It is a new year and the leagues continue to give us the show, as we anticipate the matches this weekend lets dive into the previews of the matches.
Ligue 1
Saint-Étienne vs Reims
Eirik Horneland begins his Saint-Étienne tenure against Reims, aiming to lift Les Verts from the relegation zone. Both teams struggle in attack, but Reims’ recent away form offers hope. Key battles include Lucas Stassin’s creativity for the hosts and Yehvann Diouf’s quest for another clean sheet.
Nice vs Rennes
Sixth-placed Nice welcomes a resurging Rennes, as both teams look for post-break momentum. Unbeaten at home, Nice boasts an exciting attack that is led by Badredine Bouanani, while Lorenz Assignon could deliver some late heroics for Rennes. Their Achilles heel has been their poor away form.
Lille vs Nantes
Unbeaten in 17 matches, Lille welcome the struggling Nantes, who hover above the relegation zone. Bruno Génésio’s side is looking to extend their unbeaten streak and dominate an H2H they have long managed. Central figures in this clash will be Benjamin André and Nicolas Pallois.
Lyon vs Montpellier
Lyon aim to rebound from a PSG loss as they host bottom-placed Montpellier, who face an uphill relegation battle. Alexandre Lacazette, Lyon’s talisman, eyes more goals, while Montpellier’s defensive woes and poor starts threaten their survival hopes.
Angers vs Brest
Angers seek home improvement to escape the drop zone, but in-form Brest pose a challenge. Ludovic Ajorque’s contributions will be vital for Brest, while Esteban Lepaul’s return might spark Angers’ attack. Goals seem likely in this open encounter.
Lens vs Toulouse
Lens, unbeaten in six H2Hs against Toulouse, look to further strengthen their European ambitions. Brice Samba guards the post for them, while Shavy Babicka spearheads the attack for Toulouse. Both teams come into this exciting encounter with great league form.
Strasbourg vs Auxerre
Strasbourg, seeking a fourth straight clean sheet, host Auxerre, who are pretty poor on the road. Djordje Petrovic seeks another clean sheet, while Gaëtan Perrin will look to spark Auxerre’s attack after a disappointing December.
Marseille vs Le Havre
Second-placed Marseille host relegation-threatened Le Havre, looking to sort out their home woes. Luis Henrique’s creativity gives Marseille a lift, whereas Le Havre’s worst-attacking team in the league faces intense pressure. An extended winless H2H streak hangs over the visitors.
English Premier League
Tottenham vs Newcastle
Tottenham’s injury list continues to grow ahead of the visit of a confident Newcastle team off the back of wins in their last two games, including the historic one at Old Trafford. Spurs will look to their home form to get them out of this rut, but Newcastle have a good record in recent meetings.
Aston Villa vs Leicester
Aston Villa attempt to bounce back from the doldrums and claw a European place. Leicester just will not be losing to stay away from getting further pounded, courtesy of Ruud van Nistelrooy. For Leicester searching for the first win in five matches will also test a poor Villa defensive issue.
Bournemouth vs Everton
The unbeaten run of Bournemouth continues impressively as they welcome an Everton side that is struggling to win, especially away from home. The Cherries will be looking to capitalize on their strong home form, while Everton will have to find some offensive solutions if they are to avoid sliding further down the table.
Crystal Palace vs Chelsea
Crystal Palace’s recent improvement will be tested against Chelsea, who are looking to bounce back from recent defeats. The Eagles have struggled in recent years against the Blues but will hope to exploit Chelsea’s recent away form and continue their solid run in 2025.
Manchester City vs West Ham
Manchester City, who have a really good home record, play against a West Ham side who really haven’t enjoyed coming here recently. Defensive errors have often seen West Ham get beaten, something the potent City attack will look to expose, with Erling Haaland building on his recent goal-scoring return.
Southampton vs Brentford
The match pitting Southampton against Brentford is indeed a relegation dogfight as the Saints have been poor at home, though the struggles of Brentford on the road leave them in desperate need of the win, making this tie crucial for either’s survival in the league.
Brighton vs Arsenal
Brighton welcome Arsenal in one of the highly billed fixtures as the Seagulls seek to break their winless streak while Arsenal, fresh from their comeback win against Brentford, will be determined to keep their title aspirations alive in what is expected to be an energy-sapping encounter at the Amex.
Fulham vs Ipswich (17:30)
The visit of struggling Premiership outfit Ipswich presents Fulham with an opportunity to extend their unbeaten run. While Fulham’s home form has been decent, Ipswich will be looking to maintain their recent streak of form as they look to climb out of the relegation zone.
Liverpool vs Manchester United
Liverpool, top of the Premier League, host a struggling Manchester United side. United have not won at Anfield in over a decade, and with their recent poor form, Liverpool will be favorites to extend their unbeaten run. Mohamed Salah will be key for the Reds.
Serie A
Venezia vs Empoli (18:00)
Venezia are desperate to get back on track after ending 2024 with a 1-0 loss to Napoli, leaving them just inside the relegation zone. A fixture against Empoli presents a good chance for the Winged Lions to kickstart 2025, as they have never lost to Empoli in their last four Serie A meetings (W2, D2). Home form has been key for Venezia this term, with 10 of their 13 points coming at Stadio Pierluigi Penzo, while Empoli are struggling to find their feet after losing three of their last four league games, and their attack must improve despite a decent defensive record. The likes of Joel Pohjanpalo may be pivotal for the hosts, while Sebastiano Esposito’s away form is important for Empoli.
Fiorentina vs Napoli (20:45)
Fiorentina are on a four-match winless run (D2, L2) and will be hoping to stop their slide when they host Napoli. The Tuscan side have found it difficult to win against Napoli in recent years, and their last victory against the Partenopei at home came in 2018. Coming into this tie in fine form, Napoli have won their last three matches, and with a solid defense that has let in just 12 goals this season, they will look to extend their winning streak. Manager Antonio Conte at Napoli also has an excellent record against Fiorentina, while the opportunity to go top of the table will surely see them try for all three points. Riccardo Sottil’s impressive home form for Fiorentina, and Giacomo Raspadori potentially making his first start since August for Napoli, would be pivotal moments.
Verona vs Udinese (20:45)
Verona will be looking to continue their recent good run of two wins in their last three matches, which have taken them out of the relegation zone. However, their home form has been poor, with three consecutive losses at Stadio Marcantonio Bentegodi. They’ll face a tough test against Udinese, who have been solid on the road, winning their last two away games against Fiorentina and Monza. Casper Tengstedt has been the goal-scoring threat for Verona, but Lorenzo Lucca will be key for visitors Udinese. Even though the visitors haven’t been great at the back, recent form might indicate that they could be the favorites in this one.
Monza vs Cagliari (15:00)
Monza continues to fight against relegation and are rooted at the bottom of the table with only one victory all season. They will be looking to get better results at home, as they have struggled to score more than once in recent matches. Cagliari, though, have been in poor form, losing four straight games, and the pressure will be on them to perform. The Islanders’ away record has been weak, but Monza’s struggles may offer Cagliari an opportunity to finally get a result. The likes of Daniel Maldini and Leonardo Pavoletti will be crucial in this six-pointer, with both teams desperate for points.
Lecce vs Genoa (18:00)
Lecce have struggled since the appointment of new manager Marco Giampaolo, with three losses in the last four matches. While their defense has been their problem all season, playing at Stadio Via del Mare could help, as they’ve been tough to beat there this season. Genoa have been in good form under manager Patrick Vieira, including a recent win against Empoli. Their good away form, not having lost any of their last four, will give them confidence going into this one. Nikola Krstović for Lecce and Milan Badelj for Genoa may prove to be the difference as both sides seek to move themselves further away from the relegation dogfight.
Torino vs Parma (20:45)
Torino’s poor run of form spilled into 2025 with a 2-2 draw against Udinese, leaving them fighting in mid-table. Home form has been particularly worrisome for the team, as they have not won in four matches on their home turf, a factor that is likely to keep them mired in the relegation zone. They face Parma, who also struggled but pulled off a 2-1 victory over Monza in their last outing. Torino’s Ché Adams, who has scored all six of his goals after halftime, will be crucial, while Parma will look to tighten up their defense after conceding 34 goals this season. Torino’s Paolo Vanoli will need to find a winning formula to avoid further pressure.
AS Roma vs Lazio (20:45)
The Derby della Capitale is always intense, but this season, there’s even more at stake with Roma a full 15 points behind Lazio in the table. Roma have been strong at home, winning their last two Serie A matches at the Olimpico, and they’ll be hoping to continue that momentum. Lazio, however, are flying high and will be keen to keep their Scudetto hopes alive. With an away good record, combined with Roma’s manager, Claudio Ranieri, who has a decent record against Lazio, this match will indeed be a real spectacle. The highlighted players to watch in this heated derby are Artem Dovbyk of Roma and Taty Castellanos of Lazio.
