Fixtures to watch out for in Europe top five leagues this weekend, as Premier League giants race for a place in the Emirates FA Cup quarter-finals.

Wolves vs Liverpool 

Wolverhampton Wanderers aim to repeat their midweek heroics against a wounded Liverpool side as the two teams battle for a place in the FA Cup quarter-finals at Molineux on Friday night.

Currently rooted to the bottom of the league, Wolves view this cup tie as the ultimate opportunity to salvage a difficult season, which has made relegation inevitable, although recent form can still deliver them Cup magic.

For the visitors, Arne Slot will be expected to rotate his side after Tuesday’s lifeless performance, though major stars like Mohamed Salah and Dominik Szoboszlai remain available and will likely retain their spots. 

Liverpool’s injury list remains significant, with Alexander Isak, Wataru Endo, and Conor Bradley sidelined. However, midfield maestro Florian Wirtz could return to the bench, with Slot emphasizing their struggles to create from open play without the German.

Wolves' mid-week hero André is suspended following a yellow card accumulation, but manager Rob Edwards otherwise boasts a healthy squad. 

Statistically, Liverpool has scored in all eight FA Cup meetings against Wolves, but the Old Gold hold a superior historical progression rate in this specific tournament, with four out of six. 

Liverpool will be desperate to keep their only realistic silverware hopes alive after recent domestic inconsistencies, and are considered favourites to go through, despite recent struggles and a loss to Wolves.

Prediction: Wolves 1-3 Liverpool 

Newcastle United vs Manchester City 

Newcastle United look to overcome a severe injury crisis and secure a historic FA Cup quarter-final berth against a Manchester City side balancing domestic silverware hopes with an upcoming European trip to Madrid.

Buoyed by a gutsy 2-1 midweek victory over Manchester United, a match they played with ten men for over 45 minutes, Eddie Howe's team will be eager for a second win in their fifth meeting with City this season. 

Despite sitting 12th in the Premier League, the Magpies hold an impressive FA Cup record, progressing from nine of their last ten fifth-round fixtures.

Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City arrive at St. James ' Park seeking redemption after a frustrating 2-2 home draw against Nottingham Forest, which saw them slip seven points behind leaders Arsenal in the race for the title.

With a critical Champions League trip to Real Madrid scheduled for Wednesday, rotation is anticipated, a move that may see Omar Marmoush, who has five goals in his last three starts against Newcastle, given a start.

City have a formidable recent history in the competition, winning 23 consecutive third, fourth, and fifth-round ties dating back to 2018, while they also boast a dominant head-to-head record against their host.

While the visitors have beaten Newcastle three times already this calendar year, the raucous St. James’ Park atmosphere often proves a great equalizer in domestic cup competitions, so an interesting battle awaits on Saturday night.

Prediction: Newcastle 1-2 Man City 

Celta Vigo vs Real Madrid 

Real Madrid travel to Celta Vigo this Friday evening desperate to snap a two-match losing streak that has left them four points behind leaders Barcelona. 

Manager Alvaro Arbeloa faces a severe selection crisis after star winger Rodrygo suffered a season-ending ACL tear during Monday's shock 1-0 defeat to Getafe, with Kylian Mbappe and Jude Bellingham also sidelined, leaving them to rely solely on Vinicius Junior.

Celta Vigo head into the contest in peak form, having climbed to sixth place following recent victories over Mallorca and Girona. Claudio Giraldez’s side already boasts a 2-0 win over Real Madrid at the Bernabeu this season and will welcome back leading scorer Borja Iglesias from suspension.

The hosts have lost just two of their last 16 matches, positioning themselves as genuine contenders for European qualification, but the visitors will still be fancied to emerge with the three points in the case of no surprises.

Yet, they will have to do without the suspended trio of Franco Mastantuono, Alvaro Carreras, and Dean Huijsen. Although Eduardo Camavinga and Raul Asencio have returned to training, Madrid’s defensive depth remains paper-thin.

While Real Madrid boasts the best away record in La Liga with 27 points from 13 games, they face a confident Celta side who will be determined to complete a historic league double over them.

Prediction: Celta Vigo 1-2 Real Madrid 

Atlético Madrid vs Real Sociedad 

Third-place Atletico Madrid aim to extend their winning domestic streak against a Real Sociedad side looking to close the gap on the top six in a high-stakes preview of April's Copa del Rey final.

Atletico Madrid hosts Real Sociedad at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano on Saturday, seeking a third consecutive La Liga victory.

Diego Simeone’s side currently sits third, level on points with Villarreal, after securing their place in the Copa del Rey final despite a 3-0 mid-week loss to Barcelona in Camp Nou.

Strong at home with 34 points this season, Atletico aim to consolidate their Champions League qualification spot before facing Tottenham in the competition's round ot 16.

Real Sociedad arrive in eighth place, fresh from beating direct rivals Athletic Bilbao to set up an April cup final showdown against Atletico.

Currently five points adrift of the European places, Pellegrino Matarazzo’s side welcomes back Brais Mendez but remains without Takefusa Kubo and Alvaro Odriozola.

Although the Basque outfit secured a draw in the reverse fixture, they have not beaten the capital giants since a 2-0 Copa del Rey home win in January 2022, losing five of the eight that have followed.

Prediction: Atlético Madrid 2-1 Real Sociedad 

Athletic Club vs Barcelona 

Barcelona travel to San Mamés on Saturday evening facing a significant selection crisis for their La Liga encounter with Athletic Bilbao.

Hansi Flick will be without at least five key first-team players, including Jules Kounde and Alejandro Balde, who both sustained hamstring injuries during the midweek Copa del Rey triumph over Atlético Madrid.

These absences leave the Blaugrana particularly vulnerable in defense against a formidable Athletic side, but recent performances in this fixture, especially under Hansi Flick suggests there will be no complications.

There is a slight boost for the visitors as Robert Lewandowski has returned to training wearing a protective mask following an eye socket fracture.

The team will hope Joao Cancelo and Eric Garcia remain excellent in filling the defensive gaps, as they look for a fourth straight win to build momentum ahead of their Champions League trip to Newcastle in mid-week.

Bilbao have lost their previous five meetings with Barcelona under Hansi Flick by an aggregate of 16-1 across all competitions, but their recent form of five unbeaten in the league could give them the courage to stand their ground at home.

Prediction: Bilbao 1-4 Barcelona 

AC Milan vs Inter

Already running away with the Scudetto, Inter Milan head into Sunday’s Derby della Madonnina holding a commanding ten-point lead at the Serie A summit and a win will take it to 13 with ten games to go.

Cristian Chivu’s side has been nearly flawless since November, winning 14 of their last 15 league matches, making this a must-win for AC Milan to keep their fleeting title ambitions mathematically alive.

Federico Dimarco, who leads the league on 14 assists and 74 chances created will be Inter's man to watch, while Milan will rely on the heroics of goalkeeper Mike Maignan to stay afloat when Inter comes knocking.

Inter will likely be without top scorer Lautaro Martínez due to a calf injury, offering the Rossoneri a potential opening in the San Siro battle.

Despite Milan’s strong defensive record, nine draws have plagued their campaign, allowing Inter to pull away. A victory for the home side would reduce the gap to seven points with ten games remaining, providing a glimmer of hope in a one-sided race.

Milan are unbeaten in their last six meetings with Inter, a surprise dominance that has yielded four wins and two draws across all competitions, whereas Inter had won six straight Derby della Madonnina before the start of this run.

Prediction: Milan 1-1 Inter

Freiburg vs Bayer Leverkusen 

Freiburg hosts Bayer Leverkusen at the Europa-Park Stadion on Saturday, banking on a formidable 15-match unbeaten home streak to revive their European ambitions.

Julian Schuster’s men currently sit in eighth place, ten points behind sixth-placed Leverkusen after a disappointing 2-0 defeat to Frankfurt last time out.

Despite inconsistent away form, the Breisgau Brazilians have won 12 of their last 15 home fixtures, making them a significant threat to the visitors, but they've not beaten the visitors since September 2022.

Leverkusen arrive following a midweek win over Hamburg, sitting just three points off the top four. However, Kasper Hjulmand faces a defensive crisis with Loic Bade, Lucas Vazquez, and Arthur sidelined.

With a massive Champions League tie against Arsenal looming on Wednesday, focus may be split. Avoiding fatigue and injuries could be a priority, especially since they have a nine-point lead over the team closest to them on the log.

Nevertheless, Hjulmand will have to choose his priorities. Do they focus on winning themselves a ticket back to the Champions League next season or try to stand up to Arsenal in the hope of reaching the Champions League quarter finals?

Prediction: Freiburg 1-2 Bayer Leverkusen 

RB Leipzig vs Augsburg 

RB Leipzig will be desperate to fix their poor home form when they welcome Augsburg to the Red Bull Arena on Saturday, as the race for Champions League qualification intensifies.

Currently fifth in the Bundesliga, Ole Werner’s side has struggled for consistency in 2026, winning only four matches this calendar year.

Despite a narrow midweek victory over Hamburg, Leipzig’s defensive frailties are a concern, having conceded 11 goals during their last four winless home outings.

In contrast, Augsburg has undergone a dramatic transformation under interim boss Manuel Baum, securing five wins in their last six Bundesliga games to move up the standings. 

Now sitting comfortably in ninth, the visitors are chasinggggggg a fourth consecutive league victory, which may see them end the weekend in the top eight depending on Freiburg's result against Leverkusen 

Augsburg have the momentum, but Leipzig are favoured to continue their dominance in the fixture, having lost none of the last 18, 12 wins, but will have to do without key starters Xaver Schlager and Forzan Assan Ouedraogo.

Prediction: RB Leipzig 3-1 Augsburg 

PSG vs Monaco

Ligue 1 leaders Paris Saint-Germain welcome Monaco to the Parc des Princes on Friday night, aiming to extend their four-point advantage at the top. 

Luis Enrique’s side remains unbeaten at home this year, following a narrow 1-0 victory over Le Havre. Despite a disappointing end to their UCL league phase, the reigning champions have been dominant domestically, recording three consecutive home clean sheets while outscoring opponents 11-0.

Monaco arrive in Paris on a three-match winning streak, having climbed to seventh place. Sebastien Pocognoli’s men are just three points shy of the European spots and previously defeated PSG 1-0 earlier this season.

While both sides face significant injury concerns, including Ousmane Dembele for the hosts and Paul Pogba for the visitors, Monaco's recent form suggests they can challenge the capital giants’ home supremacy.

Prediction: PSG 2-0 Monaco