Huge matches this weekend

Just look at the huge matches this weekend in various domestic leagues in Europe. What a huge weekend it promises to be:

Barcelona FC v Real Madrid
Inter Milan v AC Milan
Bayern Munich v Werder Bremen
Lyon v Marseille
Celtic v Rangers

The biggest is arguably Barcelona FC v Real Madrid, also known as El Classico. Both teams enter Spain's biggest grudge match licking their wounds from their mid-week European disappointments & the match offers a chance for either side to put those disappointments behind them & achieve a measure of redemption & considerble bragging rights. There's no love lost between the sides & their fans, & neither will want to lose the match. In no way will I be a neutral observer - of course, I want Barcelona to beat Real convincingly & prove that they are still the best team in Spain & still the best team in Europe (notwithstanding the Champions League demise). It's true that Barcelona this season has not been as good as the previous one. But nevertheless, they have still been more impressive than Real Madrid - sections of the Spanish media have been very critical of some of Real Madrid's recent performances & lament the lack of quality football displayed by Real. That means that Barcelona will probably enter this weekend's El Classico as favourites. Hola Barca!!

As for the other big matches, I think the Milan derby will end in a draw & I'm more neutral on this derby than I am with El Classico. I also think the Bayern Munich-Werder Bremen clash will end in a stalemate, although I would prefer to see Werder win, as Bayern have been dominant in Germany over the last few years so it's good to see someone else taking the German spotlight. As for Lyon-Marseille, I would definitely be supporting Marseille (they're my French team), but I doubt Marseille would win the match - Lyon will either get a draw or (more likely) victory.

As for Celtic-Rangers, both of whom are from Glasgow - well, that's the Old Firm derby, unquestionably the biggest in Scotland (according to Wikipedia, apparently it is said that both sets of players get along very well that one would think that they are old firm friends). There's religious overtones to this derby, as it features Catholic Celtic against Protestant Rangers. Celtic are currently so far ahead on the Scottish league, but form goes out of the window with derbies like these. I think a draw is the most likely outcome.