'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
We're now only a few days away before the 2022-23 season kicks off in Europe. Clubs across the continent are preparing for what's expected to be another grueling season. The transfer window is still open and we've already seen plenty of twists and turns and exciting stories unfold over the course of the summer.
Clubs all across Europe are now close to winding up their pre-season activities. There is plenty of exciting, high-profile football action in store for us this weekend. In addition to the friendlies, there are a few official football matches that are set to take place over the next two days.
Without further ado, let's take a look at the five best football matches to watch this weekend.
#5 Real Madrid vs Juventus
Real Madrid will take on Juventus in their final pre-season friendly of the summer. The match will take place at the Rose Bowl Stadium in California on Saturday evening.
Trending
Los Blancos haven't fared all that well in pre-season so far. After conceding a 1-0 loss to Barcelona last weekend, they settled for a 2-2 draw against Club America in midweek.
Juventus kickstarted their pre-season preparations with a 2-0 win over Guadalajara. They played out an exciting 2-2 draw with Barcelona in midweek. This will undoubtedly be an exciting contest between two quality sides who will be looking to inject some positivity into their pre-season preparations.
#4 Manchester United vs Atletico Madrid
Manchester United will play two friendlies this weekend. They will take on Atletico Madrid in their penultimate pre-season game in Oslo, Norway on Saturday before heading home to Old Trafford to square off against Rayo Vallecano on Sunday.
The Red Devils have fared well in pre-season and there have been plenty of positives to take away from their friendlies so far. They've beaten Liverpool 4-0, Melbourne Victory 4-1 and Crystal Palace 3-1. United settled for a 2-2 draw against Aston Villa in their latest outing.
Atletico Madrid have not had an extensive pre-season like their Saturday opponents. They've only played one pre-season friendly so far and that came against Numancia on Wednesday where they registered a 4-0 win.
With the game against Rayo Vallecano coming up on Sunday, Erik ten Hag might use the Atletico Madrid game to field his strongest XI. As such, this could end up being a cracker of a friendly between two well-matched sides.
#3 Paris Saint-Germain vs Nantes
Paris Saint-Germain will lock horns with Nantes in the Trophee des Champions at the Bloomfield Stadium on Sunday. The first trophy of the French football season will go to the winner of the game between the Ligue 1 champions and the winners of last term's Coupe de France.
PSG are now under the tutelage of Christophe Galtier, who led Lille to the Ligue 1 title in the 2020-21 season. Lionel Messi and co. registered three back-to-back wins in pre-season in addition to a 2-0 win over Quevilly-Rouen at their training ground.
The PSG attackers have thrived in pre-season and Galtier will be banking on them to bring home his first trophy as the manager of the French giants. But Nantes will be no pushovers. They are led by former PSG player Antoine Kombouare.
Incidentally, Kombouare's side beat Galtier's Nice in the final of the Coupe de France last season. It's also worth noting that Nantes beat PSG 3-1 in their latest meeting, which took place in February earlier this year.
As such, it goes without saying that PSG will be looking to exact revenge when the two teams collide on Sunday.
#2 RB Leipzig vs Bayern Munich
RB Leipzig will clash with Bayern Munich at the Red Bull Arena on Saturday in a bid to secure the DFL Super Cup trophy. Leipzig won the DFB Pokal last season while Bayern Munich added a sixth Bundesliga title in the last seven years to their collection.
The Bavarians kicked off their pre-season with a resounding 6-2 win over Major League Soccer outfit DC United. In their latest outing, they fell to a 1-0 loss to Manchester City courtesy of Erling Haaland's first goal for his new side.
Meanwhile, RB Leipzig suffered a 5-0 defeat against Liverpool in their latest friendly. That's the only loss they've conceded since the turn of the year and could yet prove to be formidable opponents for the Bavarians on Saturday.
#1 Liverpool vs Manchester City
Make no mistake, this is the most exciting match of the weekend. Liverpool and Manchester City are two of the strongest sides in Europe and they will lock horns in the FA Community Shield tonight.
The game will feature some of the best players in England and it should be an absolute cracker of a contest. Liverpool and Manchester City will look to show off their expensive new strikers Darwin Nunez and Erling Haaland. It will be interesting to see who makes a better first impression.
It is also going to be a battle between Jurgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola, two of the finest tacticians in the game right now.
