MARQUEE MATCHUPS

AS Monaco vs PSG

First up today we head over to Ligue 1 for a top of the table clash between first place PSG and second place AS Monaco. While this may not be a derby, we have seen EA opt to include various matches between top clubs this year and this is the sole reason why this makes the list. When investing consider which players have a more limited supply and are hence likely to rise the most, the current Madrid Marquee Matchup is a prime example of this logic in action.

Stade Rennais vs FC Nantes

Keeping things in the same league for this choice, and the first point to consider is that EA have never chosen two games from the same league, so we shouldn’t be expecting both this and the Monaco/PSG game to feature. Again, we head back to Wikipedia for our sources here and this match between Stade Rennais and FC Nantes is known as the Derby De La Bretagne (Derby Breton). Investing in either of these Ligue 1 games slightly helps invest in the other, considering the positions and rarity of the cards is crucial once again.

Spartak Moscow vs Zenit

For our next choice we head over to the Russian league, a league that has received very little love from EA within the Marquee Matchup selections so far. Fifth place Spartak Moscow play host to second place Zenit in this heated match, and while again it may not be a derby, the match carries significance importance due to how tight the battle is atop the table. Investing here is as simple as always, aim for the highest rated card, in a sought-after position, for the lowest possible cost, simple!

Dortmund vs Schalke

Moving over to the Bundesliga now where the selection features Dortmund and Schalke in a derby known only as the Revierderby (Ruhr Derby). While this game ticks all the boxes on a normal week, the fact that we have recently seen Dortmund feature puts me off a little, but then again, I said the same thing about Atletico Madrid and look where that got us!

Columbus Crew SC vs Toronto FC

Heading over to the MLS next where Columbus Crew take on Toronto in this playoff match. The backstory to this derby provided by Wikipedia is glorious and I would highly recommend reading, but to cut a long story short, the Trillium Cup is an annual two team rivalry between these guys. Looking to invest here is fairly simple, gold players are fairly scarce, so immediately we are aiming at silver players for discard and failing that bronze.

Liverpool vs Chelsea

Another big match in the Premier League again this week and we see the mighty Liverpool play host to Chelsea. While on any normal week I would have given this game a real chance of inclusion, my gut tells me that we have seen this league feature a lot recently and due to the fact that Arsenal and Tottenham are in the current SBC, I feel as if EA might skip this one. That being said, nobody is always right and if you believe this could happen, you know where to invest!

Racing vs Independiente

Next up we have an Argentinian derby between Racing and Independiente known as the Avellaneda Derby (Clasico De Avellaneda). According to Wiki, this derby exists due to the fact that the two team's stadiums are a mere 200 meters apart, I hope at least some of these facts are true! Investing here is fairly straight forward as both teams appear to have a sufficient supply of gold cards to go around. Just ensure you are buying them at discard or at least as close as physically possible!

Motherwell vs Celtic

The final game making the list for this week's predictions is based in Scotland, and once again, is not a rivalry. Motherwell take on Celtic in this Scottish League Cup final, and based on the fact that we are yet to see this league feature within Marquee Matchups, I like including it here. The worrying aspect would be the distinct lack of cup games previously featured by EA, but with the lack of gold cards available for Motherwell, this could be an investment that sees hype do all the work for us.