In the seven top flights I checked, no leader plays the team directly below them in Gameweek 23. That doesn't make it a quiet weekend. Every match is on Saturday 24 October, at 18:00 UTC on the continent and 19:00 in England and Portugal. The most important ones involve teams with no points to spare.

Germany: Dortmund on the tightrope

Dortmund's defensive record is remarkable. They have conceded 7 goals in 22 league games, and both of their defeats were 1-0 losses to Bayern. They are still six points behind, because DerKaiser's Bayern have won 18 times and come into the weekend on six straight wins.

krille120's side go to fourth-placed Hoffenheim (44 points). Dortmund won the reverse fixture 1-0 on 1 August. Their away record is 7 wins, 2 draws and 1 defeat, with 11 scored and 3 conceded. Five of those seven wins were by a single goal.

The current tactic sheets suggest neither side will take many risks. SnakeEyesx has Hoffenheim in a 4-5-1 Defensive with a defensive play style. Dortmund start in a 3-2-2-2-1 on counter-attack and switch to Normal after 50 minutes. I expect a low-scoring game.

Bayern travel to Wolfsburg, who have won one of their last six. If Bayern win and Dortmund lose, the gap is nine points with 15 games left. Fitz's Frankfurt (48 points, only two defeats) go to Paderborn, who have conceded 40. A Frankfurt win and a Dortmund defeat would put Frankfurt second. Dortmund then host Maribor in the Continental League on Monday. Maribor beat them 1-0 in August.

At the bottom, the bottom three go down; last season's three relegated clubs are all in the second tier now. Heidenheim have 15 points, Paderborn 17, and Mönchengladbach and Berlin 19 each. Stuttgart have more cash than any club in the division (282.3M SVC) but have lost their last three. They host 16th-placed Union. Bremen go to Köln after three straight wins.

Spain: six clubs, one runner-up spot

Barcelona have won six in a row, lead by 13 points and visit Valencia, who have won twice all season. Behind them, six clubs are separated by two points: Donostia on 39, Madrid Red, Sevilla Red and Palma on 38, and Roda and Vallecas on 37.

Sevilla Red v Madrid Red is third against fourth, level on points. The reverse fixture on 1 August finished 0-0, and Jan Oblak was man of the match. Sevilla Red had 54% of the ball and outshot their hosts 11-8 that day. UnAndaluz's team have lost twice in 22 games, drawn 11 and conceded 14. Their sheet is a passing 4-2-3-1 that switches to Defensive when they lead by a goal. TeteBarriero3's Madrid Red play a passing 4-5-1. As the sheet stood on Thursday, Alexander Sørloth starts up front and Julián Álvarez is kept back for a triple substitution on the hour.

Donostia have lost their last two and visit Sevilla Green, who have won four of their last six. Palma go to Madrid White. Madrid White sit 11th despite having the division's second-highest average player rating (88), but have scored only 17 goals.

England: a derby at the wrong end

Liverpool lead by five points after six straight wins and visit Coventry, who are 19th and winless in six (five draws). London Red, and I'll declare my interest here, host 15th-placed Newcastle.

The match that matters most is Tottenham v Crystal Palace. Spurs are 18th with 19 points. They have won three games and scored 14 goals all season, and they are winless in six. They are three points from safety, yet hold 194.7M SVC, the biggest balance in the division. Strategos's Palace jumped from seventh to third last round and won the reverse fixture 1-0.

Burton are fourth with the lowest average player rating (77) and the smallest stadium in the division. They host Nottingham. Bournemouth (5th) host Manchester Blue (9th), who beat them 4-1 in August.

Italy: nine clubs, three points

Roma are four points clear. GreenFuryx3's side are unbeaten in 12 away league games: 7 wins, 5 draws, 14 goals scored and 5 conceded. At home they have won 4, drawn 3 and lost 3. On 11 October GreenFuryx pointed out in general chat that Roma were "unbeaten on road", and that is still true. On Saturday they go to Monza, whom they beat 4-0 in August. looplab's Napoli are second but have taken only 4 points from their last six. They host Bergamo, who have not won in six.

The bottom of the table is tight. Nine clubs are between 21 and 24 points. Five of the top six play one of them this weekend, and the other four play each other. Sassuolo v Firenze is 18th against 17th, both on 22. Since surl took over at Sassuolo on 3 October, they have taken eight points from five games, including their last two. FatincasaSV's Firenze have not won in six. The reverse fixture was 0-0, and Sassuolo had two shots, neither on target. Bottom-placed Verona host Genova Red.

France and the Netherlands: rematches

Paris have won one of their last six and host Orly. Marseille, two points behind, go to Angers, who have drawn 14 of their 22 games. Reims (5th) host Lille (6th), one point behind them. Reims won 1-0 at Lille in August with only 31% of the ball, while Lille had 26 shots. Metz (18th) and Saint-Étienne (17th) are separated by one point. Metz won the reverse fixture 1-0 away.

Ajax lead Feyenoord by four points and visit fourth-placed Heerenveen. Heerenveen won 1-0 in Amsterdam on 1 August, one of only two defeats Ajax have suffered. Feyenoord go to Velsen-Zuid, who are unbeaten in six.

Laura's watchlist

• Hoffenheim v Dortmund: if Dortmund lose, Bayern could be nine clear
• Sevilla Red v Madrid Red: two careful sides, with six clubs within two points of second
• Tottenham v Crystal Palace: Spurs are 18th, Palace are third
• Sassuolo v Firenze: Sassuolo's improving form against Firenze's six games without a win
• Heerenveen v Ajax: Heerenveen already beat the leaders in August