The Manchester derby returns this weekend, and it is set to be yet another classic derby fixture. This historic rivalry is always a heated affair, with United typically dominating this fixture until City’s resurgence in the early 2000s. In the previous encounter, City dominated as they took a comfortable 3-0 win at Old Trafford thanks to a Haaland brace paired with a goal from their academy graduate superstar Phil Foden. The pride of winning on derby day is unmatched and both teams will be desperate to win this fixture. The game will have big ramifications for both sides in the league table too. City currently sit second in the Premier League table and just one win away from first-placed Liverpool. They will also know whether they can take the top spot with a win by kick-off as Liverpool face Nottingham Forest on Saturday. United will have one eye on Saturday’s results also as if Spurs are defeated at home to Crystal Palace, United can climb into fifth place with a win against City. The game kicks off at 15:30 BST at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday, March 3rd.
Bayer Leverkusen vs FC Koln
The Bundesliga is closing in on a season for the history books. For the last 11 consecutive seasons, Bayern Munich have won the league title. However, this year, their run of dominance could finally be over in Germany. Bayer Leverkusen have defied all expectations this season and find themselves top of the table, eight points clear of the German giants. Not only are they dominating the league standings, but they are also shattering league records. Their 2-1 win over Mainz meant that not only did Leverkusen keep their unbeaten record for the season, but their 33 matches without defeat is a new Bundesliga record. They are looking to extend this run this weekend, but it will not be an easy task. Although Koln sits in the relegation playoff position, they are fighting every week for important points to ensure that they do not fall into relegation trouble. However, Leverkusen can not afford to slip up. If they do, Bayern Munich will be hot on their tails very quickly. You can see if Leverkusen can continue their record-breaking season at 15:30 CET on Sunday, March 3rd, where the game will begin at the RheinEnergieStadion in Koln.
Napoli vs Juventus
Serie A is full of massive fixtures between world-renowned clubs. This week, that is no different. Juventus is a club known for its success in this league, having won the Scudetto a whopping 36 teams, this included a run from 2011/12 to 2019/20 where they won the league every single year in this time. However, they have not been able to win this title since. They currently sit in second place on 57 points, but the league leaders Inter are 12 points ahead of them going into this weekend’s fixture. Every win is vital to Juve to keep any hopes of a title alive. Napoli have struggled significantly this season. After lifting the Scudetto last season for the first time since 1990, expectations were high for Napoli to continue to build more success this season. However, they currently sit in ninth place in the league and will require a large improvement in form to at least get a place in European football for next season. These two Italian giants will clash on Saturday, March 2nd at 8:45 CET in the infamous Stadio Diego Armando Maradona in Napoli.
Even with these three fixtures standing out, there are plenty of games to look forward to this weekend in European football. Make sure to tune in!
