Scouting for fixtures is a weekly blog for people who love the beautiful game. It comes out every Sunday and hand picks upcoming matches worldwide that week, which look set for 90 minutes of non-stop action.
All times are in GMT.
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While the season is almost all wrapped up, it’s not over yet, we still have one week, one more overwhelming, exhilarating, addictive, unmissable week of the beautiful game.
Lets go!
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- West Ham vs Manchester United ( Tue 10 19:45 )
West Ham have to win. There are no two ways about it; there’s too much riding on this to settle for anything less. All eyes will be fixed on this game as it decides the final champions league situation coming into the last round of games. Granted, Man City have to lose their game against Arsenal/Swansea to see the Hammers or Devils clinching that 4th spot; but as this goes out before Man City take on the Gunners; I write with quiet optimism that Arsenal don’t do an Arsenal and instead do us a big favour. 1 game in hand means if MUFC win they’re within 1 point of City, and the Hammers 2 points away if they win, coming into the last Sunday. A draw would do neither team any good, simultaneously shooting each other in the foot, cancelling out either clubs chances of Champions league. Regardless of the final score, for the home side; it’s more that just the outcome and champions league. West Ham vs Manchester United will be the final game before the Hammers depart from their beloved Boleyn Ground after 102 years of service. The Boleyn Ground has held it’s fair share of supporters, footballing talent and unique memories throughout the years; this leaves us with a fitting match to send off the old Park before a fresh start at the Olympic Stadium and a fresh start for West Ham.
2. Sunderland vs Everton ( Wed 11 19:45 )
Much to my dismay it looks like Sunderland will probably stay in the premier league (no offence sunderland fans). If you saw Sunderland-Chelsea 5 goal thriller you saw how Sunderland were able to claw back a result after being 2-1 down, the highlight being Khazri’s smooth 3o yard volley. Foe Everton though, it’s fizzled out again, the fans and club build frustration and Martinez looks less and less likely to be the main man come next season. The capitulation in the last 4 games is particularly disheartening for all Everton fans considering how well they were doing a few months prior. A 4-0 loss to your biggest rivals, followed by a last minute Martial winner to kick Everton out the cup, third, a win to Bournemouth, both teams who have nothing left to play for, then yesterday loosing without putting up much of a fight against new champions Leicester. Morale might be a slight issue for the Toffees. Sunderland however stand to lose everything here, is it imperative to win, with the new premier TV deal coming into affect next season, it’s important not to hamstring their much needed chances of development with a huge investment increase of £258.13 million. Weather people like it or not, in the premier league, money talks, and it shouts. If Sunderland wants to remain in the pack with the top dogs, they have to stay up. From what we saw against Chelsea, it looks like they can.
3. DC United vs New York Red Bulls ( Sat 14 00:00 )
Contrary to the running theme of finality in most of the mainstream leagues, here we have in the US of A, a refreshing old-school rivalry between the cultural capital and, you know, the actual one. These two cities are filled with regional rivalries: be it ice hockey in Washington Capitals (really creative name there) vs New York Rangers (not much better to be fair), New York Giants vs Washington Redskins in american football, and of course in proper football, DC United and New York Red Bulls. Holding the title of being the leagues oldest rivalry, this game has memorable MLS moments in one of the classic playoffs. Nicknamed the Atlantic Cup, it has too many moments to condense in one sitting, and with so much to football to unpack this week I found an interesting read i’ll link at the bottom. It may be that the love of the beautiful game doesn’t translate easily through to the states, but this rivalry has the passion we so often see in big footballing fixtures.
4. Bayern Munich vs Hannover 96 / Borussia Dortmund vs FC Cologne (Sat 14 14:30)
Partly due to me writing a week ahead, also being the ‘final’ week, plus my personal indecisiveness and incompetence in general; i’m letting you the reader, chose which game to watch, as they both link to each other quite well. Chances are Bayern will see out the game and see to it they get the 4th consecutive Bundesliga title. But, statistically there’s a chance Dortmund can clinch the cup, statistically, that slight glimmer of hope. But yes if Bayern drop all points in their next 2 games and BVB win their last 2, ta daaa, they get the trophy. On the face of it, what’s even the point of watching. Usually Bayern will easily see out the games, but the draw with M.Gladbach plants the seed in your mind that they’re susceptible to the slip up in these situation. Fact is the title race should already be over. Bayern should’ve beaten M.Gladbach and should’ve already been crowned champions. But they haven’t and here we are. The pressure continues to build as they fly out of the champions league, and yes it’s Atletico Madrid, but you have Guardiola saying if they did not win the champions league he considers the season a failure. That sort of pessimism can easily trickle down into the players and affects morale, which is most important now more than ever. So i’m putting out two scenarios: If Bayern win against Ingolstadt, then by all means skip this one if you wish, but if they lose against Ingolstadt then all eyes are on FC Bayern to lose and Dortmund to take full advantage and beat FC Cologne and collect a well deserved cup.
Edit: For God’s sake Bayern have won, rendering this whole section almost useless, but I’m too stubborn to discard this whole bit. I mean you can watch Bayern celebrate the league win, again, yaaay. Or you might as well watch the No. 3.
5. Werder Bremen vs Eintracht Frankfurt ( Sat 14 14:30 )
With a week packed with the likes of Bayern, Barca and Los Blancos, why watch Werder Bremen and Eintracht Frankfurt? Usually discarded as relegation fodder; as we edge towards the final week, theres a good case to be made for all teams between 12th -17th position of going down. The 5 position wide crevice, filled with teams between 33 and 37 points leaves a chance for any of these teams to fall into the 2 relegation places still in contention; Hannover 96 securing their ticket to the 2nd division well in advance with only 22 points to their name. These two are the two most in danger of relegation along with VfB Stuttgart (33 points: 17th pos), Frankfurt stuck in 16th with 33 points and Werder jumping 2 places up after beating Stuttgart elevate themselves just safe with a slim 34 points, one spot off relegation in 15th. Everything is at stake for and it goes down to the wire. This game will be the most important game in delivering the final verdict and it’s very likely that whoever wins this game is going down. Expect the fight, passion and the charged atmosphere of two teams giving everything to stay up, and the to other go down.
6. Deportivo La Coruna vs Real Madrid / Granada vs Barcelona / _iAtletico Madrid vs Celta Vigo ( May 14 16:00 )
Los Blancos and Barca have easy fixtures on paper, but their opponents too are desperate for the points to stay up, Granada especially, sitting in in 16th, another tight situation as 19th – 16th all separated by only one point. Deportivo aren’t far behind them in 15th, 4 points above relegation. Celta Vigo however are an accomplished side and have proved to be tough opposition, looking like, but not secured, the last european spot at 6th. But that’s evidently not why you’re all here. After Barcelona lost the 3 consecutive games the title race has burst back into life and this is the climax, the big finish, the moments football fans wait all season for. This is the big one. All 3 teams separated by only 1 point. One silly mistake or slip up is all it takes.
7. Reims vs Lyon ( Sat 14 20:00 )
By now you’d have seen the result for the pivotal Lyon vs Monaco game, pinning either team for the final champions league spot. Lyon hammer the final nail in the coffin for Monaco’s champions league hopes, demolishing them in an emphatic 6-1 win. Reims too face their own challenge of staying up, with the relegation prospects a very real possibility after only 9 wins all season and 19th position. Reims weren’t blessed with a favourable list of fixtures in the last month with Nice, Marseille and now Lyon. The most recent loss to Marseille leaves them 36 points but only 1 point off 18th (Ajaccio) and 17th place (Toulouse). Even if they beat Lyon this weekend, it ultimately relies on the other two teams slipping up, which is a very real possibility. The home side will have to take the game to Lyon if they want a fighting chance of staying up, and could end up being a high scoring game.
8. Manchester United vs Bournemouth / Swansea vs Manchester City (Sun 15 15:00)
Right now Man City are about to play a big match against Arsenal in which they have to win if they want to come into the final round with some room for error. Depending on how that plays out, we have 2 teams both going all out for the 4th champions league spot. It’s gonna be like the final week, 3 years ago where Aguuuueeeeerrrrrrooo fired in a 93rd minute winner to secure their first ever PL title, Manchester United just behind. Goes to show how much both teams have receded over the years, once battling it out for the title, now battle it out for champions league. But a battle it will be nonetheless.
It may be over for the Barclays Premier League, Bundesliga, La Liga, Serie A, Ligue 1 and many more big footballing leagues, but football never stops.
The silver lining being an FA cup final still to play for, don’t forget the championship playoffs, how about the champions league final, and then we’re treated to not just 1, but 2 international tournaments in the summer with Euro 2016 and Copa America 2016.
This may be the end for Scouting for Fixtures, until next season begins, but again, football never stops, and neither will I. Expect more and varied content on the site as the big tournaments are looming.
Scouting for Fixtures 