Matchday Review - April 18th, 2024
Europa League - Quarter-finals (2nd Legs)
AS Roma 2 (3) vs. (1) 1 AC Milan
Marseille 1 (2) vs. (2) 0 Benfica (Penalties 4-2)
West Ham 1 (1) vs. (3) 1 Bayer Leverkusen
Atalanta 0 (3) vs. (1) 1 Liverpool
AS Roma, Marseille, Bayer Leverkusen, and Atalanta move on to the Europa League semi-finals. Marseille without a doubt had the best evening after Benfica had won the first leg. Everyone else stumbled into the semis but it is a cup competition and at the end of the day you have to get to the final stages any way you can.
Europa Conference League - Quarter-finals (2nd Legs)
Fiorentina 2 (2) vs. (0) 0 Viktoria Plzen
Lille 2 (3) vs. (3) 1 Aston Villa (Penalties 3-4)
PAOK 0 (0) vs. (3) 2 Club Brugge
Fenerbahce 1 (3) vs. (3) 0 Olympiacos (Penalties 2-3)
Fiorentina, Aston Villa, Club Brugge, and Olympiacos make up the final four for the Conference League. Aston Villa remain the only English team in Europe this season and Unai Emery continues to gain plaudits. Olympiacos also won on penalties to book a place.
Weekend Football Preview
FA Cup - Semi-finals
Man City vs. Chelsea
The first FA Cup semi-final comes to us from Wembley on Saturday as Manchester City take on Chelsea. City just got knocked out of the Champions League on penalties to Real Madrid. The FA Cup and Premier League remain the only two competitions they can win this season. For Chelsea this is the only trophy that the club can win this season. Winning the FA Cup would book Chelsea a place in the Europa League for next season while getting knocked out would mean that we have to finish sixth for a Conference League place. City are favourites without a doubt but in a one off game I am always going to give Chelsea a chance. Wembley has not been kind to the club this season we would have to break the recent curse to progress to the finals. The win against Everton was nice and we have done well against City this season but we drew those games. As always COME ON CHELSEA!!!.
Coventry vs. Man United
Coventry sit eighth in the Championship and won’t be able to make the play offs this season. United sit seventh in the Premier League and have not been great form this season. Ten Hag is under huge pressure and is likely to get leave the club in the summer. United have one win in their last five games while Coventry have two. Let’s face it United should get past Coventry because if they don’t that would really be that for Ten Hag. United to win but if Coventry can pull off an FA Cup shock then the banter will be legendary.
Premier League MW 34
Luton Town vs. Brentford
A London derby to kick off league action this weekend as Luton sit 18th in the table and a point from safety. Brentford sit 15th in the table and are unbeaten in their last four games but have only won one game. With every game that goes by Luton are running out of time to survive. A big game for the home team. Brentford won the reverse fixture 3-1.
Sheffield United vs. Burnley
A relegation battle and not an exciting one. Sheffield United sit 10 points from safety while Burnley sit six points from safety in 19th. A win for Burnley would give them some sort of chance at safety while Sheffield United have left it too late I think. Burnley won the reverse fixture 5-0.
Wolverhampton vs. Arsenal
11th placed Wolves are winless in their last four as they take on second placed Arsenal who sit two points behind leaders City. Wolves are trying to finish in the top 10 while Arsenal lost to Villa last weekend and lost to Bayern during the week. Arsenal can go back to the top of the table if they win this weekend as City don’t play. Huge pressure on Arsenal and Wolves can take advantage of that. Arsenal won the reverse fixture 2-1.
Everton vs. Nottingham Forest
Another relegation battle as 16th placed Everton take on 17th placed Forest. A point separates the two teams and both teams have only one won game over their last five. Everton won the reverse fixture 0-1.
Crystal Palace vs. West Ham
London derby part two this weekend as 14th placed Palace take on eighth placed West Ham. Palace beat Liverpool last weekend at Anfield while but that is their only win over the last five games. West Ham have a similar record as both teams struggle for form. The reverse fixture was a 1-1 draw.
Aston Villa vs. Bournemouth
Fourth placed Villa welcome 13th placed Bournemouth. Both teams are in good form especially Villa who beat Arsenal and then reached the semis of the Europa Conference League. It should be an interesting game. The reverse fixture was a 2-2 draw.
Fulham vs. Liverpool
12th placed Fulham take on third placed Liverpool. Liverpool lost last weekend and then got knocked out of the Europa League so they have to win this game because the Klopp parade seems to be breaking down. Fulham have been decent this season and can get something out of this game. Liverpool won the reverse fixture 4-3.
La Liga MW 32
Athletic Bilbao vs. Granada
Sporting Girona vs. Cadiz
Getafe vs. Real Sociedad
Almeria vs. Villarreal
Alaves vs. Atletico Madrid
Real Madrid vs. Barcelona
Real Madrid sit eight points clear at the top of the table as Barcelona, Girona and Atletico make up the top four. Bilbao is fifth in the table while Real Sociedad sit sixth in the table. Villarreal sit ninth in the table while Sevilla sit 13th in the table. Clasico weekend in Spain this weekend and if Barcelona beat Madrid they can go within five points of them. Real can go 11 clear if they win. Real should win La Liga regardless but the manner in which they do that will be interesting.
Serie A MW 33
Genoa vs. Lazio
Cagliari vs. Juventus
Empoli vs. Napoli
Monza vs. Atalanta
Inter sit 14 points clear and are edging towards securing the title. Milan, Juventus and Bologna make up the top four while Roma sits fifth in the table. Atalanta, Lazio and Napoli form the chasing pack. The race for Europe is an interesting one.
Bundesliga MW 30
Heidenheim vs. RB Leipzig
Union Berlin vs. Bayern Munich
Borussia Dortmund vs. Bayer Leverkusen
Leverkusen sit 16 points clear and were crowned Bundesliga champions last weekend. Bayern sit third on goal difference while Stuttgart sit third and Leipzig are fourth in the table. Dortmund sit fifth in the table on goal difference. Leverkusen might have won the Bundesliga last weekend and reached the semis of the Europa League during the week but their unbeaten record is still there to play for. A big game of them against Dortmund this weekend, a team fighting for a place in the top four.
Ligue 1 MW 30
Lille vs. Strasbourg
Brest vs. AS Monaco
Toulouse vs. Marseille
Paris Saint Germain vs. Lyon
PSG sit 10 points clear with a game in hand while Brest, Monaco and Lille make up the top four. Nice sit fifth in the table while Lyon is seventh. Marseille is ninth in the table. Brest against Monaco and PSG against Lyon make up some interesting games in France this weekend.