Top two clash in Spain and Germany as Serie A European battle intensifies

This weekend is a potentially decisive one across the major leagues in Europe, with huge games at the top of the table in both La Liga and the Bundesliga, while the Serie A title could be sealed.

We run through the top talking points and matches in this weekend preview, starting with arguably the biggest game of the entire season across the continent.

Germany’s biggest Klassiker in years takes centre stage

Rewind to the start of March and the consensus was that Borussia Dortmund had bottled the title race in the Bundesliga following defeat to Augsburg. They remained level on points with rivals and champions Bayern Munich but surrendered a seven-point lead in the space of three weeks.

With the holders being, well, held at Freiburg last weekend, Dortmund’s inability to break down Wolfsburg as the 90th minute approached only served to justify the assumptions that Lucien Favre’s side didn’t have the mettle to dethrone the Bavarians. Alas, up popped Paco Alcacer in the final minute of normal time - and once more in the last of injury time - and all of a sudden BVB have a huge chance of reclaiming the shield.

A win at the Allianz Arena, after all, would move them five points clear with just six games remaining, not to mention a more favourable run-in on paper to negotiate. For that reason Bayern really do need all three points to win back their status as favourites to win the title, and with 32 goals in the last seven meetings between these sides (4.6 per game), we can’t wait for Saturday’s evening kick-off!

Can Atletico ensure a nervy finish for Barcelona

Sauntering over to Spain later on Saturday night, all of a sudden we could yet have a title race back on our hands. That’s after Barcelona took part in one of the games of the season at Villarreal in midweek, and while the nature of the game meant that it will have seemed more like a point gained at the time, the leaders will no doubt be looking back on it as two dropped.

Two goals behind heading into the 90th minute, Barca needed a Messi free-kick - essentially a penalty nowadays - to restore hope before Luis Suarez’s injury time leveller. Ernesto Valverde’s side host closest challengers Atletico this weekend, with an away win narrowing the gap at the top to five points with seven matches remaining. It would still be a significant lead, but not an unassailable one like a home victory would build.

Best of the rest scrapping for European spots as Juventus seal Scudetto

The ease with which Juventus have reasserted their dominance in Italy this season has been quite superb. The Old Lady have the chance to win a league that is among the most competitive aside with seven games to spare this weekend should they beat AC Milan this Saturday and Napoli lose to Genoa.

The leaders visitors to Turin are now embroiled in a real battle to ensure a top six spot having been vying for a place in the top three at the start of the month. One point from three matches has ensured that there are now four teams within four points of Gennaro Gattuso’s side, the closest of whom - Atalanta - face off against the Rossoneri’s Milan rivals in arguably the biggest game of the week in Serie A.

Inter aren’t guaranteed a spot in the top four either and defeat to former coach Gian Piero Gasperini’s side would leave just a two point cushion to the chasing pack. Meanwhile, Roma, who are at risk of sliding out of the top six, could do exactly that this weekend when they travel to Sampdoria, who would leapfrog the giallorossi with a win and ensure that seven teams still have a very real chance of joining Juve and Napoli in Europe next season.

Bruce’s unbeaten Owls host in-form former employers for play-off prize

Finally, a game between sixth and eleventh in the Championship may not seem like a particularly exciting prospect but Aston Villa’s trip to Sheffield Wednesday is packed with intrigue. The main focus will of course be on Steve Bruce’s first match up up against a club that sacked him back in October after a run of just one win in ten games.

The Villans, having been defeated in the play-off final five months earlier, found themselves in the bottom half at the time, and that remained the case at the start of March. Five consecutive wins later and Dean Smith’s side sit sixth, while Wednesday have given themselves hope of a play-off push following Bruce’s impact at Hillsborough.

The former Villa boss is unbeaten with his new employers, spanning 11 games, while the Owls run of 12 without defeat in the league in total offers a chance to match Bristol City’s league record of 13 this season if the hosts can halt their visitors charge. Bruce would no doubt love to do just that and would unquestionably see a draw as a point won and a finger raised at the fans that justifiably wanted him gone. It has, after all, been a decision that has benefitted both parties.