What Matches to Watch This Week: Friday, January 17 through Monday, January 20, 2025
Just like that, we are halfway through January. If you are waiting for big transfers, you might as well watch some more football in the meantime. One thing that’s guaranteed is great games that give us more insight into what these clubs will be fighting for in 2025.
First, let’s review the games I recommended in the last article.
The Good
Dortmund 2–3 Leverkusen
Leverkusen smelled blood in the water and wasted no time getting their goals. 2 goals inside the first 8 minutes. Gittens did give Dortmund a lifeline shortly after that but Dortmund’s margin for error given their defensive injuries quickly went from minimal to the eye of a needle. That again proved true when Schick scored the third at the 20-minute mark. Credit to Dortmund for hanging in there and not letting the game get out of hand.
Chivas 1–0 Santos Laguna
Chivas will live and die by Roberto “Piojo” Alvarado this season. From missing a penalty to eventually scoring the decisive goal, it was the full Piojo experience. Chivas fans have been reminded early on the type of cardiac football this team will play. A win is a win though and 3 points to start any season are welcome.
Bologna 2–2 Roma
So kind of Bologna and Roma to go scoreless in the first half while Arsenal and Manchester United went all the way to penalties. In the second half, the game came to life with Roma scoring first and then Bologna responding immediately. Lewis Ferguson and a late Artem Dovbyk penalty for either side kept equilibrium with a final 2–2 scoreline. It’s a result that doesn’t really suit either side as they both could’ve taken the full hall of 3 points to energize a second half push. Instead, this further explains why they’re outside the top six. Pretty entertaining stuff still!
Napoli 2–0 Hellas Verona
World Cup Watch: Giovanni Di Lorenzo(ITA), Amir Rrahmani(KOS); Lobotka(SVK), Zambo Anguissa(CMR), McTominay(SCO); David Neres(BRA); Dawidowicz(POL); Duda(SVK), Suslov(SVK), Belahyane(MAR)
Napoli don’t need extra help so conceding an own goal in the opening five minutes turns an uphill battle into walking uphill both ways in the snow. Even if a win against Hellas Verona isn’t a shocking result, I’m sure Napoli would like to win as much as possible while Khvicha Khvaratskhelia to PSG gets closer to reality, and probably will be by the time this is published. At least we know Napoli will still have some goalscoring punch, albeit through a less expected source. Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa scored the best goal of the weekend and provided a passionate celebration in a tribute to a recently deceased Napoli fan due to cancer.
The Mixed Bag
Udinese 0–0 Atalanta
Udinese keeper Maduka Okoye remains injured until late January with a hand. Atalanta dominated possession for the first half hour but their chances left more to be desired, though Charles de Ketalaere going for an overhead kick was a decent attempt. It just was not enough on it to trouble Sava. During that spell though, Carnesechi had to make the biggest save of the first half from point-blank range following a shot that cannoned off the crossbar. A goalkeeping duel ensued which played the biggest role in keeping this game scoreless.
Torino 1–1 Juventus
A tight affair in a derby where both managers get sent off? That’s Italian football baby! After Torino got into halftime tied 1–1, they had to do a lot of defending with Milinkovic-Savic making key saves. It’s another game that showcased how desperately Juventus need to bring in another striker in January. Torino will be a lot more pleased with this result, denying their higher-profile rivals the expected victory. Samuele Ricci was one of the standout players as Inter continue to seek his services as a Davide Frattesi replacement.
Real Sociedad 1–0 Villarreal
The commentators pointed out that both Villarreal and Real Sociedad relied on wingers (Baena and Kubo/Zubimendi respectively) to fill in as forwards, and with Thierno Barry the only out and out forward, it didn’t matter how many chances the midfield provided: few were resulting into good chances. Gerard Moreno would come on with a half hour left to address that issue. Sucic came close hitting the post inside the edge of the box.
In the second half, Kubo came through for Real Sociedad as they carried on playing more aggressively since the end of the first half. Villarreal’s best chance to equalize came in the second half but Alex Remiro made a crucial save. Villarreal earned more corners than Sociedad but couldn’t effectively use that route back into the match. The Yellow Submarine kept up the pressure but Barry couldn’t supply the ammo as his header was tamely collected. Ironically this 1–0 Real Sociedad win massively benefits their archrivals Athletic Bilbao as the gap between them in 4th place and the chase pack including Real Sociedad and Villarreal remains intact. However, there’s still enough time left in the season to change that up.
The Bad
Sevilla 1–1 Valencia
Another ugly Saturday draw, the worst of the three. But if you enjoy the wars of attrition, then my recommendations still worked out! It took 25 minutes to force Mamardashvili into making the first save of the game, which further illustrates why these two are the worst of the big clubs in Spain this season. Valencia looked slightly more dangerous than Sevilla as they were successful in getting the ball into wide areas of the final third but it wouldn’t generate much danger into the box. The Georgian shotstopper generated the move that Rioja finished off well to give Valencia a crucial goal for their survival hopes. Pedrosa hit a dagger equalizer as Sevilla fans waived “bye” to taunt the Valencia fans. That’s been the story of a season that hasn’t gone right at any point.
FA Cup Magic
Arsenal 1–1 (3–5 pen) Manchester United
Arsenal got on the front foot early and found the back of the net within the first 20 minutes but Martinelli was deemed offside. Another key moment was Lisandro Martinez carelessly (albeit not looking) slapping Gabriel Jesus for an easy yellow. If only that was the only careless challenge Manchester United would create. Offensively, United generated very little, with Garnacho shooting a shot from a tight angle that was never going to beat Raya. Unfortunately, Gabriel Jesus had to be taken off due to injury and it was later confirmed to be an ACL tear which will end his season.
While the first half was a tough watch, everything changed in the second half. In that 45 minute period, Manchester United scored, got a player sent off, conceded, and had Bayindir of all people save a penalty. Altay Bayindir pulled a full 180 from his poor performance against Tottenham in the Carabao Cup to be the hero of Manchester United on this occasion.
Speaking of poor performances, Kai Havertz’s horrible game continued into the penalty shootout! Altay Bayindir confirmed his man of the match performance by producing that killer penalty save. Ecstacy for Ruben Amorim and the Red Devils, but in just a few weeks this season took a dark turn for Mikel Arteta and Arsenal. As magical as this game was, the FA Cup magic ran even further in the last game recap.
Hull City (EFLC) 1–1 (4–5 pen) Doncaster Rovers (EFL2)
This FA Cup match truly delivered as these two clubs fought hard to a 90-minute stalemate. Hull City needed Puerta to come through in the last 10 mins to avoid losing to a League Two side in regulation. Just when this game looked destined for penalties, Doncaster’s Teddy Sharman-Lowe made a big time save to deny a Hull shot going for the corner.
Then came the penalty shootout. Carl Rushworth for Hull City saved Joe Ironside’s shot in the first round. It didn’t affect the confidence of the rest of the Doncaster Rovers though, as the fourth taker Ben Close scored a panenka. Hull’s fifth taker Mason Burstow skied it to keep the Rovers alive. They made good on their fifth attempt to send it to sudden death. Alfie Jones’s shot was saved by Sharman-Lowe. Lucky number 6 penalty from Harry Clifton is good and Doncaster Rovers of League Two take out a club two divisions above them!
Since the World Cup is less than a year and a half away, my final recap segment from now on will highlight 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.
2026 World Cup Stock Increase XI
GK Altay Bayindir Turkiye 1998: two penalty saves vs Arsenal
RB Jon Aramburu Venezuela 2002: clean sheet vs Villarreal
CB Amir Rrahmani Kosovo 1994: clean sheet vs Hellas Verona
CB Gabriel Brazil Brazil 1997: goal and strong performance vs Manchester United
LB Piero Hincapie Ecuador 2002: assist vs Dortmund
CDM Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa Cameroon 1995: beautiful goal vs Hellas Verona
CM Samuele Ricci Italy 2001: strong performance vs Juventus
CM Manu Kone France 2003: assist vs Bologna
RW Alejandro Garnacho Argentina 2004: assist vs Arsenal
ST Thijs Dallinga Netherlands 2000: goal vs Roma
LW Nathan Tella Nigeria 1999: goal vs Dortmund
While not all of the games were aesthetically pleasing, the good just about outweighed the bad. It helps when FA Cup games deliver to grade on a curve. Now for this week’s recommendations!
Note that point totals and table positions are accurate as of Monday, January 13. Whatever results happen in the midweek will not apply.
Friday, January 17
11:45 am P/2:45 pm E: AS Roma (10th/24 pts) vs Genoa (11th/23 pts) Paramount+
The competition in the top half of the Serie A table is so tough, staying and getting there isn’t easy. Just ask Roma who are on their third manager. Even if their latest result required a 98th-minute Dovbyk penalty to secure a point, Roma is unbeaten in their last three. The win against rivals Lazio was sandwiched by draws to Milan and Bologna. They cannot overlook Genoa though who are playing as well as they did at times in the early 2010s. 23-year-old Morten Frendrup scored the lone goal and Genoa kept a clean sheet at home against Parma, so Roma have their work cut out for them.
Saturday, January 18
4:30 am P/7:30 am E: Newcastle United (7th/35 pts) vs AFC Bournemouth (7th/33 pts) Channel TBD
Eddie Howe is in the spotlight as he is the one who masterminded Bournemouth’s climb up to the Premier League and Newcastle United’s fortification during their wealthy era. He’ll be well-matched by the brilliant Andoni Iraola. These two high-achieving sides are either side of Manchester City in the table. Alexander Isak’s hot streak is going strong while Bournemouth have more of an attacking committee in life after Dominic Solanke. One of those committee leaders is the well-traveled Justin Kluivert. The vagabond appears to have found a home on the south coast.
6:30 am P/9:30 am E: Stuttgart (7th/26 pts) vs SC Freiburg (6th/27 pts) ESPN+
While the clubs higher up the Bundesliga table feature a lot of flashy signings, many of Stuttgart and Freiburg’s acquisitions are homegrown or more under the radar. It adds to the impressive position these two clubs find themselves in. Sebastian Hoeness and Julian Schuster respectively are among the best managers of the season as a result. After Denis Undav scored the decisive goal for a road win against Augsburg, Stuttgart will have more confidence and expectation to get another 3 points at the MHPArena. However, Freiburg will look at how St. Pauli beat Stuttgart in this stadium a few weeks ago as a blueprint.
9 am P/12 pm E: Juventus (5th/33 pts) vs AC Milan (8th/28 pts) Paramount+
Longtime Serie A fans are used to this matchup having title implications. That fixture will come up on this list soon enough. However, Juventus and AC Milan remain determined to finish the season strong. They have the talent but lack the consistency. The obvious draw for USMNT fans aside, another factor is the problems at the striker position. Juventus are looking for more competition for Dusan Vlahovic while Alvaro Morata is shaking off a tough first half to answer the bell for the Rossoneri as of late.
11:45 am P/2:45 pm E: Atalanta (3rd/42 pts) vs Napoli (1st/47 pts) Paramount+
At the time of writing, Inter is 4 points back but with 2 games in hand on Napoli. That makes the Blue half of Milan the favorites to win the Serie A title. Both of these sides will have a lot to say about that. Regardless of this result, the title race will remain between this trio, but a win is critical. Atalanta will have an edge not just as a home side but with Napoli distracted by what will likely be the biggest transfer of this window. Unless midfielders like Scott McTominay and Andre-Franck Zambo Anguissa continue their goal supply, that will continue to be an issue for the visitors even with the presence of Romelu Lukaku. At least Matteo Politano is stepping up, but as more of a provider than a goalscorer.
Sunday, January 19
6 am P/9 am E: Parma (16th/19 pts) vs Venezia (19th/14 pts) Paramount+
With exciting young players representing either club, many neutral fans hope both could survive the drop this season. Right now the mentality has to be kill or be killed. A 6-point swing changes the course of the season for relegation battles, and right now Venezia is the more desperate side. In order to turn that desperation into production, they’ll need to solve the puzzle of Zion Suzuki in goal.
9:30 am P/12:30 pm E: Valencia (19th/13 pts) vs Real Sociedad (7th/28 pts) ESPN+
For all of Valencia’s struggles this season, they are still only 4 points away from survival. That sentence is still a damning one for supporters who have seen their side competing for European football and even league titles in the 21st century. It won’t get any easier against a Real Sociedad side capable of grinding out important wins. They did just that against Villarreal and it’ll take more efforts of that sort to surpass them and Girona and then set their sights on Athletic Bilbao for the 4th Champions League spot.
12 pm P/3 pm E: Girona (8th/28 pts) vs Sevilla (13th/23 pts) ESPN+
It’s all a matter of perspective. For most years, 8th place would be a rousing success for Girona. Due to their improbable achievements last season and qualification for the Champions League, a step back was expected, but at least it’s not back into the relegation battle. Sevilla have to be careful because they’re not entirely out of those woods either. Girona is coming off of a 1–0 win at Alaves and can rely on a strong defensive foundation to frustrate opponents. David López, Ladislav Krejci, and Daley Blind have been tough to break down this season, and even when you get past them, Paulo Gazzaniga is in brilliant form in goal. Dodi Lukebakio and Isaac Romero will have their work cut out for them.
Monday, January 20
11:45 am P/2:45 pm E: Como (15th/19 pts) vs Udinese (9th/26 pts) Paramount+
The fifth Serie A fixture out of nine recommendations is a result of a strong lineup this weekend offers, earning that league a rare majority for this article series. Como’s fixture list to finish January and throughout February is a gauntlent. As strong as Udinese have been this season, this is probably Como’s best chase to haul 3 points. Atalanta at home, Bologna away, Juventus at home, Fiorentina away, and Napoli at home are the next five games after this for the Serie A newcomers. Patrick Cutrone scored a crucial goal for a 1–1 draw at Lazio, but with Alberto Moreno injured in that game, more pressure will be on the likes of Yannik Engelhardt as a holding midfielder and center backs Marc-Oliver Kempft and Alberto Dossena to keep attacking threats like Florian Thauvin at bay.
Rapid Fire European Competition Recommendations (all games on Paramount+)
Tuesday, January 21
7:30 am P/10:30 am E: Europa: Galatasaray (6th/12 pts) vs Dynamo Kyiv (36th/0)
9:45 am P/12:45 pm E: UCL: AS Monaco (16th/10 pts) vs Aston Villa (5th/13 pts)
12 pm P/3 pm E: UCL: Atlético Madrid (11th/12 pts) vs Bayer Leverkusen (4th/13 pts)
Wednesday, January 22
7:30 am P/10:30 am E: Europa: Besiktas (28th/6 pts) vs Athletic Bilbao (2nd/16 pts)
9:45 am P/12:45 pm E: Shakhtar Donetsk (27th/4 pts) vs Brest (7th/13 pts)
12 pm P/3 pm E: Paris Saint-Germain (25th/7 pts) vs Manchester City (22nd/8 pts)
Thursday, January 23
9:45 am P/12:45 pm E: AZ Alkmaar (19th/8 pts) vs AS Roma (14th/9 pts)
12 pm P/3 pm E: Lazio (1st/16 pts) vs Real Sociedad (12th/10 pts)
Sure the early games out in Turkiye were layups as they were the only ones available for their timeslots, but they feel like bonus games as the UEFA Champions and Europa League group stages wind down!
More high-stakes matchups with the transfer window raging on, it’s going to be a blast! Hope this makes the weekend more enjoyable for you!
