Weekend TV Preview: 10 - 12 December

Friday 10 December

19.30 Hannover 96 v Stuttgart, Bundesliga, ESPN/HD
This is a heart warming tale of a lowly Bundesliga club (Hannover) that spends every year struggling to survive, swapping bodies with a big rich club that always seems to finish in the top six. It's the feel good story of the year.

19:45 QPR v Watford, Championship, BBC2
A grisly London derby kicks off the English weekend. Neil Warnock's QPR faces a challenge in the form of a dogged, mid table, Watford team.

Saturday 11 December

12.30 Inverness Caledonian Thistle v Rangers, Scottish Premier League Sky Sports 4/HD4
Cally seek to avoid getting beat by an Old Firm club for the second successive match. That'll be worth a headline or two should they pull it off, depressingly.

16.30 Newcastle United v Liverpool, Premier League, ESPN/HD
Mike Ashley has given Alan Pardew five and a half years to take Newcastle to the top. The Toon Army will probably give him five and a half minutes.

17.20 Crystal Palace v Hull City, Championship, Sky Sports 2/HD2
Two teams ligging around the bottom of the Championship. Frankly the only reason why you'd watch this game is to see the reaction of the Palace fans should the traitor Bostock take to the pitch. That move worked out well didn't it?

19.00 Sevilla v Almeria, La Liga, Sky Sports 3/HD3
Both teams are in pretty wretched form so there's not much for the neutral to be optimistic about. Probably best to catch the first half before switching over to...

19.45 Genoa v Napoli, Serie A, ESPN
Luca Toni is back among the goals with two in the Coppa Italia and another against Lecce, last week. Napoli's revival may warm the cockles of nostalgists but its build on the solid foundation of Marek Hamsik and Edinson Cavani.

21.00 Atletico Madrid v Deportivo La Coruna, Spanish La Liga Sky Sports 3/HD3
Two consecutive league defeats have forced Atleti out of the Euro spots. Depor are having an OK season by comparison to their somewhat narrow ambitions, I guess.

Sunday 12 December

11.30 Bologna v AC Milan, Serie A, ESPN
Lead by the mighty Zlatan, Milan are ruling Serie A with an iron fist and lording it over Inter. They travel to Bologna after a nice rest against Ajax on Wednesday.

13.00 Bolton v Blackburn, Rovers Premier League, Sky Sports 1/HD1
Two local rivals clash in a desperate bid to out Lancashire the other. Bolton are transformed under Owen Coyle and their supporters have a chance to see how far they've come since Rovers boss Sam Allardyce was running the show.

14.00 Brescia v Sampdoria, Serie A, ESPN
No egg chasing on ESPN so the Mouse is packing his schedule with their European football undercard. Brescia are awful and Samp are OK. Not much of a preview but then it's not much of a match.

16.00 Tottenham v Chelsea, Barclays Premier League, Sky Sports 1/HD1
A rare oppurtunity for Spurs to get one over their local rivals, assuming Tottenham recover themeselves after their Champions League exertions. We all know Chelsea are not in great shape so a thundering league encounter is on the cards.

16.30 Mainz v Schalke, Bundesliga, ESPN/HD
One for the PVR. Mainz are on the wane after a blistering start to the season and Schalke are on the rise after a dreadfull start to their campaign. Look out for Jurado for Schalke. The attacking midfielder is finally settling in and will offer much to Raul and Huntelaar up front.

18.30 Barcelona v Real Sociedad, Spanish La Liga, Sky Sports 1/HD1
Decent game this. Sociedad are sixth and buoyant after two wins. Barca are bloody brilliant. Nuff said.

19.45 Juventus v Lazio, Serie A ESPN
Juve are slowly returning to prominence under Gigi Del Neri and Lazio are having a great season thanks, in large part, to Hernanes. What a find for the Rome club. This is a second meets third clash and a must watch.

20.00 Zaragoza v Real Madrid, Spanish La Liga, Sky Sports 1/HD1
Away win. Back to work tomorrow.

Terry