by Thinus Ferreira
MultiChoice's Showmax video streaming service will once again live stream all English Premier League (EPL) matches on its Showmax Pro tier, and will also offer live stream all La Liga and Series A matches in South Africa and 49 other countries across Africa.
Showmax Pro is also streaming the DStv Premier League in more than 50 countries across Africa, as well as the UEFA Champion’s League for Showmax Pro subscribers in South Africa.
Following the live
streaming of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, Showmax Pro is live stream every match
of the English Premier League, La Liga and Serie A, as well as the DStv Premiership in partnership with SuperSport.
The new season of Premier League, now in its 30th
year, begins on 13 August, with newly-promoted Brentford hosting
Arsenal to kick things off.
As ever, the transfer season has had fans
enthralled, with much of the focus on Tottenham striker Harry Kane’s future.
For now, he is available to face Manchester City in Sunday’s Premier
League season opener. Manchester City are the defending champions, having
won their fifth Premier League title during the previous season.
Yet it is Manchester United, their cross-town rivals,
who will be under more pressure. With manager Ole
Gunnar Solskjaer handed a new contract, he’ll be expected
to do better than last season when their initial ambition gave way to City’s
late-season heroics.
The addition of four new managers will also add
flair and a sense of anticipation to the league, not least
the appointment of Rafael Benitez at Everton.
Spurs and Wolves also
have new managers, but the most intriguing of all
is Senegal-born Patrick Vieira at Crystal Palace. A World Cup
winner for France in his day, the former midfielder
will need to prove his management skills in double-quick time in an
environment as unforgiving as the Premier League.
This will be the third season to use the video
assistant referee (VAR) review system, and it will be the second season to have
a February winter break.
The past 18 months were played
largely behind closed doors, which affected the dynamics of play, not least the
benefits of home advantage. The fans will be back from this week and
so too the excitement of one of the most thrilling leagues in football. The season will end on 22 May 2022
with all 20 teams playing on the same day, bringing the curtain down on 380 fixtures.
Other European football action on Showmax includes
La Liga, with action in the Spanish League beginning on 13 August
with an opener between Valencia and Getafe. Atlético Madrid are defending
champions, having won their 11th title last season.
In Italy, the Serie A campaign opens
on 21 August with four matches: Hellas Verona vs Sassuolo, Inter
vs Genoa, Empoli vs Lazio and Torino vs Atalanta.
Closer to home, the MTN8 this weekend will herald
the start of the South African football season with the DStv Premiership
starting the following weekend with champions Mamelodi Sundowns against last
season’s runners-up AmaZulu on Friday, 20 August.
Last season, Sundowns become the first club to win
four consecutive league titles since the establishment of the competition in
1996.
Four-time champions Orlando Pirates will host
Stellenbosch FC in their opening league match
on 21 August. Soweto rivals Kaizer Chiefs are scheduled to play
TS Galaxy on 22 August.
Among many anticipated highlights, Kaizer Chiefs
and Orlando Pirates will meet in the first Soweto derby of the season
on 6 November at FNB Stadium and again on 5 March, at
Orlando Stadium.
