It is that time of the week again where we check out the timings of all the football fixtures from the approaching weekend and make our plans accordingly.
The Premier League enters Matchday 3 while the Bundesliga gets underway this weekend after the La Liga and Serie A had started off last weekend which saw all the big teams winning their respective fixtures.
It is going to be an action-packed weekend and we cannot wait for what’s in store for us. But before you start watching the action, here is a little preview of all the things to look forward to from this weekend’s fixtures in the top four leagues in Europe:
#1 Arsenal will look to get their season on track away at Watford
Arsenal started their Premier League campaign on a bad note as they lost their opening weekend fixture at home to Liverpool in what was a topsy-turvy encounter at the Emirates. The hosts might have lost the game by a single goal in the 4-3 loss but the damage it caused to the club was immense. The opening day loss meant that Arsenal fans were having yet another deja-vu of what they have been facing for almost 12 seasons now.
Manager Arsene Wenger was immediately put under intense pressure for his failure to secure major signings and was forced to bring back Laurent Koscielny into action during the goalless draw at the champions’ den which saw the Gunners collect their first point of the season.
There have been reports in the media which suggest that the Gunners have secured two major signings in both the areas of concern as medicals for Valencia’s Shkodran Mustafi and Deportivo La Coruna’s Lucas Perez will be held soon. However, even if the players are signed before the Watford game, it will be difficult for the duo to have any chance of participation at Vicarage Road.
Also Read: 5 things to know about Arsenal target Shkodran Mustafi
Mesut Ozil and Olivier Giroud will be expected to come into the side as Wenger will expect the inclusions to lift the spirits of his team against Watford. Alexis Sanchez has looked out of sorts in the first two games and the Frenchman’s inclusion may solve that problem as well with the Chilean shifting back to his primary position on the left wing.
It will be important for Arsenal to show who’s the boss early on in the game and make sure they get the much-needed 3 points on the table with a victory. However, it could turn out to be a well-fought game as Watford have also strengthened their squad with the latest signing of Daryl Janmatt from Newcastle United.
Arsenal visit Watford for a 7:30 PM IST kick-off on Saturday (August 27, 2016).
#2 Liverpool face a tough trip to White Hart Lane
Liverpool fans are currently in a situation where they cannot quite decide whether to be optimistic about the new season or be afraid that it might also turn out to be yet another disappointing season for the Merseysiders. Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool started the season with a bang as they beat Arsenal with an impressive scoreline of 4-3 at the Emirates Stadium in London.
However, the main cause of concern for the German was conceding three goals with another poor display from Alberto Moreno which saw him giving away a penalty as he had brought down Theo Walcott.
Midfielder James Milner was slotted into the starting XI at Burnley as a makeshift left-back. But when the game started it was the home side who made the most of the few chances they got throughout the game and scored two crucial goals with the help of Sam Vokes and Andre Gray.
Klopp had started the trio of Daniel Sturridge, Roberto Firmino, Phillippe Coutinho upfront, but the Reds were unable to score a single goal as they could only get five shots on target out of 26 total shots with 81% possession. What the manager will be worried about is the inconsistency of his players going to White Hart Lane knowing that Spurs have been improving as they have started with a draw and a late winner. This will be a tough game to call as you never know what to expect from both the sides.
Tottenham Hotspur will host Liverpool in a 5 PM IST kick-off on Saturday (August 27, 2016).
#3 Chelsea can maintain 100% record against high-flying Burnley
Antonio Conte started life as Chelsea manager with two consecutive wins from his first two games as he saw his side fight back to snatch the winner in the closing stages of both the matches. Chelsea started their season with a tough home fixture against West Ham United where Diego Costa helped his side secure all the three points after a thrilling last minute winner to make the score 2-1 in the hosts’ favour.
The Blues made the trip to Watford for their second game of the season in what could have been a disappointing result as Watford took the lead through Etienne Capoue as the Hornets dominated their visitors throughout the first hour. But Conte brought on his new striker Michy Batshuayi who first scored a terrific solo goal and then set-up partner Diego Costa to score an 87th-minute winner for the visitors who maintained their 100% record with two nail-biting finishes.
But Conte’s players had to feature in the League cup second round fixture in midweek against Bristol Rovers where they also managed a not-so-assured victory by a scoreline of 3-2. What this could mean is that the manager will have to play his players with just four days of rest in between. The Italian manager focusses more on pressing and it will be interesting to see how the Chelsea players cope up with a mid-week game so early on in the season.
However, with the likes of Hazard and Costa firing on all cylinders, Chelsea will be the favourites to finish the week with a 100% record.
Chelsea will host Burnley in a 7:30 PM IST kick-off on Saturday (August 27, 2016).
#4 Both Manchester clubs will look to get the job done
Both the Manchester clubs have started their season with a bang as they won their first two games convincingly which has given belief to their supporters. Both the clubs had recruited new managers for the season and fans were waiting to see what brand of football their team will play under the two managers. Pep Guardiola’s style of play is very simple and everybody knows what he will bring to City but the interesting sight has been that of seeing the new-look United play.
Jose Mourinho was known for parking the bus at Chelsea but that has not been the case at Manchester United as they have played expansive football with the likes of Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Paul Pogba showing what money can actually buy. Mourinho’s side have won their first two games with a scoreline of 3-1 and 2-0 against Bournemouth and Southampton respectively.
Whereas, it has been a free-scoring first two games for Pep at City where he has seen his side score 7 goals in two games. City also claimed qualification for the Champions League group stages with a 6-0 aggregate win over Steaua Bucuresti in midweek but too much football at such an early stage of the season might aggravate any injuries.
Manchester United will travel to Hull City who have also won their first two games whereas City will have an uphill task in front of them as they host West Ham United. Andre Ayew and Andy Carroll are already out with injury for the visitors and hence we could see both the Manchester clubs getting the job done in style and keeping their 100% start to the season.
Hull City host Manchester United in a 10 PM IST kick-off on Saturday (August 27, 2016).
Manchester City will be hosting West Ham United in a 8:30 PM IST kick-off on Sunday (August 28, 2016).
#5 Real Madrid have a fairly easy task as Ronaldo, Pepe look to start their season
The Galacticos started their new season with a good 3-0 win away to Real Sociedad on the opening weekend of La Liga. In what is going to be manager Zinedine Zidane’s first full season in-charge of the club, Gareth Bale’s performance must have given the Frenchman some confidence that he can lead his side to the title come May 2017. Zidane led Real Madrid to an eleventh European trophy at the end of last season but his new task has been set by club President Florentino Perez.
The All Whites will be looking to win the Spanish league this season as they have managed to win the title only once in the last seven seasons. Two members of the BBC had been absent for the opening game of the season, but it was the lone survivor Gareth Bale who did the damage for the Los Blancos. The Welshman had scored inside two minutes to give his side the lead at Sociedad and finished the game with his second goal and Madrid’s third.
Whereas, youngster Marco Asensio also showed why he was picked ahead of James Rodriguez and Isco to start the game last weekend. The manager has a lot of selection issues at the club and it looks like that he is not selling any player in this window, therefore, an easy home game against Celta Vigo is probably the right match that Madrid need. The game could also see Euro winning duo of Cristiano Ronaldo and Pepe back in action but manager Zidane will not want to risk any of his players so early on in the season.
Real Madrid will host Celta Vigo in an 11:45 PM IST kick-off on Saturday (August 27, 2016).
#6 Barcelona may have a tricky game at Athletic Bilbao
The defending champions of La Liga had started the season on a high note by defeating Real Betis with a margin of 6-2. The Blaugrana had displayed a high brand of football and showed why they are the team to beat going into the new season. While Neymar was winning the gold medal for Brazil at the Rio Olympics, his MSN partners Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez romped over a helpless Real Betis side who were unable to cope up with Barca’s quality in the final third.
New signing Samuel Umtiti performed really well for the Catalans on his debut but still looks too young to be able to perform consistently for a team like Barca without making errors. Full-backs Jordi Alba and Sergi Roberto were lacking in defensive intent as they were caught out of position several times. The duo kept bombing forward throughout the game but did not show enough defensive work rate.
This could be a negative point for Barca as they face Athletic Bilbao this weekend. The latter did not start their season on a high after losing to Sporting Gijon last weekend but the team is known to step up when they face the big teams. A hard-fought match could be on the cards but you can never overpower the attacking talent that Luis Enrique’s side have. The midfield for the visitors looks solid as ever with Arda Turan finally getting his chance to shine. We might also see the return of Neymar to league action as he returns from his home nation after a successful stint.
Barcelona will travel to Athletic Bilbao for an 11:45 PM IST kick-off on Sunday (August 28, 2016).
#7 Atletico travel to newly promoted Leganes
Atletico Madrid started the season on the backfoot without their star player Antoine Greizmann in the squad as the Frenchman enjoyed a prolonged rest following his exploits at the European Championships in his homeland. This led to the hosts only managing a draw in their first game of the season last weekend against newly promoted Deportivo Alaves.
The Rojiblancos could not enjoy a perfect start to the new La Liga season as a 1-1 draw against a newly promoted side was uncalled for by the club’s supporters. It looked as if the visitors had come better prepared for Atletico’s challenge as they organised themselves well throughout the game. New signing Kevon Gameiro did score a goal on his debut through the penalty he got but he was also seen missing plenty of chances.
If Simeone wants his side to continue challenging the likes of Barcelona and Real Madrid then his side will have t pull up their socks in time. The team will be playing another newly promoted side this weekend as they travel to face Leganes. Atletico fans would have expected their side to have six points in the bag from the first two games but they have already dropped two points which could be the difference at the end of the season.
The Red and White outfit will be hoping to see off the challenge that Leganes will pose in front of them. If the La Liga giants fail to conquer such opponents, then Atletico’s title bid may be as good as over already.
Leganes will host Atletico Madrid in a 01:45 AM IST kick-off on Sunday (August 28, 2016).
#8 Two top-4 contenders go head to head – Villarreal vs Sevilla
Sevilla had finished last season at the 7th spot in La Liga but had been crowned the Europa League champions for a third consecutive year. The team saw coach Unai Emery leave for Paris Saint-Germain in the off season but new coach Jorge Sampaoli’s style of play will certainly be liked by many throughout the world. One such example of the manager’s tactics was seen in their opening game at home last weekend.
Sevilla hosted Espanyol in the first game of the season and it turned out to be a 10-goal thriller between the two clubs. The game ended at 6-4 in the home team’s favour but the most important thing was that there was excitement in the home team’s supporters about the new season with a new boss in charge. The club will be travelling to a Villarreal side who had finished last season at the number four spot but the difference between them and 3rd placed Atleti was a staggering 24 points which shows how far ahead the trio of Barca, Real and Atletico are.
The new season should give a chance to the likes of Villarreal to improve on their last season’s performances. The club saw themselves getting involved in a 1-1 draw at Granada on the opening weekend of the season. The team will be delighted that their new signing Alexandre Pato scored his first goal for the club in his debut but the disappointment of dropping two points on the first day will be more.
But as the two teams lock horns this weekend, it will certainly be a battle of the teams who will look to finish within the top-4 in the Spanish League this season. It is going to be a tough match but should be very entertaining given the fact that both teams focus on attack.
Villarreal host Sevilla in a 01:45 AM IST kick-off on Monday (August 29, 2016).
#9 Bayern and Dortmund will start their campaigns at home vs Werder Bremen and Mainz respectively
Bayern Munich became the first German club to win the Bundesliga for four consecutive seasons as they beat Borussia Dortmund to the title with two games to spare. The Bavarians earned their 26th German league title last season but there had been tough competition from Dortmund as they did not give up on the title until the end.
There have been big changes at the two sides this season with Pep Guardiola having taken off for the Premier League. Carlo Ancelotti has taken over the reigns at Bayern and brought in two great players in Renato Sanches and Mats Hummels. The latter will be of great help for the club as they had been facing problems in defence throughout the last season. But there have also been many players who have left Munich this transfer window and have gone to their rivals.
Dortmund have made two acquisitions in the form of Sebastian Rode and Mario Gotze from Bayern whereas they have also strengthened their squad in defence by bringing in Barcelona’s Marc Bartra and Lorient’s Raphaël Guerreiro. The signing of Andre Schurrle from rivals Wolfsburg has been brought in more strength in midfield as Dortmund look to resume life without Ilkay Gundogan and Henrikh Mkhitaryan.
Also Read: How will Dortmund line up for the 2016-17 season?
The Bundesliga title will again be chased by these two clubs as Wolfsburg and Schalke do not have any big name players who can do the job. Dortmund look like a team who can challenge for the title and coach Thomas Tuchel will be hoping to take his side to glory even though they are considered the second favourites to win the title. On the other hand, Ancelotti will look to start off the campaign on a high note by getting a victory over Werder Bremen. It will also be interesting to see what style of play the Italian will look to bring to the Allianz Arena.
Bayern Munich will host Werder Bremen in a 12 AM IST, Saturday (August 27, 2016)
Borussia Dortmund will host Mainz in a 7 PM IST, Saturday (August 27, 2016)
#10 Juventus, Roma and Milan will look to maintain their run but can Inter bounce back?
Reigning champions Juventus started their campaign for the new season without the likes of Alvaro Morata and Paul Pogba last weekend with a 2-1 win over Fiorentina in what marked a debut late-winner for new signing Gonzalo Higuain. The Italian champions have done very good business in the transfer window thus far and have gathered some exciting players.
The defence looked solid in the first game, however, the midfield was not wholly dominant throughout the game. Little improvements in the team are required for the champions to defend their crown. It was also a good start for AS Roma and AC Milan in the opening weekend of the Serie A as the two teams won their respective encounters. The former were the most impressive winners from last weekend as they beat Udinese 4-0 while, on the other hand, Milan beat Torino 3-2 in what could have been anyone’s game.
The latter will need to pull up their socks if they are to challenge for the title this season, however, chances of them winning look bleak from the outset.
Inter Milan were one of the biggest disappointments from the opening weekend as the club lost to Chievo Verona by 2-0. The club seems to have lost its confidence and the players have not been performing up to the required standards. Napoli were also the ones who seem affected by the sale of Higuain as they were held to a 2-2 draw by Pescara.
All the clubs will look to improve on their form this weekend, but the stand-out will be the crunch encounter between Napoli and AC Milan.
Lazio vs Juventus – 9:30 PM IST (27 August 2016)
Napoli vs AC Milan – 12:15 AM IST (28 August 2016)
Inter Milan vs Palermo – 9:30 PM IST (28 August 2016)
Cagliari vs Roma – 12:15 AM IST (29 August 2016)
