Clasico Royal in Spain, two "derbies" in Italy, overview of European stadiums before this weekend

Europe 1 with AFP 00:16, March 17, 2023

Arsenal have the opportunity to take even more to the top of the Premier League on matchday 28. The Gunners host Crystal Palace on Sunday (15:00) who are still not won in 2023 and where Patrick Vieira is increasingly under pressure with only three points ahead of the red zone. If successful, they would have an eight-point lead and one game more than Manchester City who host Saturday (18:45) Burnley, undisputed leaders of Championship (D2) led by former captain of the Citizens, Vincent Kompany, in the quarter-finals of the FA Cup.

Manchester United, third with 50 points, will also be exempt from the league and will host Fulham, Sunday at 19:30 in the cup, which could benefit Tottenham, fourth to two points, but with one game more, away at the red lantern, Southampton, Saturday (16:00). Newcastle (5th), who travel to Nottingham Forest on Friday (21:00) could return to three points behind the Red Devils if successful. Chelsea, still tenth but who have just chained three consecutive successes in the league and Champions League, will host Everton (15th) to try to confirm its improvement.

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Spain: a Clasico with title view

FC Barcelona hosts Real Madrid on Sunday (21:00) at Camp Nou as part of the return clasico counting for the 26th matchday of La Liga. After Madrid's 3-1 success in the first leg in October at the Bernabéu, the Catalans took control of the table. With a win over their best enemies on Sunday, they would take a twelve-point lead with twelve rounds to go, an almost definitive gap. For the occasion, the Catalans should recover their prodigy of the middle, Pedri, but not Ousmane Dembélé, not yet fully recovered.

Carlo Ancelotti's men have validated their ticket for the quarter-finals of the Champions League on Wednesday against Liverpool, but intend to take their revenge, after being beaten twice in the last two clasicos, in the final of the Spanish Super Cup in Saudi Arabia in January (3-1), and in the semi-final first leg of the Copa del Rey at the Bernabéu, 1-0, March 2. Atlético Madrid, for its part, hosts Valencia CF on Saturday at 21:00.

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Italy: two derbies for a podium

The countdown to the announced scudetto of Naples passes Sunday (15:00) by the field of Torino (8th), candidate for European folding seats. But the interest of the 27th day of Serie A will focus on the podium, at the heart of the "derby of Italy" Inter-Juventus and the derby of the capital between Lazio and Roma.

If Inter is second, dropped 18 points from Napoli, Juve coach Massimiliano Allegri reminds every week that his team is also "on the field", putting aside the fifteen penalty points for accounting fraud. The Old Lady is formally seventh, twelve points behind the Nerazzurri, but does not give up hope that her appeal to the Olympic Committee (Coni) will put her back into play in a few weeks. In Rome, the threat is more immediate for Lazio, third with 49 points, against Roma, 5th by two lengths.

The Giallorossi will try to erase the defeat of the first leg (1-0), in the absence on the bench of Jose Mourinho, who will serve his second game of suspension after being excluded at the end of February against Cremonese (1-2). Also a candidate for the podium in case of victory, AC Milan (4th) travels to Udine (10th) on Saturday without Olivier Giroud, suspended. Perhaps the opportunity for a first start this season for Zlatan Ibrahimovic?

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Germany: Xabi Alonso returns to Bayern

Appointed coach of Bayer Leverkusen at the beginning of October, Xabi Alonso will return Sunday (17:30) Bayern, his last club as a player (2014-2017). Since taking office, Xabi Alonso's Bayer has come out of the relegation zone (17th) and has almost ensured the maintenance (9th, 34 pts). In his Bayarena, he will challenge a Bayern sure of his strength, who finally occupies alone the chair of leader (52 pts).

Forced to draw (2-2) in Gelsenkirchen against Schalke, Borussia Dortmund (2nd, 50 pts) hosts Cologne (12th, 27 pts) on Saturday (18:30) and will have to win not to let Bayern escape before the international break. Corrected in midweek in the Champions League, respectively at Manchester City (7-0) and Napoli (3-0), RB Leipzig and Eintracht Frankfurt will seek the parade in the league, in Bochum (14th, 22 points) Saturday (15:30) and at Union Berlin (4th, 45 pts) Sunday (15:30).