It's a weekend of massive football match-ups, with Orlando Pirates chasing African success, the El Clasico in Spain, and a test for English premier league leaders Manchester City.
It's a weekend of massive football match-ups, with Orlando Pirates chasing African success, the El Clasico in Spain, and a test for English premier league leaders Manchester City.
The CAF Confederation Cup may not be the continent's top prize, but so scarce has been South African success in the African game that clubs will take anything they get nowadays.
And that is why Orlando Pirates will be out to smuggle the first leg of the Cup final when they host Tunisian side Etoile du Sahel on Saturday (SuperSport4, 7.50pm). The Buccaneers scaled the peaks when they eliminated renowned Egyptian side Al Ahly in the semifinals, but Etoile are regarded as one of the best clubs in Africa. They are the only club side to have won every competition on offer under the CAF umbrella and the Bucs know they are in for a fight.
In domestic competition, it does not get much bigger than Spain's El Clasico when Real Madrid square up to Barcelona on Saturday (SS5, 7pm). The intensity of this massive derby is not surpassed anywhere in the world and there cannot be many rivalries which have had movies made to demonstrate the magnitude of the event. El Clasico – The Movie will be shown on Friday (SS3, 6pm) and Saturday (SS5, 11.30am; SS7 3.55pm).
In England, the Manchester United-Liverpool showdown always took centre stage, but Manchester City have emerged from the shadow of their city rivals in recent years and their league clash with Liverpool on Saturday (SS3, 7pm) should be a thriller. As Man City set the pace, Liverpool are languishing in mid-table, but this could be a chance for them to spark their season.
International rugby, of sorts, makes a brief return on Saturday when the Barbarians play Argentina (SS1, 4.55pm), while England cricket's ding-dong ODI battle with Pakistan – England lead 2-1 – in the UAE continues on Friday with the fourth and final clash (SS2, 12.45pm).
You would be forgiven for believing that Floyd Mayweather jr versus Manny Pacquiao was the fight of the year.
Don’t believe it. Boxing experts will tell you the real thing goes down in Las Vegas this weekend when middleweight marvels Miguel Cotto and Canelo Alvarez do battle, headlining a tournament that will be broadcast on SuperSport 7 from 4am on Sunday.
Alvarez is the young ginger-haired Mexican phenomenon who has won all but one of his 47 contests since turning professional at the age of 15. He’s taken on allcomers, producing a blend of power and boxing smarts that has seen him become one of the best pound-for-pound fighters.
If he’s been well marketed by Oscar De La Hoya’s Golden Boy corporation, Puerto Rican Miguel Cotto is very much the opposite. He’s old school, having earned his dues on the circuit against the very best, winning championships in four different weight classes.
