Al Ahly and Zamalek kick off League Cup campaigns + Super Saturday returns

⚽ An action-packed long weekend awaits as domestic leagues take center stage following the conclusion of the international break. The action kicks off today and tomorrow with Matchday 1 of the Egyptian League Cup:

• Petrol Asyut vs. Al Ahly — 5pm, ON Sport Max;
• Pyramids vs. El Qanah — 5pm, ON Sport Plus;
• Zamalek vs. ZED — 8pm, ON Sport;
• Ceramica Cleopatra vs. Al Masry — 8pm, ON Sport Max.

Tomorrow’s Egyptian League Cup fixtures:

• Ittihad Alexandria vs. Wadi Degla — 5pm, ON Sport;
• Al Mokawloon Al Arab vs. El Gouna — 5pm, ON Sport Plus;
• Ghazl El Mahalla vs. Abu Qir Fertilizers — 8pm, ON Sport;
• Modern Sport vs. Al Bank Al Ahly — 8pm, ON Sport Max.

Friday’s fixtures

Major European action returns to the fold as Málaga takes on Espanyol at 10pm in Matchday 8 of La Liga. Over in Ligue 1, Lens collides with Lyon at 9:45pm for Matchday 6. Meanwhile, Borussia Dortmund hosts Werder Bremen at 9:30pm on Matchday 5 of the Bundesliga.

Saturday’s fixtures

Super Saturday brings a packed lineup across the top European leagues:

In the Premier League: Arsenal meets Leeds United at 2:30pm on Matchday 6. The Gunners (12 points) target three points to temporarily overtake current leaders Manchester City (15 points) at the summit. Elsewhere, Chelsea clashes with Bournemouth at 5pm, while Manchester United locks horns with Tottenham Hotspur at 7:30pm.

In La Liga: Heavyweights take to the pitch as reigning champions and league leaders Barcelona take on Getafe at 7:30pm, looking to extend their victory streak. Real Madrid hosts Villarreal at 10pm as Los Blancos seek to regain momentum following their recent setback against Atlético that saw them slip to fourth place.

AND- In Ligue 1, Paris Saint-Germain faces Le Mans at 9:45pm on Matchday 6. The titleholders face a high-stakes fixture to recover their victorious form after a slow start that yields just eight points so far.

Other European League fixtures on Saturday:

• Samsunspor vs. Trabzonspor — Turkish Süper Lig, 4pm;
• Aston Villa vs. Brentford — Premier League, 5pm;
• Sunderland vs. Brighton — Premier League, 5pm;
• Alavés vs. Atlético Madrid — La Liga, 5:15pm;
• Lille vs. Le Havre — Ligue 1, 6:15pm;
• Augsburg vs. Bayern Munich — Bundesliga, 6:30pm;
• Inter Milan vs. Parma — Serie A, 7pm;
• Monaco vs. Toulouse — Ligue 1, 9:45pm;
• Napoli vs. Frosinone — Serie A, 9:45pm.

💡 All European league fixtures will be broadcast on beIN Sports channels. Check out the full schedule here.

🐐 Messi’s last tango

In an emotional tribute match early this morning, Argentine legend Lionel Messi bid farewell to international football, captaining Argentina to a 3-0 triumph over Benin in a friendly at the Estadio Mâs Monumental in Buenos Aires.

The 39-year-old icon had a hand in all three goals, setting up Nicolás Otamendi’s opener in the 48th minute, assisting Nico Paz for the second in the 61st minute, and converting a 71st-minute penalty. The strike marked his 126th and final goal in the Argentina shirt, bringing the curtain down on an extraordinary 20-year international career highlighted by the 2022 World Cup trophy and two Copa América titles.

Messi had previously announced his international retirement following the 2026 World Cup final defeat to Spain, making this his 208th and final appearance for his country — cementing his place as Argentina’s all-time leader in both caps and goals.