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The shots to take this football weekend: Milan derby and El Clasico
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.
๐ Friday, April 19, 2024
๐ง๐ท Rivaldo turns 52, ๐ฆ๐ท Gabriel Heinze turns 46, ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ Joe Hart turns 37, ๐ฒ๐ฝ Hรฉctor Herrera turns 34, ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ Nick Pope turns 32, ๐ฒ๐ฆ Azzedine Ounahi turns 24.
๐ฎ๐น Cagliari vs. Juventus (italian serie a) โ
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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๐ Saturday, April 20, 2024
๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ Sheffield United vs. Burnley (english premier league) โ
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.
๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ Wolverhampton Wanderers vs. Arsenal (english premier league) โ
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.
๐ฉ๐ช 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 Dortmundโs results.
๐ฉ๐ช 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.
๐ต๐น Braga vs. Vizela (portuguese primeira liga) โ
Braga is chasing third place, and securing a win against bottom-placed Vizela would be advantageous for their pursuit.
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๐ Sunday, April 21, 2024
๐ช๐ธ Isco turns 32, ๐ณ๐ฑ Xavi Simons turns 21.
๐ช๐ธ Real Madrid vs. Barcelona (spanish la liga) โ
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.
๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ Fulham vs. Liverpool (english premier league) โ 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.
๐ฉ๐ช Borussia Dortmund vs. Bayer Leverkusen (german bundesliga) โ
Bayer Leverkusenโs 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.
๐ฉ๐ช Werder Bremen vs. Stuttgart (german bundesliga) โ
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.
๐ซ๐ท Brest vs. Monaco (french ligue 1) โ
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.
๐ซ๐ท Paris Saint-Germain vs. Lyon (french ligue 1) โ
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.
๐ต๐น Casa Pia vs. Porto (portuguese primeira liga) โ
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 Guimarรฃes. They will be looking to secure positive results away against Casa Pia to improve their standing.
๐ต๐น Sporting CP vs. Vitรณria de Guimarรฃes (portuguese primeira liga) โ
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 Vitรณria de Guimarรฃes in the standings, with Sporting CP holding a 7-point lead over Benfica in the Primeira Liga title race.
Vitoria de Guimarรฃes, 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
๐ณ๐ฑ Mark van Bommel turns 47, ๐ง๐ท Kakรก turns 42, ๐ง๐ท David Luiz turns 37, ๐ณ๐ฌ John Obi Mikel turns 37, ๐ฎ๐ธ Aron Gunnarsson turns 35, ๐ณ๐ฑ Jasper Cillessen turns 35.
๐ฎ๐น Roma vs. Bologna (italian serie a) โ
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.
๐ฎ๐น AC Milan vs. Inter Milan (italian serie a) โ
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.
๐ต๐น Farense vs. Benfica (portuguese primeira liga) โ
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. ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ Chelsea vs. Manchester City (fa cup โ semifinal)
April 21. ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ Coventry City vs. Manchester United (fa cup โ semifinal)
A Manchester derby final is what many might anticipate from the semifinal matchups, but football always has surprises in store.
Manchester Cityโs 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 doesnโt 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 โ 12 titles (last in 2016)
Chelsea โ 8 titles (last in 2018)
Manchester City โ 7 titles (last in 2023)
Coventry City โ 1 title (in 1987)