THE SHOTS TO TAKE THIS WEEKEND
Friday is here, and depending on your definition of the weekend, we may be in it.
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The FA Cup semifinal, the Milan derby, and El Clasico are part of the exciting list of fixtures for the coming weekend.
📅 Friday, April 19, 2024
🇧🇷 Rivaldo turns 52, 🇦🇷 Gabriel Heinze turns 46, 🏴 Joe Hart turns 37, 🇲🇽 Héctor Herrera turns 34, 🏴 Nick Pope turns 32, 🇲🇦 Azzedine Ounahi turns 24.
🇮🇹 Cagliari vs. Juventus (italian serie a) –
Despite having only one win in their last six league games, Juventus still holds third place, 6 points behind AC Milan. With the Milan derby happening this weekend, Juventus has an opportunity to close the point gap. However, Cagliari is also in the mix, seeking points to distance themselves from the relegation threat. It promises to be a competitive match with both teams having significant motivations.
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📅 Saturday, April 20, 2024
🏴 Sheffield United vs. Burnley (english premier league) –
They are two of the three promoted clubs seeking crucial league points to bolster their chances of remaining in the top flight. Sheffield United and Burnley currently occupy the bottom two spots in the Premier League standings. Sheffield United has a game in hand, and a victory would put them just one point behind Burnley.
🏴 Wolverhampton Wanderers vs. Arsenal (english premier league) –
Arsenal has gone winless in their last three games, suffering a league defeat to Aston Villa (2-0) and a Champions League quarterfinal exit after losing to Bayern Munich (1-0) in the second leg, and 3-2 on aggregate.
Arsenal will be aiming to secure crucial points to bolster their position in the league title race when they travel to face Wolves, who are currently positioned in midtable and 28 points behind Arsenal in the league standings. Historically, Arsenal has typically had little trouble defeating Wolves.
🇩🇪 Heidenheim vs. RB Leipzig (german bundesliga)-
With Borussia Dortmund closely trailing them, RB Leipzig must maintain their grip on 4th place by at least matching Dortmund’s results.
🇩🇪 Union Berlin vs. Bayern Munich (german bundesliga)
Although they failed to catch Bayer Leverkusen in the Bundesliga title race, Bayern Munich will aim to end the season on a high note. Their advancement to the Champions League semifinal underscores the importance of finishing the season strongly to maintain their sharpness.
🇵🇹 Braga vs. Vizela (portuguese primeira liga) –
Braga is chasing third place, and securing a win against bottom-placed Vizela would be advantageous for their pursuit.
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📅 Sunday, April 21, 2024
🇪🇸 Isco turns 32, 🇳🇱 Xavi Simons turns 21.
🇪🇸 Real Madrid vs. Barcelona (spanish la liga) –
Real Madrid and Barcelona both had midweek matches with contrasting outcomes. Real Madrid secured a spot in the Champions League semifinals by defeating Manchester City in Manchester, whereas Barcelona suffered elimination from the Champions League after a loss at home to Paris St. Germain. These two clubs stand at the summit of the La Liga standings and hold esteemed positions in Spanish football tradition.
Real Madrid currently enjoys an 8-point lead in the title race. With the advantage of playing at home and buoyed by their recent triumph in the Champions League, they enter the upcoming fixture on a high. Conversely, Barcelona arrives with morale dampened by their Champions League exit on home turf during the quarterfinals.
🏴 Fulham vs. Liverpool (english premier league) – Liverpool lost their advantage in the Premier League title race after a home defeat to Crystal Palace in the last round. They will seek the maximum points against Fulham to help make amends.
🇩🇪 Borussia Dortmund vs. Bayer Leverkusen (german bundesliga) –
Bayer Leverkusen’s first league match after clinching the title will be against Borussia Dortmund, the last team to win the German Bundesliga before Bayern Munich embarked on their 11-year title-winning streak.
🇩🇪 Werder Bremen vs. Stuttgart (german bundesliga) –
As things stand in the German Bundesliga, Stuttgart is battling Bayern Munich for a second-place finish. A victory against Werder Bremen would greatly aid their cause.
🇫🇷 Brest vs. Monaco (french ligue 1) –
This situation favors Paris St. Germain, as the two teams closest to them in the Ligue 1 title race will compete against each other for points. Monaco currently has a game in hand and one point behind Brest in the standings.
🇫🇷 Paris Saint-Germain vs. Lyon (french ligue 1) –
Paris St. Germain secured a place in the Champions League semifinal on Tuesday and now aims to continue their momentum by seeking a victory against Lyon, bringing them closer to clinching the Ligue 1 title. Paris Saint-Germain holds a 10-point lead with 10 more rounds left in their season.
Lyon has shown good form recently, making this matchup a significant test for both teams. The last time Lyon visited Paris, they emerged as 1-0 winners. However, in their last league encounter, PSG claimed a convincing 4-1 victory over Lyon.
🇵🇹 Casa Pia vs. Porto (portuguese primeira liga) –
Porto, without a league win in three games, finds itself in a tight battle for third place in the league alongside Braga and Vitoria de Guimarães. They will be looking to secure positive results away against Casa Pia to improve their standing.
🇵🇹 Sporting CP vs. Vitória de Guimarães (portuguese primeira liga) –
With a maximum of 15 points remaining for each team, another victory for Sporting CP would bring them closer to clinching the title. There is a significant 20-point gap between Sporting CP and Vitória de Guimarães in the standings, with Sporting CP holding a 7-point lead over Benfica in the Primeira Liga title race.
Vitoria de Guimarães, with a win, has the opportunity to break into the top four if Braga suffers a defeat.
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Monday, April 22, 2024
🇳🇱 Mark van Bommel turns 47, 🇧🇷 Kaká turns 42, 🇧🇷 David Luiz turns 37, 🇳🇬 John Obi Mikel turns 37, 🇮🇸 Aron Gunnarsson turns 35, 🇳🇱 Jasper Cillessen turns 35.
🇮🇹 Roma vs. Bologna (italian serie a) –
Roma, currently in 5th place, has a game in hand and is four points behind fourth-place Bologna. A home win against them would narrow the gap to just one point, enhancing the significance of their game in hand.
🇮🇹 AC Milan vs. Inter Milan (italian serie a) –
The upcoming Milan derby showcases the top two teams in the current Serie A standings. Inter Milan has the opportunity to clinch the Serie A title if they defeat AC Milan. A victory for Inter Milan would extend their lead to 17 points in the title race, while AC Milan will aim to put up a strong fight to prolong the competition. Given the intense rivalry between the two clubs, AC Milan would prefer not to see this match decide the Serie A title.
🇵🇹 Farense vs. Benfica (portuguese primeira liga) –
Benfica is likely to concede the league title to Sporting CP this season. However, they must maintain a respectable position in the title race by securing positive results. A victory against Farense is anticipated, despite the previous encounter ending in a 1-1 draw.
FA Cup semfinal
April 20. 🏴 Chelsea vs. Manchester City (fa cup – semifinal)
April 21. 🏴 Coventry City vs. Manchester United (fa cup – semifinal)
A Manchester derby final is what many might anticipate from the semifinal matchups, but football always has surprises in store.
Manchester City’s hopes of defending their Champions League title were dashed by Real Madrid on Wednesday. Now, they face the challenge of ensuring their quest to defend the FA Cup title doesn’t meet the same fate on Saturday against Chelsea.
A victory is crucial for three out of the four teams in the FA Cup semifinal. Coventry City has exceeded expectations by reaching this stage, and in facing Manchester United, they are not anticipated to progress further. However, in football, outcomes are not solely determined on paper.
Manchester United – 12 titles (last in 2016)
Chelsea – 8 titles (last in 2018)
Manchester City – 7 titles (last in 2023)
Coventry City – 1 title (in 1987)
