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      The best games from across Europe this weekend

      Six of the best

      2021/10/14 19:56
      E0

      The six major European leagues come back into action after the international break with some huge clashes across the continent. This is a brief look at the key games across all six leagues.


      BUNDESLIGA

      Bayer Leverkusen vs Bayern Munich

      It is an obvious choice for Germany’s big game this weekend. This is a match between the two sides level on points at the top-of-the-table; if anybody bar Bayern was to win the title this season, this game will be pivotal to that.

      Both sides came into this season with new managers after a merry-go-round of a summer in the Bundesliga. Gerardo Seoane took over Bayer Leverkusen after a very impressive season as Young Boys boss in Switzerland whereby Young Boys ran away with the title at a very early stage. It would be important to emphasise the quality of his job at the club by stating that Young Boys now trail Basel in the league table in the Swiss Super League.

      Julian Nagelsmann has come in at Bayern Munich and already evolved an already exciting and aggressive group of players. The three and a half at the back system with an aggressive and revitalised pressing style has made the Bavarians an even more entertaining watch than they already were under Hansi Flick.

      LA LIGA

      Barcelona vs Valencia

      It is Ronald Koeman’s current side against his former side. Neither hold his managerial record or career or spell in high regard.

      Barca are the only one of the supposed big three playing with Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid both having their games postponed. The Catalans went into the international break after a flat, comfortable defeat away to Atleti. They sit in a precarious position in their UEFA Champions League group as well so there is the potential for their focus to be drawn to that rather than this game against Jose Bordalas’ Valencia. 

      Jose Bordalas’ Valencia side have not yet been built properly in his image. In his three full seasons as Getafe manager, before he left for Valencia, they have finished 18th, 20th and 20th in La Liga’s fair play table. However, they have started positively after a few years of stagnation and decline. They sit level on points with Barca and if they were to, once again, ruffle their feathers, Barca cold find themselves in the bottom-half at the end of this weekend.

      LIGUE 1

      Olympique Lyonnais vs Monaco

      These two were involved in the entertaining four team title race towards the end of last season alongside Paris Saint-Germain and Lille. However, they have both been fallible so far this season with some issues. 

      Peter Bosz’s style of play, like at Ajax and Borussia Dortmund, has been criticised for being potentially too attacking and too open. This has led to an ineffectiveness that leaves him job-hopping but when they click, it is entertaining.

      Niko Kovac’s tenure at Monaco has been much more like his spell at Eintracht Frankfurt when he overachieved with a weaker group of players, rather than his struggle at Bayern Munich. The Croatian, though, does find his principality side outside of the top five ahead of this weekend. They did enjoy three successive wins before the international break, though.

      <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">⚖ Best average possession %s this season (Uefa &#39;Top 5&#39; leagues + <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EFL?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#EFL</a>):<br><br>6⃣9⃣%: Barcelona<br>6⃣5⃣%: Swansea, MK Dons<br>6⃣4⃣%: Man City, Sheff U, Bayern Munich, Sevilla<br>6⃣3⃣%: PSG<br>6⃣2⃣%: Borussia Dortmund<br>6⃣1⃣%: Man Utd, Marseille<br>6⃣0⃣%: Monaco, Swindon<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EFL?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#EFL</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Swans?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Swans</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MKDons?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MKDons</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/UTB?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#UTB</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/STFC?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#STFC</a> <a href="https://t.co/kT1hshXA9t">pic.twitter.com/kT1hshXA9t</a></p>&mdash; playmakerstats (@playmaker_EN) <a href="https://twitter.com/playmaker_EN/status/1447887496537415682?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 12, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

      PREMIER LEAGUE 

      Newcastle United vs Tottenham Hotspur

      This is the final game of the Premier League weekend which pits two very underperforming sides together amidst the backdrop of the Saudi takeover of Newcastle United.

      It is still speculated that Steve Bruce will be sacked as the manager of Newcastle quite soon and there remains doubt as to whether he will take over this match. The Geordie nation is buoyant, because morals and principles apparently go out of the window when it comes to your football team being able to buy a new right-back. However, this is a bad team that could genuinely, and as it stands right now probably will, be relegated without much change.

      Spurs suffered three successive league defeats after the September international break last month. 3-0, 3-0 and 3-1 losses in three London derbies have led to genuine questions over the status of Nuno Espirito Santo’s role at the new White Hart Lane. Both managers’ come into this match under pressure and whilst it may be fairly dull, it is an intriguing clash. 

      PRIMEIRA LIGA

      Portimonense vs Estoril

      This match is between fourth and fifth in the Liga NOS table. Two sides that appear to be over-achieving and over-performing at this early stage of the season.

      Portimonense come into this on the back of an incredible 1-0 win away at top-of-the-table Benfica before the international break. That victory came after Benfica had won their opening seven matches of the season and it means Portimonense have now won four and drawn two of their opening eight matches.

      Estoril were promoted last season under the impressive management of Bruno Pinheiro. This is Pinheiro’s first senior job in football after peculiar jobs in Qatar and he took Estoril to the top-flight at the first time of asking before a remarkable start to this campaign whereby they have lost just once in their opening eight, and that came against reigning champions Sporting CP.

      SERIE A 

      Lazio vs Inter Milan 

      A worthy and notable mention for Serie A’s game of the week must be Sunday night’s clash between Juventus and Roma but the more entertaining and potentially more important match in terms of the title race is this one.

      ©Getty /

      Lazio’s squad looks well suited to be able to carry out Maurizio Sarri’s complex philosophy and style of play. The capital city side have, though, been inconsistent in their form throughout the campaign in all competitions. The 4-3-3 system with Felipe Anderson, Ciro Immobile, Pedro, Sergej Milinkovic-Savic and Luis Alberto playing in the sophisticated Sarri-ball system should be an entertaining watch whenever they play.

      Simone Inzaghi comes up against his former team after starting impressively well with Inter. The loss of Antonio Conte, Achraf Hakimi and Romelu Lukaku meant Inter were set for a more challenging run of form this season but Inzaghi has Inter as one of three teams that are unbeaten so far this season. They have been an entertaining and free-scoring defending champion so far and this one could be a good watch.
       

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