5️⃣ spicy European fixtures you MUST watch this weekend 🌶 | OneFootball

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Dan Burke·19 November 2021

5️⃣ spicy European fixtures you MUST watch this weekend 🌶

Article image:5️⃣ spicy European fixtures you MUST watch this weekend 🌶

The final international break of 2021 is done and dusted and attention now turns to a big weekend of European club football.

Here are five non-Premier League fixtures you’d be a fool to miss this weekend.


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A mouth-watering WSL clash

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Spice rating: Mild 🌶

You could write a book about the fiery history between Manchester United and Arsenal in the men’s game, but in the women’s game there are plenty of chapters yet to be penned.

A fresh page awaits us on Sunday, when United welcome the Gunners to Leigh Sports Village in the most eye-catching fixture of the Women’s Super League weekend.

United are steadily improving under coach Marc Skinner and scored a big win over rivals Manchester City in the Conti Cup in mid-week.

Meanwhile, Jonas Eidevall’s league leaders remain the only team unbeaten in the WSL this season and got back to winning ways with victory over HB Køge in the Champions League on Wednesday.

This should be a cracking encounter for the history books.

📊 Fun fact: Arsenal have lost just once in 17 outings this season – 4-1 to Barcelona in the Champions League.


Clash of the Olympics

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Spice rating: Medium 🌶🌶

With Paris Saint-Germain streaking ahead at the top of the table and champions Lille nowhere to be seen, it seems the battle for Champions League spots will again be the most interesting thing about Ligue 1 this season.

Two of the contenders for the podium meet on Sunday evening in a fixture they call Choc des Olympiques in France, owing to the fact Lyon and Marseille both have Olympique in their names.

Peter Bosz’s Lyon will be hoping to bounce back from the 4-1 hammering sustained at the hands of Rennes before the international break, while Jorge Sampaoli’s tough-to-beat Marseille go into this one having kept clean sheets in three of their last four league outings.

📊 Fun fact: Marseille have won just 26.7% of their meetings with Lyon in Ligue 1, their lowest winning percentage against a team they have faced at least five times in the top flight.


The Berlin derby

Article image:5️⃣ spicy European fixtures you MUST watch this weekend 🌶

Spice rating: Hot 🌶🌶🌶

Two years on from Union Berlin’s historic promotion to the Bundesliga and the Berlin derby still has a wonderful novelty to it.

Union welcome rivals Hertha to the Stadion An der Alten Försterei on Saturday in what will be just the ninth top-flight meeting between the two sides since the Bundesliga’s formation in 1963.

This weekend’s hosts have made their home ground quite the fortress and were unbeaten in 22 Bundesliga matches at home before their defeat to Bayern Munich at the end of October.

However, Urs Fischer’s side haven’t beaten Hertha in the derby since the first top-flight meeting between the two sides back in November 2019.

They will be aiming to put that right on Saturday against Pál Dárdai’s Hertha, who have shipped 24 Bundesliga goals already this season – the second worst defensive record in the league.

📊 Fun fact: Union have picked up 17 points so far this season – their best ever record after 11 games of a Bundesliga campaign.


Will Sarri exact revenge on Juventus?

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Spice rating: Fire 🌶🌶🌶🌶

Perhaps Juventus didn’t know how good they had it when Maurizio Sarri was sacked after winning the Scudetto at the end of the 2019/20 season.

What followed was a disappointing season under Andrea Pirlo last term as their Serie A dominance came to an end, and now Massimiliano Allegri (whom Sarri replaced in the hot-seat) is back in charge of the Old Lady.

It hasn’t been the most encouraging start to the new season either, and they head into this weekend 8th in the table having already lost four of their first 12 matches.

And how Lazio boss Sarri would surely love to rub his old club’s noses in it when they meet at the Stadio Olimpico on Saturday.

📊 Fun fact: Juventus have lost only two of their last 33 Serie A games against Lazio, both since 2017.


Xavi’s return to Barcelona

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Spice rating: Insane 🌶🌶🌶🌶🌶

It felt inevitable that Barcelona legend Xavi would take the managerial reins one day, and now that day has finally come.

The former midfield maestro has already set about changing the club’s culture with a list of rules his players must follow, and he’s brought in veteran former team-mate Dani Alves as a dressing room mentor.

But on Saturday night the time for talking will stop when Barça welcome local rivals Espanyol to Camp Nou, with the two sides currently level on 17 points in mid-table.

The socios will no doubt be patient with Xavi as he attempts to turn the ship around, but it will be interesting to see exactly how much has changed since Ronald Koeman was sacked at the end of October.

📊 Fun fact: Barcelona have not lost any of their last 22 matches against Espanyol in LaLiga, keeping 16 clean sheets in those games.