5 games to watch this weekend with Champions League race stakes

Here are five of the best matches around Europe this weekend, highlighted by Sunday’s game between Manchester City and Arsenal.

This weekend, fans will have no shortage of games to choose to watch. With the race for the title and European spots so tight in the big four leagues, points are at a premium.

This weekend, the big four leagues all offer games between clubs in the top battling teams just sitting outside of the top four and hoping to qualify for the Champions League.

5. Barcelona vs. Valencia — Saturday, Feb. 2, 12:30 p.m. ET (beIN Sports)

Honorable mention: Real Madrid vs. Alaves — Sunday, Feb. 3, 2:45 p.m. ET (beIN Sports)

Five points separate Barcelona and Atletico Madrid in La Liga’s title race. Barcelona host Valencia at Camp Nou on Saturday. Ernesto Valverde’s team have won eight straight games but have not been able to open up a bigger lead in the title race. Barcelona’s front three of Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and  Ousmane Dembele have been great this season, combining for 42 goals. The trio’s goal tally is more than every other La Liga team has scored this season.

Valencia have slowly been moving up the table after a slow start to the season. The Bats drew eight of their first 10 games of the season to dig themselves an early hole. Valencia have been better lately but they have struggled to score goals, finding the back of the net 22 times in 21 games. While the Bats have struggled to score goals, they have played well in their own end, conceding the second fewest goals in La Liga. If Valencia continue to play well in their own end and slow down Barcelona’s front three, they could steal a point from Barcelona.

4. Napoli vs. Sampdoria — Saturday, Feb. 2, 12:00 p.m. ET (ESPN+)

The title race in Serie A is likely over. Juventus are 11 points clear of Napoli after the Donkeys were held to a scoreless draw by AC Milan last weekend. While the title race could be over, the race for European spots is extremely close. Three points separate fourth place AC Milan and eighth place Lazio. The tight races for European spots mean that every weekend Serie A has at least one compelling game that could flip the table.

On Saturday, second place Napoli host sixth-place Sampdoria. The Donkeys have picked up 48 of 63 points but again look like the second best team in Italy. On Tuesday, Napoli were eliminated by Milan in the Coppa Italia. Sampdoria have 18 points in their last nine games, with their coming against Juventus. Former Napoli striker Fabio Quagliarella has had a late-career renaissance with Sampdoria. Despite being 36-years-old, Quagliarella leads Serie A with 16 goals this season.

3. Roma vs. AC Milan — Sunday, Feb. 3, 2:30 p.m. ET (ESPN+)

One point separates Roma and Milan in the race for fourth place. A few weeks ago Milan and Roma being that close would have been unthinkable but Roma have gone on quite the run. The capital club has 13 points in their last six games to move back into the Champions League race. However, Roma were smoked in the Coppa Italia, losing 7-1 against Fiorentina.

Milan should have created some distance between themselves and the rest of the teams in the race for fourth but have settled for eight draws this season. Gennaro Gattuso’s team had to settle for draws because they struggled to score goals. In the winter window, Milan shipped Gonzalo Higuain to Chelsea and brought in Genoa striker Krzysztof Piatek to replace him. Piatek instantly provided a boost against Napoli, scoring a brace in the Coppa Italia for his new team. The addition of Piatek could be the difference when Milan go to the Stadio Olimpico on Sunday and could be the difference at the end of the season in the Champions League race.

2. Eintracht Frankfurt vs. Borussia Dortmund — Saturday, Feb. 2, 9:30 a.m. ET (FS1)

Honorable mention: Bayer Leverkusen vs. Bayern Munich — Saturday, Feb. 2, 9:30 a.m. ET (FS2)

Six points separate first place Borussia Dortmund and second place Bayern Munich heading into the weekend.  With the title race the closest it has been in seven years, every game is important. Dortmund and Bayern cannot afford to drop points. Additionally, the race for spots in the Champions League and Europa League are extremely tight. Six points separate fourth place RB Leipzig and eighth place Werder Bremen and six points separate sixth place Hoffenheim and 12th place Schalke.

On Saturday, Dortmund travel to the Commerzbank Arena to play Eintracht Frankfurt. Dortmund have struggled at the Commerzbank Arena over the past few seasons, losing three of the last four games in Frankfurt and winning there since Sept. 1, 2013. Saturday’s game will have major implications in the title race and in Frankfurt’s Champions League hopes. The Eagles enter the game three points behind Leipzig. Dortmund and Frankfurt are two of the three highest scoring teams in the Bundesliga. Marco Reus and Paco Alcacer have both scored 12 goals this season to lead Dortmund. While Eintracht’s dynamic duo of Luka Jovic and Sebastian Haller have also combined for 24 goals, with Jovic scoring a Bundesliga best 13 goals.

In the other game with title race implications, Bayer Leverkusen host Bayern Munich. Leverkusen picked up only 11 points in their first 11 games, putting themselves in a major hole to start the season. Bayer have climbed out of the bottom of the table, picking up 16 points in their last eight games to move a point within Hoffenheim and four points within Leipzig. Bayern at the highest level they have under Niko Kovac and are looking to extend their seven game winning streak.

1. Manchester City vs. Arsenal — Sunday, Feb. 3, 11:30 a.m. ET (NBCSN)

Liverpool could have moved seven points ahead of Manchester City in the Premier League title race but they drew 1-1 with Leicester on Wednesday. The Reds failed to take advantage of Newcastle beating Manchester City 2-1. On Sunday, City look to rebound against Arsenal, who moved into fourth place after beating Cardiff and Chelsea lost to Bournemouth.

While Manchester City have looked like the dynamic team they were last season when they easily won the title, they have struggled lately. All four of the Citizens losses have come during the last night games. For seemingly unexplainable reasons, City and their star-studded rosters have laid eggs against significantly weaker opponents, Crystal Palace, and Newcastle, who are flirting with the relegation zone. With no games left against Liverpool to make points up directly, City cannot afford to drop points down the stretch.

Arsenal have also been up and down lately, winning three of their last five. The Gunners are in a tight battle with Chelsea and Manchester United for the final Champions League spot. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette have both been great this season for Arsenal. Aubameyang is second in the Premier League with 15 goals, while Lacazette has nine goals.