The 10 Can't-Miss April League Fixtures Across Europe's Top Leagues
The penultimate month of the football season across Europe's top leagues is edging ever closer, and the fixture lists have not disappointed, with April conjuring up some mouth-watering encounters that could be paramount in defining the season for several clubs domestically.
Get your calendars out and mark down these dates, because there are some huge upcoming fixtures which could have huge ramifications on deciding whether a season ends in cheers or in tears, whether it be in regards to silverware, continental qualification or relegation.
Here are 10 fixtures you won't want to miss in April:
Sevilla vs Alaves (April 4)
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The battle for Champions League qualification in La Liga is an intriguing one, with many teams still in contention for the top four.
Among the contenders are the usual suspects, such as Sevilla and Valencia, however there are some teams who are exceeding expectations and having unbelievable campaigns which could be capped with a spot amongst Europe's elite.
Alaves have been one of the league's surprise packages under Abelardo Fernandez this season, and will they will be looking towards this fixture at the Sanchez Pizjuan as a huge opportunity to boost their chances of European qualification whilst weakening a rivals.
Bayern Munich vs Borussia Dortmund (April 6)
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Both Bayern and BVB will enter Der Klassiker knowing that a victory could be a crucial step towards lifting the Bundesliga title come May.
Dortmund's 3-2 win over Bayern at Signal Iduna Park in the corresponding fixture in November had lifted them seven points clear of their Bavarian rivals, however Niko Kovac's team have found their form of late, meaning that the race for the Bundesliga title threatens to go down to the wire.
A win for either team could be a giant boost in mentality for them to go on and win the title, underlining the importance of this fixture.
Barcelona vs Atletico Madrid (April 6)
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Barcelona's second fixture of the month sees them welcome their closest challengers to lifting the La Liga title, with Atletico Madrid the visitors to the Nou Camp.
While it seems as though Barcelona would have to suffer a horrendous patch of form if they are to be caught at the top of the league, a loss to Atleti at home would not be ideal. Victory for Valverde's men would however put on hand on the trophy.
Liverpool vs Chelsea (April 14)
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April 27, 2014 - Steven Gerrard slips whilst in possession of the ball to gift Demba Ba the opening goal of a crucial match in deciding the Premier League title, Willian added a second to spark a catastrophic capitulation for Liverpool as Manchester City dramatically pip them by two points to deny them their first league title since 1990.
The Reds are once again battling closely with Manchester City at the top of the Premier League and will be hoping to put right what went so horribly wrong five years ago against Chelsea at Anfield.
Manchester City vs Tottenham (April 20)
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Pep Guardiola's Manchester City have a few tough games ahead of them in April which they will need to overcome if they are to successfully defend the Premier League title.
Mauricio Pochettino's team will visit the Etihad Stadium with plenty to play for, as poor form has seen Spurs swap title contention for a battle to finish within the top four.
Inter vs Roma (April 20)
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Juventus are walking their way to yet another Scudetto, meaning that the other top Italian clubs in Serie A are resigned to just battling it out for the remaining continental spots rather than league glory.
Claudio Ranieri's Roma will visit the San Siro hoping to secure a result which will help them sneak their way into the top four, which would be some achievement considering their slow start to the season.
Getafe vs Sevilla (April 21)
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The battle for La Liga's top four will intensify towards the end of the month, as surprise European challengers Getafe host Sevilla.
The Madrid-based club have put themselves into a tremendous position to secure Champions League qualification for the first time in their history, however there are many clubs that are hot on their heels.
Pablo Machin's Sevilla are one of them, and their trip to the Coliseum Alfonso Perez will be a crucial hurdle for Getafe to clear if they are to achieve a historic feat.
Manchester United vs Manchester City (April 24)
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Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's first Manchester derby as United's manager could be an extremely pivotal one at the top of the Premier League table.
The title race appears to be a lose-lose for United, as it is between two rival clubs, however the match at Old Trafford will present Solskjaer with the opportunity to embed himself further into United folklore, as his team will look to deprive their local rivals of crucial points in their search for league glory.
For City, victory at Old Trafford would confirm the distance in quality between the Manchester clubs, whilst also potentially edging them closer to another league title.
Borussia Dortmund vs Schalke (April 26)
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The Revierderby is typically a clash that pits two of Germany's most reputable and successful clubs against one another. However on this occasion, one half of the rivalry will look for points to help to secure their top flight status.
It has been an awful season for Schalke, culminating in the departure of Domenico Tadesco as manager. It is hard to believe that the Royal Blues actually finished above Dortmund last season, however much has changed in the time between then and now.
Last year's meeting at Signal Iduna Park finished 4-4, so this game will have some way to go if it is to be an improvement on that encounter.
Manchester United vs Chelsea (April 28)
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It is difficult to predict were either of these teams will be come the end of next month, however as it stands, this match could be a decider for who makes the top four and who misses out.
Maurizio Sarri's team seem to be unlikely to make the Champions League places, however they remain within contention, while Solskjaer's team have fought their way back from having 26 points from 17 games, to now being top four contenders.
