What To Watch This Week: Friday, February 7 through Monday, February 10, 2025
We had some titanic clashes last weekend, and with the European competitions beginning their knockout stages, the intensity throughout all competitions is palpable. This article brings you recommendations across domestic leagues and cup fixtures, but the midweek lightning round has you covered for the European competitions.
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Now let’s see how my recommendations from last weekend went. Note that this is written before the midweek cup domestic cup ties have taken place.
The Good
Werder Bremen 1–0 Mainz
Robin Zentner may have conceded a penalty chance at the start of the game with a foul on a Bremen player, but he kept the penalty out with a massive save to his right side. Bremen would not be denied for long as Leonardo Bittencourt tapped in a loose ball from a corner. Bremen could’ve had 2 or 3 goals in that first half and Romano Schmid made his presence known dominating proceedings in midfield. The half concluded with an injury collision between Senne Lynen and Nadiem Amiri.
In the second half, Danny da Costa of all people with a chance of a Bremen deflection but it just went wide. the injury woes continued this time with captain Marco Friedl, who the manager understandably is hesitant to take off. Mainz picked up the pressure but on the counter, Bremen found the back of the net again with 15 mins to go through Mitchell Weiser hit it was offside. They missed another big chance right after that. Ultimately Bremen succeeded in suffocating the Mainz attack but at what cost as Niklas Stark and Marco Friedl got red cards and will be suspended against a huge clash vs Bayern Munich. This was about as chaotic as you could wish for within a 1–0 result outside of the Serie A.
Bologna 2–0 Como
Both clubs desperately needed 3 points for different reasons. Bologna due to their slipping form and Como because of their difficult fixture list after this. Como’s job got harder when their best defensive midfielder Maximo Perrone picked up a yellow card in the first 10 minutes. Shortly after Jhon Lucumi hit the crossbar, Charalambos Lykogiannis had an injury scare. Fortunately he was able to carry on and produce an unlikely goal scoring combination. In the 25th minute, Lykogiannis set up 36-year-old Lorenzo De Silvestri for the breakthrough. However, the Greek’s contribution got soured after he rashly tackled Assane Diao a few minutes later for a yellow card. Como had plenty of chances, especially in quick succession in the half hour mark, but not even Nico Paz could get on the end of it as Bologna ferociously blocked shots to defend their goal.
The temperature ratcheted up with a missed foul on Alieu Fadera led to a Bologna counter attack and Perrone looked like he blocked a shot, but then things got called to a hault. The referee judged that Fadera had gone too far and gave Fadera a red (a second yellow). I think the ref was harsh given Fadera was fouled, but the player needed to keep his composure as well. This game rapidly got away from Como as Giovanni Fabbian came off the bench to provide the clinching goal with 25 minutes to go. Lukasz Skorupski ensured the door stayed shut with an impressive save from a free kick. The veteran skipper De Silvestri, whose Serie A career started with Lazio in 2006, was awarded player of the match in an incredible moment filled with cheers and adoration by those at the ground.
Atlético Madrid 2–0 Mallorca
Atlético had struggled to generate offense on the left hand side in recent weeks, but then they turned to the Reinildo and Samuel Lino combination. Lino has been contributing his fair share of goals, including the opening goal midway through the first half. Mallorca’s overall goal scoring woes continued and Vedat Muriqi’s hold up play, usually reliable, failed them in the lead up to that goal. Dominik Greif had to make a top class save to prevent the island side from going down 2–0 at halftime. Atlético have had trouble closing some games out (maybe they’re more comfortable in their late heroics such as vs Barcelona and Leverkusen this season) and Mallorca tried to take advantage, but chances such a shot from Daniel Rodriguez with 15 mins remaining left more to be desired. For much of the final stretch, Atlético Madrid were unable to add to their 1–0 lead despite being able to bring a rested Antoine Griezmann off the bench. However, Griezmann eventually made his mark. One of the club’s greats added another classy moment to his lengthy Atlético resume with a chip shot to seal the game with a 2–0 win!
Chelsea 2–1 West Ham
West Ham produced a lot of question marks for me ahead of this fixture. Edson Alvarez was dropped from the side entirely without any word of an injury report. The Hammers would also be without Lucas Paqueta due to a groin injury, but they welcomed back Jarrod Bowen. Despite Chelsea supplying a lot of opportunities through Reece James and Cole Palmer, it was West Ham who struck first just before halftime. Jarrod Bowen is such a key ingredient to the Hammers’ success and proved so with his timely strike. The Czech dynamic duo of Vladimir Coufal and Tomas Soucek helped keep Chelsea at bay. The second half was a different story as Cole Palmer inspired a comeback 2–1 win. No matter how well West Ham does with recruiting or they perform on a given night, Chelsea’s historic edge over them seems to reappear and get them over the line in this brand of London derby.
The Bad
Brentford 0–2 Tottenham
Brentford’s usual starting goalkeeper Mark Flekken had to miss this game due to a strain picked up, meaning Hakon Valdimarsson had a tough task on his hand against a Spurs side with fragile confidence but still top class talent in attack. Spurs benefited from what is easily the luckiest goal of the weekend, but the old adage is proven true: good things happen when you cause chaos within the six yard box. Granted, that’s more likely to happen on a corner like this goal was, but Spurs won’t care. Brentford remained the aggressors despite falling behind, which is what was expected given the type of season both is happening. Vitaly Janelt own goal. Mbeumo got fouled by Son who got a yellow card and Brentford finished the second half strong but no goal to show for it. Usual defense contributor Pape Sarr reminded everyone his goalscoring capabilities doubling Spurs lead late.
I know I mentioned at least once the feint possibility of Spurs getting relegated, but this result should snap us all back to reality. Ultimately, I was disappointed by Brentford’s overall performance and that made this game the least interesting one of the slate.
The Mixed Bag
St. Pauli 1–1 Augsburg
St. Pauli got off to a strong start and could’ve had an early opening goal if not for a strong last ditch challenge from Augsburg. St. Pauli did get a goal caused by Morgan Guilavogui’s initial shot and the chaos that ensued resulted in a Noahkai Banks own goal (that wasn’t really his fault, just unlucky). St. Pauli showcased their impressive defense denying Augsburg even a whiff of goal I. The first half. This match played out similarly to Bremen vs Mainz but Augsburg did what Mainz couldn’t: get an equalizer within the last 10 mins. Maybe the action was too few and far between or this game played out similarly but less chaotically than Bremen vs Mainz for this game to end up in the mixed bag category. Morgan Guilavogui unfortunately picked up an injury in this game that could keep him out for a while. Hopefully not a season ending development.
Derby Della Madonnina
9 am P/12 pm E: AC Milan 1–1 Inter Milan Paramount+
It wasn’t that long ago that English players rarely played in the Premier League. Now AC Milan has more English players starting for them than a good chunk of Premier League sides. What a game for Kyle Walker to make his debut in. While AC Milan has had some serviceable right backs like Davide Calabria, Ignazio Abate, and Mattia De Sciglio over the last decade plus, the Manchester City loan signing is a big step up.
Inter found the back of the net twice but got caught offside. Fikayo Tomori and Benjamin Pavard exchanged great tackles from the CB position. However, against the run of play Tijjani Reijnders tucks home a loose ball from a Yann Sommer parry. One of AC Milan’s best and most consistent players this season came through right before halftime.
I love Alex Jimenez as a player, but I didn’t love the decision to bring him on at half time and essentially switch to a 5–4–1. Sergio Conceicao’s idea to invite 45 minutes of Inter pressure and dare them to break you down felt like a foolish gamble. Around the 63rd minute, Inter looked like they succeeded as Lautaro Martinez scored but there was a push off on an AC Milan defender that called a foul before the shot. Martinez was incensed and shoved Fikayo Tomori when he tried to get the ball, a moment that was bound to happen at some point in this heated derby. Yann Bisseck came off the bench hit the woodwork a few minutes later. Inter would do so again with 10 mins left of regular time (this time through Marcus Thuram). No one can deny Inter deserved at least an equalizer and a draw which they secured in dramatic fashion through Stefan de Vrij to end the game.
Total Domination
Nottingham Forest 7–0 Brighton
Nottingham Forest woke up and decided to immediately seek revenge for their 5–0 loss by taking it out on their next opponents. Unfortunately for Brighton, they were in the wrong place at the wrong time. The closest chance the Seagulls had to a response in the first half was a Danny Welbeck shot that hit the underside of the crossbar and bounced eerily similar to Frank Lampard’s goal at the 2010 World Cup that was disallowed. A key difference though: Lampard’s clearly crossed the line, Welbeck’s didn’t. Forest ensured this game remained theirs halfway through the second half with Anthony Elanga’s impressive run to set up Chris Wood for the 4th goal. Lewis Dunk’s slide to cover Elanga kept Wood onside and paired with his own goal to open the scoring, it was a tough game for the Brighton captain. From there, the flood gates opened and Anthony Elanga and Chris Wood each secured a form of hat trick. Elanga with the assist hat trick and Wood with the traditional variant put an exclamation mark on what has been a banner year for those players individual and an unforgettable season for Forest is back on track.
Game of the Week
Real Betis 2–2 Athletic Bilbao
Antony’s debut and either redemption or destruction was only the second biggest storyline in this game, following Isco’s inspiring performance as he works his way back from grueling injuries. The Betis offense got off to a flying start with the opening goal through Isco. He put the rebound from Antony’s shot home, in what surely felt like an unofficial assist for the Manchester United exile.
Despite struggling to generate chances in recent games, Bilbao didn’t panic and methodically worked the ball up the pitch. They proved to be a threat on set pieces and that threat struck him for an equalizer 20 mins later. Betis would get the last laugh of the first half through a beautiful strike by Romain Perraud. He does a turn and despite being surrounded by defenders and being just outside of the box, he hit a great strike in the top left corner. His first goal in two years too. In the second half, Betis and Bilbao exchanged blows but neither could connect. That was until Bilbao made good on their threats on yet another corner through Oihan Sancet to make it 2–2. A draw was a fair result on the balance of play and while both managers may have felt they could’ve won this won, the fans were treated to an exciting brand of Spanish football.
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.
4–4–2
GK Mike Maignan FRA/ACM 1995: Made big saves while Milan absorbed heavy pressure.
RB Marcos Llorente ESP/ATM 1995: Clean sheet, 94% pass accuracy, two chances created.
CB Stefan de Vrij NED/INT 1992: Strong performance at the back and scored clutch goal.
CB Jhon Lucumi COL/BOL 1998: Clean sheet, eight recoveries, and 95% passing accuracy.
LB Samuel Lino BRA/ATM 1999: Clean sheet and scored an impressive goal.
RM (RW) Morgan Guilavogui GUI/STP 1998: Caused Augsburg’s own goal, great form.
CM Romano Schmid AUT/BRE 2000: Hit woodwork and caused problems for Mainz’s midfield.
CM (DM) Rodrigo Bentancur URU/TOT 1997: Clean sheet, 3 chances created, 7 clearances.
LM Son Heung-min KOR/TOT 1992: Provided an assist continuing a strong return to form.
ST Anthony Elanga SWE/NFO 2002: Recorded a hat trick of assists in dominant victory.
ST Chris Wood NZL/NFO 1991: Scored a hat trick to power a dominant victory.
The Americas (South, sorry North), Africa, Asia, and even Oceania making the XI this week! This really is the world’s game! Now let’s get into this upcoming weekend’s recommendations.
Friday, February 7
12 pm P/3 pm E: Rayo Vallecano (6th/32 pts) vs Real Valladolid (20th/15 pts) ESPN+
Being 8 points adrift from safety means if Real Valladolid don’t start picking up points soon, they will be effectively doomed to relegation with three months to go. Therefore, this is one of the last times I’ll be interested in watching them play and I make an effort to watch as many different clubs as possible. The basis of this recommendation is this being a trap game for Rayo Vallecano. If they mean business about qualifying for Europe, they will win this game by any means necessary. Their goalkeeper Augusto Batalla is up to the challenge coming off of a clean sheet and penalty saved in a 1–0 victory over Leganés, but captain Isi will look to generate more chances for the goalscorers to see this result through.
Saturday, February 8
5 am P/8 am E: Celta Vigo (13th/25 pts) vs Real Betis (10th/29 pts) ESPN+
Real Betis can live with a draw against Athletic Bilbao, but now they are the higher ranked side in this encounter with Celta Vigo. The key to this matchup will be the midfield battle. Ilaix Moriba and Fran Beltran will have to contain the creativity of Antony and Isco. Both of these midtable clubs are getting important contributions from young Spanish talent. Celta’s 23-year-old winger Pablo Duran scored the only goal in their 2–1 loss to struggling Valencia. Meanwhile, Real Betis are giving right back Angel Ortiz and winger Jesus Rodriguez opportunities, with Rodriguez in particular impressing as of late.
7 am P/10 am E: Preston North End (15th EFLC) vs Wycombe (2nd EFL1) FA Cup ESPN+
When I see a 4th round FA Cup tie between two clubs outside of the Premier League, that is immediately circled in the calendar. Either way, a remarkable cup run will continue. While a division splits the two clubs, really it’s only a difference of 11 places within the English football pyramid. I saw what Preston were capable of in this competition in their 2–1 win against another League One opponent in Charlton Athletic. The Montenegrin forward Milutin Osmajic scored a brace on that occasion, and recently he added another brace at Watford and an assist vs Middlesbrough. Wycombe’s standout player is Josh Scowen, a player I remember watching when he helped Barnsley get promoted into the Championship in 2015–16. Now aged 31, he will be a key leader for Wycombe to pull off the upset.
9:30 am P/12:30 pm E: Monchengladbach (7th/30 pts) vs Eintracht Frankfurt (3rd/38 pts) ESPN+
European implications on the line for two clubs that have grown quite accustomed to those midweek prestige matches over the last decade. Gladbach comes in on better form with a 2–1 win over Stuttgart, and when you consider the most notable names to neutrals in this side are Nico Elvedi and Julian Weigl, it shows how great a job Gerardo Seoane has done getting the most out of his squad in life after Marcus Thuram. Frankfurt drew 1–1 at home to Wolfsburg last time, but their recent priority was securing top eight in the Europa League (achieved despite losing to Roma in the final day of group play). Gladbach defenders such as the quietly consistent Joe Scally will have to deal with Mario Gotze (still going strong, although he is only 32 so it shouldn’t be as big of a surprise as it feels) and the immensely talented striker Hugo Ekitike.
12 pm P/3 pm E: Real Madrid (1st/49 pts) vs Atlético Madrid (2nd/48 pts) ESPN+
The top two teams in La Liga facing off in the Clasico de Madrid instantly makes this the game of the week. Barcelona faithful will be rooting for a draw, but regardless of the result I expect fireworks and Diego Simeone to lose his cool a minimum of three different times. Atlético have Espanyol to thank for a heroic 1–0 win over Los Blancos that has put this title race on a knives edge. The pressure when playing for Real Madrid is immense, and perhaps that’s being felt by Vinicius Junior most of all as he’s been the target of most of the criticism. Some of that criticism is steeped into the nasty side of football fan culture, but he had gone from performing better at Real Madrid than Brazil to now struggling in both setups. The question going into this match is if Real Madrid couldn’t break down Espanyol, what hope do they have against Atlético Madrid’s defense and counter attack? These are the big games that the likes of Jude Bellingham and Kylian Mbappe are expected to find the answers for, but they’ll be well matched offensively with the trio of Antoine Griezmann, Julian Alvarez, and Alexander Sorloth. Whoever starts and comes off the bench, it won’t matter. We’ve seen them score brilliant goals at just about every point of the game this season.
Sunday, February 9
4:30 am P/7:30 am E: Blackburn Rovers (5th EFLC) vs Wolves (17th PL) FA Cup ESPN+
A similar situation to Preston vs Wycombe with only 8 spots separating these two sides within the pyramid. Granted, with the three promoted clubs set to be relegated from the Premier League for the second successive season, many feel the gap between the Premier League and the EFL Championship is widening. Blackburn Rovers won’t be bothered with that: they just care about getting a scalp and furthering their ambitions this season. I wouldn’t mind seeing Blackburn Rovers back in the Premier League for the first time since 2012. Back to the task at hand. Wolves came up victorious in a Midlands clash against Aston Villa, giving them a larger buffer against the relegation threatened sides. Had Wolves not turned things around lately, some would argue it would be better to punt this game and just have the Premier League to focus on. With the likes of Matheus Cunha still around after January but perpetually linked with a move away, successful cup runs could go a long way. Blackburn Rovers has some blasts from the past in their ranks such as Austrian international Andreas Weimann and a man who appeared over 200 times for Wolves between 2009 and 2019 in Danny Batth. What a revenge game this could be!
7:15 am P/10:15 am E: Valencia (19th/19 pts) vs Leganés (16th/23 pts) ESPN+
It’s been a while since I recommended another installment of the Valencia telenovela, but this should be a juicy episode as they welcome Trojan Horse of La Liga. Leganés are resilient and fearless in their playstyle and they, like most Spanish clubs this season, will smell blood in the water once they hit El Estadio de Mestalla. Even if they’re only three spots and 4 points above Valencia, just based on body language and confidence you’d bet Leganés to survive ahead of Valencia if it came down to it. The Mediterranean Coastal outfit will still fancy their chances with the quality of players at their disposal, but they need to get it together sooner than later. They’ve also gotten a recent boost of morale from beating Celta Vigo 2–1. Despite all the drama on and off the pitch this season (and the disastrous floods that have rocked the Valencian community last fall), I still believe a side with Giorgi Mamardashvili, Jose Gayao, Enzo Barrenechea, and Hugo Duro should not get relegated. A statement will be made in this six pointer one way or another.
9:30 am P/12:30 pm E: Aston Villa (8th) vs Tottenham (14th) FA Cup ESPN+
Both sides are not meeting their expectations this season, but to different extents. Aston Villa feels like a B/C student that was getting As last term. That makes Tottenham the student that will chant “C’s get degrees” prior to taking their midterms. The recent returns somewhat contradict that narrative as Villa go into this after losing 2–0 to Wolves while Spurs beat Brentford 2–0. One major subplot here is Unai Emery, who had a short and not-so-sweet stint at Arsenal, coming up against his former North London rival in this key fixture. An FA cup win would mean the world for both of these clubs that have a lot of history of success in English football. Tottenham may have one eye on their Carabao Cup semifinal against Liverpool, but considering they’re constantly at the butt of the joke for going nearly two decades without a major honor, you want as many tickets in the trophy lottery as possible. Ollie Watkins has stated his commitment to Aston Villa after links away in January, and we’ll see if his combination with John McGinn and Morgan Rogers can outdo what Son Heung-min, Richarlison, and possibly new loanee Mathys Tel can accomplish.
11:45 am P/2:45 pm E: Napoli (1st) vs Udinese (10th) Paramount+
If I’m considering Real Valladolid a possible trap game for Rayo Vallecano, Udinese certainly qualifies for Napoli. Aside from a 4–1 loss to Como, Udinese has been in close matches for the last month and a half. Their lack of wins keeps them from advancing higher up the table, but they’re a proven headache for the top Serie A clubs to deal with. One of Napoli’s unsung heroes has been Juan Jesus. The 33-year-old Brazilian Serie A veteran has donned the kits of Inter Milan and Roma and has plied his trade in this division since 2012. His first taste of success with Napoli’s Serie A title two years ago, and his leadership and rock-solid performances at the back alongside Giovanni Di Lorenzo would be a big reason why they’d repeat the trick this year. Udinese have a few dangerous players for them to be wary of, from experienced players Florian Thauvin and Alexis Sánchez to 24-year-old Lorenzo Lucca.
Monday, February 10
11:45 am P/2:45 pm E: Inter Milan (2nd) vs Fiorentina (6th) Paramount+
The name of the game for Napoli and Inter Milan for the next few months will be “If I move, you move (just like that)”. The two best clubs in Italy will be prowling for the opportunity to strike when the other slips up. If Udinese does hold Napoli to even a draw, then Inter will have to look at Fiorentina with the same desire to destroy them as Nottingham Forest did to Brighton. A little dark and harsh? Even still, that’s what it will take and that’s the ruthlessness Inter mustered in their Derby Della Donna clash in which they somehow only drew. AC Milan showed resilience sure, but they essentially invited Inter to do whatever they wanted for over an hour in that fixture. I hope Fiorentina have a different gameplan. Lautaro Martinez will especially come into this game angry as he saw the ball go into the back of the net off his foot multiple times only for other factors to disallow those goals. It’ll be up to Fiorentina’s captain Luca Ranieri to keep his defense organized and to deny Martinez any clear sight of goal. Easier said than done.
Midweek Lightning Round (European Competition Edition) Paramount+
Tuesday, February 11
Champions League
9:45 am P/12:45 pm E: Brest vs Paris Saint-Germain
12 pm P/3 pm E: Manchester City vs Real Madrid
Wednesday, February 12
Champions League
9:45 am P/12:45 pm E: Club Brugge vs Atalanta
12 pm P/3 pm E: Monaco vs Benfica
Thursday, February 13
Europa League
9:45 am P/12:45 pm E: Union St. Gilloise vs Ajax
12 pm P/3 pm E: FC Porto vs AS Roma
Conference League
9:45 am P/12:45 pm E: Molde vs Shamrock Rovers
12 pm P/3 pm E: Copenhagen vs Heidenheim
On Tuesday, the later slot picks itself so I won’t take any credit for that recommendation. Wednesday and Thursday though have a lot of potential I hope to see realized.
Writing these articles always excites me for the action in store but this week that excitement is reaching a whole new level. Let me know if you feel the same! Thank you for reading.
