Around the leagues

This weekend sees Germany's north-south derby and a meeting of the teams closest to Claude Puel's heart in France, yet the standout fixture is the colllision between Serie A leaders FC Internazionale Milano and in-form challengers AC Milan. uefa.com previews the action. You can follow the scores from all the European leagues live on uefa.com's MatchCentre.

Italy: FC Internazionale Milano v AC Milan (Sunday, 20.45)
Eight wins in nine Serie A matches have carried Milan to within six points of the Nerazzurri with a game in hand. Leonardo's assessment that this Derby della Madonnina "arrives at a great time" seems to be putting it mildly. Knocks to Pato and Gianluca Zambrotta may hinder the visitors' hopes of avenging August's 4-0 home loss – Milan's worst derby defeat since 1910 – yet José Mourinho has absentees of his own though injury and Africa Cup of Nations duty. "The mentality of this team is special," Mourinho insisted. "I expected to be top at this stage but the Scudetto isn't won in January."

Germany: Werder Bremen v FC Bayern München (Saturday, 15.30)
On the basis of their form over the last five Bundesliga matches, there is only one likely winner in Germany's north-south derby. Bayern have taken maximum plunder in soaring up the table to third; Bremen have slipped to sixth after picking up just two points. Yet, as Werder's former Bayern midfielder Tim Borowski pointed out, "there is never a right time for a game like this". He added: "I have always had a good relationship with the players at Bayern, but this is the north-south derby. We will give our all and we know their weaknesses."

Greece: Olympiacos FC v PAOK FC (Sunday, 19.00)
This weekend could do much to decide the destiny of the Greek Super League title as leaders Panathinaikos FC and Olympiacos, stuttering in second spot, face Salonika upstarts Aris Thessaloniki FC and PAOK. After one win in four outings, Olympiacos go into their game with a new man at the helm. Božidar Bandović, who has replaced Zico, may have his work cut out against a PAOK side only one place below them and boasting the division's meanest defence. Bandović has already beaten PAOK this season, however, overseeing a 2-1 victory as caretaker coach following Temuri Ketsbaia's September sacking.

England: Tottenham Hotspur FC v Leeds United AFC (Saturday, 17.15)
Third-tier Leeds produced the shock of the FA Cup third round when they won 1-0 at Manchester United FC and will hope for similar when they visit another side from the Premier League's upper reaches. "It's another away draw for us," said manager Simon Grayson. "We'll take great confidence from our win at Manchester United and go to Tottenham with belief." Doubts are surfacing for Harry Redknapp's hosts, however. Spurs, eight-time FA Cup winners, were held to a goalless draw by struggling Hull City AFC last weekend before Wednesday's 2-0 defeat at Liverpool FC further set back their bid to qualify for the UEFA Champions League.

Spain: RC Deportivo La Coruña v Athletic Club (Saturday, 22.00)
Athletic's Fernando Amorebieta believes a strong defensive display against fifth-placed Deportivo at the Riazor will suffice for his side to leapfrog their opponents in the Liga standings. Fresh from victory over Real Madrid CF last weekend, Joaquín Caparrós's team are keen to erase the one-point advantage held by Deportivo and so improve on their position of seventh. The Galician club may also be low on morale following a 3-0 midweek Copa del Rey reverse against Sevilla FC. "If we defend well, we'll probably take the points," Amorebieta predicted. "Climbing into the top five would give us even more belief."

France: AS Monaco FC v Olympique Lyonnais (Sunday, 20.45)
Five-time French Cup winners Monaco entertain in-form holders Lyon at the Stade Louis II in the concluding round of 32 tie. There is little to choose between the sides right now: they drew 1-1 in the principality in December, and are locked on 36 points in Ligue 1. Monaco have home advantage again, yet Lyon coach Claude Puel – who played nearly 500 times for the Monegasques between 1979 and 1996 – knows his enemy. He is also optimistic about his team's improved form, saying of the fourth-time cup winners: "This will be the third of four successive away games for us, and the third win."

Israel: Maccabi Haifa FC v Hapoel Tel-Aviv FC (Monday, 20.00)
If Hapoel's Ligat Ha'Al ambitions have dwindled during Maccabi's incredible run of 17 victories in 18 league outings this season, they may all but vanish unless the visitors win on Monday. UEFA Europa League survivors Hapoel sit ten points adrift of the leaders in second spot, despite having lost only once all term – 2-1 to Maccabi in September. Catching the pacesetters will be no small assignment, because titleholders Haifa have not conceded in 715 minutes of action and possess, in Shlomi Arbeitman and Vladimer Dvalishvili, the division's in-form strikers.

All times are local; England is one hour behind CET, Israel and Greece one hour ahead. Follow the scores from all European leagues live on uefa.com's MatchCentre through the weekend.