WEEKEND BANGERS: Domestic League football makes a return. The Milan Derby is part of the highlighted fixtures of the coming weekend.

The international break is over and the domestic league competition is back on our calendars. The battle to avoid relegation, secure qualification of continental football competition, or grab the silverware is back on for Europe’s top leagues. 

THE GERMAN BUNDESLIGA
Hertha Berlin vs Bochum
FC Koln vs Freiburg
Arminia Bielefeld vs Monchengladbach
Augsburg vs Union Berlin
Mainz vs Hoffenheim
Stuttgart vs Frankfurt
Bayern Munich vs RB Leipzig
Dortmund vs Leverkusen
Wolfsburg vs Greuther Furth

Feb 5.
BAYERN MUNICH vs RB LEIPZIG
While Dortmund and Leverkusen fight to close in on Bayern Munich this weekend, Bayern will be hosting RB Leipzig.

Feb 6.
DORTMUND vs LEVERKUSEN.
The reverse fixture was a thrilling 4-3 win for Dortmund.

Despite having no other team between them in the current Bundesliga standings, the gap between Dortmund and Leverkusen is currently 8 points.

Dortmund needs the result in this fixture to keep up pace with Bayern Munich.
Leverkusen needs the result to guarantee they stay in the top 4 at the end of the round.

THE FRENCH LIGUE 1
Marseille vs Angers
Saint-Etienne vs Montpellier
Monaco vs Lyon
Lorient vs Lens
Nice vs Clermont Foot
Riems vs Bordeaux
Strasbourg vs Nantes
Troyes vs Metz
Rennes vs Brest
Lille vs Paris St. Germain

Feb 5.
MONACO vs LYON
Monaco must make home advantage count.
Lyon will open a 4-point lead on Monaco with a league double.

Lyon- 34 points
Monaco – 33 points

Lyon has won their last three matches.
Monaco is coming from defeat to Montpellier.

Feb 6.
LILLE vs PARIS ST. GERMAIN
The reigning champions will host the current league leaders.

Two late goals allowed Paris St. Germain to come from a goal down a win the reverse fixture. Now it’s will be up to Lille to make home advantage count.
In all fairness, Lille needs the points.

THE ITALIAN SERIE A
Roma vs Genoa
Inter Milan vs AC Milan
Fiorentina vs Lazio
Atalanta vs Cagliari
Bologna vs Empoli
Sampdoria vs Sassuolo
Venezia vs Napoli
Udinese vs Torino
Juventus vs Hellas Verona
Salernitana vs Spezia

SERIE A LEAGUE TABLE
1| Inter Milan (22) – 53 points
2| Napoli (23) – 49 points
3| AC Milan (23) – 49 points

Feb. 5

INTER MILAN vs AC MILAN
Derby della Madonnina

The reverse fixture ended a ‘1-1’ draw.
With a game in hand and four points clear in the lead of the Serie A title race, Inter Milan can push their city rival and current prime competition in the title race further away from the top of the table.

Feb 6.

VENEZIA vs NAPOLI
Relegation-zoned and recently-promoted Venezia is up next for Napoli.
With the Milan derby happening before this fixture, Napoli will know exactly what a win will do for them in the title race.

On the other side, Venezia needs all the help they can get to stay up. They won’t allow themselves to be left empty-handed on their own turf.

JUVENTUS vs HELLAS VERONA
It was Hellas Verona’s heroics at the end of the last season that saved Juventus from missing out on Champions League football.

Juventus is a point away from the ‘top four’ after going 9 league games unbeaten(6 wins and 3 draws). A win against Hellas Verona could see Juventus in a Champions League qualifying spot if Atalanta fails to secure the maximum points against Cagliari.

THE SPANISH LA LIGA
Getafe vs Levante
Elche vs Alaves
Mallorca vs Cadiz
Celta Vigo vs Rayo Vallecano
Osasuna vs Sevilla
Valencia vs Real Sociedad
Barcelona vs Atletico Madrid
Real Bets vs Villarreal
Real MAdrid vs Granada
Athletic Club vs Espanyol

BARCELONA vs ATLETICO MADRID
Barcelona leaps above Atletico Madrid with a win at Camp Nou.
Both teams are double-digits points away from the top of the standings but the pre-season expectation had these two contesting for the league title at this stage of the competition.
After 21 rounds of the season played, Barcelona is 15 points away from the top of the standings, while Atletico Madrid has only done a point better.

Atletico Madrid were 2-0 winners in the reverse fixture so it’s up to Barcelona to return the favor.

THE ENGLISH FA CUP ROUND 4 
Football isn’t played on paper, and Cup football is the breeding ground for upsets.
Kidderminster Harriers (6th-tier) on paper should be a steal for West Ham.
Hartlepool United (4th-tier) on paper should be a breeze for Crystal Palace.
Bournemouth (2nd-tier) shouldn’t have a tough time playing at home against Boreham Wood (5th-tier).

FIXTURES

Manchester United vs Middlesbrough
Kidderminster Harriers vs West Ham United
Chelsea vs Plymouth Argyle
Crystal Palace vs Hartlepool United
Huddersfield Town vs Barnsley
Peterborough United vs Queens Park Rangers
Southampton vs Coventry City
Everton vs Brentford
Stoke City vs Wigan Athletic
Manchester City vs Fulham
Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Norwich City
Cambridge United vs Luton Town
Tottenham Hotspur vs Brighton & Hove Albion
Liverpool vs Cardiff City
Nottingham Forest vs Leicester City
Bournemouth vs Boreham Wood