That's right, a Star Wars pun. End of transfer season madness deserves nothing less/more.
So if I read my tabloids correctly this week, Arsenal will be relegated from the Premier League and win the Champion’s League this season, do I have that right? Apart from them all the contenders have looked good thus far, with Man U winning in comfortable fashion without dominating (true to their form last year) while City had a great start to the Pellegrini era.
Of course this week it’s all about the huge clash between United and Chelsea on Monday. Adding to the hype is the fact that ManU have apparently inquired into Mata’s availability. If that is Moyes’ version of a fergian mind-trick it’s a pretty solid first effort. Liverpool have an interesting trip to Villa to see if they can confirm their good start. Won’t be easy against a solid Villains side that was decidedly more unlucky in the Chelsea match than it was against Arsenal. Spurs play Swansea in what should be one for the aesthically-minded. Hopefully by then the Bale saga will have been sorted (probably not). And speaking of epic sagas I am relishing all the details that have emerged from the Will.I.Am transfer. Need more info on Roman’s Dr Evilish 11th hour bid to try to steal him from Spurs. Meanwhile Arsenal are allegedly interested in Benzema, Gourcuff and Di Maria. Chances of any of these happening are pretty slim, but hey, Flamini’s back! Problems solved.

La Liga: I guess there are some games this weekend, but 95% of the stories I saw where Bale-related, so who knows.
Serie A: decent Sampdoria v Juventus game for the opening weekend
Bundesliga: Shalke still looking a loaner for Podolski. 1pt in 2 games will do that to you
Ligue 1: according to the papers (those guys again) PSG are already close to a full-blown crisis, and absolutely need a win at Nantes

EPL
SATURDAY, AUGUST 24, 2013
7:45 ET Fulham v Arsenal
10:00 ET Everton v West Bromwich Albion
10:00 ET Hull City v Norwich City
10:00 ET Newcastle United v West Ham United
10:00 ET Southampton v Sunderland
10:00 ET Stoke City v Crystal Palace
12:30 ET Aston Villa v Liverpool
SUNDAY, AUGUST 25, 2013
11:00 ET Cardiff City v Manchester City
11:00 ET Tottenham Hotspur v Swansea City
MONDAY, AUGUST 26, 2013
3:00 ET Manchester United v Chelsea Old Trafford

LA LIGA
FRIDAY, AUGUST 23, 2013
2:00 ET Getafe v Almeria
4:00 ET Athletic Bilbao v Osasuna
SATURDAY, AUGUST 24, 2013
1:00 ET Elche v Real Sociedad
3:00 ET Espanyol v Valencia
5:00 ET Villarreal v Real Valladolid
SUNDAY, AUGUST 25, 2013
1:00 ET Atletico Madrid v Rayo Vallecano
3:00 ET Levante v Sevilla FC
3:00 ET Malaga v Barcelona
5:00 ET Real Betis v Celta Vigo
MONDAY, AUGUST 26, 2013
3:00 ET Granada v Real Madrid

SERIE A
SATURDAY, AUGUST 24, 2013
12:00 ET Hellas Verona v AC Milan
2:45 ET Sampdoria v Juventus
SUNDAY, AUGUST 25, 2013
12:00 ET Internazionale v Genoa
2:45 ET Cagliari v Atalanta
2:45 ET Lazio v Udinese
2:45 ET Livorno v AS Roma
2:45 ET Napoli v Bologna
2:45 ET Parma v Chievo Verona
2:45 ET Torino v Sassuolo
MONDAY, AUGUST 26, 2013
2:45 ET Fiorentina v Catania

BUNDESLIGA
FRIDAY, AUGUST 23, 2013
2:30 ET Borussia Dortmund v Werder Bremen
SATURDAY, AUGUST 24, 2013
9:30 ET Bayer Leverkusen v Borussia Monchengladbach
9:30 ET Bayern Munich v Nurnberg
9:30 ET Hannover 96 v Schalke 04
9:30 ET Mainz v VfL Wolfsburg
9:30 ET TSG Hoffenheim v SC Freiburg
12:30 ET Hertha Berlin v Hamburg SV
SUNDAY, AUGUST 25, 2013
9:30 ET TSV Eintracht Braunschweig v Eintracht Frankfurt
11:30 ET FC Augsburg v VfB Stuttgart

LIGUE 1
FRIDAY, AUGUST 23, 2013
2:30 ET AS Monaco v Toulouse
SATURDAY, AUGUST 24, 2013
11:00 ET Valenciennes v Marseille
2:00 ET Bordeaux v Bastia
2:00 ET Evian Thonon Gaillard v Stade Rennes
2:00 ET Guingamp v Lorient
2:00 ET Lyon v Stade de Reims
2:00 ET Montpellier v Sochaux
SUNDAY, AUGUST 25, 2013
8:00 ET Lille v St Etienne
11:00 ET AC Ajaccio v Nice
3:00 ET Nantes v Paris Saint-Germain