Derby test for Serie A leaders

Italy may have had a disappointing week in EURO 2004™ qualifiers, but all eyes will be firmly back on Serie A on Saturday when Internazionale FC take on Juventus FC at the San Siro.

Inter on form
The 'Derby d'Italia' matches the only two sides never to have been relegated from Serie A, with 39 Scudetto wins between them. Juventus hold 26 of them - the most recent coming last season after a tussle with Inter that went up to the final day. Inter have won their four opening league games, but are without injured midfield player Cristiano Zanetti and the suspended Sérgio Conceição. However, Christian Vieri, Francesco Toldo and Marco Materazzi are all fit.

Juventus miss defenders
Unbeaten Juventus, meanwhile, miss defenders Gianluca Pessotto, Emiliano Moretti and Paolo Montero, as well as midfield player Alessio Tacchinardi and forwards David Trezeguet and Marco Di Vaio. Elsewhere in Serie A, AC Milan visit Atalanta BC knowing they could go top if their city rivals fail to beat Juventus, while Bologna FC defend their unbeaten record against Brescia Calcio.

Classic encounter
Another of Europe's classic domestic encounters takes place in Portugal on Sunday, where leaders FC Porto welcome SL Benfica. Porto are the only unbeaten side in the Super Liga, while Benfica have had a disappointing run in their last two matches, losing at CD Nacional and being held at home by Vitória Setúbal. Moreover, they have not taken maximum points from Porto since 1990/91. Sporting Clube de Portugal and CF Os Belenenses, the early surprise package, meet in the day's Lisbon derby.

Belgrade derby
It is also derby day in Belgrade where Yugoslavian league leaders FK Partizan entertain FK Crvena Zvezda. The visitors trail Partizan by ten points after a slow start to the season so now would be the perfect time to start playing catch-up.

Eyes on Ronaldo
RC Celta de Vigo defend their lead in Spain's Primera División at home to Rayo Vallecano, while Real Sociedad, second on goal difference, face Basque neighbours Deportivo Alavés. Real Madrid CF will go top on Saturday night if they win at Real Racing Club Santander, with Ronaldo set to make his first start after his spectacular debut two weeks ago, when he came off the bench to score twice against Alavés.

Confidence booster
In Germany, leaders FC Bayern München visit surprise package FC Hansa Rostock looking for a confidence-booster ahead of next week's crucial meeting with Milan in the UEFA Champions League. Mehmet Scholl, Bixente Lizarazu and Roque Santa Cruz are all fit for Bayern. The Bavarians are three points ahead of unbeaten champions BV Borussia Dortmund, who play DSC Arminia Bielefeld, and SV Werder Bremen, who go to Hannover 96.

Arsenal run
English leaders Arsenal FC visit Everton FC hoping to extend their record-breaking Premiership unbeaten run, while second-placed Liverpool FC go to Leeds United AFC without Steven Gerrard, who was injured in England's draw with F.Y.R. Macedonia, though Emile Heskey should have recovered from the groin injury that kept him out of Wednesday's EURO 2004™ fixture.

Leaders meet champions
The leaders meet the champions in France's Ligue 1, as AJ Auxerre welcome Olympique Lyonnais. New Stade Rennais FC coach Vahid Halilhodzic, meanwhile, hopes to lift his team from last place when they travel to CS Sedan-Ardennes.