Every Thursday or Friday, I select the best or most exciting games not to be missed in the world of football each weekend. From derbies to top-of-the-table clashes, relegation six-pointers to facing world-class players, or other interesting tactical battles, there will be something for everyone to enjoy.
This week, we take you to England, France, Spain, Italy and Germany for some big-name clashes, battles uefa champions league Location and title race action.
– Tiger: Why shouldn’t the back three be defensive?
– Marcotti: AFCON’s decision was right, but why did it take so long?
– Premier League, LaLiga and…Scotland? The most exciting race in Europe
Spanish LaLiga, matchday 29
Kickoff: Sunday, 3 PM ET
The Madrid derby is always special, even more so when the stakes are high. Atleti can’t exactly catch their rivals in LaLiga – they currently sit nine points behind with 10 games remaining – but they could be a major spoiler when it comes to the title race. Madrid is four points behind barcelonawho is the host rayo vallecanoA team that has won only three games away from home all season. So this is a huge opportunity for Diego Simeone and his players to really hurt Madrid and do Barça a huge favour.
Atlético’s form in this game is solid, with some strong performances in recent weeks, particularly their impressive 3–2 win over in-form Real Sociedad. Alexander Sorloth Got his scoring shoes, antoine griezmann Still capable of magic, and that means Atleti will travel to the Bernabeu feeling quite confident.
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Guler sealed Real Madrid’s victory with a half-hearted goal.
Real Madrid’s Arda Guler scored a brilliant goal from half time of the match to ensure the victory of Real Madrid.
The hosts will be looking for revenge after losing 5-2 in the reverse match in September. Interim manager Álvaro Arbeloa appears to have found a solution to Madrid’s problems recently, by using a more practical 4-4-2 formation and seeing an improvement in the form of the defensive midfielders. Thiago Pitarch And Aurélien Tchoumeni. klian mbappe After coming on the field for 20 minutes, he also returned from a knee injury for this game. Manchester City In the Champions League in midweek. He will go straight back into the starting lineup and should be the main threat when these teams meet on Sunday.
My Prediction: Real Madrid 1-1 Atletico Madrid. It’s going to be a very intense, close-fought affair at the Bernabeu on Sunday evening, there will be a lot of pressure on both teams in this huge derby. I think Madrid will struggle to beat Atleti, and so I expect a draw.
carabao cup final
Kickoff: Sunday, 11:30 a.m. ET
It is the first trophy of the English domestic season and is decided by the two best teams of the Premier League, with first place playing second place. With a nine-point gap separating the two sides in the table – although City have a game in hand and host Arsenal next month – this cup final could cast a huge shadow over the rest of the season.
If Arsenal beat City and continue their recent form (they are unbeaten since January), it would give them a psychological advantage heading into the final stages of the title race and could also drain any remaining confidence City may have. However, if City win and bounce back from their recent poor form – they have only won one of their last five in all competitions, two draws against Forest and West Ham and two defeats against Real Madrid – it could give them the confidence they need to fight back. However, those pair of Champions League round-of-16 defeats would have hurt them badly, especially when they had a full squad under Pep Guardiola.
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Can anyone stop Arsenal from winning the Champions League?
Alejandro Moreno debates Arsenal’s chances of winning the Champions League.
The Catalan manager is struggling to find a solution to their imbalance, their lack of creativity and their defensive issues. Their 4-2-2-2 formation looked weak at times, and erling holland Has scored only once in the last five matches in all competitions.
When it comes to Arsenal, we can discuss their style and efficiency and whether or not they are enjoyable to watch — ESPN’s Mark Ogden has already been there — But one thing is clear: they are the most solid and controlled team in Europe at the moment. They will give nothing to the opposition, and they have a lot of individual talent that can change games (bukayo saka, Eberechi Eze, Declan Rice). Their strong defense – they have 25 clean sheets in 49 games this season, in all competitions – is one of the strongest in English football history, and they are so well organized and hard-working that they are difficult to break down.
Arsenal also have plenty of momentum heading into this game, but there is also an added pressure: This is their first final since winning the FA Cup in 2020 at an empty Wembley Stadium amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Bukayo Saka is the only player to remain in Arsenal’s squad that day. A good portion of Arsenal’s squad has never actually won a major club trophy. This cannot be said from the city’s side.
Will Arsenal feel the pressure on Sunday?
My prediction: Arsenal 2-1 Manchester City. I think Arsenal will rightly approach this game with confidence, but not lightly, and City will struggle to find a way to break down their defence. I wouldn’t predict Arsenal goals from set pieces, but they are in great form to face a City team full of doubts.
English Premier Leaguematch day 31
Kickoff: Sunday, 9:15 am ET
It’s taken a long time for Tottenham to get within the six-pointer of relegation, but here they are! After a difficult season finishing bottom this calendar year, they will have to fight to stay in the Premier League. Their biggest game of the remainder of the season will be against Forest on Sunday, which promises to be an eager crowd. Forest are far more used to relegation battles and scrapes than Spurs, and the extra experience under pressure could make all the difference here.
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Will the loser of Tottenham vs Nottingham Forest be relegated?
Julian Lawrence and Nedum Onuoha are looking forward to a big game in the race for Premier League survival when Tottenham host Nottingham Forest.
Both the teams and their new managers are in poor form. Under the leadership of Igor Tudor, Spurs lost four consecutive games, were humiliated by Arsenal and Atlético Madrid, but they survived liverpool A 90th-minute goal resulted in a 1-1 draw at Anfield last weekend. Meanwhile, Forest under Vitor Pereira have lost four and drawn two (including Manchester City) of their last six games in all competitions. The visitors are struggling to score (five goals in their last six games, including two at City) and the infamous “new manager bounce” is not in sight. They are 17th in the table, just one point behind Spurs. A victory for either side would be a major lifeline.
Spurs may be at home, but they are the rare team for whom it is not good news. They have won just twice and drawn four in 15 league games. This is a pathetic comeback, and they should get some kind of response from their fans. Tudor has been struggling since day one and his “tough guy” approach isn’t working, but a hard-fought point at Liverpool offers a little encouragement.
My prediction: tottenham 2-1 nottingham forest. The two teams played in midweek, but Tottenham would win again for the first time since December. (It helps Tudor and Co. that Forest are performing poorly away from home, with 15 points from a possible 45.) Spurs cannot afford to let this opportunity slip away. It won’t be pretty, but I hope they find a way to win.
High-flying Dalit aims to reach top five
lyon versus AS Monaco
french league 1match day 27
Kickoff: Sunday, 9 a.m. ET
This game is fourth vs sixth league 1Only four points separate two teams whose pace is very different.
despite narrowly falling Paris Saint Germain Heading into the Champions League knockout stage playoffs, Monaco are on fire domestically, with five consecutive league wins as they have rocketed up the table. He has his sights set on Lyon in the fourth round marseille In third, with a trip to Monaco next weekend. To make it to the Champions League, they will have to win these two matches against their direct rivals.
After weeks of mediocre performances, Sebastian Pocognoli and his players have finally found the right formula. Placing key players in the correct positions by alternating between a back three and a back four, e.g. alexander golovin And magnes acliche Between the lines in midfield plus Folarin Balogun This team has got it clicking in front of goal. It’s a big trip to the Groupama Stadium for them, but unlike Lyon, Monaco have had a full week to prepare for it. They are confident, and USMNT star Balogun is their main player at the moment, having scored six goals and one assist in his last six games in all competitions.
The look of Lyon is the complete opposite of Monaco. Paulo Fonseca is missing many players and his players are also tired. They are in action in midweek against Europa League Celta Vigo But before that they have not won in their last six (all competitions) (two losses, four draws). They couldn’t beat or even score struggling Le Havre last weekend (0-0). After a really good start, Real Madrid go into debt Andrik Has been inconsistent, and Fonseca is struggling to lead this team. They cannot lose this game to their direct opponent.
My prediction: Lyon 1-2 AS Monaco. Lyon are on their knees physically, and Monaco have great pace and confidence. I like what Pocognoli is doing right now, and his team will look to continue their impressive winning streak with another win on Sunday.
A Dutch derby with European implications
Feyenoord versus ajax
Dutch Eredivisiematch day 28
Kickoff: Sunday, 8:30 am ET
de classierThe biggest game on the Dutch calendar is on Sunday, and it should be pretty amazing. Feyenoord are second in the table, just five points above (and three over) fourth-placed Ajax. NEC Nijmegen in the third). Although PSV are almost certain to win the title with a 16-point lead and only seven games left, the battle for second and third will be spectacular and this game will play a big role in it.
Ajax are on their third manager of the season after Oscar Garcia took over from Fred Grimm. The Spaniards won their first game easily (4-0 vs) last weekend. sparta rotterdam) and this time they travel to Rotterdam to face their old enemy. Feyenoord and their manager Robin van Persie have experienced hot and cold so far this season; They are capable of great work but sometimes disappear completely. former chelsea winger Raheem Sterling Expected to start from left wing Ayase Uedatop scorer in EredivisieFront and Paris-born winger Anis Hadj Moussa On the other side. Sterling is still far from his best after months of exile at Chelsea, but the other two forwards have been superb all season.
For Ajax, this is a big opportunity to finish in the top-three. They have also been very inconsistent at times, showing their youth, and while they have the third-best defense in the league, they have conceded far fewer goals (52) than teams around them such as PSV (77), Feyenoord (60) and Nijmegen (67). However, in Mika GodtsThey have a future star. He’s a chance-creating machine, a dribbling machine, and he’s still only 20 years old.
My prediction: Feyenoord 2, Ajax 2. Difficult to call on this. Ajax have won their last three games against Feyenoord, including the reverse fixture (3–0) during the game in December. But Van Persie and Feyenoord cannot let Ajax close the gap. They will be supported by their amazing fans, while Ajax have only won three games away from home all season. I still hope for a draw.
