Weekend preview: Flick's Barcelona host Mourinho's Madrid as City go to Villa Park

The big games

Barcelona v Real Madrid: Flick's perfect run meets Mourinho

Barcelona have won all nine league games and sit six points clear of Madrid, who are third. A win on Sunday would stretch the gap to nine points. PSG did beat them 4-2 in Paris on Tuesday, their first defeat of the season.

That night cost Barcelona Dani Olmo, who hurt his adductor in a collision and is out for about a month, according to the club. Eric García is out for three to four weeks with a thigh injury and Andreas Christensen is also missing. Jules Koundé has an ankle sprain and is a doubt. Raphinha is back from his hamstring injury and started in Paris. Madrid are without Vinícius Júnior, who is serving a four-match domestic ban for his red card against Villarreal, as well as Rodrygo, with a long-term knee injury, and Raúl Asencio, who has had surgery on a broken leg.

Flick's answer to the Paris defeat was that "you don't win titles in October". Mourinho, whose side beat Leipzig 4-1 on Wednesday, complained that Madrid were "losing 24 hours of rest" and said "for El Clásico, confidence doesn't exist".

Without Vinícius, more falls on Kylian Mbappé, who scored against Leipzig and will be running at a Barcelona defence missing two centre-backs. Barcelona's goal difference after nine games is +30. The AI has it 3-3.

Aston Villa v Man City: Maresca's seven from seven goes to Villa Park

City have won all seven league games under Enzo Maresca and are three points clear of Arsenal. They have conceded seven goals along the way. Villa are 12th in the league but flying in Europe, where Wednesday's 3-1 win over Viking made it three wins from three.

Maresca was blunt about his squad: "Erling is the only one 100% available." Haaland has shaken off the knock that kept him on the bench against AEK Athens, but Nico O'Reilly, Mateo Kovačić and Matheus Nunes were all waiting on a late fitness check, and Antoine Semenyo is out for around eight weeks with a knee injury. Phil Foden arrives on the back of a hat-trick in the 5-1 win over AEK.

Villa are without Amadou Onana, Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Matteo Ruggeri. Unai Emery said of Wan-Bissaka's hamstring, "more or less we expect three or four weeks". Johan Manzambi missed the Viking game with a knock and is a doubt.

The duel to watch is Haaland against Villa's centre-backs. He has 12 goals in nine games in all competitions. The AI goes 3-1 to City.

Chelsea v Spurs: a derby with a goalkeeper debut

Chelsea are fourth and Spurs 16th, and the gap in the table matches the recent history. Chelsea have won their last six Premier League meetings with Spurs, and Spurs have lost their last six league London derbies, according to Chelsea's own figures. Spurs did at least get their first league win of the season on Monday, 3-1 against Coventry.

Chelsea lose their goalkeeper. Emi Martínez fractured his jaw in a collision at Everton and has had surgery, so Mike Penders, 21, is set for his first Premier League start. Reece James is out until January after knee surgery and Jamie Gittens hurt his ankle with the under-21s. Pep Chavarria and Emmanuel Emegha are doubts, and Malo Gusto missed the Everton game through illness.

Roberto De Zerbi's list is longer. Rodrigo Bentancur serves the second game of a three-match ban, and Lucas Bergvall, Savio, Xavi Simons, Wilson Odobert and Mykhaylo Mudryk are all injured. Destiny Udogie is a doubt with a knee problem. Pedro Porro is back in training, and De Zerbi said "maybe in Chelsea he can play".

The man to watch is Cole Palmer, who has five goal involvements in five league games against Spurs and needs one more for 50 Premier League goals for Chelsea. The AI backs Chelsea to win 3-1.

Napoli v Roma: Allegri's fragile side meet the unbeaten

Roma are third, unbeaten and two points off Inter and Lazio. Napoli are ninth, seven points behind them. Both won in the Champions League on Tuesday: Napoli beat Bodø/Glimt 4-3, with two goals from Scott McTominay, and Roma beat Slovan Bratislava 4-0.

Gian Piero Gasperini will not hold a press conference before the game, but he has spoken about his injuries. Lorenzo Pellegrini came off against Slovan with a muscle problem, and Gasperini said "it always takes 20 days". Paulo Dybala has a calf tear and Mile Svilar is still out, so Pierluigi Gollini stays in goal. Manu Koné has a hamstring tear and is a doubt at best, while Bryan Cristante is trying to shake off a knee problem. Donyell Malen is back from suspension.

Napoli are without Favasuli, and Alessandro Buongiorno and David Neres are doubts at best. Vergara is back in training. Massimiliano Allegri called Roma "very strong" after the Bodø game, and admitted that near their own box Napoli are "still too fragile".

That fragility meets Malen, who has four goal involvements in his last two games. In midfield, McTominay against a Roma side short of Koné and Pellegrini could decide it. The AI goes 1-0 to Roma.

PSG v Lyon: top against second, three stars down

This is first against second in Ligue 1, both on 14 points, with Lyon ahead on goal difference. The date is not settled: the Paris police asked the league on Wednesday to reschedule the game because of protests planned in the city, with Monday reported as the alternative, and as of Friday morning no decision had been announced.

PSG paid heavily for beating Barcelona. Khvicha Kvaratskhelia ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament and needs surgery, and Ousmane Dembélé and Marquinhos both have thigh injuries that will keep them out for weeks. Nuno Mendes is also out with a thigh problem picked up at Strasbourg. Luis Enrique called three injuries to three key players "the worst news". Zabarnyi is expected to partner Pacho in central defence.

Paulo Fonseca rotated heavily for Thursday's Europa League trip to Hoffenheim and his side lost 3-0. "I am responsible," he said. Loïs Openda has a cracked fibula, Keito Nakamura is suspended after his red card against Nice and Pavel Šulc did not travel to Germany with a knee problem. Steeve Kango went to hospital after a head injury at Hoffenheim, although Fonseca said the first tests were reassuring.

With Dembélé and Kvaratskhelia missing, Doué carries PSG's attack. Lyon may have no fit recognised striker to aim at PSG's reshuffled defence. The AI has PSG winning 2-0.

Freiburg v Bayern: third against first in the Black Forest

Bayern are top, level on points with Dortmund, and Freiburg are one point behind in third. Freiburg have won all three home league games, scoring 11, but they have won only once in their last 46 league meetings with Bayern. Their week has been poor, with a first league defeat at Leverkusen followed by a 3-0 loss at Monaco on Thursday. "The run is definitely interrupted for the moment," said Julian Schuster.

Bayern drew 2-2 with Arsenal on Wednesday and lost two players during it. Luis Díaz and Min-jae Kim both came off, and Vincent Kompany said he believed serious injuries had been ruled out. Both are doubts. Joshua Kimmich missed the Arsenal game for personal reasons and his return is unclear. Michael Olise is back from the suspension that kept him out in midweek.

Freiburg get their top scorer Yuito Suzuki back from a one-match ban. Engelhardt went off early in Monaco and is a doubt.

Bayern have scored only four of their 22 league goals away from home, and both of their dropped-point games came on the road. The battle is in the air: Freiburg have scored more headed goals than anyone, and Bayern have won fewer aerial duels than all but one side. The AI backs Bayern to win 3-2.

Elsewhere

• Man United v Bournemouth: Michael Carrick remains in charge for Sunday after the 4-1 defeat at Como, but no decision has been made beyond that. Marco Rose's Bournemouth beat AC Milan 3-0 in the Europa League on Thursday.
• Arsenal v Everton: Bukayo Saka went off after 10 minutes in Munich with a thigh injury, and Mikel Arteta said it "doesn't look good at all". William Saliba is still out.
• Liverpool v Brighton: Ryan Gravenberch is available again after his ban, but Jeremie Frimpong, Conor Bradley and Hugo Ekitike are out. Brighton arrive third, four points ahead of Andoni Iraola's side.
• Dortmund v Frankfurt: Niko Kovac's Dortmund are second but two league games without a win. A third would be a first under him.
• Inter v Fiorentina: Cristian Chivu's leaders are without Lautaro Martínez until after the November break.
• Lecce v Juventus: Luciano Spalletti keeps his job for now after last week's 3-0 home defeat by Lazio, and Juventus arrive eighth.

The fixtures

All times UK. The clocks go back early on Sunday morning.

Friday 23 October

• Stuttgart v Gladbach, 7:30pm
• Brest v Nice, 7:45pm
• Torino v Monza, 7:45pm
• Ipswich v Nottingham Forest, 8pm
• Alavés v Málaga, 8pm

Saturday 24 October

• Aston Villa v Man City, 12:30pm
• Rayo Vallecano v Elche, 1pm
• Cagliari v Bologna, 2pm
• Como v Sassuolo, 2pm
• Augsburg v Union Berlin, 2:30pm
• Mainz v Werder Bremen, 2:30pm
• Köln v Schalke, 2:30pm
• RB Leipzig v Elversberg, 2:30pm
• Paderborn v Hamburg, 2:30pm
• Arsenal v Everton, 3pm
• Coventry v Fulham, 3pm
• Racing Santander v Espanyol, 3:15pm
• Napoli v Roma, 5pm
• Chelsea v Spurs, 5:30pm
• Valencia v Villarreal, 5:30pm
• Dortmund v Eintracht Frankfurt, 5:30pm
• Lazio v Parma, 7:45pm
• Lens v Paris FC, 7:45pm
• Atlético v Deportivo La Coruña, 8pm

Sunday 25 October

• Inter v Fiorentina, 11:30am
• Athletic v Getafe, 1pm
• Liverpool v Brighton, 2pm
• Crystal Palace v Newcastle, 2pm
• Man United v Bournemouth, 2pm
• Hull v Brentford, 2pm
• Atalanta v Frosinone, 2pm
• Genoa v Venezia, 2pm
• Monaco v Lille, 2pm
• Hoffenheim v Leverkusen, 2:30pm
• Celta Vigo v Real Betis, 3:15pm
• Toulouse v Troyes, 4:15pm
• Marseille v Le Havre, 4:15pm
• Rennes v Strasbourg, 4:15pm
• Angers v Lorient, 4:15pm
• Auxerre v Le Mans, 4:15pm
• Sunderland v Leeds, 4:30pm
• Freiburg v Bayern, 4:30pm
• Lecce v Juventus, 5pm
• Real Sociedad v Levante, 5:30pm
• Udinese v AC Milan, 7:45pm
• PSG v Lyon, 7:45pm (police have asked for it to be moved)
• Barcelona v Real Madrid, 8pm

Monday 26 October

• Sevilla v Osasuna, 8pm

The AI's corner

The AI calls the Clásico a 3-3 draw, which would end Barcelona's perfect league run on the night Vinícius is missing. It has Inter putting four past Fiorentina without Lautaro Martínez, and Bournemouth winning 3-2 at Man United three days after they beat AC Milan. It also has Brighton holding Liverpool 2-2 at Anfield. Every prediction is at predisportshq.com/predictions.