On Friday, the Premier League, EFL, and FA announced that all fixtures over the weekend and on Monday would be postponed out of respect for Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, who passed away peacefully on Thursday afternoon.
Advert
But fans up and down the country will still be able to get their weekend football fix, with numerous games from across Europe being shown live on BT and Sky.
Here are ten games viewers can catch on TV this weekend, ranked from worst to best.
Ajaccio vs Nice – Sunday (BT)
Despite being fairly active in this summer’s transfer window, Nice have had a tough time of it in Ligue 1 so far this season. One win from six has left them languishing in 16th place, four places above their opponents on Sunday, Ajaccio, who currently sit at the bottom of France’s top flight, with no wins and one draw to their name.
Advert
While it isn’t likely to be a feast of free-flowing football, viewers may well get a glimpse of some ex-Premier League stalwarts in the form of Aaron Ramsey, Kasper Schmeichel and Ross Barkley.
Atalanta vs Cremonese – Sunday (BT)
Atalanta are sitting pretty at the summit of Serie A with four wins and a draw from their first five fixtures. Cremonese, meanwhile, occupy 19th spot after one draw and four defeats. No side has conceded fewer goals than Gian Piero Gasperini’s side, so expect it to be one-way traffic for much of the game.
Schalke vs Bochum – Saturday (Sky)
Two of the Bundesliga’s bottom clubs battle it out for what could be a valuable three points on Saturday. Schalke, despite their rich history in European competitions, have struggled in recent years, and have yet to register a win this season.
Advert
Bochum find themselves rock bottom with zero points after a disastrous start, including a 7-0 thrashing at the hands of Bayern Munich in August. A possible early six-pointer, this one.
Sampdoria vs AC Milan – Saturday (BT)
Milan remain undefeated in all competitions this season and, after claiming bragging rights in the San Siro after a 3-2 win over fierce rivals Inter last weekend, the confidence in the camp must be sky-high.
Meanwhile, only basement boys Monza have conceded more goals in Serie A than Sampdoria this season. Only Napoli and Inter have found the back of the net more times than Milan. You do the maths.
Juventus vs Salernitana – Sunday (BT)
Already four points adrift of leaders Atalanta, the Old Lady will not want to give their title rivals any further breathing space when they host Salernitana, who narrowly escaped relegation last season.
Advert
After going down 2-1 to PSG in Paris in midweek, Juve and their glittering array of talent will desperately want to bounce back.
Empoli v Roma – Monday (BT)
No matter the occasion, watching any game where Jose Mourinho is on the sidelines promises to be entertaining. And Roma are right in the mix too, picking up ten points from a possible 15 so far to occupy 5th spot in the league.
Marseille vs Lille – Saturday (BT)
Games in France’s top flight don’t get much more exciting than this. Marseille, level on points with leaders PSG, going up against Lille, Ligue 1’s surprise winners in 2021.
Advert
Both have started their respective campaigns brightly, and the match promises to be a showcase of the quality of French domestic football.
Monaco vs Lyon – Sunday (BT)
Two of Ligue 1’s big-name teams go head to head on Sunday in a game that, prior to PSG’s domestic dominance, could easily have been an early clash between possible title contenders.
While things might be different nowadays, there’s no reason why this encounter won’t make for an enthralling watch.
Bayern Munich vs Stuttgart – Saturday (Sky)
Any excuse to watch Bayern Munich play is a good one. Julian Nagelsmann’s side have been formidable in front of goal so far this campaign, beating Eintracht Frankfurt 6-1 on the opening day followed by a 7-0 pummelling of Bochum two weeks later.
Coming off the back of an impressive 2-0 victory over Inter at the San Siro in the Champions League on Wednesday, the 32-time German champions will be hungry for more against Stuttgart.
Inter vs Torino – Saturday (BT)
Last season’s Serie A runners-up meet this season’s high-flyers as Inter take on Torino at the San Siro on Saturday. Inter’s form has been up and down of late but any game featuring the likes of Romelu Lukaku and Lautaro Martinez is well worth a watch.
Topics: Premier League, Inter Milan, Bayern Munich, AC Milan, Marseille
George Nash