This week marks the exciting kickoff of top football leagues across England, Germany, Spain, the Netherlands, France, and Italy. To add to the drama, there’s already a cup final on the horizon and a significant matchup between two powerhouse teams.
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This season, I will highlight the most thrilling matches from around the globe each week. From high-stakes derbies and title races to key relegation battles and tactical showdowns featuring world-class players, there’s bound to be something for every football enthusiast.
English Premier League, Matchday 1
Kickoff: Saturday, 11:30 a.m. ET / 4:30 p.m. BST
This match promises to be a thrilling encounter between two teams that competed in the UEFA Champions League last season, but there’s plenty of uncertainty heading into the new campaign.
Both teams enter this season with numerous questions. They have new managers; Liverpool’s Andoni Iraola comes in with three years of Premier League experience with AFC Bournemouth, while Newcastle’s Mathias Jaissle recently transitioned from the Saudi Pro League.
Iraola aims to instill a new style and mentality that differs significantly from his predecessor, Arne Slot. At Bournemouth, he often played as the underdog, which allowed for a less dominant style. This will not be the case at Liverpool. Jaissle also brings a different approach than former Newcastle coach Eddie Howe, although both managers emphasize intensity.
Concerns loom for both squads as neither appears fully prepared. Newcastle has lost key players like Sandro Tonali, Bruno Guimarães, Anthony Gordon, and Kieran Trippier for significant sums, replacing them primarily with younger talent (Amar Dedic, Aladji Bamba, Sean Steur, Bazoumana Touré). Liverpool’s recruitment has also been challenging; aside from center-back Jérémy Jacquet, signed in January, they have only added Ronald Araújo on loan from Barcelona and Víctor Muñoz from Osasuna. They still need to fill at least two midfield positions and find a backup striker for Alexander Isak during Hugo Ekitike‘s long recovery from injury. Additionally, how will Liverpool adapt after losing Mohamed Salah? While he may not have had the best season last year, finding a suitable replacement will be challenging.
MY PREDICTION: Newcastle 1-2 Liverpool. At this early stage, it’s difficult to predict how either team will perform, but Liverpool possesses more talent and resources than Newcastle, which gives them a slight edge in this matchup.
Spanish LaLiga, Matchday 1
Kickoff: Saturday, 3:30 p.m. ET / 8:30 p.m. BST (stream LIVE on ESPN+)
All eyes will be on José Mourinho as he returns to Real Madrid, making this a must-watch fixture.
We’ve seen various emotions from Mou during the preseason, from frustration in a drawn match against Fiorentina to elation following a victory over Schalke 04. Mourinho has expressed his commitment to keeping Rodri off the roster while ensuring Vinícius Júnior remains, highlighting his ambition for a new golden era.
Despite being in great form, Madrid might not be entirely prepared as many of their World Cup stars returned to training recently. However, the new signings appear promising, including Yan Diomande, Bernardo Silva, Marc Cucurella, Ibrahima Konaté, Denzel Dumfries, and Carlos Espí. There are many new faces with immense potential.
Mourinho’s task will be to forge a cohesive team from these individual talents—he’s accomplished this in the past, but can he do it again? The real challenge will be incorporating Jude Bellingham, Vini, Diomande, and Kylian Mbappé into a working unit. Mbappé, last season’s top scorer, is eager for success after an underwhelming trophy haul.
This opening match in LaLiga could prove challenging. Espanyol has kicked off the season with a convincing 3-0 victory over Levante, thanks to a brace from standout striker Roberto Fernández. Their youthful, quick, and skillful attack may prove more match-fit than Madrid, who have yet to play in the league.
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Marcotti: Mbappé Should Have Left After El Clásico
MY PREDICTION: Espanyol 1-2 Real Madrid. The pressure on Mourinho and Real Madrid is significant, but I believe they will rise to the occasion and secure a victory. Fans are eager to witness how Mourinho will manage his star-studded squad, with a successful performance expected this Saturday.
Premier League Champions Begin Title Defense
Arsenal vs. Coventry City
English Premier League, Matchday 1
Kickoff: Friday, 3 p.m. ET / 8 p.m. BST
After a 22-year title drought, Arsenal finally clinched their Premier League title last season, and they’re poised to defend their crown.
They kick off their title defense at home against newly-promoted Coventry. The Gunners seem to have strengthened their position during the summer, unlike Liverpool and traditional rivals like Manchester City and Manchester United, who struggled with their recruitment process. Despite missing out on Morgan Rogers, they managed to secure Christos Tzolis, Bruno Guimarães, and soon-to-be-signed Ezri Konsa, and only Leandro Trossard has departed.
The significant injury to William Saliba is a concern, but Arsenal’s recent 3-0 victory over Manchester City in the Community Shield and the impressive performances of players like Martin Ødegaard, Tzolis, and Riccardo Calafiori indicate they are ready to face all challengers.
For Coventry, facing Arsenal in their season opener poses a significant challenge, but they’ll head to London with minimal pressure. After an impressive Championship campaign last year under Frank Lampard, they bolstered their squad with over €100 million spent on eight new signings, including promising midfielder Caleb Yirenkyi and striker Sidiki Cherif. Although an upset might be too much to ask, could they potentially avoid relegation?
MY PREDICTION: Arsenal 3-0 Coventry. Coventry may dream of an upset reminiscent of Brentford‘s victory over Arsenal years ago (also on a Friday night), but the Gunners are poised, confident, and eager to secure a commanding win.
German Bundesliga, Matchday 33
Kickoff: Saturday, 12:30 p.m. ET / 5:30 p.m. BST
1:25
Kompany: ‘Don’t Believe the Drama’ After Bayern’s Loss to PSG
With the Community Shield concluded in England and the French Super Cup behind us, it’s time for Germany to step into the spotlight.
Bayern Munich, fresh off an exceptional season capped by their first domestic double in years, will face off against Borussia Dortmund, who finished second last season, in this season’s curtain-raiser. While these early matches tend to blur the lines between friendly and competitive, it will be fascinating to witness both clubs in action against each other.
Dortmund is again positioned as the most formidable challenger to Bayern’s dominance. Though they lost Karim Adeyemi, their recruitment has been effective, adding talents like Joey Veerman and a trio of promising youngsters: French center-back Joane Gadou, and Greek internationals Konstantinos Karetsas and midfielder Giannis Konstantelias. They’ve also extended the contract of Nico Schlotterbeck, giving them a solid lineup entering this season.
As for Bayern, they have managed to retain key players like Michael Olise while bolstering their squad with new talents: left-back Nathaniel Brown and striker Ismael Saibari. They’ve addressed areas in need of reinforcement, leading to a highly talented and experienced squad. This match represents their first chance for silverware, and they will be eager to make a strong statement as they aim to reclaim dominance in Germany and across Europe.
MY PREDICTION: Dortmund 1-3 Bayern Munich. Bayern starts as the team to beat in this encounter, and throughout the Bundesliga and DFB-Pokal this season. While Dortmund may create some opportunities, they likely won’t suffice to truly challenge Bayern.
Ligue 1, Matchday 1
Kickoff: Sunday, 2:45 p.m. ET / 7:45 p.m. BST
The game between PSG and Rennais will instead take place as Rennais vs. PSG after the league decided to move the match to Rennais due to the poor condition of the Parc des Princes pitch, which suffered from summer heatwaves.
This relocation may pose a challenge for PSG, as Rennais has a reputation for being formidable at home. They’ve made several adjustments during the summer, including the departures of significant players like Breel Embolo, while adding new signees like Adrien Thomasson and Eliezer Mayenda. Coach Franck Haise, who joined in February, is focused on building upon last season’s success where they finished sixth. Retaining star player Esteban Lepaul was crucial in that regard, aiming for further development of their talented academy products.
For PSG, this match is going to be complex. They struggled in Brittany last season, suffering a 3-1 defeat, and lost the French Super Cup against Lens last week (1-0), despite an acceptable performance. Many of their key players lack match fitness, and Nuno Mendes is suspended for three games after a red card against Lens. New signings Ferran Torres and Mika Godts could be included in the squad, but Bradley Barcola will again miss out despite not being injured.
MY PREDICTION: PSG 2-2 Rennais. With the match’s location switching to Rennais, the playing field becomes more level, and given PSG’s current physical state, they may struggle. The home team can take advantage of these circumstances and manage to earn a point against the champions.
Eredivisie, Matchday 3
Kickoff: Sunday, 8:30 a.m. ET / 1:30 p.m. BST
Surprisingly, three weeks into the season, Groningen stands at the top of the table while PSV sits at sixth place.
On Sunday, Peter Bosz and his team, dominant champions last season, find themselves under pressure to perform. After suffering a dissatisfying 4-0 defeat to AZ Alkmaar in the Dutch Super Cup two weeks ago, PSV dropped points against Fortuna Sittard, while Groningen has won both of their opening matches, showcasing strong performances. After finishing ninth last season and qualifying for Europe through the Conference League, Dick Lukkien’s squad is looking to achieve more significant success this time. They boast numerous talented players, including Thom van Bergen, who excelled against ADO Den Haag, contributing a goal and an assist, and David van der Werff, who also scored.
Nonetheless, PSV is favored to win, as many anticipate they will finally kick off their season against the leaders. With a staggering 41 shots and 5 expected goals accumulated in two matches, their results have not matched their performance levels. However, missing key player Ismael Saibari, who joined Bayern Munich, may hinder their effectiveness. Still, 22-year-old Ruben van Bommel, who scored last weekend, appears to be an emerging talent. Joey Veerman, pivotal in Boss’ plans, will be absent due to his transfer to Dortmund, leaving his replacement, Japan international Kodai Sano, with large shoes to fill!
MY PREDICTION: PSV 3-1 Groningen. Despite their current challenges, PSV has generated quality chances in their first two matches. With a dominant performance expected in front of their home fans, they are more than capable of overpowering the season’s surprising leaders, Groningen.
Italian Serie A, Matchday 1
Kickoff: Sunday, 12:30 p.m. ET / 5:30 p.m. BST
Inter Milan embarks on their title defense with a home fixture against Monza, bringing high expectations for the upcoming season.
Christian Chivu, who clinched the league title in his first season, aims to repeat the feat. However, he will face challenges following the departure of key players like Denzel Dumfries and Yann Sommer; not to mention the more experienced Matteo Darmian and Francesco Acerbi. Nevertheless, new arrivals like John Stones, Djed Spence, and promising young talent Aleksandar Stankovic have joined the squad. The team’s offensive lineup remains strong with Marcus Thuram and Lautaro Martínez still leading the charge alongside midfield maestro Hakan Çalhanoglu.
After finishing 11 points clear of Napoli, Inter is favored to retain their title this season. They’ve demonstrated solid form throughout the preseason, and this matchup against newly-promoted Monza at San Siro should provide a favorable start. Monza is back in Serie A after a year in the second tier and have appointed Ivan Juric, former Southampton and Atalanta manager, who secured a victory in his first game in charge against Avellino (3-0) in the Coppa Italia, presenting a tougher challenge now.
MY PREDICTION: Inter 3-0 Monza. This will be a challenging match for Monza. Inter Milan, as the defending champions, will commence their campaign with fresh momentum from the previous season. They are once again positioned as the best team in the league, and expect them to demonstrate this clearly from the kickoff.