Europe's must-watch matchups on beIN this weekend
Two defeats in four days have turned up the heat on Serie A leader AC Milan, while Barcelona faces Athletic Bilbao for the third time this month and the best of the rest clash in Germany.
With dramatic title races heating up across Europe's top leagues, here are the big games to keep one eye on.
Teetering Milan lean on repentant Ibrahimovic
Bologna v AC Milan, Sunday from 1am AEDT on beIN 1
Losses to Juventus and Atalanta this month have slowed AC Milan's title charge, but three winnable games await Stefano Pioli's side before next month's rematch with second-placed Inter Milan.
Inter dumped its city rival out of the Italian Cup in midweek, in a game largely overshadowed by a stormy exchange between Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Romelu Lukaku, two former Manchester United team-mates.
Ibrahimovic was later sent off and apologised for his behaviour, but denied using racist terms towards Lukaku after reportedly accusing him of using voodoo. The Swede, who has scored in all but one of his eight league starts this term, will be available for the trip to Bologna.
Messi on revenge mission
Barcelona v Athletic Bilbao, Monday 7am AEDT on beIN 2
Lionel Messi and Barcelona got the better of Athletic Bilbao when the sides met on 7 January, the Argentine scoring twice in a 3-2 victory at San Mames, but the Basques settled the score 11 days later in the final of the Spanish Super Cup as Messi was sent off for the first time in his club career.
The two sides square off for a third time in just over three weeks, this time at Camp Nou, as Barca hunt a fifth league win on the bounce to stay within sight of Atletico Madrid.
Messi returned in midweek from a two-match ban for lashing out at Athletic's Asier Villalibre, scoring the equalising goal as Barca came from behind to beat Rayo Vallecano in the last 16 of the Copa del Rey.
Germany's best of the rest collide
RB Leipzig v Bayer Leverkusen, Sunday 4.30am AEDT on beIN 2
The prospect of a genuine title race in the Bundesliga appeared credible just weeks ago, but patchy starts to the new year for Bayer Leverkusen and RB Leipzig have allowed Bayern Munich to carve out a seven-point lead.
Leverkusen held top spot before a late Robert Lewandowski goal just before Christmas condemned Peter Bosz's side to a first defeat of the season, with three more following in the five games since, plunging them 10 points adrift of Bayern.
Julian Nagelsmann's Leipzig enjoyed a brief stint in first place at the start of the month, but last season's Champions League semi-finalists have won just one of their past four games and crashed to a shock loss at Mainz last weekend.
Famous name returns to Bavaria
Bayern Munich v Hoffenheim, Sunday 1.30am AEDT on beIN CONNECT
Former Bayern reserve team coach Sebastien Hoeness returns to his old club attempting to do the double over the European champions, following Hoffenheim's 4-1 victory in the reverse fixture that snapped the Bavarian giants' 23-match winning streak.
"We had an excellent day. We defended cunningly and had a good plan," Hoeness told the Bayern website. "Of course there was also a bit of luck. Looking back, we were deserved winners. However, Saturday's meeting is a game under new conditions."
Hoeness, 38, is the son of former West Germany and Bayern striker Dieter Hoeness and the nephew of ex-Bayern president Uli. He coached the club's reserve team to the third division title last season before leaving for Hoffenheim.
