Football tips for 15 Feb 2026: analysis of 3 recommended matches and anticipation for Arsenal's fixtures today.
On 15 February 2026, major European football competitions play simultaneously this weekend. We present detailed analyses and insights for three intriguing matches from the English FA Cup, Italy's Serie A, and Spain's La Liga as follows.
1. Atletico Madrid (3rd place) vs. Rayo Vallecano (18th place)
Spain's La Liga // Kickoff at 22:15 GMT+7.
Rayo Vallecano's hope of survival in La Liga faces a major challenge as they host Atletico Madrid, a team they have not beaten in the league for over a decade.
Rayo Vallecano postponed their recent match against Real Oviedo due to waterlogged pitch conditions. However, their situation remains stable as all six teams above them last week failed to win, leaving Rayo just one point behind the safety zone with a game in hand.
Previously, Rayo lost three consecutive La Liga matches but maintain a positive record, having not lost four league games in a row since 2022. At home, since October, they have lost only once.
Meanwhile, Atletico Madrid's form fluctuates after a 0-1 league loss to Real Betis, despite having thrashed the same team 5-0 in the Copa del Rey earlier.
With little chance to win the league, Diego Simeone's team focuses on maintaining their position above Villarreal to secure a top-three finish. They remain unbeaten away in eight consecutive matches and have a strong record against lower-table teams, boosting confidence ahead of this game.
Prediction: Atletico Madrid to win comfortably.
2. Arsenal, Premier League leaders, vs. Wigan from League One
English FA Cup 2025/26 Round 4 // Kickoff at 23:30 GMT+7.
Wigan's recent league form in League One has been poor, placing them in the relegation zone, but they have performed well in the FA Cup, recently surprising with a win over Championship play-off hopeful Preston North End at Deepdale.
Wigan's last league victory was before that Preston win, after which they lost four and drew one, dropping to 23rd place. This poor run led to the sacking of coach Ryan Lowe, who had been in charge for 11 months. Glenn Whelan and Graham Barrow now serve as interim managers.
This is the first meeting between Wigan and the “Gunners” since the 2013/14 FA Cup semi-final, their only previous encounter in this competition. That match ended 1-1, with Arsenal winning 4-2 on penalties, including a successful penalty by current manager Mikel Arteta.
Arsenal is aiming to reach the FA Cup fifth round for the first time since their 2019/20 championship-winning season. Since then, they have reached this stage only twice, losing 0-1 to Southampton in 2020/21 and 0-1 to Manchester City in 2022/23.
Prediction: Arsenal to win comfortably.
3. Napoli (3rd place) vs. Roma (5th place)
Italy's Serie A // Kickoff at 02:45 GMT+7 (early morning 16 Feb).
Napoli have recently performed strongly against Roma and need to maintain this momentum to keep their slim hopes of defending the Serie A title alive amid a dip in form this season.
Roma recently ended a three-match winless streak (two draws, one loss) by beating Cagliari 2-0 in their latest match. This victory keeps them in contention for a top-four finish.
However, the “Wolves of Rome” have not finished in the top four since the 2017/18 season, their last campaign with better stats than their current 46 points from 24 games.
Napoli clearly hold the upper hand, having lost only one of their last 12 encounters with Roma (7 wins, 4 draws).
Prediction: Napoli unable to beat Roma.