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The 2022-23 season is upon us and we'll be thrust right back into the madness of the footballing world this weekend. All the top European leagues except for La Liga will get the ball rolling in the new campaign from Friday.
We have no shortage of exciting football fixtures to welcome the new season. Almost every single top team has had an extensive pre-season and the players are raring to go and prove themselves on the big stage now.
Without further ado, let's take a look at five of the best football matches to watch this weekend.
#5 Crystal Palace vs Arsenal (August 5)
Arsenal will travel to Selhurst Park to take on Crystal Palace on Friday in what will be the 2022-23 Premier League opener. Patrick Vieira enjoyed a decent debut campaign as the manager of the Eagles last time around. They finished 12th in the 2021-22 season.
The Gunners showed plenty of promise in spells last term. However, a dark cloud of inconsistency loomed over them and it left them soaked in the end as they failed to qualify for the Champions League.
But what really lends gravity to this fixture is that Crystal Palace thumped Arsenal 3-0 when the two clubs last met in April. Vieira was able to take four points from the two Premier League fixtures against his former club last season.
Conor Gallagher's return to Chelsea after his loan spell will be a major blow for Palace. However, the arrivals of Cheick Doucoure and Malcolm Eboiwei and a good pre-season will inspire confidence in them.
Arsenal will be hoping that Gabriel Jesus can replicate the form he showed in pre-season. They'll also be desperate to get off to a good start to the campaign after suffering successive defeats in their first three Premier League fixtures last term.
#4 Eintracht Frankfurt vs Bayern Munich (August 5)
Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich will get the ball rolling on the new season on Friday as they square off against last season's Europa League winners Eintracht Frankfurt. Oliver Glasner's side did not lose a single game in the Europa League last season and it was a positive debut campaign for the manager.
He will urge his players to up their game and show more ambition this time around and they will look to make a statement against the Bavarians.
Bayern Munich go into the new season without the reliable Robert Lewandowski, who joined Barcelona earlier this summer. They will miss the phenomenal striker but Sadio Mane's arrival could help with the transition.
It's a high-profile contest between two top teams and it should be an exciting watch for fans and neutrals.
#3 Clermont Foot vs Paris Saint-Germain (August 6)
The star-studded Paris Saint-Germain side will embark on a new campaign with an away game against Clermont Foot. PSG have undergone a managerial change with former Nice and Lille manager Christophe Galtier replacing Mauricio Pochettino at the helm.
Clermont Foot finished 17th in the Ligue 1 table last season and could prove to be rather meek opposition for the French champions. PSG looked menacing in pre-season with the likes of Lionel Messi, Neymar Jr. and Kylian Mbappe looking solid.
Messi will be raring to put the ghosts of last season to sleep and he turned in some really good performances in pre-season. Vitinha is another player who impressed in pre-season and it will be interesting to see how he fares alongside Marco Verratti in midfield.
Sergio Ramos, Marquinhos and Presnel Kimpembe will start in a three-man defense. They looked a little shaky in pre-season but will be looking to keep a clean sheet on the opening weekend.
#2 Manchester United vs Brighton & Hove Albion (August 7)
The Erik ten Hag era will officially kick off at Old Trafford on August 7 as the Red Devils host Brighton & Hove Albion. Manchester United will be desperate to get off to a positive start to the new campaign after an extremely underwhelming outing in the 2021-22 season.
They've recruited judiciously and offloaded quite a few first-team players. The arrivals of Christian Eriksen and Lisandro Martinez in particular should improve the side. The Red Devils had a good pre-season and most of their starters were able to get plenty of minutes under their belt, which is a very good thing.
However, one player who is unsettled and has only played 45 minutes in pre-season is Cristiano Ronaldo. The legendary Portuguese forward had picked up the 'Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year' last term but was reportedly looking to engineer a move away from Old Trafford in the summer.
Unfortunately, he did not find a potential suitor and is still at Manchester United. Ten Hag did not respond kindly to Ronaldo's actions during the pre-season game against Rayo Vallecano. The 37-year-old was hooked at half-time and he chose to leave the stadium before the game ended.
In an interview with Viaplay Sport Nederland, Ten Hag said (via Manchester Everning News):
"There were many more who went home. So you condoned that? Certainly not. It's unacceptable, for everybody.
"I tell them. That it is unacceptable and that we are a team, so a selection. That you have to stay until the end."
To make matters worse, Anthony Martial, who showcased great form in pre-season, has been ruled out of the opening fixture with a hamstring injury. So it will be interesting to see whether or not the Manchester United manager will turn to Ronaldo.
This could be a testing fixture for Manchester United as Brighton & Hove Albion are a well-drilled unit that plays entertaining football. They will be no pushovers.
#1 West Ham United vs Manchester City (August 7)
Reigning champions Manchester City will take on Champions League aspirants West Ham United in the final game of the first Premier League gameweek. David Moyes' side showed a lot of promise in the first half of the 2021-22 season before suffering a dip in form from which they never thoroughly recovered.
The London Stadium is a tough place to visit but the Cityzens will be hoping that their squad rebuild will pay off from the get-go. Pep Guardiola's side will also want to put the FA Community Shield loss to Liverpool behind them as they take on the Hammers.
Erling Haaland is expected to make an impact after a dull debut against the Merseysiders. New signing Gianluca Scamacca is unlikely to feature as he remains short on fitness. It will be a major blow for the Hammers as they prepare to lock horns against a signficantly stronger Manchester City team.
