League actions return in full flow this weekend as the run-in kicks off in different European leagues, with leaders in Germany, Italy, and Spain looking to close in on the title, while Arsenal and City head into a decisive weekend in the Premier League.

From Manchester City's travel to London to face Chelsea, who are in a desperate hunt for a Champions League spot, to Como's home meeting with Inter, here is a preview of 10 important fixtures to watch out for in the coming days.

10 games to watch this weekend 

1. Chelsea vs Man City 

Chelsea host a high-flying Manchester City at Stamford Bridge this Sunday, desperate to avoid a third consecutive Premier League defeat and keep their fading Champions League qualification hopes alive.

The Blues enter Sunday’s marquee clash at a crossroads, having slipped to sixth following back-to-back defeats against Newcastle and Everton, sitting seven points adrift of the top four, they just cannot afford another slip-up. 

However, preparation remains complicated as vice-captain Enzo Fernandez is unavailable due to a club-imposed ban, and captain Reece James is sidelined for a recurring thigh injury.

Manchester City arrive in West London brimming with confidence after recent silverware and a dominant FA Cup display against Liverpool on the back of the Carabao Cup final win over Arsenal before the break.

Pep Guardiola’s side is focused on narrowing the gap with league leaders Arsenal, who host Bournemouth earlier on Saturday, and may have established a twelve-point lead before kickoff at Stamford Bridge on Sunday evening.

City are bolstered by the return of Ruben Dias, though the form of Antoine Semenyo and Rayan Cherki means Phil Foden will continue to be left out of the starting role in a lethal attack spearheaded by Erling Haaland.

Prediction: Chelsea 1-3 Man City 

2. West Ham United vs Wolves

West Ham United host basement-side Wolverhampton Wanderers in the Premier League tonight, with the Hammers aiming to escape the relegation zone while the visitors attempt to keep their slim survival hopes alive.

West Ham United return to league action following a heartbreaking FA Cup exit to Leeds United on penalties, despite coming from two goals down to force extra time. 

Currently 18th, Nuno Espirito Santo’s side can climb out of the bottom three with a victory before Tottenham and Nottingham Forest play later in the weekend.

Despite their defensive struggles at set pieces, the Hammers boast a strong historical home record against Wolves, winning their last five meetings in London, while Jarrod Bowen has scored six times against the visitors.

Wolves enter the fray sitting 13 points adrift of safety despite a significant upturn in form under Rob Edwards. The Old Gold have been clinical recently, netting twice in each of their last three matches, including wins over Liverpool and Aston Villa.

While survival remains a monumental task, a victory tonight would secure a first-season double over West Ham since 2019-20 and maintain momentum for their late great escape attempt.

Prediction: West Ham 1-1 Wolves

3. Brentford vs Everton 

Seventh-placed Brentford host Everton at the Gtech Community Stadium on Saturday, with both sides level on points and desperate to secure a vital win for their European qualification hopes.

Brentford return to their home ground aiming to rediscover their clinical form against visiting Everton, after three consecutive Premier League draws and another Emirates FA Cup exit in a penalty shootout loss to West Ham.

Currently seventh, Keith Andrews’s side remains firmly in the hunt for a maiden European qualification despite a mounting injury list that includes Rico Henry, Aaron Hickey, and German midfielder Vitaly Janelt.

The Bees will look to star striker Igor Thiago, who netted a hat-trick in the reverse fixture, to inspire a return to winning ways by adding to his 19 league goals as he chases down Erling Haaland for the golden shoe prize.

Everton arrive in Brentford as one of the division's most improved sides, trailing only the league leaders Arsenal in points accumulated since the turn of the year. 

David Moyes has engineered a formidable away record, with the Toffees picking up 24 points on their travels this season, a tally only bettered by three other clubs so far.

Buoyed by a dominant 3-0 win over Chelsea and the defensive solidity of James Tarkowski, James Garner, and Michael Keane, Everton could leapfrog their hosts and move into the top six with a victory.

Prediction: Brentford 1-2 Everton

4. Athletic Club vs Villarreal 

Third-placed Villarreal travel to San Mamés this Sunday looking to consolidate their European standing against an Athletic Bilbao side desperate to end a four-match winless streak.

Athletic Bilbao head into the Matchday 31 fixture in 11th place, grappling with a poor run that has seen them claim just one win in five league games.

Ernesto Valverde’s side struggled significantly in their recent 2-0 loss to Getafe, highlighting a lack of clinical finishing that has plagued their season, yet they remain formidable at home in San Mamés, having secured eight of their victories at home so far.

Villarreal, currently occupying third, are enjoying a stellar campaign under Marcelino, though a recent 1-0 defeat to Girona has slowed their momentum. 

Boasting a +19 goal difference, the Yellow Submarine are favorites against their host, but their inconsistent away record, six wins and six losses, offers Athletic a glimmer of hope.

With only one goal separating these sides in their last meeting, another evenly contested match-up is anticipated, and Bilbao, who have lost just one of their last 14 home games against Villarreal will be keen to halt the visitors.

Prediction: Bilbao 1-1 Villarreal 

5. Barcelona vs Espanyol 

Barcelona aim to extend their lead at the top of La Liga and secure a seventh straight domestic victory when they host local rivals Espanyol in the Catalan derby.

After their home loss since returning to the Camp Nou, Hansi Flick’s Barcelona are back in domestic action at their home ground again, looking to maintain their seven-point cushion over Real Madrid. 

Despite the recent 2-0 Champions League setback against Atletico Madrid, the Blaugrana have been imperious in La Liga, winning 25 of 30 matches so far.

However, Flick faces several selection hurdles, as Pedri joins Raphinha and Andreas Christensen on the injury list, though Gavi is poised for his first start since August after coming on at half-time in mid-week.

Espanyol arrive at the home of their rivals desperate to snap a dismal 13-match winless streak in the league, which has seen them completely fall short in the race for Champions League qualification.

Manolo Gonzalez’s side has plummeted to 10th place after a winless 2026, failing to secure three points since late December, but after the mid-week rest, they'll be fresher than their local rival in the derby. 

Espanyol haven't had a win against Barcelona since 2009, losing 21 and drawing six in their last 27 meetings, and given their current predicament, it is highly unlikely that there will be a change to that on Saturday.

Prediction: Barcelona 4-1 Espanyol 

6. Sevilla vs Atlético Madrid 

Relegation-threatened Sevilla host a high-flying Atletico Madrid at the Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán this Saturday, with the visitors likely to rotate their squad ahead of a crucial Champions League quarter-final second leg.

Luis Garcia Plaza’s side has struggled for consistency, claiming only one win in their last eight domestic outings, and the absence of key defenders Tanguy Nianzou and Jose Angel Carmona due to suspension has added to their worries.

Sevilla faces a monumental task in shoring up a backline that has contributed to the league's second-worst home record with 50 goals conceded and just five clean sheets after 30 games.

Atletico Madrid arrive buoyed by a spectacular 2-0 Champions League victory over Barcelona at the Camp Nou and sit comfortably in fourth place in the league, 12 points clear of fifth.

Diego Simeone is expected to rest stars like Antoine Griezmann and Julian Alvarez ahead of the Champions League quest final return leg with Barcelona on Tuesday.

Despite missing suspended stars Koke and Nico Gonzalez, the visitors possess enough depth, including Alexander Sorloth, to challenge a desperate Sevilla outfit, but will also have to do without their manager, who is also suspended after picking up another yellow card in the home loss to Barcelona last weekend.

Prediction: Sevilla 1-3 Atlético 

7. Atalanta vs Juventus

Two Serie A heavyweights outside the top four face off at the Gewiss Stadium this Saturday, knowing that a loss could prove fatal to their Champions League qualification hopes.

The race for Europe reaches a fever pitch as Juventus travels to Bergamo to face an in-form Atalanta. Luciano Spalletti’s side currently sits fifth, just a point behind Como, but has struggled for consistency on the road.

With Dusan Vlahovic suffering an injury setback and Weston McKennie suspended, the Bianconeri will rely on Jonathan David and the mercurial Kenan Yildiz to spearhead an attack tasked with breaking Atalanta’s formidable home resolve.

Raffaele Palladino has transformed Atalanta into the league's second-best performers in 2026, accruing 31 points since the turn of the year, tally only bettered by league leaders Inter.

Trailing Juventus by just four points, La Dea can pull within touching distance of their rivals with a victory at home, where they've only dropped points once and are unbeaten in their last seven in the Serie A.

While history favors Juventus in Bergamo, Atalanta’s recent 3-0 Coppa Italia triumph over the Old Lady provides plenty of confidence for the Nerazzurri.

Prediction: Atalanta 1-1 Juventus

8. Como vs Inter

Serie A leaders Inter Milan visit fourth-placed Como at the Stadio Giuseppe Sinigaglia this Sunday, looking to maintain their title charge against a side boasting one of the league's best defensive records.

Cristian Chivu's team will arrive in Como as the heavy favorites to extend their dominance at the top of Serie A and close in on their second Scudetto in three seasons. 

The Nerazzurri have been imperious this season, winning 74% of their matches while maintaining a league-best attack led by the league's current leading goalscorer Lautaro Martinez.

Historically, Inter has dominated this fixture, winning all three league meetings since Como's return to the top flight with an aggregate score of 8-0, but the host recently held the leaders to a goalless draw in a Coppa Italia semi-final first-leg clash.

Cesc Fabregas' team is expected to pose a stern test as they look to solidify their Champions League credentials. Currently fourth, they boast a defensive record and equal Inter's with 15 clean sheets.

While they have struggled to score against the leaders in recent seasons, the clinical form of Anastasios Douvikas and a current unbeaten run in eight games offer hope for an upset.

Prediction: Como 1-1 Inter

9. Borussia Dortmund vs Bayer Leverkusen 

Borussia Dortmund look to extend their winning streak to five matches as they host a Bayer Leverkusen side desperate to close a four-point gap in the Champions League race.

Borussia Dortmund welcomes Bayer Leverkusen to the Signal Iduna Park in Saturday’s Bundesliga clash in formidable form, seeking a fifth consecutive league victory.

Sitting comfortably in second place, but nine points behind runaway leaders Bayern Munich, Niko Kovac’s side has achieved stability following public backing from management.

Despite the absence of the suspended Karim Adeyemi due to accumulated bookings, and the injured Emre Can, BVB aim to complete a season double over the side that recently broke their title drought.

Bayer Leverkusen face a much more desperate situation, no thanks to their inability to hold on to leads and knack for conceding plenty of goals, they currently place sixth, four points adrift of the final Champions League spot. 

Kasper Hjulmand’s men ended a streak of draws with a chaotic 6-3 win over Wolfsburg but remain defensively vulnerable. With Jarell Quansah doubtful and a couple of key defenders sidelined, Die Werkself have a task in their hands.

Prediction: Dortmund 3-2 Leverkusen 

10. Lyon vs Lorient 

A struggling Lyon side hosts Lorient at the Groupama Stadium this Sunday, desperately seeking a win to cement their top-six standing and end a six-match domestic winless streak.

Olympique Lyonnais head into Matchday 29 in a precarious position, sitting sixth in Ligue 1 but winless in their last six domestic outings.

Paulo Fonseca’s men have struggled for goals, netting just once in their last four competitive fixtures, a statistic that saw their glowing form since December plummet in mid-February, leading to their exclusion from Champions League spot.

With Rennes trailing by only a point, Lyon must overcome a mounting injury list, including Ruben Kluivert, Malick Fofana, and suspended Nicolas Tagliafico, to protect their continental ambitions.

Lorient, safely nestled in ninth, arrives in Decines-Charpieu with little pressure but a strong historical record in Lyon. Even though Olivier Pantaloni’s side is winless in four away matches, they have managed points in their last three visits to the Groupama.

Prediction: Lyon 2-1 Lorient