For the biggest teams in Europe, if the race for the domestic title is done, Champions League qualification is the Holy Grail… and there are some major battles going on among the big four leagues.
So here we are with our SBOTOP analysis of the top four scrambles in Italy, Germany, England and Spain; and let’s make a call on which teams will be celebrating come May.
Three between six in Serie A
The most frantic race for Champions League is in Italy where Lazio, Juventus, Inter Milan, AC Milan, Roma and Atalanta are all within six points with six games to play.
Napoli are long gone and are about to claim their first Scudetto triumph since 1990 and the latest reckon Lazio and Juventus are set to join them among Europe’s elite. While the Milan clubs have blown hot and cold Lazio have been superbly consistent and are second, a point ahead of I Bianconeri who have suffered a wretched year off the pitch and will be determined to nail down their top four spot as soon as possible, starting with a home game against Lecce on Wednesday.
Inter Milan, whose Champions League 2023 odds of winning the tournament are still quite decent as they face rivals Milan in the semi-finals, have moved up to fourth with back-to-back wins while Atalanta is the other form side, with four wins from the last six games. A home game against Spezia gives La Dea a chance to continue their good run, while Inter have a tricky game away to Hellas Verona.
Bundesliga underdogs are fighting off Red Bull
While FC Bayern and Borussia Dortmund battle it out for the German title, RB Leipzig are in serious danger of missing out on a Champions League spot as FC Union Berlin and SC Freiburg attempt to hold them off. Die Roten Bullen’s Bundesliga results have picked up recently, with three wins from their last four games and a 1-0 win over TSG Hoffenheim, courtesy of a Christopher Nkunku goal, helped them climb to within two points of their rivals.
Union Berlin were held 0-0 at home by sixth-placed Bayer Leverkusen to stay third on 56, while SC Freiburg trail on goal difference alone after making it three wins on the bounce. There are two huge games on the horizon as Freiburg host Leipzig this week and they follow that blockbuster clash with a trip away to Union Berlin next week. If Freiburg win either of those two games they could torpedo a rival; if they lose them both they are probably sunk.
Liverpool’s desperate Premier League charge
As Manchester City and Arsenal battle it out for the Premier League title, the Uniteds of Newcastle and Manchester are in very strong positions to join the leaders in next year’s Champions League. Manchester United are in fourth place and seven points ahead of Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool, who probably need to win their remaining five games if they are to have a serious chance.
But the resurgent Reds are aiming for a fifth league win on the bounce when they take on Fulham this week and Manchester United have a daunting trip away to Brighton, a game they could easily lose. If the results go well for Liverpool the gap will be down to four points and then the race might just be on. But the Red Devils have home games against Wolves, Chelsea and Fulham to come, so it will be a major surprise if Erik Ten Hag’s side blow it.
Sociedad or Villarreal will take the last spot in La Liga
Barcelona are closing in on the La Liga title, nine points clear of the pack with six games to play and with a home game against Osasuna on Tuesday evening. Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid, on 68 and 66 points, are battling it out for second place while Real Sociedad sit a further eight points back in fourth.
La Real have been in the top four for much of the campaign but they have been inconsistent of late, winning three, drawing one and losing two of the last six games, allowing Villarreal to climb to within five points in fifth place. The gap could shrink further this week if the Yellow Submarine can win away to struggling Valencia on Wednesday after Sociedad face Real Madrid on Tuesday.
If La Real can beat Los Blancos then they will have one hand on a top-four place while giving the Blaugrana a huge lift up towards the title. But if they fail, then Villarreal will have an even bigger incentive against Los Che as they continue their quest to make Champions League 2023 highlights.
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