Welcome to The Match Sheet; each week we pick a series of the biggest games of that matchday and explain exactly why they’re so important.
There’s plenty to play for with European qualification on the line, promotions to be won and relegations to fight.
AS Monaco vs. Strasbourg (Ligue 1)
The early-evening Ligue 1 clash on Saturday sees second take on sixth in the fight for UEFA Champions League qualification.
Monaco beat then-second Marseille in a big south-coast game last weekend, 3-0, it was a landmark victory that saw them leapfrog their opponents.
But France’s top six is incredibly tight. Ignoring runaway leaders, Paris St. Germain and their 21-point gap, there are only three points separating the second to sixth positions.
Monaco welcome Strasbourg to the Stade Louis II for another key game. The away side are one of the form sides in France, their current nine-match unbeaten run features seven victories and six clean sheets.
Powered by the extraordinary, Andrey Santos – who averages a 7.78 FotMob Rating – Strasbourg are an outsider for European qualification but are very much in the fight. It’d be quite the prize for a side who were in the fourth tier just over a decade ago.
A win for Liam Rosenior’s side would see them drawn level on points with Monaco, and into third should results elsewhere go their way.
Aston Villa vs. Newcastle United (English Premier League)
With a Carabao Cup victory and a Champions League Quarter-Final, both sides have enjoyed some real highs this season. But as the English Premier League season draws into its final run-in, both teams need victories to ensure they’ve maximised their league campaign.
Villa Park was a fortress for their mid-week battle with Paris St. Germain. The 3-2 win didn’t see the Aston Villa progress, but it might give them the shot in the arm they need for the EPL fights.
Currently sat in seventh, it could look like UEFA Europa League football for next season. However, a victory on Saturday evening at home would jump them into the Champions League spots if Chelsea, Manchester City, and Nottingham Forest all fail to win.
Ollie Watkins scored his first goal in over a month when the injury-hit forward netted against Southampton last weekend. If the England striker is playing back into form, it could spell danger for the Newcastle United backline. That’s not to mention Marcus Rashford, Morgan Rodgers, Marco Asensio, Donyell Malen, and Leon Bailey. Villa have an embarrassment of riches.
Having tasted UCL football this year, they’ll surely be desperate to be at the table for 2025/26.
Their visitors, Newcastle United, missed out on European football this season. Of course, they too scalped PSG in the Champions League not too long ago.
It was a glorious midweek escapade for The Toon Army too. They thrashed Crystal Palace in stunning style at St. James’ Park. The Magpies were four up at halftime and coasted to an easy 5-0 victory.
Harvey Barnes continued his impressive scoring form, he’s netted four goals in his last three games. In fact, Eddie Howe’s side are in very good scoring form in general. They have won six games on the bounce and have scored 12 goals in their last three games.
Newcastle could close the gap to Arsenal to only one point this weekend. Should they see victory at Villa Park and Ipswich Town upset Arsenal, albeit unlikely but not impossible after this tough victory mid-week in Madrid, Newcastle will be breathing down The Gunners’ necks.
Fulham vs. Chelsea (English Premier League)
The race for European football qualification is certainly on in the Premier League. Crazy circumstances have led to eighth place potentially meaning qualification to the UEFA Europa Conference League, and that’s a position currently held by AFC Bournemouth.
But only by goal difference. Also on 48 points are Fulham and Brighton and Hove Albion, with the former facing a big game on Sunday.
The West London Derby is rarely an ill-tempered affair but with Chelsea chasing Champions League and Fulham wanting Conference League, passion and fight might reign supreme.
Marco Silva’s Fulham are in an inconsistent spot. Victories over champions-elect Liverpool and sometimes-excellent Tottenham Hotspurs have been tainted by frustrating defeats to rivals Bournemouth, Brighton and Palace. Often one for the ‘big game’, The Cottagers beat Chelsea back at Stamford Bridge earlier this season – thanks to a Rodrigo Muniz goal in the 90+5th minute. Could they rustle up yet more West London luck?
Meanwhile, Chelsea are also in sticky form. Draws with Ipswich Town and Brentford came after victory over Spurs and defeat to Arsenal. Although they are able to rotate the squad with ease, the Thursday night clash with Legia Warszawa in the Europa League might affect their preparation for Sunday’s match. The fact they lost the game also won’t have helped.
Much like Aston Villa, should results go their way, they’ll finish the weekend in the top four.
Empoli vs. Venezia (Serie A)
At the bottom of the Italian top flight, there is a dogfight to avoid relegation. Having drawn with Lecce and then beating rock-bottom Monza last time out, the third of Venezia’s relegation triple-header sees them travel to Empoli.
Both Venezia (18th) and Empoli (19th) are chasing 17th-place Lecce and a win for either of these sides will see them leapfrog I Giallorossi, assuming they lose to Como.
January signing, Daniel Fila, scored his first goal for Venezia in their 1-0 victory against Monza, he’ll need to score again if he’s to fill the boots of Joel Pohjanpalo, who joined Palermo this winter.
Meanwhile, Empoli are on a tragic 19-game run without a win, and they’ve only scored 11 goals in that time too.
It’s unlikely to be a classic. But for either of the two sides, it could mean safety, which will be massive.
Elversberg vs. Fortuna Düsseldorf (2. Bundesliga)
It’s a hard task to make it into the Bundesliga. Hamburger SV and 1. FC Koln occupy the top two spots, the only automatic spaces. Finishing third takes you to the Promotion/Relegation game against the top flight’s 16th place side, who are currently FC Heidenheim.
For a club like Elversberg, reaching the Bundesliga is quite an astonishing achievement. The club were playing fourth-tier football in the 2021/22 season.
Remarkably, they’re currently in third, with promotion a real possibility. They’d be able to strengthen their position further if they grab all three points on Saturday lunchtime.
They welcome Fortuna Düsseldorf to UrsapharmArena, who themselves lost the Promotion/Relegation match last season after finishing third in 2023/24. Fortuna are well in the hunt again this year, and they’re only behind Elversberg on goal difference.
The 16-goal swing will be like an extra point for Elversberg come the end of the season, meaning all three points this weekend will provide an invaluable advantage to Fortuna.
Elsewhere around Europe:
Also in Germany, Borussia Mönchengladbach travel to Borussia Dortmund with both sides chasing European qualification. A win for ‘Gladbach could take them up to fifth should Mainz 05 and Freiburg both drop points, whilst a victory for Dortmund would see them go above their visitors and give them an important edge in the race.
Bologna host Inter in Serie A as two of the top five meet for a key clash. The home side are having another positive season, however as one of seven teams aiming to finish between third and sixth, wins are important. Similarly, Inter, who lead the league, will be looking to extend their three-point gap at the top.
In the English Championship, sixth faces seventh as Coventry City host West Bromwich Albion. Frank Lampard’s side have a three-point gap to WBA and will surely want to make that a slightly more comfortable six points. Whilst Tony Mowbray, who was able to arrest their losing slump last time out and thanks to their superior goal difference, knows a victory will take them back to sixth.
Similarly, at the bottom of the table, Derby County host Luton Town. The Rams sit one point above the drop zone in 21st, whereas Luton are three points worse off and face back-to-back demotions. A victory for The Hatters won’t take them out of the bottom three, due to their poor goal difference, but with bottom-side Plymouth Argyle showing fight, the three points could go a long way in their survival bid.
And in League Two, despite being second in January, Crewe Alexandra’s promotion hopes are in tatters as they sit 11th and almost out of reach of the playoffs. They travel to eighth place Colchester United, who themselves are hoping to dislodge Grimsby Town in the final playoff spot. A victory for the U’s would be the final nail into the coffin of Crewe’s promotion whilst it would put them above The Mariners should they not take all three points against the in-form Swindon Town.