5️⃣ spicy fixtures you must watch this weekend 🌶 | OneFootball

It’s the final set of games before the international break, and we’re set for a serious weekend of action.

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Here are five games you simply have to watch.

Inter Milan vs Napoli

The final Serie A game of the weekend is also the most interesting, with the reigning champions taking on the runaway leaders in a classic South vs North clash.

Both sides had tough weeks with elimination from the Champions League at the hands of Spanish opposition; Inter suffered double heartbreak: a late tie leveller before falling to Atlético de Madrid on penalties, while Napoli’s season went from bad to worse with a 3-1 loss in Barcelona.

The Partonepei face a serious struggle just to make it back into Europe’s top competition next season, currently sitting in seventh, seven points off surprise package Bologna in the fourth and final qualifying spot.

On the other hand, Inter are streaking clear at the top of the table and on course for their first title in three years and a first under Simone Inzaghi. They are a mammoth 16 points ahead of city rivals Milan and their name should already be etched into the Scudetto at this point.

Inzaghi’s side have also had the better of Napoli this term – beating them 3-0 at the Diego Armando Maradona stadium in December before a 1-0 triumph in the Supercoppa final this year.

Both of those wins came during Walter Mazzarri’s brief return stint, with Slovakia national manager Francesco Calzona now at the helm until the end of the season.

Could it make a difference as Napoli look to keep their season alive or will Lautoro Martínez and Co. exorcise some demons and continue their march to title no. 20?

Spice rating: Mild 🌶

Chelsea Women vs Arsenal Women

Like its male equivalent, this season’s Women’s Super League is set for a thrilling run-in with three sides battling for the title.

Friday night sees Arsenal travel across London to face off against league leaders Chelsea with just three points between the sides and only Manchester City sit between them.

City’s win at the Stamford Bridge last month really opened things up, but it remains the only points the four-in-row champions have dropped at home in the league all season.

The Gunners’ task is made all the harder by the absence of WSL record goal scorer Vivianne Miedema, who recently underwent surgery on a knee issue.

Jonas Eidevall’s side did win 4-1 in the reverse league fixture at the Emirates Stadium prior to Christmas, however, which should give them confidence.

They might also hope Emma Hayes’s players have one eye on next week’s Champions League quarter-final clash with Ajax as the legendary manager aims to claim the only trophy she is yet to win.

The two sides will also meet again in a fortnight’s time for the Conti Cup final, but for now the WSL is all that matters and this could be a cracker.

Spice rating: Medium 🌶 🌶

Atlético de Madrid vs Barcelona

As mentioned, Inter and Napoli crashed out of Europe to Atlético and Barcelona, and the two quarter-finalists meet in LaLiga on Sunday night.

Both sides needed those wins to keep any faint hopes of silverware alive this season – Real Madrid are cruising to the title while Girona are amazingly their closest challenger.

For Diego Simeone and the soon-to-be-departing Xavi, Champions League qualification is all that is left to play for. Barça are eight points clear of fifth-placed Athletic Club but Atlético are just two, and could be out of the top four if things go against them this weekend.

An already spicy fixture has an added zest to it with several crossovers between the sides. Memphis Depay, a hero of midweek, and Antoine Griezmann of course once played for Barça, while João Félix is currently on loan with the Blaugrana from Simeone’s side.

It was the Portuguese forward who made all the difference in their first league meeting this season, but he has since fallen out of the starting line-up.

Might he come off the bench to inflict more pain on his parent club or will the Civitas Metropolitano be the scene of another famous home win this week?

Spice rating: Hot 🌶 🌶 🌶

Leeds vs Millwall

While the Premier League is regularly bandied around as the “Best League in the World”, the title might actually belong to the Championship when it comes to drama and unpredictability at both ends of the table.

Leeds currently find themselves locked in a four-way battle for automatic promotion with Leicester City, Ipswich Town and Southampton, while Millwall are only five points from safety despite sitting in a usually comfortable 16th place.

Daniel Farke’s side are likely to come into Sunday’s game at Elland Road in third place with Ipswich hosting relegation candidates Sheffield Wednesday the day before, but will leapfrog both the Tractor Boys and the Foxes (who are in FA Cup action) and sit top of the table with a win by more than one goal against Millwall.

They did win 3-0 win at the Den in September as their season kickstarted after a rather turbulent summer, but there is nothing certain about this weekend’s game, as a bitter rivalry resumes yet again.

Expect a volatile atmosphere, drama, cards aplenty and whatever else you can think of. Neither fanbase would have it any other way.

Spice rating: Fire 🌶 🌶 🌶 🌶

Manchester United vs Liverpool

Could it be anything else?

The most storied and famous rivalry in English football is set for the first of two Old Trafford instalments in the space of three weeks on Sunday afternoon, and there is more than just a place in the FA Cup semi-finals at stake.

As everyone knows by now, Manchester United have had a miserable season with even a place in the top four/five now looking rather fanciful. This, coupled with the arrival of Sir Jim Ratcliffe and INEOS, have left Erik ten Hag battling for his job.

If he is to have any hope of surviving into the summer, the Dutchman simply has to win a fixture that has carried plenty of poignancy during his time with the Red Devils.

His first win as manager came against Liverpool back in August 2022 while his most harrowing loss came against them in March 2023 – that 7-0 routwill be pointed to as the moment things went downhill if he is to be sacked.

It is a much bigger game for his side than Jürgen Klopp’s but that does not mean the German will be taking the game lightly, even with his ever-growing injury list and fight on two other fronts.

The game could be his final in the FA Cup, and he is certain to not want to sign off with a defeat at the home of his club’s greatest rivals.

In the 17th meeting between English football’s most famous clubs in the sport’s oldest competition on Sunday, it will be a red letter day, but for who?

Spice rating: Insane 🌶 🌶 🌶 🌶 🌶