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WEEKEND BANGERS:

A few things are approaching faster than the holiday season, one being this weekend, and the thrilling fixtures coming our way. The battle at the top of the Portuguese Primeira Liga title race. Manchester United travels to Anfield to face Liverpool. PSV Eindhoven will put their perfect start to the season on the line, facing AZ Alkmaar. Inter Milan will be in Rome against Lazio. Bayern hosts Stuttgart in a battle between teams in the top four of the Bundesliga. Lyon tries to work their way up in Monaco.

The top seven European leagues: 🇩🇪 Bundesliga, 🇳🇱 Eredivisie, 🇪🇸 La Liga, 🇫🇷 Ligue 1, 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Premier League, 🇵🇹 Primeira Liga, and 🇮🇹 Serie A.

 

Dec 15.
🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Nottingham Forest vs. Tottenham Hotspur
🇮🇹 Genoa vs. Juventus
🇫🇷 Monaco vs. Lyon

Dec 16.
🇪🇸 Athletic Club vs. Atlético Madrid
🇪🇸 Sevilla vs. Getafe
🇪🇸 Valencia vs. Barcelona
🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Chelsea vs. Sheffield United
🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Manchester City vs. Crystal Palace
🇮🇹 Napoli vs. Cagliari
🇩🇪 Augsburg vs. Borussia Dortmund
🇩🇪 RB Leipzig vs. Hoffenheim

Dec 17.
🇪🇸 Real Madrid vs. Villarreal
🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Arsenal vs. Brighton & Hove Albion
🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Liverpool vs. Manchester United
🇮🇹 AC Milan vs. Monza
🇮🇹 Bologna vs. Roma
🇮🇹 Lazio vs. Inter Milan
🇩🇪 Bayer Leverkusen vs. Eintracht Frankfurt
🇩🇪 Bayern Munich vs. Stuttgart
🇫🇷 Marseille vs. Clermont
🇫🇷 Lille vs. Paris Saint-Germain
🇳🇱 Heracles Almelo vs. Feyenoord
🇳🇱 Ajax vs. PEC Zwolle
🇳🇱 AZ Alkmaar vs. PSV Eindhoven
🇵🇹 Braga vs. Benfica

Dec 18.
🇪🇸 Girona vs. Alavés
🇵🇹 Sporting CP vs. Porto

 

December 15.

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Nottingham Forest vs. Tottenham Hotspur
Tottenham has finally gotten a win after five games without one, four of which were defeats. They have a lot of ground to make up. Their next fixture is a favorable one against Nottingham Forest, but given the streak they just ended in the last round, Tottenham would be wise to avoid dropping points in this fixture. Nottingham’s only win in their last twelve games came against relegation-zone Aston Villa, and they have lost half of their games in that run.

🇮🇹 Genoa vs. Juventus
Juventus, two points behind Inter Milan in the Serie A title race, will need to take maximum points from their trip to Genoa. Current form and league position suggest that Juventus will be the victors, but they were 2-1 losers the last time they visited Genoa.

🇫🇷 Monaco vs. Lyon
A win is crucial for both teams, but Lyon needs it the most in this match. They are at the bottom of the league table, while Monaco is trying to keep pace with the top two. Lyon won the last meeting between the two teams 3-1, but Monaco won the last time this fixture was played 2-1.

⚽ : Monaco vs. Lyon
Accumulated Points : (30) vs. (10)
Points per game : (2) vs. (0.67)
Dropped Points : (15) vs. (35)
Win Rate : (0.6) vs. (0.13)
Draw Rate : (0.2) vs. (0.27)
Losing Rate : (0.2) vs. (0.6)
Scoring Rate : (2.07) vs. (0.93)

 

December 16.

🇪🇸 Athletic Club vs. Atlético Madrid
Atletico Madrid has a game in hand and is 7 points behind the league leaders. Athletic Club is outside the ‘top 4’ and 5 points behind Atletico Madrid. The two sides meet this weekend to work on their objectives.

⚽ : Athletic Club vs. Atlético Madrid
Accumulated Points : (29) vs. (34)
Points per game : (1.81) vs. (2.27)
Dropped Points : (19) vs. (11)
Win Rate : (0.5) vs. (0.73)
Draw Rate : (0.31) vs. (0.07)
Losing Rate : (0.19) vs. (0.2)
Scoring Rate : (1.94) vs. (2.13)

🇪🇸 Sevilla vs. Getafe
Sevilla has only two victories in 16 league games. They need to turn their season around. Excluding their Copa del Rey wins, Sevilla has not won in their last 16 matches. Their most recent win before this streak was a 5-1 home victory against Almeria, who are at the bottom of the league and have yet to win a league game this season. Sevilla’s other league victory of the season also came at home, against newly promoted Las Palmas. Sevilla faces Getafe in La Liga after being eliminated from continental football in midweek, finishing last in their Champions League group. This elimination could be a blessing in disguise, giving them time to focus on La Liga. They are expected to qualify for continental football every season, so being in danger of relegation is well below their preseason expectations. Getafe has only lost one of their last 12 matches (10 in La Liga), which was against Las Palmas in La Liga.

🇪🇸 Valencia vs. Barcelona
A home loss to Girona in the Catalan derby heaped pressure on Barcelona to take all three points from their trip to Valencia. The task is feasible for Barcelona, given the current form and positions of the two clubs. Valencia have not won in the league in four matches, and Barcelona’s midweek defeat to Royal Antwerp in the Champions League has increased the pressure on them to win.

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Chelsea vs. Sheffield United
Chelsea has invested enough to not be a title contender, but things have not transpired as expected. They have won one of their last five games, lost three, and are on a losing streak. A home game against Sheffield United should provide an opportunity for Chelsea to secure maximum points. Sheffield United is at the bottom of the league table but is coming off a victory.

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Manchester City vs. Crystal Palace
Manchester City’s title defense form has taken a dip in recent weeks. They ended a run of four league games without a win when they picked up a 2-1 victory against Luton Town in the last round. This weekend, they are back at home to face a Crystal Palace side that has also been struggling to come up with a win.

🇮🇹 Napoli vs. Cagliari
Napoli have not had an easy time in their pursuit of the league title. Their last two league matches have been against the top two teams in the table, and they have lost both. Napoli will look to turn things around when they host relegation-threatened Cagliari.

🇩🇪 Augsburg vs. Borussia Dortmund
With one win in their last four league matches, including a 3-2 defeat to RB Leipzig, Dortmund need to beat Augsburg to keep pace with the top four.

🇩🇪 RB Leipzig vs. Hoffenheim
With a point off the 30-point mark in the league, RB Leipzig will try to reach that milestone and keep pace with the top three with a win against Hoffenheim. Hoffenheim, for its part, will be looking to pick up points to keep pace with the top five.

 

December 17.

🇪🇸 Real Madrid vs. Villarreal
A draw in the last round against Real Betis saw Real Madrid drop from the top of the league table. However, a win against Villarreal in the next round could see them return to the summit, providing Girona drop points. The last time these two sides met, Villarreal ran out 3-2 winners.

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Arsenal vs. Brighton & Hove Albion
Arsenal lost their top spot in the Premier League table after dropping points in a defeat to Aston Villa last round. Brighton has been underperforming relative to last season, and there is a 10-point gap between the two sides. In the last meeting between these teams, Brighton won 3-0 in London.

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Liverpool vs. Manchester United
An English classic, and it will be an even matchup regardless of either team’s form. Liverpool will be playing at home, looking to earn points to maintain their top spot. Liverpool won 7-0 the last time they hosted Manchester United. Manchester United is coming off a 3-0 home loss to Bournemouth, and their best player, Bruno Fernandes, is suspended for the match. On paper, it does not look good for Manchester United. Fortunately, football is not played on paper. Manchester United will have a tough week if the expected happens, as they will be playing this game after being eliminated from continental football in the group stage midweek. Manchester United finished at the bottom of their Champions League group.

⚽ : Liverpool vs. Manchester United
Accumulated Points : (37) vs. (27)
Points per game : (2.31) vs. (1.69)
Dropped Points : (11) vs. (21)
Win Rate : (0.69) vs. (0.56)
Draw Rate : (0.25) vs. (0)
Losing Rate : (0.06) vs. (0.44)
Scoring Rate : (2.25) vs. (1.13)

🇮🇹 AC Milan vs. Monza
After their loss to Atalanta last round, AC Milan, who have been inconsistent this season, will be looking to pick up points against Monza. The morale boost they have coming into this game is that they fought for a win in Newcastle to avoid elimination from continental cup football.

🇮🇹 Bologna vs. Roma
After 15 rounds of the season, Bologna and Roma are separated by goal difference. The winner of their match will finish the round in the top four, and with Napoli and Fiorentina trailing closely, any points dropped in this fixture could likely drop both Bologna and Roma in the league table.

🇮🇹 Lazio vs. Inter Milan
With a two-point lead at the top of the table, Inter Milan will travel to Rome to face mid-tabled Lazio in a bid to maintain their position at the top of the Serie A standings. Only Juventus can displace Inter Milan in the event of a defeat.

⚽ : Lazio vs. Inter Milan
Accumulated Points : (21) vs. (38)
Points per game : (1.4) vs. (2.53)
Dropped Points : (24) vs. (7)
Win Rate : (0.4) vs. (0.8)
Draw Rate : (0.2) vs. (0.13)
Losing Rate : (0.4) vs. (0.07)
Scoring Rate : (1.07) vs. (2.47)

🇩🇪 Bayer Leverkusen vs. Eintracht Frankfurt
Leverkusen has not won in their last two league matches, but they remain at the top of the Bundesliga table. They will host a Frankfurt team that is coming off a 5-1 victory over Bayern Munich. Will Leverkusen get back to their winning ways, or will Frankfurt continue their hot streak with another victory?

🇩🇪 Bayern Munich vs. Stuttgart
Bayern Munich can extend their lead. Stuttgart can close the gap. Bayern Munich will look to rebound at home after a 5-1 loss to Frankfurt in their last league match. Bayern Munich has a game in hand, but they are only a point and a place ahead of Stuttgart.

⚽ : Bayern Munich vs. Stuttgart
Accumulated Points : (32) vs. (31)
Points per game : (2.46) vs. (2.21)
Dropped Points : (7) vs. (11)
Win Rate : (0.77) vs. (0.71)
Draw Rate : (0.15) vs. (0.07)
Losing Rate : (0.08) vs. (0.21)
Scoring Rate : (3.38) vs. (2.43)

🇫🇷 Marseille vs. Clermont
Marseille, seven points off the Champions League qualification spot, will look to take a step closer to that goal with a win against relegation-threatened Clermont Foot.

🇫🇷 Lille vs. Paris Saint-Germain
PSG will look to maintain or extend their lead in the Ligue 1 title race with a victory over Lille. The two sides are currently separated by an 11-point gap after 15 matches, with Lille three points behind third-placed Monaco. Brest will be putting added pressure on Lille to avoid defeat, as a win for Brest in Nantes would see them leapfrog Lille in the standings.

⚽ : Lille vs. Paris Saint-Germain
Accumulated Points : (27) vs. (36)
Points per game : (1.8) vs. (2.4)
Dropped Points : (18) vs. (9)
Win Rate : (0.47) vs. (0.73)
Draw Rate : (0.4) vs. (0.2)
Losing Rate : (0.13) vs. (0.07)
Scoring Rate : (1.27) vs. (2.53)

🇳🇱 Ajax vs. PEC Zwolle
Ajax’s progress since their difficult start to the season is being monitored. They are now in fifth place in the standings, nine points outside of the top four. They will host PEC Zwolle in an attempt to secure the points that will help them continue their climb up the league table. The signs point to an Ajax victory, but this is football.

🇳🇱 AZ Alkmaar vs. PSV Eindhoven
After coming from a goal down to earn a point at home against Arsenal, PSV Eindhoven advanced to the knockout stage of the Champions League. With that result, PSV’s only loss in a competitive match this season has been their Champions League first-leg defeat to Arsenal. PSV is undefeated in the Eredivisie, winning all 15 of its matches and outscoring opponents 52-6. Up next for PSV is an away match against AZ Alkmaar. There is a 12-point gap between the two teams, but AZ Alkmaar is only two positions below PSV in the standings. The only way for AZ Alkmaar to hold onto its third-place position without being the first team to take league points off PSV this season is for FC Twente to lose to Sparta Rotterdam.

⚽ : AZ Alkmaar vs. PSV Eindhoven
Accumulated Points : (33) vs. (45)
Points per game : (2.2) vs. (3)
Dropped Points : (12) vs. (0)
Win Rate : (0.67) vs. (1)
Draw Rate : (0.2) vs. (0)
Losing Rate : (0.13) vs. (0)
Scoring Rate : (2.33) vs. (3.47)

🇳🇱 Heracles Almelo vs. Feyenoord
The title defense season for Feyenoord will continue against Heracles. A win for Feyenoord guarantees second place at the end of the round and potentially moves them closer to the top of the table if PSV Eindhoven drops their first set of points.

🇵🇹 Braga vs. Benfica
After 13 rounds of the Primeira Liga season, Benfica and Braga are separated by only a single point. If Braga can win their fourth consecutive league match, they will overtake Benfica in the standings. Benfica’s title defense has been far from smooth, but there is still time for them to build momentum. The Eagles head into this fixture on a high after securing a place in the Europa League playoff round with their first win in the Champions League group stage.

⚽ : Braga vs. Benfica
Accumulated Points : (29) vs. (30)
Points per game : (2.23) vs. (2.31)
Dropped Points : (10) vs. (9)
Win Rate : (0.69) vs. (0.69)
Draw Rate : (0.15) vs. (0.23)
Losing Rate : (0.15) vs. (0.08)
Scoring Rate : (2.77) vs. (1.85)

 

December 18.

🇪🇸 Girona vs. Alavés
After a Catalan derby away win against Barcelona to open a lead in the La Liga title race, Girona will look to follow up with a win at home against an Alaves side that is currently midtabled.

⚽ : Girona vs. Alavés
Accumulated Points : (41) vs. (16)
Points per game : (2.56) vs. (1)
Dropped Points : (7) vs. (32)
Win Rate : (0.81) vs. (0.25)
Draw Rate : (0.13) vs. (0.25)
Losing Rate : (0.06) vs. (0.5)
Scoring Rate : (2.38) vs. (0.88)

🇵🇹 Sporting CP vs. Porto
The battle for top spot. Defeat to Vitoria de Guimaraes in the last round had cost Sporting CP the gap in points they had in the title race, after Porto equalized it with a win against Casa Pia.

⚽ : Sporting CP vs. Porto
Accumulated Points : (31) vs. (31)
Points per game : (2.38) vs. (2.38)
Dropped Points : (8) vs. (8)
Win Rate : (0.77) vs. (0.77)
Draw Rate : (0.08) vs. (0.08)
Losing Rate : (0.15) vs. (0.15)
Scoring Rate : (2.15) vs. (1.62)