With another Champions League week now behind us, it’s back to domestic action for the weekend.
Here in North America, the schedule features a couple of enormous tilts. Meanwhile, across the pond in Europe there are some intriguing encounters featuring both struggling individuals and struggling teams.
Here are this week’s Weekend 5.
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-> Looking to bet along with James? Check out the latest MLS and European soccer odds at NorthStar Bets
1. The biggest story in Canadian sport?
If the Vancouver Whitecaps’ 2025 Major League Soccer season and its current playoff run isn’t the biggest story… then it really should be!
On Saturday, the ‘Caps head to San Diego for the Conference Final, with a berth in the MLS Cup at stake. Vancouver had its signature match last weekend, when it blew a 2-0 first-half lead against Son Heung-min and LAFC. Eventually, a nine-man ‘Caps side would hang on for dear life in extra time and force a penalty shootout, where it prevailed.
It was pure theatre, as has been the case for much of the season with Jesper Sorensen’s team. This weekend’s combatants were tied atop the Western Conference during the regular season, with the expansion San Diego posting one more win than Vancouver. Suffice to say, there is little to choose between the two sides.
Worth noting is what should be a crisis at the back for Vancouver with MLS Defender of the Year Tristan Blackmon suspended and his centre back partner, Belal Halbouni, injured.
Best bet: Vancouver to win and Brian White to score: +390. The Whitecaps’ top scorer with 16 goals this season was hobbled by injuries to close the regular season but returned against LAFC for his first action in almost a month.
His minutes were managed, and he was subbed off after 62 minutes, but expect White, who has been Mr. Dependable all season when healthy, to be a major factor this weekend.
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2. Ali stakes his claim
There are so many narratives surrounding the Whitecaps, so let’s keep the CanCon alive with some Ali Ahmed talk.
Every match Ahmed plays, the more he looks like a star man not in the making, but in the present. For Canada, Ahmed has been one of the biggest developments in the past 12 months. Whether Jesse Marsch picks the left winger for his World Cup squad is a redundant question — of course, he will. The bigger question is whether he will start in Marsch’s preferred XI.
That is a conversation for another day. But for now, let’s focus on Ahmed vs San Diego. This MLS season, Ahmed trailed only Sebastian Berhalter in assists. This weekend, against a San Diego side as well-balanced as any in the league, he’ll be looking to play playmaker again. Deadly in transition, the ‘Caps and its wide players, including Ahmed, will be a threat.
Best Bet: Vancouver to win and Ali Ahmed with one assist. +700
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3. Miami and Messi aim for the Final
Meanwhile, in the MLS East, Inter Miami hosts New York City FC with all eyes on Lionel Messi, who continues to dominate the league.
In last weekend’s 4-0 humbling of Cincinnati, the Argentine scored a goal and assisted on three more. No one scored more goals this season than Messi’s 29, and no one had more assists than Messi’s 19. Including this year’s playoffs and one international against Angola, Messi has scored 11 goals in his past seven matches — numbers that would be barely believable if not attached to his name.
We can expect similar production against New York, whom Miami dispatched 4-0 earlier this season, with Messi scoring a brace. New York — the lowest-ranked team in the final four — conceded 44 goals this season, the same number as woeful Toronto FC.
Conversely, Miami conceded a staggering 51 goals during the regular season, suggesting that even if Messi scores – and he will – Miami is likely to have some problems of its own at the back. So expect a high-scoring encounter.
Best bet: Messi with another two goals or more, and over 3.5 total goals in the match pays a tempting +330.
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4. Reward for Jonathan David at Juve?
Let’s be completely honest: it has been a dreadful start to life at Juventus for Canada’s Jonathan David.
Scoreless since late August, you could sense the enormous relief on Tuesday when his injury-time goal proved the match-winner against Bodø/Glimt in the Champions League. David was once again a substitute in this one, a role he has been forced to adapt to in recent weeks, even under new coach Luciano Spalletti, who replaced fall guy Igor Tudor four matches ago.
Of interest last week was Spalletti’s comments following a draw versus Fiorentina. The Italian acknowledged that he had left it too late for his subs – David and Lois Openda – to make an impact. Well, against Bodo, Openda was given the start, with David on the bench. Openda scored the opener in an excellent performance, before subbing off for David and the eventual game winner.
Like most strikers, David is a slave to confidence despite his “ice-man” reputation. He is also a striker known for impressive goal-scoring streaks. On four occasions last season with Lille, he scored four goals over a four-match span. Surely then, a start this week is on the cards at home to Cagliari?
Best Bet: David to score this weekend +110
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-> See current prices and build your own picks at NorthStar Bets
5. Title decider!
OK, it’s only November, and nothing is determined this early in the season. However, if Arsenal is going to feel any pressure from the chasing pack this season, it looks more and more like it is going to come from Chelsea.
The Blues find themselves six points back of the all-dominating Gunners, whom they face at home on Sunday. However, Tuesday’s 3-0 dismantling of Barcelona in the Champions League is yet more evidence that the ‘mad scientist’ strategy of recent years is finally paying off. Build young and build through talent has been the mantra, and Chelsea continues to impress. Stamford Bridge is getting it too.
By all accounts, the atmosphere on Tuesday was spell-binding. After a few years where such passion was limited, if even possible at all, it sure feels as though it’s back.
There have been a number of standout stars so far this season, but perhaps the most excitement surrounds 18-year-old Brazilian, Estevao. A goal scorer against Barca, the forward is considered the most exciting Brazilian prospect since Neymar, but without the veteran’s, how should I say… propensity to enjoy himself a little too much? Manager Enzo Maresca has limited Estevao’s playing time, choosing to ease the trickster into Premier League life.
But before too long, he will have no choice but to lean on such talent regularly.
What a match this might be, and with Arsenal, who handily dispatched Bayern Munich earlier this week, also slowly blooding potential superstars such as 15-year-old Max Dowman, there are plenty of reasons to make this appointment viewing beyond simply a top-of-the-table clash.
Best bet: Despite the glut of attacking options on both sides, these are also two outstanding defensive sides, with Arsenal almost impenetrable. A cagey affair between two contenders relatively early in the season screams a draw to me at +240.
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