SuperSport are showing the best action from Europe’s major leagues this weekend, with some of the Premier League's big names in action
Football fans will be treated to a packed weekend of action from the world’s biggest clubs this weekend, with the Premier League returning in midweek and Serie A also set to resume after a break due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Couple this with another week of pulsating La Liga action – both Barcelona and Real Madrid are set to take to the field – and SuperSport fans have every reason to be excited ahead of a weekend of live sport.
Perhaps the pick of the action comes in the Premier League, where England’s biggest sides return to action in some heavyweight fixtures.
On Friday, Champions League hopefuls Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United meet in a match that could prove decisive as the duo seek a top-five finish.
Spurs head into the match four points behind the Red Devils, and should they lose, would surely find a seven-point gap with eight games to play too much to overhaul.
There will be a major incentive for Jose Mourinho too, as he comes up against his previous employers, and he’ll be desperate to show that Spurs are more resilient and durable than they were before the league’s suspension.
It will be fascinating to see how much game time Odion Ighalo gets for the Red Devils, having extended his loan deal at Old Trafford, and Nigeria fans will be hotly anticipating his return to action.
On Saturday, Brighton & Hove Albion host Arsenal, who will be looking forward to maintaining the momentum they’d begun to enjoy following Mikel Arteta’s arrival.
The weekend concludes with two high-profile bouts on Sunday, as relegation-threatened Aston Villa host Chelsea, who will themselves be looking to consolidate their place in the UCL qualification berths.
Also on Sunday, Everton and Liverpool collide in the Merseyside derby, as the champions-elect look to resume their campaign with a victory.
It’s a bitter shame for the Reds that their historic campaign was paused midway through, particularly when they enjoyed a record 25-point advantage over their nearest challengers Manchester City.
However, the resumption in competition means they have the opportunity to finally get over the line, get their hands on the title, and flex their muscles once again with a victory over their fierce local neighbours at Goodison Park.
Will Jurgen Klopp’s side pick up where they left off, or could the Toffees rain on their parade?
Thursday 18 June – Real Madrid vs Valencia (LaLiga)
Friday 19 June – Sevilla vs Barcelona (LaLiga)
Friday 19 June – Spurs vs Manchester United
Saturday 20 June – Brighton vs Arsenal (Premier League)
Sunday 21 June – Aston Villa vs Chelsea (Premier League)
Sunday 21 June – Everton vs Liverpool (Premier League)
Sunday 21 June – Inter Milan vs Sampdoria (Serie A)
Sunday 21 June – Real Sociedad vs Real Madrid (LaLiga)
Across the rest of Europe there are other high-profile clashes, notably in Spain, where Real Madrid have two matches in the space of four days.
First up, for Zinedine Zidane’s side, they host Valencia in a stern test for their title credentials on Thursday evening, having dispatched troubled Eibar in their last fixture.
Seventh-placed Valencia will be desperate to make amends after letting two points slip in their first match back, conceding in the 98th minute against ten-men Levante at home in a result that dented their Champions League hopes.
Valencia took a point from Real in this season’s first match between the pair, but can they repeat the trick this time around?
On Sunday, Los Merengues must travel away to Real Sociedad, who returned to action with a 1-1 draw against Osasuna on Sunday.
In action on Friday, Barcelona travel away to Sevilla.
This will be a much tougher test for the Catalan giants than their midweek victory over struggling Leganes, and they’ll have to be at their best to maintain their winning run against Los Nervionenses.
It’s one of the trickiest matches Barca have ahead of them as they close in on the title, and Quique Setien may have to shuffle his pack to keep his players fresh, with some experienced heads coming back into the side.
However, expect Ansu Fati to retain his spot in the team after netting a fine goal in the victory over Leganes.
Finally, Serie A also returns this weekend, and SuperSport are delighted to invite fans to watch the bout between Internazionale and Sampdoria.
The Nerazzurri have impressed in stages this term, although Antonio Conte will know that they need Juventus to stumble if they’re to keep their faint title challenge alive.
They lost ground on their rivals before the pandemic necessitated a pause in football with back-to-back fixtures, and a victory on Sunday evening is imperative if they’re to breathe life into the remaining weeks of the season.
They do have a game in hand on Juve and Lazio, and a favourable run of fixtures, so all isn’t yet lost.