It’s a mouthwatering weekend on the continent this weekend, with no less than three major leagues hosting top of the table clashes. This week’s Six Picks could have easily been twelve, with great games in both England and around the world. But we’ve got some tasty title bouts, a relegation six pointer, and our choice for the MLS playoffs.
Cardiff City v Norwich City
Npower Championship, 3pm, Saturday 30th October
Easily the most interesting game in the Championship this weekend, Saturday’s game in the Welsh capital will be a stern test for both these promotion-chasing sides. Cardiff are unbeaten on their own patch and haven’t lost since mid-September, and for all their ongoing financial difficulty, have assembled a side capable of taking apart any side in the division on their day.
In Norfolk, meanwhile, Paul Lambert continues to enhance his reputation as one of the best managers outside the top flight. Many Canaries fans would have settled for a tilt at the playoffs but automatic promotion isn’t beyond them. Wes Hoolahan will provide the creativity in a Norwich team that can be both exhilarating and pragmatic. Cardiff are have little respect for reputation or form - just ask Leeds - and Norwich will have to be at their best to keep a clean sheet.
Randers FC v Aalborg BK
Danish SAS-Ligaen, 4pm, Saturday 30th October
The Danish Superliga is just over a third complete and former glory boys AaB are in real trouble. Aalborg were in the Champions League group stages two seasons ago but are in real trouble in 2010 and sit bottom of the league. With long term injuries to American strikers Chris Rolfe and Marcus Tracy, AaB lack firepower up front and have yet to record back-to-back wins this season.
But Randers, who occupy the second relegation spot, will be very aware that two of AaB’s three victories have come away from one, one of them against The Horses. Last season Ove Christensen worked miracles to preserve Randers’ top-flight status and this season was always going to be another relegation dogfight. If ever there was a proverbial Danish six-pointer, this is it.
PSV Eindhoven v FC Twente
Dutch Eredivisie, 7.45pm, Saturday 30th October
These are seriously good times to be a PSV fan. Eindhoven are unbeaten in the Eredivisie all season and last weekend saw off one of their fiercest rivals 10-0, and marched on with a routine win against struggling Vitesse midweek.
All this has the Red White Army dreaming of reclaiming the title they last won two years ago, but Fred Rutten’s team face their biggest test of the season so far against the also-unbeaten FC Twente.
Former Liege and Benfica goalkeeper Michel Preud’homme has taken over from Steve McClaren at Enschede and has carried on where his predecessor has left off. Twente are genuine title contenders and as Ajax can testify last season, scoring a shedload of goals every game doesn’t guarantee top spot.
Marseille v Stade Rennes FC
French Ligue 1, 8pm, Saturday 30th October
Rennes last trophy of any note came in 1971 but after ten games Frederic Antonetti’s men sit at the top of an even topsy-turvy Ligue 1 than usual, but for one exception: Marseille. The current champions may have got off to a slow start but they’re now unbeaten since August 21st, and showed great character to come from behind to win 3-1 at Lille last weekend.
Rennes, on the other hand, have just experienced their first loss of the campaign after they slipped up at home to Montpellier, and this top of the table clash will be a huge test of the Breton side’s character. The French top flight is looking as tight and dramatic as ever and with third and fourth place St Etienne and Brest also battling it out, it could be all change at the top come Sunday morning.
Real Salt Lake v FC Dallas
MLS Playoffs, 9pm, Saturday 30th October
In a sense, it’s a shame these two must meet so early in the post-season. RSL and FCD are two of Major League Soccer’s most entertaining sides and both have had remarkable seasons. This is the first leg of two, over which the two creative powers of these sides - Javier Morales and David Ferreira respectively - will go head to head. Jason Kreis’ Salt Lake have recent experience of the playoffs, having won the lot last year. But despite Real’s obvious quality, you might not be able to fit a fag paper between these two on Saturday. (Chris Nee)
Mainz 05 v Borussia Dortmund
German Bundesliga, 2.30pm, Sunday 31st October
We make no apologies for featuring Mainz twice in as many weeks in this column, not when you have a fixture as mouthwatering as this top-of-the-table clash. Few would have predicted that this weekend would have seen 1st play second and 3rd host 4th in the Bundesliga, but then this has been a quite extraordinary season in Germany.
After Mainz’s first loss of the season all eyes were on Die Nullfünfer to see if they would crumble but they edged a tough game against Bayer Leverkusen thanks to Andreas Ivanschitz, while Dortmund could only manage a draw at home to Hoffenheim. But BVB have yet to drop any points on the road this season and a win at the Stadion am Bruchweg will see them regain top spot in the league.
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Tags: AaB, Aalborg, Borussia Dortmund, Cardiff City, FC Dallas, FC Twente, Mainz, Marseille, Norwich City, PSV Eindhoven, Randers FC, Real Salt Lake, Stade Rennes