It's Ronaldinho's show today

The Brazilian leads his Atletico Mineiro side vs Raja Casablanca

Europeans may not care for the World Club Cup. South Americans don't salivate over it either but it's a rare occasion when they're in the spotlight when they make a final in this cash-cow tourney, currently being played in Morocco. Therefore, it's a chance to expand its brand and make some noise in the global football world.

Ronaldinho will look to add to his medals if his side can best the Moroccan hosts for a berth in Saturday's final against Bayern Munich. At 33, the buck-toothed one is still hoping his slim chances to join the national team for the World Cup next year increases with a top display and eventual move to another side in the new year.

Meanwhile, the Germans, sleptwalked their way past Asian champions Guangzhou Evergrande and didn't even know Ronaldinho was involved in the tourney, according to Dante!

Zlatan or Ronaldo - and you can't have both

So the big game tomorrow in the European playoffs for the Brazil 2014 World Cup has to be Greece v Romania. Can't wait for that one!

Then there's Portugal v Sweden. Cristiano against Zlatan. The two superstars have 48 goals between them this year, and 7 hat-tricks. With Lionel Messi injured, these two are the best two players in the game right now.

Zlatan has it all - the goals he scores are unbelievable, but his technique is phenomenal. He's such a character and has a personality that Brazil needs next summer.

Ronaldo is moody, elusive and more model than footballer. But what a footballer. He has everything, and has to be considered one of the greats of the game already - and he's only 28.

But we can't have both. Never team could win their group, although Sweden had a much tougher task after being paired with Germany. And the luck (or should we say bad luck) drew the two teams together. I wouldn't be bothered if Sweden or Portugal weren't there, but if Ronaldo and Zlatan aren't there, they will be missed.

France should beat Ukraine over two legs. They have quality at the back and in midfield, with Ukraine posing little threat in my opinion. Iceland are huge underdogs against Croatia, but they are the feel good story of European qualification. Greece and Romania is a game that doesn't excite me at all, which probably means it will be the best one. Neither team will do much in Brazil, but then I said that when Greece won the Euros in 2004!

I'm taking Sweden to win over the two legs, with Greece, Iceland and France joining them. Cristiano has it all already, and he'll sulk for a while, but then console himself with his model girlfriend, millions of dollars and addiction to sunbeds.

Who else could pack their bags for Brazil?

Ethiopia play Nigeria for a place in Brazil next summer

Brazil are hosting the 20th World Cup next summer.

They qualify automatically, and have so far been joined by Japan, Australia, South Korea, Iran, Holland, Italy, Costa Rica, Argentina and the USA. 10 names are confirmed, with another 7 having the possibility of joining them today.

Belgium, Germany and Switzerland are all in if they win - and I can't see Ireland upsetting the Germans, and it's even more unlikely that the Swiss will lose to Albania.

Russia can qualify if Portugal lose to Israel - it's not worth mentioning that the Russians play Luxembourg, 3 points have never been so easy - just ask Northern Ireland...oh wait. Honduras can make it if they beat Costa Roca and Mexico don't beat Panama.

Colombia and Chile can both clinch from South America, and even if they don't do it right now, both will get it done soon.

But who does that leave?

Spain and France are going to be the top 2 in their group, and it seems likely the holders will get teh automatic place. England have 'amazingly difficult' games against Montenegro and then Poland at home if they are going to clinch the automatic place - that's in quotes because the British press would have you believe that those games at home are too much for a team that includes so-called world beaters like Rooney, Gerrard and Wilshire. Can't have it both ways unless you're the British press - at club level, the players are the best in world, but not so much once the England shirt goes on.

Plus there are so big games in Africa - Ghana against Egypt, Senegal v Ivory Coast, and underdogs Ethiopia and Burkina Faso both still have a chance to make it. It's 5 from 10 in Africa, with the second leg in November after the openers this weekend.

Ecuador, Venezuela and Uruguay seem to be fighting it out for one automatic place and the chance to play Jordan in a qualifier - can't see that qualifier being much harder than playing the Page 3 girl Jordan, so it seems like 2 of 3 from there.

But there's still loads to play for with a couple of games left - 22 names still need to be confirmed, but we'll probably have 16 of the 32 known about once the weekend is over. Settle in, get the DVR cleared out, because there is a lot of football to watch this weekend.

Pirlo's back, Zlatan the 3rd, Moyes on watch - the Weekend preview

Italy is where the action is this weekend. Inter v Roma and Juventus v AC Milan. Roma have won 6 of 6 in Serie A, with Inter unbeaten in 4th after a surprisingly strong start to the season. Gervinho is scoring goals (which can't be true), but he is playing with Totti, who could lay chances on that even Emile Heskey couldn't miss.

Inter are a bit of a team of no-names, but it's working for them. Gone are the big stars of the Mourinho era, but Walter Mazzari is building a strong team, and Diego Milito is back to prove that he can score from more than 6 yards out - I've never seen it, but it has to happen soon.

Juve against Milan is always a good game, or at least has a great history. Van Basten, Gullit, Vialli, Baggio etc. Who can't love names like that? The memory of Baresi, Maldini, Zoff and Del Piero makes it so easy to watch - and it's always great to see Pirlo show Milan why they were fools to let him go.

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I'll be looking at how the Premier League teams deal with post-European fixtures this week. Spurs have a (relatively) tough derby with West Ham, Swansea may struggle at Southampton after playing Thursday, and 3 of the 4 Champions League entrants have tough away games. City are at home against Everton after being schlapped by Bayern Munich in the week. Bayern are the best team in Europe right now, but Everton are unbeaten in the league, scoring lots of goals and have a red-hot Romelu Lukaku.

David Moyes will be in more hot water if United lose away at Sunderland. The Black Cats are a shambles, but they played well against Liverpool for large periods of the game, and are due a result. Arsenal are the form team, with people treating Mesut Ozil like he's the second coming of Diego Maradona. They've been good, but a loss away at West Brom and Arsene Wenger will have those fickle fans on his case again. Samuel Eto'o is going to score soon. Sorry Norwich fans, but he is.

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7 from 7 for Barcelona and Atletico Madrid - who's going to buckle first. Probably Atletico, but if Barca lose when Messi is out injured, some idiot is going to say they're a one-man team. Probably Jamie Redknapp or Alexi Lalas.

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The pick of the other European games for me is Marseille against PSG. Mainly because of this quote from Zlatan on Wayne Rooney... "if he did join, he would have to get used to the fact that Zlatan scores even better goals than he does." Zlatan, in the third person, telling it how it is. Love him.

Should we support different teams in Europe?

My team is never making the Champions League, not unless a Middle Eastern or Russian billionaire wants to become a legitimate British 'businessman' and fancies investing in East London (it worked for Roman).

So should we support other teams from our country in European tournaments?

Should Newcastle fans support Manchester United? Lyon fans support PSG? Inter fans support Juventus? Bilbao fans support Real Madrid?

Think about it. Some of these fans don't want to be part of the same country, others won't allow family members to marry someone who supports another team at the weekend. I don't buy the whole 'patriotic' argument. I'd rather be known as a fan of my team, than be labeled as a nationality - I at least got to choose one of them - controversial? Maybe. Bothered? Not at all.