The Euro Preview: High-stakes weekend includes Juventus-Inter Milan and Barcelona derby

Giorgio Chiellini of Juventus scores second goal during the Serie A match between Fiorentina and Juventus at Stadio Artemio Franchi, Florence, Italy on 1 December 2018. (Photo by Giuseppe Maffia/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Giorgio Chiellini of Juventus scores second goal during the Serie A match between Fiorentina and Juventus at Stadio Artemio Franchi, Florence, Italy on 1 December 2018. (Photo by Giuseppe Maffia/NurPhoto via Getty Images) /
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In a three-day period loaded with big games, Juventus-Inter Milan and the Barcelona derby are the highlight this weekend.

Serie A

Unbeaten Juventus take their eight-point lead over second-place Napoli into the hotly-contested Friday match against Inter Milan at Allianz Arena. Inter Milan are in third and 11 points behind Juve. An Inter win would slam the brakes on a Juventus side that remain undefeated after 14 matchdays.

These bitter rivals haver played some very important games over the decades and steeped in history. The matchup, known as the Derby d’Italia, has gotten even more heated since its heyday of the 1960s and ’80s after the Calciopoli match-fixing scandal saw the Bianconeri stripped of their league title from 2005–06 season and awarded to the Milan-based club.

Cristiano Ronaldo has been on fire as of late, scoring for the fifth league match in a row in a 3-0 victory last Saturday away to Fiorentina.

“This is a team of great champions and great men who have great character. It’s the desire to win that makes the difference,” Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri told reporters. “The players are ready to run and chase, to make themselves available to their team mates.”

Inter manager Luciano Spalletti, meanwhile, joked at a news conference that the only way to defeat Juve “by scoring a goal more than them and being mature by making the right choices.”

In other key games: Napoli host 19th-place Frosinone on Saturday, while fourth-place AC Milan are at home the following day against Torino, who are currently sixth.

La Liga

The very tight title race in Spain could experience another jolt this weekend and the Derbi Barceloni on Saturday between leaders Barcelona and seventh-place Espanyol at RCDE Stadium.

Although it is the most-played intra-city derby in Liga history, it is also the most unbalanced. Barca have dominated the series, while Espanyol have only managed to finish above their rivals on only three occasions. The game-changer could be Luis Suarez. The Uruguayan striker will team up with Lionel Messi again after the team said he’s expected to return from injury after getting treatment on his knee.

The Catalan giants leapfrogged over Sevilla last weekend and now hold just a one-point lead over them. Sevilla play on the road against 14th-place Valencia. Questions about whether Sevilla can win the title this season haver become reality in recent weeks and very much remain in the title chase.

In other games: Atletico Madrid, who are in third place, host fourth-place Alaves on Saturday. Just a point separate the two. Fifth-place Real Madrid, in need of points, could catapult into third place if they grab a win against last-place Huesca. It will be Luka Modric’s first game since winning the Ballon d’Or this week.

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Bundesliga

Borussia Dortmund hope to continue their winning ways when they face 12th-place Schalke on Saturday in Gelsenkirchen. Second-place Borussia Monchengladbach, seven points off the pace, play the following day at home against 16th-place VfB Stuttgart.

Dortmund remain unbeaten after a 2-0 win at home against Freiburg, extending their lead atop the table after Monchengladbach lost to third-place RB Leipzig.

Despite Dortmund’s success, transfer rumors have been swirling around some of their stars. Most notably, Chelsea are leading the race to sign U.S. international Christian Pulisic. The winger’s contract with the team expires at the end of this season.

In other key games this weekend, fourth-place Bayern Munich play at home Saturday against 15th-place Nurnberg, while RB Leipzig are away the same day at 13th-place Freiburg.