Europe's top football leagues: title fights, Europe, relegation


Champions League (4): Real Madrid, Girona (75, 35) and Barcelona (73, 34) have secured their places.

Atlético de Madrid (70, 35) is almost certain to take fourth place, eight points ahead of Athletic Club (62, 35).

It will be sealed on Wednesday if Atleti achieves a victory in Getafe or if Athletic fails to beat Celta de Vigo.

European League (2): Athletic won the Copa del Rey and will almost certainly finish in the top six, meaning the cup spot moves to the league: fifth and sixth will enter the UEL.

Either Atlético or Athletic will occupy one of the places, with Real Betis (55, 35) in sixth place. Real Sociedad (54, 34), seventh, has one less game, but on Monday they will visit Barcelona. Valencia (48, 35) and Villarreal (48, 35) have little hope.

Real Sociedad also have to play Valencia and Betis in their last three games, so it's all up for grabs.

European Conference League (1): This will move to seventh place in the League, between Real Sociedad and Real Betis, while Valencia and Villarreal require a mini-miracle from here.

Descent (3): Almería (17, 35), with two wins all season, has been relegated. Granada (21, 35) joined them on Saturday when Mallorca beat Las Palmas at home.

That leaves a relegation spot to be decided, and Cádiz (29, 35) gives themselves hope by beating Getafe on Sunday. They still have a lot to do to catch up with Celta de Vigo (34, 35), Rayo Vallecano (35, 35) or Mallorca (35, 35).

Bundesliga: one day left, last day May 18

Qualification: Bayer Leverkusen (87, 33) remains undefeated and has already won the first championship in its history.

– Stream all Bundesliga matches live on ESPN+ (US only)

Champions League (5): The Bundesliga has secured an extra place through the European Performance Spot, which sends the team also in fifth position to the UCL.

We already know who will occupy the top five positions. Joining Leverkusen will be Bayern Munich (72, 33), VfB Stuttgart (70,33), RB Leipzig (64, 33) and Borussia Dortmund (60, 33).

Dortmund have reached the UCL final and are guaranteed to finish fifth, and if they win, sixth place will be given a place in the UCL. Eintracht Frankfurt (46, 33) is sixth, but could be overtaken by TSG Hoffenheim (43, 33) on the final day. One of those two teams will fully support Dortmund against Real Madrid on June 1.

Frankfurt needs a point at home against RB Leipzig to secure sixth place. If they lose, Hoffenheim can overtake them with a home win against Bayern. A small goal difference of three is also required, as Hoffenheim unexpectedly put themselves in contention by winning 6-0 in Darmstadt on Sunday.

European League (2): There are some factors that complicate the UEL places, which right now go to sixth place in the league (Frankfurt) and the winners of the DFB Cup.

The DFB Pokal final on May 25 (stream live on ESPN+, US only.) Leverkusen faces Kaiserslautern, who incredibly could win the cup despite being on the verge of relegation to the third division, as they are four points above the relegation zone of the 2. Bundesliga with one game remaining . If Kaiserslautern makes a big splash and does what no other team has done all season (beat Leverkusen), the league places will remain unchanged: sixth in the UEL and seventh in the UECL. If Leverkusen win the final, the sixth and seventh will get a place in the UEL.

But for the moment only sixth place is safe for the UEL.

If Dortmund wins the UCL, Germany would lose the UEL spot that Dortmund earned in the league. Dortmund would therefore qualify as UCL champions in fifth place, and sixth place would obtain the European Performance position. The only way the seventh team can get a place in the UEL is if Leverkusen wins the cup.

European Conference League (1): Hoffenheim currently occupies the UECL position of seventh, but that will be a place in the UEL if Leverkusen win the cup, placing eighth in the UECL. Hoffenheim will definitely finish in the top eight, so it could just be a question of which competition they will play in: UCL, UEL or UECL.

SC Freiburg (42, 33) is in eighth position, three points ahead of Heidenheim (39, 33), FC Augsburg (39, 33) and Werder Bremen (39, 33).

On the final day, Freiburg travels to relegation-threatened Union Berlin, knowing that a win, whether Hoffenheim draws or loses, could finish seventh; a draw would guarantee they finish eighth. But if they lose, they can be overtaken as they have a worse goal difference than the three teams below them.

Heidenheim host Cologne, who need to win to have any chance of remaining in the top flight, Augsburg visit Leverkusen, who have not lost to anyone all season, and Bremen host Bochum, who could still be relegated.

Relegation (2+1): Two teams are relegated, while the third takes third place in the 2. Bundesliga (Fortuna Düsseldorf) in a playoff for the right to play in the top category.

The relegation of SV Darmstadt 98 (17, 33) is now confirmed.

FC Cologne (27, 33) thought they had another chance after a spectacular comeback and a 4-3 win at home against Union Berlin (30, 33). Mainz then beat Dortmund, meaning the best Cologne can hope for is a relegation playoff spot… beating Union Berlin.

To advance to the playoffs, Cologne must win at Heidenheim on Saturday, hope that Union loses at home to Freiburg and that the goal difference is four.

To avoid the playoff, Union must win and, due to goal difference, hope that Mainz (32, 32) lose in Wolfsburg or that VfL Bochum (33, 33) lose in Bremen.

St. Pauli and Holstein Kiel were automatically promoted to the Bundesliga.

Serie A: two complete rounds left, last day May 26

Qualification: Internazionale (92, 36) concluded the shield last month as undisputed champions.

Champions League (5): Like Germany, Italy have secured an extra place in next year's competition thanks to their clubs' performances in Europe this season, meaning at least five clubs will qualify.

Inter will surely be joined by AC Milan (74, 36), Bologna (67, 36) and Juventus (67, 36).

So there is a place at stake, which is in the hands of Atalanta (63, 35) in fifth place and they have one game less and a three-point lead, so they are in a very strong position. That extra match is against Fiorentina and both teams are in European finals; The only possible date to play the match is Sunday, June 2, a week after the last round of Serie A matches is played. Therefore, Atalanta and Fiorentina will enter the “extra” match with full knowledge of the final position that the result will bring them.

AS Roma (60, 36) and Lazio (59, 36) are still in contention, but it's a big question with two games left.

If Atalanta wins the UEL this season (they will face Leverkusen in the final on May 22), then Italy will have six clubs in the UCL: the top four, Atalanta as UEL champions and the European performance spot. Therefore, finishing will be enough for UCL football, meaning Roma and Lazio will cheer on Atalanta when they take on Leverkusen.

European League (2): Atalanta face Juventus in the Coppa Italia final, so it is certain that sixth and seventh will qualify for the UEL.

Roma, Atalanta and Lazio are the main contenders, but there is a small hope for Fiorentina, ninth ranked (50, 34), with two games less. On Monday they will play at home against Monza and will have the chance to reduce the difference.

If Atalanta wins the UEL to qualify for the UCL and finishes sixth or seventh, Italy will give up that UEL spot for the league.

European Conference League (1): Eighth place will enter the UECL, which is currently occupied by Napoli (51, 36), but Fiorentina is one point behind them with those two games in hand. Eighth place could still be occupied by Atalanta, Lazio, Fiorentina, Torino (50, 36) or Monza (45, 35).

If Fiorentina wins the UECL to qualify for the UEL and finishes eighth, Italy will give up its place in the UECL.

Descent (3): Salernitana (15, 35) descends.

Sassuolo (29, 36), second from bottom, is back in contention, but lost to Genoa on Sunday. Udinese (30, 35) is third bottom, with Empoli (32, 36), Frosinone (32, 36), Cagliari (33, 36) and Hellas Verona (34, 36) just above the relegation zone.

Parma and Cesc Fàbregas' Como have been promoted to Serie A. Venice. Cremonese, Catanzaro, Palermo, Sampdoria and Bresica participate in the playoffs.

Ligue 1: two days leftlast day May 19

Qualification: Paris Saint-Germain (70, 31) has already secured the title.

Champions League (3+1): France obtains three automatic places and fourth place enters the UCL in the third qualifying round. PSG already has a place reserved.

There is a fierce battle for the other two guaranteed places, but AS Monaco (61, 32) has almost won one of them and will ensure it with just one point from its last two games: on Sunday it will visit Montpellier.

Brest (58, 33), Lille (55, 32) and Nice (54, 32) are fighting for third place, although Nice's pending match is at home against PSG.

European League (2): Good fifth place, a place in the UEL, they are well placed to get one if they don't make the top four.

In sixth place (according to the UECL classification) and hoping to catch up with Nice is Lens (49, 32), although they have played one more game.

PSG will face Lyon in the French Cup final on May 25, and a victory for The Parisians will also send sixth place to the UEL.

Lyon (47, 32) is hard pressed to take four points from Nice at this stage, but is in contention to catch Lens in sixth place if PSG win the cup.

European Conference League (1): A lot will depend on who wins the French Cup. If it's Lyon, then sixth place may still be the UECL spot, but that will depend on where Lyon finishes in the table.

If PSG wins the cup, or Lyon does so and finishes sixth, then seventh will get the spot in the UECL. Lens, Lyon, Stade Rennais in eighth (45, 32) and Marseille in ninth (44, 31) could finish seventh and be waiting for the cup final.

Relegation (2+1): Two teams are relegated and the penultimate team faces a playoff with a team from the second division to remain in Ligue 1.

Clermont Foot (25, 32) is last and, at best, can only make it to the relegation playoff. They will be relegated if they lose at home to Lyon on Sunday.

The second automatic relegation place is between Lorient (26, 32) and Metz (29, 32).

Le Havre AC (32, 33) and Nantes (33, 32) could still be overtaken by Metz and qualify for the relegation playoff.

AJ Auxerre has been promoted to Ligue 1.

scroll to top