Strap in for a spectacular weekend of European football with some mouthwatering match ups for the coming weekend.
We’ve picked out five must-watch games.
5️⃣ spicy fixtures you must watch this weekend 🌶
Newcastle vs Tottenham
St James’ Park has not been a happy hunting ground for Tottenham in recent seasons. The North Londoners have conceded 10 goals across their last two trips to Tyneside, including that 6-1 humiliation in April 2023 that saw Spurs 5-0 down inside 21 minutes.
Ange Postecoglou’s attempts to exorcise those demons ended in a 4-0 loss last season and Spurs will be desperate to end their hoodoo in the North East. After satisfactory, if unspectacular, starts to the season for each, a win this weekend would send a statement of their European ambitions.
Spice rating: Mild 🌶
Leverkusen vs Leipzig
The German champions opened their Bundesliga title defence in familiar fashion, with a late Leverkusen goal earning a 3-2 win at Borussia Monchengladbach. Florian Wirtz’s 101st minute winner was the latest late show from a team who have made a habit of scoring stoppage-time goals to rescue results under Xabi Alonso.
This weekend, Leverkusen face another tough test, against an RB Leipzig team who have not suffered from the same level of transfer raiding as past summers.
🗣️ Head Coach @XabiAlonso ahead of tomorrow’s top match against RB Leipzig. pic.twitter.com/k2Kz7p20gx
— Bayer 04 Leverkusen (@bayer04_en) August 30, 2024
Spice rating: Medium 🌶🌶
Juventus vs Roma
Serie A is the stage for some of Europe’s most exciting encounters this weekend. Champions Inter Milan face off against Europa League winners Atalanta on Friday evening, before Lazio host AC Milan the following the day.
The pick, however, is a clash between table toppers Juventus and AS Roma in Turin. The former have made a strong start under new head coach Thiago Motta with back-to-back wins and no goals conceded, while Roma are aiming to bounce back from a tricky start and rebuild their momentum under club great Daniele De Rossi.
Paulo Dybala’s decision to turn down Saudi riches and the arrival of Artem Dovbyk have given the capital club an all-star forward line.
Spice rating: Hot 🌶🌶🌶
Celtic vs Rangers
The Old Firm is always a spicy encounter and the first of the 2024/25 season takes place at Celtic Park this weekend. Celtic finished comfortably clear of Rangers last season and the visitors will be keen to give a better fight of the title race this time around.
Rangers have responded well to a goalless draw in their opening fixture and warmed up for the derby showdown with a 6-0 thrashing of Ross County. However, Celtic, with maximum points and no goals conceded, remain the team to beat.
🗣️ “𝗜𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗮 𝗖𝗲𝗹𝘁𝗶𝗰-𝗥𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴, 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗶𝘀 𝗮 𝗥𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴.”
Brendan Rodgers with a passionate response to the news there will be no away fans at the first two Old Firm league games this season ⤵️ pic.twitter.com/kfqf9CzzPu
— Sky Sports Scotland (@ScotlandSky) August 16, 2024
Spice rating: Fire 🌶 🌶 🌶 🌶
Manchester United vs Liverpool
English football’s biggest fixture returns this weekend as the nation’s most successful sides do battle at Old Trafford. If we get even a fraction of last season’s entertainment in this fixture, we’ll be in for a wild ride.
A see-sawing FA Cup clash saw seven goals scored and a 120th-minute winner from Amad Diallo, before four goals saw their Premier League tie at Old Trafford drawn a month later. This fixture has often failed to live up to the billing but last season was a welcome change to that. More of the same this weekend, please.
Facing Liverpool at Old Trafford 🔜#MUFC pic.twitter.com/2jeTwqW5uC
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) August 30, 2024
Spice rating: Insane 🌶 🌶 🌶 🌶 🌶
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