Soccer Watch

We're into that frantic season, especially in Europe, when teams and players are contending in a lot of different competitions at once, and switching back and forth between club team and national team. Consider just this one week, for example:

• This Saturday through Tuesday were international game days – most notably, for nations trying to qualify for Euro 2012, the European championship. All the heavyweights came through the week unscathed: Spain, the Netherlands, and Germany – first, second, and third in the world rankings – are virtually assured of qualifying, as are Italy and France, with England and Greece also leading their groups. As it stands, in fact, the 14 qualifiers will likely be the 14 top-ranked teams in the continent, giving Euro 2012 perhaps the toughest tournament field ever – Euro or World Cup... In a pair of international friendlies over the weekend, the U.S. played to a 1-1 draw with Argentina and an unlucky 0-1 loss to Paraguay, while fielding some promising young talent. The goal came from 18-year-old Juan Agudelo, who still lives with his family in Barnegat Township, N.J.

• Now for a weekend, at least, the focus around Europe is back onto league play, heading into the stretch after the week off. Biggest game on the continent? It doesn't get much bigger than the San Siro derby, AC Milan vs. Inter Milan, at the stadium the teams share. AC's seemingly impregnable lead in the Serie A standings has melted away, and their hated rival, left for dead in the first half of the season before a coaching change, can overtake them with a win. Saturday, April 2, 1:30pm, on Fox Soccer Channel.

• And just two days later it's on to the third front – the European Champions League quarterfinals start this Tuesday-Wednesday, April 5-6. Tuesday: Schalke at Inter Milan, Tottenham at Real Madrid. Wednesday: Shakhtar at Barcelona, Manchester United at Chelsea. All games are at 1:45pm; FSC will show the English teams' games live each day. The return legs are the following week, April 12-13.

CONCACAF Champions League semifinals will be decided April 5-6 as well. Real Salt Lake, having already advanced further than any other MLS team in recent years (and fresh off a 4-1 thumping of the LA Galaxy on the weekend), tries to defend a 2-0 first-leg advantage in a tough environment Tuesday night at Saprissa Stadium in Costa Rica. Mexico's Cruz Azul and Monterrey face off in the other semifinal.

Meanwhile in South America, the Copa Libertadores group stage continues through April 20; the round of 16 starts April 27.