Midweek Football Preview

More cups!

FA Cup 5th Round

Peterborough vs. Man City

Peterborough beat QPR in the last round and sit bottom of the Championship. They have since drawn one and lost five. Man City beat Fulham 4-1 in the last round and sit top of the Premier League. They have since won four and lost one of their games. This should be a straightforward win for Man City. Anything else and it would be a massive shock. 

Crystal Palace vs. Stoke City

Palace beat Hartlepool 2-0 in the last round and they sit 11th in the Premier League. Palace have since won one, drawn three, and lost one. Stoke beat Wigan 2-0 in the last round and sit 15th in the Championship. Stoke have won one, drawn two, and lost two since. Palace are the better team on paper and are at home so they should win this even if Stoke cause some problems. 

Middlesbrough vs. Tottenham

Middlesbrough beat United on penalties in the last round and sit 8th in the Championship. They have since won two, drawn one, and lost two. Spurs sit 7th in the Premier League and beat Brighton 3-1 in the last round. They have since won two, and lost three of their games. With Tottenham away and the form that they are in this result could go either way. Spurs though are still favourites on paper.

Southampton vs. West Ham

An all Premier League clash as Southampton take on West Ham. Southampton sit 9th in the Premier League and beat Coventry City 2-1 in the last round. The Saints have since won three and drawn one of their games. West Ham sit 5th in the table and beat Kidderminster 1-2 in the last round. The Hammers have since won two and drawn two. Neither team is unbeaten in their last four but Southampton have won one more game. This should be an interesting game between two good teams and the result can go either way.

Liverpool vs. Norwich

The newly crowned Carabao Cup champions take on another cup as they welcome Norwich City in an all Premier League clash. Liverpool beat Cardiff 3-1 in the last round and have since won five and drawn one of their games. Norwich beat Wolves 0-1 in the last round and sit bottom of the table. Norwich have since drawn one and lost three of their games. This should be a straightforward win for Liverpool.

Everton vs. Boreham Wood

Everton beat Brentford 4-1 in the last round and sit 17th in the Premier League as they take on Boreham Wood. Everton have since won one and lost three of their games. Boreham Wood sit 3rd in the National League and beat Bournemouth 0-1 in the last round. They have since won two, drawn one, and lost two. Everton are at home and even though Boreham Wood will give it their all Everton should win this game. 

Premier League (Games in hand)

Burnley vs. Leicester

Burnley sit 18th in the table as they take on Leicester who sit 13th. A win for Burnley would take them out of the relegation zone and into 15th in the table on goal difference with two games in hand remaining. A win for Leicester won’t mean much movement but it will take them closer to mid table with three games in hand remaining. A big game for both teams Burnley have only lost one of their last five games while Leicester have lost three and drawn two. One game to keep an eye on.

Copa Del Rey Semi-Final 2nd Leg

Valencia take on Bilbao with an aggregate score of 1-1. Betis take on Rayo Vallecano with an aggregate score of 2-1. The Valencia Bilbao game is finely poised and the result can go either way. Betis have a slight advantage but Vallecano are no pushovers and will give it a go. Any team can reach the final. 

Coppa Italia Semi-Final 1st Leg

Milan take on Inter, and Juventus travel to Fiorentina. Two very good games and neither team are clear favourites in their fixture. Milan and Inter are going though a rough patch at the moment while Juventus are inconsistent. Fiorentina are having a decent season. Who will take advantage in the 1st leg?

DFB Pokal Quarter-Final

Union Berlin take on St.Pauli, Hamburger take on Karlsruher, Leipzig travel to Hannover, and Bochum welcome Freiburg. Leipzig are the most high profiel team remaining in the cup. Freiburg are having a very good season though and so are Union Berlin. Anything can happen. 

Coupe De France Semi-Final

Nice take on Versailles, and Monaco travel to Nantes. Nice should beat Versailles and reach the final while Monaco and Nantes will be a more cagey affair. Nice will be favourites though with Monaco and Nantes being at a similar level this season. 

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Midweek Football Review

Races heat up!

Premier League MW 24

Newcastle 3 vs. 1 Everton

This was a massive game at St.James’s Park as Everton travelled to play Newcastle. Everton took the lead in the 36th minute thanks to a Lascelles own goal and had been the better team up till that point. Holgate returned the favour a minute later to bring Newcastle back into the game. Fraser gave Newcastle the lead in the 56th minute and Trippier scored a brilliant goal in the 80th minute to seal the win. Newcastle climb out of the relegation zone and into 17th a point behind Everton with two games in hand and a point above Norwich. Lampard loses his first Premier League game in charge of Everton but they still have three games in hand. 

West Ham 1 vs. 0 Watford

Bowen scored in the 68th minute of this game as West Ham got all three points against Watford. West Ham move back into 4th with the win a point above Arsenal. Watford drop down to 19th with the loss but have two games in hand as they sit three points from safety.

Burnley 1 vs. 1 Man United

Pogba scored to give the United the lead in the 18th minute and United should have put the game to bed in the 1st half. Rodriguez scored the equaliser for Burnley in the 47th minute after some brilliant work by Weghorst. Burnley ended the game strongly but could not find the winner. Burnley remain bottom of the table with four games in hand and they sit four points from safety. Man United drop down to 6th with the point and have one game in hand and sit a point from top four.

Norwich 1 vs. 1 Crystal Palace

Pukki scored in the 1st minute to give Norwich the lead over Palace. Zaha scored the equaliser for Palace in the 60th minute. Neither side could find the winner. Norwich drop down to 18th in the table a point from safety with one game in hand. Palace remain 13th in the table with the point and have one game in hand. 

Tottenham 2 vs. 3 Southampton

Bednarek scored an own goal in the 18th minute to give Spurs the lead. Broja equalised for Southampton in the 23rd minute. Son restored Spurs lead in the 70th minute but Southampton had other plans. Elyounoussi equalised for Southampton in the 80th minute and Adams scored the winner for them in the 82nd minute. A collapse by Spurs and a big come back for Hassenhutl. Spurs remain 7th in the table  three points from 4th with three games in hand. Southampton move up to 10th with the win and have one game in hand. 

Man City 2 vs. 0 Brentford

Mahrez scored a penalty in the 40th minute and De Bruyne made it two in the 69th minute for a routine win for Man City. City remain top of the league with a 9 point gap as they go 13 points clear of 3rd placed Chelsea. Brentford remain 14th in the table but only six points above the relegation zone now. 

Aston Villa 3 vs. 3 Leeds

James scored in the 9th minute to give Leeds the lead. Coutinho equalised for Villa in the 30th minute. Ramsey gave Villa the lead in the 38th minute. Ramsey then made it three for Villa in the 43rd minute. James got one back for Leeds before half time. Llorente equalised for Leeds in the 63rd minute as Konsa was sent off for Villa in the 87th minute. A blockbuster game but points shared in the end. Villa remain 11th in the table with two games in hand. Leeds remain 15th in the table with two games in hand. 

Liverpool 2 vs. 0 Leicester

Jota scored a goal in each half to get a comfortable win for Liverpool over Leicester. Liverpool remain 2nd in the table but go four points clear of Chelsea and stay with in 9 ponts of City with a game in hand. Leicester drop down to 12th in the table with three games in hand. 

Wolverhampton 0 vs. 1 Arsenal

Gabriel scored the only goal of the game in the 25th minute as Arsenal got all three points at Wolves. Martinelli was sent off for Arsenal in the 69th minute as well. Wolves remain 8th in the table with two games in hand while Arsenal move up to 5th in the table a point from 4th with two games in hand. 

Copa Del Rey Semi-Final 1st Leg

Real Betis beat Rayo Vallecano 1-2 in the 1st leg of their semi-final while Bilbao and Valencia drew 1-1 in their first leg. Both games are evenly poised but Betis have a slight advantage going into the 2nd leg. Nothing to lose for all four teams. 

Coppa Italia Quarter-Finals

Inter beat Roma 2-0, Milan thrashed Lazio 4-0 with Giroud scoring another brace, Fiorentina beat Atalanta 2-3, and Juventus beat Sassuolo 2-1. Some big semi-finals are set and it looks to be a very exciting Coppa Italia this year. 

Coupe De France Quarter-Finals 

Monaco beat Amiens 2-0, Versailles beat Bergerac on penalties, Nice thrashed Marseille 4-1, and Nantes beat Bastia 2-0. One would say that Monaco and Nice are the favourites out of the teams that are left but anything can happen with Nice probably being the best out of all the teams. 

Midweek Football Preview

League football is back!

Premier League MW 24

Newcastle vs. Everton

Newcastle were very busy during the winter transfer window as they spent nearly a 100 million euros. Trippier, Targett, Burn, Wood, and Bruno all came into the team with Bruno being the most eye catching acquisition from Lyon. A combative midfielder that has a knack to attack as well. Everton were also busy as they brought in Lampard as the manager and got Alli, and van de Beek into the team. Newcastle have two games in hand and sit 19th in the table one point from safety. The Magpies are unbeaten in their last three. Everton sit 16th in the table with three games in hand and haven’t won a game in a long time. A big game with pressure on both teams. The reverse fixture was postponed. 

West Ham vs. Watford

A London derby as Watford travel to West Ham. West Ham sit 5th in the table with no games in hand while Watford sit 18th with two games in hand. West Ham have lost their last two and are looking for a win to stay in the top four race while Watford will love to pull out of the relegation zone at least momentarily. Another big game with high stakes. West Ham beat Watford 1-4 in the reverse fixture. 

Burnley vs. Man United

Burnley are unbeaten in their last two and have four games in hand as they sit 20th in the table three points from safety. United sit 4th in the table with one game in hand and a point above 5th. Another game with both teams having plenty to lose. Burnley will not fear United and will know that they can get a result if they stay strong at the back. United beat Burnley 3-1 in the reverse fixture. 

Norwich vs. Crystal Palace

Norwich have won their last two and have a game in hand as they sit 17th in the table a point above the relegation zone. Palace sit 13th in the table and have only won one of their last five games. Norwich are the team in better form which is a rarity and Palace will want to bounce back. A tough game but Norwich lose more if they can’t get a result. An interesting one to watch. Palace beat Norwich 3-0 in the reverse fixture. 

Tottenham vs. Southampton

7th placed Spurs have three games in hand as they take on 12th placed Southampton who have one game in hand. Conte lost his first game in the league as Spurs manager to Tuchel and Chelsea the last time around. Southampton have only lost one of their last five games. An interesting game for sure but Tottenham can move closer to top four with a win. The reverse fixture was a 1-1 draw. 

Man City vs. Brentford

City sit 9 points clear at the top with no games in hand as they take on Brentford who sit 14th in the table and have lost their last four games. This should be an easy win for Man City as Brentford are in dismal form at the moment. City beat Brentford 0-1 in the reverse fixture. 

Aston Villa vs. Leeds

Villa sit 11th with two games in hand as they take on Leeds who sit 15th with two games in hand as well. No real stakes in this game but it should be an entertaining one for sure. The reverse fixture was postponed. 

Liverpool vs. Leicester

Liverpool sit 2nd in the table and have a game in hand as they cling on to some hope of a title race. Leicester sit 10th in the table with three games in hand but are in dismal form at the moment. Leicester beat Liverpool 1-0 in the reverse fixture. 

Wolverhampton vs. Arsenal

Wolves sit 8th in the table and are in brilliant form with two games in hand. Arsenal sit 6th in the table with two games in hand. Two point separate the two teams so this is a massive game. If Wolves win they go above Arsenal while if Arsenal win they open up a five point gap. One to watch for sure. 

Copa Del Rey Semi-Final 1st Leg

Rayo Vallecano take on Real Betis while Bilbao take on Valencia. None of the traditional top three in the Copa Del Rey this season. I would say Betis are favourites to qualify from the first semi-final while Bilbao are the in form team in the 2nd. An interesting couple of fixtures. 

Coppa Italia Quarter-Finals

Inter take on Roma, Milan take on Lazio, Atalanta take on Fiorentina, and Juventus take on Sassuolo. All the four fixtures are tasty ones and it’s safe to say anyone could progress from them. A very interesting set of games. 

Coupe De France Quarter-Finals

Monaco take on Amiens SC, Bergerac Perigord entertain Versailles, Nice take on Marseille, while Nantes welcome Bastia. Some very interesting fixtures and all teams are relatively well matched. Should be some interesting outcomes. 

Midweek Football Review

Some surprises

Carabao Cup Semi-Final 2nd Leg

Arsenal 0 (0) vs. (0) 2 Liverpool

Arsenal worked so hard to get this game called off and rescheduled. They got their main players back and fielded their strongest XI. They lost to Liverpool without scoring a goal. Jota scored in the 19th minute and in the 77th minute as they cruised to the final. Liverpool will face Chelsea in the final. Arsenal are now knocked out of all competitions and only have the Premier League to focus on. 

Premier League (Games in hand)

Leicester 2 vs. 3 Tottenham

Daka scored in the 24th minute to give Leicester the lead. Kane equalised for Spurs in the 38th minute. Maddison restored Leicester’s lead in the 76th minute and looked ot be heading for a win. Bergwijn came off the bench to score the equaliser in the 95th minute and get the winner in the 97th minute. Spurs made a brilliant comeback and Leicester again bottled the lead. Leicester remain 10th while Spurs move up to 5th now 11 points clear of Leicester. They are now within eight points of Chelsea with four games in hand. 

Brentford 1 vs. 3 Man United

Brentford dominated Man United for 45 minutes but failed to take their chances. There was only going to be one outcome from there on. Elanga gave United the lead in the 55th minute. Greenwood made it two for United in the 62nd minute and Rashford made it three for United in the 77th minute. Toney got one back for Brentford in the 85th minute. Brentford remain 14th in the table. United remain 7th now only two points from top four with two games in hand. 

La Liga (Games in hand)

Valencia drew with Sevilla 1-1. Sevilla play their game in hand and sit 2nd in the table but still four points behind Real Madrid. Valencia sit 9th in the table. 

Copa Del Rey Round of 16

Real Sociedad beat Atletico 2-0, Real Madrid came from behind to beat Elche in extra time 1-2. Eden Hazard got the winner for them. Bilbao beat Barcelona 3-2 to progress as well. Barcelona and Atletico dumped out and Barcelona especially are having one of their worst seasons ever. 

Coppa Italia Round of 16

Lazio beat Udinese 1-0, Juventus beat Sampdoria 4-1, Inter beat Empoli 3-2, and Roma beat Lecce 3-1. The favorites won their games and progress to the next round to potentially make up some very tasty fixtures. 

DFB Pokal Round of 16

St.Pauli beat Dortmund 2-1, Hannover beat Monchengladbach 3-0, Leipzig beat Hansa 2-0, and Freiburg beat Hoffenheim 1-4. Some big upsets here and the DFB Pokal will be getting a new winner this season. The biggest teams are out and only Leipzig remain among others. Freiburg especially are having a really good season. 

Ligue 1 (Games in hand)

Lille beat Lorient 3-1. Lille play their game in hand and move up to 8th in the table. Only three points behind 4th placed Strasbourg. 

Midweek Football Preview

A mix of games in hand and cup competitions.

Carabao Cup Semi-Final 2nd Leg

Arsenal (0) vs. (0) Liverpool

The 1st leg was played last week as Arsenal did well to hold on for a draw after going down to 10 men. Arsenal used a similar loophole to Liverpool to avoid playing during the weekend and will be fresh for this game. Liverpool beat Brentford during the weekend. This should be an interesting game for sure and either team can go through.

Premier League (Games in hand)

Burnley vs. Watford

A relegation battle as 20th placed Burnley take on 17th placed Watford with 3 points seperating the two teams. Burnley have five games in hand going into this game while Watford have three games in hand going into this game. Both teams are in extremely poor form so either team can win this game. The most likely result is a draw. 

Leicester vs. Tottenham

10th placed Leicester have four games in hand as they take on 6th placed Spurs who have four games in hand as well. Both teams did not play during the weekend because of Covid related issues. A win for Leicester would take them to within three points of United while a win for Spurs would take them above Arsenal and a point behind West Ham. Tottenham were abysmal against Chelsea over two legs in the Carabao Cup so there is a need to put in a better performance against Leicester. An interesting game for sure.

Brentford vs. Man United

14th placed Brentford have only won one of their last five games as they take on United who sit 7th and have only lost one of their last five games. This is Brentford’s game in hand while United would have one more after this. United will be favourites but Brentford can get something out of this game especially since they are at home. 

La Liga (Games in hand)

Valencia take on Sevilla amongst other teams.

Copa Del Rey Round of 16

Atletico travel to Real Sociedad, Real Madrid travel to Elche, and Barcelona travel to Athletic Bilbao. Bilbao and Real Madrid just played the Supercopa De Espana final in the Middle East which Real Madrid won. Bilbao will be looking to bounce back while Madrid will want to continue the good form. Some interesting games. 

Coppa Italia Round of 16

Lazio take on Udinese, Juventus take on Sampdoria, Inter take on Empoli, and Roma welcome Lecce. Home games for all these big teams and one woulde expect all of them to progress to the next round. Milan, Fiorentina, and Atalanta are already through.

DFB Pokal Round of 16

Dortmund take on St.Pauli, Monchengladbach travel to Hannover, Leipzig take on Hansa, and Hoffenheim take on Freiburg amongst others. No Bayern in the DFB Pokal so that is a different. Winnable fixtures for most teams with Hoffenheim and Freiburg being the toughest fixture. 

Ligue 1 (Games in hand)

Lille take on Lorient amongst other games. Lille can go up to 8th in the table with a win in this game.

Weekend Football Review

Some fun results!

Premier League MW 22

Brighton 1 vs. 1 Crystal Palace

This was a close game as expected and it was a draw as well whch was the most likely outcome. Gallagher gave Palace the lead in the 69th minute but Andersen scored an own goal in the 87th minute to give Brighton a point. Palace seem to always drop points in the final few minutes of a game. Brighton remain 9th in the table with two games in hand while Palace move into 11th with one game in hand. 

Norwich 2 vs. 1 Everton

Keane scored an own goal in the 16th minute to give Norwich the lead. Idah then made it two for Norwich two minutes later. Richarlison got one back for Everton in the 60th minute but Norwich held on for a massive win. Norwich move up to 18th with one game in hand and a point form survival. Everton drop down to 16th and sacked Rafa Benitez on Sunday as they look for a new manager now. 

Wolverhampton 3 vs. 1 Southampton

Jimenez scored a penalty in the 37th minute to give Wolves the lead. Coady made it two in the 59th minute. Ward-Prowse scored a brilliant free kick in the 84th minute but Traore scored in the 91st minute to seal the deal for Wolves. Wolves score three goals in a game which is a rarity as they remain 8th in the table with 2 games in hand. They sit a point behind Man United now. Southampton drop down to 12th with one game in hand. 

Newcastle 1 vs. 1 Watford

Saint-Maximin scored in the 49th minute to give Newcastle the lead but Pedro scored in the 87th minute to equalise for Watford. Newcastle sit 19th in the table with two games in hand and two points from safety. Watford remain 17th in the table with three games in hand and a point above the relegation zone. 

Aston Villa 2 vs. 2 Man United

Fernandes scored in the 6th minute to give Man United the lead. Fernandes then scored again in the 67th minute to double United’s lead. It looked like United would cruise to a surprise win but on came Phillipe Coutinho. Ramsey got one back a from Coutinho assist in the 77th minute. Coutinho then equalised for Villa in the 81st minute. A good comeback from Villa sees them move up to 13th in the table. United remain 7th but now within touching distance of Wolves and Brighton, who also have two games in hand. 

West Ham 2 vs. 3 Leeds

Harrison scored in the 10th minute to give Leeds the lead. Bowen equalised for West Ham in the 33rd minute but Harrison restored the lead for Leeds in the 37th minute. Fornals equalised for West Ham in the 52nd minute but Harrison completed his hattrick and won three points for Leeds in the 60th minute. West Ham remain 4th in the table 2 points above Arsenal who have two games in hand. Leeds move up to 15th with the win and have two games in hand. 

Liverpool 3 vs. 0 Brentford

Fabinho, Ox, and Minamino, scored over the course of the game to get a comfortable win against Brentford. Liverpool move into 2nd, 2 points above Chelsea and 11 points behind City with a game in hand. Brentford drop down to 14th with the loss. 

Copa Del Rey Round of 16

Real Betis beat Sevilla to progess to the next round while Valencia beat Atletico Baleares. 

Serie A MW 22

Lazio beat Salernitana 0-3, Juventus beat Udinese 2-0, Roma beat Cagliari 1-0, and Atalanta drew with Inter 0-0. Inter remain 2 points above Milan but both them and Napoli play on Monday and can make up ground on Inter. Atalanta remains 4th while Juventus and Roma remain 5th and 6th. Lazio sit 7th in the table. The title race continues to go through twist and turns in Italy while Mourinho finally ends a winless run of three games. 

Bundesliga MW 19

Dortmund beat Freiburg 5-1, Bayern beat Koln 0-4, Union Berlin beat Hoffenheim 2-1, Wolfsburg drew with Hertha Berlin 0-0, Leipzig beat Stuttgart 0-2, Leverkusen beat Monchengladbach 1-2, Frankfurt drew with Augsburg 1-1. Bayern remain 6 points clear at the top of the table with Dortmund, Leverkusen, and Hoffenheim making up the top four. Leipzig sit 7th, while Monchengladbach sit 12th. Bayern will probably win the league but at the moment there is still some sort of title race going on in Germany. 

Ligue 1 MW 21

PSG beat Brest 2-0, Monaco beat Clermont 4-0, Lyon beat Troyes 0-1, while Lille drew with Marseille 1-1. PSG go 11 points clear at the top of the table while Nice, Marseille, and Rennes make up the top four. Monaco move up to 5th in the table a point behind Rennes. Lille sit 10th in the table while Lyon are 11th. The title is a foregone conclusion at this point but Monaco are looking good at the moment. The likes of Lille and Lyon continue to struggle.

 

Weekend Football Review

Europe vs. the Super Clubs.

FA Cup Semi-Finals

Leicester 1 vs. 0 Southampton

Iheanacho scored in the 55th minute as it was the only goal of the game and secured a place for Leicester in the FA Cup final after 60+ years. It’s a big step for Rodgers and his team and with the current situation in football they will face off against the greedy Chelsea. 

Premier League MW 32

Everton 2 vs. 2 Tottenham

Kane scored in the 27th minute to give Spurs the lead while Everton equalised through Sigurdsson in the 31st minute. Sigurdsson gave Everton the lead in the 62nd minute and Kane equalised for Spurs in the 68th minute. It would be Mourinho’s last game in charge of Spurs as he was sacked on Monday. Everton remain 8th and Tottenham remain 7th. 

Newcastle 3 vs. 2 West Ham

Dawson was sent off for West Ham in the 36th minute and Diop scored an own goal to give Newcastle the lead in the 36th minute. Joelinton scored the 2nd for Newcastle in the 41st minute. Diop then got one back for West Ham in the 73rd minute and Lingard equalised for the Hammers in the 80th minute. Willock then scored the winner for Newcastle in the 82nd minute. Newcastle jump up to 15th in the table 8 points clear of relegation with a game in hand. West Ham remain 4th but could drop down. 

Wolverhampton 1 vs. 0 Sheffield United

Jose scored in the 60th minute which is his first game in English football as Wolves made it 2 wins in a row. Wolves remain 12th in the table while Sheffield United are now officially relegated from the Premier League and will be playing Championship football next season. 

Arsenal 1 vs. 1 Fulham

Maja scored in the 59th minute to give Fulham the lead but yet again they lost that lead in the final minutes of the game as Nketiah equalised right before full time. Arsenal remain 9th in the table while Fulham remain 18th and 6 points from safety. Late goals are really becoming a problem for Fulham and Scott Parker.

Man United 3 vs. 1 Burnley

Greenwood scored in the 48th minute and Tarkowski equalised for Burnley in the 50th minute. Greenwood grabbed the winner in the 84th minute and Cavani made it 3 in extra time. United win another game yet again as they remain 2nd 8 points behind City and 12 points clear of 5th in the table. Burnley drop into 17th in the table 6 points above the relegation zone. 

Leeds 1 vs. 1 Liverpool

This was the first game played after the Super League news broke out and Liverpool along with the top 6 are being portrayed as the greedy 6 and rightly so. Leeds are part of those teams that are fighting for football as it is. Liverpool got the lead in the 31st minute via Mane, while Llorente equalised for Leeds in the 87th minute. Leeds remain 10th in the table while Liverpool miss a chance to go 4th as they remain 6th in the table. 

La Liga MW 33

Sevilla beat Real Sociedad 1-2, Atletico beat Eibar 5-0, Villarreal beat Levante 1-5, and Real Madrid drew with Getafe 0-0. Atletico go 3 points clear of Real Madrid at the top of the table while Sevilla and Villarreal remain 4th and 5th in the table with a point separating them. An interesting race in La Liga but with the top 3 part of the Super League Sevilla are the true leaders in Spain at the moment. 

Copa Del Rey Final

Barcelona beat Bilbao 0-4 with Messi lighting the show up as they won their first trophy of the season. Bilbao were no match and lost their 2nd Copa Del Rey final in as many weeks. Barcelona are part of the Super League gang though and this victory has left a poor taste now. 

Serie A MW 31

Milan beat Genoa 2-1, Atalanta beat Juventus 1-0, Lazio beat Benevento 5-3, Torino beat Roma 3-1, and Inter drew with Napoli 1-1. Inter sit 9 points clear at the top at the moment with Milan behind them. Atalanta are two points behind them in 3rd while Juventus are 4th in the table. Napoli, Lazio, and Roma make up the top 7. Atalanta are the true leaders in Serie A right now as Milan Inter and Juventus side with the Super League gang. 

Bundesliga MW 29

Leipzig drew with Hoffenheim 0-0, Bayern beat Wolfsburg 2-3, Monchengladbach beat Frankfurt 4-0, Leverkusen beat Koln 3-0, and Dortmund beat Werder Bremen 4-1. Bayern go 7 points clear at the top of the table while Leipzig, Wolfsburg, and Frankfurt make up the top four. Dortmund are now only 4 points behind 4th while Leverkusen and Monchengladbach sit 6th and 7th. Bayern and Dortmund rejected the Super League invite and can hold their heads up high along with German football. 

Ligue 1 MW 33

Lille drew with Montpellier 1-1, PSG beat St.Etienne 3-2, Monaco beat Bordeaux 0-3, and Lyon beat Nantes 1-2. Lille see their lead at the top get cut down to 1 point with PSG right behind them. Monaco and Lyon make up the top four with each team  a point behind each other as the title race reaches its climax. PSG rejected the invitation to join the Super League and so France and Ligue 1 can continue along with what has been an interesting season for them. 

 

Weekend Football Preview

League races heat up with a sprinkle of the FA Cup!

FA Cup Semi-Final

Leicester vs. Southampton

Leicester beat Man United 3-1 in the last round to book a place at Wembley while Southampton dispatched Bournemouth 0-3. Since then Leicester have lost both their games in the league while Southampton have won 1 and lost 1. Leicester are looking to bounce back and with the team getting dragged into a top four race, reaching a final would be a boost to morale. Southampton have had an inconsistent season and have nothing to lose going into this game. An interesting one but I think Leicester will go through. 

Premier League MW 32

Everton vs. Tottenham

8th vs. 7th a point separating the two teams. Everton and Spurs have fallen away from the top four race in recent weeks but aren’t totally out of the race for Europe yet. It’s an interesting game and one would think the loser of this one will have to say goodbye to the top 5. Ancelotti for Mourinho is a battle between two legendary managers as well. Everton haven’t won in four though while Spurs have dropped points in their last two. Both teams need a win. Everton won the reverse fixture 0-1. 

Newcastle vs. West Ham

Newcastle sit 17th and finally managed to win last weekend as they take on West Ham who sit 4th in the table and are looking to move into 3rd. West Ham are in great form and I can only see the Hammers winning this game. Newcastle would need to be very good to beat this West Ham team at the moment. Newcastle won the reverse fixture 0-2. 

Wolverhampton vs. Sheffield United

Wolves sit 12th and ended a winless run last weekend as they take on Sheffield United who sit bottom and have lost their last four. It’s a game of no real consequence but Wolves really should be beating this Sheffield United side. If Sheffield United lose this game it would confirm their relegation this season. Wolves won the reverse fixture 0-2. 

Arsenal vs. Fulham

London derby time as Arsenal take on Fulham. Arsenal sit 9th in the table as they look to secure a top 10 finish while Fulham sit 18th 6 points from safety. Fulham have lost their last 4 while Arsenal aren’t in great form either. Fulham need to return to winning ways soon if they want to stand any chance of staying in the Premier League and beating Arsenal would be that first step. Arsenal won the reverse fixture 0-3. 

Man United vs. Burnley

2nd placed United are flying high as they take on 16th placed Burnley have 1 win in their last 5 games. United have been far from convincing in their games though and you always feel there is a chance for an upset. Burnley will be solid but I don’t think an upset is on the cards. United won the reverse fixture 1-0. 

Leeds vs. Liverpool

Leeds have won their last 3 including a big win against City last weekend as they sit 10th and take on Liverpool who sit 6th. The top four is now Klopp’s sole focus this season but Leeds will give them a good fight in this game. Liverpool seem to score goals away from home though and while this might be a high scoring game Liverpool should win. Liverpool won the reverse fixture 4-3. 

La Liga MW 33

Real Sociedad take on Sevilla, Atletico welcome Eibar, Villarreal travel to Levante and Real Madrid travel to Getafe. With Barcelona preoccupied with the Copa Del Rey final this is a good opportunity for the Madrid teams to gain distance on Messi and co. Atletico are looking shaky while Madrid are playing with confidence. The top four race is done and dusted but the title race continues. 

Copa Del Rey Final

Bilbao take on Barcelona in the Copa Del Rey final. Bilbao have made a habit on reaching finals and winning them in recent seasons while Barcelona have had a great 2021 and are looking to continue that with a trophy. With the title race still on for Barcelona this could be an added boost of morale for them. A tough final though. 

Serie A MW 31

Milan welcome Genoa, Juventus travel to Atalanta, Lazio take on Benevento, Roma travel to Torino, and Inter travel to Napoli. Inter are firmly in the driving seat as the rest look to secure top four. It’s a big weekend in terms of the places below Inter and Milan could gain an advantage if they win their game. 

Bundesliga MW 29

Leipzig take on Hoffenheim, Bayern travel to Wolfsburg, Monchengladbach take on Frankfurt, Leverkusen take on Koln, and Dortmund welcome Werder Bremen. Bayern sit 5 points clear at the top of the table and having been knocked out of the Champions League their sole focus now is the title. They face a tough game against Wolfsburg though and Leipzig will be ready to pounce. Dortmund meanwhile are looking to secure a top four finish but are 7 points adrift at the moment. An interesting weekend in Germany. 

Ligue 1 MW 33

Lille welcome Montpellier, PSG welcome St.Etienne, Monaco travel to Bordeaux, and Lyon travel to Nantes. Perhaps the most entertaining title race along with La Liga this season as Lille are ahead in this four horse race. With no head to head game this weekend it will be interesting to see whether any team slips up in this race for the title. 

 

Midweek Football Review

City increase their gap!

Premier League (Various GW)

Man City 4 vs. 1 Wolverhampton

Dendoncker scored an own goal in the 15th minute to give City the lead. Coady equalised for Wolves in the 61st minute. It looked like Wolves would be able to hold on for the point but City shifted gears with 2 goals from Jesus and 1 from Mahrez in the final 10 minutes. City go 14 points clear at the top of the table while Wolves remain 12th in the table. 

Burnley 1 vs. 1 Leicester

Vydra scored in the 4th minute to give Burnley a surprise lead. Iheanacho equalised for Leicester in the 34th minute with a brilliant goal. Neither team could grab the winner though as they settled for a draw. Burnley remain 15th in the table while Leicester remain 3rd but only 3 points ahead of 4th placed Chelsea. 

Sheffield United 1 vs. 0 Aston Villa

McGoldrick grabbed the only goal of the game in the 30th minute for Sheffield United. Jagielka was sent off for the home team in the 57th minute but they managed to hold on with 10 players. Sheffield United manage their 4th win of the season as they remain bottom and 12 points from safety. Villa remain 9th with the loss with 2 game still in hand. 

Crystal Palace 0 vs. 0 Man United

A goalless draw with Palace getting the best chance to win the game late on. Palace remain 13th in the table while United remain 2nd, 5 points ahead of 5th. 

West Brom 0 vs. 1 Everton

Richarlison scored the only goal of the game in the 65th minute as Everton got a big win. Everton move into 5th with the win a point from top 4. West Brom remain 19th in the table, 9 points from safety. 

Fulham 0 vs. 1 Tottenham

Adarabioyo scored an own goal in the 19th minute to give Spurs the lead but Fulham dominated the game from then on out. They had the ball in the net through Maja in the 2nd half but it was ruled out by VAR because it hit Lemina’s hand when the hand was stuck to his body. Lemina could literally not put his hand anywhere else. Tottenham rode their luck and got 3 points. Spurs remain 8th with the win a point behind 7th placed Liverpool now with a game in hand. Fulham remain 18th in the table 3 points from safety. 

Copa Del Rey Semi-Final 2nd Leg

Barcelona came from 2-0 down in the 1st leg to beat Sevilla 3-0 at the Camp Nou to reach the final of the Copa Del Rey. Joining them there will be Bilbao who beat Levante 1-2. Barcelona are having a solid 2021 and their good form continues even with all the internal drama at the club. This should be a fun final. 

Serie A MW 25

Juventus beat Spezia 3-0, Napoli drew with Sassuolo 3-3, Milan drew with Udinese 1-1, Atalanta beat Crotone 5-1, Roma beat Fiorentina 1-2, and Inter beat Parma 1-2. Inter extend their gap at the top of the table to 6 points. Milan remain 2nd 4 points ahead of Juventus while Atalanta make up the top four. Roma, Napoli, and Lazio sit 5th, 6th, and 7th. Inter’s consistency getting them rewards while Milan’s poor form continues. 

DFB Pokal Quarter-Final

Dortmund beat Monchengladbach 0-1, while Leipzig beat Wolfsburg 2-0 to reach the semif finals. Holstein Kiel are the other semi-finalists along with whoever goes through from Werder Bremen and Regensburg. 

Ligue 1 MW 28

Lyon beat Rennes 1-0, Lille beat Marseille 2-0, Strasbourg beat Monaco 1-0, and PSG beat Bordeaux 0-1. Lille remain 2 points clear at the top of the table with PSG behind them. Lyon sit a point behind PSG in 3rd while Monaco are now 4 points behind Lyon in 4th. A 3 horse race for now with Monaco hitting a few hurdles. 

Midweek Football Preview

League football times 2!

Premier League (Various GW)

Man City vs. Wolverhampton

Man City won once again at the weekend and extended their lead at the top to 12 points. Wolves drew at the weekend and sit 12th in the table. Wolves are on a good run of form having gone unbeaten in their last 5 but I think that is going to a end. City should win. 

Burnley vs. Leicester

Burnley sit 15th having lost at the weekend while Leicester also lost at the weekend and remain 3rd in the table. Two teams looking to bounce back and Leicester on paper should win this but Burnley are a hard team to beat. A tough game for both teams. 

Sheffield United vs. Aston Villa

Sheffield United made it 4 losses in a row on Sunday while Villa returned to winning ways and sit 9th in the table. Villa should win this on current form but Sheffield United were pretty solid until the 2nd half. Similar to Burnley, Leicester is going to be defence vs attack. 

Crystal Palace vs. Man United

Palace sit 13th in the table and drew at the weekend as they take on 2nd placed United who also drew at the weekend. United need to win because they play City next and if they lose both these games they could well and truly be in a top four race by the end of this week. Palace will want to win to continue their good run. 

West Brom vs. Everton

19th placed West Brom managed to win at the weekend as they take on Everton who will play on Monday night. Everton could be a point of off 5th going into this game which would make a win against West Brom quite important. An interesting game. 

Fulham vs. Tottenham

London derby time as 18th placed Fulham take on 8th placed Spurs who got a big win against Burnley. Two teams in good form in the last two games although Fulham are unbeaten in their last 5 games. Fulham know a win can bring them level on points with Newcastle. A big derby in context. 

Copa Del Rey Semi-Final 2nd Leg

Barcelona take on Sevilla with Sevilla having a 2 goal lead from the 1st leg. Barcelona have all the work to do in this game. Levante and Bilbao take on each other with the first leg having ended 1-1. 

Serie A MW 25

Lazio take on Torino, Juventus welcome Spezia, Napoli travel to Sassuolo, Milan welcome Udinese, Atalanta take on Crotone, Roma travel to Fiorentina, Inter travel to Parma. Inter remain 4 points clear at the top of the table but all the teams have tricky games during the week. It will be interesting to see which teams trip up while which teams stay consistent. 

DFB Pokal Quarter-Final

Monchengladbach take on Dortmund, and Leipzig take on Wolfsburg among two other games. Arguably the tougher teams take on each other with the other two games played between smaller teams. 

Ligue 1 MW 28

Lyon take on Rennes, Lille take on Marseille, Monaco travel to Strasbourg, and PSG travel to Bordeaux. Lille remain 2 points clear at the top of the table but PSG move into 2nd in the table. It’s quite close at the top with 4 points separating 1st and 4th. Interesting games.