The Weekend So Far
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Welcome to FIFA.com’s rolling round-up of the weekend’s action, where we’ll be keeping you abreast of all the most eye-catching action from around world football. Check back in as the days tick by to get your bitesize guide to the biggest talking points from the weekend.
This week sees a notable clash of familiar faces in Germany, while survival and success meet in England, plus key battles from around the world as titles could be sewn up, new seasons gain traction and the battles at top and bottom heat up.
Want to find out more from the globe’s top divisions? Check out the World Match Centre for results, scorers and tables from right across the planet.
The big matchesRostov 2-0 CSKA Moscow
Poloz (45), Doumbia (90+4)
Russia has a proper league title race on its hands. Rostov showed their title credentials with a 2-0 home win over league challengers CSKA Moscow thanks to goals scored at the end of each half. With the league hitting the two-third marker, the teams are now tied on points (40) and goal differential (+10) at the top of the table. The closest side, Spartak Moscow, are seven points behind Rostov and CSKA, however if Lokomotiv Moscow can get three points at home to Ufa on Sunday, they will decrease the gap to five points. Either way, it's looking increasingly like the Russian Premier League will have a thrilling, two-horse title-race to watch. 
Borussia Dortmund-MainzGerman Bundesliga, Sunday 13 March
Dortmund coach Thomas Tuchel invites former club Mainz to his new home with his side in sparkling form, having not tasted defeat since the new year rang in. Their draw in Der Klassiker with Bayern Munich last weekend was only the second time in eight that they have let Bundesliga points slip. Bayern Munich returned to winning ways, though, and defeated Werder Bremen 5-0 on Saturday, so Tuchel's side need a win to get back to within five points of the league holders. Mainz have high aspirations of their own, part of arguably a six-horse race for the last pair of UEFA Champions League spots, and, having gone one better by beating Bayern a fortnight ago, will certainly not be a pushover for their former boss.
The talking pointsPSG could clinch a fourth successive French Ligue 1 title at Troyes this weekend, should they come away with a victory on Sunday as Monaco already dropped points in a 2-2 home draw against Reims. Meanwhile in Italy, Juventus defeated Sassuolo 1-0 on Friday to go three points clear at the top of the table. With their clean sheet, Juventus set a new Serie A record by conceding no goals in ten consecutive league matches. In Germany, Hertha Berlin won an important match 2-0 at home to Schalke to go four points clear of their opponents and, more importantly, remain in the third and final Champions League spot. 
In Spain, Barcelona continued their flawless form with a 6-0 home win against Getafe. Barça extended their unbeaten streak to 37 matches and are also unbeaten in their first 20 matches of 2016, which is the best start of a calendar year in club history. Elsewhere in the country, Atletico Madrid defeated Deportivo La Coruna to remain eight points behind leaders Barça.
England’s FA Cup-disrupted schedule kicked off with Manchester City losing ground in the title race, with a goalless draw at Norwich City. Bournemouth beat Swansea City 3-2 in an entertaining match for neutrals, while Southampton edged Stoke City 2-1 thanks to a Graziano Pelle first-half brace. 
Guangzhou Evergrande bounced back from an opening-day defeat with Jackson Martinez and Ricardo Goulart scoring early goals, setting the Chinese Super League 2015 champions on their way to a 3-0 win over Changchun Yatai.
What is still to comeAside from PSG's potentially title-clinching match in France, fifth meets third as Rennes host Lyon. Bruno Genesio’s side occupy the final Champions League spot having won five of their last six, but just a point separates the pair.
Real Madrid could find themselves seven shy of city rivals Atletico in third, with them not facing Las Palmas until last thing on Sunday. Arguably the match of the weekend sees Sevilla host Villarreal as the Andalucians try to claw themselves back into the top-four frame.
Arsenal could also slip back in the race at the top, with relegation strugglers Newcastle United facing leaders Leicester City on Monday. In Italy, Sunday sees relegation-threatened Palermo – who have just one win in 2016 – host second-placed Napoli.
Elsewhere, the fledgling MLS and Chinese Super League seasons will continue, with Chongqing Lifan and Henan Jianye hoping to make it two wins from two, while Portland Timbers and San Jose Earthquakes clash after beginning their campaigns with a win apiece.
In Brazil, Sao Paulo and Palmeiras clash in O Choque Rei (The Big Derby), with both topping their groups in the Paulista state championship, though the Alviverde have been rocked by the sacking of coach Marcelo Oliveira. Back in Europe, Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk will look to end a three-game losing run by upsetting the duopoly in the Ukrainian Premier League when they host leaders Shakhtar Donetsk – currently locked on points with Dynamo Kiev.
What they said: "Thirty-seven games without losing is astonishing, and we want to extend it further. We're going to try to keep our winning streak in the league, because it will help bring us the title. We didn't let our opponents breathe and taking an early lead made it easier.”
Barcelona captain Andres Iniesta after his side's 6-0 win against Getafe