I’m off enjoying some spring break sunshine with the family, so we’re going to see just how fast we can rip through this weekend’s matches. Likelihood that something will be missed: High. Likelihood that it will ruin my day at the beach: Low.
Friday
PSG v Toulouse – 2:45p on beIN Sports: Mark McKenzie and Toulouse will host league leading PSG on Friday afternoon in a quick turnaround from the international break. Toulouse had won their last two matches before the break. Likelihood that McKenzie and Toulouse will give
up more goals than the USMNT facing Belgium: Moderate.
Saturday
Borussia Mönchengladbach v Heidenheim – 9:30a on ESPN Select: Joe Scally and Gio Reyna return to Gladbach on Saturday continue their push up the table and out of the relegation zone. Likelihood that Reyna will start: Inconceivable.
Hoffenheim v Mainz – 9:30a on ESPN Select: Cole Campbell saw 20’ for Hoffenheim in the teams last match before the international break, a 5-0 loss to RB Leipzig. Likelihood that Campbell can get a foot in the door at Hoffenheim before the Summer break: Moderate.
Bayer Leverkusen v Wolfsburg – 9:30a on ESPN Select: Malik Tillman was one of a handful of players to start both matches for the USMNT over the international break. He returns to Leverkusen where he scored a goal in the team’s 3-3 draw prior to the break. Leverkusen are four points back of the top four and Champions League qualification. Likelihood that Kevin Paredes career hasn’t already been derailed by injury: worse than Leverkusen’s Champions League odds.
Hamburg v Augsburg – 9:30a on ESPN Select: Damion Downs and Noahkai Banks will face off in a battle of US eligible’s who seem highly unlikely to take the field this summer for the US. Likelihood that Banks accepts a callup for the US this Summer: better than his odds of being selected for Germany (that’s a positive right?)
PSV v Utrecht – 10:30a on ESPN Select: Ricardo Pepi and PSV are on a sudden slide in Eredivisie play having lost their past two matches thought they still hold a 15 point lead for the league title with just six matches to play. Likelihood that PSV choke up this league lead: slimmer than Pepi’s frame.
Atletico Madrid v Barcelona – 3p on ESPN Deportes and ESPN Select: Johnny Cardoso left the US camp early due to picking up an injury that is believed to be relatively minor. His team are in fourth place and face league leading Barcelona on Saturday afternoon. Atleti are sixteen points back of the league leaders and seven ahead of fifth place Real Betis, in strong position to qualify for Champions League. Likelihood that Atleti will finish in fourth place or better: Better than the likelihood of a wayward Johnny pass while wearing the stars and stripes.
Sunday
Angers v Olympique Lyon – 9a on beIN Sports: Tanner Tessmann saw just five minutes off the bench in Lyon’s 2-1 loss to Monaco heading into the international break. The team are winless in their past five which coincides with a rough stretch for Tessmann as well. Lyon are currently tied for fourth place with Lille, two points back of third place Marseille in the final Champions League qualification spot. Likelihood that Tessmann re-establishes his form yet this Spring: Moderate – better than Clemson’s chances of finding their form
West Ham United v Leeds United – 11:30a on ESPN 2: Brenden Aaronson and Leeds United will face West Ham in the FA Cup quarterfinals on Sunday morning. Aaronson did not appear in the teams 3-0 win over Norwich in the prior round of the tournament but he has appeared in all but one league match this season. The team are just four points removed from the relegation spots so it is possible that they will prioritize finding league wins over the FA Cup, they have just one win in their past nine league matches. Their opponent this weekend is West Ham who currently sit in the final relegation spot so will have some prioritization decisions to make as well. Likelihood that Aaronson will score a match winner: pressing your luck.
Monaco v Olympique Marseille – 2:45p on beIN Sports: Folarin Balogun and Tim Weah will face off in Ligue 1 action on Sunday. Balogun has scored in five straight and Monaco have won six straight but the team is still in sixth place, three points back of Weah and Marseille who are in third which is the final Champions League spot for the French league. Likelihood that Monaco can pull level with Marseille on Sunday: equal to Balogun’s odds of scoring yet again, which seems pretty positive.
Bonus: Monday is a big day in Serie A with Atalanta, Juventus, and AC Milan all playing just after the weekend.
