Sevilla looks to hold on to its lead in Spain’s La Liga when it goes for its fourth win in a row Sunday at Racing Santander (TV: Gol TV, delay, 7 pm ET).
After Sevilla, the reigning UEFA Cup champion, look over first place from Barcelona last week, Barca coach Frank Rijkaard tipped the Andalucian team as the team to beat in Spain.
“The country is starting to take notice of what we have achieved and we have won the respect of other clubs,” said Sevilla coach Juande Ramos. “We need to maintain the same level of commitment and self-belief, and if we do we have it in our own hands to achieve something important.”
Sevilla, which has not won a league title since 1946, faces one of toughest tests of the season in Racing, unbeaten in its last six games. Second-place Barcelona also will be in for a battle on Sunday. It hosts third-place Zaragoza, which has won four games in a row.
ENGLAND. This week’s top clash pits Arsenal against Liverpool on Sunday (TV: Fox Soccer Channel, live, 11 am ET). The Gunners fell 10 points behind leader Manchester United when they lost at West Ham, 1-0, last Sunday. The Reds, one point behind Arsenal in a tie for seventh place, have been horrible away from home with one tie and four losses in five EPL games.
GERMANY. Leader Werder Bremen kicks off this week’s Bundesliga schedule when it hosts Borussia Dortmund Friday night (TV: Gol TV, live, 2:25 pm ET). Werder has seven wins and a tie in its last eight games to open up a two-point lead at the top of the Bundesliga. Defending champion Bayern, which dropped to fifth place in midweek after its 1-0 loss to Hannover, plays at Bayer Leverkusen on Saturday (TV: Gol TV, live, 9:30 am ET).
ITALY. Roma will hope to boost its title hopes with a victory over struggling AC Milan at the San Siro Stadium on Saturday (TV: Gol TV, delay, 4 pm ET). Roma is four points behind co-leaders Inter Milan and Palermo. Three straight losses have left Milan, which began the season with an eight-point penalty for its role in the Calciopoli scandal, in 15th place. Milan got more bad news this week when Italy World Cup midfielder Gennaro Gattuso and defender Giuseppe Favalli were both ruled out until January with injuries.
MEXICO. The final day of the regular season in the Torneo Apertura has numerous clubs fighting for spots in the playoffs. Chivas and Chiapas, tied for third place in Group A, will square off Saturday night with a playoff spot on the line (TV: TeleFutura, live, 8 pm ET).