The 2020/21 club season is approaching an end, so what is the current situation around Europe?
It is all to play for in Spain with two rounds remaining as Atletico Madrid lead the way, but Real Madrid and Barcelona remain in pursuit while the battle to qualify for the Champions League in Italy and Germany is intensifying.
Sky Sports takes a deep dive into the race for supremacy on the continent, and looks at what still needs to be decided in Europe’s other top leagues…
La Liga: Advantage Atletico in title race
Atletico Madrid are closing in on their first La Liga title since 2014
Atletico Madrid will be crowned La Liga champions this weekend if they beat mid-table Osasuna and local rivals Real Madrid drop points at Granada on Thursday or Athletic Bilbao on Sunday.
Diego Simeone’s side, who suffered a mid-season blip having had a 10-point cushion over their rivals in February, have managed to stay top throughout largely thanks to chasers Real and Barcelona failing to capitalise on their slip-ups.
With Barca, who have drawn their last two games, four points back with only two matches left, Real, who are five off Atleti’s 80 with a game in hand, are realistically the only team who can stop the Rojiblancos from lifting a first title since 2014.
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UEFA has launched disciplinary action against Real Madrid, Barcelona and Juventus over the failed European Super League and could hand out two-year bans from the Champions League.
Diego Simone will be without midfielder Thomas Lemar but otherwise has a fully fit squad to choose from. Real will be aiming to ensure the title race goes down to the final day when they visit Athletic on Sunday.
Coach Zinedine Zidane will be without five first team players in Sergio Ramos, Dani Carvajal, Raphael Varane, Lucas Vazquez and Ferland Mendy for the trip to the Basque Country.
Barca, who need Atleti to lose their remaining two games to stand a chance of winning the league, host Celta Vigo on Sunday.
Real Sociedad and Real Betis, in fifth and sixth respectively, are both set to qualify for the Europa League group stage. Seventh-placed Villarreal currently occupy the Europa Conference League play-off spot.
Meanwhile, six teams are battling to avoid relegation, with six points separating 15th-placed Alaves on 35 from bottom side Eibar, who have a game in hand and have won their last two. Getafe, Huesca, Real Valladolid and Elche are also in the mix.
Serie A: Juventus face missing out on CL
Cristiano Ronaldo is facing the prospect of no Champions League football
Inter Milan have clinched their first Serie A title in 11 years but Antonio Conte’s side still have something to play for this season – stopping Juventus reaching the Champions League.
Inter travel to Turin on Saturday knowing a victory over the Old Lady could result in what would have been unthinkable for nine-time reigning champions Juve at the start of the campaign – finishing outside the Champions League qualification places.
Knocked out of Europe’s elite competition in the last-16 for the second season in a row, Juventus have not fared much better domestically having failed to challenge for the title and now needing help from others to finish in the top four.
A first season out of the Champions League for Juve since 2012-13 could be confirmed this weekend should Atalanta, AC Milan and Napoli all win and champions Inter hammer the final nail into the Turin side’s coffin at the Juventus Stadium.
Inter Milan have ended Juventus’ dominance in Serie A
Conte won three Serie A titles as the Turin side’s coach between 2011 and 2014 and captained the club as a player, but the fiery Italian is not one to offer favours and will relish causing his former side more problems.
There is certainly no love lost between Conte and Juve. After an Italian Cup match in February, he was forced to apologise after making a middle finger gesture in the direction of Juventus president Andrea Agnelli.
There has been no letting up from Inter since they clinched the title two weeks ago, with Conte’s side scoring eight goals in their two subsequent wins.
Along with having to face a side unbeaten in their last 20 league matches, Juve’s other problem is that their top-four rivals have found form at the right time.
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Fabrizio Romano from Sky in Italy says Juventus chairman Andrea Agnelli faces a very difficult situation after helping to organise the European Super League.
Second-placed Atalanta, on 75 points, are three clear of Juve with two games to go and are unbeaten in their last 10 league matches ahead of Saturday’s trip to Genoa.
Milan, level on points with Atalanta, have won their last three in a row, including a 3-0 success at Juventus last weekend, and host lowly Cagliari on Sunday.
Napoli, who are fourth and a point ahead of Juventus, have enjoyed a fantastic end to the season too, easing the pressure on coach Gennaro Gattuso, but face a tricky trip to Fiorentina on Sunday.
Juventus and Lazio, in sixth, are currently heading for the Europa League group stage. Roma sit in seventh spot, which would qualify them for the Europa Conference League, but Sassuolo are still in with a chance of catching them, two points further back in eighth.
At the bottom, Crotone and Parma have been relegated, and will be joined by Benevento if they fail to beat Crotone at home this weekend.
Bundesliga: Battle for CL places hots up
Borussia Dortmund are not yet assured of Champions League football
The Bundesliga’s penultimate matchday will offer plenty of drama as two of the four Champions League spots are still up for grabs while Bayern Munich’s Robert Lewandowski will attempt to break a record that has stood for almost half a century.
With Bayern already crowned champions last week, attention has shifted to the teams battling for a spot in Europe’s premier club competition next season.
The top four earn an automatic spot in the lucrative Champions League group stage, with Bayern joined by second-placed RB Leipzig, who secured their spot last week after Eintracht Frankfurt drew.
Bayern Munich have already wrapped up their ninth straight Bundesliga triumph
Leipzig, who lost to Borussia Dortmund last week and face them again later on Thursday in the German Cup final, are on 64 points and host third-placed VfL Wolfsburg, four points further back, on Sunday.
The Wolves have been solid throughout the season under coach Oliver Glasner but have fourth-placed Dortmund breathing down their neck on 58 points and Eintracht Frankfurt just a point further back in fifth.
Dortmund have a difficult task ahead when they travel to Mainz 05, who are unbeaten in their last nine league matches – the longest current streak in the Bundesliga.
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Sky Sports News’ Dharmesh Sheth tells Inside Football that four clubs are interested in signing Jadon Sancho this summer, and Manchester United remain keen on the winger.
Frankfurt are still in the running for a top-four spot despite managing just one win in their last four league matches and having been overtaken by Dortmund just last week. They take on already-relegated Schalke 04.
As it stands, Frankfurt and Bayer Leverkusen will qualify for the Europa League group stage in fifth and sixth respectively, while Borussia Monchengladbach sit in seventh, and would qualify for the Europa Conference League play-offs if they remain in that position.
Cologne are battling to stave off relegation, and are two points off Werder Bremen in 15th place, the position of safety. Arminia Bielefeld are one place above Cologne but currently occupy the relegation play-off spot on goal difference.
Ligue 1: Lille close in on title
Lille look set to break PSG’s stranglehold on Ligue 1
It is tight at the top in France, where four teams can still mathematically win the league heading into the final two rounds.
Paris Saint-Germain edged into the Coupe de France final this week by beating Montpellier on penalties – but they are playing catch-up in Ligue 1.
Lille are closing in on their first domestic title in 10 years, with head coach Christophe Galtier’s side three points clear of the Parisians at the summit.
Les Dogues have been top after 18 rounds this season, so to relinquish first place in the final fortnight would come as a major disappointment in what has been a fairy-tale campaign spearheaded by veteran striker Burak Yilmaz.
Neymar and co face missing out on Ligue 1 silverware this season
Lille face St-Etienne this weekend before travelling to take on Angers on the final day while second-placed PSG take on Reims and Brest respectively, with the Coupe de France final sandwiched in between.
Monaco are third, five points behind Lille, while Lyon are one place and a point further back in fourth.
The top two positions qualify automatically for the Champions League while third will enter the competition’s third qualifying round. Lyon in fourth are currently heading for the Europa League group stage, so there’s plenty still at stake.
Further down the league in fifth are Marseille on 56 points, the same number as Lens in sixth, who have an inferior goal difference. Rennes sit seventh on 55 points with the three teams battling it out to snatch fifth place and the Europa Conference League qualifying spot.
At the bottom, Dijon have already been relegated to Ligue 2, where they could be joined this weekend by Nimes should results go against them. Nantes currently sit in 18th place, a point below both Lorient and Strasbourg, as they look to escape the relegation play-offs with a side from Ligue 2.
Who are the winners of Europe’s other leagues?
- Dutch Eredivisie: Ajax
- Portuguese Primeira Liga: Sporting Lisbon
- Russian Premier League: Zenit Saint Petersburg
What is the Europa Conference League?
The inaugural UEFA Europa Conference League begins next season
Liverpool, Tottenham, Everton, Arsenal and several other clubs may find themselves in UEFA’s new Conference League competition next season. But just what is it?
The UEFA Europa Conference League will be the third UEFA club competition and run alongside both the Champions League and Europa League.
The idea behind the Europa Conference League is to give more clubs a taste of European football, particularly sides from countries that struggle to qualify for the other two UEFA competitions. But there’s a spot up for grabs for English clubs, too.
Read in full here
Who will play in Europe next season?
Emile Smith Rowe celebrates with his team-mates after scoring against Chelsea
The European Super League has been quashed but the race is very much on to qualify for the Champions League, Europa League, or the new Europa Conference League.
Here’s how qualification works – and why the Champions League, Europa League, FA Cup and Carabao Cup winners make a difference to those chasing qualification through the Premier League.
It gets a little complicated but keep in mind, the maximum number of English teams in UEFA competitions is seven…
Read the permutations in the Premier League in full
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