Every Friday, I pick 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 world-class players facing each other or other interesting tactical battles, there will be something for everyone to enjoy.
This week, we take you to England, Portugal, Spain, France and even Poland for big derbies, some top of the table clashes, a huge historical rivalry and some women’s football, too.
– Connelly, O’Hanlon: Each Premier League team reranked: Man United good now, Arsenal even better
– Ogden: After five years of Reynolds and Mac, Wrexham are on cusp of Premier League
– Schoenfeld: Soccer superagent Ali Barat is doing things differently. Will it work?
Premier League, Matchday 25
Kickoff: Sunday, 11:30 a.m. ET / 4:30 p.m. GMT
Our first game is huge, and arguably the biggest Premier League rivalry of the past few years. It is not Jürgen Klopp vs. Pep Guardiola anymore, of course, but Arne Slot vs. Guardiola for the second time this season, and it finds both teams in an unfamiliar place.
For a start, neither team is in great form: One win in their past six in the league for both is really not great. City are chasing Arsenal — heading into the weekend, thethey are y’re six points behind the league leaders — and need a win, especially if the Gunners beat Sunderland at home Saturday. Guardiola is still trying to find the answers to his team’s imbalance and broader defensive issues. Erling Haaland is going through the worst dip of form of his career with just two goals in his past 10 games in all competitions (just one in open play). He had only two shots in 90 minutes against Tottenham last weekend in the 2-2 away draw, but at least Antoine Semenyo and Rayan Cherki are playing great at the moment; expect them to lead this City attack that, while struggling, has proved it can score against anyone, anytime, on their day.
It is very similar for Liverpool, both in terms of issues at the back and with their overall balance. They, too, have a forward who is misfiring in Mohamed Salah, who has been struggling since he came back from the Africa Cup of Nations, where Egypt finished fourth. He has missed one big chance in each of the games he has played since he came back from Morocco, and it is clear that this team is very much Florian Wirtz‘s and Hugo Ekitike‘s team now. They have been outstanding lately and will be a big threat to City’s back four.
Liverpool are sixth in the table and will have to fight hard to finish in the Champions League places, battling with Chelsea, Manchester United and many others in a very tight final sprint. They need to beat City and also correct the big defeat they suffered in Manchester in the reverse fixture.
MY PREDICTION: Liverpool 2-1 Man City. I really hope this is not going to be cagey and too tactical, and that instead, we have a great attacking game. Both teams are capable of it, and if it is the case, I think Liverpool will just about win it.
French Ligue 1, Matchday 21
Kickoff: Sunday, 2:45 p.m. ET / 7:45 p.m. GMT
The second Classique of the season is upon us, and it promises to be very special. PSG are still not at their best, especially in terms of energy, intensity and match fitness, but the Parisians are still top of the table before the start of Matchday 21. They are two points clear of Lens and boast a much better goal difference. This is, however, a very particular game.
The Parc des Princes will be incandescent with energy, and the fans have been due a big performance. There have been good moments in the past few weeks, like the win against Lille (3-0) with a worldie from Ousmane Dembélé, but like their Ballon d’Or winner, the Parisians have been inconsistent and can’t seem to be able to play much of their games with their usual industry.
Meanwhile, Marseille would love to spoil the party Sunday night. It would come at the perfect time for Marseille after a turbulent few weeks, with a humiliating exit from the Champions League and more points dropped in league play. They are seven points behind Lens in second and nine behind PSG.
Once again, Mason Greenwood will be the key for Roberto De Zerbi’s side. He has been amazing this season even when the team hasn’t been doing well. Marseille won the reverse fixture 1-0 back in September, thanks to a Marquinhos own goal after five minutes and just 32% of the ball over 90 minutes. They are dreaming of a double over their archrivals for the first time in a very long time!
MY PREDICTION: PSG 2-1 Marseille. It is such a finely poised clash, and fun to watch, but I think PSG will have too much at home for their rivals to handle.
1:11
Who will finish in the top 5 of the Premier League?
Gab Marcotti and Julien Laurens debate which teams they believe will secure the Premier League’s Champions League spots.
Premier League, Matchday 25
Kick off: Saturday 7:30 a.m. ET / 12:30 p.m. GMT
Can Michael Carrick make it four Premier League wins in a row? That’s the question here.
His debut, for his second stint as interim manager at the club, has been perfect. United beat Man City at home and Arsenal away in the league to go fourth, a point clear of Chelsea and two of Liverpool. They rode their luck a little bit at times, scoring winners in the 87th minute against the Gunners and 94th against the Cottagers despite spells of significant pressure in those two games. But the former midfielder has clearly brought joy and confidence back to a squad sorely in need. Bruno Fernandes is back in his favored No. 10 position and leads by example. Kobbie Mainoo and Casemiro are doing the job in midfield, and all the forwards, Bryan Mbeumo, Benjamin Sesko and Matheus Cunha, have scored recently.
The only difficult thing for Carrick when it comes to match preparation is that he won’t know what to expect from this Tottenham team: They are the most unpredictable side in the league. Last weekend, against Manchester City, Spurs followed a torrid first half (in which they went 2-0 down) with a much better second half (in which they scored twice to snatch a point). They have struggled for consistency all season long, which explains why they’re only 14th in the table. They have not won since December in the league. It seems that Thomas Frank, who is very much still under pressure, can’t get the response he wants from his players or from the fans, who are still not on board with his project.
MY PREDICTION: Man United 3-1 Tottenham. Right now, Manchester United are in better form and are at home, so they have to be the favorites.
Is this the moment when Man City clinch the WSL title?
Arsenal vs. Manchester City
Women’s Super League, Matchday 15
Kickoff: Sunday, 7 a.m. ET / noon GMT
Is this when Manchester City effectively end their 10-year WSL title drought?
After humiliating Chelsea at home last weekend 5-1, the City boast an 11-point lead over second-place Manchester United. They’re 12 points up on Chelsea, and 13 points ahead of Arsenal, who have a game in hand.
It means that Arsenal are now City’s biggest threat for the title — a win on Sunday for the Gunners would allow them to potentially close the gap to seven points. It would at least put leaders City under pressure ahead of a Manchester derby clash with United in March. However, if City win this weekend, then it will be game over. Manager Andreé Jeglertz and his players would gave clear route to their first league title since 2016.
So who wins on Sunday? City are the most in-form team, losing only one league game all season. They have been so dominant with a much better goal difference than anyone else. However, Arsenal have shown over the past year that they can beat anyone on their day. The Women’s Champions League holders have drawn more games (five) than any other team in the WSL, but they still have plenty of talent that can spell trouble for any opponent.
Arsenal have also just became world champions, lifting the inaugural FIFA Champions Cup title. A winning performance this weekend would justify that accolade.
MY PREDICTION: Arsenal 2-1 Man City. I think Arsenal will do it and will beat the WSL leaders. It will be a top game with both teams at their best, and the Gunners, in front of a big crowd at the Emirates Stadium, will get a very important win.
Liga Portugal, Matchday 21
Kickoff: Monday, 3:45 p.m. ET / 8:45 p.m. GMT
With Porto’s surprising 2-1 defeat at Casa Pia last weekend — their first in the league all season — the title race is back on.
Sporting CP are now just four points behind the leaders. It was expected that manager Francesco Farioli and his players would run away with the title, but it might not be the case. Their 18 wins and one draw (against Benfica in October) before last weekend was exceptional, but Sporting have stayed within touching distance thanks to a remarkably similar record of 18 wins, three draws (against Benfica, Braga and Gil Vicente) and one loss (against Porto in the reverse fixture at the end of August). Sporting boss Rui Borges is doing a superb job with a team that also finished in the top eight in the Champions League against all odds this season.
In Porto’s Samu Aghehowa and Sporting CP front man Luis Suárez (the other one), we will have two of the best forwards in the league facing up. Thiago Silva, back in Europe at 41 years of age, has been great since he joined Porto in the winter, and he will have to be at his best against the best attack in the league, with Sporting notching 54 goals in 20 games. The Porto defense is the best in Europe right now with just six goals conceded all season domestically. Porto also score on average two goals per game, so I expect plenty of dynamite and drama here as well.
MY PREDICTION: Porto 3-2 Sporting CP. I think it will be spectacular, entertaining and quite open. With a win, Porto will surely end the title race right there Monday night, but Sporting will push them to the limit. Ultimately, I think Porto will be too strong.
Diego Simeone’s struggling side need something to cheer
Atlético Madrid vs. Real Betis
Spanish LaLiga, Matchday 24
Kickoff: Sunday, 12:30 p.m. ET / 5:30 p.m. GMT
Diego Simeone and his Atlético side have had a tough time on the pitch of late. They have won only one of their past four games in all competitions and finished outside the top eight in the Champions League, dropping them into the tricky knockout playoff round. They are too far from Barcelona and Real Madrid in the table to win LaLiga this season (respectively 10 and nine points behind) and are actually threatened by Villarreal in fourth place (three points behind) and Betis in fifth place (seven points adrift). So this game against the Sevilla-based side is massive.
Atleti can’t afford to lose and, fortunately for them, their new signing, forward Ademola Lookman, is ready to make his league debut. He was one of the biggest transfers of the January window and in an attack decimated by injury (Alexander Sørloth and Antoine Griezmann have both missed time) and bad form (Julián Álvarez), the Nigeria international will be needed up front.
For Betis, it is arguably the perfect time to play Los Colchoneros, even at the Metropolitano stadium and even if they have their own issues with injuries (Cucho Hernández, Héctor Bellerín, Isco, Giovani Lo Celso). After losing against PAOK in Europe and more surprisingly Alaves in the league, they’ve since bounced back with wins against Feyenoord and Valencia. These two teams played each other Thursday night in the Copa del Rey quarterfinals, but this second leg in the league would be seen as far more important.
MY PREDICTION: Atletico Madrid 2-2 Real Betis. Atletico are the best team in LaLiga at home this season, with 10 wins and one draw in their 11 games in their stadium. But I think Betis will cause them problems and get a precious point.
And finally … Polish rivals face off in Europe’s tightest title race
Gornik Zabrze vs. Lech Poznan
Polish Ekstraklasa, Matchday 20
Kickoff: Saturday, 2:15 p.m. ET / 7:15 p.m. GMT
You might not know this, but the Polish top-flight is the wildest title race in Europe this season. There has been extraordinary parity: Everyone has taken points off everyone. It means that between league leaders Wisla Plock and ninth-place Lech Poznan, we have only seven points separating nine teams.
Gornik Zabrze are second in the table, level on points with Plock, despite having lost six times already this campaign. They have been great at home so far with seven wins, one draw and two defeats. This seems to be a bit of a pattern in Poland during a crazy season: Top teams win at home and drop points away. Lech Poznań are the fourth-best team away from home, but with just three wins in nine. Lech’s 32-year-old Swedish striker, Mikael Ishak, has been one of the best players in the league so far with 13 goal involvements (10 goals and three assists) in 17 matches. Gornik don’t have a similar profile up front, but have built a solid defense at home around Spanish center back Josema.
With only 14 games to go in the season, this game is a big one but the title race will surely go to the wire between all these teams which keep taking points of each other. The lead in the table has changed so many times already this season, but Lech will have to inverse the trend and try to get a huge away win if they are to stay in touching distance of the title.
MY PREDICTION: Gornik Zabrze 2-1 Lech Poznan. A win would help Gornik eliminate another title contender from the title race. Lech Poznan would then probably be too far from the top to win it. I do think the home team will do the job.