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Watchability rankings: 5 enormous matches in Europe this weekend

Reuters / Sergio Perez

There's no rest for the weary.

Internationals return to Europe this weekend knowing some big matches await them. The Premier League, Bundesliga, Serie A, and La Liga all have tantalising encounters on tap, and theScore is here to pick out the best ones over a manic 48 hours.

5. Borussia Dortmund vs. RB Leipzig

Date: Saturday, Oct. 14
Time: 12:30 p.m. (ET)
Venue: Westfalenstadion

Despite the relative lack of history between these two clubs, fans of Borussia Dortmund despise their RB Leipzig counterparts. Ten Leipzig supporters and four police officers were injured in a violent attack outside the Westfalenstadion last February - all because of the club's ties to drinks manufacturer Red Bull.

Dortmund's grumbling contingent sees Leipzig as a symbol of greed - even though BVB itself has plenty of sponsorship dollars coming in.

Protests are expected to continue as the two sides reconvene in North Rhine-Westphalia, with both teams among the top four in the Bundesliga.

But it's not as if the football is secondary. There's bound to be fireworks. Peter Bosz's men have scorched defences in the early stage of the 2017-18 campaign, taking advantage of Bayern Munich's surprising slip-up to lead the German top flight. Only five teams across Europe's premier divisions have scored more than Dortmund's 21 domestic goals thus far.

4. Liverpool vs. Manchester United

Date: Saturday, Oct. 14
Time: 7:30 a.m. (ET)
Venue: Anfield

The assumption is that Liverpool's swash-buckling attack will be nullified by Manchester United's pragmatism. A similar story played out at Anfield a year ago, when Jose Mourinho stifled Jurgen Klopp's famous gegenpressing to secure an uneventful 0-0 draw. United had just 35 percent possession in that drab affair - its lowest since Opta began recording such data in 2003, according to BBC Sport.

Back then, it was Liverpool who was on the ascendency. It's now United near the top of the Premier League standings, and Mourinho's lot look a lot more clinical. The counter-attack is Mourinho's key weapon, especially against a defence as vulnerable and disorganised as Liverpool's can be. The Portuguese plotter could even ask his men to be more adventurous with the ball.

Instead of a classic Mourinho stalemate, viewers could be treated to a tactical battle similar to the one waged between Manchester City and Chelsea just before the international break. A lot depends on United's willingness to go for all three points away from home.

3. Roma vs. Napoli

Date: Saturday, Oct. 14
Time: 2:45 p.m. (ET)
Venue: Stadio Olimpico

The two Italian sides best suited to knock Juventus off its perch collide Saturday.

Roma and Napoli know how to entertain and get results, and neither will compromise anything at the Stadio Olimpico. Certainly not Napoli, whose quick passing and constant movement have impressed even the great Pep Guardiola.

Using an attacking trio under six feet in height, Maurizio Sarri managed to turn the Partenopei into an offensive juggernaut. Jose Callejon, Dries Mertens, and Lorenzo Insigne combine so well that it's sometimes impossible to stop them.

Prepare for the winner to be anointed the truest challenger to Juventus' throne.

2. Inter vs. AC Milan

Date: Sunday, Oct. 15
Time: 2:45 p.m. (ET)
Venue: Stadio San Siro

Even as the product on the pitch suffered, the fans remained the same. The choreography alone is worth the price of admission, with hardcore supporters on each end of the San Siro unveiling spectacular displays.

But there's hope both Inter and AC Milan - once giants of European football - will reassert their dominance. Funded by wealthy Chinese consortiums, these eternal rivals have assembled competitive squads with the aim of returning to the Champions League.

Neutrals will find themselves glued to the television for the latest encounter between these cross-town foes, as both still have statements to make. The retooled Rossoneri badly need a win to ease pressure on manager Vincenzo Montella, whose switch to a back-three has yet to yield results.

And the Nerazzurri still have skeptics to convince after narrowly defeating bottom-feeders Genoa and Benevento.

1. Atletico Madrid vs. Barcelona

Date: Saturday, Oct. 14
Time: 2:45 p.m. (ET)
Venue: Wanda Metropolitano

Much like the Liverpool-United contest, a contrast of styles defines Barcelona's meeting with Atletico Madrid.

As he always does, manager Diego Simeone will ask his players to win every second ball and put pressure on every Barcelona player. The hope is that the Blaugrana will cough up possession and give Los Rojiblancos a chance to strike on the counter. Set-pieces have also helped Atletico in past matches against Barcelona. In other words, anything to stop the Catalans' flow, including a few professional tackles.

But it's not easy. Ernesto Valverde has this team playing breathtaking football. Apart from the usual tiki-taka we've come to expect, Barcelona's learned to up the tempo and play quick passes to break down defences.

Lionel Messi's transformation into a slippery false nine cannot be underestimated, either. He's become the ultimate dual threat, collecting the ball from deep before setting off on incisive runs. Simeone's likely to assign someone to man-mark Messi. That's the only solution for most teams. If Atletico can outhustle Valverde's outfit and track Messi's movements, it'll have success.

(Photos courtesy: Action Images)

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