El Clásico, Manchester Derby, and More Exciting European Fixtures This Weekend

El Clásico, Manchester Derby, and More Exciting European Fixtures This Weekend

This weekend promises an electrifying lineup of football matches, headlined by the much-anticipated El Clásico between Real Madrid and Barcelona. The battle for supremacy in La Liga is at the forefront, with Barcelona trailing Real Madrid by just one point.

Barcelona’s recent form has been impressive, with a ten-game unbeaten streak, comprising seven wins and three draws. Meanwhile, Real Madrid has experienced only one defeat, with eight wins and a solitary draw. This Saturday’s clash is particularly special as it marks the first-ever La Liga Clásico to be held at the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys. Barcelona has had the privilege of hosting Clásicos at three different stadiums, with their first encounter at El Corts in February 1929 and their second at Camp Nou in February 1958, both ending in defeats.

Barcelona’s hopes of breaking this ‘debut curse’ rest partly on the shoulders of summer signing João Félix, who has the responsibility of filling in for the injured Robert Lewandowski. However, João Félix’s history against Real Madrid isn’t encouraging, as he has faced them eight times without registering a goal or assist, making it his second-longest run without influencing the scoreboard. Surprisingly, the only team he has struggled against more is his current team, Barcelona.

In the English Premier League, Chelsea will square off against Brentford in a thrilling London derby. Chelsea aims to rebound after a disappointing performance against Arsenal, where they surrendered a two-goal lead in the dying minutes, settling for a draw. Despite this setback, Chelsea has exhibited substantial improvement this season and is determined to maintain their momentum.

Chelsea enters this clash as the favorites with odds of 8/13 from Betfred, while Brentford, at 4/1, is eager to pose a challenge to Mauricio Pochettino’s side. The odds for a draw stand at 3/1. Chelsea will be looking to enhance their record in London derbies, having won just two of their last 12 league meetings against fellow London clubs, whereas Brentford remains unbeaten in as many derby matches.

Brentford carries confidence into the match following their recent victory against Burnley. After a series of losses in both the league and Carabao Cup, this win provided a much-needed morale boost. Their previous league victory came early in the season when they secured a 3-0 win against Fulham. Brentford’s campaign has been marked by narrow defeats against strong opponents, including Newcastle United, Arsenal, and a heart-wrenching loss to Manchester United at Old Trafford, where they conceded two injury-time goals to Scott McTominay.

Both Chelsea and Brentford have their sights set on a positive outcome in this derby showdown. Chelsea seeks to continue its upward trajectory and secure a prominent spot among the league’s top teams, while Brentford aims to build upon their recent success and climb up the league standings.

The Premier League season features one of the most eagerly anticipated fixtures as Matchday 10 concludes with the Manchester Derby. Manchester United hosts their arch-rivals, Manchester City, at Old Trafford. Just a few weeks ago, Manchester United appeared to be on the brink of a crisis, but they have somewhat steadied the ship with three consecutive, though not always convincing, victories. As they prepare for Sunday’s showdown, they find themselves only six points adrift of City in the league standings.

Erik ten Hag’s team secured hard-fought 2-1 Premier League victories over Brentford and Sheffield United on either side of the international break, and they also got their UEFA Champions League campaign back on track with a dramatic 1-0 win against Copenhagen, albeit with some challenges. Notably, Harry Maguire scored from Christian Eriksen’s cross, and André Onana saved a stoppage-time penalty from Jordan Larsson, son of former United striker Henrik Larsson.

Recent matches at Old Trafford have delivered thrilling conclusions, with Scott McTominay emerging as the hero. In their previous home league game, McTominay came off the bench in the 87th minute to score a match-winning stoppage-time brace against Brentford.

Other EPL Fixtures this weekend
Chelsea VS Brentford
Arsenal VS Sheffield United
Bournemouth VS Burnley
Wolves VS Newcastle United

Sunday Fixtures
West Ham United VS Everton
Aston Villa VS Luton Town
Brighton VS Fulham
Liverpool VS Nottingham Forest
Manchester United VS Manchester City

La Liga Fixtures this weekend

Almeria VS Las Palmas
Barcelona VS Real Madrid
Mallorca VS Getafe
Cadiz VS Sevilla

Sunday Fixtures
Real Betis VS Osasuna
Rayo Vallecano VS Real Sociedad
Athletic Club VS Valencia
Atletico Madrid VS Deportivo Alaves