5️⃣ spicy fixtures you must watch this weekend 🌶 | OneFootball

Many domestic leagues across Europe have now concluded but that doesn’t mean that the must-watch games have finished too.

Far from it…

Kaiserslautern v Bayer Leverkusen

A fixture at the start of the week which looked like it could be the coronation of Leverkusen’s undefeated treble will now only be their tilt at an invincible domestic double.

Not a bad alternative, is it? They arrive in Berlin still licking their wounds after tasting defeat for the first time in 51 games and almost a year when Atalanta ruthlessly demolished them in Wednesday’s Europa League final.

That should not take away from what has been an incredible campaign and it is one they have the chance to end on a big high by securing the DFB Pokal to go with their maiden Bundesliga title.

Standing in their way are second division Kaiserslautern, meaning they will be big favourites to leave the Olympiastadion with the trophy – but will their most recent final defeat put some doubt in the minds of Xabi Alonso and co? This one just got a little more interesting.

Spice rating: Mild 🌶️

Leeds United v Southampton

Wembley plays host to several significant fixtures in the coming week and while this may not be the highest profile, it does hold a special place in the football fixture calendar.

It is, of course, the so-called ‘richest game in the world’ as Leeds take on Southampton in the Championship play-off final, each hoping to punch their golden ticket back to the Premier League at the first time of asking.

The finances on offer to the victor are eye-watering and a justification of the moniker this game receives with a reported £100 million available upon reaching the top flight, while that figure can almost double provided the team stay up.

Both teams were particularly impressive in the second leg of their semi-final victories and it is a real coin-toss flip, although the Saints’ unfortunate injury issues could prove to be the deciding factor.

Spice rating: Medium 🌶️ 🌶️

Barcelona Women v Lyon Women

Bilbao plays host to a mouth-watering Women’s Champions League final as holders Barcelona taken on record winners Lyon, who are out to dethrone the favourites and add to their eight crowns.

For the Blaugrana, it is their fourth consecutive final and fifth from the last six seasons, having firmly established themselves as the new dominant force in the women’s game.

But one thing continues to elude them in cementing that status and that is a win over the club who once ruled the roost themselves, with Barça being beaten on all four of their meetings with the French giants, with two of those chastening losses coming in UWCL finals.

It is the perfect chance to truly signify a changing of the guard but Lyon will be desperate for victory themselves, notably in seeing coach Sonia Bompastor off in style as she prepares to leave for Chelsea.

Will she depart in a blaze of glory? Or will Barcelona finally break their hoodoo?

Spice rating: Hot 🌶️ 🌶️ 🌶️

Celtic v Rangers

The fifth and final Glasgow derby of the season takes place on Saturday as two of the game’s most hated rivals Celtic and Rangers face off with the Scottish Cup at stake.

The double is the prize on offer for whoever comes out on top, with the Hoops looking to add to their third straight league championship, while Philippe Clement is seeking his second trophy as Rangers boss after winning the League Cup.

There is an added degree of spice to this fixture as it is something of a surprise rarity for these teams to meet in Scotland’s biggest domestic cup final: the last time it happened coming in 2002.

It will also serve as a nice taster of what is to return to one of football’s fiercest fixtures next season with Hampden Park being split 50/50 and providing an intense atmosphere, with away allocations in the league to follow suit by allowing ‘around 5%’ to attend after several years of minimal to non-existent travelling support.

Celtic went unbeaten in the four league meetings between the sides this season, winning three and drawing 3-3 in a classic at Ibrox in April.

Spice rating: Fire 🌶️ 🌶️ 🌶️ 🌶️

Manchester City v Manchester United

It is a busy weekend at Wembley and the day before Leeds face Southampton in the £100m game, the FA Cup final takes centre stage in the capital.

For the second successive season, Manchester will descend on London as City and United take their derby rivalry on the road to contest the English game’s biggest domestic cup competition.

City are seeking the retention of their trophy to complete a domestic double and make it a trophy-less season for their rivals in M16, which would pile the pressure further onto coach Erik ten Hag.

They go in as big favourites after wrapping up the Premier League title on the final day and having also dominated this fixture of late, winning six of their last seven meetings.

Both league clashes this season were won with an alarming ease by the Cityzens. Will things be any different under the Wembley arch?

Spice rating: Insane 🌶️ 🌶️ 🌶️ 🌶️ 🌶️