FOOTBALL
Derby fever hits Europe: Madrid, Rome, North London...
Cancel your plans for the weekend as once again the fixture-list gods have been kind with three major derbies along with inter-city games in Athens, Belgrade, Istanbul and Prague.
Once or twice a season, the gods of the footballing fixture list shine down on the humble fan gifting us an unmissable week-end of derby games. Whilst the bulk of global attention will be focused on the action from Madrid, Rome and North London, the weekend schedule also throws up interesting inter-city rival match-ups in Athens, Belgrade, Istanbul and Prague.
The Madrid Derby
History will be in the making tomorrow evening with the new Wanda Metroploitano stadium set to host the first derby in the Spanish capital as Atleti welcome Zidane's Real Madrid to the ground in the San Blas area of the city.
Despite Cholo Simeone holding a good record over the neighbours in his time on the Atleti bench, it's the men in white that have emerged victorious from recent key encounters with the 2015/16 Champions League final in Milan and last seasons semi-final elimination in the same competition.
How and where to watch the Madrid derby
North London
High flying Spurs make the short journey to London N5 in a derby match that in recent years has seen the men in white having the better of the always attractive clash. The last win for Arsene Wenger and his men was in 2015 with the Gunners coming through an EFL tie. The last Premier League win for the men in red and white was in March 2014 when an early Rosicky goal was enough to secure maximum points for Wenger's outfit.
How and where to watch Arsenal-Spurs
Derby della Capitale
The first Rome derby since the storm triggered by Lazio fans posting anti-Semitic photos of Anne Frank in a Roma jersey.
The clash in the Stadio Olympico will be highly-charged as both teams have a lot at stake as they ride high in the league standings. Lazio, in fourth, are four points adrift of Napoli with Roma a further point back in fifth, with both capital sides having a game in hand.
"It'll be a game between two sides high in the standings," said Eusebio Di Francesco, who oversees his first derby as Roma boss, and remembers with emotion playing it during his footballing days. "The first time I played in a derby, we all came out under the Curva before the game. I never went weak in the knees before a game, but that time I did. It's a unique emotion, it has never been a match like all the others."
How and where to watch Roma-Lazio
Other derbies
There are other key derby games across many major European capitals and despite not generating the same global headlines as the Rome, Madrid or London games, the passion and emotional levels will be highly-charged as there is no better feeling for a football fan as getting one-over on your city rivals.
Athens
Panathinaikos welcome AEK Athens to their Apostolos Nikolaidis Stadium for a Greek top flight match, kick-off in Athens is at 1830 CET on Sunday.
Belgrade
Table topping Red Star face local rivals Rad Belgrade hoping to maintain their lead over other Serbian giants Partizan at the summit of the Super Liga table. Kick-off in the Balkan state capital is at 1600 CET on Sunday.
Istanbul
It's not the classic Gala-Fener inter continental clash or even the Besiktas-Galatasaray duel but a Istanbul derby involving the first and second placed teams at the summit of the Turkish Super Lig as Galatasaray face new kids on the block Istanbul Basaksehir. Kick off tomorrow is at 1730 CET.
Prague
The Eden Arena in the Czech capital is the setting for the "other" Prague derby as ex-army outfit Dukla travel across town to face last season title winners Slavia Prague. Kick-off in the Czech 1st league game is at 1800 tomorrow.