5️⃣ spicy fixtures you must watch this weekend 🌶 | OneFootball

There’s only three weeks to go until the World Cup begins, but there’s plenty of action to keep us going until then.

Here are five non-Premier League matches to look forward to this weekend …

Real Sociedad v Real Betis

Two sides who have impressed in European competition this season will meet in domestic action on Sunday, and they are separated by a mere whisker.

Real Sociedad have won all five of their Europa League group stage fixtures, and sit above Manchester United in Group E, having scored 10 goals and conceded just once in those encounters.

It’s not all good news for Imanol Alguacil’s men though, as former Manchester City man David Silva has been ruled out with injury until after the World Cup.

Meanwhile, Real Betis are also flying high in Group C of the Europa League, with four wins and a draw from their opening five games.

Yet in the league, it’s Sociedad who have the edge of late as they have recorded four wins in five and as opposed to just one in five for Betis.

Spice rating: Mild 🌶

Eintracht Frankfurt v Borussia Dortmund

Fourth meets fifth in the Bundesliga on Saturday after both enjoyed successful weeks.

Frankfurt followed last weekend’s statement 3-1 victory in Mönchengladbach with the Champions League defeat of Marseille on Wednesday to keep their hopes of Champions League qualification alive.

Just 24 hours earlier, Dortmund held Manchester City to a 0-0 draw to reach the last 16. Their last Bundesliga outing saw them clinch their most comprehensive win of the season so far, beating Stuttgart 5-0 at home, but this weekend is the one that will show if a corner has been turned.

The Schwarzgelben have lost three of their last five Bundesliga away games and scored just six times in their five league trips away from home this season.

Add into the mix a Dortmund reunion for in-form Mario Götze, playing so well he could yet earn a shock Germany recall ahead of the World Cup, and it has all the ingredients to go off with a bang.

Spice rating: Medium 🌶 🌶

LAFC v Austin

It is almost all on the line now.

Supporters’ Shield winners LAFC finished the regular season with the best record in MLS but a team who have beaten them twice in 2022 now stand between them and the MLS Cup final.

Austin FC’s 4-1 win at home against the side from Los Angeles in August underlined the statement made in a 2-1 win away from home back in May.

They now head back west hoping to repeat the feat once more and do so with 22-goal Sebastián Driussi, twice named MLS Player of the Month this season, looking to outshine Gareth Bale and Carlos Vela, and give Giorgio Chiellini nightmares for good measure.

Spice rating: Hot 🌶 🌶 🌶

Rangers v Aberdeen

While Rangers’ matches against Celtic understandably takes much of the limelight when it comes to fiery fixtures in Scotland, the Gers’ meetings with Aberdeen are also right up there.

There is no love lost between these sides and this one carries even more weight and pressure given recent events.

The Dons have rebounded well from their shock 4-0 collapse at Dundee United, with three straight wins including a League Cup quarter-final success that has resulted in them being paired with Rangers at Hampden Park.

Before that, they meet in Glasgow this weekend, with the visitors aiming to take advantage of last year’s Europa League finalists poor form that has been so bad continentally this season that they are one negative result against Ajax on the final Champions League day away from the unwanted title of worst group stage side ever.

That, and disappointing domestic performances mean manager Giovanni van Bronckhorst is coming under serious fire, although he hasn’t been helped by Kemar Roofe rejoining a staggering injury list that already includes Connor Goldson, Filip Helander, John Souttar, Ryan Jack, Tom Lawrence, Glen Kamara, Alex Lowry and Ianis Hagi.

All of that sets Aberdeen up to inject more misery on their old rivals as they chase a first league victory at Ibrox since Scott McKenna’s winner four years ago.

Spice rating: Fire 🌶 🌶 🌶 🌶

Flamengo v Athletico Paranaense

A Copa Libertadores final? An all-Brazilian affair?

Featuring Gabriel Barbosa, Arturo Vidal, Filipe Luís all on the same side?

This is the third all-Brazil final in as many years and Flamengo have a score to settle after losing to Palmeiras last season. They’re looking to win their third title but face an Athletico-PR side that will hold its own.

Paranaense have lost their only final appearance to date (2005) and sit sixth in the Brazilian league table, 10 points behind Saturday’s opponents, but they have a decent recent record against the team from Rio and have the added motivation of sending legendary World Cup-winning coach Luiz Felipe Scolari off with his second Libertadores win, 27 years on from his first.

Scolari could yet remain but his 40-year coaching career is expected to end this year. This would be some send off for the man who led Brazil to glory at the 2002 World Cup.

Spice rating: Insane 🌶 🌶 🌶 🌶 🌶