5️⃣ spicy fixtures you must watch this weekend 🌶 | OneFootball

After the international break club football is officially back in business.

There’s a tonne of interesting fixtures all across the globe this weekend, but here are our five to look out for.

FA WSL heats up

Spice rating: Mild 🌶

Arsenal have been one of the dominant forces in the women’s game for a long time now but this season there is a new competitor in town.

Manchester United were slow to adopt a women’s side but this season have proved that they can go toe-to-toe with the giants of the FA WSL.

READ ALSO: How a Man Utd deadline day deal was done with 11 minutes to go

United have lost just two games all season and have already beaten Arsenal in the WSL Cup quarter-finals last month.

A late Alessia Russo header won it that day for Marc Skinner’s side and another win on Saturday could take them into second and just two points behind the Gunners going into the second half of the campaign.

Green shoots of recovery at Leipzig

Spice rating: Medium 🌶 🌶

This time last year a match between Bayern Munich and RB Leipzig would have been billed as Germany’s two great sides battling it out for supremacy.

Much though, has changed in the proceeding 12 months.

Bayern, as is their wont, saw the challenge presented by Leipzig and poached their wunderkind manager, Julian Nagelsmann, their best centre-back, Dayot Upamecano, and their most-potent attacker, Marcel Sabitzer.

But since Jesse Marsch’s sacking in December there have been green shoots of recovery at the Red Bull Arena.

Four wins in a row under Domenico Todesco have seen Leipzig move into sixth place and they could have a genuine chance of something at the Allianz Arena.

New-look Barcelona face first test

Spice rating: Hot 🌶 🌶 🌶

It wasn’t so long ago that Barcelona were selling their greatest ever player as the weight of their financial mismanagement was laid bare to the world.

And yet, six months later, the Bluagrana go into their clash with Atlético Madrid this weekend with what could be an entirely new front three.

Ferran Torres was signed earlier in the window from Manchester City, Wolves winger Adama Traoré was brought in during the final few days while Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was signed with just hours remaining.

All three could well play their part as Atleti – enduring mixed form this term – travel to Camp Nou.

Who would though, bet against former striker Luis Suárez showing the new boys how it’s done?

All eyes on San Siro

Spice rating: Fire 🌶 🌶 🌶 🌶

A fixture that lost its spark in recent seasons is now back as one of the biggest, and best, in the European calendar.

The Milan derby was always a spectacle, even in the dark old days when Adel Taarabt and Urby Emanuels on were treading the boards of the Derby della Madonnina.

This term however, the Milan clubs are back on top with Inter currently leading things on 53 points while Milan are back in third with 49.

And with Serie A breaking of the defensive shackles in recent years, this promises to be a rip-roaring occasion.

The kings of Africa will be crowned

Spice rating: Insane 🌶 🌶 🌶 🌶 🌶

Let’s be honest here – this year’s African Cup of Nations hasn’t produced too much quality over the past three weeks.

Thursday night’s semi-final between Egypt and Cameroon may go down as one of the most tedious 120 minutes of football anywhere, ever.

But we’re nothing if not optimists here and the signs are that Senegal vs the Pharoahs on Sunday could be a classic in the making.

Arguably Africa’s two biggest stars – Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mané – are going toe-to-toe in a winner-takes-all grudge match.

Egypt are the old hands here, having won AFCON a record seven times.

Senegal meanwhile, have never won this tournament, but in Aliou Cissé have probably the continent’s best tactician.

And you can watch it LIVE on Onefootball.