Title challengers clash across Europe
Friday, January 15th
Portuguese Primeira Liga:
Porto (H) vs. Benfica (A), 21:00 GMT
US AVAILABILITY: GolTV, fuboTV
Why it matters: Porto and Benfica, winners of the last 18 Primeira Liga titles, face off in O Clássico for the first time this league campaign. Both are on 31 points after 13 matches, four behind pace-setters Sporting Lisbon (35).
Who to keep an eye on: We previously wrote about Benfica striker Darwin Núñez as a likely breakout star in the coming year, and the 21-year-old Uruguayan is heating up with two goals and two assists in the club’s last three matches. Porto’s Otávio is enjoying an excellent campaign linking the midfield and attack for the defending champions. The 25-year-old Brazilian is always involved in the action, ranking among Porto’s top five players in key passes, dribbles, tackles, and interceptions per match.
Sunday, January 17th
Eredivisie:
Ajax (H) vs. Feyenoord (A), 15:45 GMT
US AVAILABILITY: ESPN+
Why it matters: It’s first vs. second in a very congested top of the Eredivisie table. Ajax lead the way with 38 points but Feyenoord (35), Vitesse (35), and PSV Eindhoven (34) are all within striking distance.
Who to keep an eye on: Beyond Ajax’s plethora of young stars, new signing Sébastien Haller is certainly one to watch. The striker’s recent $24.75 million dollar move from West Ham made him the most expensive player in Eredivisie history and he has fit in seamlessly so far with a goal and two assists in his first two matches.
Steven Berghuis is Feyenoord’s danger man. The 29-year-old right winger possesses devastating end product, contributing 10 goals and six assists already this season, and regularly pushes his way onto the Netherlands team sheet ahead of bigger names. The Rotterdam club also boast some exciting prospects, including versatile defender Lutsharel Geertruida and electric winger Luis Sinisterra.
Turkish Super Lig:
Beşiktaş (H) vs. Galatasaray (A), 16:00 GMT
US AVAILABILITY: BeIN Sports en Español, fuboTV
Why it matters: Turkish football enjoyed a rare season of parity last season, with traditional powers Beşiktaş (third place), Galatasaray (sixth place), and Fenerbahçe (seventh place) scattered across the top half of the table. With Istanbul’s Big Three now back on their customary perch in the top three places, Sunday’s derby between first-place Beşiktaş (35) and third-place Galatasaray (33 points) is a key match in the title race.
Who to keep an eye on: Versatile Canadian attacker Cyle Larin has five goals in Beşiktaş’ last two matches, while Leicester City loanee Rachid Ghezzal has assisted in six of their last seven. Silky Moroccan midfielder Younes Belhanda has been one of the league’s star performers since joining Galatasaray in 2017 and is coming off a hat trick in their 3-0 victory against Gençlerbirliği last round. Arda Turan, now in his second spell for the club where he first made his name, is picking up where he left off and has two goals and two assists in Galatasaray’s last four matches.
English Premier League:
Liverpool (H) vs. Manchester United (A), 16:30 GMT
US AVAILABILITY: Peacock
Why it matters: For the first time in over a decade, the derby between England’s two most historically successful clubs is also a showdown between direct title rivals. Manchester United (36 points) overtook Liverpool (33 points) for the top spot in the table with a victory at Burnley on Tuesday.
Who to keep an eye on: Thiago should be in line for just his third league start for Liverpool. The former Barcelona and Bayern man has endured an illness and injury-plagued season since moving in the summer but is returning to fitness at a fortuitous time for Liverpool, as the side has been uncharacteristically lacking in creativity in recent weeks. For Manchester United, everything runs through Bruno Fernandes this season; with 18 direct goal contributions (11 goals and 7 assists), the Portuguese midfielder has had a hand in the majority of the side’s 34 league goals.
Serie A:
Inter (H) vs. Juventus (A), 19:45 GMT
US AVAILABILITY: ESPN+
Why it matters: The Derby d’Italia pits second-place Inter (37 points) against fourth-place Juventus (33 points, with a game in hand), the club that pipped Inter to the title by a single point last season. Expect attacking football; a draw doesn’t really suit either side as they both need to make up ground on first-place AC Milan (40 points).
Who to keep an eye on: Cristiano Ronaldo (15 goals) and Romelu Lukaku (12 goals) are good bets to be amongst the goals as the top two scorers in the league, and both clubs feature new signings finding excellent form on their respective right flanks.
Federico Chiesa got off to a slow start for Juventus but is establishing himself in the first eleven and was the star man for Juventus the last time they visited the San Siro, chipping in with the side’s first two goals in their vital 3-1 away win against AC Milan on January 6th. Inter’s Achraf Hakimi is a constant threat from right wing-back and has six goals and three assists already this season, including four direct goal contributions in Inter’s last five matches.
The Counterpress 