Between the Posts weekend preview: a look at the games we will feature this weekend!

Welcome to the weekend primer of Between the Posts! In this article, you can find out which games are going to be featured on our site during the weekend, including a little preview of these matches. And what a weekend it is this time, featuring multiple derby’s and top sides squaring off in the Premier League and Serie A! (Game times are in CET.)

Friday (September 28th)

Hertha BSC – Bayern Munich (Bundesliga), 19:30 CET
Last Tuesday, Bundesliga fans witnessed a minor miracle: Bayern dropping points! Thanks to a late equalizer and some truly awesome goalkeeping by new number one Andreas Luthe, Augsburg were able to steal a point from Germany’s footballing superpower. Bayern will face their toughest road test of the season so far, as they travel to Berlin to take on Hertha BSC, one of the surprises of the current Bundesliga season. Hertha have taken ten points from their first five league games with some uncharacteristically spectaculair football. Coach Pál Dárdai still deploys a 4-1-4-1 system, but with more offensive-minded players than before. In Valentin Lazaro and Marvin Plattenhardt, Hertha also have the second-best duo of attacking fullbacks in the league.

Match report to be written by Peter M.

AS Saint-Étienne – Monaco (Ligue 1), 19:45 CET
Each year, Monaco sell their best players and manager Leonardo Jardim has to figure out how to make them compete for the second place in Ligue 1 nonetheless. This season, Monaco have been off to a very slow start and are currently residing in relegation territory. The 0-1 loss against Angers can be counted as a low point. The Monegasque offense especially looked terrible in that match. Saturday’s opponents Saint-Étienne have started the season very solid and are currently ranked sixth. They set up in a 4-2-3-1 that can easily become a formation with five defenders, as was shown against PSG. Do not sleep on this match between a solid tactical side and a stumbling top team who have something to prove!

Match report to be written by Josh Manley

Saturday (September 29nd)

AS Roma – Lazio Roma (Serie A), 14:00 CET
Truth be told, this fixture does not need an introduction to get anyone hyped. This is one of the fiercest rivalries in Europe and sparks are always flying on the pitch and in the stands. With the 171st edition of the Derby della Capitale around the corner, AS Roma are in bad shape. Having not yet found their ideal formation and personnel, a midweek 4-0 win over Frosinone capped off a streak of five games without a victory. Especially in midfield and attack, Roma’s manager Eusebio di Francesco is still looking for the best way to incorporate Javier Pastore. Lazio, on the other hand, are having a fine start to the season and are currently ranked fourth in the league.

Match report to be written by Erik Elias

Juventus – Napoli (Serie A), 17:00 CET
Just six games in, it looks like a two-headed title race between Juventus and Napoli, just like last year. A lot has changed for both clubs, though. With the departure of manager Maurizio Sarri and Jorginho to Chelsea, Napoli has become somewhat more of a traditional top side. They have fewer possession of the ball, their defensive block is positioned about ten to fifteen yards deeper and the formation has been changed from 4-3-3 to 4-4-2. Everybody knows what has changed for Juventus this season: Cristiano Ronaldo. CR7 has been off to a good, but not great start in Turin: three goals and two assists in his first six league games and a weird early red card against Valencia in the Champions League. Juventus can increase the gap with their chasers to six points already if they win this game. 

Match report to be written by Sérgio Ramos Sampaio

Chelsea – Liverpool (Premier League), 17:30 CET 
Chelsea and Liverpool have been really fun to watch this season, with the aforementioned Sarri transforming Chelsea’s positional play in possession, and Klopp finally having a defense that can match and add something to their ultra-dynamic offense. After losing the Community Shield game (2-0) to a strong Man City, Chelsea have not lost in their last seven games. Liverpool had not lost a game this season until last Wednesday. Thanks to an absolute wonder goal in the final minutes from Eden Hazard, Chelsea beat them in the Carabao Cup. Even though that match featured a lot of players that don’t get a lot of playing time in the league, it did offer some tactical nuggets that might be important for Saturday’s clash. 

Match report to be written by Sam Planting

Real Madrid – Atlético Madrid (LaLiga), 19:45 CET
Ever since Diego Simeone is Atletico Madrid’s manager, El Derbi is an actual fixture again and not an exhibition match where Real Madrid easily gobble up points. Atlético had a great midweek, winning easily against Huesca on Tuesday, before sitting back and watching both (!) Barcelona and Real Madrid lose three points on Wednesday. The gap between Atlético and the leaders has been reduced to two points going into El Derbi. Since LaLiga teams have not been afraid to press Real Madrid higher up the field recently, it will be interesting to see what approach Simeone’s side prefers. Besides that, having an extra rest day always helps, so the cards might be on for an Atléti win away from home.  

Match report to be written by Om Arvind

Sunday (September 30th)

AC Milan – US Sassuolo (Serie A ), 19:30 CET
Sassuolo are currently the hot team in Italian football. Their 4-3-3 is based on positional play by technical midfielders, wingers that can come inside and create overloads and a quick counterpress if the ball is lost. Even though they were partly outplayed by minnows Empoli last weekend, their third place in the league is thoroughly deserved and manager Roberto de Zerbi should earn credit for that. Going away to San Siro, his philosophy will be put to the test. Milan’s manager Gennaro Gattuso is content to play a bit more defensive and try to contain the opponent in a mid-block. Whether Sassuolo is able to play through that, and if they are able to win the ball back quickly after it is lost, will be decisive for the result of this game.

Match report to be written by Tristan Thomas