5️⃣ spicy fixtures you must watch this weekend 🌶 | OneFootball

We may only be midway through January but there’s plenty of football to cure those blues.

Here are five games you simply have to watch this weekend.

Athletic Club vs Real Sociedad

Whilst the Spanish Super Cup final takes place in Saudi Arabia this weekend, there’s another tasty all-LaLiga clash a little closer to home.

Athletic Club host Real Sociedad in the Basque derby, one of the most unique and fiercely-contested clashes in the world game.

Both sides come into this having enjoyed a brilliant first half of the campaign with Athletic up in fourth having not lost since October and La Real in sixth with just three defeats all campaign long.

The return fixture between these two back in September was a stunning 3-0 win for Real Sociedad with Takefusa Kubo running the show.

The Japan international will be absent here however, having been called up to his national squad for the Asian Cup.

Whatever the result, this should be an absolutely fascinating encounter between two excellent teams.

Spice rating: Mild 🌶

AC Milan v Roma

Two giants of Italian football battle it out on Sunday with both of these sides – and these coaches – under scrutiny going into 2024.

A report from Gazzaetta dello Sport on Friday claimed that Milan boss Stefano Pioli is “unlikely” to be their manager come next season whilst Roma chief José Mourinho cuts an increasingly frustrated figure on the Giallorossi bench.

Mourinho was quick to criticise his players following their derby defeat to Lazio in midweek whilst reports of a switch to the Saudi Pro League grow louder every day.

It’s within that context that these two clubs meet at San Siro, with the Rossoneri slipping out of the title race and the capital club grasping onto the European places with their finger tips.

Spice rating: Medium 🌶 🌶

Côte d’Ivoire v Guinea-Bissau

The 2023 Africa Cup of Nations kicks off this weekend – the tournament is keeping its original name having been rescheduled from last summer – with hosts Côte d’Ivoire taking on Guinea-Bissau in front of a raucous home crowd.

The Elephants are favourites to win Group A and Jean-Louis Gasset’s side will be hoping to get the better of an opponent who have never previously got out of an AFCON group stage.

Equatorial Guinea and Nigeria will offer sterner tests to the hosts, but they must do so without a number of big names who have been left at home.

Wilfried Zaha and Eric Bailly have both been excluded from the squad with Nice forward Jérémie Boga and Sebastian Haller set to star in attack.

AFCON usually delivers plenty of drama and we’re sure this year will be no different.

Spice rating: Hot 🌶 🌶 🌶

Manchester United v Tottenham

The Premier League ‘winter break’ brings with it a reduced fixture list this weekend and of the five matches taking place, the most exciting comes from Old Trafford.

Manchester United host Tottenham with Red Devils boss Erik ten Hag under even more pressure to perform following Ineos’ partial purchase of the club over Christmas.

Spurs travel to the north west with Ange Postecoglou’s side enjoying something of a renaissance in recent weeks, having now won five of their last six games in all competitions.

It might be a bit too early for Radu Drăgușin to make his debut for the north London outfit following his switch from Genoa but whoever does start in defence for the visitors won’t be quaking in their boots.

United have only scored 13 goals at home this term, fewer than Fulham, West Ham and Nottingham Forest.

Spice rating: Fire 🌶 🌶 🌶 🌶

Real Madrid v Barcelona

Barcelona boss Xavi labelled Real Madrid a “superteam” ahead of the Spanish Super Cup final this weekend after Los Blancos’ impressive comeback win against Atlético de Madrid in the semi-finals.

Carlo Ancelotti’s men roared back from 3-2 down to beat their capital rivals 5-3 and book a spot in Sunday’s final.

Rodrygo, Vinicius Jnr and Jude Bellingham all impressed for Madrid with star youngster Arda Güler also, ominously, getting some crucial minutes late on.

A superteam indeed, but Barcelona will take heart from their own last four victory over Osasuna with Robert Lewandowski back in the goals and Lamine Yamal starring off the bench.

The Super Cup may not be at the summit of the Spanish football mountain but a Clásico is a Clásico no matter what’s on offer or where it’s being played.

Make sure you watch this one.

Spice rating: Insane 🌶 🌶 🌶 🌶 🌶