Juve looking to turn Serie A screw

Inter Milan also stuttered last week when they drew with Bologna giving up a late equaliser and will be looking to strengthen their third place when they visit Lecce.

In Germany, Kaiserslautern’s German international midfielder Mario Basler will attempt to put a dent on Saturday in his former club Bayern Munich’s title hopes.

The 31-year-old, who has been capped over 30 times but would have won more if his tongue hadn’t got the better for him, left Bayern in December for the Red Devils when coach Ottmar Hitzfeld finally lost patience with him after an incident outside a pizza parlour.

Now Basler has the chance to put one over his former teammates and with Bayern having dropped two points last weekend allowing Bayer Leverkusen to draw level on points the mercurial midfielder couldn’t be meeting them at a better time.

Bayern, though, should be a fresh side as they rested most of their first choice players for the 2-0 Champions League defeat in Kiev on Wednesday and will not cherish the thought that the label of chokers may be about to be thrust on them once again after surrendering both the European Cup and German Cup last season.

Kaiserslautern will be looking to revived French star Youri Djorkaeff to knock in the goals while veteran Egyptian sweeper Hani Ramzy will be called upon to stem the flow of Bayern attacks as Kaiserslartern seek to retain their place among the UEFA Cup hopefuls for next season.

In contrast Bayer Leverkusen face relegation-threatened SC Freiburg, who are just a point off the drop, on the back of their record 9-1 win at Ulm last Saturday.

In Spain, champions Barcelona, two points behind leaders Deportivo la Coruna, must beat Malaga on Saturday if they want to get a view from the summit.

Deportivo though look to have an easy enough home match 24 hours later against third-from-bottom Real Oviedo. Malaga’s coach Joaquin Peiro can take some solace as his team boast a 2-1 win over Barca at the Nou Camp in November.

The Catalans, through to the Champions League quarter-finals, may have to do without Rivaldo as FIFA’s Footballer-of-the-Year is suffering from back problems.

Real Madrid, also Champions League quarter-finalists and lying fifth, host Rayo Vallencano. Real will be wary of their visitors, as a Rayo victory in 1996 cost the job of the then coach Jorge Valdano.

The other top of the league clash pits Real Zaragoza, in fourth, against third-placed Alaves, both sides eyeing a Champions League place next season.

After the drama of the French Cup quarter-finals last weekend the French resume their league programme with unlikely Sedan looking to leapfrog Lyon into second-place behind runaway leaders Monaco.

Promoted Sedan are the surprise package this year and go into Sunday’s clash with Lyon with their sights firmly set on a Champions League place.