The international break is over for now, and it is back to the grind for most football fans in the various leagues in Nigeria and across Europe.
As the 2022/23 season nears its end, the matches take on more importance as some teams battle for titles while others battle to stay in the elite divisions.
Akwa United v Enyimba @Godswill Akpabio Stadium @4 pm on 2 April
The last meeting between these sides ended in a scoreless draw in January, and their encounters have historically been tight draws and slim 1-0 wins. Sunday’s match will not be different, as just one point separates them after 11 matches.
Enyimba have won two of their five games on the road, while Akwa United have taken 12 points from a possible 15 in Uyo.
Enyimba coach Finidi George will be looking to break a seven-year jinx of Akwa United not losing at home to the Aba Elephants, since 2016, when Pyagbara Christian’s 38th minute strike snagged all three points.
Current Form: Akwa United [D-W-D-W-D]; Enyimba [D-D-L-W-W]
Head-to-head
18/01/23 NPF Enyimba 0 – 0 Akwa United
08/05/22 NPF Akwa United 1 – 1 Enyimba
26/01/22 NPF Enyimba 1 – 0 Akwa United
11/07/21 NPF Akwa United 1 – 0 Enyimba
24/02/21 NPF Enyimba 1 – 1 Akwa United
Prediction: Akwa Utd 1 – 1 Enyimba
Man City v Liverpool @Etihad Stadium @12:30 pm on April 1
Prior to this season, every match between Manchester City and Liverpool defined something; Saturday’s encounter will be about the confirmation of the superiority or of a sleeping giant flexing its muscles. The gap has never been this wide, with Liverpool starting 19 points adrift of second-placed City.
Liverpool have suffered from injuries, and Jurgen Klopp will have to find capable replacements for Thiago, Stefan Bajcetic, and Joe Gomez, while Luis Diaz, Darwin Nunez, and Konstantinos Tsimikas, need to prove their fitness before the Noon kickoff. City will be without Phil Foden, while Erling Haaland is a major doubt.
City need all three points to move closer to Arsenal, while Klopp’s Liverpool need all the boost they can get to grab a Champions League position.
Current Form: Man City [W-W-W-W-W]; Liverpool [L-L-W-W-D]
Head-to-head
22/12/22 LEC Man City 3 – 2 Liverpool
16/10/22 PRL Liverpool 1 – 0 Man City
30/07/22 COS Liverpool 3 – 1 Man City
16/04/22 FAC Man City 2 – 3 Liverpool
10/04/22 PRL Man City 2 – 2 Liverpool
Prediction: Man City 2-1 Liverpool
Napoli v AC Milan @Estadio Diego Maradona Stadium @7:45 pm on 2 April
This is a start of a triple header between the defending Series A champions and the incoming ones, both in the league and then in the Champions League in the space of 16 days. Currently, the gap is 23 points, and Luciano Spalletti already has a victory over AC Milan this season.
Just like their clash in September, Serie A top scorer Victor Osimhen will be unavailable because of an injury he picked up while on national assignment, but Giovanni Simeone is ready once again to deliver the killer blow, just like he did last September.
READ ALSO: Amid weak regulation, Nigerians lament as more airlines delay flights
Will Napoli miss Osimhen’s goal or will Simeone take up the mantle?
Current Form: Napoli [W-W-W-L-W]; AC Milan [L-D-D-L-W]
Head-to-head
18/09/22 SEA AC Milan 1 – 2 Napoli
06/03/22 SEA Napoli 0 – 1 AC Milan
19/12/21 SEA AC Milan 0 – 1 Napoli
14/03/21 SEA AC Milan 0 – 1 Napoli
22/11/20 SEA Napoli 1 – 3 AC Milan
Prediction: Napoli 3 – 1 AC Milan
Bayern Munich v Borussia Dortmund @Allianz Arena @5:30 pm on 1 April
Former Dortmund manager Thomas Tuchel begins his stint as Bayern coach with a match against his former employers. Bayern Munich fired Julian Nagelsmann last week after losing to Bayer Leverkusen and losing first place to Dortmund.
The first der Klassiker of this season ended 2-2 with Anthony Modeste getting a very last equaliser, but that does not tell the complete story. At the hour mark, Bayern were cruising with goals from Leon Goretzka and Leroy Sane, but Dortmund roared back to life with two goals in the last 16 minutes and got their equaliser in the fifth minute of added time.
According to whoscored, “Dortmund’s last tasted Bundesliga victory in the Bavarian capital in 2014, suffering eight straight defeats since with an alarming goal difference of 6-33.”
Current Form: Bayern [L-W-W-W-W]; Dortmund [W-D-L-W-W]
Head-to-head
08/10/22 BUN Dortmund 2 – 2 Bayern
23/04/22 BUN Bayern 3 – 1 Dortmund
04/12/21 BUN Dortmund 2 – 3 Bayern
17/08/21 SUC Dortmund 1 – 3 Bayern
06/03/21 BUN Bayern 4 – 2 Dortmund
Prediction: Bayern 3 – 1 Dortmund
Support PREMIUM TIMES' journalism of integrity and credibility
Good journalism costs a lot of money. Yet only good journalism can ensure the possibility of a good society, an accountable democracy, and a transparent government.
For continued free access to the best investigative journalism in the country we ask you to consider making a modest support to this noble endeavour.
By contributing to PREMIUM TIMES, you are helping to sustain a journalism of relevance and ensuring it remains free and available to all.
DonateTEXT AD: Call Willie - +2348098788999
