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  • Friday, 16 March 2012

    Marking your card #1

    Looking for some footballing action this weekend? Here's where we'd be heading for some fun and games.

    Tonight, the big game is undoubtedly the Warsaw derby. Legia are top of the Ekstraklasa with Polonia down in fourth, but only five points separate them. It's must-win for Polonia, must-not-lose for Legia.
    More derby action and it doesn't get bigger than this in Greece: Panathinaikos v Olympiakos. Panathinaikos lost last week aaway at AEK which allowed Olympiakos to pull four points clear at the top. Only a win will do for the Greens. Should be a belter.

    In the Bundesliga, Gladbach travel to Leverkusen in what could prove a pivotal game for both. Gladbach's title tilt has stuttered a bit lately, while Levekusen need a win to maintain a push for European football next season, particularly after the evisceration at Camp Nou. Bayern travel to Berlin to play Hertha BSC having scored 7 (seven) in their last two outings. Odds on it being a third? Not that high to be honest: Hertha are rubbish.
    Udinese v Napoli is the pick of Serie A. Both clubs are two points off the European places and both dropped out of European football in the week. Both with wounds to lick, both full of goals, this could be a classic.
    Valencia v Athletic Club is huge in La Liga while Real Madrid v Málaga is also a tasty one. Any slip by El Real has to happen now if they're not to win the title and Málaga are going well at the moment.
    For the first time in a long while, St Etienne go into a derby with Lyon as favourites and that's the stand-out game in Ligue 1. Sochaux v Nice is massive at the bottom.
    PSV take on Heerenveen in a big top-five Eredivisie clash and Twente are up against Feyenoord as well. Those two games will go a long way towards shaping this title battle. After derailing PSV last week, NAC get to have crack at the new leaders AZ, albeit away from home this time.
    There's more derby action in Belgium too, in Bruges. Cercle host Club Brugge in a feisty affair. Fourth against second as well.
    Further afield, it's early days in the Argentine Clausura, but Estudiantes going to Tigre is a biggy. Tigre lead after four wins from their five games so far with Estudiantes just two points further back.

    But our favourite league this year is 2.Bundesliga. The top five are still separated by just three points and four of them have reasonably straightforward games this week. Greuther Fürth are the current leaders and have the trickiest game of them all, away to 1860 Munich. 1860 went on a tremendous run and threatened to make the five into six, but now haven't won in three. They need this, Greuther need this. It should be a belter.

    Where are you off to? Let us know below the line. Wherever you end up, have a good one.

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