The FA Cup has started to open up for the lesser lights and Blackburn look well placed to take another step on the road to the final with a home victory over Manchester City tomorrow night. Chelsea and Manchester United are the only Big Four teams to have reached the last eight and, while there is nothing unusual in that, the possibility exists that they could draw each other in the semi-finals even if they get past Premiership opposition this weekend. Blackburn and Tottenham are the best Premiership teams left in the competition apart from the top two, but Tottenham must visit Chelsea and the odds are against them making any further progress.

Mark Hughes guided Blackburn to the semi-finals in his first season in charge and has a great chance of doing so again. Blackburn have won both Premiership meetings against Manchester City this season (4-2 at home, 3-0 away) and look too strong again for the out-of-form visitors. Blackburn have won 10 out of 17 at home in all competitions since City's last visit in September, with four of the five defeats coming against teams currently in the Premiership's top five.

It is a big weekend of league action around Europe, with the Milan derby in Italy, Bayern Munich hosting Werder Bremen in Germany and Lyon v Marseille in France. There is nothing bigger, however, than Spain's El Clasico between Barcelona and Real Madrid. The two Spanish giants were knocked out of the Champions League in midweek, leaving them to concentrate on the battle for the Primera Liga title. At this stage last season, Barcelona had an eight-point advantage but now they find themselves a point behind Sevilla after last week's defeat against the new leaders. It is Barcelona's away form that has declined this season, and in fact their home win rate has improved every season under Frank Rijkaard. This season they have won 10 out of 12 (with two draws) and Real will have to find serious improvement to match their big rivals.