League football is back, and after two weeks without watching our favourite clubs in action, it’s time to delve back into the non-stop nature of European football.
The Premier League isn’t on this weekend, but we have FA Cup action and several exciting games across Europe.
Real Madrid vs Leganes
Real Madrid will resume their pursuit of La Liga leaders Barcelona after recording back-to-back 2-1 league wins before the international break. Manager Carlo Ancelotti will be relieved that his squad appears to be unscathed from international duty, especially with some involved in UEFA Nations League games that went beyond regulation time.
One of them was Kylian Mbappe, whose latest appearance for France was his 500th senior game. The 26-year-old has scored 31 goals for Los Blancos this season, and he’ll spearhead their attempt to defeat Leganes at home on Saturday evening at the Bernabeu.
Brighton vs Nottingham Forest
Brighton manager Fabian Hürzeler’s sights are firmly set on lifting the FA Cup, a feat that would make him the first-ever Brighton boss to do so.
Standing in their way is Nottingham Forest, who inflicted a humiliating 7-0 defeat on Brighton just last month. Forest are also in good form, undefeated in four matches, and will draw confidence from their past performances against the Seagulls.
Nottingham Forest’s Chris Wood has a remarkable record against Brighton, scoring 12 goals against them in his career, and this should be a cracker.
Napoli vs AC Milan
The Serie A title race is heating up, and Napoli are under pressure to deliver. With Inter Milan in their sights, every game is a must-win for the Azzurri. However, a string of draws has dented their aspirations, leaving them with just one win in their last seven league games.
Napoli’s home form offers some comfort, with the team unbeaten in their last six league games at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona. But they’ll face a tough test against AC Milan, who have dominated their recent head-to-head meetings.
Milan are on the resurgence, collecting 13 points from their last seven games. They’ll be eager to extend their winning streak to three games, a feat they haven’t achieved since September.
With Romelu Lukaku and Christian Pulisic set to take the stage, this match promises to be an electrifying encounter. Lukaku has a knack for scoring crucial goals against Milan, while Pulisic has been on fire, netting six of his last seven club goals in the second half.
Will Napoli’s title ambitions get back on track, or will Milan’s resurgence continue? The stage is set for a thrilling Serie A showdown!
