Five Must-See Football Matches This Weekend

As another weekend of football fires up, here is the Soccer jerseys latest guide to the essential viewing from Europe’s best football leagues.

Sports Pundit’s Game of the Week
Juventus v Internazionale
Italian Serie A
Saturday, 8.45pm (CET)

The derby d’Italia takes on special importance on Saturday with many Italian journalists claiming a Juventus loss could see Inter claim the title already. Indeed, leaders Inter are some 8 points clear of third-placed Juventus and heading for another Scudetto.

Juventus have produced some indifferent form of late and the Old Lady clearly needs to raise their game against the Nerazzurri. Inter, on the other hand, go from strength to strength domestically and while last week’s win over Fiorentina hardly flattered they keep getting the job done.

Manchester City v Chelsea
English Premier League
Saturday, 6.30pm (CET)

This is the battle of England’s two moneybags clubs with Arab-owned big-spenders City hosting Roman Abramovich’s Londoners Chelsea. It’s another challenge for title-chasing Chelsea who beat off Arsenal last weekend. City too, have their own challenge, towards their top-four credentials.

Interestingly, league leaders Chelsea have won five on the trot whilst the Sky Blues have amazingly drawn seven league games in a row. Both teams played in the Carling Cup midweek but Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti rested several first-teamers and they should be fresher for it.

Bordeaux v PSG
French Ligue 1
Saturday, 9pm (CET)

French champions and current Ligue 1 leaders Bordeaux entertain an improving Paris St Germain side in an important clash on Saturday. Bordeaux’s Yoann Gourcuff scored arguably the goal of the season in this fixture last season, so it should offer a lot.

Bordeaux’s bid to retain their title hasn’t been a smooth one for boss Laurent Blanc and only last weekend did they halt to a two-game losing run. Paris giants PSG, on the other hand, realistically are hoping to qualify for Europe and a 5-2 midweek win over Boulogne has them back up in contention in seventh.


Deportivo Coruna v FC Barcelona
Spanish La Liga
Saturday, 10pm (CET)

Barcelona’s all-conquering campaign travels to Coruna this weekend with Deportivo hoping to thwart the European champions. The hosts are on a three-match winning streak in La Liga, so Barcelona will face a side in some form.

But the Catalans are a class team and Lionel Messi, fresh from winning the 2009 Ballon D’Or midweek, will be in a good mood. That’s ominous for Deportivo but they are no easy beats and have a solid defence which will bring out the best in Barcelona.

AS Roma v Lazio
Italian Serie A
Sunday, 8.45pm (CET)

Sunday’s Rome derby headlines the Serie A fixtures but this one will be between two sides hardly setting the world on fire. Lazio currently reside down in 15th with just 2 wins this season while Roma are off the pace in ninth. And while Roma have their eyes on the top four, the Stracittadina is always an unpredictable affair.

A wounded Lazio side are having a tough time at the moment and haven’t won in the league for 12 matches. To compound their misery they were knocked out of Europe midweek. On this basis, Claudio Ranieri’s Roma must be favourites especially with Francesco Totti returni