Five Must-See Football Matches This Weekend

The festive season is slowly winding down and the NFL jerseys football action is returning with Spain’s La Liga and England’s FA Cup the highlights this weekend.

Sports Pundit’s Game of the Weekend
Manchester United v Leeds United
English FA Cup
Sunday, 2pm (Central European Time)

It has been almost five years since these two English rivals faced off, making Sunday’s tie one of the most eagerly anticipated third-round FA Cup contests in a long time. Leeds, who are flying in League One these days, travel to Old Trafford to face old rivals Manchester United.

Of course, the English champions go into the contest as hot favourites but Leeds are having a season to remember in England’s third tier and will provide a problem or two. After all, they were only narrowly defeated by Liverpool in the Carling Cup earlier this campaign after a good performance.

Red Devils boss Sir Alex Ferguson may rest a few big names but the Leeds players will be pumped for the occasion, especially with 9,000 fans making the journey over the Pennines. You still fancy Manchester United, but it should make for good viewing.

Sunderland v Barrow
English FA Cup
Saturday, 4pm (CET)

On paper this match-up is hardly evenly balanced, but such is the romance of the FA Cup, you just never know. These are the games which make the FA Cup the wonderful tournament it is.

And Barrow, who currently sit 16th in England’s fifth tier, did memorably reach the third round last season, where they were narrowly defeated by another big North-East club, Middlesbrough 2-1. Black Cats boss Steve Bruce intends to use his first-team stars and their home form in the Premier League is excellent but, again, you just never know.

FC Barcelona v Villarreal
Spanish La Liga
Saturday, 8pm (CET)

It will be quite the occasion for Barcelona in their first game of 2010, as they will show off their six trophy haul in front of the Nou Camp faithful. Last month’s Club World Cup crown is the latest addition to their cabinet. But Villarreal might be just the kind of side to crash the party.

Ernesto Valverde’s Villarreal took their time to get going this season, but recent results suggests they can challenge for a European berth as they currently sit ninth. Valverde ominously said, “We have got good results there (at the Nou Camp) in each of the last two seasons and that shows we are a team who can make things difficult for the big clubs.'' Then again, this is Barcelona we’re talking about.

Atletico Madrid v FC Sevilla
Spanish La Liga



The Spanish top flight gets underway again after the Christmas hiatus and struggling Atletico host high-flying Sevilla at the Vicente Calderon this Saturday. Fifteenth-placed Atletico need points to push away from the drop zone, while third-placed Sevilla want to stay in touch with the leaders.

Atletico boss Quique Sanchez Flores wants his side (who are only 2 points out of the drop zone) to turn things around in the new year, saying, "We would like things to change in 2010. We have to give everything in order to gain three points on Saturday”. But Sevilla aren’t the ideal opponents for such an immediate turn-around.

Celtic v Rangers
Scottish Premier League
Sunday, 1.30pm (CET)

The latest Old Firm match comes this Sunday, with Rangers leading the SPL by some seven points from their Glasgow rivals Celtic. While Celtic have a game in hand, it is a margin which will concern them at this stage of the season.

Rangers striker Kris Boyd, fresh from breaking Henrik Larsson’s SPL goalscoring record with five against Dundee United midweek, will be a big danger but he won’t be partnered by Kenny Miller who is suspended. For Celtic, Gary Caldwell is back from suspension and it could be a big boost.