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After another intense (boring?) fortnight of international football to honour the FIFA window for national teams to prosecute friendly and competitive fixtures, all attention will turn back to domestic fixtures which will take place across the European continent this weekend.
Football is loved globally, and particular emphasis is placed on elite European leagues such as the Premier League, La Liga, Serie A and the Bundesliga, where fans running into their millions follow their preferred teams with feverish passion from around the world.
As always, there will be blockbuster fixtures across all leagues, ensuring there is no shortage of excitement for football lovers, regardless of their league preference. Here are the four biggest fixtures being played across Europe this weekend.
#1 Chelsea vs Manchester United
The biggest clash in the world this weekend undoubtedly takes place in London at Stamford Bridge, as two European heavyweights clash in one of the most anticipated fixtures of any Premier League season.
Both clubs have been among the most successful in recent times, and heading into this season, had grand ambitions of lifting the Premier League title come May next year.
However, eight matches into the campaign, and both clubs now have markedly different ambitions, as Manchester United have been plagued by in-team wrangling as well as rumours surrounding Jose Mourinho's future.
Skepticism over Maurizio Sarri’s appointment was rife, but three months on, and the Italian gaffer has won fans over with his breathtaking style of football, with the resultant effect being that Chelsea’s talisman Eden Hazard is playing the best football of his life, sitting top of the scorer’s chart, as he has guided The Blues to an unbeaten start to the season and are currently joint-top of the Premier League table, with the Belgian deservedly named Premier League Player of the Month for September.
Manchester United on the other hand are in dire crises, facing criticism for their dour and pragmatic style of play, with players coming out to openly criticize their manager for not being adventurous enough, particularly in their home fixtures.
The Red Devils find themselves in eighth spot on the table, losing three of their opening eight fixtures, and restored some semblance of belief to the fans with their stirring comeback 3-2 victory over Newcastle a fortnight ago having been 2-0 down at half-time.
Jose Mourinho is definitely under pressure, as speculation over his future mounts. He led the club to its worst ever start to a Premier League season, and will seek to use victory in this match as a leverage to consolidate his position as manager.
The Portuguese visits his former stumping ground, having managed the London club to great success across two spells, and remains Chelsea’s most successful manager to this day.
The fixture promises fireworks and genuine entertainment, in a match which neither team will want to lose, and is one which no genuine football fan can afford to miss.
Must watch scale 10/10
#2 Barcelona vs Sevilla
Given the quality of players available to them and their impressive start to the season, who would have thought that the word struggle would be associated with Barcelona so early into the campaign?
However, eight matches into the La Liga campaign, and that is the reality Barcelona find themselves in, as they have struggled for from of late, and are winless in their last four La Liga matches, which included a shock 2-1 loss to then bottom-placed and relegation threatened CD Leganes.
This fixture takes on extra significance, as it is a clash between first and second, as Sevilla find themselves top of the table after an impressive start to life under new manager Pablo Machin, and are one point above the Blaugrana on 16 points.
Barcelona are on a patchy run of form, and they will seek to bounce back from their recent underperformances with victory in front of their fans. However, Sevilla’s tenacity and all round aesthetic football means that it will not come easy for the hosts, and the marquee fixture of this weekend in La Liga is guaranteed to provide out of your seat excitement.
Must watch scale 10/10
#3 Inter Milan vs AC Milan
A city united by football, but divided by two clubs. The Derby Della Maddonina was once one of the biggest fixtures on the continent, but the fixture has seen a drop in popularity owing to the decline in performance levels of the two clubs.
Both teams are among the most successful in Italian history, and are still very popular in their league, drawing large support whenever they play.
The San Siro will be the venue for this clash, as both clubs share the same Stadium, and will look to build on the gains made in recent weeks.
Inter Milan sit in third place, as Mauro Icardi and co have led them on an impressive winning streak, which has seen the Nerrazurri win each of their last four matches consecutively, while AC Milan have had an indifferent start to the campaign under former midfielder Gennaro Gattuso, but sit in 10th place, with 12 points from seven matches, but also come into the game in impressive form, winning each of their last two Serie A fixtures.
Even though not as popular as it once was, city bragging rights are very much at stake, and the history of both clubs and tenacious atmosphere at the stadium ensures that there will be no shortage of excitement.
Must watch scale 8/10
#4 Strasbourg vs AS Monaco
A fixture in French Ligue 1 which normally wouldn’t normally make waves, owing to the relatively minor pedigree of both clubs as compared to the bigger heavyweights in European football.
This fixture however takes extra significance owing to the fact that it marks the managerial bow of France, Arsenal and Barcelona legendary striker Thierry Henry as the 41-year-old takes his first step to being a full fledged first team coach having acted as assistant to Roberto Marinez in the Belgium national team for the last year.
Henry is widely considered as one of the greatest strikers in history, and rightly so, as he scored a plethora of goals during his illustrious playing career which saw him win all trophies in football across his spells with some of the biggest clubs.
AS Monaco have reached new heights in recent years under the astute coaching of Leonardo Jardim, with the Brazilian leading the principality club to an unlikely Ligue 1 triumph in 2017 at the expense of money bags PSG, as well as a semi-final run in the UCL of the same season, helping youngsters such as Kylian Mbappe, Benjamin Mendy and Fabinho go on to achieve superstardom.
However, they have derailed in recent seasons, and currently find themselves languishing in 18th place in Ligue 1, just goal difference away from the relegation places having picked up just six points from a possible 27.
The club has turned to Henry to bring them out of the doldrums, as he returns to the club where he began his professional career.
Henry had the privilege of playing under some of the greatest managers in history, including Fabio Capello, Pep Guardiola and Arsene Wenger, and he has cited the latter two of having a profound impact on his career, helping him appreciate the more tactical side of the game, which is knowledge he will bring to the fore as he attempts to rebuild this Monaco side.
Must watch scale 5/10
