The first two months of 2023 have come and gone, and so far, we’ve seen some spectacular matches across Europe’s numerous leagues. And the excitement doesn’t stop, as this week’s slate is jam-packed with more nail-biting fixtures featuring several fierce competitors.
Champions League round of 16 action resumes this week with four second-leg matches spread across Tuesday and Wednesday, March 7 and 8. In addition, the Europa and Europa Conference League have finalized their round of 16 fixtures and will begin the knockout stages on Thursday, March 9, with their first leg matches.
Premier League – Manchester City vs. Newcastle United
Kicking off the weekend the right way, Manchester City is slated to face Newcastle United on Saturday, March 4, at 7:30 AM EST. Following a draw in their first meeting of the season, both sides will indeed looking to claim the total three points.
With over 187 previous meetings, this matchup is quite the historical one. However, it hasn’t exactly been an even rivalry as of late, as Man City have gone 16-3-2 against Newcastle in their last 21 meetings. Things seem to be different this time, though, as Newcastle has enjoyed a strong campaign, currently sitting in 5th in the Premier League with the least amount of goals conceded in the league.
However, to counter this stat, Man City’s attack has scored more goals than any other side in the Premier League. Don’t let the 14-point difference between these teams fool you; this will be a great match.
Serie A – Roma vs. Juventus
Moving south to Serie A, we have a match between two Italian solid sides whose season results remain up in the air. The giants from Torino, Juventus, travel west to meet AS Roma in a match on Sunday, March 5 at 2:45 PM EST that could be the difference between Champions and Europa League football.
Following a draw in their opening match, each side will look to get off to a quick start. Roma currently sits in 5th place and 9 points ahead of 7th-place foes Juventus, who were given a significant point deduction from the Italian Football Association due to rules violations. Both clubs are on the outside looking up on the table now, but with Roma only a point behind 4th-place Lazio and a Champions League spot, this match will surely bring the intensity.
Premier League – Liverpool vs. Manchester United
In England for domestic action, Manchester United are headed to Liverpool to face off against their fierce rivals for the second time this campaign. Although the two clubs have experienced very different seasons up to this point, this will be a much closer match than most expect.
Manchester United currently sit 3rd in the Premier League and 10 points above their rivals, who occupy the 6th spot. Despite the significant difference in points, Liverpool only sits one goal behind United in goal difference (United lead 13-12). These squads are in line to bring some spectacular football that you won’t want to miss.
Champions League – Chelsea vs. Dortmund
Following their first leg match on February 15, Dortmund holds a 1-0 lead over Chelsea, thanks to a goal from German youngster Karim Adeyemi. Now, heading into their second leg match on Tuesday, March 7, Chelsea has their work cut out for them.
In what has been a nightmare season for Chelsea, things may just continue with an exit in the opening round of the Champions League knockout stage. Their hopes aren’t gone yet, though, as they could still out-possess and have more shots and shots on target than Dortmund in their defeat. However, with Dortmund’s impressive recent form, they’ll need something short of a miracle.
Champions League – Paris Saint-Germain vs. Bayern Munich
In a first-leg matchup that promised to bring excitement, Bayern and PSG’s Valentine’s Day matchup lived up to the hype and delivered one of the best matches of the Champions League this season. With their backs against the wall, PSG will journey to Aliianz Arena in Munich, Germany.
The second leg match, slated for Wednesday, March 8 at 3:00 PM EST, will see the Bavarians trying to hold onto their narrow 1-0 lead over the Parisians. Despite Bayern’s dominance in Paris, PSG’s leader and superstar, Kylian Mbappe, showed what makes him so special. He completely reversed the game following his entrance during the final fifteen minutes.
Despite his goal being called back, Mbappe and PSG carry the momentum into a match they desperately need. Wherever you are or whatever you’re doing on March 8, you won’t want to miss this.
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