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From Italy to Germany
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Football never sleeps, and while there has been no Champions League action midweek, much of the world had crucial cup games to contend with. Regardless, this weekend, we will see the Old Firm in the Scottish League Cup, Inter Miami CF and Lionel Messi take on Nashville, plus derbies in Istanbul, London, and the Basque Country. 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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Can Messi get it done? Nashville SC vs Inter Miami CF
Manuel Veth (Area Manager North America):
Inter Miami CF look to advance beyond the first round of the MLS Cup Playoffs for the first time in history when they face Nashville SC on Saturday. Last year, Inter Miami with Messi set a new regular-season record by finishing the season with 74 points. But despite dominating Major League Soccer, Miami were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs by the ninth-seeded Atlanta United.
It was certainly one of the most shocking results in recent playoff history. This year, Inter Miami weren’t quite as dominant in the regular season. The South Florida club finished third in the Eastern Conference and, as a result, were drawn against a very strong Nashville SC side, who, in Sam Surridge, have one of the most prolific strikers in MLS. The Englishman scored 24 goals in 34 MLS regular-season games.
Surridge, however, was kept quiet in the first game of the best-of-three series. Instead, Messi continued his incredible 2025 campaign by scoring a brace to secure a 3-1 win. The 38-year-old has now scored 34 goals and 18 assists in 37 games across all competitions this season. Fresh off signing a new contract, the Argentine doesn’t look to slow down any time soon.
Still, a win in the first of the best-of-three series means nothing. The series isn’t based on aggregate results; it's decided by the first team to reach 2 wins. Miami won the first of two last year as well and then lost twice in a row to Atlanta. With Surridge and playmaker Hany Mukhtar in the lineup, it wouldn’t be beyond the Tennessee club to still turn this around.
Basque Derby: Real Sociedad vs Athletic Club
Iván Fuente (Content Manager Spain):
Real Sociedad (17th) and Athletic Club (9th) face off in a derby of necessity: both are far from where they would like to be. After starting the season with three wins, the Rojiblancos have won only one of their last seven league games. They come into the derby after losing to Getafe, with Iñaki Williams, Beñat Prados, Iñigo Lekue, and Yeray Álvarez definitely out, and Aymeric Laporte, who is very unlikely to play, and Maroan Sannadi are doubtful.
For Real Sociedad, it is the first derby for their coach, Sergio Francisco, whose position is not entirely guaranteed: in his 10 games in charge of Real, he has won only two, so a derby defeat could have consequences. Their poor start to the season is compounded by the absences of Yangel Herrera, Orri Óskarsson, Jon Karrikaburu, and Takefuse Kubo, who may not be ready for the match.
Despite the absences, the Real fans are confident in their team: the stadium will be full and history is on the side of the San Sebastian side, who have lost only three of their last 20 home games against Athletic.
London Derby: Tottenham vs Chelsea
Ben Littlemore (Content Manager UK):
If you asked Chelsea fans which club they most despise, I would suspect a fair few would go for Tottenham. Due to Spurs' proximity to Arsenal, fewer Tottenham fans may say the same of the Blues, but there is certainly a lot of needle between the two clubs. This came to fruition most notably in the modern era at the infamous 'Battle of the Bridge' in 2016, when 12 yellow cards were handed out in a chaotic, feisty affair that saw Chelsea end Tottenham's title ambitions.
Because of the way Chelsea operate, if they lose this Saturday at Tottenham, manager Enzo Maresca is likely to come under some pressure. Last week's home defeat to Sunderland sent some shockwaves through West London. I think sacking Maresca would be a huge mistake at this point, as the club are finally beginning to build some stability and would essentially be back to square one if they move on. They have a young, talented group of players, but they also have plenty of egos. Tottenham are operating very steadily under Frank and, should they take the three points, could move to second in the league—a huge improvement when you consider they finished 17th last term.
Old Firm! Celtic vs Rangers
Euan Robertson (Content Manager UK):
The Old Firm derby is unquestionably one of the fiercest and most passionate rivalries in the world. While the quality of football is miles behind Europe’s leading leagues, the hatred between Celtic and Rangers is almost unrivaled. Unlike in England, there will be no half-and-half scarves at Hampden on Sunday for this derby.
Bragging rights are always at stake, but the semi-final offers both sides the chance to claim the first silverware of the season in Scotland. It’s been an absolutely box-office start to the campaign with Celtic and Rangers in crisis mode to leave Hearts in the ascendancy in the league - no club outside of Glasgow have won the top-flight title since Aberdeen in 1985.
There have been protests at both clubs this season, and it’s only October. Rangers are onto their second manager already, while Brendan Rodgers quit Celtic on Sunday before being eviscerated in a club statement. If you want high-quality football, then avoid tuning in on Sunday, but if you want passion, drama, and an abundance of nonsense, then the Old Firm is for you.
Istanbul Derby: Beşiktaş vs Fenerbahçe
Sinan Yener (Editor Transfermarkt.com.tr):
This weekend, all eyes in Türkiye will be on Istanbul as Beşiktaş and Fenerbahçe face off in one of the country’s most heated football rivalries. Fenerbahçe enter the derby as favorites, boasting a squad worth €292 million and featuring global stars such as Ederson, Marco Asensio, Fred, and Youssef En-Nesyri. Under their current form, the Yellow Canaries are looking to strengthen their title challenge with a statement win against their city rivals.
Beşiktaş, meanwhile, come into the clash seeking redemption after a difficult run of results. Despite their recent struggles, the Black Eagles’ €167 million squad is filled with quality. Key players include Orkun Kökçü—valued at €28 million—and former Premier League standouts Tammy Abraham and Wilfred Ndidi, who will be crucial if Beşiktaş are to upset their rivals.
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