Sports Pundit’s Game of the Weekend
FC Barcelona v Real Madrid Spanish La Liga’‘Monday, 9pm (Central European Time)’’
This is the game everybody has been looking forward to. Yes, ‘El Clasico’ has finally arrived. But on a Monday? Well that’s another story, and probably not worth getting into as we look forward to what should be a wonderful contest.
Real Madrid currently sit atop La Liga with 32 points from 12 games, while Barcelona a just one point behind from 12 games. There’s no doubt it is a two-horse in Spain this term, so this match is of utmost importance. And it’s got feeling too, with Real goal machine Cristiano Ronaldo publicly challenging his opponents.
Ronaldo scored a hat-trick in last weekend’s 5-1 thrashing of Athletic Bilbao, while Lionel Messi also warmed up for El Clasico with a hat-trick of his own in Barca’s 8-0 destruction of Almeria. Form, flavour and feeling suggest this will be worth the wait. Even on a Monday evening.
Sampdoria v AC Milan Italian Serie A’‘Saturday, 6pm (CET)’’
Serie A leaders AC Milan make the difficult journey to Genoa to face eighth-placed Sampdoria on Saturday. Sampdoria, of course, finished fourth last term and represent a dangerous opponent for Milan.
The Rossoneri have won their past four Serie A matches, while in midweek they sealed their passage into the Champions League last 16, so this is a side full of confidence right now, particularly Zlatan Ibrahimovic who has scored some important goals. Sampdoria have had some indifferent form this term but last weekend’s 3-2 win at Lecce saw Gianpaolo Pazzini score a hat-trick so he’s full of confidence too.
Inter Milan v Parma Italian Serie A’‘Sunday, 2.30pm (CET)’’
The pressure is firmly on Inter boss Rafa Benitez after the Nerazzurri slipped down to sixth following last weekend’s nightmare 2-1 defeat at Chievo Verona. Benitez’s Inter Milan hardly convinced in midweek with a 1-0 win over Twente, but it has relieved some of the pressure.
Fourteenth-placed opponents Parma head to the San Siro in some decent Serie A form with seven points from their past three matches. More than anything, Benitez needs to get the three points with Inter having not won in Serie A for the past four matches. Crucial, so watch this space.
Tottenham v Liverpool English Premier League’‘Sunday, 5pm (CET)’’
This match represents a game which could help decide who finishes in the top four come the end of the Premiership campaign. Spurs (who finished fourth last term) are currently sixth, while the Reds are down in ninth.
Liverpool’s recent form has been better, but Tottenham will be feeling fantastic after last weekend’s stunning north London derby win along with their midweek victory over Werder Bremen which sealed their Champions League qualification for the last 16. Rafael van der Vaart’s form has been superb and he’ll be a key man.
Olympique Lyonnais|Olympique Lyon v PSG> French Ligue 1’‘Sunday, 9pm (CET)’’
Two of France’s big clubs face off in Sunday’s late kick-off in Ligue 1 with plenty at stake after an even start to the new campaign. In fact, coming into this round of fixtures only two points separated first down to eighth.
| Among that pack is this duo, with Olympique Lyonnais | Lyon sitting in eighth while PSG are up in third after a solid start to their campaign. The Parisians, with Nene> firing, are feeling good about this term but this match will reveal a lot about their progress. Lyon started slowly this campaign but have found form in Ligue 1 and are undefeated in the league since September, winning six of their past eight matches. |