5️⃣ spicy fixtures you must watch this weekend 🌶 | OneFootball

What a weekend we have to look forward to in the footballing calendar.

Although there are two big derbies in England, we look at five fixtures outside the Premier League not to be missed.

Rangers v Aberdeen

One of Scotland’s spiciest and most underrated rivalries is resumed on Sunday – with extra significance attached.

Hampden Park is the venue for Sunday’s League Cup semi-final showdown, with holders Celtic taking on Kilmarnock a day earlier.

That means a place in the final is up for grabs and if their last meeting was anything to go by, then this one will be full of fireworks.

Last month, the Dons, whose form of late has been abject at best, led 2-1 at home on 95 minutes – and somehow managed to lose 3-2 thanks to a Scott Arfield brace.

In addition, both managers Michael Beale and Jim Goodwin are still in the early stages of their respective projects but know that pressure is high and a win in this one could alleviate some of that.

Drama is a given.

Spice rating: Mild 🌶

Real Sociedad v Athletic Club

While some clubs in Spain are off sunning themselves in Saudi Arabia this weekend (more on that to come), they’ve left behind some tasty domestic matters.

The Basque derby is a fixture worth watching no matter what but there are even more reasons why this is not one to be missed.

Hosts La Real currently occupy third, while their old rivals are just two points off the top four and both are serious contenders for Champions League football next season, doing so by playing some of the more enjoyable football in the division.

Sociedad have flirted frequently with a top four finish in recent years but never pulled it off, although they look a different beast this time around are unbeaten in their last seven.

Mikel Oyarzabal is back and joins a side which features an on-form Brais Méndez, an evergreen David Silva and a rejuvenated attacking duo in Alexander Sørloth and Takefusa Kubo.

On the other side, Iker Muniain is set to become the Bilbao side’s third highest appearance maker in this one (overtaking Joseba Etxeberria) and there would be no better way to mark that than with a first away win in this clash in six years.

It is set up perfectly.

Spice rating: Medium 🌶 🌶

Arsenal Women v Chelsea Women

How about this for a treat?

The Women’s Super League returns this weekend and what a game it welcomes viewers back with as league leaders and current champions Chelsea travel to Arsenal.

It is a big chance for the Blues to put daylight between themselves and their closest rivals: the gap is currently three points, although Arsenal have a game in hand.

For the Gunners, they may need to get something from this to keep themselves in contention – and even then it might not be enough given their devastating injury situation.

They’d had to get creative after long-term injuries to Vivianne Miedema and Beth Mead but do have the quality and resources to cause problems for anyone.

A win this weekend and it is very much game on in the hunt for the title.

Spice rating: Hot 🌶 🌶 🌶

Napoli v Juventus

Few games will come bigger than this in Serie A in 2023 – and it is only the second week of January.

That is because it pits table-toppers Napoli against their closest Scudetto challengers as things stand, Juventus, who lurk seven points behind them in second.

Defending champions Milan are also level on points with the Bianconeri but look extremely inconsistent this season, while the Partenopei are a relentless juggernaut who look determined to deliver their first title since the days of Diego Maradona.

A win in this one could see them take their biggest step yet towards that achievement and this fixture is made all the more fascinating as it pits the league’s top scorers in Napoli against its best defence with Juventus.

Luciano Spalletti’s side have already secured the symbolic title of winter champions by leading Serie A at the halfway point and in 11 of the last 15 seasons, the team who was in front at this stage got over the line.

Only one team has failed on multiple occasions to convert their winter win into a summer soirée. The club? Napoli. The side who leapfrogged them? Juventus.

Spice rating: Fire 🌶 🌶 🌶 🌶

Barcelona v Real Madrid

It was going to take something special to trump a top-of-the-table showdown between two sides where there is no love lost.

And there are few fixtures more special than El Clásico, particularly when there is silverware at stake.

Barcelona and Real Madrid face off in Saudi Arabia on Sunday with the Supercopa de España up for grabs.

It may not be high on each club’s priorities list when it comes to trophies but it is a title nonetheless and the opponent they must play for it adds an additional degree of spice.

Both got here the hard way, needing penalty shootouts to see off the threats of Real Betis and Valencia respectively and neither will want to go home empty-handed.

It is an early opportunity to lay down a marker for 2023.

Spice rating: Insane 🌶 🌶 🌶 🌶 🌶