Editors' Picks: A must-win North London derby and a huge day of sport in Madrid
Here's what our editors will be watching over the weekend.
Saturday, April 27th
Rafael Nadal vs Alex De Minaur - 16:00 CET
At the Madrid Open on Saturday is a tennis match between Rafael Nadal and Alex De Minaur that will be a huge story in the world of sport regardless of how it goes.
It's not an exaggeration to say that him beating the Australian could be a genuine game-changer in the clay-court season. Given his obscenely strong record on the surface, you'd have to begin to consider him a contender for the French Open if he's in good enough shape to beat the man ranked eleventh in the world, especially given he's always been much stronger in Paris than he has in Madrid due largely to the type of clay and the altitude.
However, if he loses to De Minaur - someone who's hardly one of the best clay-court players around - for the second time in two weeks after being beaten by him in Barcelona, it'll feel like the end of Rafa's time at the top is very much here, and that wouldn't be the only thing making it an emotional defeat with it most likely being the last time he'd ever play on home turf too.
Given all of that, you can expect the home crowd to create quite the atmosphere and the Spaniard to be as amped up as ever as he battles to delay his farewell, even if only by a few days.
As far as second-round matches go, it doesn't get much bigger than this.
Finley Crebolder
Juventus vs AC Milan - 18:00 CET
Having seen Inter Milan win their 20th Scudetto on Monday, Italian heavyweights Juventus and AC Milan are left to battle it out for second place in Serie A.
The Rossoneri currently have a five-point cushion over Massimiliano Allegri’s men, but after losing the Milan derby as well as being eliminated from the Europa League, the pressure is on Stefano Pioli to end the season on a positive note.
Milan can draw confidence from the fact they’re unbeaten on their last four competitive visits to the Allianz Stadium. Furthermore, Juventus have picked up just one win from their last seven league matches.
Despite a disappointing second half of the campaign in Serie A, Juventus sealed their place in the Coppa Italia final after a 3-2 aggregate victory over Lazio in midweek. Allegri’s side will look to carry that momentum into Saturday’s clash as they target their best finish in the league since winning the title in 2019/20.
Both sides have a point to prove with five matches of the campaign remaining, so make sure you tune in and enjoy the action!
Danny Clark
Atletico Madrid vs Athletic Bilbao - 21:00 CET
The race for the top four in LaLiga has been finely poised all season, and this weekend a crucial clash between Atletico Madrid and Athletic Bilbao will go a long way to deciding who finishes in the Champions League spots come the end of May.
Diego Simeone’s side might have a three-point lead over their opponents as well as home advantage on Saturday evening, but Athletic are still riding the crest of a wave after ending their 40-year wait for silverware earlier this month.
Atletico have conceded in 12 consecutive matches for the first time this century, so the likes of Nico Williams, Inaki Williams and Gorka Guruzeta will all be keen to expose the hosts’ fragile backline.
However, it won’t be plain sailing for Ernesto Valverde’s men, who are winless on all six of their trips to sides currently in LaLiga’s top eight this season. With the stakes at an all-time high, it promises to be a fascinating match-up in the Spanish capital!
Danny Clark
Sunday, April 28th
Tottenham vs Arsenal - 15:00 CET
The North London derby is always one of the biggest and most exciting games in the Premier League, but this weekend it takes on even bigger significance. Arsenal, who sit at the top of the table, head to their fierce rivals Tottenham, searching for a crucial win in their quest for a first title since 2004.
The Gunners suffered a damaging blow to their title hopes two weeks ago, losing 2-0 at home to Unai Emery's Aston Villa. However, they have bounced back well, showing their resilience which has been on show this season with a battling win over Wolves before a 5-0 thumping of Chelsea.
Manchester City may be the favourites for the title at this moment in time, but a victory at Spurs would be a huge statement that they are not going anywhere and will be well in the mix as we head into the final weeks of the season.
Tottenham will be desperate to put a spanner in the works though, and really hurt Arsenal's league aspirations. The crowd and players will certainly be up for it and will make it as difficult as possible for Mikel Arteta's men.
Spurs are also in contention for a top-four finish, so have plenty to play for in the league.
The Tottenham Hotspur Stadium will certainly be bouncing, and it promises to be a thrilling contest in one of the biggest games of the season.
Tolga Akdeniz
