Serie A: AC Milan v Juventus
Sunday 7.45pm
AC MILAN FORGOT about their league woes for an evening when they booked their place in the Champions League last 16 on Wednesday, but the Rossoneri will need Stephan El Shaaraway to be on form if they are to close the gap on Juventus this weekend.
Massimiliano Allegri’s men, who go into Sunday’s game in 12th and 17 points adrift of league leaders Juve, have been heavily reliant on the 20-year-old striker who tops the goalscoring charts with 10 — half of Milan’s total in the league.
“Is El Shaarawy the Milan team?” Juve striker Sebastian Giovinco asked this week. “He’s the one making the difference for them so, yes, I’d say he is.”
The Turin side travel to their northern rivals in fine form following their ruthless dispatch of Chelsea in midweek. They lead Serie A by four points with Inter Milan, Fiorentina and Napoli in close attention.
On TV? ESPN, coverage begins from 7.15pm Sunday
La Liga: Levante v Barcelona
Sunday, 8pm
LEAGUE LEADERS BARCELONA face a tough trip to Levante , though their task will be made considerably easier if Lionel Messi can continue the free-scoring form which has taken him to within touching distance of Gerd Muller’s record tally.
Messi hit goals numbers 79 and 80 against Spartak Moscow in midweek, and Sunday evening will be the first of eight games the Argentinian now has to score the six goals he needs to surpass Muller’s mark of 85 for club and country in a calendar year.
Levante, who moved up to fourth with a 2-0 win against Deportivo la Coruna last weekend, pushed Real Madrid close when the league champions visited the Ciutat de Valencia earlier this month. In tough conditions Jose Mourinho’s men needed a late goal from substitute Alvaro Morato to escape with a 2-1 win.
On TV? Sky Sports 1 from 8pm Sunday
Bundesliga: Schalke 04 v Eintracht Frankfurt
Saturday, 2.30pm
THE PICK OF the Bundesliga bunch on Saturday sees second play third as Schalke 04 host an Eintracht Frankfurt side showing no signs of a nosebleed on their first season back in the top flight.
Midfielder Alexander Maier has been the visitors’ main threat this season and he took his total to nine in 12 games with a brace in a 4-2 win against Augsburg last week.
Schalke will be hoping to get back to winning ways following their 2-0 defeat at Bayer Leverkusen and confidence will be high following Wednesday’s 1-0 win over Olympiakos which saw them safely through to the Champions League last 16 alongside Arsenal.
On TV? Doesn’t look like it. Hoffenheim v Bayer Leverkusen is ESPN’s televised game this weekend (Sunday, 4.30pm).
Ligue 1: Marseille v Lille
Sunday, 8pm
THAT CHARMING MAN Joey Barton is in line to make his first domestic start when fourth-placed Marseille host Lille on Sunday evening.
Barton has now served the remainder of a 12-match ban handed down when he was with QPR last season and could come straight into the first team as Élie Baup’s men look to bounce back from a 1-0 defeat to Bordeaux.
Lille lost 2-0 at Lorient last time out but only five points separate the northerners in eighth place and joint leaders Lyon and St Etienne, who beat Valenciennes 1-0 on Friday evening.
On TV? No.
– Additional reporting by AFP
