European football: this weekend's must-see fixtures
by Cydias Aujard | by Cydias Aujard
Manchester City vs Newcastle: top 4 in sight
A massive game awaits us tomorrow in the Premier League, with this clash between two teams who will have to make a strong end to the season if they are to qualify for next year's Champions League. Man City, who have been promised a place in the title race from the outset, are paying for their inconsistency, as well as a number of injuries, and have an opportunity to distance themselves from a rival for the top four.
Disappointing once again against Real Madrid on Wednesday, Man City will have to react in front of their home fans.
And yet it is the Magpies who are the favourites in our Manchester City-Newcastle preview! The Magpies are currently enjoying a fine season, having just knocked out Arsenal in the League Cup semi-finals, winning both games. This Saturday, Newcastle kick off a big series with a clash against City, followed by Nottingham Forest (3rd) and Liverpool (1st).
Key information
- TV broadcast: Not shown on live TV
- Time: 15:00 (Saturday 15 February 2025)
- Stadium: Etihad Stadium (Manchester, England)
- Referee: Andrew Madley (English)
- Live commentary: Live Manchester City - Newcastle
Tottenham v Manchester United: Duel of the bottom two.
On paper, the match looks very good and is one of the best in the Premier League. But the reality is quite different, and it is the 14th-placed team in the English league that hosts the 13th-placed team. Tottenham have completely missed the boat in the PL, and are mathematically closer to relegation than to Europe. A reaction is urgently needed...
The same goes for the illustrious Manchester United, who have lost some of their glory since the departure of Sir Alex Ferguson. This season is probably one of the worst for many years, and the arrival of Ruben Amorim has - for the moment - not improved matters. The Red Devils will have to live up to our Tottenham v Manchester United preview if they are to avoid slipping further down the table.
Important information
- TV broadcast: Sky Sports
- Time: 16:30 (Sunday 16 February 2025)
- Stadium: Tottenham Hotspur Stadium (London, England)
- Referee: Peter Bankes (English)
- Live commentary: Live Tottenham - Manchester United
Lazio vs Napoli: Biancocelesti still in the race?
Can Lazio still dream of the title? With 10 points separating them from the leaders, who they host late tomorrow afternoon, their target will be 3 points. However, Napoli remain the favourites in our Lazio-Napoli preview. At the start of December, however, the Romans beat their opponents twice in the space of 3 days (3-1 in the Cup and 0-1 in the league).
So this will be a game of revenge for Napoli, who have not lost a game (9 in total) since those two consecutive defeats, even beating Fiorentina, Atalanta and Juventus during that period. With Inter Milan just 1 point behind, Antonio Conte's men have no right to slip up.
Important information
- TV broadcast: One Football
- Time: 17:00 (Saturday 15 February 2025)
- Stadium: Stadio Olimpico (Rome, Italy)
- Referee: Davide Massa (Italian)
- Live commentary: Live Lazio - Napoli
Bayer Leverkusen vs Bayern Munich: reviving the championship!
This is undoubtedly the Bundesliga clash of the last 2 years. We all remember Leverkusen's 3-0 victory last year in this very stadium, as a message sent to Bayern by the future German champions. This time around, the roles are reversed and the Bavarians will be hoping to validate our Bayer Leverkusen-Bayern Munich preview and take a big step towards the title.
Harry Kane and his team-mates have a 7-point lead heading into their trip to the BayArena, and they are obviously aiming to hold on to that lead at the very least. They will have to play a very serious game against a team that is less flamboyant and less successful than last year, but which is nonetheless very dangerous and full of quality.
Important information
- TV broadcast: Sky Sports Football
- Time: 17:30 (Saturday 15 February 2025)
- Stadium: BayArena (Leverkusen, Germany)
- Referee: Daniel Siebert (German)
- Live commentary: Live Bayer Leverkusen - Bayern Munich
Juventus vs Inter Milan: an eagerly-awaited Italian Derby
Important information
- TV broadcast: TNT Sports 1
- Time: 19:45 (Sunday 16 February 2025)
- Stadium: Juventus Stadium (Turin, Italy)
- Referee: Maurizio Mariani (Italian)
- Live commentary: Live Juventus - Inter Milan
