Every Friday, starting this week, I will pick for you the best or most exciting games not to be missed in the world of football each weekend. From derbies to top of the table clashes, relegation six-pointers to world class players facing each other or other interesting tactical battles, there will be something for everyone to enjoy.
This week, we take you to England, Italy, Spain, France and the Netherlands for a final, big derbies, managers under pressure, Salah-gate and maybe even a first win of the season!
Will we see Salah?
Liverpool vs. Brighton & Hove Albion
Premier League, Matchday 16
Kickoff: Saturday, 10 a.m. ET / 3 p.m. GMT
The eyes of the whole world will be on Mohamed Salah. Whether he is on the bench, in the stands or on the pitch, it won't matter. He will go to meet up with the Egypt national team for the Africa Cup of Nations on Sunday, but before that, there is a big game for Liverpool -- one that could potentially be his last-ever game in a Liverpool shirt.
The big question is around how better (or not) are the current Premier League champions without their king? You could argue that the team has functioned better, is more balanced and clearly, the players like it as it is. After their embarrassing 3-3 draw at Leeds in which they let leads of 2-0 and 3-2 slip, the Reds have to bounce back and redeem themselves. They started to do it in the Champions League in Milan against Inter (1-0), and now they have to start building on wins like this one.
Meanwhile, Brighton have endured a weird first half of the season. They are capable of doing great things, like beating Chelsea away (3-1) or Manchester City at home (2-1), but they've also dropped points against Wolves (1-1) and West Ham (1-1). They are winless in their last two, but their ability to play in transition could be a problem for Liverpool's vulnerable defense.
MY PREDICTION: Liverpool 2, Brighton 0. Liverpool are improving as we saw against Inter Milan on Tuesday night. They will use the same tactical system as in Italy and get a comfortable win.
De Klassieker still matters
Ajax vs. Feyenoord
Dutch Eredivisie, Matchday 16
Kickoff: Sunday, 8:30 p.m. ET / 1:30 p.m. GMT
It might not be, on paper, the best De Klassieker ever. Ajax have been in crisis all season long and are fourth in the table, some 14 points behind the leaders, PSV Eindhoven. Feyenoord just lost 4-3 in the Europe league in the dying minutes away at FCSB despite being 3-1 up after 51 minute, and are also six points behind PSV. But don't let form fool you: even when these teams aren't at their best, this remains the fiercest rivalry in Dutch football.
For Fred Grim, the Ajax manager who replaced Johnny Heitinga on the bench six weeks ago, this is a huge chance to make his mark. He lost his first three game in charge and then won his next three, including in the Champions League at Qarabag (4-2) after being twice behind. Oscar Gloukh changed the game after coming on, and big forward Kasper Dolberg also scored. Ajax are still a bit of a mess, but at least they are showing character and fight amid all the turbulence.
For Robin van Persie and his Feyenoord side, it is a great opportunity to pour more misery on their oldest enemies. Their form has been sub-par -- three wins and six defeats in their last nine -- and RVP, who will coach his first De Klassieker, has been criticized at times for playing his 19-year-old son, Shaqueel. They need a win badly, like Ajax, which should make for a great game!
MY PREDICTION: Ajax 2, Feyenoord 3. It will be open, frantic, intense and probably a bit crazy. There will be goals, but Feyenoord are the better team here and should prevail.
All eyes on Xabi Alonso
Alaves vs. Real Madrid
Spanish LaLiga, Matchday 17
Kickoff: Saturday, 3 p.m. ET / 8 p.m. GMT
The only reason this game is interesting -- let's be honest -- is because of the delicate position Real Madrid manager Xabi Alonso finds himself in. His star-studded team has only won two of their last eight games in all competitions, and this is simply not good enough at a club of this stature. The manager is under huge pressure, and anything but a win on Saturday could see him dismissed.
Their midweek loss against Manchester City in the Champions League wasn't a bad one in terms of performance, but it still showed the current limits of this team. There are so many injuries (Trent Alexander-Arnold, Éder Militão, Ferland Mendy, David Alaba), suspensions (Endrick, Fran García, Álvaro Carreras) and fitness doubts (Kylian Mbappé, Eduardo Camavinga, Dean Huijsen), all of which is making Alonso's task more difficult. But then if you are not capable, as Real Madrid manager, to beat Alaves after the bad run you have been on, then you don't deserve to sit on that bench.
Alaves are 11th in the table, have been decent at home this season (four wins, two draws and only two defeats). They also don't play in Europe which should give them an advantage physically. They are a solid team that defends well. They have conceded as many goals as Real Madrid for example this season (15), but they've also only scored 13 in the mean time; expect them to sit deep and try to make life difficult for the Merengues around their captain and holding midfielder Andre Guevara.
MY PREDICTION: Alaves 1, Real Madrid 3. Real Madrid have been inconsistent lately, but they will find the resources to win this game and ease the pressure on manager Xabi Alonso.
Alex Kirkland and the ESPN FC crew discuss who they think could replace Xabi Alonso at Real Madrid.
The return of the Tyne-Wear Derby
Sunderland vs. Newcastle
Premier League, Matchday 16
Kickoff: Sunday, 11:30 a.m. ET / 4:30 p.m. GMT
This is one of the biggest derbies and rivalries in England, and fans of both clubs -- even neutrals -- have been waiting for far too long for a Premier League clash between Sunderland and Newcastle. It's been eight years since they clashed in England's top flight, and not much separates these two cities on and off the pitch.
Regis Le Bris is doing a amazing and obsessive job at Sunderland. He works so hard and has made them so much better. They are ninth in the table, beyond everyone's expectations for this point in the season, and are just three points behind 4th place. They are a great surprise that no one saw coming as one of the newly promoted sides. They are unbeaten at home in the league too.
It will be tough for the visitors, especially after fighting hard in midweek for a 2-2 draw against Bayer Leverkusen. The main problem is that their away form is bad in the Premier league. It has been all season: they've only won one game outside of St James' Park! They are expecting a massive fight and it will be exactly like that so they better prepare themselves for it.
MY PREDICTION: Sunderland 1, Newcastle 0. Newcastle's away form has been poor all season, while Sunderland have made the Stadium of Light a fortress. It will stay this way on Sunday.
Can the Viola finally get a win this season?
Fiorentina vs. Hellas Verona
Serie A, Matchday 15
Kickoff: Sunday, 9 a.m. ET / 2 p.m. GMT
Fiorentina are only the second team in Europe's big five leagues without a league win this season, alongside Wolves in England! After 14 games, they have six draws and eight defeats! They finished sixth last season, but are now bottom of Serie A approaching Christmas. They're faring a bit better in Europe with three wins, including on Thursday against Dynamo Kiev (2-1), and two losses, but it's just not happening for them domestically.
Fiorentina have changed managers (Paolo Vanoli replaced Stefano Pioli on Nov. 7) and still have a good squad with the likes of Moise Kean, Edin Dzeko, Nicolò Fagioli and Albert Gudmundsson, but nothing has gone their way. However, this is their chance. At home, against Verona, the team 19th in the table. Even if the ultras are not happy and the atmosphere will be tense, the win against Kiev was convincing.
Verona actually got their first win of the season last weekend -- unexpectedly, to be fair -- against Atalanta (3-1). They will travel to Florence having had the whole week to prepare for this massive six-pointer, and with the confidence of their first victory of the campaign. Expect them to let Fiorentina have the bulk of possession and play on the counter like they did last weekend with the likes of Giovane, Daniel Mosquera and Antoine Bernede.
MY PREDICTION: Fiorentina 2, Verona 1. Finally, it will happen! Fiorentina will win their first league game of the season and start their quest to stay up! It won't be easy but they will get it done.
Another rivalry game in France
Marseille vs. Monaco
French Ligue 1
Kickoff: Friday, 2:45 p.m. ET / 7.45 p.m. GMT
This is more than a local rivalry and a derby. Marseille against Monaco is the working class against the billionnaires, the docks against the French Riviera, an American owner against a Russian one, in-form Mason Greenwood against Maghnes Akliouche.
It's also a game loaded with history. Back in the 1990s, the Bernard Tapie and Arsène Wenger era was the peak of the rivalry between the two clubs. A dominant Marseille, under their very powerful president, against a Monaco side revolutionised by a young, talented manager who was clearly going places. At the time, they were the two best teams in the country; this time, they are third and seventh respectively, but only six points separate them in the table.
Both of them won in midweek in the Champions League, Marseille at Union Saint-Gilloise (3-2) and Monaco against Galatasaray (1-0). They both need another victory in their last league game of 2025: Roberto De Zerbi and his Marseillais are trying to stay in range of PSG and Lens at the top, while Sebastien Pocognoli and his Monégasques need to bridge the gap to the top four.
When it comes to players, Greenwood has been on fire for Marseille while Folarin Balogun, the U.S. international at Monaco, is in top form too. It will be intense and the pressure will be high because neither can afford to drop more points.
MY PREDICTION: Marseille 2, Monaco 2. Monaco are too inconsistent at the moment, and have been since Pocognoli took over from Adi Hutter in mid-October. Marseille have been wobbly at home lately, drawing against Angers and Toulouse. It will be a draw again.