From Dortmund to Brazil 

©TM/IMAGO

As we do every week, we feature five games to keep an eye on over the weekend. This week offers a massive slate of exciting games across several continents. In Germany, Dortmund have one last chance to keep the title race open in the latest edition of Der Klassiker, and in Spain, we have a massive Sevilla Derby. There are also great games in Brazil, Belgium, and Italy. In other words, there are once again exciting games to watch across the globe, and with the expertise of our global team, Transfermarkt takes you around the world to highlight five games you should watch this weekend.

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Manuel Veth (TM Bundesliga Expert & Host of the Gegenpressing Pod):

The latest installment of Der Klassiker is set to kick off on Saturday when Borussia Dortmund host Bayern Munich at the SIGNAL IDUNA PARK. For Dortmund, it will be a last-ditch effort to keep the title race alive. Dortmund have been unbelievable since the winter break, collecting 20 out of a possible 24 points, one point more than Bayern in the same stretch.

Indeed, the side has shown character as well. Last week, Dortmund came back from two goals down to salvage a point against RB Leipzig. In fact, this entire season, Dortmund have only lost once, the return fixture against Bayern Munich. But seven draws versus Bayern’s three have meant that the gap at the top of the table is now eight points, and even a Dortmund win would reduce it to just five.

That’s probably too much to overcome with just ten games to go after Saturday’s game. Furthermore, Dortmund have struggled against top sides. The draw against Leipzig last weekend was just the latest example. Niko Kovac’s side has at times been a bit too soft and brittle in defense. That could potentially cost them against a Bayern side firing on all cylinders.

Bayern Munich also didn’t have to deal with midweek Champions League football. The likes of Harry Kane, Jamal Musiala, Michael Olise, Lennart Karl, and Luis Díaz will all be rested for this one. That’s not good news for Dortmund either, who will have to rely on the regained form of top striker Serhou Guirassy. Still, it is a top game, even if many will argue that just perhaps it doesn’t deserve to be called a Klassiker given that Dortmund haven’t won a Bundesliga title since 2012. But that’s a different story…

Sevilla Derby: Real Betis vs Sevilla

Iván Fuente (Transfermarkt Content Manager Spain):

The Seville derby arrives with Betis in 5th place, dreaming of getting into the Champions League places, and Sevilla in 12th, trying to escape the relegation zone and hoping to reach the Conference League places. A desire that depends on getting points in the derby, and if possible, a win.

This derby will be the first in history to be played at La Cartuja, the largest stadium in Seville, where Betis plays its home games this season. Both teams have significant absences, including Isco and Giovani Lo Celso for Betis, and Rubén Vargas and Marcão for Sevilla, who will also be without Tanguy Nianzou, Joan Jordán, and Matyas Almeida, their coach, who has been suspended for seven games.

The historical balance between the two teams in LaLiga favors Sevilla, but in recent years, the matches have been very balanced. In the last ten meetings, each team has won three times and scored the same number of goals. It is a technical tie in LaLiga’s most exciting derby.

Gre-Nal: Grêmio vs Internacional

Marcos Watts (Transfermarkt Area Manager Brazil):

As the Campeonato Gaúcho reaches its final stage, a new Gre-Nal takes place, writing yet another chapter in what arguably is Brazilian football’s fiercest rivalry.

Grêmio and Internacional have already met this season, with Inter commanding the encounter at home and securing a 4-2 victory in the fifth round of the Campeonato Gaúcho. Both teams ended up topping their groups, and while Internacional reached the final without much trouble, Grêmio advanced on penalties after drawing twice with Juventude in the tournament’s semifinals.

Under Luís Castro, Grêmio’s campaign has been defined by irregularity and quick adaptation: late triumphs snatched from adversity, but with lingering questions about the team’s consistency heading into this decisive encounter. Meanwhile, Internacional arrive at the final stage with confidence, continuity, and the perceived edge after owning the best overall campaign in the Rio Grande do Sul state tournament. The psychological boost that may prove crucial over two legs, but you can never count their opposition out.

With both sides unlikely to fight for major titles this season, the Campeonato Gaúcho carries even greater weight, making this final about much more than regional bragging rights. The final’s first leg will be played this Sunday at Arena do Grêmio, and it should be a thriller.

Serie A Champions League contention: Roma vs Juventus

Stefano Buonfino (Transfermarkt Content Manager Italy):

Serie A kicks off March with an unusual big match: a Roma-Juventus fixture with a special flavour. There have been a few seasons in the last decade when the two teams competed for the Scudetto, but today they are competing for fourth place, which qualifies them for the next Champions League.

Roma are in great form, with Donyell Malen having made an immediate and devastating impact on Serie A, and Gasperini’s squad growing from game to game thanks to pillars such as Evan Ndicka, Manu Koné, and Wesley, as well as the inclusion of many interesting young players.

Juventus come into the match in crisis, after a controversial Derby d’Italia defeat, a poor performance in the Champions League, a bitter defeat to Como, a goalkeeper criticised for his mistakes, and a team that, after a period of consistency, is once again suffering psychologically.

Roma are in fourth place, four points above Juventus, who, at this point, must ignore the fans’ protests and aim for a necessary victory, almost mandatory if they want to keep their Champions League hopes alive and not lose the revenue from the competition.

Jupiler Pro League top match: Gent vs Genk

Bart Tamsyn (Transfermarkt Area Manager Belgium):

Gent vs Genk, two club names that regularly cause confusion in the international press. It would not be the first time that a player linked to Genk by foreign sources ends up at Gent and vice versa. However, there are even more similarities this season. With four games to go before the end of the regular season, both clubs are fighting for a place in the Jupiler Pro League Champions’ Play-Offs. Both have had an inconsistent season and have something to prove after losing their last game.

Last Friday, Ghent lost 1-0 at home to Cercle Brugge, who were second from bottom in the table at the time. The home side were particularly poor in the first half and were treated to a chorus of boos from their own supporters at half-time. Coach Rik De Mil has particular defensive concerns, as Daiki Hashioka and Maksim Paskotsi had to be replaced due to injury.

There was also great disappointment at KRC Genk on Sunday afternoon, around 3.30 p.m. After five consecutive victories, the illusion was that the train had left the station after a disappointing season so far. However, the Limburgers suffered a 0-3 defeat at home against Standard de Liège and had to slink away in shame. In addition, there are also concerns about golden boy Konstantinos Karetsas, who had to leave the field with a concussion.

The battle for tickets to the Champions’ Play-Offs promises to be exceptionally exciting and go down to the last second. Apart from bottom-of-the-table FCV Dender EH, every team can still qualify mathematically. Gent is currently just inside the top six, while Genk is just outside. On Sunday at 3.30 p.m., we will know a little more about both teams’ chances of securing a coveted ticket!

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