Top European Football Derbies to Watch in 2024/2025
Football is more than just a sport, it is also a cultural phenomenon which unites communities together, and as well divides cities. One of the most intense expressions of this passion is seen in football derbies, where rival teams clash in matches that are laced in history, tradition, and intense rivalry – Top European Football Derbies to Watch in 2024/2025
The competitive spirit between certain football teams born out of history, geography, politics, or even merely competition for supremacy and bragging rights, often transcends the boundaries of the pitch.That being said, let’s take a look at some of Europe’s top football rivalries and derbies to watch out for this season, and their fixture dates;
Barcelona v Espanyol (Derbi Barceloni)
Known as the Derbi Barceloní, this rivalry transcends into the football pitch and also reflects the social and political history of the city of Catalonia.
While the two teams aren’t close in terms of footballing ability and places in the table, the rivalry represents the division between Catalan and Spanish identity, making it one of the most significant football rivalries in Europe today.
Date of fixtures and venue:
Date: November 3, 2024
Venue: Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys (Barcelona)
Date: May 14, 2025
Venue: Estadi Cornellà-El Prat (Espanyol)
Ajax v Feyenoord (De Klassieker)
Known as De Klassieker, this rivalry represents the biggest clash in Dutch football, pitting Amsterdam against Rotterdam.
This intense competition has often resulted in passionate, sometimes volatile, exchanges.
Date of fixtures and venue:
Date: October 30, 2024
Venue: De Kuip (Feyenoord)
Date: February 2, 2025
Venue: Johan Cruyff Arena (Ajax)
AC Milan v Inter Milan (Milan Derby)
This historic rivalry, which is also known as the Derby della Madonnina, involves the two most successful clubs in Milan, who have traded wins and trophies over the last several decades.
Both teams share the iconic San Siro stadium, making the rivalry even more interesting, and their matches are always a highlight of the Serie A season, especially when the biggest prizes are on the line, as they often are.
Date of fixtures and venue:
Date: September 22, 2024
Venue: San Siro (Inter Milan)
Date: February 2, 2025
Venue: San Siro (AC Milan)
Man City v Man United (Manchester Derby)
Famously Known as the Manchester Derby, this rivalry cuts across several decades, but has since heated up since Man City’s financial takeover in 2008.
With both teams now regular contenders for the Premier League title unlike before, this rivalry is one of the most followed in English football.
Within the last few years, Manchester City have now leapt some way ahead of Manchester United in terms of league position and power, with the Cityzens constantly challenging for the league title and other trophies every season, unlike their united counterparts.
Date of fixtures and venue:
Date: December 14, 2024
Venue: Etihad Stadium (Manchester City)
Date: April 5, 2025
Venue: Old Trafford (Manchester United)
Arsenal v Tottenham (North London Derby)
This North London Derby has a history dating back to 1887. The rivalry intensified in 1913 when Arsenal moved their ground to Highbury, just four miles from Tottenham’s old stadium, White Hart Lane, sparking a geographical rivalry that continues to this day.
Date of fixtures and venue:
Date: September 15 2024
Venue: Tottenham Hotspur Stadium
Date: January 14 2025
Venue: Emirates Stadium
Galatasaray vs Fenerbahce (Intercontinental Derby)
Known as the Intercontinental Derby, the rivalry between these two Istanbul-based clubs is one of the most intense in the world.
Their matches are often marred by crowd trouble, reflecting the deep-seated tension that exists between the two sets of fans.
The quality of the games, especially when compared with some of the powerhouse derbies on this list, is the only reason the Intercontinental clash doesn’t rank higher.
Date of fixtures and venue:
Date: September 21, 2024
Venu: Ülker Stadium (Fenerbahçe)
Date: February 23, 2025
Venue: Türk Telekom Stadium (Galatasaray)
Chelsea v Arsenal (London Derby)
Known as the famous London Derby, Chelsea vs Arsenal match is one of the most anticipated Premier League fixtures, known for its intense rivalry and rich history. Both clubs have passionate fanbases and have seen significant success over the years.
Matches between the two teams can be crucial for title races, European qualification, and most importantly, the bragging rights in the city of London. Recent encounters have showcased the evolving dynamics of both squads, making each derby unique.
The two clubs meet and battle again this new season, on their quest to the Premier League Glory.
Date of fixtures and venue:
Date: November 10, 2024
Venue: Stamford Bridge (Chelsea)
Date: March 15 2025
Venue: Emirates Stadium (Arsenal)
Marseille v Paris Saint-Germain (Le Classique)
Known as the Le Classique, the match between Marseille and Paris Saint-Germain is one of the biggest rivalries in French football. This football derby features intense rivalry and competitions, passionate fan atmospheres, reflecting the historical divide between the two cities.
This rivalry has dated back since the 1970s, with both clubs having both achieved significant success in Ligue 1, with Marseille having a storied history, including winning the UEFA Champions League in 1993, while PSG has dominated French football in recent years.
Date of fixtures and venue:
Date: October 27, 2024
Venue: Stade Vélodrome (Marseille)
Date: March 16, 2025
Venue: Parc des Princes (PSG)
Borussia Dortmund v Bayern München (Der Klassiker)
Famously known as “Der Klassiker,” is one of the biggest and most significant rivalries in German football and world football at large. This clash is highly anticipated every new season, showcasing two of the Bundesliga’s most successful clubs.
This rivalry has grown since the 1970s, with both teams winning numerous Bundesliga titles historically, but with Bayern been the more dominant side.
Der Klassiker matches are often high-stakes, featuring fierce and intense competitions, passionate fanbases, and lots of memorable events. The games frequently involves high scoring, and dramatic turns.
Date of fixtures venue:
Date: November 30, 2024
Venue: Signal Iduna Park (Borussia Dortmund)
Date: April 12, 2025
Venue: Allianz Arena (Bayern München)
Lazio v Roma (The Rome Derby)
The Derby della Capitale is one of the most heated and fierce football rivalries in Italy, with both set of fans as passionate as any other football fans on the planet.
The antagonism goes beyond sport, reflecting the historical, cultural, and social divides in the city of Rome.
Date of fixtures and venue:
Date: January 5, 2025
Venue: Stadio Olimpico (Roma)
Date: April 13, 2025
Venue: Stadio Olimpico (Lazio)
Porto v Benfica (The O Clássico)
Known as O Clássico, this rivalry transcends city boundaries and is, in fact, a rivalry between the two largest cities in Portugal, Lisbon and Porto. Matches between these two are always tightly contested affairs, with more often than not, the Portuguese league title on the line too.
Date of fixtures and venue:
Date: November 10, 2024
Venue: at Estádio da Luz (Benfica)
Date: April 6, 2025
Venue: at Estádio do Dragão (Porto)
Olympiakos v Panathinaikos
Known as the Derby of the eternal enemies, which should say enough as it is, this rivalry not only splits the city of Athens, but the entire country.
While the standard of football might not be the highest, this rivalry goes beyond what happens on the pitch, often stirring political and social tensions.
Date of fixtures and venue:
Date: October 6, 2024
Venue: Apostolos Nikolaidis Stadium (Panathinaikos)
Date: January 5, 2025
Venue: Karaiskakis Stadium (Olympiakos)
Real Madrid v Atletico Madrid (The Madrid Derby)
Known as the Madrid derby, this refers to the football matches between La Liga giants Real Madrid and local/city rivals, Atlético Madrid. These are one of the highly anticipated matches in La Liga, and as well, in domestic and international cup competitions.
The rivalry is very intense, with both clubs having rich histories, and alongside passionate fans. The matches highlights some of the best talent in football, and are also known for their competitive nature.
Date of fixtures and venue:
Date: September 29, 2024
Venue: Civitas Metropolitano (Atletico Madrid)
Date: February 9, 2025
Venue: Estadio Santiago Bernabéu (Real Madrid)
Juventus v Inter Milan (Derby D’Italia)
The is the second appearance for Inter Milan on this list, but this, time for their widely recognized rivalry with fellow Italian giants Juventus.
Known as Derby d’Italia, this rivalry was born out of competition for national supremacy in Italy. This rivalry became intensified in the aftermath of the 2006 Italian football scandal, which saw Juventus relegated and stripped of two Serie A titles.
Date of fixtures and venue:
Date: October 27, 2024
Venue: San Siro (Inter Milan)
Date: February 16, 2025
Venue: Allianz Stadium (Juventus)
Liverpool v Man United (The North West Derby)
Rooted in the historical rivalry between the cities of Liverpool and Manchester, the North West Derby football rivalry is one of the most intense in England, between the two biggest and most decorated clubs in the country.
Games between these two are among the most watched sporting events in the world, with high quality action and crunching tackles not hard to find.
Date of fixtures and venue:
Date: September 1, 2024
Venue: Old Trafford (Manchester United)
Date: January 4, 2025
Venue: Anfield (Liverpool)
Chelsea v Fulham (The West London Derby)
The Chelsea v Fulham derby, popularly known as the West London derby or SW6 derby, has it’s own rich history dating back to their first meeting in 1906. Chelsea FC and Fulham FC, are both located in West London, have faced each other over 100 times in various competitions, with Chelsea generally having the upper hand in terms of victories.
The rivalry is fueled by local pride, and games between the two clubs draw passionate crowds, making them a highly anticipated fixtures in the football calendar.
In recent years, Chelsea’s success in the top tier has contrasted with Fulham’s more fluctuating fortunes, but each encounter continues to be significant for both sets of fans.
Dates of fixtures and venue:
Date: December 26, 2024
Venue: Stamford Bridge (Chelsea)
Date: April 19, 2025
Venue: Craven Cottage (Fulham)
Red Star Belgrade v Partizan Belgrade (Eternal Derby)
Known as the Eternal Derby, the Serbian derby is one of the most intense and violent rivalries in football.
The match often leads to riots, making it one of the most dangerous, yet passionately followed, derbies in the world.
Date of fixtures and venue:
Date: September 23, 2024
Venue: Partizan Stadium (Partizan Belgrade)
Date: February 22, 2025
Venue: Red Star Stadium (Red Star Belgrade)
Celtic v Rangers (The Old Firm Derby)
Known as the Old Firm Derby, this is one of the most heated and oldest rivalries in football, starting in 1888, but actually means a lot more than just the beautiful game, although titles are often decided here.
This rivalry, rooted in religious, political, and social differences, is more than just a football match for the fans.
Date of fixtures and venue:
Date: January 2, 2025
Venue: Ibrox Stadium (Rangers)
Date: March 15, 2025
Venue: Celtic Park (Celtic)
Real Madrid v Barcelona (The El Clásico)
The El Clásico, as it is famously known, is arguably the most famous and fierce football rivalry in the world.
This intense rivalry often decides the fate of the La Liga title, and even the Champions League, and the matches are watched by millions of fans worldwide.
With the best players and best managers involved, it’s hard to argue that the El Clásico hasn’t been one of the biggest games in the world in the 21st century.
Date of fixtures and venue:
Date: October 28, 2024
Venue: Estadio Santiago Bernabéu (Real Madrid)
Date: March 2, 2025
Venue: Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys (Barcelona)
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