FIve European Football Matches to Watch this Weekend

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Posted on March 9, 2013

Author: Elliott Binks - Bristol, England

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Rafael of Manchester United (Photo by Ian Walton/Getty Images)

With a number of the top European leagues entering their final 10 games of the season, we find ourselves at an exciting time in the world football calendar. A strong run of form now could see two championships won, continental football secured and even the threat of relegation avoided.
Furthermore, the final stages of a number of domestic cup competitions are fast approaching and there is plenty at stake for multiple teams this weekend. With this in mind, below are the top five clashes to keep an eye on over the coming days.
Manchester United vs. Chelsea
As we enter the quarterfinals of the FA Cup, a colossal fixture lies in wait: Manchester United vs. Chelsea. The recent success of either side has made this contest one of the biggest in England over the past decade, and with a place at Wembley up for grabs this weekend’s meeting will be just as competitive as ever. Chelsea will be keen to ease the pressure on Rafael Benitez after his recent rant, though United will be desperate to ease the pain of Champions League elimination earlier in the week. Sir Alex Ferguson’s men will be the favorites, but as we have seen on many occasion this term, anything is possible in the FA Cup.
Lyon vs. Marseille
Now to France, where Lyon welcome Marseille to the Stade de Gerland in a pivotal showdown in Ligue 1. The hosts currently find themselves in second place in the table, while their opponents occupy third, just three points behind. A win for either side could be crucial at this stage of the season. Particularly, if they have any hopes or aspirations of catching big-spending Paris Saint-Germain at the top of the pile. Neither side find themselves in the most sparkling of form, but if there is a time for one team to step up to the plate and make a name for themselves the time is now.
Schalke 04 vs. Borussia Dortmund
The Revierderby is one of the biggest fixtures in European football, pitting local rivals Schalke 04 and Borussia Dortmund against each other. Though Schalke currently hold the bragging rights with 50 wins to Dortmund’s 44, it is the visitors who find themselves fairing  better in the domestic standings. Reigning league champions Dortmund are currently second, while Schalke are languishing in sixth place. Dortmund’s recent success in the form of successive Bundesliga victories will give Schalke incentive of getting one over on their rivals. With Dortmund in an intense battle against Bayer Leverkusen for second spot, we could be in for a very tight game indeed.
Palermo vs. Siena
Two teams enjoying rather less favorable fortunes this term are Sicilian side Palermo and Tuscany’s Siena. Having sold a number of top stars in recent years, Palermo’s gradual decline has seen them slip to 19th place in Serie A, while Siena are just a place above them, though level on points. As a result, this game could be hugely influential upon either side’s chances of staying up. Five points separate them from safety and with 11 games remaining all hope is not yet lost. Both sides could of course end up getting relegated together, though victory this weekend would be a huge boost both mentally and in terms of the standings.
Barcelona vs. Deportivo de La Coruña
It’s not often that Barcelona slip up, but in the past few weeks the Catalan giants have won just three of their last seven games in all competitions. Granted, two of those fixtures involved Real Madrid and another AC Milan, but their current form has been slightly below par nonetheless. Still 11 points clear atop La Liga, Barca are by no means in crisis mode. But, do not be surprised to see a backlash this weekend as they host bottom-placed Deportivo. Their last meeting saw Barcelona edge a nine-goal thriller 5-4, but don’t expect it to be so close this time out. A return to winning ways appears to be very much on the cards for the reigning champions of Spain.--- SWOL