As I stated yesterday, rivalry games take center stage in today's selection of games. Across Europe, many different iterations of inter-city derbies and games dubbed "classics" over the years will be played with pride on the line. In some instances, much more than that is at stake. To add the second huge game from the Premiership, the number of picks has been extended to six today. Hopefully this will be done before the Merseyside Derby so I can focus all my attention on sweating out 90 minutes of football that could potentially seal the manager's fate. But first, let's get to the game already in progress out in the Russian capital.
RUSSIAN PREMIER LEAGUE
PFC CSKA Moscow vs FC Dinamo Moscow (6:30 AM ET)
Though this game isn't "officially" recognized as a derby by the clubs, their fans, or the league, any game between two teams from the Russian epicenter is a tense contest. CSKA/Spartak is known as the Main Moscow Derby while Dinamo and Spartak take place in the Oldest Russian Derby. No clever name is given to the match between CSKA and Dinamo but the game has history. Dinamo is the oldest Russian football club dating back to the late 1800's and is the only team to have never been relegated from the Soviet/Russian top flight. That makes it all the more strange that the club has never took home the Russian Premier League title. RPL titles are something that CSKA has plenty of. They have won the competition five times in its thirteen years of inception. They are poised to make it six as they have yet to be beaten in eleven league games and are atop the Premier League table. Dinamo is going to have to shake off their mediocre road form (1-3-2) to end this run by CSKA. While Russians make up a higher percentage of the league than ever, especially with the 2018 World Cup on the horizon, it is three Africans that could make the most difference. Seydou Doumbia (Ivory Coast) and Ahmed Musa (Nigeria) are the primary attacking options for CSKA as they take on the Jekyll & Hyde back four of Dinamo led by Christopher Samba (Republic of Congo). It is nil-nil at halftime so it almost feels like cheating to make a pick here. Nevertheless, I'll go with the hosts CSKA to nick a late goal, furthering Dinamo's road woes and keeping themselves plenty clear at the top of the table.
PREDICTION: CSKA Moscow 1 Dinamo Moscow 0
GERMAN BUNDESLIGA
Borussia Dortmund vs FC Bayern Munich (11:30 AM ET/Fox Sports 2)
When Fox purchased the rights to the Bundesliga, they had to have immediately looked up this game on the calendar. I can only imagine the Charlie Brown walk of sadness their top soccer executives must have had when they saw that "Der Klassiker" ran congruent to their NFL football, forcing them to play the game on of all places Fox Sports 2. If you are a fan of the sport and are over the Premier League and could do without watching Giants/Bills or Eagles/Redskins, get your bartender to pop this one on a TV. Borussia Dortmund have the unenviable task today of trying to derail the three time defending champion Bayern Munich. Both teams are undefeated through seven games with Bayern yet to drop points and Dortmund able to secure five wins and two draws. They'll have to slow down the most in-form striker in the world right now if they want to remain unbeaten through eight. Robert Lewandowski, a man vital to Dortmund's two titles before Bayern's recent run, is coming in having scored 10 goals in his last three games over the domestic league and the Champions League. Dortmund have their own volume scorer in Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. The Gabon international looks to extend his own record by scoring in his eighth consecutive Bundesliga game to start the season. The only time he's been held off the scoresheet this whole season was in the Europa League in a win against Russians Krasnodar. I think that the team that blinks first loses today and I'd be a fool to say that blinker would be anybody but Dortmund. Until the king of Germany is dead, long live the king.
PREDICTION: Bayern Munich 3 Borussia Dortmund 1
FRENCH LIGUE 1
Paris Saint-Germain FC vs Olympique de Marseille (3:00 PM ET/beIN Sports 5)
Spain has their El Clasico between Real Madrid and Barcelona. I just mentioned Der Klassiker between Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich. The English league even has a semblance of an "English Clasico" between Liverpool and Manchester United. In France, Le Classique takes place today between PSG and Marseille. Two of the most heated rivals in all of Europe find themselves in very different positions in this early portion of Ligue 1. PSG has taken their recent mantle as league leaders. Marseille however has found themselves in dire straits hovering precariously above the drop zone in 16th. It has been said millions of times over though that in a rivalry game all form goes out the window. The fans of both sides will surely be into it. Maybe to into it. Le Classique has provided some moments of violence over the years that would make Dodgers/Giants and Red Sox/Yankees look like cordial friendships. With Marseille scrapping at the crown of the champions, that should only be ramped up more as they travel to the hostile Parc de Princes. Marseille seem to lose all their offensive potency on the road. PSG is just as comfortable in either capacity and should be fine today as long as they curtail Belgian international Michy Batshuayi. Batshuayi has Marseille's only away goal and is a bulldog in the Marseille attack. We all know the David Luiz lapses that cause Thiago Silva to lose hair over can come at the most inopportune of times. They shouldn't have to fret about keeping a clean sheet though as long as Edinson Cavani (6 goals) keeps getting fed in the middle of the strike line. Angel Di Maria, Blaise Matuidi, and Zlatan Ibrahimovic all have two goals apiece, but it is their work to keep the lanky Uruguayan on point that makes many believe PSG could take a treble (Ligue 1, Coupe de France, Champions League) this season. Marseille won't spoil that dream today.
PREDICTION: Paris Saint-Germain 3 Marseille 1
SPANISH LA LIGA
Atletico Madrid vs Real Madrid CF (2:30 PM ET/beIN Sports)
There is never a dull moment when the two teams that inhabit Spain's capital do battle. It is strange though to not see either Madrid side in a guaranteed Champions League place before kick-off. 4th place Real travels to 5th place Atletico today in the latest installment of El Derbi madrileño. Rafa Benitez's Blancos haven't been bested this season with four decisive wins sandwiched inside two headscratching 0-0 draws. Atletico are two points behind having lost to leaders Villarreal as well as Barcelona. The rematch of the 2014 Champions League final could prove to be the tipping point for which team fades out of title contention and which one propels themselves right back into it. To be honest though, with La Liga being very un-La Liga early on, a loss may not doom either side. Just don't tell that to any fan on either side of Madrid. The usual suspects will be there on both sides with one big blow to the visitors. Yes, Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema, Sergio Ramos, and Gareth Bale will all be fit, but James Rodriguez will not make the trip to the Vicente Calderon. Atletico will be missing a creative figure of their own in Koke. This one is always a tough one to call. You expect both sides to shake off the early season cobwebs but it is never good to be scuffling heading into a derby. Real still has to have the nearly 30 shots they missed against Malaga emblazoned in their mind while Atletico will want to put a UCL loss to Benfica in the rear view mirror. Per my usual standards, I am going to go against the grain here and take Atletico. It shouldn't be a big deal seeing how they won last year's season series across all competitions. But picking against the greatest team in European history is always a risky proposition.
PREDICTION: Atletico Madrid 3 Real Madrid 2
ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE
Everton FC vs Liverpool FC (8:30 AM ET/NBC Sports Network)
Manchester United FC vs Arsenal FC (11:00 AM ET/NBC Sports Network)
On this day of rivalries, derbies, and classics, it would be irresponsible to kick either of these tremendous games to the curb. I personally am going to be rushing through this double preview so that I can get a beer cracked for Liverpool/Everton in just under five minutes. There isn't much to say about these four teams that hasn't been said in any slew of previews over the past week. None of them like each other plain and simple. Both games tend to be chippy affairs and it would be a shock if a red card or two wasn't seen over the course of either contest. Manchester United versus Arsenal has the added caveat of the title race, but the Merseyside Derby will be the more hotly contested game. Both of these games will done before the NFL starts, London game aside, so there is no excuse not to be glued to both. COME ON YOU REDS! COME ON SCORELESS DRAW IN THE OTHER GAME! {No bias here :)}
PREDICTIONS: Liverpool 2 Everton 1; Manchester United 2 Arsenal 1
Crack open an early morning beer and enjoy your European football supplement to today's American football. Have at it!