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Paul Pogba celebrates scoring in last year's Turin derby. AP/Press Association Images
Previews

Euro Vision: 4 continental games not to be missed this weekend

We’ve picked out the Turin derby as well as games involving Atletico Madrid and Bayern Munich.

Bundesliga: Hannover v Bayern Munich

Sunday 4.30pm

League leaders Bayern Munich are at mid-table Hanover 96 tomorrow evening looking to maintain their 16-point lead at the top of the table and extend their unbeaten league run to 47 matches.

Bayern coach Pep Guardiola will be without France winger Franck Ribery, who also missed their 2-0 win at Arsenal on Wednesday in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie as he recovers from buttock surgery.

But Ribery, 30, has said he is targeting a return against Schalke 04 next Saturday.

Meanwhile, Bayern’s Germany midfielder Toni Kroos, who scored their first goal at Arsenal, is no closer to agreeing to a new Munich deal past 2015, with wages being the main stumbling block.

“There are no further discussions planned in the near future,” he told German magazine Kicker with a host of Premier League clubs chasing his signature.

On TV? ESPN

Serie A: Juventus v Torino

Sunday 5.30pm

Juventus welcome near neighbours Torino on Sunday aiming to extend a 15-match unbeaten league run against their fierce rivals.

The defending Serie A champions have not suffered defeat against Torino since a 2-1 loss in April 1995, with Juve’s most recent success coming in a 1-0 victory in the reverse fixture last September.

Paul Pogba’s solitary strike was enough to settle the encounter at Stadio Olimpico on that occasion and Torino will be desperate to change recent history at the Juventus Stadium on Sunday.

However, the task will be no easy feat, considering Juventus have won all 12 of their home league games this season, including a straightforward 3-1 triumph over Chievo last time out in Serie A

On TV? Live BT Sport 1

La Liga: Osasuna v Atletico Madrid

Sunday 8pm

Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone faces a selection dilemma over whether to include Diego Costa for Sunday’s La Liga clash with Osasuna.

Costa has been instrumental in Atletico’s excellent campaign so far, scoring 27 goals in all competitions and helping Simeone’s men keep pace with Barcelona and Real Madrid in an enthralling title race.

Atletico are level with Barca and Real on 60 points ahead of the trip to Osasuna, who are winless in their last eight games against the capital club.

Costa heads into the match in good form, having found the net in Saturday’s 3-0 success over Real Valladolid and the 1-0 UEFA Champions League win at Milan on Wednesday in the first leg of their last-16 tie.

Simeone may opt to rest Costa and save him for the potentially pivotal derby clash with Real a week on Sunday.

On TV? Sky Sports 1

Ligue Un: Lille v Lyon

Sunday 8pm

France Soccer League One Lille's Simon Kjaer. AP / Press Association Images AP / Press Association Images / Press Association Images

Sunday night sees Lille host OL at the Stade Pierre-Mauroy.

These two clubs were separated by 15 points at the campaign’s halfway stage but, while Lille have managed just one win in six in 2014, Lyon have rediscovered something like their best form to collect 15 points from a possible 18 over the same period.

I think we can look at the game this way: If we take the three points, we will move a little further clear of OL, even if nothing will be decided,” admitted Lille’s Danish defender Simon Kjaer. “It is really important not to lose games like this.”

Lyon have put their miserable start to the season firmly behind them, and coach Remi Garde showed where his priorities lie as he rested a host of first-team regulars for Thursday’s trek to play Chornomorets Odessa in Ukraine in the Europa League.

On TV? BT Sport 1

- © AFP, 2014

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