Five games to watch this weekend: Libertadores final, El Gran Derbi, Istanbul derby & more

From Milan to Vancouver 

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Football never sleeps, and with the end of an exciting Champions League matchday, the focus shifts back to the domestic leagues. This weekend, we will see the Copa Libertadores final, the big Istanbul Derby, El Gran Derbi in Sevilla, and much more. In other words, there are once again exciting games to watch across the globe, and with the expertise of our global team, Transfermarkt takes you around the world to highlight five games you should watch this weekend.

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Marcos Watts (Transfermarkt Area Manager Brazil):

There are never clear favourites in a Libertadores final. Palmeiras might be more consistent, but one could argue that Flamengo has the more star-powered squad. If the recent rivalry and a chance of redemption weren’t good enough, both clubs are also fighting for the Brasileirão title (with Flamengo leading the league with a 5-point margin to Palmeiras and two matchdays to go), so it’ll come to who’s got the nerves and who handles the pressure.

I think it’s safe to say that this has been Brazil’s most dominant era in the Copa Libertadores. Brazilian clubs won 6 out of 10 titles in the 1990s and again in the 2010s, but since 2020, there has been only one non-Brazilian side in the six Copa Libertadores finals, all won by Brazilian clubs – a scenario that doesn’t seem to be changing soon.

José “Flaco” López has been Palmeiras’ top scorer (7 goals in 11 matches), and his partnership with Vitor Roque (4 in 10) in the Alviverde attack has been lethal. The duo could be the key to Palmeiras’ success again in the final.

The veteran Giorgian de Arrascaeta has lived what many believe to be his best-ever season in 2025 and has dictated Flamengo’s game since the start of the year. With 23 goals and 17 assists in 59 games so far this season, Arrascaeta gets to the Libertadores’ final as the Rubro-Negro’s top player to keep an eye on.

Lara Karacan (Transfermarkt Area Manager Türkiye):

The Intercontinental Derby arrives with maximum tension: first vs second, separated by just one point. Fenerbahçe host the clash at its home, knowing a win would take the top spot, while Galatasaray could regain breathing room with three points.

Form favours Fenerbahçe – they’ve won all their recent league games – while Galatasaray have slipped, taking only two wins from their last five across all competitions. Yet history in Kadıköy tells a different story: Fenerbahçe’s last home victory over Gala dates back to 2022, with just one draw and three home defeats since.

Galatasaray enter the derby with a depleted squad: multiple injuries, suspensions due to yellow/red cards, and suspensions linked to a betting scandal have stretched their options. Fenerbahçe, by contrast, are near full strength, boosted by Marco Asensio’s excellent run of form – a goal or assist in each of his last five league matches. The narrative naturally revolves around Asensio versus V ictor Osimhen, the league’s most expensive signing, who is currently injured but still expected to feature.

Given the title implications and the psychological weight this derby carries – direct-duel advantage could prove decisive – both sides are likely to approach the match cautiously. Expect a tight, tactical battle where losing is simply not an option. A draw would surprise no one.

Stefano Buonfino (Transfermarkt Content Manager Italy):

Roma against Napoli is a derby between the two largest cities not located in the North of Italy, the capital of the State and the capital of the South. It is the story of a former affinity that turned into a rivalry in the 1980s. Today, however, Roma versus Napoli is first and foremost the clash between the first- and third-placed teams in Serie A, between a Roma side dreaming of a return to greatness and the reigning Italian champions.

Roma want to hold on to the top of the table, while Napoli need to continue the momentum after their impressive victory against Atalanta. Only two points separate the Giallorossi and the Azzurri. For Gian Piero Gasperini’s side (who is suspended), it is an opportunity to take all three points in a match against a direct rival. Roma previously failed in this mission against the two clubs of Milan clubs, but they deserved more.

Two excellent defenses face off, two teams that do not like draws, two attacks that are not always lethal, somewhat of a weak point for both teams, who have often sought alternative solutions by placing creative players at the center of the attack instead of their center forwards. With goalkeepers Mile Svilar and Vanja Milinković-Savić often in the spotlight, one might expect a game with few goals, played on the run from behind by the more physical players. Other players to keep an eye on are Scott McTominay, Rasmus Højlund (both Napoli), and Matías Soulé and Evan Ferguson (both Roma).

Osvaldo González Camacho (Area Manager Mexico):

The Chivas against Cruz Azul matchup may not be the most historic rivalry in Mexico, but tactically, it’s one of the most fascinating, particularly this season. And the last regular-season meeting left a clear message: the scoreboard lied. In August, Cruz Azul won 2–1, but Chivas dominated every structural aspect of the game: 62% possession, 19 shots to 12, and 7 corners to 1. Gabriel Milito’s side controlled territory, recovered the ball high, and imposed their rhythm; they simply lacked the efficiency that Larcamón’s team showed in two decisive moments.

Since then, both projects have doubled down on their identity. Nicolás Larcamón maintains his aggressive 3-4-2-1, with two attacking midfielders floating between lines and a back line pushed high to press man-to-man and attack vertically at speed. When Cruz Azul recovers the ball, the transition is immediate, direct, and dangerous. Milito, meanwhile, has reshaped Chivas into a team that bites early and late: high pressing, duels in the opponent’s half, and a structure with three center-backs, long wing-backs, and two creative midfielders behind a fixed striker. It’s intense, brave football. They lead the league in goals scored in the first 15 minutes and are also one of the strongest in the final stretch of matches.

This clash brings two ideas that mirror each other in courage but differ in execution: Chivas looking to dominate with pressure and protagonism; Cruz Azul aiming to punish every space with vertical precision. If Chivas reproduce the dominance of August, they can tilt the tie. If Cruz Azul breaks through their high line again, the story may repeat. Either way, it’s a matchup built for tension, tempo, and tactical clarity, exactly the ingredients of a great Liguilla night.

Ivan Fuénte (Transfermarkt Content Manager Spain):

The Seville derby is possibly the most heated rivalry in Spanish football. Although Sevilla FC have grown significantly this century, the tremendous equality between the two teams led their fans to challenge each other as equals, something that does not happen in other Spanish derbies. What’s more, for several years now, LaLiga has named it ‘El Gran Derbi’ (The Great Derby) in an effort to create a brand.

In sporting terms, Real Betis are in better shape this year (fifth vs 11th in LaLiga). In fact, in the last seven derbies, the Green and Whites have come out on top, something that has not happened since the 1930s. Although Betis will be without Antony, due to suspension,  Giovani Lo Celso and Héctor Bellerín, due to injury, they have Isco, who performed well last weekend after returning from injury.

Sevilla are not in good form going into the derby. They have lost four of their last five LaLiga games and are without César Azpilicueta, Rubén Vargas, Adnan Januzaj, and Gabriel Suazo due to injury. In addition, Sevilla lead a frightening statistic: they are the LaLiga team that has conceded the most penalties. However, none of this matters. It is a derby, and history shows that Sevilla have largely beaten Real Betis when the two sides have met.

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