Club football is finally back after a long halt due to the World Cup.
People are still celebrating Argentina’s World Cup triumph in the streets of Buenos Aires. Meanwhile, French fans are yet to recover from the Blues’ frustrating defeat in the final.
But all that will soon be forgotten by football addicts who can’t wait for the European leagues to restart.
Due to the World Cup break, the competitions (except for Bundesliga) continue during the Christmas holidays.
Here are five must-watch games at the start of January 2023.
5- Lens vs PSG (Jan. 1)
Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe will reunite after all that drama in the World Cup final. Neymar returns after his own sad story with Brazil, hoping to repeat his incredible displays of the first half of the season.
PSG will face Lens, who sit five points behind them on the Ligue 1 table.
Lens hope to continue their five-game winning streak in the league. But that will largely depend on how PSG stars recover from their World Cup campaigns.
4- Celtic vs Rangers (Jan. 2)
The Scottish Premiership is back to present its most-anticipated game of the season.
The “Old Firm” match is a must-win derby for Rangers this year as they sit nine points behind their arch-rivals on the table.
Celtic have won all of their league games since October 1. But their unstable defensive displays in recent weeks might be enough for Rangers to revive their title hopes.
3- Newcastle vs Arsenal (Jan. 3)
Arsenal return to action after finishing the first half of the season as the Premier League leaders.
The Gunners will lock horns with West Ham on Boxing Day before travelling to Brighton on December 31. However, their most exciting game during the holidays will see them take on Newcastle.
The Magpies reached the third spot on the table after a host of incredible displays before the World Cup break. Let’s see if Eddie Howe’s side will remain in the title when the competition restarts.
2- Napoli vs Inter (Jan. 4)
Napoli remained undefeated after a brilliant start to the Serie A season. The Blues sit at the top of the league table with an eight-point lead over their closest rivals.
Luciano Spelletti’s men will return to action when they travel to San Siro to meet Inter in a crucial game. It’s a must-win clash for Nerazzurri, who sit 11 points behind their rivals on the table.
A victory for Inter could provide them with much-needed momentum to return to the top four.
1- Man City vs Chelsea (Jan. 5)
Chelsea went into the World Cup after a disappointing dip in form just before the tournament.
After a wonderful start under Graham Potter, the Blues remained winless for five consecutive games in the Premier League.
Having slipped to eighth spot on the table, Chelsea need to bounce back quickly to keep their top-four hopes alive.
Potter’s side will face Bournemouth and Nottingham Forest before they meet Man City in their most exciting holiday game. The Citizens will face Chelsea again in an FA Cup match only three days later.
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