Here's what our editors will be watching this weekend:
Friday, October 4th
Buffalo Sabres vs New Jersey Devils - 19:00 CET
Calling all hockey fans! The NHL returns this week in style with its now annual Global Series set to launch the 2024/25 regular season.
Last year, the world’s best ice hockey league exported pre-season and regular-season matches to Australia and Sweden, respectively. This year, the NHL is heading back to the Czech Republic.
The Buffalo Sabres and New Jersey Devils will play two matches in Prague, first on Friday and then again on Saturday (16:00 CET), to start the regular season. The rest of the teams will hit the ice back in North America next week.
Taking the NHL on the road is a great way to treat the league’s global fans and few places are as hockey-mad as the Czech Republic with locals still buzzing after their World Championship win in Prague back in May. For fans elsewhere, it’s just a relief to have the NHL back!
Pat Dempsey
Saturday, October 5th
WTA China Open finals - all weekend
The world's top five may be absent from the final four at the China Open, but that just means that each of those left standing is desperate to get their hands on the title.
Coco Gauff would win her title since January and her first with new coach Matt Daly; Paula Badosa would get back into the world's top 10 for the first time since 2022; Karolina Muchova would win just the second and the biggest title of her career; and Qinwen Zheng would become the first Chinese player ever to win the country's biggest women's tournament. In short, it would be huge for any of them.
Both of Saturday's semi-finals are set to be tight ones too, with Gauff leading Badosa 3-2 in their head-to-head record and Zheng and Muchova level at 1-1. It wouldn't be a surprise to see both clashes go the distance.
The two winners will face off on Sunday in what will be one of the biggest, if not the biggest, matches of the season for whoever is in it.
Finley Crebolder
Sunday, October 6th
Aston Villa vs Manchester United - 15:00 CET
This is a story of two clubs moving in opposite directions regarding results, performances and morale.
Aston Villa are high off one of the best results in the club's history as Jhon Duran’s spectacular goal helped them to a famous win over European giants Bayern Munich on Wednesday evening.
Manchester United, meanwhile, are taking stock of what has been a dreadful week. Last Sunday, they were humiliated at home by Tottenham in one of the worst displays of Erik ten Hag’s underwhelming managerial tenure. And they were very lucky to walk away with a point against FC Porto in the Europa League after another defensive horror show on Thursday evening.
There is no denying it, Manchester United are there for the taking for Unai Emery’s side. If Aston Villa are to be at the top of their game, this has all the ingredients to be an absolute annihilation and the final nail in Ten Hag’s now overdue coffin. Either way, it's must-watch viewing.
Harry Dunnett
Slavia Prague vs Sparta Prague - 18:30 CET
From one of Europe’s most beautiful cities comes one of its underrated and fierce derbies. Perennial Czech title contenders Slavia Prague and Sparta Prague meet for the first time this season at the Fortuna Arena on Sunday with the game, even at this relatively early stage of the season, pivotal for the championship.
As ever, both sides have started the season well, although a huge slip-up for Sparta against Sigma Olomouc last week means this game is almost a must-win for them. Slavia played another Prague derby last week - the Vrsovice Derby to be exact - beating Bohemians 4-0 away from home, producing some silky football in the process, and seeing them top of the table as things stand.
Both sides competed in Europe during the week, but on derby day, freshness and fitness fall by the wayside. Historically, Sparta hold the edge with 29 wins, compared to Slavia’s 18, but it will be the team in red and white who will be favourites for the biggest game in Czech football this weekend.
Expect a fierce atmosphere, plenty of pyrotechnics and a whole lot of tension - the Prague derby is one not to be missed.
Josh Donaldson
