The set of fixtures in the month of April 2017 can excite any football fan to their heart’s content. The month is characterised by the Quarterfinals of both the European Competitions this year. Apart from that, the domestic schedules also have mouth-watering clashes. The viewership is definitely set to soar this month as leagues across Europe seek to take advantage of their TV deals.
The European clashes:
At the European stage, the quarter-finals are one of the most balanced in recent times. While Leicester vs Atletico is set to be a clash of the lions, Barca’s match against Juventus will be a tactical battle. Real against Bayern is arguably the clash of the tournament till now, while Monaco and Dortmund promise to be a goal fest. Coming to the Europa League, Manchester United take on Anderlecht as they fight for the trophy. The Europa League has a lucrative prize as the guarantees a Champions League spot to the winners. OL go up against Besiktas, while Celta Vigo takes on the Belgian side Genk.
The European clashes promise a lot of thrill and action. Compared to the previous editions, European glory holds more weight than ever. While some teams are struggling with injuries, others have inconsistency issues. It needs to be seen how Europe’s best to deal with the busiest and the most important month of the season.
The domestic fixtures:
Domestically, a number of tables defining clashes are scheduled for this month. In England, the top 6 teams face each other quite a few times. The team which faces the most difficult task is Manchester United as they seek to maintain their momentum. They recently rose to the 5th position after around 6 months in the 6th position. With ties against Chelsea and Manchester City, United can either make it or break it this month. Chelsea, on the other hand, faces Tottenham and United this month, looking to cement their lead at the top and seal the trophy. Arsenal, on the other hand, faces Manchester City and Tottenham this month. Having lost 6 of their 9 last games, Arsenal will look to gain some momentum back. It is very likely that the shape of the Premier League table will be different once this month ends. Liverpool also faces Everton in the Merseyside derby, as they hope to finish in the top 4 this season.
Going to Italy, Napoli and Juventus square off against each other twice in three days. They have their Seria A and Coppa Italia semi-final games. Milan derby will be another talking point of the month as both the Milan teams seek to finish in the top 4 and challenge Juventus for the trophy. Not as critical as England, Italy still has major matches in the month of April. April is also critical for Bayern Munich as they will be facing two major challenges in Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund. Borussia Dortmund, on the other hand, will look to finish in the top 4 as they go up against Schalke this month. The positions of the German league might be different as many teams are dealing with inconsistency issues.
In Spain, Real Madrid probably faces their test of the season. They face Atletico Madrid in the La Liga right before they go up against Bayern Munich. With the team recently looking out of place, they have had to rely on late winners. Their inability to close down the game with an early lead might prove to be costly. Barcelona, on the other hand, faces the likes of Sevilla, who are closing the gap at the top of the table. Apart from all that, the biggest club level game on the planet, the El Clasico is also to be played next month. The game can very well be a title decider as the teams are separated by a very narrow margin at the top. It needs to be seen if Real can sustain the difficult set of games and emerge victoriously.
Fans: The real winners of April
One thing that can be stated for sure is that April is the month of the fans. The action on the field promises to thrill the crowds. The derbies will be a treat for the passionate fans as their favourite teams fight for the glory. Therefore, fans across the world will be waiting eagerly for the month to arrive. Here is the schedule for the same:
