Domestic Football Returns with Big Games
The international break is over and we can resume normal practice as domestic football makes a welcome return to our screens. Let’s take a look at some of this weekend’s biggest matches!
Players will need to make their way back to their normal jobs and will be flying back to their clubs from all over the world with club managers hoping that they haven’t picked up any injuries or jetlag. Whilst most countries will return to league football, we have a cup weekend in England, meaning there is no PL action. That allows a large number of clubs to have an unusual extended break, if they are not involved in the cup.
Highlights of the weekend, aside from the aforementioned cup fixtures, include a number of tough battles from the German league, with the likes of Gladbach, RB Leipzig, Eintracht Frankfurt and Stuttgart battling each other for the possibility of finishing in the top four. In Italy, Juventus will be desperate to get back to winning ways against Genoa after two losses but a dent in their charge for a top four spot. The biggest Serie A matches will take place on Sunday though as Napoli face a tricky tie against AC Milan and Atalanta play against Fiorentina whilst leaders Inter host Udinese. In Spain, Barcelona, Real Madrid and Atlético will all be expecting to win their matches to maintain the pace at the top of the standings. There is a big clash in the Turkish Super Lig on Saturday evening as Besiktas host Galatasaray.
Borussia Monchengladbach vs RB Leipzig
Borussia-Park, Saturday @ 15:30
Borussia Monchengladbach return to action in Germany two points outside of the European places as they look to push on during the final stretch of the season, with only eight games to go. They have struggled for consistency though and will have to try to win this match without their top scorer Tim Kleindienst, who is suspended. The home side have struggled against those above them in the table this season but they did at least manage a goalless draw in the return match earlier this season. Last season though, it was the visitors who won this tie and the home side will certainly know they cannot afford another home defeat.
The visitors are only two points ahead of their opponents going into this match and they will want to remain ahead at the end of the day as their hopes of CL football are also looking decidedly dodgy, as they have only one win in their last five matches in the league. Too many draws has been their downfall as has their inability to hold onto a lead. The last three away performances for RB Leipzig have all been goalless draws so travelling fans will be hoping for some more excitement this time around.
The home side have managed three wins in the last ten whereas RB Leipzig have managed five and six of those ten matches have seen three or more goals scored.
Besiktas vs Galatasaray
Tupras Stadium, Saturday @ 18:30
One of the biggest fixtures in Turkish football is played this weekend, as these two old rivals meet this coming weekend. Unfortunately, the home side are a long way off challenging for the league and Galatasaray are running away with the league as things stand. The home side will need to improve on their recent form which has seen them lose the last two matches and they are only still in fourth place on goal difference from Eyupspor. The 27 point gap between these two teams is telling and no one has been able to get the better of Galatasaray this season, they remain undefeated heading into the final run in. Besiktas do have the second best defensive record in the league and that will surely be severely tested here.
Galatasaray’s relentless march towards the title continues and they are nine points ahead of second placed Fenerbahce with a game in hand. This match represents one of their toughest remaining challenges but they will be optimistic of another three points. They have three wins in the last five including a comprehensive 4-0 win last weekend and are the league’s top goalscorers with 68 goals so far. Victor Osimhem continues to lead the goalscoring charts with 20 so far, a long way ahead of Besiktas’ top scorer Ciro Immobile who has 11 goals.
The visitors will be favourites to win this match and complete the league double over Besiktas. The home did manage an impressive 5-0 win in the Super Cup back in August though. Galatasaray have won six of the last ten with Besiktas winning the remaining four.
Monaco vs Nice
Stade Louis II, Saturday @ 21:05
These two are equal on points going into this match with both currently on 47 points. They are also equal on goal difference with both teams on +19 so this is likely to be a decisive fixture when it comes to who wins the race to play in next season’s CL. Marseille currently hold the advantage as they are in second place, two points ahead of these two, with Lyon and Lille the closest chasing teams so there is all to play for in the remaining matches. Monaco have four home wins in the league and a total of nine wins so far this season with only two losses they will be hoping that playing at home will guarantee another vital win.
Nice have only won one match where they have started as pre-match outsiders this season so the chances don’t look great on paper. On the other hand, they have a very good record on their recent visits to Monaco as they have managed two wins and two clean sheets in their last two trips and they have scored at least one goal in each of their last nine away matches. One downside that they will need to deal with is the fact they are generally much poorer in the second half of matches, with Franck Haise’s side dropping thirteen points through second half disappointments.
Nice won the return fixture in October and have three wins in the last ten whereas Monaco have won six.
Fiorentina vs Atalanta
Stadio Artemio Franchi, Sunday @ 15:00
The top half of the table is pretty congested as we head into the final stretch of the season and that means there are plenty of teams battling it out for a European spot. Two such teams are Fiorentina and Atalanta, although the former will be content with a place in the EL or ECL as they are ten points behind their opponents this weekend. Both teams need the points though, to keep their relevant hopes alive and a win for Fiorentina could potentially take them up to fifth place this weekend. Last time out the team from Florence managed an impressive 3-0 win over Juventus and they will be hoping for another strong performance against another team who are above them in the table. They have a strong home record against Atalanta as they have 53 wins over them across their top division history but they will need to improve their recent record against teams in the top four as five of this season’s six meetings with such teams have ended in defeat.
Atalanta fell to a disappointing home defeat at the hands of Inter last time out which ended their seven game unbeaten run. They have been very good defensively, prior to that match, as they were on a run of five consecutive clean sheets. They are still in the top four but if results carry on as they have recently they are likely to be cut adrift from the top two, something they will want to avoid. Atalanta have the best away record in the league, managing 33 points on their travels and scoring 34 goals so they will not be too worried about the lack of home comforts this weekend.
The previous meeting was an entertaining 3-2 win for Atalanta back in September but it is Fiorentina that have the better head to head record, winning five of the last ten as compared to three for Atalanta.
Napoli vs AC Milan
Stadio Diego Armando Maradona, Sunday @ 20:45
Napoli only have one win in their last seven matches, a run which has seen them forfeit their lead at the top of the table to Inter Milan. They are still very much in with a shout though as they are only three points behind the leaders but they will be desperate to turn their form around and get their title charge back on track. Their goalless draw with Venezia last time out was another blow to their hopes and this time they face a tricky tie against AC Milan. Napoli remain the team with the best defensive record in the league but they are the lowest scoring team in the top six, with Romelu Lukaku still their top scorer with ten goals so far. Unfortunately for the home side, they have a poor home record against AC Milan, their last win was in 2018!
AC Milan have not had a vintage season and find themselves in ninth place heading into this match, but they have shown some signs of recovery having won their last two matches. Prior to that they only won one in six though which explains why they are fourteen points behind their opponents. Only three teams in the top ten have conceded more goals than AC Milan and only one has scored fewer, so it is clear that the issues are at both ends of the field. USA forward Christian Pulisic remains their top scorer with only nine goals and manager Sergio Conceicao still has work to do to turn around the fortunes of this giant club this season if they are hoping to get back into the CL next term.
This match ended as a 2-2 draw last season and AC Milan have won four of the last ten meetings with Napoli also winning four.
Last Updated: 03.04.2025
