There are a number of head to head matchups this weekend including a matchup in Serie A that might feature the USMNT’s two most important players for this summer. There is also some FA Cup action as Brenden Aaronson and Leeds look to extend Chelsea’s misery and in Germany we have American’s battling to avoid relegation. All this and more so let’s get to it:
Saturday
Fulham v Aston Villa – 7:30a on USA Network: Antonee Robinson was used as a substitute last weekend in Fulham’s scoreless draw with Brentford
snapping a four match starting streak. In 12th place, Fulham are pretty solidly middle of the table just five points back of the top six but with such a crowd between them that it seems unlikely they will crack into the tournament positions, Fulham are also fourteen points clear of relegation with five matches to go. They will face fourth place Aston Villa who have an eight point edge over sixth place Brighton for Champions League qualification.
West Bromwich Albion v Ipswich Town – 7:30a on CBSSN: Daryl Dike has scored in two straight for West Brom, it seems unlikely but could he be a Big Pat replacement as a late substitute, big target option on the World Cup roster? Probably not but we can still be happy to see the big man back and scoring after some brutal injury history. West Brom are six points out of the relegation spots with two matches to play so a win or a draw would secure them safety this weekend but they have a tough match against third place Ipswich Town who are just a point back of Millwall for automatic promotion, with two games in hand.
Middlesbrough v Watford – 7:30a on Paramount+: Aiden Morris and Middlesbrough also have a game in hand relative to Millwall, who they trail by four points for automatic promotion. Currently Middlesbrough sit in fifth place with a six point advantage over Wrexham and Hull City so a win or draw would secure them no worse than a promotion playoff spot.
Olympique Lyon v Auxerre – 9a on beIN Sports: Tanner Tessmann came off the bench again last weekend as Lyon defeated PSG 2-1 to move into third place. It was the third time in four matches that Tessmann has been used as a substitute for Lyon who are now in third place which would be good enough to qualify for the Champions League though they are not in the title race.
Wolfsburg v Borussia Monchengladbach – 9:30a on ESPN Select: Joe Scally scored last weekend but Borussia Monchengladbach settled for a 1-1 draw with Mainz Gio Reyna saw 18’ off the bench, just his second appearance in the last three months. Gladbach are five points clear of St. Pauli for the relegation playoff position with four matches to play and seven points ahead of their opponent this weekend, Wolfsburg, who currently need points just to crawl into the playoff position to avoid direct relegation.
Augsburg v Eintracht Frankfurt – 9:30a on ESPN Select: Noahkai Banks has not seen the field in the last three matches or in four of the last five for Augsburg which feels odd given that the team is now solidly middle of the table, not a threat to be relegated but also mathematically eliminated from the tournament qualifying positions.
Koln v Bayer Leverkusen – 9:30a on ESPN Select: Mali Tillman has seen just spot minutes in three straight matches, most recently a 2-1 loss to Augsburg, for a Leverkusen side that are in sixth place, four points back of Stuttgart for Champions League qualification with four matches to play. This weekend Leverkusen will travel to Koln to face Kristoffer Lund and company, who are currently in 12th place.
Liverpool v Crystal Palace – 10a on NBCSN and Peacock: Chris Richards and Crystal Palace will travel to Liverpool on Saturday to face the EPL’s fifth place side who are still looking to clinch a Champions League spot, up five points with five matches to play. Crystal Palace are in 13th place, though points wise they are closer to the tournament qualifying positions than the relegation scrum.
CF Montreal v NYCFC – 2:30p on MLS Season Pass: Matt Freese and NYCFC will face Montreal on Saturday afternoon.
Atletico Madrid v Athletic Club – 3p on ESPN Deportes and ESPN Select: Johnny Cardoso started on Wednesday but Atleti fell to Elche 3-2 in La Liga play but they still hold a seven point lead over Betis for the final Champions League spot. They will host ninth place Athletic Club on Saturday.
Toulouse v Monaco – 3:05p on beIN Sports: Mark McKenzie and Toulouse will look to snap Folarin Balogun’s ridiculous scoring streak this weekend, a streak that has now reached eight league matches. McKenzie was suspended last weekend for Toulouse’s 3-2 loss to Lens while Balogun’s goal came in a 2-2 draw for Monaco.
Saturday’s MLS action:
Columbus Crew v Philadelphia Union – 7:30p on MLS Season Pass: Max Arfsten
Inter Miami v New England Revolution – 7:30p on MLS Season Pass: Matt Turner
Nashville SC v Charlotte FC – 8:30p on MLS Season Pass: Tim Ream
Seattle Sounders v FC Dallas – 10:30p on MLS Season Pass: Cristian Roldan
Vancouver Whitecaps v Colorado Rapids – 10:30p on MLS Season Pass: Sebastian
Sunday
Coventry City v Wrexham – 7a on Paramount+: Haji Wright and Coventry City have clinched both promotion and the English Championship at this point. They will face a Wrexham side that are tied for the final promotion playoff position.
Chelsea v Leeds United – 10a on ESPN 2 and ESPN Select: Brenden Aaronson and Leeds United will face Chelsea and their new manager in the FA Cup semi-finals on Sunday morning. Leeds are coming off a 2-2 draw with Bournemouth while Chelsea’s recent poor form led to the release of Liam Rosenior.
Olympique Marseille v Nice – 2:45p on beIN Sports: Tim Weah and Marseille fell to Lorient 2-0 last weekend dropping to sixth place and dealing a blow to their Champions League aspirations. They will look to bounce back this weekend as they face 15th place Nice.
AC Milan v Juventus – 2:45p on Paramount+: Christian Pulisic and Weston McKennie will face off Sunday afternoon in the USMNT head to head matchup of the weekend. Pulisic and Milan are in third place, coming off a 1-0 win over Hellas Verona while McKennie and Juventus are three points back, having won three straight including last weekend’s 2-0 win over Bologna in which McKennie assisted on the second goal.
