Etebo, Azeez go Head-to-head in Spanish LaLiga as action resumes in Italy

Etebo, Azeez go Head-to-head in Spanish LaLiga as action resumes in Italy

By Muyiwa Akintunde

2019/20 Spanish LaLiga (Week 28): Granada v Getafe (6:30pm), Valencia v Levante (9pm)

Two Super Eagles midfielders may file out at both ends of the field as Granada and Getafe get back to business three months layoff.

Action resumed in LaLiga last night with Sevilla beating Real Betis 2-0 in the Seville derby.

Oghenekaro Etabo (Getafe) and Granada's Ramos Azeez line up in the midfield for Nigeria but they will each strive to improve the fortunes of their respective club.

Getafe, who won the first leg 3-1, are in the qualification range for the Champions League with fourth placed Real Sociedad only better on account of goal difference.

For Azeez and his colleagues at Granada, Europa League participation next season may even be far fetched unless they have results going their way in their next 11 matches. They presently sit at No 9, and eight points adrift of the top five.

Before the enforced break, Getafe knocked out last season's Champions League sensation Ajax from the Europa League, and had won two of their last five games in all competitions.

Granada achieved maximum points in three matches within the same period, and drew the other two.

Later in this evening, Valencia will seek to win to further advance their chase for Europa League spot next season. They are at seventh spot and four points behind Getafe.

In their last five fixtures, Valencia were eliminated from the Champions League by Atalana and had won only once and drawn also once. But they have an edge over tonight's opponents Levante who they beat in front of their fans 4-2 in the first leg.

Levante are placed 13th, eight points above the bottom three.

2019/20 German Bundesliga (Week 31): 1899 Hoffenheim v RB Leipzig (7:30pm)

Champions League quarterfinalists Leipzig have become the away experts since the resumption of activities last month. While they have shared honours with three visiting teams in that period, they have won all two matches on the road.

Hoffenheim must therefore be mindful of not losing their second home game after the 0-3 humbling by Hertha Berlin when hostilities resumed on May 16.

Third placed Leipzig are threatened by Borussia Mönchengladbach and Bayer Leverkusen in the contest for Champions League ticket, while Hoffenheim are safe in the middle of the pack.

Leipzig won the first leg 3-1.

2019/20 Copa Italia (Semifinal second leg): Juventus v AC Milan (8:45pm) (first leg 1-1)

Football returns to Italy after the Covid-19 shutdown with Juventus aiming to complete the job they started in Milan in the first leg when Cristiano Ronaldo's late penalty controversially saved them from defeat in Milan.

The Old Lady are the record winners of this competition (13 in all), but failed to claim it five times in a row last season when Lazio triumphed.