5 games to watch: Milan derby has top four implications

Here are five of the best matches from Europe this weekend, headlined by the Milan Derby between Inter and AC Milan.

The biggest leagues don’t always offer the best games. This weekend, the Premier League only has half of its club in action. The Bundesliga and La Liga have their best clubs playing some of the worst clubs in their leagues. The best games of this weekend come from Serie A and Ligue 1, where both leagues offer two of their biggest derbies.

5. Lokomotiv Moscow vs. Krasnodar — Sunday, March 17, 9:30 a.m. ET (beIN Sports)

Honorable mention: Spartak Moscow vs. Zenit St. Petersburg — Sunday, March 17, noon ET (beIN Sports)

The top three teams in Russia qualify for the Champions League. On Sunday, four of the top five teams are in action, making this weekend very interesting.  Zenit are first in the Russian Premier Liga, and hold a five-point lead over second-place Krasnodar. Both clubs travel to Moscow for games against teams just below them in the table. The outcomes will factor into determining which clubs qualify for the Champions League next season.

Krasnodar play fifth-place Lokomotiv Moscow, with only three points separate the two clubs. Fourth place Spartak Moscow host Zenit. Spartak and Lokomotiv both have 32 points and will look to move ahead of their city rival CSKA Moscow. CSKA are one point ahead of Spartak and Lokomotiv in a very tight race at the top of the Russian table.

4. AZ Alkmaar vs. Ajax — Sunday, March 17, 9:30 a.m. ET (ESPN+)

After knocking out Real Madrid in the Champions League last week, Ajax look to close the gap on PSV in the title race. Ajax trail PSV by five points but the two clubs will play on March 31, in a game that could decide the Eredivisie title. However, before playing PSV, Ajax must play AZ Alkmaar, who are fourth in the table. Alkmaar are three points behind Feyenoord as they chase a spot in the Europa League.

Sunday’s game between Alkmaar and Ajax should be filled with goals. Alkmaar have 51 goals this season, while Ajax lead the Eredivisie with an incredible 88 goals over the first 25 games. Four different players have scored at least 10 goals, with Dusan Tadic leading the club with 18. Tadic has been incredible since the first leg against Real Madrid. In seven games across all competitions, Tadic has eight goals and four assists.

3. Valencia vs. Getafe — Sunday, March 17, 1:30 p.m. ET (beIN Sports)

The most interesting game in La Liga doesn’t feature one of the league’s heavyweights but it could have major implications on the final Champions League spot. Seventh-place Valencia host Getafe on Sunday, with six points separating the clubs.

Four years ago, Getafe finished 19th and were relegated, ending a 12-year run in La Liga. After one season, they were promoted back into La Liga. In their second season back in La Liga, they could qualify for Europe despite being one of the smaller teams in the top league. Pepe Bordalas has done an incredible managerial job this season. Getafe have scored the fifth most goals in La Liga and only Atletico Madrid and Valencia have conceded fewer goals. Getafe have won four of their last five games, picking up 13 points.

Valencia are having a strange season. The Bats have lost only four games this season but have had to settle for 15 draws. La Liga’s record for draws in a season is 18, held by Deportivo La Coruna’s 2015–16 team. With 11 games left, Valencia could break that record. The Bats have settled for so many draws because they have scored only 30 goals. Had the Bats scored more goals and won seven of the 15 games they drew in, they would be in the title race and only one point behind Barcelona. Instead, Valencia are in the middle of the table in goals and are in a difficult fight for the final Champions League spot.

2. Paris Saint-Germain vs. Marseille — Sunday, March 17, 1:30 p.m. ET (beIN Sports)

Le Classique is arguably the biggest rivalry in France between two of the country’s most successful clubs. The rival divides France between north and south. Paris Saint-Germain represent the biggest city in the north, while Marseille represent the biggest southern city.

PSG have been miles ahead of the competition in Ligue 1. The capital club have won six of the last seven titles but have suffered through disappointing and disastrous Champions League exits. This season, PSG lead Ligue 1 by 17 points but blew a 2-0 away win in the Champions League, losing the second leg at home 3-1 against Manchester United. Sunday will be PSG’s chance to release their anger on Marseille after being eliminated from the Champions League.

Marseille are well behind PSG in the table but are three points behind Lyon for the final Champions League spot. To make Sunday’s game even more interesting, Mario Balotelli has returned to the spotlight after joining Marseille. Balotelli spent the first half of the season with Nice but did almost everything he could to force his way out of the club. The Italian striker’s self-destructive tendencies returned and Balotelli did not score in any of the 10 games he played in. After leaving Balotelli out of the squad eight times, Nice decided to let Balotelli move on to Marseille. Since the joining his new club, Balotelli has displayed the world-class talent that he has continually teased his entire career, scoring five goals in his first seven games.

1. AC Milan vs. Inter Milan — Sunday, March 17, 3:30 p.m. ET (ESPN+)

City derbies bring out the best and worst in fans. Fans on both sides display their passion for the team they cheer for but also display their hatred for the other teams. Sometimes the emotion between rivals leads to incredible games with excellent atmospheres. But sometimes it leads to ugly situations with fighting between fans.

On Sunday, all eyes will shift to Milan for the derby between AC Milan and Inter Milan. Only one point separates the two club in the Serie A table, with Milan sitting in third, one point ahead of Inter.

Gennaro Gattuso’s Milan team are unbeaten over their last 10 games, winning five straight and picking up 24 points. Milan’s decision to buy Krzysztof Piatek after half a season at Genoa for €35 million looks like a brilliant move. Piatek came out of nowhere, to score 13 goals in the first half of the season with Genoa. Milan took a gamble on the Polish striker that it was not a fluke and so far they have been right. In seven games with Milan, Piatek has six goals, scoring once every 80 minutes.

Inter have been trending in the opposite direction after picking up only 11 points in their last eight games. The poor run can be linked to the club’s relationship with Mauro Icardi. Amidst drawn-out contract talks with Icardi and his agent/wife, Inter stripped Icardi of the captaincy. Icardi responded by sitting out Europa League games and has not played for Inter since losing the captaincy. The tension within the club has put pressure on Luciano Spalletti, who could be in jeopardy of losing his job with the club performing poorly and Spalletti’s decision to sign Radja Nainggolan providing underwhelming results.