Weekend preview: Ronaldo’s return; Inter-Juve in to decide title?

Cristiano Ronaldo’s self-imposed exile is over. After sitting out Al Nassr’s last two Saudi Pro League fixtures in a pointed protest over PIF’s January transfer reticence, the 39-year-old forward will reappear on Saturday at Al Fateh’s Prince Abdullah bin Jalawi Stadium, pairing with João Félix in Jorge Jesus’s familiar 4-4-2. The timing is ideal: Fateh are winless in six and sit tenth, while Al Nassr have banked seven straight victories—two of them during Ronaldo’s hiatus—and trail leaders Al Hilal by a single point with 14 matches remaining, including a potential title-decider on 7 May. Ronaldo, 39 goals shy of the mythical 1,000-mark, should find ample opportunity to chip away at that tally.

Saturday’s headline act, however, is in Milan. Inter versus Juventus is the 255th official Derby d’Italia, and with Simone Inzaghi’s side on an 11-win, 22-goal tear since the turn of the year, the gap to second-place Milan (who visit Pisa on Friday with a game in hand) could widen to a near-insurmountable margin if Inter prevail. Lautaro Martínez has scored in four consecutive league outings, Federico Dimarco has five goals and 11 assists from wing-back, and Inter have kept five clean sheets in eight league fixtures since the start of 2026. Juventus, fourth under Luciano Spalletti, must replicate the swagger of their 3-0 dismissal of Napoli rather than the meek 3-0 Coppa defeat at Atalanta; Kenan Yildiz, Weston McKennie and Khéphren Thuram offer hope, yet San Siro has become a fortress.

Spain’s form team travels to the capital. Pellegrino Matarazzo has taken the reins at Real Sociedad and remains unbeaten: seven wins and two draws in nine matches, including a 2-1 defeat of Barcelona. Mikel Oyarzabal and Gonçalo Guedes power the Basques, now three points behind sixth-place Espanyol. They meet a Real Madrid side that has won seven straight in LaLiga yet continues to hear Bernabéu grumbles; Kylian Mbappé’s 23 league goals have papered over collective cracks under interim boss Álvaro Arbeloa.

Cup romance flickers in Cheshire. Sixth-tier Macclesfield, fresh from eliminating holders Crystal Palace, welcome Brentford to the leasing.com Stadium on Monday night. John Rooney’s Silkmen have won four of five in the National League and relish their artificial surface; Brentford, depleted after Thursday’s visit from Arsenal, must avoid another shock.

Marseille’s week has been turbulent. A 5-0 capitulation at PSG preceded Roberto De Zerbi’s resignation; interim Jacques Abardonado takes charge against Strasbourg at the Vélodrome on Saturday with Champions League qualification on the line. Strasbourg, buoyant after downing Le Havre, sense blood.

Scotland’s title race is the tightest since the 1980s. Leaders Hearts, five points clear of Rangers and six ahead of Celtic (who have a game in hand), visit Ibrox on Sunday. Derek McInnes’s data-driven recruits, spearheaded by Claudio Braga’s ten league goals, have already won at both Old Firm venues this season, yet Rangers cannot afford another slip after Wednesday’s draw with ten-man Motherwell.

Predictions: Al Fateh 0-3 Al Nassr; Inter 3-1 Juventus; Real Madrid 2-2 Real Sociedad; Macclesfield 0-3 Brentford; Marseille 1-2 Strasbourg; Rangers 2-1 Hearts.