Jul 29, 2017

  • Michael CoxESPN.com author

The 2017-eighteen European flavour is most upon us and, with Serie A having finally released its fixture list this week, we accept a clear idea of which games to watch and when. Here's a selection of the virtually intriguing fixture for each weekend in August, leading upwardly until the month-ending international break and transfer window closure.

Aug. half dozen: Lille vs. Nantes

Commonly, there would be nothing special about this run-of-the-mill Ligue 1 fixture. It'due south not a meeting between ii major sides and information technology'due south not a local derby, simply it does feature a fascinating managerial clash: Marcelo Bielsa vs. Claudio Ranieri, AKA the ideologue vs. the pragmatist.

Bielsa takes charge of a Lille side that finished an unimpressive 11th last season, but which have fabricated some eye-catching signings. Highly-rated midfielder Thiago Maia is the well-nigh intriguing and, together with his compatriots Luiz Araujo, a left-winger, and belongings midfielder Thiago Mendes, Lille accept splashed shut to £30m on iii promising Brazilians. They're just three of nine buys with an average age of 22. Bielsa is doing his usual matter: Packing the squad with energetic, hungry players, who can exist moulded to suit his philosophy.

Nantes, meanwhile, were flattered by their seventh-place finish terminal season; they were an unimaginative, defensive-minded side who scored fewer goals -- forty -- than third-bottom Lorient. But perhaps Ranieri will be able to transform them into a counter-attacking unit in the style of his famous Leicester team. Speedy broad forward Prejuce Nakoulma fabricated an touch on having arrived midway through final flavour, although striker Emiliano Sala is very much an old-school target man and will need appropriate service.

This should be an interesting tactical contest between 2 wise one-time managers. Neither are probable to mount a championship challenge just, on opening day in Ligue 1, expect Bielsa's side to come up flight out of the blocks and Ranieri to set his men up to choice off their hosts.

Aug. 12: Brighton vs. Manchester City

It will be Brighton'south get-go top-flying game since 1983 and an emotional occasion for the home supporters, who have spent much of the by xxx years concerned past where their club will play, never might at what level they would compete. After leaving their old Goldstone Ground in 1997, Brighton shared fifty miles away at Gillingham, then moved to an athletics stadium in their domicile town earlier, after years of political wrangling, finally building a purpose-built stadium.

After several virtually misses in their bid to exist promoted from the Championship, they will savour Premier League football game for the starting time time. Director Chris Hughton boasts experience at the highest level and is a master of drilling his players in a simple, dorsum-to-basics defensive organization. Brighton won't roll over easily and, in French attacking midfielder Anthony Knockaert, have a potential star in their ranks.

But the major story is the new-look Manchester City. Strengthened with five signings, including an entirely new set of total-backs, Pep Guardiola substantially has no excuse for failure this season. Having tried various new tactical experiments during his first yr in charge, it feels like City'south manager will revert to a more than conventional approach this fourth dimension around, with overlapping total-backs and a more standard 4-ii-3-1 system.

This feels like a gentle warm-up for Urban center. Withal, visiting newly-promoted sides tin be a tricky task; they're something of an unknown quality, the temper will be excellent and Brighton'southward players will be determined to prove they belong. The hosts play practiced football game but, on this occasion, a direct approach to exploit Metropolis's weaknesses makes sense.

Aug. xx: Tottenham vs. Chelsea

Last season'southward top two in England on the second weekend of the new campaign. Their league games in 2016/17 were both excellent, with Chelsea earning a come-from-behind 2-i win at Stamford Span in November, before Tottenham produced arguably the best team functioning of the season to convincingly win ii-0 at White Hart Lane only over a month later.

Then there was a quite extraordinary FA Cup semifinal, which Chelsea won iv-two at Wembley, which will host this latest disharmonism of London rivals. Tottenham have moved 12 miles west of White Hart Lane for a season at the national stadium and one of the keenest observers of the situation will be Chelsea, who are likely to follow suit with a temporary Wembley system equally they redevelop Stamford Bridge.

The game itself should be dandy. Mauricio Pochettino'southward approach confronting Antonio Conte last season was based around matching Chelsea's 3-iv-3; Tottenham play the system with nifty cohesion and fluidity and the versatility of Eric Dier allows them to switch seamlessly betwixt a three-man defence force and a back iv.

Conte's side, meanwhile, will have their first major test as defending champions. Alvaro Morata's performance will be of particular interest and he won't have a tougher claiming than facing the league's best defensive pairing of Jan Vertonghen and Toby Alderweireld. It could be a steep learning curve for the Spanish striker.

Aug. 26: Roma vs. Inter

The first big game of the Italian season is given actress spice by the fact that Inter's new manager is Luciano Spalletti, who will render to the Stadio Olimpico just weeks after leaving Roma for the 2d time, having taken the Giallorossi to the highest second-place points tally -- 87 -- in Serie A history.

His job at Inter is far from simple. The club's recent record is mediocre -- fourth is their all-time league end in the terminal six seasons -- and even so in that location is e'er expectation of a title challenge. Spalletti is the most frontwards-thinking, progressive coach Inter accept had for years, nonetheless, and transfer business organization has been quietly encouraging. Borja Valero, signed from Fiorentina, has been one of Serie A's about creative midfielders in contempo years, while young center-dorsum Milan Skriniar was excellent at Sampdoria terminal season.

Roma's new dominate is Eusebio Di Francesco and he's been forced to cope with several major departures: Goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny, defender Antonio Rudiger, winger Mohamed Salah and legendary playmaker Francesco Totti have all left. Even if Roma'southward No. x only played a fleck-role role last season, it will even so be curious to see them begin a entrada without Totti for the starting time time since 1992-93.

It would be a surprise if either of these sides won Serie A this season; defending champions Juventus, the increasingly impressive Napoli and a refreshed Milan seem more than probable winners. Yet, with Serie A entitled to 4 automated Champions League places, the battle for fourth is at present meaningful and it might come up downwardly to Roma and Inter.