Exciting Matchups Await as Brazil’s Championship Hits Third Round

DENVER, Colorado (AP) — This Saturday, April 12, soccer fans can look forward to a full slate of exciting matches as Brazil’s Campeonato Brasileiro continues with the third round of play, alongside key fixtures across European leagues.

The action kicks off at 8:30 a.m. ET as Manchester City takes on Crystal Palace in a Premier League showdown. Later, at 11 a.m. ET, three matches will start simultaneously: Brighton hosting Leicester, Nottingham Forest facing Everton, and Southampton clashing with Aston Villa. Arsenal will face Brentford at 1:30 p.m. ET.

In Spain, Real Sociedad will open their day against Mallorca at 9 a.m. ET, followed by Getafe against Las Palmas at 11:15 a.m. and Celta taking on Espanyol at 1:30 p.m. The day culminates with a match between Leganés and Barcelona at 4 p.m. ET.

The Italian league also features notable matchups, with Venezia facing Monza at 10 a.m. ET. Inter Milan is set to play Cagliari at 1 p.m. ET, while Juventus will take on Lecce at 3:45 p.m. ET.

Action in the Bundesliga ramps up at 10:30 a.m. ET with five matches, including Bayer Leverkusen versus Union Berlin and Borussia Mönchengladbach against Freiburg. Bayern Munich will face Borussia Dortmund later at 1:30 p.m. ET in a highly anticipated contest.

Brazil’s Serie B will host six matches on Friday. Notably, Chapecoense will battle Coritiba at 4 p.m. ET, Vila Nova will meet Paysandu at 6 p.m. ET, and as the clock strikes 8 p.m. ET, Operário will take on Goiás.

On Saturday, the Brazilian top flight will have four matches to open the round, with RB Bragantino challenging Botafogo and Juventude facing Ceará simultaneously at 4 p.m. ET. The day’s highlight promises to be the derby clash between Palmeiras and Corinthians, kicking off at 6:30 p.m. ET, followed by a face-off between Vasco da Gama and Sport at 9 p.m. ET.

ESPN’s comprehensive coverage will broadcast these matches, alongside streaming options available across six platforms. The Brazilian Championship, notable for its round-robin format, began on March 29 and will conclude on December 21.

Fans and analysts alike are keen to witness how the tournament unfolds, particularly with the fierce rivalries and high stakes involved. Betting platforms are also gearing up for action as teams strive for supremacy.