Busy March ahead at FC Barcelona
March is here, and in the football world it's always a month when things start taking shape for the business end of the season, when we finally get see who is taking home the different trophies. For FC Barcelona, this March is going to be no exception.
Early challenges
The month begins with this Sunday's Liga fixture at home to Real Sociedad, a side that is having a decent season, and is through to the Copa del Rey semi-finals and also still alive in the Europa League. They're currently ninth in the league, but things are very close in that part of the table and the Basques are still very much in contention for a place in Europe again next season.
Things are also tight at the top of the table, and any dropped points will give the two Madrid clubs the chance to replace Barça in first place. So nothing short of a win will do in this game.
Europe time
Three days after, Barça are off to Lisbon for the first leg of the Champions League last 16 game. Things have gone great in the competition until now, but Benfica are a side that has caused them problems in the past. And of the course, the teams produced an absolute humdinger of a tie in the League Phase, Barça coming from behind to win 5-4.
On the 11th its back to the league for another home tie, this time against Osasuna, a side that's already beaten Barça once this season, 4-2 at El Sadar, and who are never a comfortable opponent.
Home straight
Just four days later, there's the return leg against Benfica in the Champions League.
And that's immediately followed by a trip to Atlético Madrid in a direct clash between two of the three main challengers for this season's league title. Atlético beat Barça when the rivals met at the Estadi Olímpic, and the two sides served a footballing feast in the Copa del Rey semi-final first leg that ended 4-4 (the second leg of that tie won't get played until April).
Those are two games on which much of the season hinges, and after that club football takes a break for international matches, with World Cup qualification getting under way in Europe.
And when the players are back, the month ends with a derby at the Estadi Olímpic, where Girona will be hoping to repeat their win at the stadium last season.