Every Friday, I pick for you the best or most exciting games not to be missed in the world of football each weekend. From derbies to top of the table clashes, relegation six-pointers to world class players facing each other or other interesting tactical battles, there will be something for everyone to enjoy.
This week, we take you to England, Spain, France, Portugal and Germany for the Premier League title race, a cup final, a massive derby, a potential coronation, plus some big fights for championships and European places.
English Premier League, Matchday 33Kickoff: Sunday, 11:30 a.m. ET / 4:30 p.m. BST
The 2026 Premier League decider is here! On Sunday, at the Etihad Stadium, the two best teams in the country face each other on Matchday 33, and I believe the winner (if there is one) will go on to win the league title. It is huge! That’s what all the neutrals wanted, and we have it.
However, it will probably won’t be pretty. You can expect a physical affair, sprinkled with some technical genius from the likes of Rayan Cherki or Eberechi Eze. Arsenal can afford a draw, of course, and in that case would remain the favourite to lift the league trophy comes the end of the season. They have not been great lately, though, and will need to find their defensive solidity and solid structure again if they are to get the desired result.
The expected returns of Eze and Piero Hincapié to full fitness will help, while Bukayo Saka and Jurriën Timber could be back too. William Saliba, David Raya and Gabriel Magalhães will naturally have a big part to play: they can’t give City too much space to exploit or afford them too much time on the ball because the Citizens have the momentum at the moment.
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There’s no doubting City’s form: they beat Arsenal in the Carabao Cup final a month ago, and they just destroyed Liverpool and Chelsea in the FA Cup and in the Premier League respectively. In Cherki, they have the best player in the league right now, arguably, and Pep Guardiola will obviously fancy their chances massively this weekend.
The gap is six points between them and Arsenal, with City holding a game in hand and the Gunners boasting a slight edge in goal difference (+38 against +35). Guardiola outsmarted Arteta tactically in the League Cup final at Wembley with a 4-2-4 shape out of possession, and he’ll likely do the same on Sunday. Bournemouth also did it to great effect against Arsenal last weekend. Arteta and his Gunners will have to be better prepared and equipped this time to cope better with what City will throw at them.
MY PREDICTION: Man City 1-1 Arsenal. I would love a great attacking game with loads of goals and chances, and a performance from both teams that we will remember forever. But I don’t think it will happen! I think it will be a big fight — quite cagey, with more of the ball for City, but nothing to separate the two sides.
Spanish Copa del Rey finalKickoff: Saturday, 3 p.m. ET / 8 p.m. BST (watch on ESPN+)
play3:26
How Matarazzo sparked Real Sociedad’s rapid revival
Real Sociedad coach Pellegrino Matarazzo explains what attracted him to the club, and how he took them from relegation battlers to Copa del Rey finalists in just a few months in charge.
In a way, Saturday’s cup final could be described as the “Antoine Griezmann derby.” Between his first club, the club of his teenage years where he became a professional player and his second club, the club where he became one of the best players in the world, it will be a very special evening for the Frenchman, especially only a few weeks before he leaves Spain for a new chapter with Orlando City and Major League Soccer!
This final could not be better for him. Both sides mean so much to him and while Atleti also still have an exciting Champions League semifinal ahead against Arsenal, the club’s entire focus right now is on this domestic final. The last time Atlético won the Spanish Cup was back in 2013 and since their last triumph, Real Sociedad won it in 2020 under Imanol Alguacil, with Sociedad boss Pellegrino Matarazzo wanting to bring another trophy parade to the streets of San Sebastián.
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After two tight head-to-head meetings in LaLiga (a 1-1 draw in January, and a 3-2 Atleti win in March), you can expect another tense battle here. Atlético fought hard in midweek to advance in the Champions League at Barcelona‘s expense and will need to dig deep for another high-pressure game just days later. Matarazzo, Sociedad’s American manager, has done a great job since he arrived (just two losses in their last eight games, all competitions) and they can even dream of a Champions League qualification, sitting only four points behind Real Betis who are in fifth. They will approach this game as underdogs, but with confidence, and the energy they’re playing with at the moment could be key here if Atlético are still exhausted from their midweek adventures.
MY PREDICTION: Atlético Madrid 2-1 Real Sociedad. It is hard to look past Atlético in this final, and I think Real Sociedad will give them a good game. They will be aggressive and well organised, and Atleti have already played 90 minutes of intense football this week; however, I expect Griezmann & Co. will find a way to win.
German Bundesliga, Matchday 30Kickoff: Sunday, 11:30 a.m. ET / 4:30 p.m. BST (watch on ESPN+)
play1:50
Klinsmann: Kane is the player Bayern need to win the Champions League
Jürgen Klinsmann is full of praise for Harry Kane’s leadership skills on the pitch as Bayern Munich progress to the UCL semifinals.
This could have been a very interesting encounter if Bayern still had something to play in the Bundesliga this season, but they don’t. If anything, this should be the game in which they’re crowned German champions again, retaining their title. They are currently 12 points clear of Borussia Dortmund in second with five games to go, so it should all be wrapped up on Sunday at the Allianz Arena.
Vincent Kompany and his team have been absurd in the league this season, losing only one game so far (to Augsburg, amazingly) while scoring 105 goals in 29 matches — a rate of 3.6 goals per game! They have been on another planet to their peers, with Michael Olise and Harry Kane being the two outstanding players in the league so far in terms of goals and assists: 31 and five for the Englishman, 12 and 18 for the Frenchman. Overall, Kompany built an absolute machine that nobody in Germany can consistently match.
However, Stuttgart will try and will give it a good go. They have been the third-best team in the league this season — credit to Sebastian Hoeness again for the great work he is doing there — and aren’t far from returning to the Champions League. They are currently third in the table, level on points with Leipzig in fourth, two clear of Leverkusen in fifth and three up on Hoffenheim in sixth. The race for a Top 4 finish will be very exciting because fifth place might not make it into the Champions league next season, but Stuttgart are in good shape at the moment.
MY PREDICTION: Bayern Munich 3-1 Stuttgart. Bayern won’t miss out on this opportunity to win the title at home in front of their fans. Stuttgart are a really good team and should cause problems, but overall, Olise and Kane will get the job done again.
A huge game in the top-five raceChelsea vs. Manchester United
English Premier League, Matchday 33Kickoff: Sunday, 3 p.m. ET / 8 p.m. BST
Neither side can really afford to miss out on the Champions League, but both teams are coming off bad games and need to turn things around. Chelsea lost heavily at home against Manchester City, while United were defeated at Old Trafford by Leeds, with Lisandro Martínez sent off. All of which makes this game on Saturday evening under the lights even more important.
The Blues are sixth in the table, four points behind Liverpool in fifth with just six games to go. They cannot afford to miss out on Champions League football next season, as it could have dramatic consequences on the club’s finances and on Liam Rosenior’s future. But to beat United, they will have to actually play to win and not set up not to lose like they did vs. City last Sunday! Against Guardiola & Co., Rosenior again got his tactics wrong and cannot afford that again this weekend.
In terms of personnel, Enzo Fernández should be back and will improve the team. He should have never been suspended by his own club, anyway! Chelsea have lost five games in a row with the exception of the victory against Port Vale in the FA Cup, which is a terrible run of form.
The Red Devils are in a better position, in third place and fully seven points clear of Chelsea. But a loss at Stamford Bridge on Sunday and the gap would only be four points, bringing back all the pressure and tension with so few games remaining. Michael Carrick and his players were poor against Leeds, and it was a big missed opportunity for them to more or less seal their Champions League place. The decision to leave Bryan Mbeumo on the bench from the start was a strange one, and Carrick will have to make the right decisions again on Saturday like he did at the start of his tenure, against City and Arsenal. Lately (West Ham, Bournemouth and Newcastle), it has not been good enough and United have only one of their last four league games.
MY PREDICTION: Chelsea 2-1 Man United. Chelsea have to win to keep their hopes of Champions League qualification alive, and I think they will. Enzo being back will make a difference, as will United being without Martinez in defense.
French Ligue 1, Matchday 30Kickoff: Saturday, 2:45 p.m. ET / 7:45 p.m. BST
Fresh off their superb showing against Liverpool to book a Champions League semifinals spot, PSG are back in Ligue 1 to take a step towards yet another league title. They lead Lens by four points now, with a game in hand against Nantes scheduled next week, and they still have to travel to Lens on May 13. By then, they could have the title wrapped up, but they will have to be careful on Sunday night at the Parc des Princes.
PSG will be without Nuno Mendes and Désiré Doué, who both picked up injuries against Liverpool. It didn’t seem too serious for either of them, but Luis Enrique is unlike to risk them with games against Bayern Munich on the horizon. We can expect quite a rotation for this game not because PSG are taking it for granted, but because his key players need rest.
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As for Lyon, they finally won last weekend after a run of nine winless matches! They still have a lot of injuries and tired players; Endrick came on against Lorient last weekend and made an impact, but the Brazilian star and the rest of the squad will have to dig deep if they’re to get a result in the capital. They need one, badly, as they’re in a big fight for a Top 4 finish and a Champions League spot for next season. They are fifth, just a point behind Marseille in fourth and two behind Lille in third, but Rennes and Monaco are also equally just a point and two respectively behind them! This is a huge game for the title race and the Champions League race.
MY PREDICTION: PSG 2-1 Lyon. Lyon would need to be at their best on Sunday to even get a draw, and I just don’t see it happening. PSG, even with a jumbled team, will be too strong.
Portuguese Primeira Liga, Matchday 30Kickoff: Sunday, 1 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. BST
The title race in Portugal is one of the most exciting in Europe this season: Sporting are five points behind league leaders Porto, but with a game in hand, and they have a winning momentum. Their only league defeat was against Porto (who have also only been beaten once all season in the league) back in August! They are unbeaten since then domestically and even though they don’t have their destiny in their hands, they will keep going.
Sunday marks the biggest game of their season so far, one against their arch rivals and biggest enemy. Sporting drew 1-1 in the reverse fixture back in December and lost 1-0 in the Super Cup in July, so we’ll expect another tight affair between the two Lisbon sides. Jose Mourinho and Benfica are still unbeaten this season in the league too, which is a great achievement, but their nine draws — four more than Sporting, and five more than Porto — are costing them dearly. They are currently third, two points behind Sporting and seven behind Porto. They don’t feel they can win the league with this gap and just five games to go, but they would love to overtake Sporting into second — clinching the final Champions League place in Portugal — and put them under pressure before they even play their game in hand.
It has been such an eventful season for Mourinho and his players, between the heroics and controversy in the Champions League to playing catch up with Porto and Sporting since he took over from Bruno Lage in September. This is a tough game, as Rui Borges and his Sporting side have been really excellent lately. The crazy thing about this league season is that Benfica could finish it unbeaten and yet still not win the league; Porto, Sporting and Benfica have only lost two league games between them all campaign!
MY PREDICTION: Sporting CP 1-1 Benfica. I don’t think Benfica will lose this derby. As much as they have to win it, they will set up not to lose first and foremost. Sporting will have to be very creative to beat them, but I don’t think they’ll get it done.
Weekend predictions: Can Arsenal hold off Man City? Will Atlético win Copa del Rey? NYT News Today.
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