Okay, black magic's post about the best footballing sides in Europe made me realize that I need to get out more. (Out of the premiership, I mean, not out of the house -- gosh no.) So I am starting this thread for people to suggest the most interesting European matches to watch. It will certainly benefit me. Maybe it'll benefit others, but, really, who cares about that?

Seems to me that there are three things that make a match worth watching:
1. Good, exciting, attacking football.
(^^Way most important, of course. But there's also ...)
2. Matches on which a lot is riding, be it pride or league place or whatever.
3. Matches that feature exciting young talent destined to make it to the pages of the Transfer Rumors section of GW.

I'd be interested in recommendations for games featuring any of the above.

(Thanks to the wonder of streams, it's normally possible to catch most any European match.)

Just watch La Liga if you want to watch entertaining, good football matches.

And here's the European schedule for this weekend, to help out any advice-givers. (Don't get confused -- times are USA, East Coast. Add 5 hours for GMT.)

SPAIN
Saturday
14:00 ET Almeria v FC Sevilla Estadio Mediterraneo
14:00 ET Real Madrid v Racing Santander Estadio Santiago Bernabéu
16:00 ET Espanyol v Barcelona Estadio Olimpico de Montjuic
Sunday, December 2, 2007
TIME HOME AWAY VENUE
11:00 ET Deportivo La Coruña v Osasuna Estadio Riazor
11:00 ET Getafe v Levante Coliseum Alfonso Perez
11:00 ET Mallorca v Murcia Estadio Son Moix
11:00 ET Recreativo Huelva v Real Zaragoza Estadio Nuevo Colombino
11:00 ET Valladolid v Villarreal Estadio Nuevo José Zorrilla
13:00 ET Real Betis v Atlético Madrid Estadio Manuel Ruiz de Lopera
15:00 ET Valencia v Athletic Bilbao Estadio Mestalla

ITALY
Saturday, December 1, 2007
TIME HOME AWAY VENUE
12:00 ET Sampdoria v Reggina Comunale Luigi Ferraris
14:30 ET AC Milan v Juventus Stadio Giuseppe Meazza

Sunday, December 2, 2007
TIME HOME AWAY VENUE
09:00 ET Atalanta v Napoli Stadio Azzurri D`Italia
09:00 ET Cagliari v Livorno Stadio Sant'Elia
09:00 ET Catania Calcio v Palermo Stadio Angelo Massimino
09:00 ET Fiorentina v Inter Milan Artemio Franchi
09:00 ET Parma v Empoli Stadio Ennio Tardini
09:00 ET Roma v Udinese Stadio Olimpico
09:00 ET Siena v Lazio Artemio Franchi Montepaschi Arena
14:30 ET Torino v Genoa Stadio Olimpico Grande Torino

GERMANY
Saturday, December 1, 2007
TIME HOME AWAY VENUE
09:30 ET Energie Cottbus v Karlsruhe Stadion der Freundschaft
09:30 ET Hertha Berlin v Bayer Leverkusen Olympiastadion
09:30 ET Schalke 04 v VfL Bochum Veltins-Arena
09:30 ET VfB Stuttgart v Borussia Dortmund Gottlieb-Daimler-Stadion, Stuttgart
09:30 ET VfL Wolfsburg v Eintracht Frankfurt Volkswagen Arena
09:30 ET Werder Bremen v Hamburg SV Weserstadion

Sunday, December 2, 2007
TIME HOME AWAY VENUE
11:00 ET Arminia Bielefeld v Bayern Munich Schüco-Arena
11:00 ET MSV Duisburg v Nurnberg MSV-Arena

FRANCE
Saturday, December 1, 2007
TIME HOME AWAY VENUE
11:10 ET Le Mans v AS Nancy Lorraine Leon-Bollee
14:00 ET Lille v Marseille Stadium Lille Métropole
14:00 ET Lorient v St Etienne Stade du Moustoir
14:00 ET Metz v Auxerre Stade Saint-Symphorien
14:00 ET Monaco v Nice Stade Louis II
14:00 ET PSG v Caen Parc des Princes
14:00 ET Sochaux v Lens Stade Bonal

Sunday, December 2, 2007
TIME HOME AWAY VENUE
12:00 ET Bordeaux v Toulouse Parc Lescure
12:00 ET Valenciennes v Rennes Stade Nungesser
14:55 ET Lyon v Strasbourg Stade de Gerland

HOLLAND
Saturday, December 1, 2007
TIME HOME AWAY VENUE
13:30 ET FC Groningen v VVV Venlo Euroborg
13:30 ET Roda JC Kerkrade v Vitesse Arnhem Parkstad Limburg Stadion
13:30 ET Willem II Tilburg v Excelsior Willem II
14:00 ET De Graafschap v PSV Eindhoven De Vijverberg

Sunday, December 2, 2007
TIME HOME AWAY VENUE
08:30 ET Ajax Amsterdam v NAC Breda Amsterdam ArenA
08:30 ET Feyenoord Rotterdam v SC Heracles Almelo De Kuip Stadion
08:30 ET NEC Nijmegen v Heerenveen De Goffert
08:30 ET Twente Enschede v AZ Alkmaar Arke Stadion

PORTUGAL
Saturday, December 1, 2007
TIME HOME AWAY VENUE
14:45 ET Benfica v FC Porto Estadio da Luz

Sunday, December 2, 2007
TIME HOME AWAY VENUE
11:00 ET CD Nacional de Madeira v Boavista Estadio Eng. Rui Alves
11:00 ET Estrela Amadora v Leixoes Jose Gomes Stadium
11:00 ET Naval 1º de Maio v Paços Ferreira Estadio Municipal Jose Bento Pessoa
14:15 ET Sporting Lisbon v Uniao Leiria Estadio Jose Alvalade
16:15 ET Braga v Maritimo Estadio Municipal de Braga

That's actually the only other league I regularly watch, though usually only if its Barca, Marketing, or Sevilla. I'm interested in getting out a little more.

Serie A football is the place to be this weekend!
Okay, here are the matches that I would and will watch:

14:00 ET Real Madrid v Racing Santander Estadio Santiago Bernabéu - I watched them last week against Valencia where they absolutely gave them a footballing lesson, Im hoping they do the same against Madrid, although it's very unlikely as this time their away from home. Look out for Mohamed Tchite who was bought from Anderlecht and Munitis, the playmaker.

16:00 ET Espanyol v Barcelona Estadio Olimpico de Montjuic - Catalan derby. Espanyol ALWAYS give Barca a lot of problems.

11:00 ET Valladolid v Villarreal Estadio Nuevo José Zorrilla - Two very attacking teams, it will be high scoring - trust me!

14:30 ET AC Milan v Juventus Stadio Giuseppe Meazza - Hopefully it will be less rigged than the Berlesconi cup. <_<

09:00 ET Fiorentina v Inter Milan Artemio Franchi - Don't be mistaken, Fiorentina are title challengers and looking for CL footy for next season. Vieri meets the club he used to rule!

09:00 ET Roma v Udinese Stadio Olimpico - The two most attacking teams in Serie A.

09:30 ET Werder Bremen v Hamburg SV Weserstadion - Diego Vs Van der Vaart. :D

14:00 ET Lille v Marseille Stadium Lille Métropole - Don't worry, Lille won't be as defensive as they were in last season's CL.

14:45 ET Benfica v FC Porto Estadio da Luz - Arsenal Vs Man Utd of Portugal.

13:00 ET Real Betis v Atlético Madrid Estadio Manuel Ruiz de Lopera - Aguero!

I'd stay away from Dutch football this weekend, unless you want to see a bunch of teams get thrashed!

That's a great reply. Thanks, WM. I have a full weekend ahead of me, I guess.

How are you going to watch both at once -- 09:00 ET Fiorentina v Inter Milan vs. 09:00 ET Roma v Udinese?

And -- Hey! If I watch either of those, I'll miss the first half of Liverpool-Bolton! <_<

Roma V Udinese live and then the Inter match re live on Channel 5. :good:

If you want to watch the Liverpool game then just watch it, don't force yourself into something you don't want. :good: I'm gonna stick to the Serie A though. :D

I noticed quite a lot of the matches start at the same time, just pick the match you most want to watch.

I'm watching Werder-Hamburg right now. Nice to see that Diego is playing, since he was out in the CL match (maybe because of bookings, not injury?). There have been more shots on goal in the first six minutes than maybe in the entire Chav-Spammer match.

Here's my schedule for weekend, I think:
SATURDAY
7:45 Chav-WHU
9:30 Werder- Hamburg
12:15 Villa-Arse
[ooh can't decide but it's only for the first half -- I'm inclined to watch the Spanish, but feel I'd learn more if I watch the French. Can I expect the games to be equally compelling?]
14:00 ET Real Madrid v Racing Santander
14:00 ET Lille v Marseille Stadium Lille Métropole
14:45 ET Benfica v FC Porto
16:00 ET Espanyol v Barcelona

SUNDAY
09:00 ET Roma v Udinese
11:00 ET Valladolid v Villarreal

:woohoo:

(That LiverYawn-Bolton remark was sarcastic, though I admit I will be peeved if it turns out I missed Kevin Davies continually and wummingly kicking Stevie England in his shins.)

Real v Racing should be a good game

I'm inclined in that direction. Besides, I'm kind of obligated, since Pacy Salamander is my sweeps team.


Any particular watching notes from y'all on Werder-Hamburg? I know to keep my eye on VDV and Diego -- anything more specific about those players, their styles, or tendencies? And who else to look out for, and for what reasons? Sanogo, Rosenberg, Naldo, Olic I all have enjoyed in other matches.

Yer Diego was suspended after receiving a red card.

Im going to probably watch the Real game at my cousin's house.

Go to the "rest of Europe" thread.

Hope Espanyol v Barca is on GolTV, must support my sweepstakes in beating Barca, but I would love to see Bojan Krkic play agian, superb potential he has, having forced Rikjaard to bench Ronnie mid-week v Lyon...REal should be interesting...Robinho on form but Guti is supended i guess.

The Milan Juve Match should have Ronnie (is he match-fit? and have you seen his hair :lol: ) and kaka playing for Milan...

Kaiser...can you not get to see SSN? Because it's on that. The Barcelona derby that is.

The EL DERBY is probrabbly the best in Europe

No...don't even have freeview <_<

darn it

stream for Vall-Vill is just too weak. Guess it's gonna have to be Brum putting 3 past the Spuds.

Yer, I noticed that too.

I'll watch Bayern Vs Armenia Bielefeld.

I've struck gold! Ray Hudson commentating. :dance:

:lol:

oh, btw, even the most absurd predictions come true when they're about Tottnumb. :D

:pirate:

:think: ..................................................................................................... :goodpost:



in any case, the inaugural weekend of this thread was a great success. Thanks very much to Black Magic all who helped to me a wonderful weekend.

The only dud was Milan-Juve and, sometimes, the streams. Werder-Hamburg was A-plus.

okay, same question this weekend: what matches will make the best watching? (Times in US EST.)

LA LIGA

Saturday, December 15, 2007
TIME HOME AWAY VENUE
14:00 ET Espanyol v Levante Estadio Olimpico de Montjuic
16:00 ET Valencia v Barcelona Estadio Mestalla

Sunday, December 16, 2007
TIME HOME AWAY VENUE
11:00 ET Deportivo La Coruña v Real Zaragoza Estadio Riazor
11:00 ET Getafe v Villarreal Coliseum Alfonso Perez
11:00 ET Mallorca v Athletic Bilbao Estadio Son Moix
11:00 ET Murcia v Racing Santander La Condomina
11:00 ET Real Betis v Almeria Estadio Manuel Ruiz de Lopera
11:00 ET Valladolid v FC Sevilla Estadio Nuevo José Zorrilla
13:00 ET Recreativo Huelva v Atlético Madrid Estadio Nuevo Colombino
15:00 ET Real Madrid v Osasuna Estadio Santiago Bernabéu

SERIE A

Saturday, December 15, 2007
TIME HOME AWAY VENUE
12:00 ET Catania Calcio v Udinese Stadio Angelo Massimino
14:30 ET Lazio v Juventus Stadio Olimpico

Sunday, December 16, 2007
TIME HOME AWAY VENUE
09:00 ET Atalanta v Palermo Stadio Azzurri D`Italia
09:00 ET Empoli v Genoa Stadio Carlo Castellani
09:00 ET Parma v Reggina Stadio Ennio Tardini
09:00 ET Sampdoria v Fiorentina Comunale Luigi Ferraris
09:00 ET Siena v Napoli Artemio Franchi Montepaschi Arena
09:00 ET Torino v Roma Stadio Olimpico Grande Torino
14:30 ET Cagliari v Inter Milan Stadio Sant'Elia

BUNDESLIGA

Saturday, December 15, 2007
TIME HOME AWAY VENUE
09:30 ET Arminia Bielefeld v VfB Stuttgart Schüco-Arena
09:30 ET Hertha Berlin v Bayern Munich Olympiastadion
09:30 ET Karlsruhe v Hamburg SV Wildparkstadion
09:30 ET Schalke 04 v Nurnberg Veltins-Arena
09:30 ET VfL Wolfsburg v Borussia Dortmund Volkswagen Arena
09:30 ET Werder Bremen v Bayer Leverkusen Weserstadion

Sunday, December 16, 2007
TIME HOME AWAY VENUE
11:00 ET Hansa Rostock v VfL Bochum DKB-Arena
11:00 ET MSV Duisburg v Eintracht Frankfurt MSV-Arena

LIGUE 1

Saturday, December 15, 2007
TIME HOME AWAY VENUE
09:00 ET PSG v Toulouse Parc des Princes
11:10 ET Lyon v Nice Stade de Gerland
14:00 ET Le Mans v Lorient Leon-Bollee
14:00 ET Lille v St Etienne Stadium Lille Métropole
14:00 ET Metz v Sochaux Stade Saint-Symphorien
14:00 ET Monaco v Lens Stade Louis II
14:00 ET Rennes v Caen Stade dele Route-de-Lorient
14:00 ET Valenciennes v Auxerre Stade Nungesser

Sunday, December 16, 2007
TIME HOME AWAY VENUE
12:00 ET Strasbourg v AS Nancy Lorraine Stade de la Meinau
14:55 ET Bordeaux v Marseille Parc Lescure

EREDIVISIE

Saturday, December 15, 2007
TIME HOME AWAY VENUE
13:30 ET NAC Breda v Heerenveen Fujifilm
13:30 ET Twente Enschede v VVV Venlo Arke Stadion
14:00 ET De Graafschap v NEC Nijmegen De Vijverberg
14:00 ET Feyenoord Rotterdam v AZ Alkmaar De Kuip Stadion

Sunday, December 16, 2007
TIME HOME AWAY VENUE
06:30 ET Ajax Amsterdam v PSV Eindhoven Amsterdam ArenA
08:30 ET FC Groningen v Willem II Tilburg Euroborg
08:30 ET FC Utrecht v SC Heracles Almelo Nieuwe Galgenwaard
08:30 ET Vitesse Arnhem v Excelsior Gelredome

PORTUGUESE LIGA

Saturday, December 15, 2007
TIME HOME AWAY VENUE
14:30 ET Belenenses v Benfica do Restelo Stadium
15:45 ET FC Porto v Guimaraes Estadio do Dragao

Sunday, December 16, 2007
TIME HOME AWAY VENUE
11:00 ET Académica de Coimbra v CD Nacional de Madeira
11:00 ET Boavista v Naval 1º de Maio Estadio do Bessa Seculo XXI
11:00 ET Estrela Amadora v Vitoria Setubal Jose Gomes Stadium
11:00 ET Leixoes v Uniao Leiria Estadio do Mar
15:00 ET Maritimo v Sporting Lisbon Estadio dos Barreiros

much obliged, :tiphat:

Saturday

16:00 ET Valencia v Barcelona Estadio Mestalla - I hope it'll be a close contest, judging from Valencia's atrocious form though that will be far from the truth. Deco, Messi and Henry are all set to return from Injury so it'll be interesting to see who Rijkaard selects. My money is on Deco and Henry being left out of the starting 11. :ale:
(I will definately watch)

Other La Liga matches have the potential to be spicy like Valladolid Vs Sevilla but after a long trip from Rosickyland I can see Sevilla playing sluggishly and Valladolid settling.

09:30 ET Werder Bremen v Bayer Leverkusen Weserstadion - Traditional German heavyweights. :ale:
(I might watch)

09:30 ET Hertha Berlin v Bayern Munich Olympiastadion - Look for Hertha to spring a surprise, they've got a few decent Brazilians like Gilberto who played against Portugal and Argentina on the left in our very own stadium. :ale:
(I might watch)

14:00 ET Feyenoord Rotterdam v AZ Alkmaar De Kuip Stadion - The two best Footballing sides in Holland. Feyenoord have been the team of the season so far sweeping all that comes near them. Like Arsenal the Dutch media have been waiting for Feyenoord to slip up but it has yet to happen, AZ are a real threat to Feyenoord's impressive unbeaten record at home. :ale:
(I will definately watch)

Sunday

09:00 ET Torino v Roma Stadio Olimpico Grande Torino - I have a lot of time for Torino, they have some great players like Muzzi, Recoba and Grella. High scoring draw written all over it. :ale:
(I might watch)

14:55 ET Bordeaux v Marseille Parc Lescure - Lauren Blanc's appointment has really rejuvenated Bordeaux who are now playing some sexy football thanks to their North African attackers. As much as Marseille attempted to show how inept they are at defending and attacking I think things will change. End to end Football is rarely seen in Le Championnat but I can see this happening here. :ale:
(I wont watch)

06:30 ET Ajax Amsterdam v PSV Eindhoven Amsterdam Arena - Its a 6 pointer, simple as.
(I will watch)

I wont be able to watch some of these matches due to time constraints.

We did purchase an Arabic dish recently and although most of the channels are Arabic, I did find ESPN Asia which shows La Liga and the UCL, I also have Al Jazeera sport which shows the EPL. Other leagues though I still have to watch them via stream.


EDIT: Reports have emerged that the Ajax Vs PSV and Feyenoord Vs AZ Alkmaar games will be cancelled due to a police strike in Amsterdam and Rotterdam

Thanks a lot, BM. This weekend isn't as attractive for European leagues as two weeks ago, the last time we talked about this. Shame about the dutch games, as they seem like the highlight of the European weekend.

Actually, the prem seems the better bet this weekend. I think I'm gonna watch Pompey-Spuds and then, I suppose, if I've got nothing else to do, I'll watch Arse-Chavs on Sunday.

Shame that Torino-Roma clashes with Mancs-Yawn.

Dont worry next week has a few blockbuster clashes to really salivate over.

Inter Milan Vs AC Milan

Barcelona Vs Real Madrid

Yer I decided to watch Pompey Vs Spuds as well. You know what, Im really torn on who to watch on Sunday, Pool V Utd or Roma play a rival. I think I might flip a coin. :lol:

If you want to watch something while you wait for Liverpool Vs Man Utd you can watch the club WC: Milan Vs Boca