SOCCER
Who will be crowned champions in Europe’s major soccer leagues?
We’ve reached the final stretch of the 2023-24 season with just a handful of games outstanding in each major league.
Following Bayer Leverkusen securing their first ever Bundesliga title under the guidance of Xabi Alonso and thus bring an end to Bayern Munich’s eleven seasons of domination, on Monday night the spotlight moved to Italy and with the Serie A title the next to be decided in Europe’s top five domestic football leagues (England, Spain, Germany, Italy and France).
A 2-1 win at San Siro against city rivals AC Milan saw Internazionale crowned Italian champions for the twentieth time. The win marks the ‘nerazzurro’ outfit’s second league title in four seasons, taking the scudetto back from Napoli after AC Milan won their 19th scudetto in the 2020-21 season. Both Milan giants trail Juventus in the overall stakes with the Torino side the most successful side in Italy with 37 league wins.
Ligue 1: PSG on the cusp
Just four games remain in Ligue 1 and PSG are odds on to record another Ligue 1 win. The Parisian outfit just need a win or even a draw in their next game against relegation threatened Le Havre this weekend to bag their third consecutive league title and 12th in the club’s history. Monaco, PSG’s closest pursuers trail by 11 points but are set to secure a Champions League place along with surprise package Brest.
Madrid eye LaLiga No. 37
With a dramatic late Jude Bellingham winner last Sunday, Real Madrid secured maximum points in their El Clasico win over FC Barcelona and are clear favourites to bag the 2023-24 LaLiga title.
Madrid fans have already started the countdown to sing ‘We Are the Champions’ after winning El Clásico with the result leaving Xavi’s side 11 points behind their title rivals with 18 to play for, making a comeback a near impossibility.
Seven points in the remaining games for Ancelotti’s side are all that are required with matches coming up against: Real Sociedad (A), Cadiz (H), Granada (A), Alaves (A), Villarreal (H), Betis (A) on the cards.
Down to the wire in England
Anyone looking for a bona-fide title race, should look no further than the English Premier League with three teams still very much in contention.
Four games remain in the Premier League (five for City), as Arsenal, Man City and Liverpool all hope that the title will be heading to the Etihad Stadium trophy room.
Liverpool’s title ambitions did take a dent this midweek with a Merseyside derby loss to Everton with Arsenal and ruthless in their wins over Chelsea and Brighton respectively.
The title is City’s to lose and Pep Guardiola knows that if his side win their outstanding five games, no matter what their direct rivals do, City will secure a third successive Premier League trophy.
Liverpool fixtures
27 April: West Ham (A)
5 May: Spurs (A)
13 May: Aston Villa (A)
19 May: Wolves (H)
Arsenal fixtures
28 April: Spurs (A)
4 May: Bournemouth (H)
12 May: Man United (A)
19 May: Everton (H)