Weekend Watch: Clash of the Titans

By: chris | December 14th, 2007

Your weekly dose of must watch games, and it’s all about the big fellas this week. Some of the biggest names in world football are going head to head and it should be a good weekend to do your Christmas shopping from home and stay glued to the tube. Theme of the week: Pay attention, don’t look ahead to next week.

Saturday

Werder Bremen v Bayer Leverkusen:

I bet Werder fans won’t go as far as to say being bounced from the Champions League is a blessing, but it may help their run at a domestic title now that they can focus solely on the Bundesliga (UEFA Cup aside). But with Bayern slipping and Olli Kahn blaming all the foreigners (but who’s to blame for his terrible fashion sense? foreigners as well? doesn’t he realize that bag doesn’t go with that shirt?), which has almost definitely created a wonderfully cohesive atmosphere in the locker, they’re primed for a run. Bayer are no slouches (in 4th), so this one could shake up the top of the table.

Valencia v Barcelona

For all the “failings” of Valencia this year, they’re still within 3 points of a Champions League spot, and would give the fans a reason to renew their faith if they could put whoopin’ on the boys from Barca. Especially if the Blaugranes get caught looking ahead to next week when they host those Real Madrid fellas…

Rangers v Hearts

It will be a small consolation, but Rangers can begin to forget (or at least try) about the debacle that was Wednesday’s loss to Lyon by grabbing 3 points and climbing closer to the top of the Scottish Premier League with two games in hand on arch enemies Celtic who are in first. And let’s hope for his sake Jean-Claude Darcheville bags a goal or two.

Sunday

Milan v Boca Juniors

The two deserving teams in the final of the Club World Cup being played in Japan, and if you had anybody else, you probably don’t watch much football. The battle of Europe’s best v South America’s champions will come down to who wants it more - as they’ve been playing a lot lately. In a mild upset, I’m going to throw a tenner on the boys from Argentina, just because I’m not sure if Milan brought enough Geritol and adult diapers to keep their senior citizens primed for a tournament with two games in 3 days after traveling halfway across the world.

Ajax v PSV

This game is half watching what should be a phenomenal game the top two Eredevisie squads, Ajax in 1st by a point, and half watching to see if it actually happens. The popo have said they’ll be protesting outside the stadium, also in Rotterdam, and the game may be canceled as a result. Bastards are ruining all the Eredivisie fun. Let’s hope the game goes as planned so that Klaas Jan Huntelaar and Danny Koevermans can score like six goals apiece.

* - Postponed.

Liverpool v ManUtd

What a weekend in the Prem. The Big 4 all get to bash skulls for 90 minutes and either open up the race a little bit or create more of a clusterfuck than already present. The club clearly at a disadvantage is Liverpool, who are coming off a 3-1 thrashing to Reading, their first loss of the season, and had to fight for their European lives during the week (they did well, thanks), while the remaining 3 were able to rest up a bit as they’d booked early tickets into the knockouts. Still, it’s a derby, and you can throw it all out the window. It’s going to be a barn burner.

Arsenal v Chelsea

Battle for London Supremacy. Arsenal is also coming off their first domestic goose egg, while Chelsea is undefeated in the last 14 games under Avram Grant. Two very different teams, one game with a lot of of exciting football. More of that don’t get caught looking ahead stuff. Chelsea has Liverpool in the Carling Cup on Wednesday and Arsenal has that other London team next week (well, one of a few) - Spurs or something. Big games are just falling from the sky. Merry Christmas.

You know the drill, any others to look out for down below.