Your weekend watchlist: European top match rundown
With the action now back underway across Europe’s top five leagues we round-up the matches to look forward two over the next few days on the continent ahead of the season’s first international break.
PREMIER LEAGUE
Leicester face Liverpool in the early kick-off without a player that has proven to be a thorn in the Reds’ side in recent times, with Jamie Vardy suspended. The striker has bagged more goals against the Merseysiders than any other team and will be a big miss to Claude Puel’s charges as Liverpool look to maintain their record as the only side yet to concede in the Premier League this season.
Elsewhere Manchester City host Newcastle in Saturday’s late kick-off, and they do have a man with a fearsome record in this fixture. Sergio Aguero has scored 14 times against the Magpies in just nine appearances and will, bagging a hat-trick in this fixture at the Etihad in each of the last two seasons.
On Sunday, one of the league’s four perfect records in the Premier League is certain to come to an end as Watford host Tottenham, with the Hornets picking up just one point from a possible 18 against Spurs since returning to the top-flight.
LA LIGA
Two games have been postponed in Spain this weekend, but the top sides are all in action, with Madrid duo Atletico and Real taking on Celta Vigo and Leganes respectively on Saturday, while Barcelona host newly promoted Huesca.
The top games bookend the action on Sunday, however, with a Valencian and Seville derby to look forward to. Levante are unbeaten in their last five home games against neighbours Valencia, winning four, while Betis and Sevilla served up two memorable matches last season, within 12 goals between the sides.
SERIE A
Friday night’s fixture sees AC Milan host Roma in San Siro, hoping to end a run of three straight home defeats against the capital city club. They’ve picked up as many red cards (two) as they have scored goals in said matches, while the visitors have kept a clean sheet in each of their last five matches including the end to last season.
Juventus and Napoli face away games against Parma and Sampdoria respectively and last season’s top two are two of just three teams in Serie A to have won their opening two matches, along with SPAL, who travel to Torino.
BUNDESLIGA
Gameweek two in the Bundesliga begins with early pace setters Dortmund travelling to Hannover on Friday night, while champions Bayern face Stuttgart in Saturday’s late kick-off. The real entertainment may come at the BayArena, however, with 26 of the last 30 meetings between Bayer Leverkusen and Wolfsburg seeing both teams score, and 27 seeing over 2.5 goals.
The weekend’s action concludes in Gelsenkirchen, where Schalke boast a remarkable record against Hertha Berlin. The visitors have made the trip 11 times since 2004 and in that time have scored just one goal!
LIGUE 1
There’s an exciting proposition in store on Friday night as Lyon host Patrick Vieira’s Nice, with the former Arsenal midfielder having had a tough start on the Cote d’Azur. The last two meetings between the sides in Lyon have seen 11 goals scored, and we should be in for a similarly high scoring affair in Sunday’s top match too.
Monaco host Marseille with both sides looking to kickstart their campaigns having picked up four points apiece from nine available. Leonardo Jardim’s side have enjoyed this fixture in recent years, coming out on top in five of the last six meetings, scoring at least twice in each, and winning five in a row against OM at the Stade Louis II.
