The Football Faithful
·27 December 2024
The Football Faithful
·27 December 2024
Some of Europe’s top leagues have headed to the winter break but there is still plenty of great football on offer this weekend.
Here are our five must-watch games.
Aston Villa host Brighton in the Premier League this weekend as two sides with European ambitions meet at Villa Park. Neither have managed to muster the consistency required to break into the top six, though remain just outside the continental places in a congested chasing pack.
Unai Emery’s side have won just three of their last 10 in the league, while Brighton have faded following a brilliant start under Fabian Hurzeler.
However, Villa have won five of the last six meetings between these teams, including a 6-1 thrashing of the Seagulls in this fixture last season.
There’s not much festive feeling at Manchester United right now.
The Red Devils have become the first side in Premier League history to lose five games in all competitions in consecutive Decembers, while only Southampton (6) have lost more games among Premier League sides this month.
Ruben Amorim’s arrival has not been the catalyst for change hoped, and United next face a Newcastle side in red-hot form. The Magpies have won their last three Premier League games by an aggregate score of 11-0 and will be confident of a first league win at Old Trafford since 2013.
Juventus and Fiorentina meet in Turin on Sunday evening aiming to remain in touch at the top of the league.
Level on points, it’s a fascinating matchup between old rivals. Juventus, incredibly, are unbeaten in Serie A this season but 10 draws from 17 games leaves them nine from the summit.
Fiorentina have a game in hand in the Scudetto chase, but back-to-back league defeats have seen La Viola wobble of late.
Ruben Amorim’s arrival might not have changed much at Manchester United but his exit has certainly been felt at Sporting.
The Portuguese champions have already sacked replacement Joao Pereira, just six weeks after appointing him to succeed Amorim. Sporting lost four of their eight games under Pereira to hand the title initiative to arch-rivals Benfica, who are the visitors to the Estádio José Alvalade this weekend.
Lisbon derbies are always full of spice but this will have a little extra. Just a point separates the sides in the title race ahead of Sunday’s showdown in the capital.
Another Serie A showdown to savour as fourth-placed Lazio host leaders Atalanta this weekend.
Lazio recovered from their home humiliation against Inter to earn a hard-fought win at Lecce last time out and remain six points from the summit. The team they’re aiming to hunt down arrive in Rome this weekend, seeking a 12th consecutive win in Serie A.
Gian Piero Gasperini’s side are flying right now in pursuit of a maiden Scudetto and it would be some story if Atalanta can do it. This weekend is another test of their credentials.