struggling to maintain focus at crucial points in matches, it feels as though Lille have an excellent chance of extending their advantage over the defending champions to four points.

PSG still possess superior quality though and manager Thomas Tuchel would’ve been encouraged to see Moise Kean and Kylian Mbappe on the scoresheet against Lorient on Wednesday with their Brazilian star set for a spell on the sidelines.

Three derbies, one clash between a nation’s two biggest clubs and a major final. I don’t think these five matches need much more of an overall buildup really!

All kick-offs are in Eastern time. Enjoy your weekend and enjoy the games!

Manchester United vs. Manchester City

Saturday, December 12, 12:30 p.m. ET, NBC, Telemundo, fuboTV, Sling Blue, Hulu + Live TV

The Manchester United tombola will be rolled again on Saturday, when they host local rivals Manchester City at the end of a week to forget.

On Tuesday, the Red Devils were beaten 3-2 by RB Leipzig in the Champions League, a result that ends their progress in the competition. It was a loss that will condemn them to Thursday-night European football in the new year and has heaped the pressure further on manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

United are still capable of pulling big results out of the bag though and they have been able to get the better of their neighbors regularly in recent contests, winning three of the last four meetings in all competitions. With space to counter into, the likes of Bruno Fernandes and Marcus Rashford will always pose a big threat.

The match is a big test for City too, who have looked a little timid in these high-profile clashes away from home as of late. While they’ve yet to completely convince this season, a win in this encounter would make plenty consider them a lot more seriously when it comes to a title push in 2020-21.

Real Madrid vs. Atletico Madrid

Saturday, December 12, 3 p.m. ET, beIN SPORTS, beIN SPORTS en Español, Fanatiz, fuboTV, Sling Latino, Sling World Sports and Vidgo

In a huge week for Real Madrid, they’ve passed two of three major tests. However, Saturday’s meeting with city rivals Atletico Madrid may prove to be the most challenging of the trio.

Defeats to Alaves and Shakhtar Donetsk had put Zinedine Zidane’s position in jeopardy at the Santiago Bernabeu. However, they were dogged and determined in a 1-0 win at Sevilla last weekend before they dashed any fears of elimination from the Champions League with a comprehensive 2-0 win over Borussia Monchengladbach.

The focus will be on La Liga for the foreseeable future though and the defending Spanish champions have ground to make up after their ropey start. Atletico are leading the way going into this weekend’s match and have a six-point lead over Real, with a game in hand too.

Diego Simeone’s team have been comfortably the best side in La Liga this term, with a meagre two goals conceded from their 10 games. A win at the Bernabeu on Saturday would surely put an end to their rivals’ hopes of a successful title defense and with Barcelona also toiling, make them the odds-on favorites to finish top of the pile after 38 rounds.

Seattle Sounders vs. Columbus Crew

Saturday, December 12, 8:41 p.m. ET, FOX, UniMas, TUDN, fuboTV, Sling Blue, Hulu + Live TV

The 2020 Major League Soccer season is poised to come to a dramatic conclusion on Saturday night, with Columbus Crew facing Seattle Sounders in the MLS Cup final.

With a minute left of their conference final match with Minnesota United, the Sounders were 2-1 down and on their way out. However, they launched one of the most incredible comebacks in playoff history to advance, with Raul Ruidiaz equalising in the 89th minute and Gustav Svensson sparking wild scenes in the 93rd minute with a winner.

Columbus, by contrast, have settled in a professional mode in their most recent knockout games. Defensively they’ve been secure, with a 2-0 win after extra time against Nashville and a 1-0 win over New England Revolution seeing them progress to Saturday’s showpiece.

The Crew will now have the chance to win their second MLS Cup on home turf, while the visitors will feel the momentum is with them to clinch a third after their conference final heroics.

Crystal Palace vs. Tottenham Hotspur

Sunday, December 13, 9:15 a.m. ET, NBCSN, Universo, fuboTV, Sling Blue, Hulu + Live TV

This meeting between Palace and Spurs may not jump out of the fixture list like some of the other matches on the calendar this weekend, but the longer you linger on it the more intriguing a prospect it becomes.

Palace have found their attacking mojo in recent weeks for starters. Last weekend they trounced West Bromwich Albion 5-1 and while they were aided by a red card for the newly-promoted side, the potency of Wilfried Zaha and Christian Benteke up top would have caused problems to the majority of defensive setups.

It’s why this match feels like a big litmus test for Tottenham. After their clinical win over Arsenal a week ago, discussions over a possible title push for Jose Mourinho and his player are beginning to gather pace. With Harry Kane and Son Heung-min the most potent partnership in world football at the moment, that’s no surprise.

Fixtures like this one on Sunday will go a long way to determining whether Tottenham can stay the course though. Palace have long been considered as far from ideal opponents for the division’s elite sides and will fancy their chances of springing another shock here.

Paris Saint-Germain vs. Lyon

Sunday, December 13, 3 p.m. ET, beIN SPORTS Connect, Fanatiz, fuboTV, Sling World Sports and Vidgo

For now, it’s tight at the top of the French top flight and Lyon will want to keep it that way when they make the trip to Paris on Sunday.

The visitors have slipped into an exciting groove in recent weeks, winning their last four matches in the league and moving up into third position as such. They are just two points behind leaders PSG and will spark a lot of excitement among their fanbase if they were to continue the winning run at the Parc des Princes.

Although PSG have shown some vulnerabilities this season, they remain a force of nature from an attacking point of view. Worryingly for Lyon, Neymar and Kylian Mbappe enjoyed some of their best football of the season on Wednesday too, with the former grabbing a hat-trick in the 5-1 win over Istanbul Basaksehir.

As much as it’s anticipated PSG will eventually surge clear at the top of the table, Lyon have it in them to make matters interesting at least. Neutral fans of European football would certainly welcome an overdue fight for Ligue 1 this season.

Crucial clashes in title races, iconic derby matches and some supporters back in stadiums in the Premier League. All the hallmarks are there for an exciting weekend.

We’ve got a couple of matches from England’s top flight, plus one each from Serie A, La Liga and the Bundesliga.

All the kick offs are in Eastern time. Enjoy your weekend and enjoy the games!

Sevilla vs. Real Madrid

Saturday, December 6, 10:15 a.m. ET, beIN SPORTS, beIN SPORTS en Español, Fanatiz, fuboTV, Sling World Sports, Sling Latino and Vidgo (free trial)

The first of our quintet of selections may well be the most important one, with the pressure intensifying on Real Madrid ahead of their trip to face Sevilla.

Los Blancos followed up their 2-1 loss to Alaves in La Liga last weekend with a defeat to Shakhtar Donetsk in midweek, putting their position in the Champions League knockout stages in doubt. If manager Zinedine Zidane was to see his team slip to another defeat in this encounter, then he may find it hard to recover.

It’s not just the manager who has been underperforming at the Santiago Bernabeu though, with a number of star players sagging below their usual standards. Zidane will be looking to one of the many huge characters he has in the squad to inspire the team to victory in Andalusia.

Sevilla appear to hitting their stride too, winning all three of their last three outings in the Spanish top flight. After his infamously short spell with Real, Julen Lopetegui will be desperate to potentially push one of his predecessors closer to the exit door.

Juventus vs. Torino

Saturday, December 6, 12 p.m. ET, ESPN+

It’d be safe to say that Juventus have a serious title fight on their hands this season and they go into Saturday’s derby with Torino with ground to make up on leaders AC Milan.

While Juventus have dominated the fixture down the years, this contest is unlikely to be straightforward for the defending champions. Alvaro Morata will miss their next two Serie A matches and he’ll be a big loss, notching three goals and three assists since his return to the club.

After missing some early matches, Cristiano Ronaldo is back in a goalscoring groove too. In five appearances he’s scored eight Serie A goals and reached a landmark in the Champions League in midweek, with his goal against Dynamo Kiev making it an overall total of 750 strikes in his career to date.

Torino are big underdogs for the game and would be delighted with a draw to hamper Juve’s fight to get closer to Milan. They also need to points to pull clear of the relegation zone, as they sit in 18th spot after just one win in the league this season.

Bayern Munich vs. RB Leipzig

Saturday, December 6, 12:30 p.m. ET, ESPN+

In the Bundesliga, early-season clashes between Bayern and possible contenders tend to determine if there is to be any kind of title race in the months ahead. RB Leipzig will want to show that they can keep pace at the Allianz Arena.

Bayern had a small scare last weekend, falling behind against Stuttgart. However, their quality shone through in the end and they ran away as 3-1 winners. With the likes of Leroy Sane and Douglas Costa coming off the bench to support Robert Lewandowski in that match, the Munich juggernauts have attacking depth few in Europe can match.

Leipzig may have lost Timo Werner in the summer, but they’ve found a way to reconfigure their play, with manager Julian Nagelsmann putting a little more emphasis on the defensive structure of the team.

They go to Munich with the best defensive record in the German top flight, although that back line with be given a severe examination by the most potent attacking force in football at the moment.

Tottenham Hotspur vs. Arsenal

Sunday, December 7, 11:30 a.m. ET, Peacock Premium (free trial)

Following their recent struggles, a trip to a Tottenham Hotspur to face their bitter rivals is probably the last match Arsenal supporters wanted.

Against Wolves last weekend there was little to like about the way the Gunners played, as the visitors were able to offer more throughout the contest. Having struggled in attack for weeks, they looked vulnerable at the back too, something that will provide encouragement to Jose Mourinho’s Spurs side.

In their previous match against Chelsea, there was a sense Spurs had the handbrake on in their 0-0 draw. It’s unlikely they’ll be quite so reserved against Arsenal though, with Mourinho surely sensing blood against their out-of-form opponents.

For Tottenham, there are longer-term ambitions to consider too, as they have looked every inch a title contender as of late. Arsenal aren’t in that bracket yet, but could take some solace in putting a stop to the momentum built up by their biggest rivals.

Liverpool vs. Wolverhampton Wanderers

Sunday, December 7, 2:15 p.m. ET, Peacock Premium (free trial)

A win at Arsenal represented a big step forward for Wolves and they’ll be seeking to replicate that excellent display at Anfield against Liverpool.

The visitors will of course be without their start striker Raul Jimenez, who is recovering after suffering a fractured skull last weekend. However, last weekend they caused a lot of issues for the Gunners through the interplay of Adama Traore, Pedro Neto and Daniel Podence.

Liverpool contain to battle through their matches despite a significant injury list, but manager Jurgen Klopp will be pleased with the way players he’s introduced into the fold have stepped up. That was evident again on Tuesday, when the Reds ground out a 1-0 win over Ajax, with young midfielder Curtis Jones on the scoresheet.

The game will be especially important for Diogo Jota, who will be going up against Wolves for the first time since his summer switch from Molineux. He’s been in red-hot form for Liverpool since the transfer, with nine goals in his 15 appearances for the Premier League champions.

There’s a stellar Sunday of football to savor in the Premier League this weekend, meaning a trio of matches from the English top flight dominate our selections.

Elsewhere, there are big matches in Spain and Italy, with possible title contenders seeking to prove they have what it takes to go the distance this season.

All kick offs are in Eastern time. Enjoy your weekend and enjoy the games!

Valencia vs. Atletico Madrid

Saturday, November 28, 10:15 a.m. ET, beIN SPORTS, beIN SPORTS en Español, Fanatiz, fuboTV, Sling World Sports, Sling Latino and Vidgo (free trial)

After their impressive win over Barcelona in the previous round of fixtures, Atletico Madrid will be out to build momentum further when they travel to Valencia on Saturday.

Diego Simeone’s side dug out a 1-0 win over the Blaugrana to solidify their spot in second place in the standings. They trail Real Sociedad by three points, but have two games in hand over the Basque outfit.

This term Atletico have found an enviable balance in their play and aside from Sociedad, they’ve been the standout outfit in the division as a result. While they’re maintaining a defensive intensity and aggression, the likes of Marcos Llorente, Luis Suarez and Joao Felix have provided a regular attacking threat.

Valencia have been well below their usual standards this season, but are still a dangerous opponent, memorably beating Real Madrid 4-1 at the Mestalla. It’s the sort of match Atletico will need to come through unscathed if they’re serious about ending the campaign top of the pile.

Southampton vs. Manchester United

Sunday, November 29, 9 a.m. ET, NBCSN, Telemundo, fuboTV, Hulu + Live TV and Sling Blue (free trial)

The earliest of our three Sunday selections from the Premier League comes from the south coast, as Southampton welcome Manchester United.

Saints may have lost their star forward Danny Ings to injury, but they are still finding a way through matches. Theo Walcott and Che Adams have struck up an early partnership, while on the sidelines the team is receiving some of the best coaching in the division from Ralph Hasenhuttl.

As for United, it’s never completely clear what kind of performance they’ll put in. Last time out in the Premier League they were able to scrap by newly-promoted West Bromwich Albion in controversial circumstances, with Bruno Fernandes netting from the spot. Southampton will undoubtedly offer more resistance.

The Red Devils have largely been better on the road this season though and in Fernandes they have one of the most dangerous attacking midfielders in the world. It should be a fascinating encounter to start a busy Sunday off.

Chelsea vs. Tottenham

Sunday, November 29, 11:30 a.m. ET, NBCSN, Telemundo, fuboTV, Hulu + Live TV and Sling Blue (free trial)

After indifferent starts to the Premier League season, both Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur have been able to settle into exciting runs of form ahead of this London derby.

For Spurs, feelings about a potential title challenge have been simmering for a while and they were intensified last weekend with a 2-0 win over Manchester City. While eyebrows were raised a year ago when Jose Mourinho took over in north London, the Portuguese has built a formidable outfit for Tottenham fans to enjoy.

Chelsea also look as capable of being in the title picture all of a sudden. The defense has been shored up after a leaky beginning to the year, giving the expensive attacking talent acquired in the summer a much sturdier foundation to push on from; the likes of Timo Werner and Hakim Ziyech have really started to find their feet in England after high-profile summer arrivals.

It’ll be fascinating to see how both sides approach this one and what follows for the victor, if there is one, as they will surely be anointed as the most likely challengers to Liverpool this season.

Arsenal vs. Wolverhampton Wanderers

Sunday, November 29, 2:15 p.m. ET, NBCSN, Universo, fuboTV, Hulu + Live TV and Sling Blue (free trial)

Arsenal will be out to end their Premier League goal drought on Sunday, with Wolverhampton Wanderers the visitors to the Emirates Stadium.

The Gunners clung on for what was a creditable point last weekend against Leeds United. Losing Nicolas Pepe early in the second half meant they had to survive an onslaught of attacks from the newly-promoted outfit, but they maintained the stalemate with some last-ditch defending and a little bit of luck too.

Finding the back of the net has been a problem for Arsenal as of late, with just one penalty to show for their attacking efforts in the last five Premier League games. Helping Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang rediscover his goalscoring touch will be crucial if they’re to keep in touch with the top four this term.

Like Arsenal, Wolves have had an indifferent beginning to the season and their European ambitions have taken a hit as a result. Their defensive cohesion and counter-attacking prowess makes them a big threat against possession-hungry teams away from home though.

Napoli vs. Roma

Sunday, November 29, 2:45 p.m. ET, ESPN+

In what promises to be one of the most open Serie A title races for many years, Napoli and Roma will want to keep pace with surprise leaders AC Milan.

At the moment, it’s Roma who are closest to the San Siro outfit, having found some sparkling form as of late. Since an awful performance in a 3-0 loss on the opening day against Verona, they’ve gone from strength to strength, drawing two and winning five of their last seven games in the top flight.

Napoli had the chance to put a spanner in Milan’s title push last weekend, but they were eventually well beaten 3-1 at the San Paolo. Their manager Gennaro Gattuso will want his players to show that that loss was a mere off day, as they have the quality in their squad to push on and challenge for the Scudetto in 2020/21.

Both sides enjoyed 2-0 wins in the UEFA Europa League on Thursday ahead of this encounter, meaning confidence should be high and an entertaining clash should subsequently break out.

Forget about international football until March!

The 2020-21 season really gets going now and there’s a bumper set of matches over the coming days to get us reacclimatized to domestic action.

Aside from two clashes featuring four potential title challengers in the Premier League, there are eye-catching encounters from France, Spain and Italy to savor.

All kick offs are Eastern time. Enjoy your weekend and enjoy the games!

Monaco vs. Paris Saint-Germain

Friday, November 20, 3 p.m. ET, beIN SPORTS, Fanatiz, fuboTV, Sling World Sports and Vidgo (free trial)

While matches between Monaco and Paris Saint-Germain don’t carry the same sort of allure as they have done in recent years, this showdown in the principality represents an excellent Friday-night treat.

Monaco may not possess the firepower they once had, but there are some small signs that they are beginning to find their groove after a slow beginning to the season. Manager Nico Kovac steered them to back-to-back wins before the international break, lifting them up to sixth spot in Ligue 1.

Even after a sluggish start by their own high standards, PSG lead the way in the French top flight, with a five-point gap to nearest challengers Lille. Already, there are signs Thomas Tuchel’s squad will run away with the competition before it has even really got going.

PSG have also had to cope with the absence of some key players in recent weeks, although Neymar is reportedly ready to make his return alongside former Monaco man Kylian Mbappe. The home side’s attacking trio of Wissam Ben Yedder, Kevin Volland and Gelson Martins will all fancy their chances of causing problems for the champions.

Tottenham vs. Manchester City

Saturday, November 21, 12:30 p.m. ET, NBC, Universo, fuboTV, Hulu + Live TV and Sling Blue (free trial)

The visit of Manchester City feels like a barometer encounter for Tottenham Hotspur, with many tentatively tipping them as title challengers after a strong beginning to the Premier League season.

Their performance before the international break was one of their worst of the season, although they were able to dig out a 1-0 win at West Brom thanks to Harry Kane’s late header. For manager Jose Mourinho, it was the type of hard-earned win you anticipate would’ve been hugely satisfying.

Although Mourinho teams have become renowned for being dull to watch in recent years, this Spurs team has been scintillating this term. With Harry Kane and Son Heung-min both creating and scoring goals at an incredible rate—Gareth Bale is also slowly beginning to reach full fitness—they have an edge few teams in the top flight can match.

City are one of those sides that can compete with Spurs for firepower and flair, but there are still questions over the defensive cohesion of Pep Guardiola’s side in these types of matches. If they can stand up to Spurs and take three points back to Manchester, it’ll be an indication that they’re serious about taking the title back off Liverpool.

Atletico Madrid vs. Barcelona

Saturday, November 21, 3 p.m. ET, beIN SPORTS, beIN SPORTS en Español, Fanatiz, fuboTV, Sling World Sports, Sling Latino and Vidgo (free trial)

Arguably the match of the weekend comes in the Spanish capital, when Atletico Madrid welcome Barcelona to the Wanda Metropolitano.

Atletico have looked a cut above the Blaugrana and local rivals Real Madrid this season, stringing together four consecutive La Liga wins before the international break. The attacking duo of Joao Felix and Luis Suarez has flourished, while there’s a typical robustness in defense and midfield supporting them.

In a blow for Atletico, Suarez will not be involved on Saturday after testing positive for coronavirus. But with confidence pulsing through the squad, manager Diego Simeone will feel as though his team can find a way to win.

There’s arguably more pressure on Barcelona going into this encounter anyway, with Ronald Koeman’s team blowing hot and cold throughout the season. If they were to suffer defeat here, they’d already find themselves a whopping nine points behind Atletico and potentially out of the La Liga title race.

Liverpool vs. Leicester City

Sunday, November 22, 2:15 p.m. ET, NBCSN, Universo, fuboTV, Hulu + Live TV and Sling Blue (free trial)

Liverpool and Leicester have arguably been the two most injury-ravaged teams in the Premier League this season, but they are both sitting pretty in the standings ahead of their clash at Anfield on Sunday.

The Reds have a number of defensive issues to contend with, as Virgil van Dijk, Fabinho, Joe Gomez and Trent Alexander-Arnold are all poised to miss this weekend’s game. They will also be without Mohamed Salah, who tested positive for coronavirus during the international break, leaving manager Jurgen Klopp with a lot to ponder.

Leicester have also had problems, albeit they haven’t been as widely documented as Liverpool’s. Brendan Rodgers has been without Ricardo, Jonny Evans, Caglar Soyuncu, Wilfried Ndidi and Timothy Castagne for large portions of the season, so it is testament to the players who are fit that they sit top of the pile despite the issues.

Although each manager has a defensive crisis to contend with, there will still be high-class attacking players on the field. It means that if you’re after goals this weekend, this match is the one to watch.

Napoli vs. AC Milan

Sunday, November 22, 2:45 p.m. ET, ESPN, ESPN+, ESPN Deportes, fuboTV, Sling Orange, Hulu + Live TV and Vidgo (free trial)

With Juventus languishing in fifth place in Serie A as things stand, there’s some renewed hope that a genuine title race can break out in Italy this season. Napoli and Milan will want to be at the forefront of it.

While they would have been disappointed to draw 2-2 at home to Verona before the international break, Milan remain top of the pile. In Zlatan Ibrahimovic they boast the best striker in the division at the moment, while in midfield and defense there’s a balance that’ll encourage Rossoneri boss Stefano Pioli.

Napoli have an effervescent attack that’ll put Milan’s structure to the test, with a vibrant trio of Dries Mertens, Hirving Lozano and Lorenzo Insigne supporting summer signing Victor Osimhen. If they can find some extra consistency in the coming weeks, Gennaro Gattuso’s side look capable of being in the fight for the Scudetto for long spells of the season.

A win over Milan would add credence to those thoughts and would be especially sweet for Gattuso, a former player and manager at the San Siro. Napoli sit in third spot going into Week 8 of the season, just three points behind the early pace-setters.

There’s an international break coming up, so enjoy the next couple of days!

Thankfully, the European football fixture supercomputers have served up some intriguing contests to get stuck into this weekend. There are standout doubles in the Premier League and Serie A, before two of Spanish football’s biggest sides go head-to-head to cap off the weekend.

All kick offs are in Eastern time. Enjoy your weekend and enjoy the games!

Everton vs. Manchester United

Saturday, November 7, 7:30 a.m. ET, NBCSN, Universo, fuboTV, Hulu + Live TV and Sling Blue (free trial)

In Saturday’s early Premier League fixture, the stakes are high for Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, as he takes his struggling team to Goodison Park to face Everton.

The Red Devils have turned in some impressive performances this season, but overall they’ve struggled and arguably reached their nadir on Wednesday in the loss to Istanbul Basaksehir. There’s been some speculation that a loss in Merseyside could spell the end for Solskjaer.

Everton haven’t looked as fearsome in recent weeks though, having suffered back-to-back losses against Southampton and Newcastle. Manager Carlo Ancelotti will be glad to get his team back to Goodison at least, where they’ve been free-scoring throughout the campaign.

Lucas Digne, James Rodriguez and Seamus Coleman all appear ready to return to the starting lineup too, meaning the Toffees should be bolstered. United have the individual talent to match their hosts, but in recent weeks that wealth of ability hasn’t been enough to get them over the line in matches.

Lazio vs. Juventus

Sunday, November 8, 6:30 a.m. ET, ESPN2, ESPN Deportes, fuboTV, Sling Orange, Hulu + Live TV and Vidgo (free trial)

Lazio will be looking to continue their recent resurgence on Sunday morning, when champions Juventus are the visitors to the Stadio Olimpico.

After a slow beginning to the domestic campaign, Simone Inzaghi’s team have won their last two Serie A matches and have moved up into mid-table. Having been in the hunt for the title for so long during the previous season, they’ll be desperate to win here and thrust themselves back into the conversation.

As for Juventus, it’s still not completely clear what version will turn up. They’ve scored four in each of the previous two games, albeit against mediocre opposition in Spezia and Ferencvaros. Against stronger opponents, manager Andrea Pirlo has found it much more of a challenge to get positive results.

Pirlo has been able to welcome Cristiano Ronaldo back into the first team lately though and he’s already on five goals for the campaign despite only playing 214 minutes of Serie A football. It’s in these kinds of matches where the Portuguese will be expected to give the Bianconeri an edge.

Atalanta vs. Inter Milan

Sunday, November 8, 9 a.m. ET, ESPN+

After disappointing weeks in the Champions League, Atalanta and Inter Milan will both be out to respond in Sunday’s other showpiece Serie A encounter.

While Atalanta have made incredible progress in recent years, they put in one of their worst displays for a long time on Tuesday, as some kamikaze defending allowed Liverpool to run riot in a 5-0 win. For all of their attacking potency, La Dea need to stiffen up at the back if they’re to fare better against Inter.

As for Inter, they were beaten 3-2 by Real Madrid in a gripping contest on Tuesday; Antonio Conte’s side did brilliantly to fight back to parity from a two-goal deficit, only to lose the game late on. Against Atalanta, a defense that’s looked unsure throughout the season will be given a severe examination.

Both of these teams will be hopeful of challenging for the title this season and they’ve already scored a combined 32 goals in 2020-21. Given the struggles at the back each side has endured, a thriller looks sure to be on the cards in Bergamo.

Manchester City vs. Liverpool

Sunday, November 8, 11:30 a.m. ET, Peacock Premium (free trial)

Fresh from their demolition of Atalanta, Liverpool head to Manchester City for what’s set to be one of their most testing matches of the season.

Even though they’re without the stricken Virgil van Dijk, the Reds have found ways to win in the Premier League when they haven’t been at full throttle. But with Diogo Jota leading the line magnificently in midweek, there were signs of vibrancy again in the Liverpool attack and that’ll be a concern to City.

For the hosts, this is an enormous game. If they were to win it they’d move to within two points of the league leaders with a game in hand and would no doubt accrue confidence of getting much closer to challenging Liverpool for top spot this season.

Like Jurgen Klopp, City boss Pep Guardiola does have a number of injury problems to contend with, although he would have been pleased to see Gabriel Jesus return in midweek. However, it appears summer signings Jota and Ferran Torres will be at the point of the attack for these respective Premier League juggernauts, giving this vital fixture another intriguing layer.

Valencia vs. Real Madrid

Sunday, November 8, 3 p.m. ET, beIN SPORTS, beIN SPORTS en Español, Fanatiz, fuboTV, Sling World Sports, Sling Latino and Vidgo (free trial)

Real Madrid’s campaign is showing some signs of gaining momentum and they will be out to continue their upturn in results at Valencia on Sunday.

After their Clásico win, Los Blancos have drawn at Borussia Monchengladbach and hammered Huesca, before eventually prevailing in a breathless game against Inter on Tuesday. With Eden Hazard and a number of other key players available for selection after an injury layoff, suddenly Zinedine Zidane’s squad appears to be a lot more settled.

The same cannot be said for Valencia, who have found the going tough in the Spanish top flight. A draw at home to Getafe last time out ended a run of three consecutive losses in La Liga at least, but already they are off the pace in the race for a European spot.

It means that while Madrid will be wary of the obvious quality Valencia have in their squad, this trip to the Mestalla may not be as challenging as has been the case in recent years, where they have tended to face a stronger opponent and a vociferous crowd.

Heavyweight clashes are scarce on the European football calendar this weekend, making the next few days an ideal opportunity to check out some other exciting outfits in 2020-21.

The only meeting between two juggernauts comes in the Premier League on Sunday, as well as another intriguing encounter to come from English football’s top flight. Saturday sees showdowns in Germany and France, while on Sunday it’s the Women’s FA Cup final.

All kick offs are in Eastern time. Enjoy your weekend and enjoy the games!

Borussia Monchengladbach vs. RB Leipzig

Saturday, October 31, 1:30 p.m. ET, ESPN+

The standout fixture of the Bundesliga weekend sees Monchengladbach and Leipzig out to bounce back after disappointments in the UEFA Champions League this week.

Leipzig have enjoyed a strong start to the domestic season and are top of the pile going into this round of fixtures. However, they were hammered 5-0 by Manchester United in midweek and despite their brilliant Bundesliga start, a loss of that magnitude will knock some confidence out of a team.

Monchengladbach were able to get a draw against Real Madrid, although they threw away a two-goal lead late on on home soil. Marco Rose will want to see his team take the positives from that encounter, although as is the case with Leipzig, the manner of the result means it’ll be tough to shake off.

Still, Monchengladbach have the firepower to hurt Leipzig if they turn in a similarly catastrophic defensive performance. Reconfiguring that back line will crucial for manager Julian Nagelsmann if his team are to take three points back to Leipzig.

Nantes vs. PSG

Saturday, October 31, 4 p.m. ET, beIN SPORTS Connect, Fanatiz, fuboTV, Sling World Sports and Vidgo (free trial)

Following a slow start to the Ligue 1 campaign, PSG are beginning to find their step and they will need to be on form if they’re to get the better of Nantes on Saturday.

PSG weren’t at their free-flowing best in Europe, eventually overcoming Istanbul Basaksehir 2-0. Moise Kean, on loan from Everton for the season, was on hand to score both goals in a tight encounter and the early signs indicate he will be able to add another attacking dimension to what is already a stacked forward line.

Neymar did go down with an injury in the Champions League and he’s expected to miss a couple of weeks as a result. That will give Rennes some confidence against the Parisians, although they will travel to the Parc des Princes well aware that they’re underdogs.

Everton vs. Manchester City

Sunday, November 1, 9:30 a.m. ET, The FA Player

While the coronavirus pandemic led to the early cancellation of the Women’s Super League in England, the FA Cup has been extended from last season, leaving Manchester City and Everton to fight it out for the prize.

City being in the final isn’t a major surprise, as they’ve long been one of the most fearsome forces in English football. Gareth Taylor has a number of world-class performers to choose from, with Lucy Bronze, Steph Houghton, Rose Lavelle and Sam Mewis considered some of the best players on the planet in their respective positions.

It means Everton are the big underdogs for this fixture, although Willie Kirk’s team will take some confidence from the team’s quarter-final success over Chelsea. They recovered from a 1-0 deficit that day and have been one of the most improved sides in the WSL this season.

One player to watch out for will be City forward Chloe Kelly. She shone with Everton before making the move to Manchester in the summer and the Toffees defense will need to be alert to prevent her from having an impact on this fixture.

Manchester United vs. Arsenal

Sunday, November 1, 11 a.m. ET, Peacock Premium (free trial)

Manchester United and Arsenal is no longer a title-defining clash in the Premier League, but it’s always fascinating when they meet.

It’s the Red Devils who will most likely go into the game feeling better about themselves. In the 5-0 hammering of Leipzig they were able to overpower their opponents late on, with Marcus Rashford tearing into a ragged defense and scoring a hat-trick; the England international will surely start on Sunday after his heroics in midweek.

As for Arsenal, there’s been a small momentum loss as of late. Leicester City were able to do a job on them on Sunday, stifling the attacking talent the Gunners possess and then springing forward late on to snatch the game 1-0. With United also potent on the counter-attack, Mikel Arteta will need to find a way of making his team more resistant to those fast breaks.

Arteta has masterminded some big wins over high-profile opponents since taking charge at the Emirates Stadium and he’ll need all of his tactical insight and invention to tame a United side that’s in their best form for a long, long time.

Leeds United vs. Leicester City

Monday, November 2, 3 p.m. ET, NBCSN, Universo, fuboTV, Hulu + Live TV and Sling Blue (free trial)

Leeds and Leicester have been two of the most captivating outfits to watch in the Premier League so far this season, meaning Monday’s match between the two should be the perfect way to cap off the weekend.

Leicester may have slipped up in losses to West Ham United and Aston Villa this term, but they’ve been able to secure impressive wins on the road against Manchester City and most recently Arsenal. It’s a successful blueprint they’ll seek to adhere to at Elland Road.

Leeds pose as tough a challenge as there is in the Premier League at the moment though, with Marcelo Bielsa’s side catching a number of opponents off guard with their intensity and ingenuity. Patrick Bamford is one of the most in-form strikers in the country too, as he rattled in a hat-trick last time out against Aston Villa.

If Leeds can secure a win here against a team expected to challenge for a spot in the top four this season, then they’d move on to 13 points for the campaign. As such, their ambitions would surely shift away from simply staying afloat in the top flight and towards a much more exciting target for supporters.

Let’s go again then.

This weekend’s five selections span from Saturday morning to Monday evening and there should be some thrilling clashes among the quintet. With the Premier League, Bundesliga, La Liga and Serie A all represented, there will be a diverse serving of soccer to get stuck into too.

All kick offs are in Eastern time. Enjoy your weekend and enjoy the games!

West Ham United vs. Manchester City

Saturday, October 24, 7:30 a.m. ET, Peacock Premium (free trial)

West Ham’s strong early-season form has been one of the biggest surprises of the Premier League so far and they’ll approach this showdown with Manchester City with no fear.

The Hammers showed incredible resolve in their previous outing, somehow fighting back from three goals down to snatch a 3-3 draw with Tottenham Hotspur. While it’s still early days in the season, Manuel Lanzini’s dramatic goal deep into added time will take some topping as goal of the season.

City have yet to hit their stride completely. although there were some small signs in midweek that they are beginning to find a rhythm. Sergio Aguero grabbed his first goal of the season in the 3-1 win over Porto and if he finds a goalscoring touch then it’ll bring a different edge to City’s play.

Pep Guardiola’s side romped to a 5-0 win at the London Stadium on the opening day of the previous campaign. Given the way David Moyes’ side are performing at the moment, this should be a much tighter affair.

Barcelona vs. Real Madrid

Saturday, October 24, 10 a.m. ET, beIN SPORTS, beIN SPORTS en Español, Fanatiz, fuboTV, Sling World Sports, Sling Latino and Vidgo (free trial)

A Clásico clash between Barcelona and Real Madrid is always one of the highlights of the European season. However, both sides are in peculiar form going into the showdown at the Camp Nou.

Real Madrid have particularly struggled. In La Liga last weekend they were stunned on home soil by newly-promoted Cadiz, losing 1-0; they backed that up with another disappointing home defeat in the Champions League, as Shakhtar Donetsk were able to score a memorable 3-2 win.

The pressure is on manager Zinedine Zidane as a result and it looks as though he will be without talismanic skipper Sergio Ramos for the trip to Barcelona too. If they are to take anything from this match then a huge improvement will be needed on Saturday.

Barcelona also lost their last domestic match, away at Getafe, although they were able to build some momentum with a 5-1 over Ferencvaros. New manager Ronald Koeman has yet to completely convince since taking the job in the summer and a win over the Blaugrana’s bitterest rivals would be key in earning some early favor.

Manchester United vs. Chelsea

Saturday, October 24, 12:30 p.m. ET, NBC, Telemundo, fuboTV, Hulu + Live TV and Sling Blue (free trial)

Fresh from a memorable in over Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League, Manchester United host Chelsea at Old Trafford on Saturday in the game of the Premier League weekend.

After their 6-1 humiliation at the hands of Tottenham Hotspur, United have responded well. A late surge at Newcastle saw them to a 4-1 win, while their success in Paris on Tuesday night was one of their best performances since Ole Gunnar Solskjaer took charge.

The worry for United supporters going into this weekend is that the team currently looks a lot more assured away from Old Trafford. That’s something that will offer encouragement to Blues boss Frank Lampard, as he will feel he has the players to expose what’s been an uncertain Red Devils defense on occasion.

Lampard would have been pleased to see his team keep an overdue clean sheet in midweek too, as they drew 0-0 with Sevilla in the Champions League. The onus will be on the attacking talent signed in the summer—Timo Werner, Kai Havertz and Hakim Ziyech—to inject some fear back into United though.

Borussia Dortmund vs. Schalke 04

Saturday, October 24, 12:30 p.m. ET, ESPN+

The Revierderby took centre stage earlier in the year, when the eyes of the footballing world were on Dortmund and Schalke as the Bundesliga restarted. Schalke will want to acquit themselves much better this time around than they did that day.

Dortmund have looked a lot more vulnerable this time round. Lazio were able to secure a comfortable win over them in the Champions League, with Lucien Favre’s side lacking intensity in their defensive play and any real ingenuity in attack. Given the players at his disposal, that’ll be a concern for Dortmund fans.

In the Bundesliga, they’ve had a decent start, registering three wins and a draw. And while there’s always an edge when these two rivals meet, given Schalke’s form as of late they may represent the perfect opponent for Dortmund to bounce back.

Since the restart of the Bundesliga last season, Schalke have looked like relegation candidates and they are loitering down in 17th place in the standings. Should they suffer a heavy defeat this weekend then there’s every chance Manuel Baum’s team will be bottom of the pile come Sunday night.

Milan vs. Roma

Monday, October 26, 3:45 p.m. ET, ESPN+

AC Milan have enjoyed a stellar start to the 2020-21 season and will want to continue building momentum against Roma on Monday.

Both sides were in action in the Europa League on Thursday, which is why the clash has been put back. They both secured wins on the road too, with Milan downing Celtic and Roma getting the better of Young Boys.

In terms of their league form, Milan have won four from four. Having dispatched three sides they would have been expected to get the better of, their 2-1 win over rivals Inter Milan last weekend felt like a huge step forward, especially with star striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic producing a virtuoso display at the point of the attack.

Roma have been a mixed bag in Serie A so far this term, but showed the firepower they do possess when they smashed Benevento 5-2. They need to find more consistency to mount a serious push for European places this season though.

Put simply, you’re going to have to make some difficult choices this weekend.

After the international break, Saturday is stacked with a plethora of brilliant fixtures, meaning our top-five selections this week are crammed into a shorter period than usual.

So you can take your pick between two city derbies earlier in the day; another local clash will compete with a high-profile Premier League encounter at lunch time. In the late afternoon, there’s a more straightforward decision, with a standout La Liga fixture.

All kick offs are Eastern time. Enjoy your weekend and enjoy the games.

Everton vs. Liverpool

Saturday, October 17, 7:30 a.m. ET, NBCSN, Universo, fuboTV, Hulu + Live TV and Sling Blue (free trial)

In recent years, it’s typically been Liverpool supporters who have anticipated the Merseyside derby. But this time around, those associated with Everton are feeling uncharacteristically bullish about their chances.

The Toffees go into this match having won all seven of their matches in the 2020-21 season and sit top of the Premier League at the start of the weekend. Carlo Ancelotti has injected fresh impetus into this Everton side, as have the goals of Dominic Calvert-Lewin and and the midfield mastery of James Rodriguez.

Liverpool feel a little more vulnerable than in recent derby matches too. The last time they took to the field was a chastening experience, as Aston Villa ran riot in a stunning 7-2 victory. Should Jurgen Klopp’s side defend like that again, Everton’s attacking firepower will surely punish them too.

Still, the Reds have won a litany of honors in recent years and in Klopp they have a coach who will have them motivated and focused for this encounter. The return of Sadio Mane and Thiago Alcantara to full fitness will also be a major boost for Liverpool.

Celtic vs. Rangers

Saturday, October 17, 7:30 a.m. ET, ESPN+

In the Scottish Premier League in recent years, the first Old Firm fixture of the season has often felt like the most important one.

For Rangers, it’s arguably more significant. This season they will be out to close the gap further to their Glasgow rivals and ultimately prevent them from winning their 10th SPL title in a row. After a strong start to the campaign, manager Steven Gerrard will be hopeful of his players emerging from Parkhead with a positive result.

Even so, Celtic remain the alpha side in the division and have shown as much with eight wins and a draw from their opening nine matches. While it’s early in the campaign, if they were able to win here and move ahead of Rangers in the table—despite playing a game less—then it would be a big blow for Gerrard’s team to recover from.

The vociferous support provided by both sets of fans has long been a hallmark of this fixture and it’ll be peculiar to see it played in front of empty stands. Still, with Rangers improving, there should be a competitive match to savour.

Inter Milan vs. AC Milan

Saturday, October 17. 12 p.m. ET, ESPN+

The iconic derbies keep on coming on Saturday, with Inter Milan and AC Milan going head-to-head later in the day in the Derby della Madonnina.

AC Milan have fallen short of their city rivals in recent years, although the signs have been more positive for them at the start of this season. Stefano Pioli has steered his team to three wins from their first three Serie A matches of the campaign, albeit nine points would have been expected against Bologna, Crotone and Spezia.

Still, Milan supporters will be encouraged by what they’ve seen. Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Rafael Leao offer potency up top, while in midfield Sandro Tonali has shown signs he can be the controlling influence that this team has long lacked.

Needless to say, Inter will pose a much more difficult challenge. Antonio Conte’s side would have been disappointed not to take all three points against Lazio before the break, but the early signs indicate they will be the closest challengers to Juventus again.

Manchester City vs. Arsenal

Saturday, October 17, 12:30 p.m. ET, NBC, Universo, fuboTV, Hulu + Live TV and Sling Blue (free trial)

After an indifferent start to the season, Manchester City will hoping to embark on a more consistent run of results on Saturday, albeit that won’t be straightforward against one of the strongest sides in the Premier League in Arsenal.

City were held to a 1-1 draw against Leeds United in their previous Premier League outing and while both teams earned plaudits for the pulsating spectacle they produced, Pep Guardiola’s side were not at their best again. Defensively, it still looks like he has a lot of problems to solve.

It’ll also be intriguing to see how City set up from an attacking perspective. Gabriel Jesus and Sergio Aguero have both missed the start of the season with injuries, while Raheem Sterling sat out international duty with England because of a niggle; it means the wealth of firepower Guardiola has at his disposal suddenly looks a little more depleted.

Arsenal have reason to be positive too. Although their last fixture was a completely forgettable 2-0 win over Sheffield United, overall it’s been an encouraging start to the season for the Gunners. Manager Mikel Arteta has also shown himself to be capable of setting his side up to get good results against the division’s elite teams too and they beat City in the recent FA Cup semi-final.

Getafe vs. Barcelona

Saturday, October 17, 3 p.m. ET, beIN SPORTS, beIN SPORTS en Español, Fanatiz, fuboTV, Sling World Sports, Sling Latino and Vidgo (free trial)

The final match of a jam-packed day will be a classic clash of style, when a robust Getafe welcome Barcelona in La Liga.

Getafe have been able to establish themselves as regular contenders for European football in Spain’s top flight and they play a brand of football that a lot of Barcelona’s more technical operators may find tough to combat.

As for Barcelona, it’s been an adequate start to the campaign. New manager Ronald Koeman would’ve been disappointed with the 1-1 draw with Sevilla a fortnight ago, but in the main his side have played some slick football and players like Philippe Coutinho and Ansu Fati have stepped up a level.

Even so, Barcelona feel like they’re in a precarious position at the moment and if they were to lose on Saturday then the pressure would quickly bite on the new boss. Getafe are renowned for being spoilers on this type of stage too.

And just like that, an international break appears to ruin the momentum of the domestic football calendar. It’s a good job there’s a fine weekend of fixtures to come, isn’t there?

Our matches are from all over the globe, with two from the Premier League, one from Serie A, one from LaLiga and one from the Liga MX.

All kick offs are in Eastern time. Enjoy your weekend and enjoy the games!

Leeds United vs. Manchester City

Saturday, October 3, 12:30 p.m. ET, NBC, Universo, fuboTV, Hulu + Live TV and Sling Blue (free trial)

Leeds and Marcelo Bielsa will be out to ramp up the pressure on Pep Guardiola and Manchester City on Saturday night.

The newly-promoted outfit have enjoyed a strong start to life back in the top flight. Having done well in defeat at Liverpool on the opening day of the campaign, they’ve won consecutive matches against Fulham and Sheffield United. You suspect they’ll relish the chance to go at City.

For Guardiola, it feels as though Leeds are coming along at the wrong time, with his team clearly defensively and mentally vulnerable following their 5-2 hammering by Leicester. The home team are unlikely to take a backwards step and will be on the front foot throughout this contest at Elland Road, seeking to seize on any vulnerabilities from City.

If City can stave off what promises to be a chaotic start to the game, then Guardiola will back their superior quality to come to the fore. But at the moment, the Manchester outfit look anything but dependable and that should make for an intriguing affair.

Club America vs. Pumas UNAM

Saturday, October 3, 10 p.m. ET, Univision, TUDN, TUDNxtra (in English via fuboTV) and fubo Latino (free trial)

It’s the Clasico Capitalino in Mexico City this weekend, with Club America and Pumas UNAM seeking to inject some momentum into their respective Liga MX campaigns.

Both sides go into the game in mixed form, with Club America boasting the strongest attack in the division ahead of the weekend fixtures. Up top, Henry Martin and Federico Vinas have formed a strong partnership and have five goals each for the campaign already.

After a strong start to 2020-21, Pumas have lost some momentum in recent weeks, with a defeat to Leon followed up by a frustrating home draw with Necaxa, who are currently ranked 17th out of 18 teams in the division.

Pumas’ record at the Azteca leaves a lot to be desired in recent years too, having last won at the venue in the league in 2014.

Manchester United vs. Tottenham Hotspur

Sunday, October 4, 11:30 a.m. ET, NBCSN, Telemundo, fuboTV, Hulu + Live TV and Sling Blue (free trial)

Tottenham Hotspur’s relentless schedule will continue on Sunday, when they visit Manchester United in the most eye-catching of the Premier League’s fixtures this weekend.

Spurs were winners via a penalty shootout in the Carabao Cup on Tuesday against Chelsea, before hammering Maccabi Haifa 7-2 at home in the UEFA Europa League on Thursday. It means there will be some tired legs in Jose Mourinho’s squad for the weekend match, although Tottenham should be in good spirits.

United were also midweek winners, as they coasted past Brighton & Hove Albion in the League Cup. That was the second of two meetings in quick succession between the sides, with the first being a 3-2 for the Red Devils that was eventually settled by Bruno Fernandes’ 100th-minute penalty.

Already, neither United or Tottenham appear to have enough to mount a serious title challenge this season in the Premier League. This fixture could see one of them land a heavy early blow in the race for a top-four spot though.

Juventus vs. Napoli

Sunday, October 4, 2:45 p.m. ET, ESPN+

Andrea Pirlo’s Juventus are one of the most intriguing teams in European football this season and a set for a big test at the hands of Napoli on Sunday.

After winning his first game in charge routinely against Sampdoria, Pirlo’s side battled to a 2-2 draw against Roma in Week 2. Despite Adrien Rabiot’s red card when the Bianconeri were 2-1 down, Cristiano Ronaldo’s second goal of the night was enough for the champions to take a point back to Turin.

It means that Juventus are playing catch up to Napoli early in the season, with the Partenopei taking six points from a possible six to begin their Scudetto push. Gennaro Gattuso’s side have looked red-hot in attack so far, as they hammered Genoa 6-0 last weekend; a quartet of Dries Mertens, Lorenzo Insigne, Hirving Lozano and Victor Osimhen will cause problems for anyone.

Juventus will need to be wary as a result and there were signs against Roma that as of yet, the team isn’t completely settled defensively under Pirlo. Even so, on home soil the Bianconeri remain a fearsome prospect.

Sevilla vs. Barcelona

Sunday, October 4, 3 p.m. ET, beIN SPORTS, beIN SPORTS en Español, Fanatiz, fuboTV, Sling World Sports, Sling Latino and Vidgo (free trial)

Following a turbulent summer, Barcelona have actually enjoyed a strong start to life under new manager Ronald Koeman.

Despite going down to 10 men on Thursday, they were able to breeze past Celta Vigo 3-0. While Lionel Messi looks encouragingly zoned in after his summer transfer saga, Blaugrana supporters will also be encouraged by the form of Ansu Fati, who appears set for a breakthrough campaign.

The 17-year-old has already netted three times in Barcelona’s opening two matches and is providing a thrust that the team was lacking for long spells last term. Sevilla’s strong defensive setup will pose a different type of obstacle for him on Sunday though.

The Andalusians have won their opening two games of the campaign and morale seems to be high in their squad following the Europa League success last season. Julen Lopetegui will want to see his team keep in touch with the LaLiga heavyweights this term as such; winning on Sunday would be an excellent start.

Although European football is undoubtedly missing something without supporters, the players on the pitch have been doing their best to make up for it—there were goals everywhere last weekend.

A week on and there are another set of exciting fixtures to look forward to, as some of the strongest teams on the continent seek to hit the ground running.

All kick offs are in Eastern time. Enjoy your weekend and enjoy the games!

Bayer Leverkusen vs. RB Leipzig

Saturday, September 26, 12:30 p.m., ESPN+

For Leverkusen and Leipzig, the 2020-21 season is poised to be one of transition having lost important players in the summer window.

Bayer sold their star creator Kai Havertz to Chelsea and will be looking for someone to step up and fill the void his departure has left in the team. That attacking edge was absent in their opener, as they were only able to muster a 0-0 draw away at Wolfsburg.

While Leverkusen are seeking someone to pull the strings, Leipzig are after someone to replace the goals of Timo Werner, who followed his compatriot Havertz to London. They enjoyed a much more promising opening to the campaign, winning 3-1 at home to Mainz and impressing with the control they exerted on the game.

Despite their significant sales, both outfits will be expected to push for Champions League qualification again this term. Three points at the expense of a rival here would be a timely early-season boost for the victors.

Real Betis vs. Real Madrid

Saturday, September 26, 3 p.m., beIN SPORTS, beIN SPORTS en Español, Fanatiz, fuboTV, Sling World Sports, Sling Latino and Vidgo (free trial)

Real Betis have enjoyed a perfect start to the La Liga term with two wins from two and they’ll fancy their chances of upsetting defending champions Real Madrid on Saturday.

Los Blancos failed to find any fluency in their curtain-raiser last weekend, where they were held to a 0-0 draw by Real Sociedad. Manager Zinedine Zidane would have been worried by the lack of thrust in their attacking play, especially boasting a midfield that consisted of Toni Kroos, Luka Modric and Martin Odegaard.

The manager will hope to have Eden Hazard available for the encounter in Andalusia, as Madrid were without penetration from wide areas at Sociedad. They will need to be savvy in their attacking play to break down a Betis team that have yet to concede a goal this season too.

If Betis can maintain that defensive solidity for the season then they should be on for a prosperous finish. The attacking flair of Nabil Fekir, Joaquin and Sergio Canales can cause any side issues in the top flight.

Roma vs. Juventus

Sunday, September 27, 2:45 p.m., ESPN+

Andrea Pirlo’s first match in charge of Juventus went as well as possible last weekend, although his second will be a much stiffer examination in the capital.

The champions simply had too much for Sampdoria in Week 1, Pirlo’s 3-4-3 setup giving them a number of headaches at the back. Cristiano Ronaldo was on the scoresheet but should have scored even more, while Aaron Ramsey and Dejan Kulusevski shone.

After that routine victory, it will be intriguing to see what adaptations Pirlo makes to his team when they visit Roma. Although Juventus will still be expected to operate on the front foot, the hosts will have more to trouble the three-man defence on the counter-attack should they get an opportunity to break.

Roma will need a big improvement from their previous display to take anything from the match though. Despite bossing possession for long spells, the Giallorossi were wide open in defense and Verona took their chances in an emphatic 3-0 win.

Barcelona vs. Villarreal

Sunday, September 27, 3 p.m., beIN SPORTS, beIN SPORTS en Español, Fanatiz, fuboTV, Sling World Sports, Sling Latino and Vidgo (free trial)

Barcelona will begin life under Ronald Koeman in earnest on Sunday when they welcome Villarreal to the Camp Nou.

Crucially for the Blaugrana, Lionel Messi will be lining up in red and blue this weekend, with his position at the club under major scrutiny during the off season. Despite his initial desire to leave the club, the forward has agreed to stay for another campaign and will once again be key to Barcelona’s hopes of success.

There will also be an emphasis on other players to step up. Following the departure of Luis Suarez to Atletico Madrid, Ansu Fati and Antoine Griezmann appear primed for more minutes this term, while in midfield Miralem Pjanic will be tasked with being the conductor of the team.

Villarreal are a dangerous opponent first up. Not only have they bolstered their midfield with the signings of Dani Parejo and Francis Coquelin, in attack Gerard Moreno and Paco Alcacer have started 2020-21 in strong goalscoring form.

Liverpool vs. Arsenal

Monday, September 28, 3 p.m., Peacock Premium (free trial)

Liverpool and Arsenal have both enjoyed perfect starts to their respective campaigns and will meet at Anfield on Monday in what should be a captivating affair.

Liverpool erased any sense that they were going to start this season with any complacency when they beat Chelsea 2-0 on Sunday, with Sadio Mane at his lethal best and Thiago Alcantara shining in his second-half cameo.

Arsenal will feel as though they can cause problems for their opponents though. After all, the Gunners have got the better of Liverpool in their two recent meetings and Mikel Arteta will be delighted with the cohesion and attacking swagger with which his team are operating.

Nevertheless, Arsenal will be the underdogs on Merseyside, having suffered some heavy defeats at the home of the champions in recent years. They’ve lost on their last four visits to Anfield in the Premier League and conceded at least three goals in all of those contests.

Although it doesn’t really feel as though football has fully stopped during the summer, this weekend marks the return of all five of the European game’s top divisions.

The Bundesliga and Serie A are back in full this weekend, while we’ll also get a full schedule of fixtures in the Premier League and La Liga.

As such, it’s no surprise that there are a ton of intriguing games to get stuck into. But here are the best five.

All kick offs are in Eastern time. Enjoy your weekend and enjoy the games!

Borussia Dortmund vs. Borussia Monchengladbach

Saturday, September 19, 12:30 p.m., ESPN+

Although German and European champions Bayern Munich get the 2020-21 Bundesliga season underway on Friday against Schalke, the best clash of the weekend looks set to come from the Westfalenstadion.

As ever when it comes to Borussia Dortmund, there is a huge sense of intrigue surrounding them at the start of the new campaign. Jadon Sancho remains at the club despite incessant speculation regarding his future, while Jude Bellingham appears poised to make a big impact following his arrival from Birmingham City, despite being just 17 years old.

It will also be the team’s first full campaign with Erling Haaland leading the line and the Norway international is surely Dortmund’s best hope for keeping in touch with the Bayern juggernaut this term, having netted 13 Bundesliga goals in 15 appearances since moving to BVB in January.

Monchengladbach supporters will also be looking forward to the campaign, with Champions League football on the agenda at Borussia Park. The visitors will be out to end a disappointing run of results against Dortmund, having lost in the last five meetings between the two sides.

Chelsea vs. Liverpool

Sunday, September 20, 11:30 a.m., Peacock Premium (free trial)

We’re set to get an early read on the seriousness of Chelsea’s title chances on Sunday, when they welcome Premier League holders Liverpool to Stamford Bridge.

While both teams come into this encounter having won their opening game of the campaign, neither were completely convincing in Week 1. The Reds showcased uncharacteristic defensive fragility in a 4-3 win over Leeds, albeit Mohamed Salah was on fire with a hat-trick, whereas Chelsea battled to a 3-1 win over Brighton despite failing to hit their stride.

All eyes will be on Blues forward Timo Werner in this one you sense. The German was long linked with Liverpool before eventually heading to the capital and he’ll no doubt be desperate to show Jurgen Klopp what he missed out on. He looked razor-sharp against Brighton too.

As for Liverpool, they will want to assert their dominance on the division with a win away at one of their most likely challengers. Three points at the Bridge with Thiago Alcantara to add to the squad would represent an encouraging few days for the champions.

Juventus vs. Sampdoria

Sunday, September 20, 2:45 p.m., ESPN+

Sunday will mark the start of a new era at Juventus, with club legend Andrea Pirlo taking charge of the team for the first time.

The former midfielder has no managerial experience at a senior level, but was the shock choice in the summer to replace Maurizio Sarri. The former boss steered Juventus to their ninth title in succession last season, although a below-par performance in the Champions League cost him his position.

So in many respects, Pirlo won’t be judged on his domestic performance, with a Scudetto success almost taken as a given for the Bianconceri. However, it’ll be intriguing to see how he sets up on Sunday following a busy summer in the transfer window, including the arrival of new midfielders Weston McKennie and Arthur.

Sampdoria are not expected to cause too many problems for their opponents admittedly. Claudio Ranieri was only able to steer the Liguria outfit to 15th in the Italian top flight last term.

Real Sociedad vs. Real Madrid

Sunday, September 20, 3 p.m., beIN SPORTS, beIN SPORTS en Español, Fanatiz, fuboTV, Sling World Sports, Sling Latino and Vidgo (free trial)

The most intriguing fixture on the La Liga calendar this weekend comes from San Sebastian, when Real Sociedad welcome defending champions Real Madrid.

There’s set to be a lot of focus on two players in particular at the Anoeta. From Madrid’s point of view, Martin Odegaard is back at the club following his loan move to Sociedad last season. Having been one of La Liga’s best performers in 2020-21, it’ll be fascinating to see how the Norwegian performs against his former club.

Fitness permitting, it’ll also be a momentous day for David Silva, as he returns to Spanish football following a glorious spell with Manchester City. Sociedad supporters will be looking to the veteran midfielder to fill some of the creative void that was left by Odegaard’s recall.

The two sides met at the Anoeta in June, as Madrid came out on top 2-1 in one of the most intriguing clashes of the campaign. Even with Odegaard on their side, Los Blancos boss Zinedine Zidane will be well aware that this is a possible banana skin to start the season for his team.

Wolverhampton Wanderers vs. Manchester City

Monday, September 21, 3:15 p.m., Peacock Premium (free trial)

We’ll get a first competitive look at Manchester City in 2020-21 on Monday and they are set to be pushed hard in their opener by Wolves.

After falling a long way behind Liverpool in the Premier League title race last season, there should be a desire among Pep Guardiola and his players to get back on top. And while they’ve lost Silva and Leroy Sane, the acquisitions of Nathan Ake and Ferran Torres should provide depth in crucial areas.

Wolves are a couple of games into their own campaign and it’s been a mixed bag so far. After flying out of the traps in a 2-0 win over Sheffield United, they were beaten 1-0 by second-tier Stoke City at home in the League Cup on Thursday.

In this fixture last term, 10-man City took a 2-0 lead before eventually being pegged back and losing 3-2. This time, anything other than a win for City will surely trigger a few concerns at the start of a new campaign.

Exciting title races may not have surfaced in major European leagues like many of us hoped, but as the clock begins to tick down on the domestic seasons there is still plenty of action to savour this weekend.

The selections come exclusively from England—where Premier League survival and the FA Cup are on the line—and Italy.

All kick offs are in Eastern time. Enjoy your weekend and enjoy the games!

West Ham United vs. Watford
Friday, July 17, 3 p.m. ET, NBCSN, fuboTV, Hulu Live, Sling Blue and AT&T TV (free trial)

Regardless of the result at the London Stadium on Friday, both West Ham and Watford will feel as though they have enough to stay up. The winners here will almost be guaranteed a spot in the top flight next season though.

A small upturn in form from both sides has propelled them out of the relegation scrap for the time being, with Aston Villa and Bournemouth looking like the most likely sides to join Norwich City in the Championship.

As the home side, West Ham will view this as a big opportunity and confidence will be high after their 4-0 win at Norwich, with Michail Antonio on the scoresheet an incredible four times. For manager David Moyes, having a forward in that kind of groove will be invaluable in the remaining matches.

Watford aren’t done yet either, as they fought back from a goal down to beat Newcastle United last time out, giving themselves a three-point advantage over Bournemouth. Any kind of result here would help manager Nigel Pearson complete the remarkable job of keeping them in the Premier League; they were rock bottom when he took over.

Arsenal vs. Manchester City
Saturday, July 18, 2:45 p.m. ET, ESPN+

The first of the two semi-finals in the FA Cup comes on Saturday night at Wembley. It promises to be an eerie occasion between Arsenal and competition holders Manchester City.

The Gunners will be in high spirits for this fixture after their 2-1 win over champions Liverpool on Wednesday. Manager Mikel Arteta saw the team rally from a goal down to snatch victory and was also able to rest star striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang for much of the match in the process.

City were 2-1 winners on the same night, albeit they were far from convincing against a struggling Bournemouth team. The defensive frailties on display then will give Arsenal some confidence that they can cause an upset.

Even so, City’s own attacking firepower is likely to prove too much for the Gunners defence. Although Arteta’s shift to a back three has helped shore up some issues, but holes remain that City’s quality can exploit.

Manchester United vs. Chelsea
Sunday, July 19, 1 p.m. ET, ESPN+

The second semi-final is another high-class one, as United and Chelsea meet in a repeat of the 2018 competition.

While both Chelsea and United are chasing Champions League football via a top-four finish in the Premier League, their respective manages Frank Lampard and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer are also on the hunt for their first pieces of silverware as managers.

With United in action on Thursday at Crystal Palace, the Blues have had an extra 48 hours to prepare for this encounter, potentially giving them the edge. Lampard was also able to rotate his options on Tuesday, as Chelsea fought to a 1-0 win over bottom club Norwich.

The Red Devils have been one of the best teams in the country since the return of domestic football though and as of yet not many sides have been able to find a way of containing Bruno Fernandes, not to mention their red-hot front three. Should both teams attack from the off in this one, the match should be a spectacle to savour.

Roma vs. Inter Milan
Sunday, July 19, 3:45 p.m. ET, ESPN+

Neither Roma nor Inter Milan have much left to play for in the remaining weeks of the season. Hopefully that lack of pressure will produce a fixture to savour at the Stadio Olimpico on Sunday.

Like Lazio, Inter’s early-season challenge to Juventus has faded away and they’ve had to make do with consolidating their spot in the top four. Antonio Conte’s side have not yet found consistency since returning too; they had to fight back from a one-goal deficit to beat Torino on Monday.

By contrast, Roma have won three in a row and appear to be gathering momentum ahead of next season under manager Paulo Fonseca. The manager will be pleased with the manner in which his team have fought back, having stuttered out of the blocks since the restart.

Juventus vs. Lazio
Monday, July 20, 3:45 p.m. ET, ESPN+

When the Serie A season got back up and running, Juventus and Lazio looked set to fight it out for the Scudetto.

But as the two gear up to meet in Turin on Monday, Lazio have actually slipped back behind Atalanta into third position, while Juventus have done enough to grind out results needed to build up a sizeable lead at the top of the table. If there’s to be any late drama in this campaign, Lazio need to win on Monday.

Juventus haven’t been at their free-flowing best as of late—they’ve taken just two points from their last two outings—although they still have a seven-point lead over Atalanta and eight points between themselves and Lazio. It’s in these crucial matches in which the team has tended to stand up this season though.

Lazio need a big result to reignite their campaign, having earned just one point from their last four matches. Should they pull off a surprise here, then we may yet get some fireworks to finish the 2019-20 Serie A season.

Given the relentless nature of fixture calendars across European football, a summer day without matches feels like a drag all of a sudden. This weekend is packed full of captivating contests.

Three of the selections come from Italy, with plenty up for grabs still in the top flight. Elsewhere, there are crucial fixtures in the Premier League and La Liga to savor.

All kick offs are in Eastern time. Enjoy your weekend and enjoy the games!

Juventus vs. Torino

Saturday, July 4, 11:15 a.m. ET, ESPN+

Juventus have had almost undisturbed joy in the Derby della Mole in recent years and are big favourites to get the better of their city rivals Torino again on Saturday.

With nine games remaining in the Serie A season, Juventus have managed to build up a four-point lead over their nearest rivals Lazio and victory in this encounter would extend their advantage further; the chasers have a tricky fixture to negotiate later on on Saturday too.

Juventus put in one of their best performances of the year in midweek, showcasing their attacking depth in the 3-1 win over Genoa. Manager Maurizio Sarri would have been delighted to see forward stars Paulo Dybala, Cristiano Ronaldo and Douglas Costa get on the scoresheet.

Torino aren’t completely out of trouble in terms of relegation yet, as they sit in 13th, six points clear of Lecce in 18th. However, anything they can pick up away at their rivals will be considered a massive bonus given the gulf in quality between the two teams.

Wolverhampton Wanderers vs. Arsenal

Saturday, July 4, 12:30 p.m. ET, NBCSN, Telemundo, fuboTV, Hulu Live, Sling Blue and AT&T TV

Wolves are one of the most in-form teams in the Premier League going into the weekend matches and will be big favourites against an Arsenal side which is still showcasing vulnerabilities in their play.

Nuno Santo’s team have excelled for much of 2020 and have been especially strong since the Premier League restarted. Not only are they blessed with a variety of different options in the final third, defensively they have been rock solid, keeping clean sheets in eight of their last nine Premier League games.

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta would have been pleased with some aspects of his team’s performance in the 4-0 win over Norwich City, although will be well aware this match represents a massive step-up in quality for his players.

It’ll also be fascinating to see how Wolves cope with being under some pressure; with just two points separating them in sixth and Leicester City in third, plenty are now expecting the Midlands outfit to push on and secure a top-four finish this term.

Lazio vs. AC Milan

Saturday, July 4, 3:45 p.m. ET, ESPN+

In all likelihood, Lazio will be seven points behind Juventus come kick off on Saturday night, meaning there is no room for error when AC Milan visit the Stadio Olimpico.

After their dramatic loss to Atalanta put a huge dent in the team’s title ambitions, it would have been easy for Lazio to let their focus slip. But Simone Inzaghi’s team have responded well to that setback, coming from behind to beat Fiorentina and Torino 2-1 in their subsequent matches.

Against Milan they may find life a little harder if they do fall behind, as Stefano Pioli’s team have been in decent form since the restart. While they were frustrated by SPAL in a 2-2 draw last time out, in the match before they were excellent in a 2-0 win over Roma; the Rossonerri also remain in contention for a Europa League spot.

Keeping Ciro Immobile quiet will be a huge challenge for the Milan defense. He’s on 29 goals for the campaign and with nine games remaining, he’ll be eyeing Gonzalo Higuain’s record of 36 in a single Serie A campaign.

Villarreal vs. Barcelona

Sunday, July 5, 4 p.m. ET, beIN SPORTS, beIN SPORTS en Español, fuboTV, Sling Latino, Sling World Sports, Vidgo and Fanatiz (free trial)

Barcelona have endured back-to-back draws ahead of this weekend’s trip to Villarreal, meaning they have a lot of work to do if they’re to retain their title.

Not only were the team below par in midweek against Atletico Madrid in a 2-2 draw, the manner of the result has prompted more questions than answers. Quique Setien’s decision to only introduce Antoine Griezmann into the game in stoppage time has understandably caused quite a stir in the Catalan capital.

As for Villarreal, there’s a major feel-good factor around the football club at the moment. Not only has star midfielder Bruno returned after almost three years due to injury, the team is playing some vibrant football and making a huge push for the Champions League.

While Barcelona won’t feel as though the title has completely gone yet, if they fail to take anything from this fixture—especially given Real Madrid have a more straightforward run-in on paper—then surely that’ll be the end of their championship hopes.

Napoli vs. Roma

Sunday, July 5, 3:45 p.m. ET, ESPN+

After being in action on Thursday, there’s little rest for Napoli and Roma after disappointing results.

Napoli’s excellent winning run was ended by the league’s most in-form side, Atalanta, thus curtailing any slender hopes they had of pushing for a top four berth. The onus will now be on them to consolidate a place in the top six and ensure there’s some European football at the San Paolo next term.

It was a similar story for Roma on Thursday, after they slipped to a disappointing loss to Udinese on home soil. After his red card in that encounter, Diego Perotti will be suspended for the fixture in Naples.

Are we back in the swing of it yet?

As a number of high-profile European leagues begin to find a rhythm following the restart, one will be winding down this weekend after a congested calendar—the Bundesliga.

In it, the battle to stay alive in the division will take the focus this weekend, with a couple of teams seeking to give themselves the breathing room of a relegation playoff. Elsewhere, there are two selections from Spain featuring the title contenders and eye-catching matches from the Premier League and Serie A.

All kick offs are in Eastern time. Enjoy your weekend and enjoy the games!

Aston Villa vs. Wolverhampton Wanderers

Saturday, June 27, 7:30 a.m. ET, NBCSN, fuboTV, Hulu Live, Sling Blue and AT&T TV (free trial)

The opening selection of the weekend has connotations at both ends of the Premier League table, with a dash of local animosity tossed in.

Aston Villa picked up their first point of the restarted season this week when they equalised at Newcastle United and it was enough to keep them in touch with a number of sides seeking to stay afloat at the bottom of the table. Villa are in 19th, but Bournemouth and West Ham are alongside them on 27 points.

As for Wolves, a possible push for a top-four finish could be on the cards, as they’ve hit the ground running in their first two games back. Raul Jimenez has scored in both matches and currently looks like the most dangerous attacker in the division.

Nuno Santo’s side are in sixth spot and within touching distance of Chelsea and Manchester United. A win at their Midlands rivals would make it three victories in seven days and surely bonafide contenders for a Champions League berth.

Werder Bremen vs. FC Köln

Saturday, June 27, 9:30 a.m. ET, FOX Soccer Match Pass

Although Champions League places are still up for grabs on the final Bundesliga matchday of the season, the drama is poised to come at the bottom of the table on Saturday.

Werder Bremen have spent more time in the top flight than any team in the division, although that could come to an end this weekend. Even if they were to beat Köln, it wouldn’t necessarily guarantee their spot in the relegation playoff; they trail Dusseldorf, who visit Union Berlin, by two points.

Bremen appeared to give themselves hope a fortnight ago when they beat Paderborn 5-1, although successive losses to Bayern Munich and Mainz ensured they remain plunged in the mire.

As for Köln, having effectively secured safety weeks ago, their performances have tailed off and as such they are on a nine-game winless run. That may make them ideal opponents for Bremen in this scenario, albeit manager Florian Kohfeldt needs things to go his way in the capital too.

Celta Vigo vs. Barcelona

Saturday, June 27, 11 a.m. ET, beIN SPORTS, beIN SPORTS en Español, fuboTV, Sling Latino, Sling World Sports, Vidgo and Fanatiz (free trial)

While the title race in Serie A looks as though it may fizzle out in the coming weeks, it’s very much on in La Liga with just seven games remaining.

Barcelona and Real Madrid are locked on 68 points each at the summit of the table. This weekend it will be the turn of the former to set the agenda, as they make the trip to Galicia to face Celta Vigo on Saturday.

As of yet, Barcelona haven’t quite hit their attacking straps since the restart. However, defensively they have looked as dependable at any point in the season, as they haven’t conceded a goal in their four matches since the return of La Liga football.

Celta are down in 16th place, although they have a seven-point gap between themselves and the relegation zone. Another couple of wins would almost certainly guarantee their safety and head coach Oscar Garcia would love one of those to come against the Blaugrana.

AC Milan vs. AS Roma

Sunday, June 28, 11:15 a.m. ET, ESPN+

In the past, matches between these two giants of Italian football would have been crucial to determining the outcome of the Serie A title. This weekend there’s much less on the line.

Nevertheless, there’s still an edge between the players when the Rossoneri and the Giallorossi go head-to-head at the San Siro, even if the quality of play doesn’t quite compare to yesteryear.

For the home side, a Europa League finish is the best they can hope for this season, as they go into the match down in seventh place. Supporters would have at least been encouraged by their competitive return on Monday, as Milan ran out 4-1 winners at Lecce with a number of attacking stars finding the net.

Roma had to wait until midweek to get their season up and running again, although it appears they will continue to be dependent on Edin Dzeko. The Bosnian’s brace saw them come from behind to beat Sampdoria and keep within six points of Atalanta, who are in fourth.

Espanyol vs. Real Madrid

Sunday, June 28, 4 p.m. ET, beIN SPORTS, beIN SPORTS en Español, fuboTV, Sling Latino, Sling World Sports, Vidgo and Fanatiz (free trial)

There’s been a swagger to Real Madrid since they picked up their 2019-20 season, something that indicates they’ll have too much for bottom club Espanyol on Sunday.

Four wins in succession have allowed Zinedine Zidane’s team to close the gap to Barcelona at the top of the table. The manager would have been pleased with the way in which his team negotiated difficult assignments against Valencia and Real Sociedad, setting up what looks like a straightforward run-in for Los Blancos.

Espanyol increasingly appear as though they are in need of a miracle if they are to keep their top-flight status, as they continue to toil and sit five points clear of safety.

While Espanyol have performed well against some of the bigger sides this season—they have registered home draws against Barcelona and Atletico Madrid—as things stand it’s tough to see them laying a glove on Zidane’s Madrid.

We’re back!

In a world that’s changed so much over the last few months, the return of the major European football leagues has provided a sense of normalcy again. Albeit eerie backdrops provided by empty stadia will take some getting used to.

Nevertheless, football is football and at a time where social societal restrictions remain in place, it’s comforting that there’s plenty of it to watch. Here are five matches that will be worth your time over the next few days.

All kick offs are in Eastern time. Enjoy your weekend and enjoy the games.

Tottenham Hotspur vs. Manchester United
Friday, June 19, 3:15 p.m. ET, NBCSN, Universo, fuboTV, Hulu Live, Sling Blue and AT&T TV (free trial)

The Premier League restarted on Wednesday to a mixed reception; the clash between Tottenham and Manchester United should be the most competitive match of the weekend in English football’s top flight.

It’s an important one too. Before the break, United were putting together an impressive run of results and moved to within three points of Chelsea, who occupy fourth spot in the table as things stand.

Bruno Fernandes’ arrival at Old Trafford in January appeared to ignite something in the Red Devils, with the Portuguese’s midfield mastery and creativity giving the team an edge they previously lacked. Spurs will need to contain him to come away with a positive result here.

Tottenham were in wretched form before the season was halted and surely require three points against United if they’re to keep their slender hopes of a top-four finish alive. Manager Jose Mourinho will at least be pleased to have some key attackers in shape again, most notably star forward Harry Kane.

RB Leipzig vs. Borussia Dortmund
Saturday, June 20, 9:30 a.m. ET, FS2, FOX Deportes, Sling Blue + Sports Extra, Hulu + Live TV, AT&T TV, Vidgo and fuboTV (free trial)

The Bundesliga has settled back into a rhythm and with Bayern Munich confirmed as the champions, attention will drift further down the standings for some serious battles.

Leipzig and Dortmund are in a fight to finish as the best of the rest, with the latter currently in the runners-up spot with a three-point lead over the former. Given the attacking intention with which both sides operate and what’s on the line, Saturday’s showdown should be a brilliant spectacle.

For Leipzig it’ll be a big day, as star forward Timo Werner is poised to line up at the Red Bull Arena for the final time, having agreed a move to Chelsea following the conclusion of the campaign. The German international has 26 goals in the Bundesliga already this term.

The Bundesliga’s next great centre-forward will be in the opposition XI on Saturday, with Erling Haaland having shown himself to be a decisive presence for Dortmund up top. The Norwegian and his team will be looking to bounce back after they suffered a shock defeat to Mainz in the midweek round of fixtures.

Everton vs. Liverpool
Sunday, June 21, 2 p.m. ET, NBC, Telemundo, fuboTV, Hulu Live, Sling Blue and AT&T TV (free trial)

Liverpool may no longer be able to win the Premier League at Goodison Park on Sunday, but the Merseyside derby should be a fascinating watch nonetheless.

The red half of the city would have been cheering Arsenal on against Manchester City on Wednesday night, as victory for the Gunners would have left Jurgen Klopp’s team one win away from the title. Nevertheless, they’ll be expected to take a step towards it against Everton.

In this fixture this season, the Reds have already enjoyed big wins over the Toffees. In the Premier League, Klopp’s side ran out 5-2 victors and then in the FA Cup, a much-changed Liverpool side were 1-0 winners.

Everton have improved under the guidance of Carlo Ancelotti, albeit they have a number of injury problems to contend with going into this game. Against a hungry and full-strength Liverpool squad, it’ll be a huge challenge for them to get their season restarted with a positive result.

Real Sociedad vs. Real Madrid
Sunday, June 21, 4 p.m. ET, beIN SPORTS, beIN SPORTS en Español, fuboTV, Sling Latino, Sling World Sports, Vidgo and Fanatiz (free trial)

Along with Serie A, La Liga should be set for an enthralling end to the campaign, with the title race very much on between Real Madrid and Barcelona.

Los Blancos will face a tricky fixture on Sunday though, as they visit an enterprising Real Sociedad side, who are hunting down a top-four place themselves. Martin Odegaard, on loan at Sociedad from Madrid, has been the man pulling the strings behind their impressive 2019-20 campaign.

Madrid had few issues settling back into La Liga life last weekend, as they coasted to a 3-1 win over Eibar, with their big-name summer signing Eden Hazard back in the side. They will need to raise their levels again to emerge victorious at the Anoeta though.

Ahead of their clash with Valencia on Thursday night, Madrid trail league leaders Barcelona by five points, having played a game less. The Blaugrana face a difficult test of their own on Friday when they travel to Sevilla.

Atalanta vs. Lazio
Wednesday, June 24, 3:45 p.m. ET, ESPN+

Alright, so this one technically isn’t the weekend, but we had to have a big Serie A fixture in didn’t we?

For so long this season it appeared as though Inter Milan would be the most likely challenge to Juventus’ longstanding dominance of the Scudetto. However, Lazio have emerged as the Bianconeri’s most likely rivals and sit just a point behind the champions at the restart.

Wednesday’s trip to Atalanta will be a huge test for Simone Inzaghi’s side. Atalanta have been one of the most dangerous attacking teams in European football this season and sit in fourth place in Serie A going into this set of matches.

While La Dea are a neutral’s favorite due to their brand of football, those hoping to see a real race for top spot will be hoping Lazio can continue their good form in Bergamo. With a brilliantly balanced side and the red-hot Ciro Immobile spearheading the attack, they should make this a pulsating encounter.

There are endless soccer documentaries you can get your teeth into on various platforms. Here are the Top 10 soccer documentaries that can help you fill your days in the coming months:

Top 10 soccer documentaries

It felt as though Manchester City were prepared for the arrival of Pep Guardiola as their manager long before he set foot in the Etihad Stadium. The result of that preparation was the 2017-18 season, when the Manchester outfit set new benchmarks in the Premier League.

While the documentary is underpinned by an inevitable sense of success, the footage gives fans a window into how a superclub is run in the modern age and how one of the best coaches of all time gets his message across to young men who have it all.

Never has a Premier League club provided such candid access to a film crew before and with a similar documentary on the way featuring Tottenham Hotspur, All or Nothing and City look set to be trailblazers in the genre.

• Watch the movie via Amazon Prime

Hillsborough’s producer John Battsek and director Daniel Gordon teamed up again in 2016 to focus on the life of one of football’s most charismatic and tragic figures—George Best.

There have been thousands of words said about Best’s tale, where his incredible footballing talent was eventually ruined by his chronic fight with alcoholism.

George Best: All By Himself captures the essence of the Manchester United great. In the film, there is raw footage of Northern Irishman, in which his charm permeates the screen and his natural footballing ability makes you gasp.

It’s easy to see how such vibrant personality and genial talent propelled Best’s rise into one of the most recognizable men on the planet. It makes the inevitable fall, which is spoken about with sensitivity and sincerity by those who feature in the documentary, all the more galling.

• Watch the movie via ESPN+
• Read our detailed review of the film

Somebody else must have tried this, mustn’t they? Picking the worst team in the game on Football Manager or FIFA and try to trigger a change of fortunes? Thomas Rongen tried it for real with American Samoa in 2011.

Next Goal Wins chronicles the Dutchman’s attempts at turning American Samoa—who suffered a FIFA record 31-0 loss to Australia in 2001—into outside contenders to qualify for the 2014 FIFA World Cup.

While many football documentaries lift the lid on the lavish facilities available to teams at the top of the game and we gaze on with envy, this feature shows off the challenges that managers at this level face and how much of a challenge it can be to bridge the gap to the best sides on the planet.

• Rent the movie via Amazon Prime

In the history of United States soccer, there arguably isn’t a franchise that has had a bigger influence on the country’s football scene than the New York Cosmos. In the latter days of their career, the likes of Pele, Franz Beckenbauer and Giorgio Chinaglia headed to New York for a stint with the outfit.

The documentary offers a behind-the-scenes look at a the Cosmos during their days in the North American Soccer League in the 1970s and 80s.

While Pele, who arrived in 1975 and helped the Cosmos pierce the general sporting consciousness in NYC, doesn’t feature on the film, a number of the high-profile figures who represented the club offer their say on a chaotic time for the sport in the States.

• Rent the movie from Amazon Prime
• Interview with co-director of film

Pep Guardiola’s Barcelona are considered by many to be the best team in the history of the game. Not only did they have success, they conquered Spanish and European football with a swagger and with arguably the greatest player of all time in his pomp.

Take the Ball, Pass the Ball is the definitive account of how this fluid footballing machine came to be. The examination of Lionel Messi’s staggering rise to prominence is captivating, as is the look at Eric Abidal’s fight back from a liver transplant to lifting the European Cup.

While those tales in themselves are worth your time, the documentary has an edge to it too. The rivalry between Guardiola and then Real Madrid boss Jose Mourinho is examined, with the latter taking extraordinary measures in an attempt to derail the Blaugrana.

• Watch the film on Amazon Prime Video

Seventeen different cameras zone in on the most elegant and gifted footballer of his generation. What’s not to love?

Zidane: A 21st Century Portrait is exactly that. For 90 minutes, he is the focus, with every step, touch, tackle and pass documented during Real Madrid’s clash with Villarreal on April 23, 2005, with the melancholic chords of Scottish rock band Mogwai providing an uplifting backdrop.

Any skepticism about watching one man on a football field for 90 minutes is understandable. But the film draws you in, partly due to the high-class production and stimulating score, although mainly due to Zidane himself.

Following 90 minutes of mastery, Zidane is given a red card due to a mass brawl at the end of the game. Given what transpired at the World Cup the following summer, this film turned into a perfect metaphor for the great man’s distinguished career.

• Buy the documentary from Amazon
• Read a detailed review of the documentary

“Can we not knock it?”

Aside from being depicted as a vegetable on the front page of a national newspaper, those words came to epitomize Graham Taylor’s tenure as England boss. A man exasperated by what he saw in front of him and who was left bemused by the pressure of one of football’s biggest roles.

This documentary encapsulates how the rigors of being an international manager can effect a person. When Taylor and his team agreed to be subjects of this fly-on-the-wall documentary in 1992, few would have anticipated the story would be quite so calamitous.

It includes awkward meetings with players, rants at the press and visits to prisons. The Impossible Job is still a standard-setter in the football documentary world and the comedic inspiration for the riotous Mike Bassett: England Manager film too.

• Watch the film on YouTube
• Thoughts on The Impossible Job documentary

Following their embarrassing relegation from English football’s top flight in 2017, Sunderland allowed the Netflix cameras behind the scenes for their next campaign back in the Championship.

The Black Cats hierarchy would have no doubt hoped that the series would serve as an uplifting portrayal of a football club getting back on track after such a blow. What follows is quite the opposite, as the cameras get a glimpse of what happens to a football club on its knees.

Away from the field, Sunderland ‘Til I Die also examines the team’s significance in the working-class north-east city and how the bonds of affection have been forged to their supporters, despite the persistent problems the team have faced in recent years.

While All or Nothing showcases what can be achieved by a footballing juggernaut when all of the pieces are in place, this portrayal of Sunderland is a more accurate illustration of life for the general football supporter and player.

• Watch the movie via Netflix

The Hillsborough documentary from ESPN’s 30 for 30 series will be one of the most difficult things you ever watch. But’s it’s necessary for any football supporter.

While the events of April 15, 1989—a day when 96 Liverpool supporters died on the terraces of the Leppings Lane end—are well known, never have the raw emotions of that afternoon and the aftermath been captured as strikingly as in ESPN’s film.

The documentary speaks to those who were there and those who lost loved ones on the day. There’s also a painstaking focus on the warnings that were present prior to the disaster, what could have been done to save lives on the day, the smears from The Sun newspaper and the relentless fight put up by the families in the pursuit of justice.

An extended version of the documentary has been released following the government inquests in 2016, where it was deemed that the Liverpool supporters at Hillsborough were unlawfully killed.

• Watch the movie via ESPN+
• Listen to our interview with the director

ESPN’s 30 for 30 programs have gripped fans from all sporting backgrounds, with the production, research and storytelling always to a sky-high standard. When they moved into the football world, those standards were preserved with The Two Escobars.

Unsurprisingly, the film examines two Escobars, who are not related despite sharing the same surname. Drug kingpin Pablo Escobar owned the team Andres Escobar, a Colombia international, played for. The two earned huge popularity in their homeland, albeit their routes to resonance could not have been more polarizing.

The documentary looks at how the worlds of both Escobars intertwined in the 90s and how a mistake from Andres at the 1994 World Cup against the United States would ultimately result in tragic circumstances.

• Watch the movie via ESPN+

Did we miss any must-see films in our list of the Top 10 soccer documentaries? Share your recommendations in the comments section below.

It’s been a busy few weeks, but this feature is back for the rest of the season. It’s perfect timing too, with a number of European football’s most high-profile divisions racing towards a brilliant conclusion.

In the Premier League there’s no real chance of a title race breaking out, but there’s a huge derby on Sunday. Meanwhile, in Germany, Italy and Spain there are vital clashes as teams pursue their domestic prizes.

All kick offs are in Eastern time. Enjoy your weekend and enjoy the games.

Barcelona vs. Real Sociedad

Saturday, March 7, 12:30 p.m. ET, beIN SPORTS, beIN SPORTS en Español, fuboTV, Sling Latino, Sling World Sports, and Fanatiz (free trial)

Recovery will be the order of the day for Barcelona on Saturday, as they look to put last weekend’s Clasico disappointment behind them against a talented Real Sociedad team.

The Blaugrana were well below their best at the Santiago Bernabeu, with Real Madrid bullying them in the second half of a 2-0 loss. Manager Quique Setien will want to see his players make better use of the ball on Saturday and put the pressure back on their bitter rivals; Barcelona can jump back to the top of the table by a point with a win on Saturday.

But La Real are dangerous and after they booked their place in the Copa del Rey final on Wednesday, they will approach this match with the pressure off. In La Liga, they are just three points off third spot with a game in hand and they have the attacking firepower to trouble any opposition.

The two sides played out an entertaining 2-2 draw at the Anoeta earlier in the season. Given the way in which both teams are poised to approach this encounter, a similarly entertaining game is surely on the cards.

Borussia Monchengladbach vs. Borussia Dortmund

Saturday, March 7, 12:30 p.m. ET, FOX Soccer Plus, FOX Deportes and fuboTV (free trial)

Both Monchengladbach and Dortmund have emerged as real challengers to Bayern Munich in the Bundesliga title race this season. The chances of one of these teams may look a lot healthier come Saturday evening if they can win.

Dortmund have won their last three games, but remain four points back on the leaders in third position. Monchengladbach trail BVB by a couple of points, although they do have a game in hand on the three sides above them.

With that in mind, a win for Monchengladbach would be a huge boost for manager Marco Rose, with three points almost certain to put Dortmund out of the title reckoning. Having taken 11 points from the last 15 available, BMG appear to be getting close to the form that made them early pace-setters in the division.

Dortmund boss Lucien Favre will be keen to get over the line on the night; as a former Monchengladbach manager the match holds extra significance for him. With Erling Haaland and Jadon Sancho poised to start, the hosts’ defence will face an unenviable task seeking to contain the visitors.

Manchester United vs. Manchester City

Sunday, March 8, 12:30 p.m. ET, NBC, Telemundo, fuboTV, Hulu Live, Sling Blue and AT&T TV Now (free trial)

The pressure is arguably more on Manchester United than Manchester City when these local enemies lock horns at Old Trafford on Sunday.

The Red Devils are seeking to keep pace in the top-four race, having dropped points away at Everton last weekend. They will be hoping the Toffees can do them a favour earlier in the day, when they visit Chelsea, who currently occupy fourth spot.

A derby win would of course be crucial for manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer too. This season, the Red Devils have already beaten City twice, although both of those triumphs came at the Etihad Stadium; they haven’t managed to get the better of their sky-blue neighbors in front of their own supporters since 2016 in the League Cup.

City are secure in second place and as things stand, they will not be playing Champions League football next season anyway due to a ban. As such, Pep Guardiola’s team will likely be focused on the cup competitions in the coming weeks, although his team surely will be at full throttle for this occasion.

Real Betis vs. Real Madrid

Sunday, March 8, 4 p.m. ET, beIN SPORTS, beIN SPORTS en Español, fuboTV, Sling Latino, Sling World Sports, and Fanatiz (free trial)

Although Real Madrid’s win over Barcelona on Sunday felt like a huge result, things could quickly turn around in La Liga again this weekend.

Real Betis may not be enjoying their best campaign, but they are in possession of some hugely talented players. At the Benito Villamarin Stadium they are a dangerous prospect, with the home supporters always there to provide a hostile backdrop when the big-name sides visit.

Madrid will need to be at their best as a result. Manager Zinedine Zidane would have been delighted with the way in which side stepped up their game in the second half against Barcelona and will want them to carry that momentum into this fixture.

Vinicius Jr. was the man who lit up the Clásico last weekend and looks a surefire bet to start on the left flank again on Sunday. If he can find some consistency between now and the end of the campaign, the young Brazilian has the talent to be a difference-maker in the title race.

There are five games to savor from four different leagues this weekend.

A number of Premier League teams return to action following their winter break, although the pick of the matches in the competition comes on Monday night, when two Champions League hopefuls face off.

Elsewhere, the race for the title and the top four will heat up in Serie A, while title contenders take to the field in tough games in Germany and Spain.

All kick offs are in Eastern time. Enjoy your weekend and enjoy the games!

Barcelona vs. Getafe
Saturday, February 15, 10 a.m. ET, beIN SPORTS, beIN SPORTS en Español, fuboTV, Sling Latino, Sling World Sports, and Fanatiz (free trial)

After negotiating a difficult assignment at Real Betis last weekend, Barcelona face a different task entirely when Getafe head to the Camp Nou on Saturday.

The visitors have enjoyed an incredible season to this point, sitting in third spot in the table. While their brand of football may not be palatable for purists, it’s certainly effective, as Valencia discovered last weekend when they were hammered 3-0 by the Madrid-based outfit.

Coping with the intensity and aggression of Getafe will be a challenge for Barcelona, although manager Quique Setien will be confident they can stand up to the test. At Betis, they twice recovered from a deficit to secure a crucial 3-2 win, keeping the gap to leaders Real Madrid to three points.

Lionel Messi has not scored in his last three games, albeit he has five assists in his last two outings. All eyes will be on him to see if he can end this mini-drought and on Getafe’s defence to see how they combat his influence.

Fortuna Dusseldorf vs. Borussia Monchengladbach
Saturday, February 15, 12:30 p.m. ET, FS2, TUDN, Sling Blue + Sports Extra, Hulu + Live TV, AT&T TV Now and fuboTV (free trial)

Borussia Monchengladbach will be looking reassert their credentials as genuine Bundesliga title challengers on Saturday at Dusseldorf.

Given their meeting last weekend, it’s no surprise much of the focus in Germany has been on Bayern Munich and RB Leipzig when it comes to the title race, not to mention free-scoring Borussia Dortmund. But BMG remain in contention.

They go into this set of fixtures down in fourth, although only four points behind leaders Bayern with a game in hand. Getting over the line in these sorts of matches is likely to determine whether or not they can last the pace with the league’s heavyweights.

Dusseldorf are fighting for their life too. They are currently in the relegation playoff spot and only out of the automatic relegation spot on goal difference. Mainz 05 are four points clear in a safe position and Fortuna surely can’t afford to let the gap grow any further.

Atalanta vs. AS Roma
Saturday, February 15, 2:45 p.m. ET, ESPN+

Neither Atalanta nor Roma will be involved in the Serie A title race this term, but they are both expected to be involved in a gripping battle for fourth spot.

At the moment, it’s Atalanta who have the edge in that scrap, as they sit three points clear of Saturday’s opponents. Their 2-1 win over Fiorentina a week ago was a crucial one, with the team showing some inconsistency since the turn of the year.

It was a victory that allowed Atalanta to pull clear of Roma, who have hit a rut themselves as of late. Paulo Fonseca has watched his players slump to back-to-back losses in their previous two matches, with Sassuolo beating them 4-2 and Bologna winning 3-2 at the Stadio Olimpico last time out.

As the top scorers in Serie A, Atalanta will be confident of creating a number of opportunities when the sides meet at the Atleti Azzurri d’Italia. For Roma, it feels like matching that firepower will be difficult on the day.

Lazio vs. Inter Milan 
Sunday, February 16, 2:45 p.m. ET, ESPN+

Arguably the biggest match of the weekend comes in the Italian capital, with the two biggest challengers to defending Serie A champions Juventus going head-to-head.

Inter are level on points with the Bianconeri after a memorable win over their city rivals Milan on Sunday. After falling two goals behind, Antonio Conte’s team were able to launch a memorable comeback and eventually emerged as 4-2 victors.

Lazio are not to be discounted though, as they have been consistently on the tails of the top two throughout the season. Simone Inzaghi has managed to find an excellent balance in his team, as they have the joint-best defensive record in the division and have only been outscored by Atalanta.

The Olimpico should be rocking for this encounter. While many consider Lazio to be third-favourites in this three-horse race, should they down Inter on Sunday you suspect there will plenty ready to take them a lot more seriously.

Chelsea vs. Manchester United
Monday, February 17, 3 p.m. ET, NBCSN, Universo, fuboTV, Hulu Live, Sling Blue and AT&T TV Now (free trial)

In the Premier League this weekend, there are repeats of the opening fixtures of the campaign. Monday’s match between Chelsea and United offers an opportunity to assess the progress made by the two sides.

Chelsea were 4-0 losers at Old Trafford back in August. Frank Lampard managed to get the team purring again following that loss though and while they have gone off the boil a little as of late, he will be content to see his team sitting in fourth spot, still in contention for the FA Cup and UEFA Champions League.

United are trying to chase Chelsea down in the Premier League. They start the weekend in eighth position, five points back on their opponents on Monday. Manager Ole Gunnar Soslkjaer will be pleased with the defensive performance of the team recently, with no goals conceded in their last four games.

United have already won at Stamford Bridge this season, eliminating the Blues in the League Cup. A repeat of that result would blow the race for the top four wide open.

With half of the Premier League taking a winter break this weekend, the spotlight will fall on intriguing goings on in other corners of Europe.

There are two matches involving three title contenders in Germany, as well a couple of mouth-watering clashes in Spain. In Italy, it’s a huge day on Sunday, with the Derby della Madonnina set to go ahead at San Siro.

All kick-offs are in Eastern time. Enjoy your weekend and enjoy the games!

Bayer Leverkusen vs. Borussia Dortmund
Saturday, February 8, 12:30 p.m. ET, FS2, UniMas, TUDN, Sling Blue + Sports Extra, Hulu + Live TV, AT&T TV Now and fuboTV (free trial)

It wasn’t too long ago that Dortmund’s chances of winning the Bundesliga title had all but gone. Some smart January acquisitions have reignited belief at the Westfalenstadion.

Of course, Erling Haaland has given Dortmund huge momentum. The Norwegian has netted seven goals in his first three Bundesliga outings and was on target in midweek as the team lost 3-2 to Werder Bremen in the DFB-Pokal.

In league matches, Dortmund have thrived as of late, netting five goals in each of their three matches. In addition to Haaland, Jadon Sancho has rediscovered his spark and they will head to Leverkusen knowing a win would temporarily put them joint-top of the table.

Leverkusen will not be an easy opponent though, especially given their form has picked up. Bayer are eight points off the summit and will feel as though if results go their way this weekend, they will have an outside change of challenging in the coming weeks.

Real Sociedad vs. Athletic Bilbao
Sunday, February 9, 8 a.m. ET, beIN SPORTS, beIN SPORTS en Español, fuboTV, Sling Latino, Sling World Sports, and Fanatiz (free trial)

After thrilling wins for both Real Sociedad and Athletic Bilbao in the Copa del Rey this week, both teams will carry huge positivity into the Basque derby on Sunday.

In the space of four hours on Thursday, the two Basque outfits knocked Spain’s two biggest clubs out of the Copa. First up it was the turn of Sociedad, who were involved in a dramatic 4-3 win at Real Madrid; Martin Odegaard, who is on loan at La Real from Los Blancos, starred and scored the opener, while Alexander Isak also grabbed a brace.

Straight after that encounter it was the turn of Athletic, who beat Barcelona thanks to an injury-time winner for the second time this season. In the 93rd minute it was Inaki Williams who struck, sending the San Mames into delirium.

In La Liga, both teams have slipped off the pace a little as of late, although a derby win would potentially catapult both back into the running for a European spot. Sociedad are in eighth and five points off third, with Athletic a further place and three points behind.

Bayern Munich vs. RB Leipzig
Sunday, February 9, 12 p.m. ET, FS2, Sling Blue + Sports Extra, Hulu + Live TV, AT&T TV Now and fuboTV (free trial)

Arguably the biggest match of the weekend sees the top two in Germany face off, with RB Leipzig seeking to inject some impetus back into their campaign at the home of the champions.

Before the winter break, Leipzig looked like genuine contenders for glory. However, a loss and a draw in their previous two matches have allowed Bayern to overhaul them; a defeat for Julian Nagelsmann’s team on Sunday would leave them with a mountain to climb in the remaining weeks of the season.

Bayern have clicked into an ominous groove as of late too. They’re playing their best football of the campaign, stringing together six wins in succession. At Mainz last time out, they surged into a three-goal lead within 26 minutes, showcasing the blistering firepower they possess.

Leipzig will be hopeful that their counter-attacking style can catch Bayern off guard, with the raw speed of Timo Werner likely to cause problems for exposed defenders. If they were to win at the Allianz Arena, then they’d surely have the confidence to push on and fight for their first ever Bundesliga prize.

Inter Milan vs. AC Milan
Sunday, February 9, 2:45 p.m. ET, ESPN+

Inter Milan are clinging on in the race for the Serie A title and their rivals AC Milan will be keen to derail their challenge on Sunday.

The Nerazzurri have drawn their previous three games in the Italian top flight, but Juventus’ surprise loss to Napoli a fortnight ago means they’ve been able to stay in touch. Antonio Conte’s team remain second-favourites, but a three-point gap will keep the defending champions on their toes.

By the time this match at the San Siro kicks off, there may be a six-point advantage to make up, as Juventus travel to Verona on Sunday. It will be intriguing to see how Inter react in that scenario, especially in a showdown that always triggers plenty of emotion in Milan.

After a dreadful beginning to the campaign, AC Milan have slowly started to find consistency in recent weeks. They are now up to eighth after five games unbeaten and with Zlatan Ibrahimovic playing in his first Milan derby since returning to the club, they will fancy their chances of springing a surprise.

Real Betis vs. Barcelona
Sunday, February 9, 3 p.m. ET, beIN SPORTS, beIN SPORTS en Español, fuboTV, Sling Latino, Sling World Sports, and Fanatiz (free trial)

After their shock elimination against Athletic Bilbao in the Copa del Rey, Barcelona will be out to end a turbulent week on a high against Betis.

Following public spats between club director Eric Abidal and star player Lionel Messi, the Blaugrana turned in a turgid performance in the Basque Country on Thursday. With the Copa del Rey gone, winning the league title will come into increased focus.

That’ll heap the pressure on new manager Quique Setien already. The match in Andalusia will be a special one for the coach too, as he enjoyed a memorable two-year spell in charge of Betis between 2017 and 2019.

Since their brilliant 2017-18 season, Betis have been unable to build and they currently sit down in 12th place in the Spanish top flight. The visit of Barcelona and their former boss at the Benito Villamarin Stadium should make for a hostile atmosphere and as was evidenced on Thursday, the champions have been prone to crumbling in these kinds of environments.

Although the title race is effectively over in the Premier League, there are still some eye-catching clashes to enjoy from the division this weekend.

English football’s top flight dominates the latest selections, with three of the five matches picked from the competition. Elsewhere, there’s a huge derby in Spain and a clash between two surprise title challengers in the Bundesliga.

All kick-offs are in Eastern time. Enjoy your weekend and enjoy the games!

Leicester City vs. Chelsea
Saturday, February 1, 7:30 a.m. ET, NBCSN, Universo, fuboTV, Hulu Live, Sling Blue and AT&T TV Now (free trial)

Although Leicester and Chelsea sit third and fourth in the Premier League respectively, it feels like both teams would benefit from a spark.

Inconsistency has crept into the play of both. Leicester were rampant in the early weeks of the season, although they have lost four and won three of their last seven matches. They will also need to lift themselves after a last-gasp loss to Aston Villa in the League Cup semi-final in midweek.

Chelsea are in a similar position, with their season meshing fantastic and frustrating performances. That was epitomised in their previous Premier League outing, when they twice went ahead against 10-man Arsenal, only to end up with a 2-2 draw.

Leicester are secure in third place, with an eight-point lead over Chelsea and a 14-point advantage over Manchester United in fifth. If they were to win here, it would surely be enough to guarantee Brendan Rodgers’ side a position in the Champions League next season.

Real Madrid vs. Atletico Madrid
Saturday, February 1, 10 a.m. ET, beIN SPORTS, beIN SPORTS en Español, fuboTV, Sling Latino, Sling World Sports, and Fanatiz (free trial)

Real Madrid can move six points clear at the top of La Liga with a win over city rivals Atletico Madrid on Saturday.

With Barcelona slipping up and losing 2-0 to Valencia last weekend, Madrid were able to put some daylight between themselves and their big rivals. A goal from Nacho was enough for Los Blancos to win at Real Valladolid, with Zinedine Zidane’s team continuing their impressive defensive record this term.

Atletico have done well in this fixture in recent years, although their morale will be at rock-bottom before they visit the Santiago Bernabeu on Saturday. Last week they were beaten by Eibar and Cultural Leonesa, before being held to then-bottom club Leganes on home soil.

Barcelona are in action against Levante at home on Sunday. If Los Blancos can apply some pressure on Saturday with a win after negotiating what is typically one of their biggest fixtures of the season, then it’ll feel like a big step in the title race.

RB Leipzig vs. Borussia Monchengladbach
Saturday, February 1, 12:30 p.m. ET, FS2, TUDN, Sling Blue + Sports Extra, Hulu + Live TV, AT&T TV Now and fuboTV (free trial)

The Bundesliga title race is the most exciting in Europe at the moment. Leipzig and Monchenglabach are two of the underdogs in this encapsulating battle.

Leipzig currently sit top of the pile, although they are now just a point clear of defending champions and favourites Bayern Munich. That was after an uncharacteristically sloppy performance last weekend, as they went down 2-0 to Eintracht Frankfurt.

While their form before that showdown was exceptional, manager Julian Nagelsmann has been critical of his players’ attitude following that loss and it’ll be intriguing to see what kind of reaction he gets when BMG visit on Sunday.

Borussia are just two points back on the leaders, although they’ve struggled to reach the levels that they showed earlier in the season as of late. A big win, like in Saturday’s match at Leipzig, feels like it’s needed if they are going to remain a genuine contender for the championship in Germany.

Manchester United vs. Wolverhampton Wanderers
Saturday, February 1, 12:30 p.m. ET, NBC, Universo, fuboTV, Hulu Live, Sling Blue and AT&T TV Now (free trial)

Manchester United and Wolves will face off for the fourth time this season on Saturday evening, although there does feel like there’ll be an edge to this upcoming fixture.

The Old Trafford crowd will be hoping to get a glimpse of the club’s high-profile January acquisition, with Bruno Fernandes in line to make his debut for the club. The former Sporting CP man should add an exciting dimension to the team, with his dribbling skill and goalscoring making him a huge hit in Portugal.

Wolves will feel confident of picking up a positive result nonetheless. Nuno Santo’s team were knocked out the FA Cup by United earlier in the campaign at Old Trafford, although that elimination has given the team a significant rest period since their last outing.

Both teams are locked on 34 points going into this fixture, six behind Chelsea. If the Blues slip up at Leicester, whoever is victorious in this showdown will feel as though they are in the mix for a top-four berth.

Tottenham Hotspur vs. Manchester City
Sunday, February 2, 11:30 a.m. ET, NBCSN, Telemundo, fuboTV, Hulu Live, Sling Blue and AT&T TV Now (free trial)

The Premier League weekend finishes with a heavyweight showdown in north London, with defending champions Manchester City heading to Tottenham.

The match is a more important one for Spurs. Like United and Wolves, they are sat on 34 points and on the brink of a possible challenge for a top-four berth. However, the team haven’t been performing to their best as of late, with Jose Mourinho’s side just edging past Norwich City in their previous home encounter.

City were beaten by United in the Carabao Cup in midweek, although they were still able to progress to the competition final on aggregate. Pep Guardiola watched on as his team created and spurned a host of chances at the Etihad Stadium.

More ruthlessness will be required to take three points from this encounter. City are also likely to be boosted by the return of Aymeric Laporte, who was rested for the match with the Red Devils following his comeback from injury against Sheffield United.

Welcome back for the first Top 5 feature of the new year!

While La Liga has been put on hold for a week due to a revamped Super Cup, of which the final makes our selection, there is plenty of high-quality football to get stuck into over the next couple of days.

It’s Serie A where the best of the action will be played this weekend, with three of the selections involving sides from the Italian top flight. The other is a Saturday evening clash between two of the Premier League’s biggest hitters.

All kick offs are in Eastern time. Enjoy your weekend and enjoy the games.

Lazio vs. Napoli
Saturday, January 11, 12 p.m. ET, ESPN+

The first of the triple-header of Serie A matches this weekend will be at the Olimpico, as Lazio will be out to continue their winning streak against a toiling Napoli side.

The hosts have won a remarkable nine games in succession now, propelling themselves up to third place in the Italian top flight in the process. At this juncture, they should be considered title challengers, as they trail joint leaders Inter and Juventus by three points, with a game in hand to play.

The bedrock for their excellent displays have been the attacking talents of Ciro Immobile and Luis Alberto. The former has netted a remarkable 19 Serie A goals already this term, while the midfielder has laid on 11 assists.

Napoli’s confidence is on the floor by contrast. Their issues were there for all to see again on Monday, when Inter comprehensively beat them 3-1 at the San Paolo. If they defend to the same standard, then this razor-sharp Lazio side will create some big problems.

Tottenham Hotspur vs. Liverpool
Saturday, January 11, 12:30 p.m. ET, NBC, Telemundo, fuboTV, Hulu Live, Sling Blue and AT&T TV Now

Liverpool show no signs of slowing down at the top of the Premier League, although this trip to Tottenham starts a spell of matches where they may slip up.

The Reds face Spurs, Manchester United and Wolverhampton Wanderers in their next three games, as they seek to strengthen their grip on the top-flight crown. If they can come through those matches with their lead intact, then surely no side can stop them on their way to the title.

Tottenham have not been in the best of form themselves lately, with Jose Mourinho beginning to get agitated in the Spurs hotseat. They were held to a 1-1 draw by Middlesbrough in the FA Cup last time out, and were also beaten by Southampton on New Year’s Day.

With 13 points separating them and their nearest challengers, it’s impossible to say the pressure is *really* on Liverpool to win these games anymore. As such, you suspect Tottenham will find it extremely difficult to tame their rivals this weekend.

Inter Milan vs. Atalanta
Saturday, January 11, 2:45 p.m. ET, ESPN+

The last time Atalanta took on a Milan-based outfit, they were 5-0 winners. But you suspect Serie A joint-leaders Inter will provide a much stiffer test than their city rivals on Saturday night.

At this point, it’s clear Inter are serious title contenders under Antonio Conte and appear primed to push Juventus all the way in 2019-20. On Monday, they produced a clinical display on the road at Napoli, the kind of effort that suggests they are capable of going all the way in pursuit of domestic success.

Up top, they have huge threats in the form of Romelu Lukaku and Lautaro Martinez, who both bring unique attributes to the attacking third. They should find space up against an Atalanta defence that’s been ropey at times this season.

Atalanta are unlikely to take a backward step from their own attacking instincts though, as they regularly play some of the most free-flowing football in the division and have scored comfortably more than any other team in the league this season.

Real Madrid vs. Atletico Madrid
Sunday, January 12, 1 p.m. ET, ESPN Deportes, ESPN3, Sling Orange, Hulu Live and AT&T TV Now

Although the merits of a mid-season Super Cup for Spanish teams in Saudi Arabia has been fiercely debated, the football has been fascinating so far.

You sense the final will be too, as the two Madrid giants lock horns. Atletico qualified on Thursday night after a thrilling 3-2 win over Barcelona, while Real Madrid were emphatic 3-1 winners over Valencia in the other semi, producing one of their best all-round displays of the campaign.

Zinedine Zidane appears to be getting a tune out of Los Blancos at the perfect time, as they appear ready to challenge for La Liga and Champions League glory in 2020. He will be hoping a success for Real will give them a taste for silverware in the months to come.

Of course, there’ll also be an extra determination because it’s Atletico across from them. Diego Simeone’s team haven’t been at their best this season, although they showed fantastic resilience to fight back late on against Barcelona; goals from Alvaro Morata and Angel Correa in the last 10 minutes turned the semi-final on its head.

Roma vs. Juventus 
Sunday, January 12, 2:45 p.m. ET, ESPN+

Wrapping up the weekend will be the Serie A champions Juventus, as they face Roma in what tends to be one of their most difficult matches of any campaign.

Before the winter break, Roma had gradually started to move up the table and they go into Week 19 of the season in the top four. That’s despite a disappointing 2-0 home defeat to Torino last week in their first outing of the new year.

Ominously for the rest of the league, Juventus showed no signs of rustiness when they took to the field on Monday. Cristiano Ronaldo scored his first Serie A hat-trick for the club in a 4-1 win, with the Portuguese seemingly now fully over the injury issues that limited his influence earlier on in the campaign.

If Inter win on Saturday, the pressure will be ramped up on Juventus for this encounter. Meanwhile, a victory for Roma would see them potentially edge back into outside contention for the Scudetto.

It’s the most wonderful time of the year in the Premier League, with this weekend’s set of matches triggering a portion of the season packed full of games.

With that in mind, it’s no shock that three of the selections this week come from English football’s top flight. Meanwhile, the division’s leaders are in action in the Club World Cup on Saturday over in Qatar.

An intriguing Serie A showdown completes the selections, with the last top-flight action of 2019 being played out on Sunday in Italy.

All kick-offs are in Eastern time. Enjoy your weekend and enjoy the games!

Everton vs. Arsenal

Saturday, December 21, 7:30 a.m. ET, NBCSN, fuboTV, Hulu Live, Sling Blue and AT&T TV Now (free trial)

The focus is unlikely to be on the players on Saturday in the first match of the Premier League weekend, with Arsenal traveling to Goodison Park to take on Everton.

Both teams appear set to have interim coaches in charge for this encounter, although it’s likely they’ll each have new managers on the sidelines come Boxing Day. Carlo Ancelotti is poised to take over at Everton for that encounter, while Mikel Arteta is set to step in at Arsenal.

The players will no doubt be aware of that fact and will be seeking to elevate their performances as such. Everton appear to have turned a corner under interim boss Duncan Ferguson, with four points from their last two league games; they suffered a heartbreaking loss on penalties against Leicester City in the League Cup on Wednesday though.

As for Arsenal, their last outing was a shellacking at the hands of Manchester City. Interim coach Freddie Ljungberg has at least had a week to prepare the team for this fixture and he’ll be hopeful his players can capitalise what’s sure to be a leggy Everton outfit.

Manchester City vs. Leicester City

Saturday, December 21, 12:30 p.m. ET, NBC, fuboTV, Hulu Live, Sling Blue and AT&T TV Now (free trial)

City and Leicester are doing all they can to cling on to the coattails of runaway leaders Liverpool in the Premier League, making this match at the Etihad Stadium an intriguing one.

Currently it’s the Foxes that have the least ground to make up, as they are 10 points back on the Merseyside outfit. While Leicester supporters will be delighted with the strides made by their team this season, they would have been a little disappointed to see them held 1-1 by Norwich last weekend.

As for City, they’ve been uncharacteristically inconsistent this season, allowing Liverpool to storm clear. However, Pep Guardiola would have been impressed with what he saw from his side on Sunday, with Kevin De Bruyne inspiring the side to an impressive 3-0 win at Arsenal.

Both teams were in action in the League Cup in midweek and they each fielded relatively strong sides. It’ll be fascinating to see if there’s any hangover from those matches for either team in what promises to be an occasion bristling with attacking class.

Liverpool vs. Flamengo

Saturday, December 21, 12:30 p.m. ET, FOX Deportes and fuboTV (free trial)

As it so often the case in the Club World Cup, the champions of South America and Europe will meet in the final.

Liverpool will be representing Europe in this encounter and are the big favourites to prevail. They weren’t at their best in the previous round of the competition though, with a last-gasp goal from Roberto Firmino needed to get past Monterrey 2-1.

In the other semi-final, Flamengo also had to work hard. After falling behind against Al-Hilal, the Copa Libertadores winners eventually rallied to a 3-1 win; they were backed by a huge travelling support in the contest and it’s anticipated the Brazilian fans will outnumber the Reds supporters significantly on Saturday.

Flamengo will need all the help they can get against the Premier League side though, with the Reds expected to welcome Firmino, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Sadio Mane back into their lineup.

Atalanta vs. AC Milan

Sunday, December 22, 6:30 a.m. ET, ESPN2, ESPN Deportes, Sling Orange, Hulu Live and AT&T TV Now (free trial)

Atalanta will be desperate to finish a memorable year on a high on Sunday, when they welcome AC Milan to Bergamo.

Having qualified for the UEFA Champions League and progressed into the knockout stages of the competition, already it’s been a historic campaign for La Dea. Ahead of their last-16 clash with Valencia in February, they will now be seeking to find some much needed consistency on the domestic front.

While Atalanta have developed a clear identity under Gian Piero Gasperini, Milan remained a muddled outfit. Coach Stefano Pioli has managed to steer them to eight points from their last four games, although goals remain hard to come by and the Rossonerri sit down in 10th place in the table.

With Atalanta seven points ahead in sixth place, already a European spot is looking unlikely for Milan. If they were to suffer defeat on Sunday, it’s tough to see how Pioli propels them towards the top six in the remaining months of the campaign.

Tottenham vs. Chelsea

Sunday, December 22, 11:30 a.m. ET, NBCSN, fuboTV, Hulu Live, Sling Blue and AT&T TV Now (free trial)

As will be the case at Goodison Park, there’ll be plenty of focus on the coaches on Sunday in north London.

The clash will see Frank Lampard take his Chelsea team to Tottenham, who are managed by his former boss and legendary Blues manager Jose Mourinho. It’s a narrative that’ll only add intensity to what is always a pulsating fixture in the Premier League.

After a brilliant beginning to the season, Chelsea head into this tussle looking vulnerable too. They put in their worst performance of the campaign last weekend, stuttering to a 1-0 loss at home to Bournemouth; that makes it four defeats in their previous five Premier League games.

Meanwhile, Spurs are on an upward trajectory under Mourinho and after their last-gasp win over Wolverhampton Wanderers on Sunday, are now just three points back on the Blues in fourth.

Our selections this weekend are dominated by two divisions, with the fixture computers churning out fascinating contests in the Premier League and La Liga.

In both, the champions face challenging away trips. Elsewhere in England, there’s a clash between two sides seeking to force their way into reckoning for a Champions League place, while the second selection from Spain is one of the country’s biggest tussles.

All kick offs are in Eastern time, enjoy your weekend and enjoy the games.

Real Sociedad vs. Barcelona

Saturday, December 14, 10 a.m. ET, beIN SPORTS, beIN SPORTS en Español, fuboTV, Sling Latino, Sling World Sports, Fanatiz and Vidgo (free trial)

Barcelona are in the midst of a challenging run of fixtures, with this trip to San Sebastian to face Real Sociedad poised to be one of their toughest domestic matches of the season.

Sociedad have taken the division by surprise this season, playing an absorbing brand of attacking football. Real Madrid loanee Martin Odegaard has been at the heart of their vibrant play and you can bet his parent club would have been encouraging him this week to turn in a big performance against their rivals.

Barcelona appear to be finding an impressive groove at the right time though and will take huge confidence from their 2-1 win over Inter Milan in the Champions League in midweek.

Manager Ernesto Valverde was even able to rest Lionel Messi for that encounter, meaning he will be fit and fresh for this fixture in the Basque country. In his last outing, Messi grabbed a stunning hat-trick in a 5-2 win over Real Mallorca.

Arsenal vs. Manchester City

Sunday, December 15, 11:30 a.m. ET, NBCSN, Telemundo, fuboTV, Hulu Live, Sling Blue and AT&T TV Now (free trial)

Both Arsenal and Manchester City find themselves in peculiar positions coming into this showdown at the Emirates Stadium

The Gunners picked up their first win in nine games on Monday against West Ham United and that would have been huge relief for interim manager Freddie Ljungberg. Summer signing Nicolas Pepe also produced his best performance in an Arsenal shirt, scoring one goal and setting up the other.

City were humbled in front of their own supporters last weekend against local rivals Manchester United, leaving them a staggering 14 points behind league leaders Liverpool. Defensively, they were all at sea against the Red Devils, with the likes of Marcus Rashford, Anthony Martial and Daniel James causing countless issues on the counter attack.

With neither side at their fluent best at the moment, the match may take some time to ignite. But given the attacking class both sides have at their disposal and the defensive issues they’ve both endured, expect goals to flow in north London.

Wolves vs. Tottenham Hotspur

Sunday, December 15, 9am ET, NBCSN, Universo, fuboTV, Hulu Live, Sling Blue and AT&T TV Now (free trial)

After a slow start to the campaign, Wolves have started to make steady progress up the table and go into the game with Tottenham Hotspur in sixth place.

Nuno Santo’s team would have been hoping to push for a spot in the top six this term, but it feels like there is a chance for some sides from outside the established elite to shake up the usual order. With Chelsea struggling for form and Tottenham a point behind them, a win would be a huge boost for Wolves.

Mourinho’s Spurs are unlikely to represent easy opposition though, albeit they’ve yet to find the defensive solidity the Portuguese coach has been renowned for in his career to date. However, he’s reignited the form of Harry Kane, Son Heung-min and Dele Alli, who will offer a big threat at Molineux on Sunday.

For both teams, it feels like a barometer fixture that’ll tell us a lot about where their ambitions will lie for the rest of the season. With matches coming thick and fast from next weekend on, a confidence boost will be crucial.

Fiorentina vs. Inter Milan

Sunday, December 15, 2:45 p.m. ET, ESPN2, ESPN Deportes, Sling Orange, Hulu Live and AT&T TV Now (free trial)

If Inter Milan are going to claim the Serie A title this season, it’s matches like this one against Fiorentina in which they’ll need to step up.

Not only is any clash away from home against La Viola a test, Inter will go into the game on the back of a heartbreaking defeat to Barcelona in the Champions League. Antonio Conte’s side were unable to beat a scratch Blaugrana XI and were subsequently eliminated from the tournament, dropping into the Europa League.

Although there have been issues for the Nerazzurri in European competition, in Serie A they’ve been rock-solid and go into the weekend with a one-point lead over their rivals Juventus. Given Juve have a home fixture with Udinese earlier in the day, Inter are likely to be off top spot come kick off at Stadio Artemio Franchi.

Fiorentina will see this match as a chance to kickstart their season, as they are languishing down in 13th place. They’ve lost their last four games in succession.

Valencia vs. Real Madrid

Sunday, December 15, 2:45 p.m. ET, beIN SPORTS, beIN SPORTS en Español, fuboTV, Sling Latino, Sling World Sports, Fanatiz and Vidgo (free trial)

Real Madrid’s visit to the Mestalla to face Valencia is always one of the biggest events on the Spanish football calendar and the latest showdown between the two teams is shaping up to be a fascinating contest.

Los Blancos appear to be coming into form towards the end of the calendar year, with manager Zinedine Zidane managing to set his side up well despite myriad injury issues.

The Madrid manager will be without the likes of Gareth Bale and Eden Hazard for this fixture, although other facets of the team are functioning well. Karim Benzema is in the form of his life up top, while in midfield the likes of Casemiro, Luka Modric, Toni Kroos and Fede Valverde are all fighting for a starting berth.

Valencia will also be in sky-high spirits, as they produced a resolute display to beat Ajax away from home in the Champions League in midweek, qualifying for the knockout stages in the process. They may be down in eighth in La Liga ahead of the weekend, but Los Che are only a point back on Sociedad in fourth.

The Bundesliga has the potential to be the most exciting division in European football this season and it takes centre stage this weekend in our selections.

The champions and the leaders are both in action in what are potentially testing games. Elsewhere on the continent, one of the Premier League’s big names is under pressure, while high-profile outfits face off in Spain and France.

All kick offs are Eastern time. Enjoy your weekend and enjoy the games!

Bayern Munich vs. Bayer Leverkusen

Saturday, November 30, 12:30 p.m. ET, FOX Soccer Plus, FOX Deportes and fuboTV (free trial)

The departure of Niko Kovac has triggered a rejuvenation of Bayern Munich and suddenly they appear to be the team to beat again in German football.

Since the appointment of Hans-Dieter Flick the team has stepped up a level, with the goals flowing in all of his games in charge so far. Their latest high-scoring win came on Tuesday, when Robert Lewandowski netted an incredible four goals in a 6-0 win over Red Star Belgrade.

Naturally, back at the Allianz Arena they will be confident. Leverkusen have the potential to be a dangerous opponent for Bayern, but so far this season they’ve been inconsistent. Manager Peter Bosz will hope their 2-0 win over Lokomotiv Moscow in midweek can be the start of a strong sequence of results.

Despite their struggles earlier in the season, Bayern could potentially move to the top of the table with victory on Saturday, with Borussia Monchengladbach not taking to the field until the day after.

Norwich City vs. Arsenal

Sunday, December 1, 8 a.m. ET, NBCSN, fuboTV, Hulu Live, Sling Blue and AT&T TV Now (free trial)

There’s a bleak mood around Arsenal at the moment and that’ll only likely be exacerbated if they fail to beat Norwich City on Sunday.

The Gunners just about scrapped to a 2-2 draw against Southampton in their previous top-flight game, with Alexandre Lacazette’s last-gasp goal restoring parity. Even so, it was a result that further ramped up the pressure on the toiling Unai Emery, who now appears to have lost the trust of the fanbase.

Norwich have found the Premier League a challenge since their promotion, but were able to secure a crucial victory last weekend, winning 2-0 at Everton. The win pushed the Canaries off the bottom of the table and at Carrow Road, Daniel Farke will feel as though his players can cause issues for the visitors.

As things stand, it appears Emery is in a precarious position in north London, with his team playing without intensity or incision. It would be extremely difficult for the manager to fight his way back into favour if he was to endure another loss here.

Borussia Monchengladbach vs. Freiburg

Sunday, December 1, 9:30 a.m. ET, FS1, TUDN, Sling Blue, Hulu + Live TV, AT&T TV Now and fuboTV (free trial)

Monchengladbach may have lost last time out, but they have a chance to bounce back on home soil this weekend when they welcome an impressive Freiburg team to Borussia Park.

A run of three domestic wins in a row came to an end for BMG in the previous round of matches, as they were well below their usual standards in a 2-0 loss to Union Berlin. That allowed Bayern and RB Leipzig to chop down the gap to Marco Rose’s side to just one point.

Nevertheless, Monchengladbach have been able to bounce back well from losses this season and will need to be at a level approaching their best if they’re to get three points against Freiburg. Christian Streich’s side are supremely organised and if there’s any sort of hangover from last week for BMG, they’re capable of taking something from the fixture.

Atletico Madrid vs. Barcelona

Sunday, December 1, 3 p.m. ET, beIN SPORTS, beIN SPORTS en Español, fuboTV, Sling Latino, Sling World Sports, Fanatiz and Vidgo (free trial)

Atletico Madrid’s season has stuttered along to this point. The visit of Barcelona feels like a change for them to push on.

In La Liga this season, 11 teams have managed to score more goals than Atletico, despite the amount of attacking quality available to Diego Simeone. He will be hoping the recent return to fitness of Joao Felix will spark his side, who have been heavily reliant on Alvaro Morata, into life.

With Barcelona, it’s difficult to know for certain what we’re going to get. In midweek, they sparkled in a 3-1 win over Borussia Dortmund, with Lionel Messi pulling the strings in his majestic style. However, away from home this season they’ve been prone to putting in limp displays.

As such, the match at the Wanda Metropolitano is poised to be between two teams that aren’t totally sure of themselves as things stand. For the winner, you sense this match will be a big building block if they are to have a successful campaign.

Monaco vs. Paris Saint-Germain

Sunday, December 1, 3 p.m. ET, beIN SPORTS Connect, fuboTV, Fanatiz, Sling Latino, Sling World Sports (free trial)

Not too long ago, Monaco’s clashes with PSG were must-watch occasions. However, the clubs have gone in significantly different directions over the course of the campaign.

Monaco have sunk down the Ligue 1 table and despite another summer of sizeable investment, they’ve been unable to find a successful formula. It means that despite possessing some exciting attackers like Islam Slimani and Wissam Ben Yedder, they go into this match with the champions down in 14th place.

Monaco’s deterioration has allowed PSG to cement their dominant position at the top of French football and there’s little indication that’ll change this season. Already they have an eight-point lead at the top of the table.

In addition, PSG have Kylian Mbappe and Neymar returning to full fitness. Both were involved in midweek, as they team staged an unlikely comeback to draw 2-2 with Real Madrid in the Champions League.

There are no international breaks until March.

There’s loads of good domestic football to come this weekend.

That’s nice isn’t it?

Dominating the weekend is the Copa Libertadores final, as two excellent managers will pit their exciting sides against one another.

Meanwhile, Saturday promises to be a dramatic day in the Premier League, with the lunchtime and evening kick-offs catching the eye. In La Liga, one of the bonafide title favorites goes up against the league’s great entertainers. The final selection comes between two of Serie A’s best.

All kick offs are Eastern time. Enjoy your weekend and enjoy the games.

West Ham United vs. Tottenham

Saturday, November 21, 7:30 a.m. ET, NBCSN, Universo, fuboTV, Hulu Live, Sling Blue and AT&T TV Now (free trial)

Well, this fixture suddenly looks a lot more appealing after Tottenham’s win this week doesn’t it?

Jose Mourinho—it’s still a bit weird—will be in the dugout for Spurs at the London Stadium, after the north London club made the bold decision to cut ties with Mauricio Pochettino. The Portuguese will be seeking to steer Tottenham to their first win on the road in the top flight since January.

It’ll be fascinating to see how the Spurs players respond to their new boss. Regardless of whether or not you think the decision to sack Pochettino was the right one, you sense a new face in training and some new tactical ideas will trigger a response from the team. That’d be bad news for a toiling West Ham outfit.

The Hammers have failed to build on a strong start to the season and are now six games without a win. Before the international break they were beaten 3-0 by Burnley and a repeat of that performance will surely see Spurs capitalise.

Atalanta vs. Juventus

Saturday, November 21, 9 a.m. ET, ESPNEWS, ESPN Deportes, Sling Orange, Hulu Live and AT&T TV Now (free trial)

Juventus face a challenging resumption of their domestic schedule at the Stadio Atleti Azzurri d’Italia against Atalanta.

The Italian champions have been typically professional in the opening weeks of the season, accumulating 32 points from 12 games. However, unlike in many previous years, they appear to have a genuine rival in the form of Inter, who sit a point further back.

It means anything other than a win would for Juve in the early kick off on Saturday would potentially see them knocked off top spot, with Inter traveling to Torino later in the day. By contrast, Maurizio Sarri will be thinking about the significance of a win and the pressure that’d apply to their challengers.

That’s no mean feat against La Dea, albeit they have been inconsistent this season. At their best, Atalanta have the attacking class to harm any side in the division; keeping opponents out at the other end has been a challenge.

Manchester City vs. Chelsea

Saturday, November 21, 12:30 p.m ET, NBC, Telemundo, fuboTV, Hulu Live, Sling Blue and AT&T TV Now (free trial)

With Liverpool playing at Crystal Palace earlier in the day, there’s a chance City will trail the Reds by a whopping 12 points come kick off. They can’t afford to slip up against Chelsea.

The Blues actually go into this game above the champions in the table, with the team blossoming under Frank Lampard as of late. In the Premier League, it’s six wins on the bounce and the side are playing some thrilling attacking football.

It will be intriguing to see how Lampard approaches this encounter, as many sides in the league would be wary about going toe-to-toe with a team as talented as City. However, after such a strong start to 2019-20, Chelsea may be in a “nothing to lose” mindset.

As for City, the pressure is firmly on after their 3-1 loss at Anfield before the international break. Pep Guardiola has seen his team respond under the pump previously and even though the Manchester club have a number of injury issues to contend with, the manager will be expecting a much improved performance from his players.

Real Madrid vs. Real Sociedad

Saturday, November 21, 3 p.m. ET, beIN SPORTS, fuboTV, Sling Latino, Sling World Sports, Fanatiz and Vidgo (free trial)

After their rocky beginning to the campaign, there have been positive steps made by Real Madrid as of late.

Zinedine Zidane’s side suddenly look like genuine challengers for the title again, as they’ve shored up in defence and started to find more consistency in attack. Their 4-0 win at Eibar before the break was their standout performance of the season so far, with Karim Benzema and Eden Hazard showing encouraging signs in attack.

Los Blancos are level on points with Barcelona, who play at Leganes earlier in the day, meaning there’s little room to slip up. Madrid arguably have the more challenging fixture too, with an enterprising Real Sociedad, who sit fifth in the table, heading to the Santiago Bernabeu.

For the visitors, all eyes will be on Martin Odegaard, who is at Sociedad on loan from Los Blancos. The Norwegian forward has shone this term and will be desperate to turn in an eye-catching performance in front of the supporters of his parent club.

River Plate vs. Flamengo

Saturday, November 21, 3 p.m. ET, beIN SPORTS en Español, Sling Latino, Sling World Sports, Fanatiz, fuboTV and Vidgo (free trial)

If South America football is more to your taste, the biggest game on that continent takes place on Saturday night, with River Plate and Flamengo going toe-to-toe in the Copa Libertadores final.

River won a memorable game with rivals Boca Juniors in this fixture a year ago, with the match moved to the Bernabeu in Madrid. This time, the match will be played in what’s anticipated to be an 80,000-strong crowd at the Estadio Monumental in Lima, Peru.

Once again, River have proven themselves difficult to beat under the guidance of the impressive Marcelo Gallardo, as he steered them past Boca in the semis. Given they have experienced the intensity and pressure of this fixture so recently.

Flamengo are a force to be reckoned with though and are in possession of two of the most prolific forwards in the competition in Gabriel Barbosa and Bruno Henrique. The former has been particularly lethal, with a brace in their emphatic 5-0 win over Gremio in the second leg of the semi-final.

After shifting the focus to some sides outside of the standard spotlight last weekend, the heavyweights return to the feature this week. Plenty of them are in need of some points.

There are two clashes from the Premier League—including a showdown between the top two—as well as a meeting between the two most likely challengers for the Bundesliga crown.

Elsewhere, on Sunday the two biggest names in Italian football will go head-to-head, while arguably the most intense derby match in Spanish football caps off the weekend.

All kick offs are in Eastern time. Enjoy your weekend and enjoy the games!

Leicester City vs. Arsenal

Saturday, November 9, 12:30 p.m. ET, NBC, fuboTV, Hulu Live, Sling Blue and AT&T TV Now (free trial)

Arsenal have endured a torrid few weeks and a trip to high-flying Leicester City is not a test under-pressure boss Unai Emery will be relishing at this stage.

There’s every chance the Foxes will turn in a performances bristling with the traits Arsenal fans would like to see from their own side. Under Brendan Rodgers, they appear to be genuine challengers for a top-four spot this season, as they’re playing with intensity and attacking verve.

A week ago, they also showed they’re capable of digging out results on the road. Leicester were ultra-professional in the win over Crystal Palace, as they gradually ground down their opponent and showed their class to take the game away from the Eagles late on. At the King Power, you sense they will fly out of the traps.

Whether Arsenal can withstand an attacking barrage from Leicester is doubtful, as they’ve been flimsy in defence lately, not to mention unbalanced in attack. Factor in the issues off the field—Granit Xhaka has been stripped of the captaincy—and the scrutiny on Emery, this has the potential to be a long evening for the Gunners.

Bayern Munich vs. Borussia Dortmund

Saturday, November 9, 12:30 p.m. ET, FS2, Sling Blue, Hulu + Live TV, AT&T TV Now and fuboTV (free trial)

For Bayern, much of the week has been dominated by talk regarding over their next potential manager, with Niko Kovac axed after last weekend’s 5-1 loss to Eintracht Frankfurt. Borussia Dortmund will be out to capitalise on the instability.

While Kovac had never entirely convinced as Bayern boss, there wasn’t any sense of him being on the brink as he prepared for the match with Frankfurt. However, the manner in which the Munich club collapsed clearly represented the final straw and they remain on the hunt for a successor.

It’ll be Hans-Dieter Flick taking charge of Bayern this weekend, as they will be out to earn a Klassiker win over Dortmund. Lucien Favre’s side are three points back on leaders Borussia Monchengladbach and will take huge confidence if they were able to beat their rivals in their own back yard.

Dortmund will be in high spirits for the game too, as they recovered from a two-goal deficit to beat Inter Milan in midweek. While the Munich outfit may be in disarray at the moment, in Robert Lewandowski they boast arguably the best forward in the game and remain a dangerous prospect as such.

Liverpool vs. Manchester City

Sunday, November 10, 11:30 a.m. ET, NBCSN, Telemundo, fuboTV, Hulu Live, Sling Blue and AT&T TV Now (free trial)

A huge fixture is in store at Anfield on Sunday, as the two standout teams in the Premier League face off in a contest that’ll have huge title connotations.

Liverpool have a six-point lead over City going into the game, as they were able to produce late heroics in their 2-1 win over Aston Villa last weekend. It means they have the chance to take a huge step towards a possible title success on Sunday, as a win would give City massive ground to make up.

While the Premier League champions clearly have a lot of quality, the omens aren’t good for them. Not only is their record at Anfield awful—they’ve won once in 28 years at the Merseyside venue—they have a number of injuries to contend with to key players. Ederson is a big doubt for the game, while David Silva, Rodri, Leroy Sane and Aymeric Laporte are all out.

Liverpool will sense blood as a result and Anfield is set to be a cauldron of noise on Sunday afternoon. If City can emerge without losing the game, then you sense Guardiola will be delighted going into the international break.

Juventus vs. AC Milan

Sunday, November 10, 2:45 p.m. ET, ESPN+

With Inter Milan hosting Verona on Saturday, there’s a chance Juventus will be down in second in the Serie A standings come kick off on Sunday. That may apply some pressure to them ahead of the meeting with Milan.

It’s been rare for Juve to be challenged in the Italian top flight in recent years. Following Napoli’s effort in 2017-18, Inter appear to be the side best equipped to test them and it’ll be intriguing to see how this revamped Bianconeri outfit cope in a genuine race for the Scudetto, should one emerge.

Given the quality available to Maurizio Sarri, you’d expect them to stand up to the challenge well. In midweek in the Champions League they were able to show their mettle, as Douglas Costa grabbed a last-minute winner at Lokomotiv Moscow following a poor performance. As dramatic as that triumph was, Sarri will hope for a much more straightforward success on Sunday.

After all, Milan are having a torrid season and go into this round of fixtures down in 12th position in the table. It means that Stefano Pioli is already under pressure despite only being appointed in October and things are unlikely to get better for him here.

Real Betis vs. Sevilla

Sunday, November 10, 3 p.m. ET, beIN SPORTS, beIN SPORTS en Español, fuboTV, Sling Latino, Sling World Sports and Fanatiz (free trial)

It may not boast the same prestige as the Clasico, but derbies between Real Betis and Sevilla are arguably more intense than games between Real Madrid and Barcelona. In recent years, they’ve provided some of the best entertainment in European football.

Betis will host the first Andalusian derby of the campaign and will be looking to use the visit of their rivals as a chance to ignite their season. They are languishing in 15th before La Liga’s Week 13 gets underway, although they did show some signs of improvement in the 0-0 with Real Madrid on Sunday.

Sevilla have blown hot and cold under Julen Lopetegui, as they meshed mixed thrilling attacking football with spells of stagnant possession. As of yet, they’ve been unable to get over the line against the big sides, suffering losses to Real Madrid and Barcelona earlier in the term; in their last two matches they’ve drawn against Valencia and Atletico Madrid.

Aside from their resolute display at the Santiago Bernabeu last weekend, Betis have been ropey in their defensive play for the majority of 2019-20. It means that if both teams opt to have a go at one another, this contest could be another Andalusian classic.

Last weekend’s matches all lived up to their expectations, all ticking a box of drama, tension or controversy. Here’s hoping it’s the same again this time around.

This week, there’s a repeat of last year’s Champions League final in the Premier League. We also have big-name encounters from Serie A, La Liga and Ligue 1 to enjoy, as well as a huge derby at the top of a congested Bundesliga.

All kick-offs are in Eastern time. Enjoy your weekend and enjoy the games!

Schalke vs. Borussia Dortmund

Saturday, October 26, 9:30 a.m. ET, FS2, UniMas, TUDN, Sling Blue, Hulu + Live TV, AT&T TV Now and fuboTV (free trial)

At this point in a Bundesliga season, there has typically been one or two sides ahead of the chasing pack. This term, just four points separate the top nine.

Schalke and Dortmund are in that group of sides and will be desperate to ensure they remain in the conversation at the expense of each other on Saturday. The contest is regarded as one of the most fiercely contested rivalries in German football.

Dortmund beat table toppers Borussia Monchengladbach in their previous domestic outing, although they were well below their best in the loss to Inter Milan on Wednesday. They will need to perform to a much higher standard if they are to head back from Schalke with a victory.

The home team missed the chance to go top last weekend, as they were beaten 2-0 by Hoffenheim on Sunday. Following the struggles of last term, David Wagner has got the team performing well again overall and he’ll earn a lot of favour early in his tenure if he gets a win in the Revierderby.

Atletico Madrid vs. Athletic Bilbao

Saturday, October 26, 3 p.m. ET, beIN SPORTS, beIN SPORTS en Español, fuboTV, Sling Latino, Sling World Sports and Fanatiz (free trial)

The Clasico showdown at the Camp Nou was set to be the standout match of the weekend, but with the clash between Barcelona and Real Madrid suspended, it’s Atletico and Athletic who will face off in the standout encounter.

After strong starts to the season, both sides are seeking a win to reinvigorate their respective campaigns. Atletico, in particular, have lacked an attacking spark that so many expected they would have after a summer of big-name acquisitions.

Last weekend Diego Simeone’s side were held to a 1-1 draw by Valencia, as they struggled to kill the game off after taking the lead. With Joao Felix injured and poised to miss the match, the manager will want to see another one of his attacking players help bring the team back to life in the final third.

Athletic topped the table early in the season, but a run of four games without a win has seen them slip back into the middle of the pack. While they have only conceded five goals all season, the Bilbao giants have failed to fire in attack, with Inaki Williams shouldering a huge responsibility up top.

Liverpool vs. Tottenham Hotspur

Sunday, October 27, 12:30 p.m. ET, NBC, fuboTV, Hulu Live, Sling Blue and AT&T TV Now (free trial)

You sense Liverpool supporters at Anfield will be quick to remind Tottenham Hotspur fans that they are six-time European champions on Sunday, as these two teams face off in a repeat of the Champions League final in June.

That night, goals from Mohamed Salah and Divock Origi were enough to give Liverpool the trophy, in what was a relatively even game. Since that night, the two teams have been on completely different trajectories.

Liverpool dropped points for the first time this season last weekend at Manchester United. The team were nowhere near their best at Old Trafford but still managed to escape with a draw; manager Jurgen Klopp would have at least been pleased with their attacking fluidity in the 4-1 win over Genk on Wednesday.

Tottenham also earned a handsome win over Red Star in the Champions League, but domestically they’ve been out of form, with just one win in their last four. The significance of their positive performance in Europe will become clear with how they fare on Merseyside on Sunday.

Roma vs. AC Milan

Sunday, October 27, 1 p.m. ET, ESPN+

For Roma and AC Milan, watching Juventus and Inter Milan racing clear at the top of Serie A so early in the campaign must be galling. For both, qualifying for European football next season already appears to be the summit of their ambitions.

So far, both sides have underwhelmed in the Italian top flight, with Roma coming into the weekend in sixth spot and Milan a lowly 12th after eight games.

At Milan, the appointment of Stefano Pioli as manager has not gone down well and the team were uninspiring in his first game in charge, a 2-2 draw with Lecce last weekend. It feels as though the new boss needs a big win at a venue like the Stadio Olimpico to earn some favour with the fans early in his tenure.

Roma have steadied after a sluggish start to 2019-20, with coach Paulo Fonseca slowly beginning to get his ideas across. After being held to a draw last weekend by bottom club Sampdoria, they will be intent to make amends by putting the out-of-form Rossoneri to the sword on Sunday.

Paris Saint-Germain vs. Marseille

Sunday, October 27, 4 p.m. ET, beIN SPORTS, fuboTV, Fanatiz, Sling Latino and Sling World Sports (free trial)

Despite two losses already in Ligue 1 this season, the signs are that PSG are going to race to another French title. Marseille will be out to stop them in Paris on Sunday in the first Classique of the 2019-20 term.

PSG will go into the game in brilliant spirits, as they trounced Club Brugge 5-0 in the Champions League. After coming into the team as a 52nd-minute substitute, it was Kylian Mbappe who stole the show, as he scored three goals and set up another in his time on the field.

Marseille will be wary of what the French superstar can offer, but Thomas Tuchel’s team is packed full of high-class players. Mauro Icardi is beginning to find his goalscoring touch in a PSG shirt, while Angel Di Maria is playing some of the best football of his distinguished career at the moment.

It’s an ominous task for Andre Villas-Boas’ Marseille. They are fourth in the table after a solid beginning to the season, but you sense they lack the cohesion at the back and the firepower up top to give PSG a serious test in Sunday’s encounter.

Editor’s note: World Soccer Talk veteran correspondent Matt Jones returns with his picks for the top five matches to watch this weekend. Living in England, Matt has been a regular contributor to World Soccer Talk since 2012.

Welcome back to the feature. It’s good to see you all again.

There’s just too much good football around at the moment to not write about it, isn’t there?

Well, certainly this weekend anyway.

Over the coming days, we focus on the Premier League, with two key games for the two title challengers. Other standout matches come from La Liga, the Bundesliga and in the Major League Soccer playoffs.

All kick-off are Eastern time.

Atletico Madrid vs. Valencia

Saturday, October 19, 10 a.m. ET, beIN SPORTS, beIN SPORTS en Español, fuboTV, Fanatiz, Sling Latino and Sling World Sports (free trial)

After a strong start to the campaign, Atletico’s form has faded in recent weeks. With the international break over, they’ll be out to get back to winning ways against Valencia.

Diego Simeone’s side underwent a significant facelift in the summer, with the acquisition of players like Joao Felix pointing towards a potentially more attack-minded outlook this term. So far, the capital club have only scored seven goals from their eight La Liga games.

Valencia endured a torrid start to their season, with the popular Marcelino sacked. Albert Celades represented a curious replacement, but they’ve won their last two games and have surged up to seventh spot. A win at the Wanda Metropolitano would put them level on points with Atletico, who sit in third position.

Atletico are three points off the top themselves, which will disappoint Simeone given the sluggish football Real Madrid and Barcelona have played at times this season. He will be desperate to see his team up the ante in coming matches and make a case to be considered title challengers.

Crystal Palace vs. Manchester City

Saturday, October 19, 12:30 p.m. ET, NBC, Universo, fuboTV, Hulu Live, Sling Blue and AT&T TV Now (free trial)

For Manchester City supporters, you sense the international break dragged. After all, they had a 2-0 home loss to Wolverhampton Wanderers to stew on, not to mention the fact Liverpool were able to build up an eight-point lead at the top of the table.

Crystal Palace will be another big test for Pep Guardiola’s side and you suspect the home side will see some vulnerability in the champions at the moment. The Eagles have enjoyed a strong start to the season too, with a win at West Ham United before the international break the latest impressive result for Roy Hodgson’s squad.

City have bounced back well from adversity under Guardiola in the main, but with just one fit senior centre-back available to the manager, there’s no doubt they have a soft centre. With that in mind, they may go to Selhurt Park in an ultra-attacking mindset.

Palace can cause problems for opponents on the break, especially through the blistering transitions of Wilfried Zaha. While City will always cause issues in attack, stemming that threat will be key to them earning all three points.

Borussia Dortmund vs. Borussia Monchengladbach

Saturday, October 19, 12:30 p.m. ET, FS2, Sling Blue, Hulu + Live TV, AT&T TV Now and fuboTV (free trial)

Arguably the game of the weekend will see shock Bundesliga leaders Borussia Monchengladbach visit Borussia Dortmund, as they look to cement their status as challengers for the German title.

Dortmund and Bayern Munich were expected to jostle it out for top spot this season, with RB Leipzig the outfit seemingly most likely to join that duo in the title race. Few would have had Marco Rose’s side leading the way seven games into the campaign, although they’re well worth their impressive standing.

Four wins in a row from BMG have pushed them to the top of the table. In their previous outing, they sizzled in a 5-1 win over Augsburg, with the attacking trio of Marcus Thurham, Alassane Plea and Patrick Herrmann too hot to handle.

Dortmund may also find them difficult to stop, as they’ve endured defensive issues of their own recently. They may be down in eighth spot, but they’re just four points behind their opponents on Saturday and have the chance to congest a tight top half further with victory.

Manchester United vs. Liverpool

Sunday, October 20, 11:30 a.m. ET, NBCSN, Telemundo, fuboTV, Hulu Live, Sling Blue and AT&T TV Now (free trial)

Liverpool have the chance to extend their perfect start to the Premier League season to nine games on Sunday. You feel they would take great pleasure in doing so at Old Trafford against Manchester United.

United have been shambolic at times this season and were especially poor in their 1-0 loss to Newcastle United before the international break. With that in mind, it feels like Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and his players will need to produce something spectacular if they are to get a positive result against the European champions.

A tough ask was made even harder this week too, as Solskjaer confirmed Paul Pogba and David De Gea—arguably the team’s two key players—will miss the match due to injuries. Given the other fitness issues in the squad, it leaves the Norwegian with a threadbare squad.

Liverpool will be big favourites as a result, especially with starting goalkeeper Alisson Becker set to return to action. If they turn up and are focused on the job at hand, it’s difficult to see the Reds having too many problems against their bitter rivals.

Minnesota United vs. Los Angeles Galaxy

Sunday, October 20, 8:30 p.m. ET, ESPN, ESPN Deportes, Sling Orange, Hulu + Live TV and AT&T TV Now (free trial)

The serious stuff will get underway in MLS this weekend, with playoff places up for grabs across the country. The most fascinating fixture may well be the final one, as Los Angeles Galaxy make the trip to Minnesota United.

Minnesota were able to finish in fourth spot in the Western Conference at the end of the season, ensuring they have home advantage for the game. The Galaxy would have usurped their opponents had they won at Houston Dynamo on the final day of the regular season, but they slumped to a disappointing 4-2 defeat.

That loss will concern manager Guillermo Schelotto, as their defence will need to be much tighter for a trip to Minnesota. As much as the team will be expecting Zlatan Ibrahimovic to stand up on these big stages, the mercurial Swede can’t always be relied on to pull the Galaxy out of trouble.

Allianz Field is a tough place to win too, as United were only beaten once on their own patch in 2019. A challenging night is on the cards for the visitors as a result, with a monumental effort set to be needed to keep playoff hopes alive.

It’s wonderful when we get to this point in the season and so many games mean so much.

This week, promotion to the Premier League is at stake for four teams, as the Championship Playoffs get underway. There’s also huge games in Germany and Spain in the race for the Bundesliga and the Champions League, respectively.

The Premier League’s enthralling title race will come to an end on Sunday too, with the defending champions knowing a win will see them retain the prize.

All kick-offs are in Eastern time. Enjoy the weekend and enjoy the games!

Aston Villa vs. West Brom

Saturday, May 11, 7:30 a.m. ET, ESPN+ (free trial)

The first of the two Championship semi-final first legs is a Midlands derby, with Aston Villa seeking to continue their tremendous form going into the playoffs with a win over West Bromwich Albion.

Villa didn’t appear to be in with much chance of threatening the top six midway through the season, as they had endured a campaign of inconsistency. But Dean Smith’s side put together a winning run at the perfect time, propelling them into what was eventually a comfortable spot in the playoffs.

West Brom have been in a similar position for much of the campaign. Throughout the 2018-19 term they’ve found goals easy to come by, with only champions Norwich City more prolific. Dwight Gayle and Jay Rodriguez have been on target 45 times between them already this season.

Villa Park should be lively for this encounter and in Jack Grealish they arguably boast the best player in the second tier. Having lost out to Fulham in the final last season, there’ll be a massive determination among this group to get back into the top flight.

RB Leipzig vs. Bayern Munich

Saturday, May 11, 9:30 a.m. ET, FOX, UniMas, Univision Deportes Network, fuboTV, Sling Blue, Hulu Live and PlayStation Vue (free trial)

Borussia Dortmund’s collapse at Werder Bremen last weekend allowed Bayern Munich to finally open up some daylight between themselves and their challengers. However, Saturday’s showdown with Leipzig will be anything but straightforward.

Leipzig have been able to pull away from the rest of the sides battling for a Champions League spot and are now comfortably in third position. They’ve not been beaten since January and have taken 19 points from the last 21 available to them in the Bundesliga.

It’s going to be a massive challenge for Bayern, who will be desperate to avoid the race for the title going to the final fay of the campaign, when they face Europa League semi-finalists Eintracht Frankfurt.

Throughout the season the Munich giants have struggled to perform to their absolute best and this title would be one of their more unconvincing successes in recent years. Still, with a number of club stalwarts anticipated to move on at the end of the campaign, they will be desperate to finish the term on a high.

Derby County vs. Leeds United

Saturday, May 11, 12:30 p.m. ET, ESPN+ (free trial)

One of the joys of the Championship playoffs is the manner in which teams can enter the post-season competition with different degrees of momentum.

That’s very much the case for Derby and Leeds. The former only secured their spot in the top six on the final day of the season with a win over West Bromwich Albion and the supporters will be itching to get back to their stadium for another massive encounter.

By contrast, Leeds’ bid for automatic promotion seeped away in the final weeks of the campaign. Despite excelling for long spells of the season, they have lost fitness and form as of late, giving manager Marcelo Bielsa a lot to ponder ahead of their trip to the Rams. He will be hoping the short break they’ve had can trigger some of their early-season form.

Derby have got into this position consistently in previous terms, only to falter in the semi-finals or the final. With a serial winner like Frank Lampard at the helm and some fearless young players within their ranks, supporters will be hopeful a return to the top flight is on the cards again.

Brighton & Hove Albion vs. Manchester City

Sunday, May 12, 10 a.m. ET, NBCSN, Telemundo, fuboTV, Sling Blue, Hulu Live and PlayStation Vue (free trial)

The Premier League title race has brought the best out of Manchester City and Liverpool. The former can clinch it with a win on Sunday on the south coast.

City have won an incredible 13 games in a row in the top flight, although within that sequence their most recent was arguably the most difficult. They needed a stunning strike from Vincent Kompany against Leicester City to secure a 1-0 win; they go into the last day of the season a point ahead of Liverpool as a result.

Now they are massive favourites to secure the Premier League for the second consecutive season, especially given Brighton have little to play for, with their top-flight status secure for another season.

Liverpool don’t face a straightforward game themselves, as they welcome Wolverhampton Wanderers to Anfield. If the Reds are able to grab an early goal and get themselves ahead of City in the live standings, it’ll be intriguing to see how the champions react.

Barcelona vs. Getafe

Sunday, May 12, 12:30 p.m. ET, beIN SPORTS, beIN SPORTS en Español, Sling Latino, Sling World Sports, Fanatiz and fuboTV (free trial)

Barcelona will play for the first time since their staggering collapse against Liverpool in the Champions League on Sunday, as they gear up to face Champions League facing Getafe.

Prior to this game, it would have been anticipated this match was all about the visitors. However, after a shocking 4-0 loss at Anfield on Tuesday, Ernesto Valverde and his players will need to showcase some resolve in front of what is likely to be a disgruntled Camp Nou crowd.

For Getafe, it’s one of the biggest games in the club’s history. With two games remaining they are in fourth spot and find themselves three points ahead of Valencia and Sevilla. At the start of the season, few would have expected Pepe Bordalas to have steered his team into such a high position.

If they can get a point here and stay ahead of their two chasers going into the final day of the season, it’ll be a huge boost for Getafe. However, Barcelona will be a wounded animal after their midweek antics and will surely dig deep to put in a big performance.

The unique pressure of a title race can have a different impact on teams. Some thrive and elevate their game, while others wilt.

In the Premier League, the top two are excelling, and they both have intriguing tests to overcome in their penultimate matches of the top-flight season. In the Bundesliga, both title chasers slipped up last weekend, although it’s still all to play for at the top.

Elsewhere, there are matches that’ll influence the Champions League places in Germany and Italy.

All kick-offs are in Eastern time. Enjoy your weekend and enjoy the games!

Juventus vs. Torino

Friday, May 3, 2:30 p.m. ET, ESPN+ (7-day free trial)

In recent years, the Derby della Mole has been more significant for Juventus, as they’ve chased titles and dominated their Turin rivals. It’s Torino who head into this fixture with plenty to play for though.

They have put together an excellent late run in the campaign and are now within touching distance of the top four. Walter Mazzarri’s side go into this game in seventh, but just three points back on Atalanta who occupy fourth.

For Torino, it’s six games without defeat, and their 2-0 win over AC Milan last weekend means they should be taken seriously in this tight battle for top four. Going away to Juventus and taking a positive result from the game would only emphasise their credentials further, although they’ve only beaten the Bianconeri once in 24 years.

Juventus have already sewn up the title, but showed they are still taking matters seriously with a battling draw at Inter Milan last weekend. The chance to put the brakes on their rivals’ chase for European football will serve as incentive here.

Werder Bremen vs. Borussia Dortmund

Saturday, May 4, 12:30 p.m. ET, FS2, UniMas, Univision Deportes Network, fuboTV, Sling Blue, Hulu Live and PlayStation Vue (free trial)

When Borussia Dortmund imploded against rivals Schalke last weekend, it did appear as though the Bundesliga title race was over. However, Bayern Munich were only able to draw against Nuremberg on Sunday, keeping the gap to just two points.

Bayern are in action earlier on in the day and could extend their lead to five points with a win over Hannover 96. However, with some tough games yet to come for the Munich giants, Dortmund will know it’s imperative they keep in touch when they visit Werder Bremen in Saturday’s late game.

It will be intriguing to see what kind of mindset Dortmund are in after the 4-2 loss at home to Schalke. In addition, they will be without attacking talisman Marco Reus and Marius Wolf, who were both issued with red cards in the defeat to Schalke.

Dortmund are a long way short of the standards they were setting earlier in the campaign. But manager Lucien Favre will be desperate to see them cling on to Bayern this weekend in the hope they can capitalize later in the campaign, when the Munich club have RB Leipzig and Frankfurt to play.

Newcastle United vs. Liverpool

Saturday, May 4, 2:45 p.m. ET, NBCSN, Universo, fuboTV, Sling Blue, Hulu Live and PlayStation Vue (free trial)

Following on from their 3-0 humbling at the hands of Barcelona in the Champions League in midweek, Liverpool’s focus turns to the Premier League again on Saturday.

Newcastle are unlikely to make the match an easy one for the Reds either. While the Magpies have nothing to play for, they are finishing the season strongly and are defensively sound enough to frustrate the best sides in the division. Ayoze Perez is a man in form too, with five goals in his last three games.

Liverpool’s mentality will be fascinating coming into this game. They may have been on the end of a heavy loss at the Camp Nou, but they played well for long spells of the match without getting a crucial goal. That is surely something manager Jurgen Klopp will seek to emphasize.

Newcastle were the last team to beat Liverpool’s title rivals Manchester City in the Premier League and they will be desperate to land another blow to one of the divisions big two. If they can somehow spring a surprise and take all three points, City will have the chance to win the title against Leicester on Monday.

Bayer Leverkusen vs. Eintracht Frankfurt

Sunday, May 5, 12 p.m. ET, FS2, fuboTV, Sling Blue, Hulu Live and PlayStation Vue (free trial)

The scrap for the fourth Champions League spot in Germany is almost as gripping as the battle for the title. Leverkusen and Frankfurt are both heavily involved.

For Frankfurt, this important encounter doesn’t come at the most ideal of times. They travel to Leverkusen between two Europa League semi-finals against Chelsea, the first of which they drew 1-1.

Leverkusen will be seeking to capitalize on those issues when they welcome Frankfurt to the BayArena. They go into this one just three points off Frankfurt, who are in fourth, and in a fine run of form. They’ve won three games in succession coming into the contest and in Kai Havertz have one of the best young players in the division.

For Frankfurt, a draw would be a fine result, as they seek to stay ahead of the likes of Leverkusen and Borussia Monchengladbach heading into the final throws of the campaign.

Manchester City vs. Leicester City

Monday, May 6, 3 p.m. ET, NBCSN, Universo, fuboTV, Sling Blue, Hulu Live and PlayStation Vue (free trial)

For City, their biggest obstacles in theory have been overcome, as they went to Manchester United and Burnley, taking three points from each game. Now they face Leicester City at the Etihad Stadium.

The Foxes are unlikely to make this a straightforward encounter and confidence will be high among the players regarding a possible upset. They were excellent in their 3-0 win over Arsenal last Sunday and in Vardy have someone proven of excelling against the top six teams in the league.

City boss Pep Guardiola would have been thankful for the break his team had this week following a congested schedule. That time on the training pitch would have been valuable for the coach, as he knows they are now just three wins away from securing what would be an incredible domestic treble.

For City, the Liverpool result means little, as they know a win is necessary regardless. A fast start from the home side here would be vital, as the longer the match goes on, the more dangerous the visitors will be on the counter-attack.

There’s so much at stake in the final weeks of the season, as the days gradually tick down to the summer.

In England and Germany there are still absorbing title races to sample, with just a point separating the top two in both of those divisions. Challengers in each league face difficult contests this weekend.

Elsewhere, there are high-profile encounters in Italy and England, as well as a showdown from the Championship involving two teams desperate to earn promotion to the Premier League.

All kick-offs are in Eastern time. Enjoy your weekend and enjoy the games!

Borussia Dortmund vs. Schalke

Saturday, April 28, 9:30 a.m. ET, FS2, UniMas, Univision Deportes Network, fuboTV, Sling Blue and PlayStation Vue (free trial)

Borussia Dortmund are still clinging on in the Bundesliga title race and will seeking to keep the pressure up on Bayern Munich this weekend when they host bitter rivals Schalke 04.

Dortmund produced one of their best performances in weeks last weekend, as they went to Freiburg and won by an emphatic 4-0 scoreline. A day earlier, Bayern had managed to squeeze past Werder Bremen 1-0, with Niklas Sule netting late on in a result that would have potentially demoralised Dortmund.

While BVB are in contention at the top of the table, Schalke have been unable to build on their second-place finish from last season. They’ve toiled throughout the campaign and sit one place above the relegation playoff spot; while they have a six-point buffer to Stuttgart, if results were to against them it would be a nervy end to the season.

Dortmund will not only be seeking to push their rivals closer to a potential relegation scrap, but they can go top of the table with a win on Saturday. The onus would then be on Bayern to respond at Nuremberg a day later.

Inter Milan vs. Juventus

Saturday, April 27, 2:30 p.m. ET, ESPN+ (7-day free trial)

Having been crowned as the Serie A champions for the eighth season in succession last weekend, Juventus go to rivals Inter Milan seeking to put a dent in their challenge for a top-four spot.

Inter go into the weekend in a commanding position in the scrap for a Champions League berth, as they sit in third. AC Milan and Atalanta trail the Nerazzurri by five points, and both will be hoping the champions can give them a chance to close the gap this weekend.

In their previous outing, Inter battled to a 1-1 draw with Roma, with controversial forward Mauro Icardi left on the bench. It’ll be intriguing to see if he’s drafted back in for this one, as the Argentina international has a strong goalscoring record when up against the Bianconeri.

For Juventus, giving their Derbi d’Italia rivals a nervy finish to the season has to be their aim. Manager Massimiliano Allegri will want to see his players remain professional in the five games left and earn the 13 points required to finish with 100 points.

Leeds United vs. Aston Villa

Sunday, April 28, 7 a.m. ET, ESPN+ (7-day free trial)

The final knockings of the Championship season are always a joy to watch and the clash between Leeds United and Aston Villa on Sunday should be one of the matches of the weekend.

For Leeds, the game is a must win if they are to take their slender hopes of automatic qualification into the final day of the season. Victory for Sheffield United at home to bottom club Ipswich Town or a point for Norwich City at home to Blackburn Rovers would effectively consign Marcelo Bielsa’s side to the Playoffs.

There’s no guarantee of a struggling Leeds side picking up anything on Sunday either, as Aston Villa have strung together a tremendous run of results to surge into the top six. Dean Smith’s team have now won 10 Championship games in a row and look like the side to avoid in the Playoffs this term.

For Leeds, this match is an important fixture to inject some much-needed momentum into their campaign and potentially lay down a marker against an opponent they may meet again this term.

Burnley vs. Manchester City

Sunday, April 28, 9:05 a.m. ET, NBCSN, Universo, fuboTV, Sling Blue and PlayStation Vue (free trial)

Following on from their tremendous win at Manchester United on Wednesday, Manchester City will be seeking to take another big step towards the Premier League title when they visit Burnley on Sunday.

City dealt with their local rivals in impressive style in the derby, seeing off an initial flurry from the Red Devils and then showing their class in the second period. Bernardo Silva and Leroy Sane grabbed the crucial goals for Pep Guardiola’s side, sending them back to the top of the Premier League.

There are more hurdles for them to overcome yet though and there’s every chance Liverpool will be back on top of the pile come Friday night, as they host bottom club Huddersfield Town at Anfield. The onus will be on City to respond again in what promises to be a testing environment at Turf Moor.

Having struggled for long spells of the season, Burnley are looking like the side that impressed for so long last season. They earned a creditable draw at Chelsea on Monday and the Clarets’ physical playing style has the potential to make for a testing afternoon for Guardiola’s extraordinary side.

Manchester United vs. Chelsea

Sunday, April 28, 11:30 a.m. ET, NBCSN, Telemundo, fuboTV, Sling Blue and PlayStation Vue (free trial)

For Manchester United, this relentlessly difficult run continues on Sunday, as they welcome Chelsea to Old Trafford looking to get back to winning ways.

Having been outclassed by Barcelona, Everton and Manchester City in their previous three matches, manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer will be desperate to see a response from his players. Despite the wretched recent form, three points would be enough to keep the Red Devils in the battle for the top four spots in the Premier League.

As things stand, United sit in sixth and are three points behind the Blues, who are in fourth and have a superior goal difference. Chelsea missed the chance to put further distance between themselves, the Red Devils and Arsenal on Monday, when they drew with Burnley, but losses for Arsenal and United in midweek means they remain in a strong position to finish fourth.

If they can control possession of the game and find a way of getting Eden Hazard on the ball in dangerous situations, it’s likely to be another nervy 90 minutes at Old Trafford.