The return of Serie A action in Italy this week puts the spotlight back on Napoli, which might have been the best team in the world heading into the World Cup break.
Napoli has an eight-point lead over the field in the Scudetto race and looks primed to shore up its first title since 1990, but returns to domestic action against ever-formidable Inter Milan on Wednesday. Inter’s re-start agenda has them looking to be the first team to defeat Napoli this season and pop back into Italy’s Champions League picture.
We also have a busy slate of Premier League action this week, and Tuesday’s Arsenal – Newcastle contest should be a telling one. You would have been bold to predict Arsenal to be leading the league in Week 17, and a clairvoyant if you had Newcastle in third. Both look to extend their historic seasons and should see this as a must-win.
Chelsea hosts Manchester City on Thursday in another critical matchup. Manchester City’s weekend tie with Everton gifted Arsenal a seven-point cushion that is looking more and more maintainable with each passing week. Chelsea is obviously good enough to challenge Manchester City on any day, making it a true trap game.
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Here is a look at This Week’s Top 5 Matches to Watch, as well as a full rundown of This Week’s Soccer on TV and Online:
This Week’s Top 5 Matches to Watch
1. Inter Milan vs Napoli – Can Napoli continue to run the table after a 53-day break from league competition?
2. Arsenal vs Newcastle – Newcastle can prove its sustainability and shake up the title race with an upset.
3. Chelsea vs Manchester City – Is it too early to say Manchester City is in desperation mode? They certainly will be if they can’t find a win here.
4. Crystal Palace vs Tottenham Hotspur – Tottenham is winless in both games since the restart and takes on a Crystal Palace side that’s always liable to pull off an upset.
5. Manchester United vs AFC Bournemouth – Manchester United has quietly put together a three-game winning streak in all competitions since the Cristiano Ronaldo saga ended. If the chips fall at the top of the table, they’re in line to be a competitor in the sprint to the end of the season.
This Week’s Soccer on TV and Online
Monday
English Premier League
12:30 p.m. – USA, fuboTV, UNIVERSO – Brentford vs Liverpool
French Ligue 1
9 a.m. – beIN SPORTS, fuboTV – Strasbourg vs Troyes
11 a.m. – beIN SPORTS, fuboTV – Lille vs Reims
1 p.m. – beIN SPORTS, fuboTV – Montpellier vs Olympique Marseille
3 p.m. – beIN SPORTS, fuboTV – Rennes vs Nice
English Championship
10 a.m. – ESPN+ – Norwich City vs Watford
3 p.m. – ESPN+ – Queens Park Rangers vs Sheffield United
Tuesday
English Premier League
2:45 p.m. – USA, fuboTV, UNIVERSO – Arsenal vs Newcastle United
2:45 p.m. – Peacock – Everton vs Brighton & Hove Albion
2:45 p.m. – Peacock – Leicester City vs Fulham
3 p.m. – Peacock – Manchester United vs AFC Bournemouth
Spanish Copa del Rey
1 p.m. – ESPN+ – La Nucía vs Valencia
1 p.m. – ESPN+ – Cartagena vs Villarreal
1 p.m. – ESPN+ – Espanyol vs Celta de Vigo
3 p.m. – ESPN+ – Cacereño vs Real Madrid
3 p.m. – ESPN+ – Ceuta vs Elche
3 p.m. – ESPN+ – Levante vs Getafe
3 p.m. – ESPN+ – Sporting Gijón vs Rayo Vallecano
Turkish Super Lig
12 p.m. – beIN SPORTS, fuboTV – Antalyaspor vs Fenerbahçe
Major Arena Soccer League
9 p.m. – Twitch – Empire vs Florida Tropics SC
Wednesday
English Premier League
2:30 p.m. – Peacock – Southampton vs Nottingham Forest
2:45 p.m. – Peacock – Leeds United vs West Ham United
3 p.m. – Peacock – Aston Villa vs Wolverhampton Wanderers
3 p.m. – USA, fuboTV, UNIVERSO – Crystal Palace vs Tottenham Hotspur
Italian Serie A
6:30 a.m. – Paramount+ – Salernitana vs Milan
6:30 a.m. – Paramount+ – Sassuolo vs Sampdoria
8:30 a.m. – Paramount+ – Spezia vs Atalanta
8:30 a.m. – Paramount+ – Torino vs Hellas Verona
10:30 a.m. – CBS Sports Network, Paramount+, fuboTV – Roma vs Bologna
10:30 a.m. – Paramount+ – Lecce vs Lazio
12:30 p.m. – CBS Sports Network, Paramount+, fuboTV – Cremonese vs Juventus
12:30 p.m. – Paramount+ – Fiorentina vs Monza
2:45 p.m. – Paramount+ – Inter Milan vs Napoli
2:45 p.m. – Paramount+ – Udinese vs Empoli
Spanish Copa del Rey
1 p.m. – ESPN+ – UD Logroñés vs Real Sociedad
1 p.m. – ESPN+ – Pontevedra vs Mallorca
1 p.m. – ESPN+ – Linares Deportivo vs Sevilla
2 p.m. – ESPN+ – Real Oviedo vs Atlético Madrid
3 p.m. – ESPN+ – Intercity vs Barcelona
3 p.m. – ESPN+ – Deportivo Alavés vs Real Valladolid
Turkish Super Lig
12 p.m. – beIN SPORTS, fuboTV – Galatasaray vs Ankaragücü
Thursday
English Premier League
3 p.m. – Peacock – Chelsea vs Manchester City
Portuguese Primeira Liga
3:15 p.m. – fuboTV – Santa Clara vs Sporting Braga
Spanish Copa del Rey
10 a.m. – ESPN+ – Ibiza Islas Pitiusas vs Real Betis
10 a.m. – ESPN+ – Gimnàstic Tarragona vs Osasuna
3 p.m. – ESPN+ – Eldense vs Athletic Club
Turkish Super Lig
12 p.m. – beIN SPORTS, fuboTV – Trabzonspor vs Giresunspor
12 p.m. – fuboTV – Adana Demirspor vs İstanbulspor