With EPL’s top games on hold, Europe’s other big leagues seize limelight
The fiery Madrid derby takes place this weekend, while high-flying Napoli take on Serie A champions AC Milan
Lee U-Wen
THE English Premier League is back this weekend after the last round of fixtures was postponed due to the passing of Queen Elizabeth II, but only 7 of the 10 scheduled matches are set to go ahead.
Two blockbuster clashes - Liverpool’s trip to Chelsea, and Manchester United’s home game against Leeds United - have been taken off the calendar due to policing issues surrounding the Queen’s funeral.
A quick glance at the fixture lists in the other top leagues in Europe show there are some pretty tasty matches coming up, and here are 3 key games to look out for as the clubs seek to rack up the points before the season takes its first international break next week.
PSV Eindhoven vs Feyenoord (Sunday, 8.30 pm kick-off, Singapore time) It’s a clash of 2 of the biggest teams in Dutch football, as Feyenoord - still unbeaten in the league this season and third in the table - travel to the imposing Philips Stadium to face PSV.
The hosts, managed by former Netherlands and Manchester United striker Ruud van Nistelrooy, are fresh and raring to go after their midweek trip to London to play Arsenal in the Europa League was postponed to next month.
PSV’s squad includes the speedy winger Cody Gakpo, whose long list of suitors over the summer included Manchester United. Born and bred in Eindhoven, the 23-year-old did his reputation no harm at all when he created an incredible 9 goalscoring chances against RKC Waalwijk last week, before scoring the winner himself - a coolly-taken penalty in the sixth minute of injury time.
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Second-placed Feyenoord have less than 72 hours to prepare for this game, as they were involved in Europa League action on Thursday night, smashing 6 goals past Austria’s Sturm Graz without reply.
AC Milan vs Napoli (Monday, 2.45 am) There are 3 teams deadlocked on 14 points at the top of Italy’s Serie A, and 2 of them are set to lock horns at the San Siro Stadium. AC Milan, the defending champions, enter this game with plenty of confidence and momentum, after cruising past Dinamo Zagreb 3-1 in the Champions League in midweek. That was the third win for coach Stefano Pioli in the last four games, and the team’s sixth in 9 since the start of the season.
Napoli, the current league leaders by virtue of their superior goal difference, are in no mood to relinquish their grip at the top. They arrive in the capital after a productive trip to Scotland where they stormed past Glasgow Rangers in the Champions League.
Both teams are without their key strikers for this high-profile battle. Milan don’t have the suspended Rafael Leao, which means Pioli will continue to count on Olivier Giroud for the goals.
Napoli, meanwhile, must make do without the services of Nigerian Victor Osimhen, who is still out of action due to a hamstring injury sustained in his team’s big win over Liverpool in the Champions League last week.
Atletico Madrid vs Real Madrid (Monday, 3 am) The El Clasico between Barcelona and Real Madrid may be the biggest fixture on the Spanish football calendar, but the Madrid derby is a close second in terms of prestige and international appeal.
The La Liga leaders, Real Madrid, are off to a flying start this season with 5 wins from 5 games - the only team in Europe’s top 5 leagues to still have a 100 per cent record.
Carlo Ancelotti’s men will put that proud unbeaten run to the biggest of tests when they head to the Wanda Metropolitano Stadium, the home of their bitter city rivals Atletico Madrid.
Atletico, under manager Diego Simeone, are a wounded animal at the moment. They sit seventh in the table after a below-par start to their domestic campaign, and are coming off a bruising loss to Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League in midweek.
Simeone knows that a statement win in front of Atletico’s own fans, and against the mighty Real Madrid, will be the perfect tonic to jumpstart the team’s season.
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