Europe: Actions To Resume After World Cup Qualifying Break in Major Domestic Leagues
By Tanko Bauka
Football actions resume this weekend in all the major domestic leagues across Europe following the two-week break for World Cup qualifiers across the continent.
However, in England, the quarter-final matches in the FA Cup will take centre stage, and as a result, matches in the Premier League will now take place on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, respectively.
But in Spanish LA Liga, the battle for the league crown between FC Barcelona, Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid continues with FC Barcelona sitting top of the league table though only on goal difference and with an outstanding match against Osasuna which is scheduled for this Thursday will be in action again on Sunday as they welcome Girona to seek to pull clear from the chasing pack.
Real Madrid will have the chance of staying close to FC Barcelona as they prepare to take on Laganes in the capital but Atletico Madrid travel to lock horns with Espanyol while Athletic Bilbao host Osasuna.
Real Betis will seek to continue with their impressive run in the league as they battle it out with a struggling Sevilla and much improved Getafe to go for the three points at stake against Villarreal while resurgent Valencia ambush Mallorca to continue to fight against relegation.
In the Italian Serie A, inconsistent Juventus begin life in the league this weekend with a new manager after the sacking of Thiago Motta following poor results and the old ladies as they are popularly known will want to impress the new manager, Tudor as they welcome Patrick Viara Genoa while Cesc Fabregas Como play Empoli as they continue to navigate further away from relegation.
Lacce host AS Roma while Napoli need to stay positive as they welcome AC Milan and pray for results in other matches, especially the match between Inter Milan and Udinese favour them.
Another match of great interest to the top teams battling for the league title is the match between Ademola Lookman Atalanta and Fiorentina; this is because Atalanta is still very much in the hunt for the league title, Lazio take on Torino while Hellas Verona host Parma.
In the German Bundesliga, Bayern Leverkusen host VFL Bochum, with their arch-rival Bayern Munich entertaining FC St Pauli.
Bayern Monchengladbach welcome RB Leipzig, Eintracht Frankfurt take on Stuttgart while Borussia Dortmund host Mainz 05.
After the weekend encounters, attention will be shifted to the most exciting league in the world, the English Barclay Premier League as Arsenal welcome Fulham in yet another London derby at the Emirate stadium seeking to cement their place in the second position as catching Liverpool seems to be a herculean task while Manchester City continue to fight for a top-four finish as they welcome relegation bound Leicester City.
The runaway leader, Liverpool FC, will have only one thing in mind, which is revenge, as they entertain Everton after a chaotic scene at Goodison Park in the first leg when Everton snatched a last-minute draw against the Arne Slot side.
Nottingham Forest’s impressive credentials will be put to the test as they welcome Ruben Amorim, Manchester United side, which seems to have found a little solution to their awful performance before now.
Enzo Marasca, who has come under severe criticism following his recent style of play, which is not yielding any positive results, will again have his hands full as he welcomes Tottenham Hotspur to Stamford Bridge stadium.
Fixtures across Europe.
Tuesday
Arsenal vs Fulham
Wolves vs West Ham
Nothingham vs Manchester United
Wednesday
Bournemouth vs Ipswich Town
Brighton Albion vs Aston Villa
Manchester City vs Leicester
Newcastle vs Brentford
Southampton vs Crystal Palace
Liverpool FC vs Everton
Thursday
Chelsea vs Tottenham Hotspur
Spanish LA Liga
Saturday
Real Sociedad vs Real Valladolid
Espanyol vs Atletico Madrid
Deportivo vs Rayo Vallacano
Real Madrid vs Laganes
Sunday
Gatafe vs Villarreal
FC Barcelona vs Girona
Athletic Bilbao vs Osasuna
Valencia vs Mallorca
Real Betis vs Sevilla
Monday
Celta Vigo vs Las Palmas
Italian Serie A
Como vs Empoli
Venezia vs Bologna
Juventus vs Genoa
Lacce vs AS Roma
Sunday
Cagliari vs AC Monza
Fiorentina vs Atalanta
Inter Milan vs Udinese
Napoli vs AC Milan
Monday
Hellas Verona vs Parma
Lazio vs Torino
German Bundesliga
Friday
Leverkusen vs VFL Bochum
Saturday
Monchenglabach vs RB Leipzig
Wolfsburg vs Heidenheim
Holstein Kiel vs Werder Bremen
Hoffenheim vs FC Augsburg
Bayern Munich vs FC St Pauli
Frankfurt vs Stuttgart
Sunday
SC Freiburg vs Union Berlin
Dortmund vs Mainz 05
