These are the sporting events Flashscore's editors will be watching:
Saturday, December 13th
PDC World Darts Championship - from 13:40 CET
Is there a better festive treat than the World Darts Championship? Over more than three weeks of action, 128 players from across the globe do battle at Alexandra Palace for the chance to win the sport’s biggest crown.
With so many entrants, the top seeds don’t face too big of a test before the Christmas break, but that doesn’t mean we aren't set for drama over the weekend.
After world number one and reigning champion Luke Littler breezed through his opener on Thursday evening, Saturday brings Luke Humphries into the fray. The world number two and 2024 champion is Littler’s biggest threat, but he first has to make sure he can get past Ted Evetts - not the easiest opponent he could have drawn.
Elsewhere, over the weekend, fan favourite Stephen Bunting gets his campaign underway, as do the likes of Dimitri van den Bergh and former champion Gary Anderson.
From the entertainment in the stands to the arrows on the oche, it’s always a spectacle at ‘Ally Pally’.
Josh Donaldson
NBA Cup semi-finals - from 23:30 CET
The NBA Cup is fast approaching its climax, and this weekend, the competition heads to Las Vegas for the semi-finals! In a tournament formed in 2023 with the aim of adding a playoff, competitive feel to the regular season, the final four teams are set to battle it out for a spot in the showpiece event on Tuesday night.
In the first semi-final at 23:30 CET on Saturday, Eastern Conference franchises, the New York Knicks and the Orlando Magic, will go head to head. The Knicks - who are the favourites in the East to reach the NBA Finals in 2026 - have hit top form of late, winning eight of their last nine games, and come up against underdogs Orlando, who themselves have a good start to the season (15-10).
In the other semi-final, which follows afterwards, Western outfits the Oklahoma City Thunder come up against the San Antonio Spurs - who could have Victor Wembanyama back from injury. Despite the Spurs finally looking like a force again this season, they will certainly need him if they want to take down the Thunder, who are beginning to look like an all-time great NBA team.
Oklahoma have matched the best 25-game start in NBA history (24-1), and are currently on a 16-game winning streak. A tenacious, frightening defence with the relentless consistency of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in offence, it is hard to see a way anyone can stop them.
It is going to be a great weekend of basketball - Viva Las Vegas!
Tolga Akdeniz
Sunday, December 14th
The Tyne-Wear derby - 15:00 CET
One of football's biggest derbies will return to its biggest league on Sunday, when Sunderland play host to arch-rivals Newcastle.
While they faced each other in the FA Cup last year, there hasn't been a Tyne-Wear derby in the Premier League for just under 10 years, and the first one since 2016 looks set to be a cracker.
While Newcastle eased to a 3-0 win in the cup last year, they're barely even favourites this time around. Not only do Sunderland have home advantage, but after a stunning start to their first season back in the top flight, they're one point clear and three places ahead of the Magpies.
Looking extremely evenly matched, the sides are set to contest a fierce battle in an even fiercer atmosphere, with the derby being one of the most hostile there is.
Sunderland fans will be desperate for their side to prove that they're finally a match for their rivals again, while the Newcastle faithful will be just as desperate to see their team end a nine-match winless run in league action against the Black Cats with a first victory since 2012.
Finley Crebolder
New England Patriots vs Buffalo Bills - 19:00 CET
It’s a highly anticipated AFC East divisional rematch between the Bills and Patriots that could sway how the division shapes up in the final three weeks of the season.
With both teams already set to make the playoffs (both have over a 97% chance), the Bills are looking to gain ground on the Pats in a possible divisional title race. Sitting at 9-4 to the Patriots’ 11-2, this is a must-win game if Buffalo want to sneak up and take the division crown right from the Pats come season’s end.
Should the Patriots win, they’ll secure their first AFC East title since 2019, a throne that the Bills have claimed for the past five straight seasons. From there on, it’ll be about fighting the Denver Broncos for that first-round bye in the playoffs
New England are currently riding a 10-game win streak - tied with the Broncos for the best in the NFL - and currently boast the best point-differential (+110) of any team in the AFC. In fact, they’re the only team in the AFC with one over +90.
They’re 5-2 at home this season, of which both losses came within the first three weeks, and have since gone 5-0. Meanwhile, Buffalo have struggled on the road this season, going 3-3, taking losses to the Houston Texans, Miami Dolphins, and Atlanta Falcons.
As of December 12th, the Bills are 1.5-point favourites with the over-under set at 49.5. Tickets for this game are the second-most expensive of any matchup, with the lowest going for around $233 (the most being $291 for the Packers-Broncos matchup).
Eric Himmelheber
Alaves vs Real Madrid - 21:00 CET
It is not an exaggeration to say Xabi Alonso’s job is on the line heading to a crucial LaLiga encounter on Sunday evening. Real Madrid might well be seven points behind title rivals Barcelona when they kick off against Alaves, and after a disastrous week, there is huge pressure to secure a vital three points.
There has been endless speculation in the Spanish media over Alonso’s future as Real manager ever since last weekend’s shock defeat against Celta Vigo; it had even been rumoured he would lose his job if Los Blancos failed to beat Manchester City on Wednesday night.
He might still be standing despite losing that clash, but his job is hanging by a thread, and a costly defeat against mid-table Alaves is simply not an option for a club that constantly demands results.
Alonso is quickly learning that the pressure cooker of the Real Madrid job is like no other. As crazy as it sounds for a coach second in the league in his first season, he needs an almost faultless run between now and the new year to keep his position. To do that, he needs to rediscover the winning touch that his side had earlier in the season whilst keeping the club's big egos happy.
A big win on Sunday in front of home support would be a good place to start, but that might depend on whether Real’s Galacticos are still playing for him.
Harry Dunnett