Europe's big guns return to the bread and butter of domestic action this weekend, after midweek appointments in the UEFA Champions League and the UEFA Europa League.

The biggest game on the continent takes place in England, where Chelsea entertain Liverpool. In Italy, champions Inter Milan seek a return to winning ways and in Spain, Real Madrid face a genuine test in Sevilla. Top meets bottom in Germany, and the French programme includes a fixture which often settled the destination of the title in the 1990s. FIFA.com takes a look ahead.

Premier League: Big match in London
Not for the first time, all eyes will be on Stamford Bridge, where second-placed Chelsea meet Liverpool, a spot below them. The game is likely to be a tense affair, as one of the meanest defences in the league comes up against its most potent attack. Leaders Manchester United face an easier task - at least on paper - at home to eighth-placed Sunderland.

Tottenham Hotspur, in fourth, and sixth-placed Arsenal will both expect to defeat bottom-half opposition this weekend. Spurs travel to Bolton Wanderers, with the Gunners at home to Blackburn Rovers. The Monday evening match pits the side in seventh against the team two places above them, when Aston Villa host Manchester City.

The question: Can Manchester City stay hot on the heels of the leading group with a third away win this term?
The big game: Chelsea-Liverpool, Sunday 4 October, 17.00, Stamford Bridge
The quote: "Drogba and Bosingwa were suspended against APOEL, and we rested Ballack. These players will be fresh on Sunday. I think it's possible we'll play very well against Liverpool," Chelsea coach Carlo Ancelotti.

La Liga: Seville test for Real
Sunday evening's meeting between third-placed Sevilla and leaders Real Madrid is the pick of the weekend's games. Cristiano Ronaldo and his fellow stars head the standings on goal difference from Barcelona, who welcome 11th-placed Almeria to Camp Nou. The top two are looking to maintain perfect starts, whereas Sevilla have three points to make up.

Pursuers Mallorca, Deportivo and Athletic Bilbao are hoping to keep up the chase, although all three are away, to bottom-half sides Sporting Gijon, Tenerife and Valladolid respectively. Villarreal go in search of their first win of the season at home to Espanyol, in tenth. Atletico Madrid, down in 18th, are also winless so far, a situation they will seek to remedy against new boys Zaragoza.

The question: Can off-colour big names Atletico Madrid and Villarreal finally record first victories of the campaign?
The big game: Sevilla-Real Madrid, Sunday 4 October, 21.00, Estadio Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan
The quote: "With all their individual class, Real Madrid are in a position to beat any other team, but we're ready to get to grips with them," Sevilla forward Alvaro Negredo.

Serie A: High-flyers go to the mat
Leaders Sampdoria meet newly-promoted Parma, in seventh, on Matchday 7. Samp are on a roll after beating defending champions Inter Milan, who will now entertain fifth-placed Udinese and the division's top scorer, Antonio di Natale.

Fourth-placed Fiorentina have won three of their last four matches in all competitions and will be confident at home to tenth-placed Lazio, who have started with two wins, two draws and two defeats. However, the men from the capital have gone off the boil of late with just two points from their last four matches. On Sunday evening, undefeated Juventus, in second, visit a Palermo side who have not won in five.

The question: Can Juventus extend their unbeaten run to seven games and remain right up there at the top of Serie A?
The big game: Inter Milan-Udinese, Saturday 3 October, 20.45, Stadio Giuseppe Meazza
The quote: "The job now is to prepare as best we can for Atalanta, a very similar team to Bari. We'll have to be on our guard the whole time," AC Milan coach Leonardo. 

Ligue 1: Marseille meet Monaco
Sunday evening's meeting between third-placed Marseille and seventh-placed Monaco conjures up memories of top-of-the-table deciders in the 1980s and 1990s. Seven matches into the new season, the clubs are separated by a mere two points.

Holders and leaders Bordeaux visit struggling Saint-Etienne, while chief pursuers Lyon travel to newcomers Lens, who are 13th. The promoted outfit are without a win in four, and Les Gones have yet to taste defeat this term. Surprise package Montpellier, level on points with third-placed Marseille, will be licking their lips ahead of the trip to Grenoble, who have yet to put points on the board.

The question: Can Montpellier stay in touch with the top three in their away meeting with bottom club Grenoble?
The big game: Marseille-Monaco, Sunday 4 October, 21.00, Stade Velodrome
The quote: "We'll have to be on our game in Lens, because it'll be a very difficult match," Lyon coach Claude Puel.

Bundesliga: First versus last in the capital
The bottom club host the leaders on Matchday 8, when Hertha Berlin welcome Hamburg to the capital. The undefeated northerners lead the league on goal difference from Bayer Leverkusen, who will hope to beat lowly Nuremberg at home. By contrast, an air of crisis hangs over Hertha, who fired boss Lucien Favre at the start of the week after losing their last six top-flight fixtures.

Pursuers Hoffenheim, Schalke and Werder Bremen will expect to stay in touch against mid-table opposition. Hoffe make the short trip to promoted Mainz, who sit eighth. Fourth-placed Schalke entertain Eintracht Frankfurt, in ninth, and Bremen travel to out-of-sorts Stuttgart, in 11th, on Sunday. Finally, Germany forward Lukas Podolski returns to a former stamping ground when his Cologne team visit Bayern Munich.

The question: After dismissing luckless coach Lucien Favre, can Hertha Berlin end a miserable run of six consecutive defeats?
The big game: Stuttgart-Werder Bremen, Sunday 4 October, 15.30, Mercedes-Benz Arena
The quote: "I'm looking forward to the game against Bayern. If we go there and play well, we can get a result - even in Munich." Cologne forward Lukas Podolski. 

Elsewhere
In Portugal, Sporting Braga have made a flawless start to their Liga Sagres campaign with a maximum 18 points from six games. They lead the standings by two points from Benfica. The leaders hope to at least maintain the gap when they take on second-bottom Vitoria Setubal on Saturday evening, while the Lisbon giants travel to seventh-placed Pacos de Ferreira.

The Republic of Ireland's top game takes place on Friday evening, when second-placed Shamrock Rovers tackle pacesetters Bohemians, the defending champions who head their forthcoming opponents by a point.