Here's what Flashscore's editors are most looking forward to this weekend:
Friday, August 22nd
Rybakina vs Raducanu - 17:00 CET
There’s one clear standout clash at the end of the first week of the US Open, with two Grand Slam champions facing off when Elena Rybakina meets Emma Raducanu.
After a difficult first half of the year on and off court, Rybakina has enjoyed a strong hard-court season, reaching the semi-finals in Montreal before beating Aryna Sabalenka on her way to the last four in Cincinnati.
Things have started to go well again for Raducanu, too, with the Brit picking up some impressive wins and more than holding her own against Sabalenka twice in the last few months.
Neither has dropped a set on their way to the third round in New York, and both really do look to be getting back to their best now, potentially to the top of the women’s game.
This promises to be a match of seriously high quality, and a seriously close one.
Follow Friday's US Open action in our daily Tennis Tracker!
Finley Crebolder
Hamburg vs St Pauli - 20:30 CET
Idealistically, culturally, spiritually, there is perhaps no city rivalry across Europe that evokes the passion than the clash of Hamburg and St Pauli.
Meeting in the top flight for the first time since 2011, the ‘Hamburger Stadtderby’ has been played out in the 2. Bundesliga over the last decade.
But both clubs are seeing success on and off the pitch, with Hamburg returning to the Bundesliga after seven years in the wilderness over the summer.
St Pauli is the little brother in the relationship. A punk football club, known around the world for their fervent left-leaning politics, they have been the thorn in the side of their city neighbours over recent years. They gained promotion before Hamburg, whilst a 3-3 draw with Borussia Dortmund last time out shows they could be a team to watch this season.
The home side, Hamburg, hold the better of the head-to-head record in recent years, winning three of the last five derbies
St Pauli’s Swedish defender Eric Smith summed it up best: "For everyone, the whole city, we know it's the biggest game you can have.”
Well worth a watch then this Friday evening.
Josh Donaldson
Sunday, August 31st
Liverpool vs Arsenal - 17:30 CET
The biggest game of the Premier League season so far sees defending champions Liverpool take on nearly-men Arsenal in a blockbuster clash on Sunday.
The Reds have looked far from convincing so far this campaign, conceding four goals in their opening two wins and needing a 90+10th-minute goal to beat 10-man Newcastle last Monday. The balance of the team doesn’t look right, and that could mean they are vulnerable.
However, at the other end of the pitch, they remain a fearsome force, with new signing Hugo Ekitike bagging two goals in his first two games for Liverpool.
Remarkably, Arsenal haven’t lost to a ‘Big Six’ team since April 2023, with Mikel Arteta making them a supremely solid and organised side defensively. In their last three visits to Anfield, the Gunners have managed to claim draws.
However, after three consecutive seasons of second-place finishes, they will want to make a major statement, and a win at Liverpool would be just that. This is perhaps as good a chance as they will have due to their opponent’s issues, but Arsenal themselves are likely to be missing talisman Bukayo Saka and captain Martin Odegaard.
They will want new star striker Viktor Gyokeres to step up in their absence, and the Swede comes in with some momentum after his brace against Leeds last weekend.
Regardless of what happens, it is a titanic clash between arguably the two favourites for the title, and a win for either side would send a real message to the other challengers for the Premier League.
Tolga Akdeniz
Lyon vs Marseille - 20:45 CET
If you’re looking for a blockbuster football fixture to close out the weekend, go no further than Ligue 1 this Sunday evening as two French giants are going head-to-head at prime time.
Lyon host Marseille in round three of the new season, with the former boasting a perfect start to their campaign, while OM suffered a shock loss on their opening day to Rennes but recovered with a win last week.
All that means that Roberto De Zerbi’s side will be desperate to grab another three points up in Lyon, but Paulo Fonseca’s young and vibrant group will be no pushovers. It should be noted, Fonseca is still banned from sitting on the bench, but that hasn’t affected his team’s fortunes just yet - a few interesting purchases and two wins from two sees them off to a flyer.
Down in Marseille, there’s never a dull day.
The club have also brought in a few new bodies, and let some go. Most dramatically, the bust-up between two of last season’s stalwarts - Jonathan Rowe and Adrien Rabiot - meant the former was moved on quickly, with Rabiot frozen out and reportedly close to a transfer. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is back, however, and he netted a brace last weekend.
The Derby des Olympiques is often a feisty affair, with a couple of recent editions needing to be postponed due to problematic fan behaviour - let’s not forget the attack on Lyon’s team bus and Fabio Grosso’s injuries in 2023.
On the pitch, OM had the upper hand last season, winning both clashes 3-2. So, expect goals, cards, and plenty of drama in this iconic match-up.
Pat Dempsey