EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsEvery Friday, I pick the best or most exciting games not to be missed in the world of soccer each weekend. From derbies to top-of-the-table clashes, relegation six-pointers to world-class players facing off, or other interesting tactical battles, there will be something for everyone to enjoy.This week, we take you to England, France, Spain, Italy and Germany for some big-name clashes, battles for UEFA Champions League places and title race action.- Premier League, LaLiga and ... Scotland? Most exciting races in Europe- UCL talking points: Spurs simply awful as all Prem teams fail to win- Stats behind Spurs GK Kinsky's shocking early sub off vs. AtlticoSpurs to sink deeper into relegation battle?Liverpool vs. Tottenham HotspurPremier League, Matchday 30Kickoff: Sunday, 12:30 a.m. ET / 4:30 p.m. GMTLiverpool-Tottenham games have always been entertaining in recent seasons, with loads of goals and drama. But this one tops the lot in terms of what is at stake. Liverpool are fighting for a place in the top five to qualify for next season's Champions League. Spurs are fighting to stay in the Premier League after a rotten campaign domestically. This is a huge game at both ends of the table between two teams far from their best level.Liverpool lost 1-0 at Galatasaray in the Champions League on Tuesday, and it's not the first time that this team has underperformed. Mohamed Salah had one of his worst games in a long time, and the defense was shaky again. It's not reassuring before the final sprint of the season, as the Reds cannot fail to qualify for the Champions League. They have to bounce back Sunday.Yet, the form battle is still on Liverpool's side in this clash: Spurs are on a club-record six-game losing streak, with their last league win coming on Dec. 28. Tuesday's latest humiliation -- a lifeless 5-2 defeat at Atletico Madrid in the Champions League -- was just another moment that felt like rock-bottom. Manager Igor Tudor has now lost all four of his games in charge. He will get a fifth game at the helm this weekend, but there is every chance this will be his last.Tudor was meant to steady the ship, but the players haven't responded to what he is trying to do. On top of that, he has many players missing and Micky van de Ven will be suspended for this game. As if to add more pressure, wins for West Ham United and Nottingham Forest this weekend (albeit unlikely) would mean Spurs would kick off at Anfield in the bottom three.MY PREDICTION: Liverpool 2-1 Tottenham. There is so much to lose for both teams, and I don't think this is going to be a high-level game. But Liverpool will be too strong for a Spurs team in big trouble.Bara seek revenge, return to form in LaLigaBarcelona vs. SevillaLaLiga, Matchday 28Kickoff: Sunday, 11:15 a.m. ET / 3:15 p.m. GMTBarcelona had a tough night at Newcastle United on Tuesday but almost miraculously came away with a draw. They could not cope with the intensity and physicality of the English side and never managed to put their game in place. It will be very different Sunday at home against Sevilla.Bara hold a four-point lead over Real Madrid, while Sevilla are far from safe yet despite sitting 14th in the table. They are only six points above the drop zone. They can't have a repeat of the poor collective performance that we saw in England. Lamine Yamal, Raphinha and Robert Lewandowski were very disappointing up front, while the defense -- especially the two fullbacks, Ronald Arajo (Jules Kound is injured) and Jo�o Cancelo -- were all over the place defensively. The high defensive line is still very much an issue, even more considering the players missing: Eric Garca, Frenkie de Jong, Kound and Alejandro Balde. But before the Newcastle game, Barcelona were on a four-game winning streak. They will want to get back to that kind of form Sunday.The Andalucians have won only one of their past six LaLiga matches, and that was at Getafe. They drew 2-2 at Betis in the Seville derby thanks to a great second-half performance but overall have been struggling for weeks now. Their goal difference of minus-7 with only 35 goals scored in 27 league matches says it all. They will try to reproduce the display they put up in the reverse fixture in October, when they thrashed Barcelona 4-1 at home by exploiting the Catalans' defensive flaws.MY PREDICTION: Barcelona 3-0 Sevilla. Can Sevilla do it again? I don't think so. Barcelona will beat them quite comfortably at the Camp Nou on Sunday. The Catalans will also want to avenge that heavy defeat.Clash in France with big implications for EuropeStade Rennais vs. LilleFrench Ligue 1, Matchday 26Kickoff: Sunday, 3:45 p.m. ET, 7:45 p.m. GMTThis is fifth place vs. sixth, with Rennes and Lille only two points apart in Ligue 1. It's a massive game for European places between two teams with different dynamics going into the match.Rennes have been flying since new manager Franck Haise took over for Habib Beye, who was sacked before becoming manager of Marseille. The Bretons have won four league games in a row, scoring 11 goals and conceding only two in that span, and their new boss has made them more vertical, more intense and pressing better. Before the change of manager, they had lost four in a row conceding 12 goals and scoring only one. Rennes are a changed team, and in hosting Lille on Sunday, they have a huge opportunity to push them back to five points and put more pressure on struggling Lyon in fourth place (and Champions League qualifiers position). Haise's 4-3-3 formation suits this team much better than Beye's back-three.Lille and Bruno Genesio, who are in action on Thursday evening in the Europa League, have won only two of their past nine Ligue 1 matches, including a run of four losses in a row at the end of January and beginning of February. They are struggling to score goals (three in their past six league matches) and create chances. They have had injuries, and Olivier Giroud, their main striker, is 39. But their form is a concern for the final sprint of the season. They need to clinch a European spot; even finishing sixth would do, but they are not guaranteed anything with Monaco only a point behind them. Even Strasbourg and Brest are only five points behind them.MY PREDICTION: Rennes 3-1 Lille. Rennes have great momentum going into this game and are playing really well. That's in stark contrast to Lille's current form; they have won only once away from home since mid-December. Rennes have this one.Champions League on the line at Old TraffordManchester United vs. Aston VillaPremier League, Matchday 30Kickoff: Sunday, 10 a.m. ET / 2 p.m. GMTWe have another mini-final for Champions League places on our hands on Sunday at Old Trafford between United and Villa. When manager Michael Carrick took over for Ruben Amorim, the Red Devils were 11 points behind the Villains. Now, after seven games with Carrick in charge, they are level and United have moved from fifth to third in the table. Carrick started strongly with four wins in a row, including against City and Arsenal, but the past few games have been a little more difficult. His players snatched a last-minute 1-1 draw at West Ham and lost 2-1 at Newcastle despite having played 50 minutes with 11 men against 10. They have had favorable circumstances (late goals and red cards for the opposition). But Bruno Fernandes and his teammates have improved massively as a team and the fact that they are not playing in Europe means more time to recover. That matters a lot at this time of the season.Meanwhile, Aston Villa are in free fall at the moment. They beat Lille 1-0 in the UEFA Europa League on Thursday, but their league form has dropped massively. They have only one win in their past seven games in all competitions. They are struggling to create chances and score (only five goals in these seven games), and they can't defend properly, either (12 conceded). Unai Emery has key players missing through injury but he has also not been able to find solutions for the deteriorating form of his side.MY PREDICTION: Manchester United 2-1 Aston Villa. United had the whole week to prepare for this game. They know that a win would take them so much closer to Champions League next season, and Villa are too far from their best for United not to make the most of it.High-flying underdogs aim for top fiveComo vs. AS RomaSerie A, Matchday 29Kickoff: Sunday, 1 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. GMTIt's fourth vs. fifth in Serie A this weekend when Como host Roma, and what a game this could be. Both teams have 51 points, and Como are one of the best teams to watch this season in Europe. Head coach Cesc Fabregas is doing a great job with a club he partly owns. He has transformed this side into one of the most dynamic and intense in Europe, improving his players individually and collectively. They are having a wonderful season so far, and pulling off a top-five finish would be an amazing achievement. Yes, the club spent a lot of money in the past few transfer windows, but Fabregas is showing what a great manager he is becoming.Facing him is one of the best Italian managers of the past decade or so in Gian Piero Gasperini. For his first season in Rome, the former Atalanta boss is doing a great job, with Champions League qualification the main objective. Despite some injuries and needing time to adapt to Gasperini's methods while playing in the Europa League in midweeks (they faced Bologna on Thursday), Roma have performed well.MY PREDICTION: Como 2-1 Roma. I really love what Fabregas is doing at Como. They have good momentum and will keep it with a win Sunday.
