Check out what’s happening around European football on Saturday:
ENGLAND
Manchester United will seek to return from disappointment over losing to Manchester City in Wednesday’s League Cup semi-finals by beating Watford in the FA Cup second round. United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer will certainly rest many of his key players for the game at Old Trafford ahead of an important week in the Premier League. His team can dominate on Tuesday by avoiding loss at Burnley and Burnley then playing fierce rivals Liverpool. the weekend. It’s a big day for Chorley, with the Northern team moving from sixth home to second derby. Premier League teams Everton and Leicester play a lower league in Rotherham and Stoke, and there is a game between the Premier League and Arsenal.
SPAIN
A severe snowstorm threatens to disrupt the games of the league’s top teams. Athletic Bilbao’s flight to the capital on Friday to play at Atlético Madrid had to return to Bilbao airport after Madrid airport closed due to bad weather. The Basque club say they have contacted the league to see if the game can be played on Saturday afternoon. Atlético lead the league two points ahead of Real Madrid, who also have to travel by plane to the game in Osasuna. Atlético have to jump back against a lower league because of the Copa del Rey embarrassment. Diego Simeone’s side jumped 1-0 at Cornellà this week in a game they played without top scorer Luis Suárez. Barcelona visit Granada to regain third place and keep in touch while Sevilla face Real Sociedad in hopes of finishing in the top four and claiming a Champions League title.
Italy
AC Milan, fresh after their first loss of the season, host Turin at the San Siro. Milan are still without the injured Zlatan Ibrahimovic but the Rossoneri will try to show they won’t be deterred by the Juventus defeat on Wednesday as they aim to win their first Serie A title in ten years. Milan still lead the league by a point over rivals Inter Milan, who are in third place on Sunday ahead of a potentially challenging visit to Roma. Atalanta are also visiting Benevento, having scored eight goals in their last two games, and Genoa hosts Bologna, who are threatened with relegation.
Schalke can reach the Bundesliga record for most games in a row at 31 if they fail to beat Hoffenheim at home at 31. Schalke, a Champions League club two years ago, is in financial difficulties that are exacerbated by the coronavirus pandemic and relegation. Leipzig have not conceded a goal in four games as they prepare for Borussia Dortmund, who are still trying to confirm the ship under interim coach Edin Terzic after the dismissal of Lucien Favre last month. Bayer Leverkusen face Werder Bremen after two defeats in a row, who overturned Leverkusen’s surprising title offer. Union Berlin will also receive Wolfsburg, Freiburg will play against Cologne and Mainz, threatened with relegation, will face Eintracht Frankfurt.
Paris Saint-Germain’s new coach Mauricio Pochettino will have to do without Neymar in the home game against Brest at Parc des Princes, where former defender Pochettino once played as PSG captain. Neymar is almost back after a minor ankle injury. Defending champions PSG are challenged more than usual this season and are in second place, three points behind Lyon. Rudi Garcia’s team is in good shape and would like to make it unbeaten in 16 games if he goes to fourth-placed Rennes. Third place in Lille equates to PSG but he would like to fight a mid-week home defeat when he plays for Nimes, who conceded five goals on Wednesday.
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