By JUSTIN FERGUSON
A monumental clash in La Liga headlines this Soccer Saturday of action as first-place Barcelona visit second-place Atletico Madrid at the Estadio Vicente Calderon.
Atletico have posted nine wins in nine home matches this season, and they trail defending champions Barcelona on goal differential alone heading into Saturday’s clash in Madrid. The match promises to be a battle of two of the top offenses on the planet as La Liga Golden Boot leader Diego Costa squares off against the high-scoring Barcelona attack, which is expected to have both Lionel Messi and Neymar back in the lineup Saturday.
Before the highly anticipated matchup in Spain, soccer fans will get a full slate of English Premier League matches. After Chelsea’s trip to Hull City kicks things off from England, Sunderland will battle Fulham in an important match in the race to escape relegation — a matchup that could feature USMNT teammates Jozy Altidore and Clint Dempsey. The EPL action will wrap up at Old Trafford, where a banged-up Manchester United squad and manager David Moyes will try to end their three-match losing streak against Swansea City, a side that knocked the Red Devils out of the FA Cup exactly one week ago.
Later on in Mexico, Mexican powers Cruz Azul and Santos Laguna will face off in the second weekend of the Liga MX Clausura season. Due to fan violence, the two sides will play in front of an empty stadium tonight at the Estadio Azul. Another Mexican match to keep an eye on will be defending champions Club Leon’s home meeting with Atlas.
Enjoy the action. (Today’s TV schedule is after the jump):
7:45am – Hull City vs. Chelsea – NBC Sports Network
10am – Tottenham vs. Crystal Palace – NBC Sports Network
10am – Athletic Bilbao vs. Almeria – beIN Sport en Español
10am – Fulham vs. Sunderland – Premier League Extra Time
10am – Everton vs. Norwich City – Premier League Extra Time
10am – Cardiff City vs. West Ham United – Premier League Extra Time
10am – Southampton vs. West Bromwich Albion – Premier League Extra Time
11am – AC Ajaccio vs. Paris Saint-Germain – beIN Sport USA
12pm – Celta de Vigo vs. Valencia – beIN Sport en Español
12:30pm – Manchester United vs. Swansea City – NBC
2pm – Atletico Madrid vs. Barcelona – beIN Sport USA
2pm – Bordeaux vs. Toulouse – Univision Deportes
4pm – Elche vs. Sevilla – beIN Sport en Español
6pm – Cruz Azul vs. Santos Laguna – Univision
6pm – Veracruz vs. Atlante – Univision Deportes
8pm – Tigres UANL vs. Pachuca – Univision Deportes
8pm – River Plate vs. Estudiantes – Fox Deportes
9pm – Club Léon vs. Atlas – Telemundo