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Last weekend in the football world was full of everything – goal-scoring and unpredictable matches, incredible game-winning shots, and moments of natural beauty. In the middle of the week, football fans were able to watch the performances of national teams, including Lithuania's. This weekend will not please us with many important national championship duels, but the creators of the Navigator section, like probably many football fans, are eagerly awaiting the middle of the week – the UEFA Champions League. The strongest league in the world has prepared a few desserts for us next week. Enjoy! In the Navigator section this time, we will discuss the most intriguing matches of the week. November 17, Saturday English Premier League 14:45 London "Arsenal" (8th place) – London "Tottenham Hotspur" (7th place) Results in their last five league matches: 2:2 This will not be an average league match. These teams made it to the top four in the 2011/2012 Premier League season and secured tickets to the Champions League. However, Tottenham was quickly disappointed as London Chelsea won the Champions League, and the ticket was taken away. We can say that in this match, elite English teams will play, although this season they are still trying to find their game. It's worth noting that this is another London derby – also known as the "North London derby". The teams played friendly matches for the first time in 1887. So the history between the teams is truly impressive. Up until the matches in February of this year, Arsenal had 72 victories, Hotspur had 53, and there were 47 draws. Both teams are playing very inconsistently this season, and predicting the outcome of any match is very difficult. Both London clubs have lost to teams at the top of the league table this season, which shows that this year the teams' goals should not be the title but a place among the top four teams to have a chance to participate in the financially rewarding Champions League matches. This year, the "Gunners" have already scored 6 goals once (in a match against Southampton), while the "Spurs" have not played a goalless draw yet, so we can confidently predict that there will be goals in the Saturday derby. Especially since recently, the young Theo Walcott and the Frenchman Olivier Giroud have been in particularly good sporting form. The match should be a high-scoring one, both teams will attack a lot, and the victory will go to those who defend better. November 17, Saturday Italian Serie A 19:00 Turin "Juventus" (1st place) – Rome "Lazio" (5th place) Results in their last five league matches: 4:2 The 13th round of the Italian Serie A will start with an unusual football feast. The multiple Italian champions Juventus will host visitors from Rome. The black and white probably still feel the sting from their recent home defeat to Inter Milan (lost 1:3 at home). However, in the last match, the "old lady" vented their frustration on the underdog Pescara, crushing them 6:1. On Saturday, Juventus will play at home again. It's even scary to think about how the fans of the Turin team will react if they have to endure another humiliation of their beloved team in their own stadium. Of course, for now, no one thinks about it and firmly believes that Juventus will secure another victory. And they should. However, Lazio has already defeated Milan, Inter, and Roma this season. Yes, these victories were achieved at home, but that proves that Lazio will come to Turin to fight for a victory. The favorite of the match is, of course, Juventus, but Lazio secured an impressive victory in the Serie A last round, defeating Roma 3:2 in a city derby. In the host team, there are definitely players who can score: Fabio Quagliarella (6 goals), Arturo Vidal (5 goals), Sebastian Giovinco (4 goals), and Andrea Pirlo, who can always surprise with a spectacular free kick. As for the team's defense, except for those fateful matches with Inter, the league leaders have not conceded more two goals in any match. Of course, a lot of credit goes to the veteran, 34-year-old goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon. Looking at Lazio's lineup, we cannot help but be happy that Lithuanian national team player Marius Stankevičius is finally recovering from an injury. It is unknown whether he will be registered for this match, but just the hope of seeing a Lithuanian on the field could attract a larger audience. We predict that the capital's team in this match will choose a counter-attacking tactic and will try to score using Miroslav Klose's excellent headers. November 20, Tuesday UEFA Champions League 21:45 Turin "Juventus" (3rd place) – London "Chelsea" (2nd place) Results in their group: 1:2 With two rounds to go, the tournament table is heating up. Only one point separates the first three teams in the table, so everything will be decided on Tuesday and in the following matches after two weeks. Neither team can afford to play poorly. Examining various possible scenarios, we can say that Juventus simply cannot afford to lose this match, as in the last group match, they will face a difficult trip to Donetsk. As for London Chelsea, in two weeks, they will face Danish "Nordsjaelland" and are expected to secure 3 points. The host situation in this interesting situation is probably the Shakhtar club. They need to win away at "Nordsjaelland" and then draw with Juventus – then the Ukrainians will have 11 points. If the Italian club wins against London visitors and draws with the Ukrainians, due to a better head-to-head record, Chelsea should continue the season in the UEFA Europa League. This would be a shock for the previous year's Champions League winners. Of course, the entire situation could change if Shakhtar win at home against Juventus in the final round. In that case, the "old lady" would be out. In short, it is impossible to predict which team will be unsuccessful, and that makes it more interesting for us football fans. November 21, Wednesday UEFA Champions League 21:45 Manchester City (4th place) – Real Madrid (2nd place) Results in their group: 0:2 The mathematics in this match is simple – if Manchester City still plans to play in the Champions League this season, they must win. In case of defeat or a draw, the "Citizens" will have to fight only for the right to participate in the Europa League. Considering the team's budget and lineup, it would be a major disappointment. The Manchester team has a significant lineup of stars, equal to Real Madrid's players. A victory in this match would allow them to silence the critics who still think that Manchester City cannot be considered a part of European football elite. Speaking of Real Madrid, there is no need for many words. The team's gameplay cannot be disliked. The team includes a candidate for the title of the best footballer in the world, Cristiano Ronaldo, and the team is directed by the eccentric Portuguese, Jose Mourinho. Adding to this duo on the other side are the unpredictable Mario Balotelli and the determined Carlos Tevez. Here is the highest level of football entertainment! November 21, Wednesday UEFA Champions League 21:45 Amsterdam Ajax (3rd place) – Dortmund Borussia (1st place) Results in their group: 1:2 Another decisive match in the "Group of Death". Perhaps unexpectedly, Dortmund Borussia, currently in first place, will try to secure a ticket to the next stage. A draw would be enough for the Germans. The tension for the Dutch team should not be an obstacle. Not many expected them to escape from this highly competitive group, so even in case of defeat, the players should not face criticism. But why not try? The Dutch club has already shown that they can overcome the Manchester City constellation. And in case of victory, everything would turn upside down in the tournament table. Both teams do not have world-class stars in their lineups, but they are known for their team play. In the Borussia team, it should be interesting to watch the game of Polish striker Robert Lewandowski, who was also of interest to Manchester United. If these matches end in a draw, and Manchester City wins at home against Real Madrid, Borussia will advance to the next stage, while for the second place, the remaining three teams will fight. And that is already interesting.
