Another edition of the Weekend Soccer Preview! The only big leagues playing now are England, Scotland, and Spain, as most leagues are still on their winter break. This is the third round of the FA Cup, and the first round for all of the English league giants.
As always, home team listed first, all times Eastern.
Game of the Week (Rankings from Poll)
8:00 ET Sunday (English FA Cup)
(T4) Manchester United v Leeds United
This is the game of the week more for the intense historical rivalry between the two clubs than the match-up of the two teams skill-wise. Leeds United is a historically great club, having won the First Division three times and finishing in the top three a total of ten times. They have won the FA Cup once and reached the semifinals eight times, and have reached the semifinals of the European Cup/Champions League twice, most recently in 2001. In 1975 they reached the finals of the competition and lost 2-0 to Bayern Munich in France. However, their fortunes changed in 2001, when they took out large loans and planned to pay them off with Champions League success. However, they narrowly failed to qualify for the Champions League, which eventually resulted in a financial implosion and the plummet of the club down to League One, the third tier of English football. Currently, Leeds United sit at the top of League One with a massive 8 point lead over Charlton Athletic, and Leeds has even played one less match. The rivalry between the two clubs originates from the hostility between the counties of Lancashire and Yorkshire that resulted from the War of the Roses in the 15th century. Obviously the rivalry has subsided in recent years due to the scarcity of meetings, as the last meeting was February 2004 in Premier League action. Still, this promises to be a fun match as United will be playing more of a youthful lineup and Leeds is a very strong lower division club.
Top of the Table Clashes
7:30 ET Sunday (Scottish Premier League)
Celtic v Rangers
This is the “Old Firm” rivalry, and it is one of the greatest rivalries in all of sports. It goes far beyond just football, encompassing religion and politics, making for some often violent meetings between the two sides of supporters. Traditionally Rangers supporters are Protestant while Celtic supporters are Irish Catholic. Until Rangers signed former Celtic player Mo Johnston in 1989, it is believed that Rangers had an “unwritten policy” of not signing any player who was Catholic. Recently, however, both clubs have done a great job of distancing themselves form this sectarianism and have made great strides in stamping out all religious and political aspects of the rivalry. Still, as these are unquestionably the two biggest clubs in all of Scotland, the rivalry is as fierce as ever. Rangers currently sit 7 points ahead of second place Celtic but have also played one extra game. A win for Celtic here could essentially bring them within 1 point of Rangers in the league.
English FA Cup (Round 3)
Only matches involving Premier League teams will be listed.
10:00 ET Saturday
(T12) Aston Villa v Blackburn Rovers
Bolton Wanderers v Lincoln City
Everton v Carlisle United
Fulham v Swindon Town
Middlesbrough v (17) Manchester City
Milton Keyes Dons v Burnley
Nottingham Forest v Birmingham
Portsmouth v Coventry City
Stoke City v York City
Sunderland v Barrow
(11) Tottenham v Peterborough
Wigan Athletic v Hull City
12:15 ET Saturday
Reading v Liverpool
8:00 ET Sunday
(T4) Manchester United v Leeds United
10:00 ET Sunday
(3) Chelsea v Watford
11:15 ET Sunday
West Ham United v (T4) Arsenal
13:15 ET Sunday
Tranmere Rovers v Wolverhampton Wanderers
Scottish Premier League
7:30 ET Sunday
Celtic v Rangers
Spain’s La Liga
12:00 ET Saturday
(16) Valencia v Espanyol
14:00 ET Saturday
(1) Barcelona v Villarreal
16:00 ET Saturday
Atletico Madrid v (9) Sevilla
11:00 ET Sunday
Real Zaragoza v Deportivo La Coruna
15:00 ET Sunday
Osasuna v (2) Real Madrid
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