High stakes on the Mediterranean Nice vs. Marseille
A big grudge match for Spain’s strugglers Valencia vs. Levante
Steel City derby is covered in rust Sheffield Wednesday vs. Sheffield United
North London derby has added spice Arsenal vs. Tottenham
Serie A supremacy on the line Inter Milan vs. AC Milan
NWSL title is on the line Washington Spirit vs. Gotham FC
Every Friday, starting this week, I will pick for you the best or most exciting games not to be missed in the world of football each weekend. From derbies to top of the table clashes, relegation six-pointers to world class players facing each other or other interesting tactical battles, there will be something for everyone to enjoy.
The local rivalry between these two and their fans — known as the Derby de la Mediterranée — is so fierce that Marseille supporters are not even allowed to travel to the Allianz Riviera stadium on Friday as it is deemed too dangerous. The stakes are high, too, as both teams are desperate for a victory.
Nice, ninth in the table, have just lost three games in a row and are five points outside the top four. Marseille, with just two wins in six in all competitions, are second behind Paris Saint-Germain, with a win taking them top of the league until the Parisians face Le Havre on Saturday.
MY PREDICTION: Nice 1, Marseille 3. Like manager Roberto De Zerbi highlighted again on Thursday, Marseille have a really good squad. Despite some injuries defensively, they are much better than Nice; I expect them to attack and apply plenty of pressure in search of a win.
Plenty of young talented players will be on display in this game. Levante’s Etta Eyong, the 23-year-old Cameroon striker, has been one of the revelations in LaLiga this season so far. Javi Guerra, also 22, is running the midfield for Valencia while Carlos Álvarez (22) is very interesting on his right hand side. Tarrega (23) and Moreno (22) are two solid defenders as well.
MY PREDICTION: Valencia 1, Levante 1. Valencia have only scored 11 goals in 12 league games so far, with 16 for Levante, so don’t bank on the game being too spectacular but it will be intense, feisty and competitive. Perfect for a draw.
The Copenhagen derby is also known as the New Firm and it’s the fiercest sporting rivalry in Denmark, despite their first match only happening in 1992. This will be their 133rd meeting overall, with F.C. København dominant in recent years: Brondby have just five wins in the last 19 encounters!
Between them, they share 27 Danish league titles (16 for F.C. København, the most-ever for any team there) and four of the last five: 2021 for Brondby, 2022, 2023 and 2025 for F.C. København! So far this season, however, Brondby have started better. They are second in the table, just a point behind the leaders FC Midtjylland and six clear of Copenhagen, currently in fourth place.
MY PREDICTION: F.C. København 2, Brondby 2. There will be goals between two teams who scored a lot and conceded a lot this season! I don’t see a winner though between these two attacking sides, even in the hostile Parken atmosphere!
This is one of the biggest rivalries in English football history, which goes back to 1890! Sunday will be the 147th match between these two sides, United winning 51 to Wednesday’s 48! Only 3.7 miles separate the two stadiums, Hillsborough and Bramall Lane, within the city, but the real drama here will come from the chaos surrounding both teams since season.
MY PREDICTION: Sheffield Wednesday 1, Sheffield United 2. O’Hare’s partnership with Tyrese Campbell will be the key of the Sheffield United victory on Sunday in this derby. Wednesday won’t be able to cope with them on the day.
It’s one of the biggest games on the English calendar, and one of the fiercest rivalries too. This will be the 198th derby between the Gunners and Spurs (84 wins for Arsenal, 62 for Tottenham) and this one feels much more than just local pride. It is first vs. fifth in the Premier League table, Mikel Arteta vs. Thomas Frank, style vs. pragmatism, title ambitions vs. top-five ambitions.
Gabriel’s injury absence is a massive blow for Arsenal in this game, although the Gunners’ defence should still be too strong with Piero Hincapié or Riccardo Calafiori replacing him against the timid Tottenham attack. Spurs’ lack of creativity has been a problem this season so they need their more gifted players to step up: Simmons, Odobert, Kudus if he is back.
Next, we have the derby della Madonnina, named after the statue of the Virgin Mary (or Madonnina) on top of the Milan cathedral.
The Nerazzurri (black and blue) and the Rossoneri (red and black) have faced each other 244 times already since October 1908, not long after the Milan Cricket and Football club was split into two entities, AC Milan and FC Internazionale. Both clubs have been incredibly successful since then and this season are fighting for honours again. Inter are leading a very tight Serie A campaign, level with Roma and just two points clear of Milan in third.
Two years ago, the Interisti smashed their arch rivals 5-0 in Serie A, but in their last meeting, in the Coppa Italia last season, Milan won 3-0!
I expect this to be a battle of the forwards, as they are two teams who play with two up front. On one side, Lautaro Martínez and Marcus Thuram. One the other, Rafael Leão and Christian Pulisic (who should start ahead of Christopher Nkunku). Leao is in great form with four goals and an assist in his last five games. Lautaro is on 3 in 3 for club and country. This will be epic!
No teams have faced each other more in the history of the NWSL than these two, who will meet for the 44th time on Sunday — their fourth already this season (twice in the league, once in the Concacaf Champions Cup)! And this is the playoff final too!
Since the summer break, five of the Spirit players have had five or more goal contributions — Monday (7), Rodman (7), Rosemonde Kouassi (6), Bethune (5), and Cantore (5), which shows their great depth of talent. But Gotham are the Queens of late wins and mental strength in the money time. Plus Esther is fully back from injury now and ready to roar!
Who will prevail this time? Whoever wins won’t have long to enjoy it because they might meet again in the Concacaf Champions Cup semifinals as well, if they both win their quarterfinals next week!
MY PREDICTION: Washington Spirit 0, Gotham FC 1. Despite he firepower that Washington have, I think Gotham will be solid and nullify it and will find a way of getting Esther on the score sheet for the win in a super tight game.
There are always goals and drama between these two. We have had big 4-1 and 3-0 wins for each, 24 goals scored in the last seven games between them, including a worldie from Luis Henrique last season for l’OM. The pick of the rivalry in recent seasons was without a doubt when Dimitri Poyet, then the Marseille playmaker, was kicked by a Nice ultra who was on the pitch and the game was abandoned in 2021. Payet had been targeted by bottles thrown from the stands and he retaliated by throwing one back, which enraged the Ultras — they then invaded the pitch and confronted the players!
Ligue 1, Matchday 13 Kickoff: Friday, 2.45pm ET / 7:45 p.m. GMT
La Liga, Matchday 13 Kickoff: Friday, 3 p.m. ET / 8 p.m. GMT
The latest edition of the “New Firm” F.C. København vs. Brondby
Danish Superligaen, Matchday 15 Kickoff: Sunday, 8 a.m. ET / 11 a.m. GMT
English Championship, Matchday 16 Kickoff: Sunday, 7 a.m. ET / 12 p.m. GMT
Premier League, Matchday 12 Kickoff: Sunday, 11:30 a.m. ET / 4:30 p.m GMT
Serie A, Matchday 12 Kickoff: Sunday, 2:45 p.m. ET / 7:45 p.m. GMT
NWSL Championship final Kickoff: Saturday, 8 p.m. ET / Sunday, 1 a.m GMT
The drama and the tension will be huge considering that United are in 22nd place with only three wins and Wednesday are 24th and bottom after just one victory; they also have -4 points following their 12-point penalty, handed out earlier this season after the club was placed into administration last month due to their financial difficulties. It came after a long spell of turmoil under owner Dejphon Chansiri; can they get back on more solid footing with a win over their biggest rivals?
So with everything to play for between two teams who know each other so well, with two Spanish head coaches, plenty of stars (Esther, Geyse, Rose Lavelle and Ann-Katrin Berger for Gotham, plus Trinity Rodman, Croix Bethune, Narumi Miura and Sofia Cantore for the Spirit) and great young talents (Jaedyn Shaw, Gift Monday, Kysha Sylla, Josefine Hasbo), the spectacle will be pretty special.