11/10/08 15:00 La Paz Bolivia - Peru
11/10/08 15:30 Yaounde Cameroon - Mauritius
11/10/08 16:00 Dar Es Salaam Tanzania - Cape Verde Islands 11/10/08 16:00 Windhoek Namibia - Zimbabwe
11/10/08 16:00 Abuja Nigeria - Sierra Leone
11/10/08 16:00 Malabo Equatorial Guinea - South Africa
11/10/08 17:00 Helsinki Finland - Azerbaijan
11/10/08 17:30 Cardiff Wales - Liechtenstein
11/10/08 17:45 St. Gall Switzerland - Latvia
11/10/08 18:10 Buenos Aires Argentina - Uruguay
11/10/08 18:20 Bogota Colombia - Paraguay
11/10/08 19:45 Budapest Hungary - Albania
11/10/08 20:00 Copenhagen Denmark - Malta
11/10/08 20:00 Solna Sweden - Portugal
11/10/08 20:15 Luxembourg Luxembourg - Israel
11/10/08 20:30 Serravalle San Marino - Slovakia
11/10/08 20:30 Chorzow Poland - Czech Republic
11/10/08 20:45 Maribor Slovenia - Northern Ireland
11/10/08 20:45 Dortmund Germany - Russia
11/10/08 21:30 Piraeus Greece - Moldova

Between 2002 and 2006 Mexico were ever-present in the upper echelons of the FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking. And throughout that period, El Tricolor earned admirers around the globe with their open and attractive football, a style of play that led to a remarkable 21-game unbeaten run and notable displays at major international competitions.

These included reaching the semi-finals at the FIFA Confederations Cup Germany 2005 and victory on home soil in the 2003 CONCACAF Gold Cup. Their impressive run of success led to the Mexicans ascending as high as fourth in the World Ranking, and their consistency would also lead eventually to El Tri being seeded in the draw for the 2006 FIFA World Cup Germany™, a status they had only previously achieved as hosts of the 1970 and 1986 events.

What comes up
The Mexicans' exit at the Round of 16 stage on German soil, and changes to the way the FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking is calculated, both contrived to send the Aztecas plummeting down the standings and out of the top 20. The way back was to become a struggle for the team, then under the guidance of former striking hero Hugo Sanchez.

Mexico refused to buckle under the pressure, however, Sanchez's charges battling back to finish an impressive third at the 2007 Copa America. This noteworthy feat included a group-stage victory over eventual winners Brazil, and the ranking points earned helped fuel El Tri's charge back into the top ten.

Life appeared to be rosy for the men in green, but Sanchez's men struggled to recapture their Copa form over the following months and sank into a veritable crisis of confidence. This unsteady run of results eventually led to the dismissal of the former Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid centre-forward, and the country's descent all the way to number 32 in the rankings. Interim coach Jesus Ramirez was able to steady the ship during his short reign, though the sprinkling of good results achieved failed to make an immediate impact on their place in the standings.

The Sven effect
Mexico put their faith in experience when appointing their next permanent coach, opting for well-travelled Swedish supremo Sven-Goran Eriksson. The former England and Manchester City manager boasted successful spells in Portugal, Italy and his homeland, but the pressure was still on to get El Tri back on track - and fast. With very little time to work with his new squad, Eriksson faced his first major challenge: taking on a very strong Honduras side in their opening match of the first group phase of qualifying for South Africa 2010.

In spite of having just one day to put his players through their paces, the Aztecas were able to grind out a vital 2-1 success over their Catracho rivals. The Eriksson era had started promisingly and the good vibes continued with a 3-0 thrashing of Jamaica and a hard-fought 2-1 win over a well-drilled Canada unit.

Under their new coach, Mexico sit proudly atop Group 2 in the North, Central America and Caribbean Zone, and the positive results have already borne fruit. In just two months, El Tricolor have leapt up eight places and now lie in 24th spot in the FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking. And though they have yet to hit the heights of recent years, Mexico are most definitely heading in the right direction.

The biggest clubs in European football were in UEFA Champions League and UEFA Cup action this week, with a mixed bag of results to show for their efforts. Real Madrid, Barcelona and Manchester United ran out winners, but Chelsea, Bayern Munich and Lyon had to make do with draws.

The title contenders will now be keen to sign off for the forthcoming international break on a winning note. Bundesliga champions Bayern are desperate for a win after losing their last two league matches, while their Italian counterparts Inter are determined to bounce back following their 1-0 defeat in last week’s Milan derby.

FIFA.com previews the weekend action around Europe’s top leagues.

Premier League: Chelsea aim to shake off pursuers
A position of strength at the top of the standings makes it easier to shake off setbacks – or at least that is what they are hoping at Chelsea. The Blues, reeling from yet another serious knee injury to totemic hitman Didier Drogba, aim to defend first place at home to fast-starting Aston Villa, up to third after an impressive run of results. Felipe Scolari’s men may even fancy their chances of widening the gap back to Liverpool, who face a challenging trip to Manchester City.

Fourth-placed Arsenal travel to Sunderland hoping to make up the ground lost in last week’s shock defeat at home to Hull, although the pressure to win sits heaviest on Manchester United, languishing in mid-table ahead of the trip to Blackburn Rovers.

The question: Can bottom club Tottenham Hotspur beat promoted Hull City at home and finally chalk up a first Premier League win of term? The big game: Manchester City-Liverpool, Sunday 5pm, City of Manchester Stadium The quote: "More often than not, if we play to our potential, our best is better than anyone else's best. And that means we'll win the game," Owen Hargreaves, Manchester United midfielder.

La Liga: Football citadels in double showdown
Spanish fans are licking their lips in anticipation as the football-obsessed cities of Madrid and Barcelona go head-to-head not once but twice this weekend. Champions Real Madrid meet Espanyol, while Atletico travel to face Barcelona. Sergio Aguero will lead a confident Atletico side likely to go full-tilt for victory at the Camp Nou as they seek to underline their growing credentials as a new third force on the Spanish domestic scene.

Elsewhere, Valencia face a scrap to hang onto their lead in the standings away to Real Valladolid, who have yet to drop points at home this term. Nearest challengers Villarreal will expect maximum points at home to Betis, as the visitors are without a win so far.

The question: Can Valencia's David Villa maintain the prolific streak which has brought him a brace in each of his last two outings? The big game: Barcelona-Atletico Madrid, Saturday 10pm, Camp Nou The quote: "We would like to go [to Madrid] and give them a surprise, because we know that we have the capacity to get a positive result... We will approach it just like any other game, although there will be more motivation because we are playing against the champions," Ivan de la Pena, Espanyol midfielder.

Serie A: Easy enough on paper for top teams
The likes of AC Milan’s Andriy Shevchenko and Juventus veteran Alessandro Del Piero have yet to get off the mark in Serie A this season, but Mauro Zarate is already up to six goals. Lazio’s Argentinian marksman is looking to improve his haul when the leaders entertain Lecce in the Italian capital.

Elsewhere, the big names would appear to have manageable tasks, on paper at least. Champions Inter play host to Bologna, while city rivals AC Milan visit bottom club Cagliari. Roma visit Siena, and surprise second-placed outfit Napoli go looking to maintain their unbeaten start away to Genoa. There is a reunion on the cards, meanwhile, for Brazilian ace Amauri, set to line up for Juventus against his former Palermo team-mates.

The question: After defeat in the Milan derby and a disappointing 1-1 draw with Werder Bremen in the UEFA Champions League, can Inter rediscover the sweet taste of victory? The big game: Juventus-Palermo, Sunday 3pm, Stadio Olimpico, Turin The quote: "I am super, super, super calm... If we look at the domestic standings, I see that AC Milan, Juventus and Roma are all behind us in the table and we are just two points behind Serie A leaders Lazio," Jose Mourinho, Inter Milan coach.

Bundesliga: Wounded champions out for revenge
After back-to-back defeats and their worst start to a season in 31 years, Bayern are desperate for a win on Saturday when Bochum visit the Allianz Arena. Munich hopes are likely to be boosted by the presence of superstar Franck Ribery, slowly but surely recapturing his form after a three-month injury lay-off.

Leaders Hamburg travel to Cottbus with hopes of extending their advantage, while Bremen are seeking to cement their position in the leading group with a win away to 2007 champions Stuttgart. A second clash between midweek European contenders sees Schalke entertain Wolfsburg.

The question: After three matches without a win – two in the Bundesliga and one in the UEFA Champions League - can Bayern finally come out on top again? The big game: Stuttgart-Werder Bremen, Saturday 3.30pm, Mercedes Benz Arena The quote: "Our team reacted and played well in the Lyon match. This makes me look into the future with optimism," Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, Bayern Munich chairman.

Ligue 1: Lyon aim to stride clear
Olympique Lyon continue to set the standards in France after opening up a five-point gap at the top on the back of five straight wins, although coach Claude Puel’s side must compensate for the loss of injured Sidney Govou in the weekend visit to Rennes.

With Lyon on a potentially thorny away trip, second-placed Toulouse will hope to claw back ground at home to AJ Auxerre. Elsewhere, last term’s runners-up and current occupiers of third spot Olympique Marseille host the top match of the weekend against SM Caen, just two places below them in the table.

The question: Will Lyon continue on their serene way at the top, or are the double winners set for a first defeat of the campaign? The big game: Olympique Marseille-Caen, Saturday 7pm, Stade Velodrome The quote: "If we continue to play the way we are doing, then we're on the right track,'' Juninho, Lyon midfielder.

Elsewhere
Second meet third in the eagerly-awaited big match in Turkey. After a stuttering start to the season, champions Galatasaray are now up to third on 11 points, and have the chance to leapfrog Bursaspor, a place and a point ahead of them.

The fixtures in Portugal include the showdown between the country’s two most successful club sides when cup holders Sporting entertain champions Porto.