The best action to follow this weekend
Saturday
🏴 People react in one of two ways when you mention that the Premier League starts this weekend – there are those who express relief that big club football is ‘finally’ back and those who are in shock that the summer break is over so soon. There’s no in-between.
Here at FotMob we know that football never really stops but a new season is always to be celebrated. And after Crystal Palace and Arsenal kick-off the campaign on Friday evening there are six games to look forward to on Saturday. They include the early kick-off, where Jürgen Klopp takes his Liverpool side to Fulham, who are once again back in the top flight after their Championship triumph back in May.
Amongst the afternoon kick-offs – Spurs, and their replenished squad, meet Southampton and there’s the much anticipated return of Nottingham Forest who play Newcastle United in their first Premier League game of the 21st century. The evening fixture sees Thomas Tuchel clash with Chelsea legend Frank Lampard, at Goodison Park, a ground where the (London) Blues have lost their last four games.
🇩🇪 The Bundesliga season also gets underway this weekend and after the fanfare of the big Friday night battle between Europa League champions Eintracht Frankfurt and 10-time league holders Bayern München, the fixture Gods have laid on some more treats for us.
Perennial runners-up Borussia Dortmund begin, at home, with a massive test against the side who finished just behind them in third last season – Bayer Leverkusen. There were contrasting fortunes for both sides in last weekend’s DFB Pokal games with Dortmund easing past third tier opposition whilst Leverkusen lost to a side from the same division.
As if that wasn’t enough – there is also the small matter of the Berlin Derby! One of Germany’s biggest fixtures was only guaranteed when Hertha rescued themselves from relegation in the play-off at the end of the last campaign. They go to a Union side still on a high after their 5th placed finish and qualification for the Europa League group stages.
🇫🇷 Ligue 1 is the third of Europe’s big five leagues returning this weekend and Saturday’s main game of note comes as reigning champions PSG, now led by former Lille and Nice coach Christophe Galtier, start their title defence at relative minnows Clermont. The side from the Massif Central just managed to survive last season – finishing four points above the relegation zone in what was their first ever season at this level.
🏆 Saturday is also a big day for African football with an all-Moroccan tie in the CAF Super Cup. Wydad, who won the CAF Champions League with a victory over record winners Al Ahly feature against RS Berkane. The Orange Boys are based away from the footballing hotspot of Casablanca so will no doubt be massive underdogs against the might of Wydad – in fact, they’ve never actually won their domestic league, finishing sixth to Wydad’s title win last time out. But they did pull-off a highly credible defence of their CAF Confederations Cup title meaning they’ve won the competition in back-to-back seasons. You can expect an excellent atmosphere for this one.
🇳🇱 Back in Europe, the start of the Eredivisie follows last weekend’s crazy 5-3 win for PSV over Ajax in the Johan Cruyff Shield – the Dutch Super Cup. Ruud van Nistelrooy will be looking to continue that form as his PSV side play newly promoted FC Emmen whilst Ajax will need to pick themselves up for the trip south to Fortuna Sittard.
🇮🇹 We have to wait another week for league action in Italy but there will be a number of Serie A sides involved in Coppa Italia action over the weekend. In fact, all but last season’s top eight sides will compete at this, the Round of 64 stage. Perhaps one of the most interesting games involves ambitious Serie B club Como who play away at Spezia. Following bankruptcy and reformation the side boast former England international and Chelsea captain Dennis Wise as their CEO and made news this week with the signing of Cesc Fàbregas, who also became a minority owner of the club.
Sunday
🏴 The opening round of the Premier League continues at pace with the three remaining games all falling on Sunday. After a week in which off-field matters and player discipline have grabbed the headlines, the Eric Ten Haag-era starts in earnest as Manchester United face Brighton, at Old Trafford. Kicking off at the same time will be Leicester’s game against Brentford, providing us with a first opportunity to get used to the idea that after 11 years, Kasper Schmeichel is no longer going to be in goal for the Foxes!
And last but not least, the Champions Manchester City get underway at the London Stadium. West Ham and City last met in the penultimate game of last season – a match in which West Ham led 2-0 and gave Liverpool hope of stealing the title, only for City to comeback in the second half, and claim a valuable 2-2 draw.
🚨 Next up, a selection of European derbies to whet your whistle! In round two of the Scottish Premiership season, Edinburgh clubs Hibernian and Hearts will look to maintain their 100% start to the campaign, with a win against their bitterest rivals.
And in Denmark where both the reigning champions FC København and the previous league winners, and city rivals, Brøndby have started poorly – a victory in the Derby could kickstart 2022/23 for either club.
Switzerland’s big two – Basel and Young Boys also go toe-to-toe with both presumably still reeling from the unusual end to last season which saw neither of them win the Super League for the first time since 2009!
🇫🇷 Back in Ligue 1, some of PSG’s title rivals will get their season started with important home games, with Marseille playing Stade de Reims, and Lille facing Auxerre – the side who sealed a dramatic promotion by beating top flight Saint Etienne in the play-offs.
L’OM, who never seem far from the next disaster, lost their coach Jorge Sampaoli over the summer with the Argentinian walking away from the club due to a perceived lack of ambition from the owners in the transfer market. They are now led by the Croatian Ivor Tudor who has already been quoted in the press as saying his players don’t work hard enough.
🇩🇪 There are two games to tell you about in Germany as RB Leipzig feature in the day’s early kick-off – away at Stuttgart – who only escaped relegation on the final day of last season. And later, Schalke 04 will look to mark their return to the Bundesliga with a win at Europa Conference League qualifiers FC Köln.
After spending 30 years in the top flight Schalke finished rock bottom of the league in 2021 but bounced straight back as the deserved champions of a highly competitive 2. Bundesliga at the first attempt.
🤝 Lastly for this weekend, watch out for the Joan Gamper Trophy, an exhibition mach in which Barcelona traditionally welcome fans back to Camp Nou ahead of each new league season. Roma were originally the invited guests but José Mourinho further damaged his reputation at his former employers when his side later pulled out.
Instead, Pumas UNAM are visiting all the way from Mexico! With one win and five draws to their name in the current Liga MX season the famous University side fly halfway around the world for this game in between fixtures against fellow Mexican giants Monterrey and Club América. The game does of course allow Dani Alves to be reunited with the side he just left a few months ago. Since joining Pumas, the 39-year-old has played two full games, and marked his debut with an assist.
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Cover Image from IMAGO