After the return of European nights, it is back to domestic football for clubs in Europe’s top five leagues, with the top guns looking to consolidate on their positions.
We kickoff this weekend’s review with the Italian Serie A, which enters its week four this weekend.
Inter Milan will be hoping to continue their brilliant start to the new season, which has seen them remain unbeaten, when they take a trip to Ezio Scida to battle Crotone.
Also on Saturday, at the Stadio Olympico, AS Roma will entertain Verona, who are still searching for their first win of the campaign, while the game between Fiorentina and Bologna completes Saturday’s lineup of games.
Defending champions and league leaders, Juventus are away at Sassuolo, in an early kickoff on Sunday, as they attempt to bounce back from their defeat at Camp Nou against Barcelona in the Champions League.
AC Milan marked their return to Europe, after a three year absence, in an impressive style, thrashing their hosts Austria Wien 5-1 away.
However, this weekend, they host Udinese at the San Siro, and would be looking to continue their brilliant start to the season, which was only halted by that 4-1 capitulation at Lazio last weekend.
Elsewhere in the Serie A, Napoli, whose season in Europe got off in defeat following their 2-1 loss to Shakhtar Donetsk in Ukraine, hosts Benevento also on Sunday.
Cagliari visit SPAL, while Torino, Chievo, and Genoa all are at home to Sampdoria, Atalanta and Lazio respectively.
Full Fixtures
Saturday 16 September
- Crotone vs Frieburg
- Fiorentina vs Bologna
- Roma vs Verona
Sunday 17 September
- Sassuolo vs Juventus
- AC Milan vs Udinese
- Napoli vs Benevento
- SPAL vs Cagliari
- Torino vs Sampdoria
- Chievo vs Atalanta
- Genoa vs Lazio
Bundesliga:
The German league enters week four as well, and kicks off at the HDI-Arena on Friday night, as unbeaten Hannover 96 welcome Hamburg, who were 2-0 losers last weekend to RB Leipzig and will be looking for a positive response.
On Saturday, defending champions, Bayern Munich take on Mainz, who won their first game of the campaign last weekend and hope to at least pick a point when they visit the Allianz Arena.
Frankfurt will host Augsburg, Wolfsburg are at Stuttgart, while Schalke and Borussia Mochengladbach take trips to Werder Bremen and RB Leipzig respectively in the other matches slated for Saturday.
On Sunday, Hoffenhiem, who conquered Bayern last weekend, welcome Hertha Berlin, hoping to put their disappointment in the Europa League behind them.
League leaders, Borussia Dortmund will also be looking to put their defeat in Europe behind them when they take on Cologne, another German side who lost to a North London team in Europe.
The Bay-Arena hosts the last game to the weekend and will see Bayer Leverkusen lock horns with visitors, Frieburg.
Full Bundesliga fixtures:
Friday 15 September
- Hannover 96 vs Hamburg
Saturday 16 September
- Bayern vs Mainz
- Frankfurt vs Augsburg
- Stuttgart vs Wolfsburg
- W. Bremen vs Schalke
- RB Leipzig vs M. Gladbach
Sunday 17 September
- Hoffenhiem vs Hertha
- B.Dortmund vs Koln
- Leverkusen vs Frieburg
English Premier League
After an eventful outing in Europe for six of the seven Premier League representatives, it’s back to the business in the domestic front, as the Premier League enters week five.
This weekend’s round of matches kickoff at the Vitality stadium, where pointless Bournemouth welcome newcomers, Brighton, who got off the mark last weekend with a brilliant 3-1 defeat of West Brom Albion.
On Saturday, Crystal Palace, who are now under new management following the appointment of former England manager, Roy Hodgson, who replaced the sacked Frank de Boer, who lasted just 77 days.
The Eagles will face Southampton at Selhurst Park hoping to put a halt to a run that has seen them nor score in four Premier League matches.
Huddersfield host 2016 champions, Leicester City, while Liverpool face Burnley at Anfield, where they hope to put behind their profligate outing against Sevilla in the Champions League in midweek.
At Sports Direct, Newcastle United will host Stoke City, who’d be brewing with confidence following their 2-2 draw with Man Utd the last time, while Watford host Pep Guardiola and his Man City side at the Vicarage Road.
After their defeat at Brighton, WBA will be looking to right their wrongs when a resurgent West Ham team visit the Hawthorns.
Meanwhile, Tottenham Hotspur will test if they are finally over their Wembley hoodoo after the win against Dortmund in the Champions League opener when they take on Swansea in a late kickoff at their temporary home ground.
It’s super Sunday at Stamford Bridge as Antonio Conte and his team of champions welcome city rivals, Arsenal.
Both teams recorded confidence boosting wins in Europe in midweek
At Old Trafford, Premier League leaders, Manchester United will put their unbeaten status on the line when the host an Everton side still looking for their first win of the Premier League season.
While José Mourinho’s men come into this game in confident mood, following a comfortable 3-0 win against Basel in midweek, the Toffees were at the receiving end a 3-0 hiding in the Europa League, against Atalanta, their second 3-0 loss in a matter days, after they were demolished at Goodison Park in similar fashion by Spurs.
Full Premier League Fixtures
Friday 15 September
- Bournemouth vs Brighton
Saturday 16 September
- C. Palace vs So’ton
- Hudds’field vs Leicester
- Liverpool vs Burnley
- Watford vs Man City
- Newcastle vs Stoke
- WBA vs West Ham
- Spurs vs Swansea
Sunday 17 September
- Chelsea vs Arsenal
- Man Utd vs Everton
La Liga:
In the Spanish La Liga, Real Madrid, who are the defending champions do not play until on Sunday, while fierce rivals, Barcelona will play on Saturday.
The weekend kicks off in Spain when Eibar, hoping to end a run of two consecutive losses, welcome Leganes on Friday night.
On Saturday, two sides, Levante and Valencia, who have won one, and drawn two of their first three games lock horns at the Ciutat de Valencia in a lunch time kickoff.
After their impressive performance against Juventus at Camp Nou in the CL, Barcelona travel to Coliseum Alfonso Perez to take on Getafe, hoping to continue their brilliant form in the league, while Real Betis and Atletico Madrid are at home to Deportivo and Malaga respectively.
There are four matches slated for Sunday in the La Liga, with Alaves hosting Villarreal in an early kickoff, before Girona and Las Palmas take on Sevilla and Athletic Bilbao at home.
Real Madrid will be traveling to the difficult Anoeta stadium to take on Real Sociedad, hoping the gap between them and Barcelona doesn’t get wider than the current 4 points.
La Liga week four matches round off on Monday when Espanyol host Celta Vigo.
Full La Liga Fixtures:
Friday 15 September
- Eibar vs Leganes
Saturday 16 September
- Levante vs Valencia
- Getafe vs Barcelona
- Real Betis vs Deportivo
- A.Madrid vs Malaga
Sunday 17 September
- Alaves vs Villarreal
- Girona vs Sevilla
- Las Palmas vs Ath. Bilbao
- Sociedad vs R.Madrid
Monday 18 September
- Espanyol vs Celta Vigo
We round up this weekend’s preview in the French Ligue 1, where giants, PSG will be gunning for a sixth consecutive win, while defending champions, AS Monaco will want to put behind their loss to Nice last week.
Ligue 1 kicks off at stadium Municipal, where Toulouse host Bordeaux on Friday night.
On Saturday, Monaco will be looking to bounce back front their embarrassing defeat to Nice last week when they host Strasbourg, who have lost their last two games in the league.
Elsewhere, Dijon are at home to Saint Etienne, as are Guingamp, Nantes and Troyes to Lille, Caen and Montpellier.
On Sunday, Amiens entertain Marseille, who sit 10th, just a point ahead of their host in 13th.
Bottom club, Metz travel to Stade Jean-Bouin to face Angers, who are the draw specialists, still in search of their first point in the league, while Rennes host inform Nice, who have scored nine goals in their last two matches, conceding just one.
In the final match of the weekend in France, leaders Paris Saint-Germain and their superstar trio of Neymar, Mbappe and Cavani host Lyon at the the Parc des Princes with one thing in mind, to continue in their quest to wrestle back the title from Monaco, and have started in brilliant fashion, having won five in five.
Full Ligue 1 Fixtures:
Friday 15 September
- Toulouse vs Bordeaux
Saturday 16 September
- Monaco vs Strasbourg
- Dijon vs St. Etienne
- Guingamp vs Lille
- Nantes vs Caen
- Troyes vs Montpellier
Sunday 17 September
- Amiens vs Marseille
- Angers vs Metz
- Rennes vs Nice
- PSG vs Lyon
Which match are you most looking forward to? Let ua know in the comments section.
Nice Preview! Looking forward to the London Derby at the Bridge. It ll be interesting to see Madrid overcome inform Sociedad at Anoeta. PSG should continue with their imperious start.
Meanwhile, there was an error in the preview. Everton actually have a win (against Stoke).