The first international break of the season is over, and the weekend is set to serve up some of the finest action across the world, with several heavyweight clashes that carry more than just three points at stake.

From Europe to South America, derbies, rivalries, and top-of-the-table battles are poised to shape the mood of clubs and their supporters heading into the next round of fixtures.

We take a look at the top 7 Fixtures to watch out for this weekend as football fans await what will be a feast of drama and excitement.

Top 7 Fixtures to Watch Out for This Weekend

English Premier League | Manchester City vs. Manchester United

A derby will forever remain one. Despite how good Manchester City have been in recent years, even completely blowing their city rivals away in some of their meetings, you can never tell what will happen when these two clash until you see things unfold.

They'll meet again this weekend with neither of them really in the best form possible, but Pep Guardiola, for one, will hope his star striker, Erling Haaland, carries his form from the international games into the club match on Sunday.

With two losses from three games, Manchester City are having their worst start to a season since 2004-05, when they drew one and lost three at the start of the campaign. Getting a win in the derby after the international break will be crucial for their mental strength heading into the tough weeks ahead.

For Manchester United, the edgy win over Burnley before the break secured their first of the season, calming rising nerves around the club and also helping them leapfrog their city rivals in the league standings.

City may want to count on their home support, but will also be well aware that United have almost as many wins as them in their last 15 meetings at the Etihad — seven wins for City, six for United, and two draws.

Not knowing where it'll go this time is the biggest reason why the match is highly anticipated, because based on strength, the Mancunians are definitely no longer as fierce.

Italian Serie A | Juventus vs. Inter

Juventus vs. Inter is still the biggest domestic fixture in Italy despite Juventus's regression in recent times. The consistency of the sides is yet to be matched by any of the others, although Napoli have placed themselves in a position to break in.

They meet in Turin this weekend, a venue where the Bianconeri have lost just once in the last 12 of this fixture in Serie A, winning eight and keeping seven clean sheets.

Aside from the magnitude of the fixture, the surrounding context also makes it an exciting clash to anticipate, as Juventus could, for the first time since 2018-19, win each of their opening three games of a Serie A season.

For Inter, there is so much at stake after the home defeat to Udinese last time out. It is already the earliest they have lost a league game since the opening-day loss to Sassuolo in 2018-19, and they'll be eager to avoid another defeat at all costs.

The Nerazzurri last lost as many as two games in their opening three Serie A matches 14 years ago, in 2011-12. Cristian Chivu will hope his players turn up, or he may find the shoes of Simone Inzaghi too big to fill.

A positive statistic for the visitors is that they have lost just once in their last six meetings with Juventus across all competitions, winning two.

Spanish La Liga | Atlético Madrid vs. Villarreal

By the standard, Atlético Madrid have moved ahead of their visitors this weekend, but two factors — one, that this has always been an unpredictable fixture, and two, their contrasting start to the season — make this the match to watch.

Atlético Madrid are yet to record a league win after three games for the first time under Diego Simeone. Two draws and one defeat have hurt the ego of the Argentine and his team, despite the busy summer they had with incomings.

For Villarreal they are one of the five unbeaten teams in La Liga this season, with the best attack and joint-best defence. Their eight goals are the most of any side, and their one goal conceded is the fewest, tied with others.

Statistics from their recent meetings also suggest little has separated them, with two wins for Atlético in their last eight meetings and one for Villarreal, whose only win in that period came at the Wanda Metropolitano.

German Bundesliga | Mainz vs. RB Leipzig

Although Mainz is climbing the ladder, the focus will be more on RB Leipzig and what they are really about, after failing to make Europe last season, selling very important players in the summer, and starting the season on a not-so-impressive note.

With a 6-0 defeat at Bayern Munich to kick off their league season, the Red Bull club will need more than just their home win over Heidenheim — who haven't won in the league since the penultimate weekend of last season — to convince that they have something to offer.

Mainz is a worthy competitor and maybe now holds the upper hand in this fixture due to their sixth-place finish last season. Despite not being convincing themselves, their European commitments may have interfered with their early schedules, something they're not used to.

The hosts on Saturday have won three of their last six meetings with Leipzig, with two ending in draws, while Leipzig's only win in this run came away at the MEWA Arena in their most recent visit.

Belgian First Division A | Anderlecht vs. Genk

Both Anderlecht and Genk have had a disappointing start to the season, earning just nine and seven points respectively from their opening five games, leaving them well behind leaders Union St. Gilloise.

But their meeting this weekend will be decisive, as one of them will surely enter double figures in points, no matter how it ends at Lotto Park, where the visitors have been dominant recently.

Genk have won five of their last eight visits to Anderlecht across all competitions, including each of the last two, with the hosts winning the remaining three. The fixture has not produced a draw in the last ten in Brussels.

Anderlecht will be very concerned about their poor form in this fixture, with just one win and five losses in the last six. But Genk will also be eager to continue their impressive record against a prominent rival.

Brazilian Serie A | Fluminense vs. Corinthians

Both clubs find themselves in no man's land midway into the season, but they remain top competitors when they come up against fellow top guns — as seen with Fluminense during the Club World Cup in the US back in the summer.

Fluminense have just one win in their last four games, but Corinthians, after a woeful run of results, are slowly regaining balance and are now unbeaten in their last four games, winning three and drawing only against title-chasing Palmeiras.

Their last three meetings at Sunday's venue have ended in draws, although Fluminense have lost only two of their last 18 home meetings, winning seven.

Both Corinthians and Fluminense have won seven each in their last 20 meetings across all competitions, with six ending in draws, so an eventful yet evenly contested affair is expected.