What Matches to Watch this Week: Friday, February 14 through Monday, February 17
The January transfer window has slammed shut so every club will have to work with what they’ve got the rest of the way. Which teams are now well equipped for their title runs, pushes for Europe, or avoiding the drop? The games last weekend provided some clues and then we have another wave of fixtures to contemplate.
Notes:
- This upcoming weekend I will be away for a wedding so I will not have a review segment for next week’s article. I will use match reports to create my World Cup Stock Watch XI. I apologize for that and hopefully you’ll still enjoy the recommendations I’ll provide then for the following weekend.
- At the time of writing, the broadcast information for Premier League fixtures is unknown so they will be marked as “TBD”.
Last Week’s Recommendations Review
The Good
Celta Vigo 3–2 Real Betis
After having to settle for a draw when hosting Athletic Bilbao, Real Betis were determined to take all three points. That determination showed in the first half when Antony got his first goal for the club and Marc Roca set up Diego Llorente for a 2–0 halftime lead. 21-year-old central midfielder Hugo Sotelo was the bright spot for Celta Vigo with his dribbling ability on display. As much as Betis’s play and confidence have improved in the second half of the season, nothing has come easy for them. That proved true in the 63rd minute when Fran Beltran scored a Golazo to pull one back for Celta Vigo. Celta got their equalizer minutes later with Javi Rodriguez tapping home a loose ball. The comeback was complete in the 88th minute when Celta cut open the Betis defense, Borja Iglesias off the bench found the man inside the box, Williot Swedberg took a shot and a Betis deflection put the nail in the coffin. During extra time, both sides felt the pressure and started getting in each others faces. The Celta Vigo crowd continued to roar and will their team to victory. This match saw 3 cards for Celta and 4 for Betis. A great win for Celta Vigo. It’s clear both sides are strong midtable La Liga clubs, but more work to do to make it higher in the table. It’s little consolation for Real Betis, but to be in entertaining matches in back to back weeks is something to write home about.
Borussia Monchengladbach 1–1 Eintracht Frankfurt
Michy Batshuayi made his starting debut for Frankfurt in this intriguing away tilt at the Borussia Park. Both sides scored within 5 minutes of each other in the first half with Tim Kleindienst adding to his impressive goal tally for the hosts but Hugo Ekitike stepped up with a quick response. The referee struggled to take control of this game brandishing soft yellow cards to Mario Gotze and the bickering pair of Ko Itakura and Michy Batshuayi, but nothing beyond a soft push happened. It remained finely poised for a chess match of a second half with both managers trying to find a winning move.
The second have started with a scary collision between Knauff and Ullrich where heads collided as they were going for a ball, but both were quickly cleared to continue. With 20 minutes to go, Ko Itakura’s header off a well worked move outside the box was well wide. 10 minutes later Ekitike made a run that gave Joe Scally problems but there wasn’t enough support to keep the move going. As the game winds down, the left side featuring Theate and Ekitike created most of Frankfurt’s opportunities. Florian Neuheus kept things ticking for Gladbach, but ultimately a draw was a fair result between these two solid German clubs.
Real Madrid 1–1 Atlético Madrid
Real Madrid’s backline has been stretched due to injuries, and with Atlético Madrid’s momentum from recent results, this was a prime opportunity to establish themselves in the title race. Julian Alvarez slotted home a first-half penalty during a spell when Real Madrid still had much of the ball. The penalty itself was controversial because from what I saw, Samuel Lino ran into Aurelien Tchouameni and I’m not sure what Tchouameni could’ve done to avoid contact in that situation. I wouldn’t have given a penalty there. Atlético will take it any way they can and happily absorb pressure as no team is as comfortable as Diego Simeone’s Atlético Madrid without possession. Real Madrid would press those limits to the extreme.
Kylian Mbappe opened the second half with a goal confirming the cliche of big game players stepping up in derbies. Llorente almost set up a play for Atlético to steal all 3 points after absorbing lengthy Real Madrid pressure, but the play was called offside. The statelmate keeps the title race finely in the balance.
Valencia 2–0 Leganés
Juan Cruz had been significantly productive goalscoring wise for Leganés lately, so it makes sense to see Borja Jimenez move him further up the field in their formation. The biggest surprise in this game was that Valencia, a side that’s leaked goals all season long, kept him quiet. The first real opportunity for Los Ches came midway through the first half as Javi Guerra produced a decent looking strike that went just wide. Even though Marko Dmitrovic likely had it covered, the experienced Serbian keeper couldn’t have been too sure. Valencia then threatened off of corner kicks until one of their strongest performers this season, particularly recent weeks, Cristhian Mosquera poked home the opening goal at the stroke of half time with his left foot. It was a quick enough touch that Dmitrovic could’ve react in time. Andre Almeida had an impressive service to get the ball to Mosquera in the crowded area. Leganés looked to respond immediately with Brasanac forcing a save out of Mamardashvili.
The way Valencia scored their second goal was the first real sign I’ve seen that they will survive their relegation battle. They looked confident and aggressive the way they kept the ball in after Dimitrovic’s initial save, and Mouctar Diakhaby made the run from his center back position to crash the box and score to make it 2–0 over Leganés. Leganés developed a reputation as giant killers this season but they still need to find some composure against other sides closer to them in the table to avoid relegation. Leganés’s last chance of note came late from a free kick but the Georgian goalkeeper never really had to make an uncomfortable save.
The Bad
Blackburn Rovers (Championship) 0–2 Wolves FA Cup
Unfortunately this game gets this dubious distinction because it was the least competitive of the games I watched. While some clubs like Birmingham City in League One and Leyton Orient put up a strong fight in losing efforts against Newcastle United and Manchester City, unfortunately it wasn’t Blackburn Rovers day. The two goal barrage occurred in just as many minutes between 33rd and 34th minute, giving the Rovers a mountain to climb. Especially since mistakes at the back caused those goals, and the second one the goalkeeper should’ve done better. Rovers found the back of the net once off a set piece but it looked offside. Wolves’ talent and potential belies their position in the Premier League. This sentiment was bolstered by the players who scored (Matheus Cunha and João Gomes) and assisted (Nelson Semedo and Hwang Hee-chan) the goals. Cunha is the only player of those four that stands out as a star week in and week out, but the collective at Wolves is strong and there are multiple ways they can hurt their opponents.
Now the focus for Blackburn must shift to getting promoted. Wolves finished the game on cruise control so I found pleasure in getting at seeing familiar faces among Blackburn’s side such as Danny Batth (former Wolves player), Todd Cantwell (former Norwich wonderkid), and Emmanuel Dennis (Nigeria international). Seeing a Sierra Leonese attacker Augustus Kargbo in English football reminded me of Kei Kamara. Also, there’s a lot of young talent in the EFL Championship and that includes 19-year-old Amario Cozier-Duberry who provided most of Blackburn’s attacking threat in the first half.
The Mixed Bag
12 pm P/3 pm E: Rayo Vallecano 1–0 Real Valladolid
I know this recommendation had a low probability of success, so being an average game rather than outright horrible is a win. I stand by my desire to showcase as many different clubs as possible through this article series.
The Battle of the RVs was a tight contest through the first 45 minutes, although there were some flashes and chances on a rainy evening in Madrid. Most of Rayo’s production came from the left side with Pep Chavarria and Pathe Ciss creating some opportunities. Real Valladolid offered little for forward Marcos de Sousa to work with, but captain Javi Sánchez kept things tight at the back, marshaling the backline determined to leave the Spanish capital with at least a point (although three is a necessity being 7 points adrift of Espanyol in the last safe spot). Despite Ciss’s contributions, he did pick up a yellow card and was subbed off at halftime, which seemed to still work in Rayo’s favor as they’ve come much closer to scoring the opening goal. The breakthrough came in the 72nd minute with a great cross from Jorge de Frutos to find Alvaro García, who took a touch and then slammed it home. 10 mins later, Latasa missed the target completely from a point blank chance. The play came off a long ball and Batalla could only briefly parry the initial effort but Valladolid has to be kicking themselves.
Preston North End (Championship) 0–0 (4–2 pens) Wycombe Wanderers (League One) FA Cup
I was hoping for a close battle between a midtable Championship and a promotion-pushing League one side and I got it, although entertainment-wise wise it was lacking. Still, it was an interesting tactical battle that unfolded and I enjoyed that aspect. New goalkeeper signing Will Norris made his debut for the Wanderers and made the biggest save of the first half to keep it 0–0. The League One visitors had a few corners to provide some pressure on the Preston goal but it remained evenly matched going into the break. Preston had a chance to win it in regulation but hit the woodwork. A full extra time saw this game decided on penalties with former Newcastle man Freddie Woodman the hero saving two penalties for Preston to continue their FA Cup run. It was a good run for Wycombe as well taking the championship opposition all the way. However since this occupied the same time slot as Cardiff Stoke which went 3–3 in 120 minutes before going into penalties, this recommendation is relegated to mixed bag.
The Serie A Title Race Heats Up
Napoli 1–1 Udinese
The stalemate was broken in a flurry late in the first half with Scott McTominay striking first and Jurgen Ekkelenkamp replying a few minutes later. Udinese are the thorn in the big club’s sides this season and that trope is underway once again. Napoli know they can at least temporarily extend their lead at the top (especially with Inter dropping their rescheduled matchup vs Fiorentina on Thursday), but they often come alive in the second half. Except Udinese had other ideas. The closest Napoli came to a breakthrough was a possible Romelu Lukaku chance that was ruled offside. Udinese’s second half performance was textbook seeing a result out. When they could, they were adventurous and poured effective crosses into the box to give Napoli issues. At other times, they played their way out of the back without issue and allowed themselves to relieve the pressure. This result sent Napoli into a nervous wait for the Inter Fiorentina game to see if they enter the next match week up 1 or 4 points. Either way, this was a missed opportunity.
Inter Milan 2–1 Fiorentina
Inter aren’t used to defeats in general this season let alone heavy ones, so I expected a response from losing their makeup fixture to Fiorentina four days ago. Through the first 15 minutes, Inter had 80% possession and kept Fiorentina on lock down. Lautaro Martinez is the barometer for I Nerazzurri as when he’s finding the back of the net as consistently as he’s capable of, good things happen. He ensured his side were rewarded for their opening efforts with a goal approaching the half hour mark. Some controversy though as Fiorentina felt there should’ve been a goal kick their way before the goal. Robin Gosens got some good contact on Fiorentina’s first corner coming in at the 41st minute and Matteo Darmian’s out stretched arm conceded a penalty. Rolando Mandragora converted with a powerful strike to Sommer’s right to bring a heated contest to halftime 1–1 with many players exchanging words.
Marko Arnautovic came on for an injured Thuram and scored a headed goal provided by Augusto to make it 2–1 early in the 2nd half, a good sign for the role players to contribute. That ended up being the most valuable contribution in a narrow 2–1 win to minimize the damage done from the earlier loss and stay within striking distance of Napoli.
Game of the Week
Aston Villa 2–1 Tottenham FA Cup
Aston Villa found the back of the net early thanks to Jacob Ramsey in the first minute, almost a forgotten man at times at Villa park. It’s a testament to this club’s evolution and the impressive collection of players they’ve assembled. You rather have Ramsey as a capable option to start but not an every day starter and compete at the level they have been the last couple of seasons. The alternative being over relying on him and being a mediocre, relegation threatened club. Halfway through the first half Ezri Konsa had to be subbed off for Bogarde due to injury which is a big blow for a defense that has had a few injuries this season (given Tottenham’s injuries this season, they’ll play a song for Aston Villa on the world’s smallest violin). Malen showing that like Ramsey he’s a great player to have competing with your starting options with great pace on display with his runs and nearly scoring to end the first half. Antonin Kinsky has been a big upgrade over Fraser Forster (granted that’s not saying much in 2025) but he got a touch on the goal and looked nervous in distribution.
Probably not the best sign of Ange Postecoglou’s attacking options when he subs on Yves Bissouma for Mikey Moore at halftime. Lucas Digne had an injury early in the second half and had to come off, really turning this FA Cup tie into a war of attrition. Fan favorite rising start Morgan Rogers added to his tally with the killer goal. Mathys Tel got off the mark in a Tottenham shirt for a consolation. Tottenham have been knocked out of two cups in the space of four days. Seeing another stage in Aston Villa’s evolution as a top end club in a congested field within the Premier League this season earns this game status as top of the week.
2026 World Cup Stock Increase XI
Since the World Cup is less than a year and a half away, the final recap segment highlights one player maximum from any given country out of the players in the featured games to credit their performances. Whether they are a star player for a national team with an uphill battle to qualify, a key player for a nation expected to qualify, or a longshot for a deep nation, these are 11 players who only helped their respective causes. Lastly, with the next international window coming up next month, the colors on the image will reflect their national teams rather than their club sides.
GK Emiliano Martinez (ARG/AVL) 1992: 4 saves, kept the opposition out barring consolation
CB Toti Gomes (POR/WOL) 1999: Clean sheet, 93% passing accuracy, 4 dribbles completed
CB Liam Lindsay (SCO/PNE) 1995: Clean sheet, 10 clearances, 7 ground and 9 aerial duels won
CB Mouctar Diakhaby (GUI/VAL) 1996: Clean sheet, scored goal after covering a lot of ground
RWB Andrei Ratiu (ROU/RAY) 1998: Clean sheet, 2 dribbles completed, 1 chance created
CM Nicolo Barella (ITA/INT) 1997: 91% passing accuracy and 1 chance created
CM Florian Neuhaus (GER/BMG) 1997: Assist, 3 chances created, perfect cross accuracy
LWB Hassane Kamara (CIV/UDI) 1994: 8 recoveries, won 6 of 7 duels, 2 clearances
RW Morgan Rogers (ENG/AVL) 2002: Contributed to both goals (goal and assist)
ST Kylian Mbappe (FRA/RMA) 1998 92% passing accuracy, 3 shots on target, goal
LW Williot Swedberg (SWE/CEL) 2004: In 30 mins scored winning goal, won 2 ground duels
Only the goalkeeper breaks up the Europe and Africa duopoly in this edition of the team of the week. Also, yet another young attacking talent for Sweden to monitor while they already have Alexander Isak and Victor Gyokeres…
Friday, February 14
12 pm P/3 pm E: Brighton (10th/34 pts) vs Chelsea (4th/43 pts) TBD
This is an instant rematch from Brighton’s 2–1 victory over Chelsea in the FA Cup. That marks Brighton’s standout performance of the season. Like Nottingham Forest who responded to a big loss to Bournemouth by convincingly beating Brighton, Brighton found an admirable response to that heavy defeat. Chelsea may be looking glass half full thinking if they had to choose which match to win, maybe this victory to solidify top four will be more important for the club’s immediate future. The biggest concern for the West London outfit is Robert Sánchez’s play as of late. He has been struggling, looking like a shadow of his former Brighton self. If the Seagulls win again, they definitely shook down Chelsea for that 25 million pound Sánchez transfer fee. Georginio Rutter was Brighton’s standout player with a goal and assist.
Saturday, February 15
5 am P/8 am E: Leganés (17th/23 pts) vs Alaves (19th/21 pts) ESPN+
Both managers are feeling the pressure as Leganés and Alaves lost to relegation battle rivals Valencia and Getafe respectively. While Leganés is higher in the table, Alaves will feel better about their more recent performance as they held firmer defensively. There has to be more emphasis and urgency placed on the attacking side of the game on both fronts. The best striker either club has to offer is Leganés’s Daniel Raba, who is a decent option with better players around him but struggles as a focal point. However, if Juan Cruz rediscovers his blistering form (and he’s not far removed), that could be Leganés’s solution.
7 am P/10 am E: Manchester City (5th/41 pts) vs Newcastle United (6th/41 pts) TBD
Manchester City’s first Premier League test after a 5–1 loss to Arsenal sees them welcome Newcastle United to the Etihad. Not only is Newcastle United riding high advancing in both the EFL and FA Cups, but they got contributions from a good number of players in their squad. So many players put in strong performances and that’s the mentality you need to take on City. Even in a down year, you know they have a wealth of talent at their disposal. The Toon certainly have their options and with other players not named Alexander Isak finding the back of the net, City have to be careful. The defense has been leaky even when Ederson is in net and makeshift fullback Matheus Nunes is starting to get figured out more frequently.
9:30 am P/12:30 pm E: Bayer Leverkusen (2nd/46 pts) vs Bayern Munich (1st/54 pts) ESPN+
With 13 games left in this Bundesliga season, Leverkusen needs to beat Bayern in order to keep their title defense going. Both clubs faced similar caliber of opposition last week and Bayern cleared their hurdle with an impressive 3–0 win over Werder Bremen. Wolfsburg managed to keep Leverkusen off the scoresheet, and I imagine that means Xabi Alonso, who knows all about winning titles with Bayern Munich, will shuffle the deck to get the best combination of attackers on the field from the jump. That means Patrik Schick and Florian Wirtz have to start the next game. Vincent Kompany will be happy to let Jamal Musiala, Harry Kane, and friends work their magic.
12 pm P/3 pm E: Villarreal (5th/40 pts) vs Valencia (18th/22 pts) ESPN+
Villarreal are in an interesting position, aiming to catch Athletic Bilbao (4th place, 4 points ahead), but wary of Rayo Vallecano (6th place, 5 points behind) and the rest of that chase pack consisting of the clubs all the way down to 10th place. Valencia are still in the relegation zone despite an impressive 2–0 win over Leganés but have transformed from dead club walking to capable of dragging any of the clubs 15th-17th down below them with another impressive result. Such a result would inclue their 1–0 and 2–1 wins over Real Sociedad and Celta Vigo respectively from the last month of action. This rekindles the flames of la Derbi de la Comunitat between these two clubs in Spain’s Mediterranean coast. Villarreal beat Las Palmas 2–1 in their last fixture, so they’ll be well aware that these games against relegated threatened opposition won’t be layups.
Sunday, February 16
6 am P/9 am E: Udinese (10th/30 pts) vs Empoli (17th/21 pts) Paramount+
This match reminds me of Rayo Vallecano vs Real Valladolid last weekend. Granted Udinese aren’t quite as high in the Serie A table as Rayo are in La Liga, but Udinese are impressing lately especially against the big sides. In order to maintain that reputation as well as further their own ambitions beyond comfortable midtable, they have to take advantage of hosting a struggling Empoli side. Florian Thauvin and Jurgen Ekkelenkamp will look to carve up their defense and provide Lorenzo Lucca ample opportunities on goal. Mattia De Sciglio performed admirably against his former club AC Milan last week but with his center back partners suspended and injured, his job gets a lot tougher.
8:30 am P/11:30 am E: Tottenham (14th/27 pts) vs Manchester United (13th/29 pts) TBD
The two clubs involved in the “Christian Eriksen derby” have seen better days, and their cup journeys have shed further light into the issues at both clubs. Tottenham managed to get knocked out of the EFL and Carabao Cup in the same week, which feels on brand for them. Manchester United may be the luckiest side among the 16 remaining in the FA Cup as VAR could’ve changed the outcome of their narrow win over Leicester City. The aim for Ange Postecoglou and Ruben Amorim is damage limitation: in order to regain some degree of respectability, beat your opponent. At the very least, Premier League fans will direct their criticism toward the loser and the winner can have a few days off in that department.
11:45 am P/2:45 pm E: Juventus (5th/43 pts) vs Inter (2nd/54 pts) Paramount+
The Derby D’Italia may only feature one of these two clubs in this season’s title race, but Juventus will be yet another stern test for Inter looking to keep pace with leaders Napoli. Simone Inzaghi’s side endured a rollercoaster double header with Fiorentina to accommodate a makeup fixture, and it doesn’t get any easier with a resurgent Juventus as their next opponent. Both top strikers are in great form with Randal Kolo Muani answering the desperate need for a consistent striker and Lautaro Martinez continuing his great performers for the Nerazzurri.
Monday, February 17
12 pm P/3 pm E: Leeds United (1st/67 pts) vs Sunderland (4th/59 pts) Paramount+ (points tallies correct prior to midweek fixtures)
The slate concludes in Elland Road with yet another top clash between promotion chasers. Looking at these lineups you see several players with top flight experience and/or that wouldn’t look out of place in the top flight this season. An attack with Daniel James, Brenden Aaronson, Manor Solomon, Joel Piroe seems too good for the Championship and have been very good, but Leeds will look to avoid the playoffs at all costs as that kept them from promotion last season. Sunderland has some interesting players for this level too including longtime Bournemouth center back Chris Mepham and Enzo Le Fee who is in on loan from Roma. I’m really surprised at how little Enzo Le Fee played at the Italian capital. He’ll look to prove why he is still a highly talented player at 25-years-old with plenty of career ahead of him.
European Competition Lightning Round* (All on Paramount+)
At the time of writing, only four UCL Champions League fixtures have concluded leg 1 so bear that in mind. In future articles when I’m not away for the weekend, I’ll ensure that won’t be the case.
Tuesday, February 18
9:45 am P/12:45 pm E: AC Milan vs Feyenoord (only option)
12 pm P/3 pm E: SL Benfica vs AS Monaco
Wednesday, February 19
9:45 am P/12:45 pm E: Dortmund vs Sporting CP (only option)
12 pm P/3 pm E: Real Madrid vs Manchester City
Thursday, February 20
Europa
9:45 am P/12:45 pm E: Galatasaray vs AZ Alkmaar
12 pm P/3 pm E: Anderlecht vs Fenerbahce
Conference
9:45 am P/12:45 pm E: Real Betis vs Gent
12 pm P/3 pm E: Shamrock Rovers vs Molde
Thank you for reading this article! Please let me know which matches you’re planning to watch in the comments.
