5️⃣ spicy fixtures you must watch this weekend 🌶 | OneFootball

It’s the international break in the men’s game, but there’s still several spicy fixtures coming our way this weekend.

Here’s the pick of them.

Chelsea Women vs Liverpool Women

Unsurprisingly given their status at the top of the English Women’s game and four-in-a-row WSL title success, Chelsea sit first in the table after six games.

It has not all been plain sailing for the Blues, however, with the news of manager Emma Hayes’s departure for the United States Women National Team role at the end of this season and, in her own words, being “robbed” of victory against Real Madrid mid-week in the Champions League.

Liverpool will have their work cut at Stamford Bridge but have proved to be a tough nut to crack on their travels this season – they have won at Arsenal and drawn at Spurs. They also share the best defensive record with both Manchester City and their opponents this weekend.

The Reds have scored just seven league goals to date, and their games have the lowest goals of any side in the league. Chelsea are the league’s top scorers and usually potent at home. Something will have to give.

Spice rating: Mild 🌶

Germany vs Turkey

While it may only be a friendly, this a game of major importance to both Germany and their new manager Julian Nagelsmann, who will be taking charge of his first home game on Saturday night in Berlin.

The former Bayern Munich and RB Leipzig boss has enjoyed a relatively successful start, defeating the US and drawing with Mexico last month, and he could really do with another win here to grow confidence and build some momentum ahead of next summer’s European Championships, which Germany host.

He is not helped by the absence of Jamal Musiala but he can count on two other Bundesliga standout performers this season, Leroy Sané and Florian Wirtz, as well as the old heads of captain Ilkay Gündoğan and Thomas Müller.

Turkey (now managed by Vincenzo Montella) will be no pushovers, and, having already qualified for the EUROs, will head to the Olympiastadium full of confidence and with little to lose.

All the pressure is on Germany, as it will be all the way until June and beyond.

Spice rating: Medium 🌶 🌶

Manchester United Women vs Manchester City Women

Two of the presumed challengers to Chelsea’s uber-dominance this season, it has been a story of ups and downs for the red and blue sides of Manchester to date.

After defeating City in dramatic fashion back in May to seal Champions League football, United crashed out in the play-offs to PSG. They are undefeated in the league but three draws from six leaves them four points adrift of the champions already.

Gareth Taylor’s Blues, on the other hand, have lost their last two WSL games, which is all the more frustrating after gaining 10 points from their opening four games.

Both sides could do with a win if their title aspirations are to remain intact, and goals can be expected on Sunday: United have hit 19 in their last four games, while City trio Chloe Kelly, Mary Fowler and Jill Roord are all capable of winning a game on their own.

Spice rating: Hot 🌶 🌶 🌶

Armenia vs Wales

Having only qualified for the 1958 World Cup until 2016, Wales now stand on the verge of making a fourth major tournament out of five and a third consecutive EUROs.

A Harry Wilson-inspired victory over Croatia last time around gave Rob Page’s side the better head to head and pushed them past the 2018 World Cup finalists in the Group D standings. Two wins will guarantee a spot in Germany next summer.

Before any attention is paid to Turkey on Tuesday, the Dragons must do the business against an Armenia side, who still have an outside chance of qualification themselves and did win 4-2 in Cardiff back in June.

Notoriously poor travellers, nothing but a win will do in Yerevan in all likelihood. A nation holds its breath.

Spice rating: Fire 🌶 🌶 🌶 🌶

Poland vs Czech Republic

Heading into the final qualification game(s), four of the five sides in Group E amazingly all have a chance of booking a place in next summer’s EUROs.

Two meet here, and the stakes could not be more straightforward for Poland in their last game: win and stay alive, lose and it’s a summer at home. The Czech’s have a bit more leeway, with a point more and a game less played than the Poles.

The other two sides in contention, first-placed Albania and fourth-placed Moldova, meet before this encounter, which should provide even more clarity. The Czechs also host the latter in their final group game on Monday.

At the age of 35, EURO 2024 will likely be Robert Lewandowski’s last chance of playing for his country at a tournament and his last chance at making a true mark on the international stage.

Can he do what he does best once again in Warsaw tonight?

Spice rating: Insane 🌶 🌶 🌶 🌶 🌶