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European Leagues Title Races: How they currently stand

The Premier League title race looks like it's going to go right to the wire. But for a fair propo...



European Leagues Title Races:...
Soccer

European Leagues Title Races: How they currently stand

The Premier League title race looks like it's going to go right to the wire. But for a fair proportion of the European leagues it appears to be a foregone conclusion.

Let's start with title races that are more or less wrapped up.

Foregone Conclusions

That's the case in La Liga where Barcelona are still well on course for a 10th league title this Millennium despite their second string failing to beat bottom side Huesca.

However, Barca are still nine points clear of Atletico Madrid, who they beat 2-0 the previous weekend, pretty much sealing the title.

Juventus should have sealed their eighth Serie title in a row at the weekend. But a weakened side with an eye on a second leg against Ajax fell to a 2-1 loss at SPAL.

But it's only a matter of time and a point at home against Fiorentina on Saturday will end all arguments.

It was clearly a strange weekend for dominant teams trying to seal titles given what happened to PSG on Sunday night. They would have sealed the Ligue 1 crown last weekend, only for a draw at home to Strasbourg when Eric Choupo-Moting's inexplicable and clumsy block on his team-mates' goal-bound shot would have secured victory and the title.

And then on Sunday, second-placed Lille thrashed the 10-men of PSG 5-1, postponing the title party once again.

Surely, they'll wrap it up with their game-in-hand against Nantes on Wednesday though. A point in that game will put them 18 points clear and with six games to go, that will be that.

Also in Greece, PAOK Salonika are on the verge of their first title since 1985. They could have won it this weekend but drew at Larissa. However, a win next week at home to second-bottom Levadiakos will end their 34-year wait for Greek SuperLeague glory.

Literally neck and neck

But while Spain, Italy and France are done and dusted, there are title races that are very much alive. Indeed, most of them are incredibly tight. Take the Netherlands for example, where a talented Ajax have hauled back PSV. The Eredivisie now has Ajax top on goal difference ahead of their rivals from Eindhoven with just four games to go.

The momentum has been with Ajax in recent weeks but they've also got the Champions League to worry about for another week at least. Similarly, Portugal's Primeira Liga is also on a knife-edge.

Benfica lead but it's a head-to-head advantage over FC Porto. Both clubs also have European commitments this week as well as an added distraction. But Benfica's run-in looks slightly more straightforward, given that Porto host fellow Big Three member Sporting Lisbon at the Dragao on the final match-week.

Bundesliga and Super Lig

Bayern Munich took slight control in Germany last weekend when they thrashed Borussia Dortmund 5-0. But both clubs won at the weekend to keep that one point gap where it was.

There are just five games to go and both Bayern and BVB have tricky fixtures. Bayern still have to face RB Leipzig away, as well as high-flying Eintracht Frankfurt. Meanwhile, Dortmund host the Rivierderby against an albeit struggling Schalke, before visiting Europe-chasing Borussia Monchengladbach.

The momentum is with Bayern but one slip from either of the Top Two may well be enough to decide the race.

Also in Turkey, who we covered tangentially last week, Istanbul Basaksehir's lead is slowly being whittled down. Had they beaten Besiktas on Saturday, the relatively new club would have gone nine points clear before Galatasaray's Istanbul derby against Fenerbahce.

Instead, Basaksehir lost but fortunately for them, Galatasaray failed to beat 10-men Fenerbahce, with a draw leaving a five point gap between Super Lig leaders Basaksehir and leading chaser Galatasaray.

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