by Tim Stannard 

FRIDAY: MIDDLESBROUGH v HULL CITY - Live on beIN SPORTS from 3.40PM ET

Championship challengers go head-to-head in furious Friday battle 

The weekend on beIN SPORTS gets off to an absolute flyer with a match that is tied up with so many soap-opera storylines, it could have its own ‘Real Housewives’ franchise. But concerning soccer players. And with less plastic surgery. And drinking.

Both of these Championship powerhouses have had their spell as runaway horses at the top of the table, with their respective passages to the Premier League all but booked. But both have come a cropper in recent days, victims of a grueling campaign in the toughest league on the planet that forces teams into a 46-match season, on top of England's two cups. 

Visitors to the Riverside, Hull City, have suffered from a fixture pile-up due to an FA Cup run and a doub le-header against Arsenal and are facing three Championship games in six days. The last of those is against a Middlesbrough team that has lost its last two matches against teams from the opposite end of the table. 

The most recent loss against Charlton Athletic saw Boro playing without their manager, Aitor Karanka, who did not travel to London with the squad, after a reported rift with the tough-talking task master, who doubted the commitment of his team in their quest to make it to the Premier League. However, clear-the-air talks and some hugs appear to have done the trick and the former Madrid number two should be back on the bench for this rumble at the Riverside. 

Prediction - Boro to turn their form around against some exhausted Tigers. 

SATURDAY: ROMA v INTER - Live on beIN SPORTS from 3PM ET with a full match preview

Rampant Roma look to continue charge up Serie A table against in-form Inter

It cannot be much fun being the former manager of a club that has gone on from strength-to-strength without you. That's the uncomfortable sofa of shame that poor Rudi García is sitting on, after being fired in January by a Roma side that was slipping out of contention of the Champions League places. 

The Frenchman's replacement, Luciano Spalletti, has worked minor miracles to turn a few frowns upside down and put Roma back in the mix for a top-two finish with a run of eight Serie A victories in-a-row. Napoli are still five points clear, in second, but the Roma players lead by a rampant forward line have put themselves in contention to pounce upon any slip-up from their southern rivals. 

Life won't be easy, though, in the Stadio Olimpico, with Inter coming to Italy's Eternal City having won three from four in Serie A, to claw back into the European places. However, there has been some bad news though with talismanic striker, Mauro Icardi, out-of-action for the next four weeks due to a knee injury, picked up in the weekend's win against Bologna. 

Prediction - Roma to keep on rumbling with a home win 

SUNDAY: VILLARREAL v BARCELONA - Live on beIN SPORTS from 10.55AM ET

Barcelona's Spanish supremacy in jeopardy in El Madrigal 

All good things have to come to an end. The good thing, in this case, if you are a Barcelona fan, being the unbeaten record for the club that now stands at 37 matches, but could and should be extended to 38 with a win over Arsenal in the Champions League on Wednesday night. 

Matters might not be so easy for Barcelona on Sunday, though, in the team’s toughest La Liga fixture for some time, in El Madrigal against the mighty Yellow Submarines of Villarreal. Marcelino’s men can be as solid at Atletico Madrid on their day, with the third best defensive record in La Primera, a tally of just 23 goals conceded, only one more let in between the pipes than Barcelona.

However, a solid Europa League run has taken its toll on Villarreal with back-to-back defeats in La Liga. It has been four years since Villarreal lost three Primera matches in a row, so Barcelona will need to be on their guard, although will take an awful lot of comfort for having not lost to Villarreal since 2008, a run of 15 matches in all competitions.

Prediction – Barcelona to remain unbeaten in La Liga at least, but to be held to a draw by Villarreal

SUNDAY - MotoGP from Qatar live on beIN SPORTS. Coverage begins from 1PM ET

Fast, furious and ferocious feuding on the track as Moto GP returns 

Last season's MotoGP campaign was one that gripped the world's attention with teammates and national compatriots caught up in one of the fiercest rivalries that any sport has ever seen. 

All the protagonists are back and so are the fastest bikes on the planet with the riders burning rubber at 18 tracks around the world at speeds of up 220MPH, faster than spring-breakers on the I-95. 

Spanish rider, Jorge Lorenzo, is looking to retain his title won in an acrimonious but compelling finale to the 2015 season. Once again, his fiercest rivals will be team-mate but certainly not friend, Valentino Rossi, and fellow Spaniard and Repsol Honda rider, Marc Marquez. 

With less electronic gadgets and gizmos on the bikes to assist the riders, this year, there will be spills and thrills aplenty - especially when this trio get onto the track, a trio will do anything to be the MotoGP master. 

Prediction - anything from paddock fist-fights to breaking the sound barrier is possible in the season-opener from Qatar. 

SUNDAY - REAL MADRID v SEVILLA - Live on beIN SPORTS from 3PM ET

Real Madrid need to deliver in front of eternally-demanding fans 

After another traumatic away day for Real Madrid that had Zidane Zidane all with the irate over his underperforming players moments after a narrow 2-1 win against Las Palmas, the men of Madrid are back at the Santiago Bernabéu, to face supporters who will demand 100% commitment and 100% competency before the league wraps up for the international break. 

One of La Liga's Big Boys are coming to Spain's capital city in the shape of Sevilla, a side that looking to do the double over Real Madrid after a 3-2 win in November in the Sanchez Pizjuan. But in a incredible run of form, Unai Emery's men have yet to win a match in La Primera or Europe away from home all season. 

Sevilla's hopes of ending that run in style would have been boosted a touch with Real Madrid set to miss both Sergio Ramos and Pepe through suspension, to take away some serious aerial power for Madrid at both ends of the pitch. 

After another quiet day on the road for Cristiano Ronaldo in the Canary Islands, Sunday's sizzler could be an opportune moment to boost the chances of a top-scorer crown come May. The Portuguese poacher is on 27 goals, just one more than Luis Suarez who may find matters hard going in El Madrigal against Villarreal.

Prediction - Sevilla's sorry away form to continue in the Santiago Bernabeu in a comfortable home win for Madrid