10 Players to Watch in World Football This Weekend of November 21-24
The international break is over, and the world of football is preparing to settle back into its more regular routine of domestic action, with all the top leagues around the globe resuming this weekend.
We've taken our usual roundup of the upcoming games to bring you 10 of the players you should be watching out for over the coming days, with big games in Europe and beyond and standout individuals ready to have a telling impact in them.
Here's our 10; feel free to add your own below or discuss the outcomes of the games involved.
Kiko Casilla, Espanyol
1 of 10
Espanyol goalkeeper Kiko Casilla has impressed over the last year or so, and as a result, got to make his Spain international debut at the weekend, but he blundered to concede a soft goal in his 10 minutes on the pitch as Germany beat his side 1-0.
Back in domestic action, the keeper cannot let that debut affect him adversely; if he wants to remain part of the Spanish setup, consistency at club level now is vital.
Espanyol take on a resurgent Athletic Bilbao on Friday night and are winless in four; they need Casilla to come up strong.
Danny Welbeck, Arsenal
2 of 10
The big game of the Premier League weekend has a bit of a second-tier feel about it compared to years gone by, as Arsenal play Manchester United, with neither anywhere near their heavyweight status of a decade ago.
With the game at the Emirates, the expectation will be on Arsenal to attack and win the game, and though Alexis Sanchez has been in blinding form of late, one man in particular will want to make a huge positive impression.
Danny Welbeck left United for Arsenal in the summer after excelling in pre-season and then essentially being told he wasn't good enough. Time to answer that statement in kind, if he thinks it was unwarranted.
Roberto Firmino, Hoffenheim
3 of 10
Bayern Munich almost went through the whole of last season unbeaten in the Bundesliga, and having strengthened further in the summer, there are plenty wondering whether they might do it this time around.
At present, though, they are contending with a huge number of injuries to key players, with Thomas Muller, Jerome Boateng and Philipp Lahm being the latest to struggle during the international break.
They face Hoffenheim at the weekend, fifth in the Bundesliga and on a good run of three straight wins. If the away side decide this is the moment that Bayern are most vulnerable and believe they can attack for the victory themselves, there are few more in-form or confident players they could wish to call upon than Roberto Firmino. The Brazilian made his international debut last week and scored in his second match at the weekend, adding to the five he has for his club this season.
Luis Suarez, Barcelona
4 of 10
Back to Spain and La Liga, where Barcelona take on Sevilla this weekend. One club is fighting for the title and the other is hoping to break back into the top four this season.
Luis Suarez hasn't taken long to look at home in the Barca team, and his impact off the bench last time out was phenomenal. Presumably, he'll get the nod to start this time around, and the Uruguayan has all the capacity to bring out the best in his team-mates as well as show his own superlative quality.
Suarez will be looking for his first Barcelona goal and to send Sevilla home with a third league game in a row without victory.
Bibras Natkho, CSKA Moscow
5 of 10
Over to Russia now, where Zenit's shock loss last time out has momentarily reopened the title race if either CSKA Moscow or one of the other challengers can find form and consistency. CSKA, in second, face Krasnodar, in third, at the weekend.
CSKA are now three games without a win and cannot afford to drop more points if they want to defend their title. Even with Zenit's first loss, CSKA trail the leaders by seven points already.
Their big player this season has been Israeli midfielder Bibras Natkho, the top scorer in the Russian Premier League and a model of consistency in a side which has not really impressed as much as in previous campaigns yet.
Diego Rolan, Bordeaux
6 of 10
To France and Ligue 1 now, where one of the most intriguing and important matches of the weekend sees leaders Marseille host fourth-place Bordeaux, with just four points separating the two clubs.
With Paris Saint-Germain playing on Friday night, Marseille could be going into this game off the top of the table, further building the pressure on the team and Marcelo Bielsa to maintain the excellent start to the season they managed.
Bordeaux will be looking to play on any mental strain faced by their opponents, and in Diego Rolan, they have an in-form forward who can capitalise on any mistakes. The Uruguayan has five league goals this term and hit his first international goal over the weekend, so his own confidence couldn't be higher right now.
Franco Di Santo, Werder Bremen
7 of 10
To the Bundesliga once more and a real battle at the bottom this time.
Two of the bottom three face off on Sunday, as Hamburger SV hosts Werder Bremen, with both knowing that a win is a must to escape the impending threat of playing out a season locked in another awful relegation battle.
Bremen are in better form, having won their last two, while they also possess Franco Di Santo—the league's joint-top goalscorer, with six so far. In a game which could be low on chances, confidence and quality, having someone who can hit the back of the net when a chance falls his way could be the difference in a vital clash.
Nigel de Jong, AC Milan
8 of 10
Over in Serie A, one of the biggest fixtures of the season—in name, at least—takes place this weekend, with the Milan derby seeing AC at home to Inter.
Neither have been overly successful of late, and last season's drab affair reflected that, but more is at stake this time. Pippo Inzaghi is trying to rebuild the side, and Inter has handed new boss Roberto Mancini the highest-profile start possible.
Nigel de Jong has been largely impressive as the destroyer in Milan's midfield, and his mix of industry and drive could be a standout area of quality in the game which edges AC toward victory.
Gustavo Bou, Racing Club, and Teo Gutierrez, River Plate
9 of 10
We'll finish up by heading outside of Europe to two of the biggest clashes in the Americas this weekend, starting in Argentina's Primera Division where River Plate travel to Racing Club—that's first travelling to second.
The top two are separated by just one point, and they also possess the top scorers in the league: Gustavo Bou of Racing and Teo Gutierrez of River both have 10 strikes to their name, along with Lanus' Silvio Romero.
Which striker sees more chances coming his way and who holds his nerve to take them could be the difference in determining the result and which side ends the weekend top of the table as the Torneo Inicial draws to a close; just two matches remain after this week.
Marco Pappa, Seattle Sounders
10 of 10
And finally to MLS, where the season has just five fixtures left to play: the two MLS Cup Conference finals, with two legs each, and the MLS Cup final itself.
The Western Conference final is pretty much as predicted: the top two from the regular season, who were miles clear of the chasing pack—the Seattle Sounders and the Los Angeles Galaxy. The Galaxy are home in the first leg and will be looking for a positive result, mindful of the two end-of-regular-season clashes between the sides which saw a draw in LA and a home win in Seattle.
On the other hand, with away goals counting in this year's MLS Cup, Seattle could be all-in for a goal of their own in the first leg and will hope Marco Pappa can repeat his heroics of the last game of the season when he hit both late goals as the Sounders clinched the top spot.
