Weekend Preview: A Round-up of This Weekend's Best Action Across Europe
All of Europe’s top 5 leagues are back in action this weekend so here’s your rundown of the most crucial encounters on the continent in the coming days, starting with another massive week at the top of the table in Italy.
Serie A
A fortnight ago the top four in the battle for the Scudetto went head-to-head and the same quartet are in action against one another in gameweek 27. This time out league leaders Juventus host Inter, who have dropped to fifth, before making the trip to San Siro to face the Nerazzurri in the Coppa Italia on Wednesday. Prior to the Old Lady’s stalemate with Bologna last time out, this weekend’s encounter represented a chance for Max Allegri’s side to equal Sunday’s opponents’ Serie A record of 17 consecutive wins. Inter, however, can rest in the knowledge that it’s likely to be some time before that achievement comes under threat again.
Fiorentina and Napoli, who sit third and second respectively, will be keeping a watchful eye on the aforementioned encounter before they go head-to-head on Monday night. Both sides were dumped out of the Europa League on Thursday and while their exits were certainly a blow they will now be able to focus entirely on league commitments. The Partenopei’s form has dipped of late - scoring just 3 goals in their last 5 matches - and defeat would allow Paulo Sousa’s men to move within just two points.
Elsewhere at the bottom of the table there’s a massive game between Sampdoria and Frosinone, with Samp two points and one place above their opponents and indeed the relegation zone. Vincenzo Montella’s side are on an 8-game streak without a win, bottom of the form table, while Frosinone have the 10th best record over the last 6 games.
La Liga
Undoubtedly the standout game in La Liga this weekend, the Madrid derby could easily completely derail any potential title bid for the losing side. With Real Madrid and Ateltico already 8 and 9 points behind Barcelona respectively, neither can afford to slip up having both drawn last time out in the league, and another stalemate - like that at the Calderon between the sides in October - wouldn’t really suit either manager.
The capital city rivals will, however, hope that Barcelona drop points in a tricky match of their own the next day, with Jose Enrique’s men hosting Sevilla. Somewhat remarkably the case remains that the Europa League champions are still one of only three sides without an away win in Europe’s top 5 leagues this season, but having drawn 8 of 12 matches on the road they will be no pushovers. Indeed, Unai Emery’s side are without defeat in 7 league matches, and both teams have scored in each of the last 8 meetings between Sevilla and Barcelona.
Bundesliga
Despite Dieter Hecking’s side’s regression this season, having served as Bayern’s closest competition in the Bundesliga last time around, Wolfsburg reception of the German champions is still the most eye-catching tie of the round. The fact that the Wolves are at home should mean that this is a competitive fixture, with Hecking’s men losing just once - to Dortmund - on home turf, though a repeat of the meeting between the two at the Volkswagen Arena last season is unlikely.
This time last year Kevin De Bruyne stole the show in a shock 4-1 win following the winter break but the side have struggled in his absence. Indeed, the reverse fixture between these teams in Semptember was perhaps the most memorable in Germany thus far, with Robert Lewandowski coming off the bench as Bayern trailed 1-0 only to score 5 goals in the space of 9 second half minutes.
Elsewhere there’s a big match in the battle for the top four as Leverkusen - who will be recovering from their Europa League exploits - visit Mainz. Martin Schmidt’s side sit 7th but would leapfrog namesake Roger’s men in the table with a win. Meanwhile at the opposite end Werder Bremen host Darmstadt, with the promoted side having only picked up fewer points on the road (17) than top two Bayern and Dortmund this season.
Premier League
While the Capital One Cup final means that Liverpool and Manchester City, along with Everton and Newcastle, are out of action this weekend, there are 8 games as England’s top-flight returns. Sunday’s clash between Manchester United and Arsenal is undoubtedly the biggest in terms of esteem, with the Gunners hoping to end a 10-year spell without a league win at Old Trafford. With Martial and Rooney sidelined the onus will likely be on Memphis and 18-year old, midweek debutant Marcus Rashford to lead the charge for the hosts.
League leaders Leicester play on the Saturday and will look to stretch their gap at the top with City out of action and Tottenham and Arsenal not playing until the next day. The Foxes host a Norwich side in dismal form, picking up just 1 point from a possible 18, with the Canaries conceding the joint most goals in the Premier League (50). Claudio Ranieri, however, has stressed that the meeting with Alex Neil’s men will be just as difficult as their last outing at Arsenal, with Leicester now needing to do the business in matches they are outstanding favourites to win.
Ligue 1
You have to wait until the very last game in Ligue 1 this weekend to watch the showpiece of the round, though like Wolfsburg vs Bayern, Lyon’s reception of PSG is far less meaningful compared to last season. A young and exciting OL side put up a real fight to the Parisians this time last year. Indeed, after 27 matches in 2014/15 Lyon were one point above PSG at the top, but after that number of games this season they are a whopping 34 points off the pace of Laurent Blanc’s men.
While Saint-Etienne vs Caen is also a notable fixture in the race for European places, Monaco’s trip to Nantes takes second billing this weekend. Leonardo Jardim’s side are 8 points clear in second but face a tough task against the rejuvenated Canaries under Michel Der Zakarian. In fact Nantes are now sixth having gone 12 league matches unbeaten, with only league leaders PSG, Barcelona and Juventus on a longer streak without defeat in Europe’s top 5 leagues.
