Matches to look out for

European football is rattling towards the March international break and teams are striving to get into good final positions before the sprint to finish in April and May. This is a look at some of the key matches to look out for from across Europe’s six major leagues.

All kick-off times are GMT.

BUNDESLIGA

Bayern Munich vs Bayer Leverkusen | 14:30 on Saturday

Julian Nagelsmann’s Bayern Munich have managed to score 75 goals in 24 games so far this season. Gerardo Seoane’s Bayer Leverkusen have managed to score 64 goals in 24 games so far this season.

At the start of Nagelsmann’s tenure, it appeared that the former RB Leipzig coach would marry the ideals of Hansi Flick’s incessant and intense pressing game with Pep Guardiola’s total controlling presence and Bayern were set for a historic few years. They may still be but inconsistency, one key element perfected by Flick and Guardiola, has been a minor issue.

Bayer Leverkusen appointed Gerardo Seoane in the summer after he waltzed to the title in Switzerland with Young Boys. A feat proven to be very difficult by David Wagner this year as Young Boys, who had won the league in March last year, are now 13 points behind. Seoane has continued his fine managerial form into his new job and Leverkusen sit third in the Bundesliga. 

LA LIGA

Real Betis vs Atletico Madrid | 20:00 on Sunday

This is a battle between two sides fighting for a top four place in La Liga. One is comfortably sitting in third with the other in and out – and its not the way around you would expect.

Manuel Pellegrini’s spell at Real Betis began badly and there is almost a universal agreement that he would’ve been sacked in his first year in charge had fans been allowed to attend. This year, though, Betis are in the semi-finals of the Copa del Rey, the Round of 16 of the UEFA Europa League and sit firmly inside the top four spots in the league.

©Getty / Soccrates Images

The reigning champions, Atletico Madrid, have endured a very difficult campaign so far this season with Diego Simeone’s plethora of attacking options and creative talents not necessarily suiting his ‘Cholismo’ style of play. A lack of cohesion and authoritative patterns of play has led to a consistent run of disjointed performances that leaves Atleti just battling for the top four. 

LIGUE 1

Nice vs Paris Saint-Germain | 20:00 on Saturday 

This is a match between two of the top three with Nice, the hosts, looking to be the ‘best of the rest’ behind the runaway league leaders of Paris Saint-Germain.

Last season, Christophe Galtier led Lille to one of the greatest and most surprising stories of European football this century as they managed to topple PSG and win the French title. Soon after Galtier departed and decided to re-invigorate another challenger with the French Riviera club Nice swiftly climbing from their ninth-placed finish last season to the top three this year.

Despite being the runaway league leaders in France, set to reclaim their title, and having a one-goal lead over 13-time UEFA Champions League winners Real Madrid in the Round of 16 of their tie in that competition, it has probably been a disappointing season for Mauricio Pochettino and PSG. A lack of cohesion and a disjointed style has not thrilled the Parc des Princes match go-ers. 

PREMIER LEAGUE

Manchester City vs Manchester United | 16:30 on Sunday 

The reverse fixture between these two was a really underwhelming match in terms of its competitiveness as Manchester City essentially had a training session in the second-half.

Pep Guardiola’s record against Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s Manchester United, prior to that match, hadn’t been as sensational as the rest of his career might suggest. In fact, Guardiola’s potential invincible campaign was ended by Mourinho’s United. This is also a match with added pressure after their defeat at home to Tottenham gave an opening to Liverpool in the title race.

Ralf Rangnick’s spell at Manchester United, frankly, hasn’t been good. Regardless of the mitigation for it, The Red Devils have not collected the amount of points they should have done in the games they have played. An early FA Cup exit as well as needing a late equaliser in their UEFA Champions League match against a poor Atletico Madrid. Form goes out of the window in a derby, though.

🧤Most clean sheets in #PL history (fr. 92/93):

202⛔️: Cech
169⛔️: D. James
151⛔️: Schwarzer
141⛔️: Seaman
137⛔️: Martyn
136⛔️: Reina
132⛔️: Friedel, Howard, van der Sar
129⛔️: ⬆️DE GEA⬆️
128⛔️: Schmeichel#MUFC #GGMU @D_DeGea pic.twitter.com/Lu0wAJu9uB

— playmakerstats (@playmaker_EN) March 3, 2022

PRIMEIRA LIGA

Gil Vicente vs Estoril | 20:15 on Friday 

These two have had very different campaigns so far this season and yet, as we head into the run-in, they are only separated by two points.

Gil Vicente lost two of their first three matches and have tried so desperately to recover from that and eventually that hard work began to show in the winter months as they moved into the top five and the European spots. They have lost just five of their 24 matches so far this season and four of those came against the four teams above them in the table: Porto, Sporting, Benfica and Braga.

Bruno Pinheiro looked set to emulate Marco Silva a decade on. Silva took Estoril into the top-flight and not only kept them there but took them on their first jaunt into European football. Pinheiro, in his first season in charge, also gained promotion. For much of the first-half of the campaign, they sat inside the top five, too. They sit seventh now, though, after a sustained drop off in form. 

SERIE A

Napoli vs Milan | 19:45 on Sunday 

It has been a while that Serie A has had a serious and legitimate title race not involving Juventus, let alone one that involves three teams, but we’ve got that this season.

With Inter Milan hosting bottom-of-the-table Salernitana, this game takes on even more importance. Luciano Spalletti’s Napoli come into this on the back of a 2-1 win against Lazio, thanks to a 94th minute winner from Fabian Ruiz. That victory was much-needed as it came off the back of no wins in their previous four matches in all competitions.

©Getty / MARCO BERTORELLO

Napoli have stumbled, as have Inter Milan – and, as have, AC Milan. The Rossoneri, under the management of Stefano Pioli, come into this on the back of a goalless draw against Inter in the first-leg of their Coppa Italia semi-final. That has extended their winless run in all competitions to three matches. These two are first and second, level on points on 57.