5 games to watch: Big four leagues offer top four games

Here are five of the best matches around Europe this weekend, highlighted by Arsenal and Chelsea battling for a top-four spot.

The winter break finally ends for most of the leagues in Europe this weekend. The return of the Bundesliga and Serie A add to a strong weekend of games. The four big leagues in Europe all offer games either between clubs in the top four or that will determine which clubs finish in the top four.

5. Hoffenheim vs. Bayern Munich — Friday, Jan. 18, 2:30 p.m. ET (FS1)

The second half of the Bundesliga season starts with Bayern Munich in second place, six points back of Borussia Dortmund. It’s an unusual position for Bayern, who have run away with the Bundesliga title for the past six seasons. After winning their last five games going into the winter break, Bayern will look to continue their strong play Friday against Hoffenheim, a team that Bayern have struggled against since Julian Nagelsmann took over. In the five games Hoffenheim have played under Nagelsmann, Hoffenheim have seven points. This season, Nagelsmann’s team are seventh in the table and again battling for a spot in the Champions League or Europa League. Hoffenheim haven’t lost since Oct. 7 but haven’t won any of their last six games, settling for draws instead. The string of draws dropped Hoffenheim four points behind RB Leipzig for the final Champions League spot.

4. Real Madrid vs. Sevilla — Saturday, Jan. 19, 10:15 a.m. ET (BeIN Sports)

Real Madrid and Sevilla are tied for third in La Liga at the halfway point. Both clubs have had their problems throughout the first half of the season and that will likely cost them any chance of catching Barcelona for the title. Barcelona are 10 points clear of both clubs with 19 games remaining.

Santiago Solari’s team have only picked up four points in their last three games and can’t afford to keep dropping points. Real Madrid go into the weekend with five members of their starting XI dealing with injuries. The most concerning injury might the one to Karim Benzema, who leads the club with seven goals. Madrid have struggled to consistently score goals this season and haven’t found a way to replace the loss of Cristiano Ronaldo.

Sevilla have only won one of their last six games and lost to Athletic Bilbao in their last game. After picking up only seven points in their last six games, Sevilla have gone from the top of the table to 10 points back. Wissam Ben Yedder, Pablo Sarabia and Andre Silva have combined for 26 of Sevilla’s 31 goals and will be the focus on the attack on Saturday.

3. Napoli vs. Lazio — Sunday, Jan. 20, 2:30 p.m. ET (ESPN+)

The second half of the Serie A season kicks off this weekend with a top four match between Napoli and Lazio. Napoli are second this season but are nine points behind Juventus. Lazio are fourth but are just clinging onto the final Champions League spot. Four points separate fourth place and eighth place.

Carlo Ancelotti’s team have won five of their last six games but will have to make changes to his starting XI with Kalidou Koulibaly and Lorenzo Insigne both suspended. The loss of Koulibaly is very tough to overcome. Koulibaly is arguably the best center-back in the world. With Insigne out, Napoli will use the front two of Dries Mertens and Arkadiusz Milik.

Lazio have had plenty of chances to gain a stranglehold over fourth in the table but have continually failed to do so. Over their last eight games, Lazio have settled for five draws and have picked up only 11 points. Ciro Immobile is having another strong season, scoring 10 goals this season and will be the focal point of the attack. The problem for Simone Inzaghi has been the decline of Luis Alberto and Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, who have failed to match their level of play from last season.

2. RB Leipzig vs. Borussia Dortmund — Saturday, Jan. 19, 12:30 p.m. ET (FS1)

After 17 games, Borussia Dortmund are first in the Bundesliga. On Saturday, Dortmund travel to Leipzig to play the fourth best club in Germany. Dortmund lost only one game in the first half of the season but have Bayern Munich hot on their tail. Lucien Favre will have to make changes at center-back as Manuel Akanji will likely miss the rest of the season with an injury. The loss of Akanji is a major loss for Dortmund, who will have to replace their best center-back. While defending could be a problem for Dortmund, their ability to score goals in bunches could lessen the blow. Paco Alcacer and Marco Reus combined for 23 goals in the first half of the season.

Leipzig opened the season with a 4-1 loss to Dortmund but were able to pick up points in their next 10 games before losing three of their final six games. Ralf Rangnick’s club went out and improved their squad during the break, signing players from Red Bull Salzburg and the New York Red Bulls to improve their midfield depth. However, if Leipzig are going to qualify for the Champions League again, it will be because of Timo Werner and Yussuf Poulsen continue scoring. Werner and Poulsen have combined for score 19 of the club’s 31 goals this season.

1. Arsenal vs. Chelsea — Saturday, Jan. 18, 12:30 p.m. ET (NBC)

Arsenal and Chelsea are the two most successful clubs in London. Over the years the teams have battled for superiority in the city and the Premier League. This season, Chelsea are fourth in the table, just above Arsenal in the battle for a Champions League spot. The Blues enter the weekend six points ahead of Arsenal.

The race for the final Champions League spot in the Premier League could get very interesting if Arsenal are able to defeat Chelsea on Saturday. The Gunners would move within three points of the Blues. However, a win for Chelsea would give them a nice cushion over their city rivals. Arsenal will rely on Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who is tied for the Premier League lead with 14 goals this season. Chelsea will use Eden Hazard as a false 9 as the Blues are in the process of bringing in Gonzalo Higuain and sending Alvaro Morata back to Spain. Hazard has 10 goals and 10 assists this season, and is playing at the highest level of his career.

The race for the top four spots in the Premier League has become significantly more interesting since Jose Mourinho was fired and the recent news that Harry Kane will be out two months with an injury. United have won five straight under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, matching Arsenal with 41 points. Only seven points separate third-place Tottenham and sixth-place United. Spurs have struggled whenever Kane has missed time in recent seasons. This season, Kane has scored a joint Premier League best 14 goals and will be incredibly difficult to replace.