sports

While the weekend action is done and dusted there is still plenty to take in from a jam packed midweek of sport ahead of us..

With that in mind here are our picks for what to take in this week from the sidelines or at home.

Monday 7th April Serie A Bologna v Napoli 19:45
Serie A plays host to a battle of the top four to kick off this week as fourth placed Bologna face title challengers Napoli at the Stadio Renato Dall’Ara. The home side come into this one after a highly impressive six game winning streak which includes victories over AC Milan and a 5-0 battering of Lazio. Their last win came away from league action in the semi-final of the Coppa Italia where they ran out convincing 3-0 winners away from home in Empoli.

Napoli have similarly been on a long unbeaten run but have failed to create the type of momentum Bologna have due to their affinity for drawing. They have been unbeaten in four but have only managed two wins and two draws, one being a rather disappointing 1-1 away draw to strugglers Venezia.

More disappointing was their 2-1 loss to Como in late February, which put an end to a ten-game unbeaten run stretching all the way back to the December 8th. Napoli have failed to fully recover from that recent loss and have subsequently relinquished their position at the top and have been overtaken by Inter Milan who now sit three points clear.

Everyone is geared up for a battle between two of the top performers in Serie A and we are likely to see a close fought battle and one that could help determine shape of the league come final day.

Date: 07/04/2025
Time: 19:45
Venue: Stadio Renato Dall’Ara, Bologna

Tuesday 8th April Skybet Championship Middlesbrough v Leeds 20:00

The Championship is slowly coming towards its climax with only six matches remaining for teams to manoeuvre through one of the hardest second tiers in world football. This week we have an unconventional Yorkshire derby between one team fighting for automatic promotion and another for a playoff spot. Leeds have been for the most part one of the best sides in the division this season and looked certain to gain a place back in the Premier League after faltering in the playoff final last year. Between December and early March, they were unbeaten and flying at the top but recently they have dropped off a cliff with one loss and three draws in their last five matches including disappointing stalemates against QPR and Swansea and a loss against strugglers Portsmouth. This has left them in third place, one point behind Sheffield United and two behind Burnley. Time is quickly running out for a resurgence and with Middlesbrough fighting to remain in the playoff picture this fixture will be one of the hardest in their final run in. It has been clear to many Leeds fans that this season may end the same as the last, with mounting pressure throwing a spanner in the works of a previously simple looking goal of gaining a spot in the top two.

Middlesbrough will no doubt be licking their lips looking over Leeds’s latest results, knowing they have the quality over their previous opponents and coming off the back of a positive run in themselves. Boro have remained unbeaten in the previous four matches, meaning Carrick’s men take up fifth spot but with just one point separating them from relinquishing their playoff place.

Both sides have much to play for in this fixture, with May approaching there are no chances to drop points with determined teams ready to capitalise on any given matchday. It will be a case of which side can brush past the mounting pressure and show their quality. With recent results considered, it is looking like Leeds have much more to do to maintain their confidence from the turn of the year and Boro will be more than happy to be another stumbling block for the Whites’ mission to recapture Premier League status.

Date: 08/04/2025
Time: 20:00
Venue: Riverside Stadium, Middlebrough The match will be shown on Sky Sports Football ,Sky Sports Main Event

Wednesday 9th April Champions League Barcelona v Dortmund 20:00

Its Quarter-finals time in the Champion League and we have been treated to a surprisingly rare European fixture this week as Dortmund take the long trip to Catalonia to face FC Barcelona.

This will be only the fourth time in history the two sides have met, but the second time this champions League campaign with the first coming back in December in the group

stages where Barcelona were ran close but eventually escaped the Signal Iduna Park with a 3-2 win. Whilst Barcelona lost their next two matches against Leganes and Atletico Madrid directly following the Dortmund result, that was the last time Barcelona tasted defeat and have been on a colossal 22 match unbeaten run stretching over four months, which has left them sitting pretty at the top of La Liga.

Dortmund on the other hand have fared much worse since the last time these two met, having only managed to win five Bundesliga games since and languishing in tenth position. Tenth is ironically where BVB finished in the champions League also, which was enough to grant them a Round of 16 tie against French side Lille.

After a tight 1-1 affair in Dortmund the reverse fixture in France saw the away side claim victory the hard way, coming back from 1-0 down within the first five minutes to eventually win 2-1 and push them through to the Quarter finals.

That quarter final tie will be a different beast to Lille as Dortmund are pitted against one of the current strongest squads in Europe in the middle of one of a long successful run of results. As we all know though the Champions League is always geared up for surprises and one will need to transpire if this struggling Dortmund side is to take anything positive back to Germany.

Date: 09/04/2025
Time: 20:00
Venue: Camp Nou, Barcelona The match will be shown on TNT Sports 2

Thursday 10th April Betfred Super League Salford Red Devils v Leeds Rhinos 20:00
Round seven of the Super League kicks off earlier than usual this week as Thursday sees two bottom half sides continue their pursuit of much needed points. Hosts Salford have been through on and off the pitch turmoil with sanctions plaguing them early which restricted their use of first team players and now for the second time this season the first team have gone without full wage payments, further heightening the uncertainty around the club.

This flux has unsurprisingly had negative effects on the pitch and Salford find themselves with only one win in their opening six Super League games and second bottom only in front of Huddersfield Giants who have failed to register a single point. Rhinos have had a mixed opening six games with three wins and three losses, a record that has left them on six points. While not the most spectacular start it has left them just a single point and place away from Leigh in the last playoff spot. They will be looking to bounce back from a tight 16-14 loss to Warrington last week, in a match that on the surface that will be a much easier affair especially considering Rhinos have already shown their quality difference against Salford in late February where Leeds travelled to Salford and handed them a 32-6 defeat.

There could be a slight discrepancy waiting for Rhinos however, as that squad they faced earlier on was littered with inexperienced players at Super League level due to the restrictions they were faced with.

Date: 10/04/25
Time: 20:00
Venue: Salford Community Stadium, Salford
The match will be shown on Sky Sports+

Friday 11th April Betfred Championship Hunslet v Halifax Panthers 19:45

We stay with Rugby League but drop down to the Betfred Championship for Friday’s action between two Yorkshire clubs on differing ends of the table. Newly promoted Hunslet fought through the League One playoffs and miraculously gained promotion after finishing in fourth.

They have unsurprisingly found the step up in quality a challenge and after five games have failed to register a point and have a lousy -136 point difference. Their last match against last years Super League bottom side London Broncos ended in a 26-6 win for the team from the big smoke. While not a flattering scoreline by any means it did represent one of the Leeds sides best points differences, having gone through previous rounds with much ore damning scorelines such as their 36-4 loss to Toulouse Olympique in round three. Halifax Panthers on the other hand are defying expectations in the best way possible. From their ninth placed finished last season many were expecting another solid but mid table campaign. Not to be one to disappoint their fans however the Panthers have turned into a force to be reckoned with in the Championship.

They are sitting pretty as leaders and have a 100% win record in their opening five games whilst already leading the way with a 102 point difference, 14 points clear of the next best record held by Oldham with 88. They have been helped by the fact that only one of their opponents (Barrow) are within the top four in the league, which could mean they may struggle more against the more established teas in the division.

The short trip to Hunslet will be one of the easiest matches on paper Halifax have had this season, but counting out the side from Leeds would be irresponsible as we have been show by Halifax’s exploits that anything can happen in the championship especially at such an early stage

Date: 11/04/2025
Time: 19:45
Venue: South Leeds Stadium, Hunslet Tickets can be purchased here