Here is what we think you should be watching this weekend:
Saturday, October 24th
Milwaukee Brewers vs Tampa Bay Rays (World Series Game 1) - 02:00 CET
The weekend is starting with Major League Baseball's World Series between two teams looking to claim their very first title. Tampa Bay are making their third World Series appearance in franchise history (2008, 2020), while the Brewers are making just their second appearance (1982), as the series is shaping up to be an incredible pitcher's duel.
The matchup also marks the eighth time in league history where both teams in the World Series are seeking their first ring.
Both teams finished the regular season with the best records in their respective leagues. Tampa, winning the American League, posted a 98-64 record. Milwaukee, on the other hand, finished with the best record in the National League (and all of MLB) with a 103-59 record.
NL Cy Young Award favorite (best pitcher) Jacob Misiorowski, who is 2-0 in both of his starts this Postseason, will be starting for the Brewers. And he has a stout bullpen behind him that is on fire, posting a 1.33 earned run average in 40.2 innings.
On the opposite side, Nick Martinez will get the start for Tampa Bay. Like Misiorowski, Martinez is also 2-0 in both of his starts this Postseason. But he also has stellar bullpen help. Rays closer Bryan Baker seeks his 36th consecutive save, already setting a franchise record, after leading the AL during the regular season. He hasn't given up a single run through 7.1 innings of work, just one hit and two walks with six strikeouts this Postseason.
So the Brewers will look to get ahead early as the Rays are 92-0 this season when going into the eighth inning with a lead. It'll make for a great clash against a Brewers team whose six of seven wins this Postseason are comeback victories. Be sure to check out our complete guide to the World Series ahead of the matchup!
Eric Himmelheber
Is the pressure starting to mount on Massimiliano Allegri at Napoli? Despite a morale-boosting 4-3 win over Bodo/Glimt in the Champions League on Tuesday, the Neapolitan side have struggled to start well in Serie A this season. After seven games, they have lost three of them, including a shock defeat to basement side Venezia last weekend, and sit off the pace, nine points off the top of the table.
With a plethora of talent, they welcome Roma to the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium knowing a victory is essential to their hopes of a successful year domestically, and they have recent history on their side with an eight-match unbeaten run against Saturday's opponents at their home.
Scott McTominay will be a key player for Allegri's side - he scored in midweek for his first goal since returning from heart surgery and as he continues his road to full fitness, the Scot will be a key figure if Napoli can find some form.
On the other side of the pitch, Donyell Malen, who has fast become a talisman for the Giallorossi, has netted 20 times in 24 league games since moving from Aston Villa and he returns from suspension for this crucial clash. Expect him to be back firing on Saturday evening.
Opta has Roma as slight favourites with a 38% win probability compared to Napoli's 35%, meaning this is one of the weekend's most unpredictable matches, and surely one to watch.
Josh Donaldson
Chelsea vs Tottenham Hotspur - 18:30 CET
A London derby that always tends to deliver drama and entertainment, Chelsea and Tottenham go head-to-head in the Premier League this Saturday, with both teams having very different issues and sitting at opposite ends of the table.
The Blues have been one of the most exciting teams to watch in England this season. Under Xabi Alonso, they have been a thrilling force offensively, with Morgan Rogers, Cole Palmer and Joao Pedro forming a brilliant front three.
Pedro has begun the campaign in scintillating fashion, netting five goals and registering three assists in six games. Additionally, only two other teams have scored more goals than Chelsea's 17. However, they have proven very vulnerable at the other end of the pitch.
They have conceded 13 goals in their first seven games - only five teams have conceded more. The return of Moises Caicedo has been a big boost, though, helping them keep their first clean sheet since January in a 2-0 victory over Everton last weekend.
Meanwhile, Spurs are coming off the back of their first victory of the season against Coventry, which was so desperately needed. After sitting bottom of the table during the international break, Robert De Zerbi will be hoping this can kickstart their campaign.
Spurs' dilemma remains in the final third. While they have looked a better outfit under De Zerbi compared to the sides that finished 17th in the Premier League in back-to-back years, they struggle to put the ball into the back of the net. They have scored six goals - only Nottingham Forest have fewer. Could the return of James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski help?
Chelsea have traditionally got the better of this match-up, winning their last six league meetings. They will be confident of picking up another three points at Stamford Bridge. Yet there would be no better time for Spurs to get one over on their rivals.
Tolga Akdeniz
Sunday, October 25th
Barcelona vs Real Madrid - 21:00 CET
When 'El Clasico' comes around twice a season, it is always one of the biggest games in the European calendar. This Sunday evening's match between Hansi Flick's Barcelona and Jose Mourinho's Real Madrid, however, feels like the most significant and anticipated El Clasico in some time.
That is largely down to Mourinho sensational return to Los Blancos, and his first El Clasico back in the Real hot seat was always going to be box-office. But when you add to the mix that Barcelona are six points clear of their arch-rivals and sit pretty at the top of LaLiga, suddenly this becomes a crucial must-win game for Mourinho.
With Barcelona scoring and conceding a lot of goals and a Real attack starting to click into gear, the stage is set for 'El Clasico' for the ages. Real's improvements have come after the international break, and they were timely as they lost to city rivals Atletico in the final game before the break in their second league defeat of the season.
Since then, Arda Guler has come into a rich vein of form, and so has expensive summer signing Yan Diomande. The improved form of Diomande will particularly encourage Mourinho as he finally appears to have an attack firing on all cylinders.
Flick's Barca meanwhile are still big favourites despite their first setback of the season coming earlier this week in the Champions League when they lost a 4-2 thriller against PSG. Still, Barca have won nine from nine in LaLiga, scoring a remarkable 39 goals and playing some unbelievable football. Make no mistake: Barcelona at home will fancy their chances, and they will go in for the kill from the off.
Real will look to be a threat with their speed and quality on the counter and hope to keep one of the best attacking sides in Europe at bay. It goes without saying that this is an El Clasico not to miss.
Harry Dunnett
United States Grand Prix - 21:00 CET
Formula 1 is heading to America this weekend, and it could leave with a historic new world champion.
Kimi Antonelli is taking a 102-point lead with him to Austin, and if he wins the race, Lewis Hamilton finishes outside of the top four, and George Russell finishes outside of the top eight, the 20-year-old will become the youngest world champion in the history of Formula 1.
Click here for a closer look at how Antonelli can win the title in Austin
Russell finishing that low is admittedly fairly unlikely, but all it will take is one mistake or mechanical issue for history to be made, and the Brit has had plenty of both this season. Arguably the bigger hurdle for Antonelli is the resurgent Max Verstappen.
With a better car at his disposal, the Dutchman has been at his imperious best across the last two rounds, claiming pole position and victory at both. What's more, he's won four of the last five races at the Circuit of the Americas.
With big question marks over Mercedes upgrades too, Verstappen very much enters the weekend as the favourite, but what better way to prove you're a worthy world champion than to prevail in a battle with one of the best ever?
And even if the title is fairly unlikely to be wrapped up in Texas, it's one of the best tracks in F1, and often one of the best races of the season, so you don't want to miss it either way.
Finley Crebolder
