Football kicks off in Spain and Italy this weekend while the Premier League, Bundesliga, and Ligue 1 prepare for their second week of action.
With so many games to choose from, here’s a league-by-league breakdown of the top matches you should check out this weekend.
Bundesliga
Top Match Week 2: SC Freiburg vs Borussia Dortmund
When, Where to Watch: Friday 11:30 am PST, ESPN+
Scouting Report: It’s always easy to pick Bayern as the match of the week because you’re guaranteed a minimum of five goals. Freiburg and Dortmund should have the most competitive Bundesliga match of the weekend, battling it out for second place. Keep an eye out for USMNT middie Gio Reyna, who could get some minutes as he recovers from an injury.
Prediction: 4-2, Borussia Dortmund
La Liga
Top Match Week 1: Barcelona vs Rayo Vallecano
When, Where to Watch: Saturday, 12 pm PST, ESPN+
Scouting Report: We still aren’t sure who can play for Barca yet, though as the hours draw nearer, it appears more and more likely that Barca’s new superteam won’t be registered with the league by Saturday (which also may not matter – in La Liga, you can still register players on the same day of a game, so Barca could technically register all their signings one hour before kick-off). Either way, Rayo is a competitive team that will look to build off last season’s momentum. Watch for USMNT star Sergino Dest because Barcelona hasn’t registered any other defenders yet.
Prediction: 2-1, Barcelona (If Barcelona register Dembele and Lewandowski in time, 5-1 Barcelona)
Ligue 1
Top Match Week 2: PSG vs Montpellier
When, Where to Watch: Saturday, 12 pm PST, beIN Sports
Scouting Report: Montpellier will hope to be more of a challenge for PSG than last week’s opponent, Clermont Foot, who got beat so bad by Messi and Co that they started cheering for them. Montpellier will likely be a bigger obstacle for the Parisian dream team, but a large speed bump is still just a speed bump.
Prediction: 4-1, PSG
Premier League
Top Match Week 2: Chelsea vs Tottenham
When, Where to Watch: Sunday, 8:30 am PST, NBC Sports
Scouting Report: Though Arsenal and Leicester City should be good, all eyes will be on CHE v TOT. The Hotspurs look hot under Antonio Conte, with Son and Kane continuing their impressive form. Chelsea, on the other hand, seems to be cooling down, still trying to figure out their new identity. Watch for Captain America Christian Pulisic to enter the game around the 60th minute and, hopefully, prove to Tuchel that he deserves more playing time.
Prediction: 3-1, Tottenham
Serie A
Top Match Week 1: AC Milan vs Udinese
When, Where to Watch: Saturday, 9:30 am PST, Paramount+
Scouting Report: Last year’s Serie A champions will open up with a test against Udinese, who outperformed expectations last season. It will be interesting to see if the aging Milan team still has what it takes to make another run at the title.
Prediction: 2-0, AC Milan
Which matches are you going to be watching this weekend? Sound off below!
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