Europe's stars have returned to their clubs after the international break and are ready to concentrate on the end of the domestic season. While the leaders in France and Germany are entering the home straight as they cruise to yet another title, things are getting incredibly tight in Italy and Spain. It is also a derby weekend in both England and Scotland as well as in Turkey, Greece and the Czech Republic.

FIFA.com takes a whistle-stop tour around Europe to preview the best of the action.

Premier League: All eyes on Merseyside
A week after the so-called 'Grand Slam Sunday' which sorted out the hierarchy at the top of the table, there is yet another exciting weekend in store with the Merseyside derby between Liverpool and Everton sure to be decisive in the pair's tussle for the final UEFA Champions League berth. The Reds are currently two points ahead of the Toffees in the quest for fourth place.

The top two teams in the Premier League have what seem on paper to be easy home matches, with leaders Manchester United facing Aston Villa and Chelsea taking on Middlesbrough. Arsenal, who slipped to third last week, have to travel to Bolton Wanderers in the hunt for a win which has eluded them in their last five league matches.

The question: In their 178th meeting, will Liverpool manage their 67th win or will Everton get their 57th? Or perhaps it will be the 56th draw between the Reds and the Toffees?
The big match: Liverpool-Everton, Sunday 30 March, 17:00
The quote: "I don't think you need any extra motivation for a derby, but we've definitely got one this time due to the fact that we are right next to each other in the table." Tim Howard, Everton goalkeeper

Primera Division: Seville clubs playing spoilers in the title race
They are currently down in 6th and 13th respectively but Sevilla and city rivals Betis will have a real effect on the title race this weekend when the Andalusian clubs take on Real Madrid and Barcelona, who are separated by only four points at the top of the league.

Real are at home to UEFA Cup winners Sevilla, while Barça have to travel to Betis. There will also be a podium showdown between third-placed Villarreal and fourth-placed Atletico Madrid, with the Yellow Submarine enjoying home advantage at El Madrigal and still hoping to make the championship a three-horse race.

The question: After five defeats in their last eight Liga matches, can Madrid put an end to all the talk of crisis and get back to winning ways?
The big match: Real Madrid-Sevilla, Sunday 30 March, 21:00
The quote: "The second part of our team rebuilding is scheduled for this summer, but I'm convinced that we'll have another league title in our trophy cabinet by then." Bernd Schuster, Real Madrid coach

Ligue 1: Lyon in the home straight
With a nine-point lead over Girondins Bordeaux and only eight matches left to play, Olympique Lyonnais look odds-on favourites to win their seventh title in a row. Alain Perrin's star-studded squad face a couple of tough fixtures over the coming weeks however, as they travel to Valenciennes (who beat Bordeaux last week) and then Marseille.

This of course gives Bordeaux the perfect opportunity to make up lost ground. They are at home to third-placed Nancy and can all but secure qualification for the Champions League with a win. Paris St. Germain and Lens meanwhile, who are locked in a relegation battle, do not play until Wednesday since they are contesting the league cup final at the Stade de France on Saturday.

The question: Having beaten Bordeaux 1-0 earlier in the season, can Nancy put one over on Laurent Blanc's team again?
The big match: Girondins Bordeaux-AS Nancy, Saturday 29 March, 17:10
The quote: "It's true that we're well on course for the title, but we're not there yet. There's a lot of work still to be done." Mathieu Bodmer, Lyon midfielder

Serie A: Inter suddenly under pressure
Who would have thought it? For most of the season it looked as if no-one could halt Inter 's inexorable march to the title, but after the Milan club's shock 2-1 defeat at home to Juventus, AS Roma are suddenly only four points adrift. Inter now have to travel to Lazio and most likely do without the injured Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

Roma will therefore be hoping for help from their city rivals while at the same time taking all three points from a Cagliari team who are currently in fine form. Roma's Francesco Totti is also facing a late fitness test on a knee injury. In the fight for third and fourth place in the league, and the resulting Champions slots, Juventus and AC Milan will be looking for home wins against Parma and Atalanta respectively, while Fiorentina will be away to Udinese.

The question: Can Inter put an end to their run of two games without a win?
The big match: Lazio-Inter Milan, Saturday 29 March, 20:30
The quote: "How do I feel? That's of no consequence. That only thing that counts is that the boys play well and get the three points." Massimo Moratti, Inter Milan president

Bundesliga: Bayern looking to put one over on their neighbours
It is almost 14 months to the day since Ottmar Hitzfeld returned as coach of Bayern Munich but in his first game back, the team suffered a 3-0 thrashing at Nuremberg. Things have certainly changed for Germany's record league title winners since then. Hitzfeld has transformed the club from also-rans to world-beaters and yet another championship to add to their trophy cabinet now seems to be a mere formality. They again face Nuremberg this weekend in the Bavarian derby and will be looking for revenge over the German cup winners.

The fight for the two other direct Champions League spots is far tighter, with a mere two points separating SV Hamburg in second and Schalke 04 in fifth. Hamburg are at home to Arminia Bielefeld, third-placed Bayer Leverkusen take on Eintracht Frankfurt and Werder Bremen in fourth are facing Duisburg. Schalke, meanwhile, are the only ones with an away game and have to travel to Karlsruhe.

The question: Werder Bremen have only managed eight points in as many matches in the second half of the season since the winter break. Will they finally manage to turn things around against the bottom club this weekend?
The big match: Nuremberg-Bayern Munich, Saturday 29 March, 15:30
The quote: "We're not travelling to Nurnberg for a friendly visit to our neighbours. We want to win the league and to do that, we need three points every time we play." Uli Hoeness, Bayern Munich's director of football

Other leagues
There are derbies all across the continent, in Scotland, Turkey, Greece and the Czech Republic. The Old Firm game at Ibrox sees leaders Rangers take on their Glasgow rivals Celtic, who are three points behind them in the title race. In Istanbul, champions and leaders Fenerbahce travel to cup-winners Besiktas (fourth), while in Athens second-placed Panathinaikos play their fifth-placed neighbours Panionios, and city rivals AEK (third) take on defending champions and leaders Olympiakos. Over in Prague, there is a city and title showdown between leaders Slavia and second-placed Sparta.