Clubs Battle To Secure Spots in EUFA Champions League
By Tanko Bauka
As major leagues across the world wind down for the current season, the intentions of some clubs to play continental football next season, especially the most glamorous and exciting football competition, the UEFA Champions League, are still pending as they still need to navigate through the final match of their various leagues.
The English Barclays Premier League is still tense as Newcastle United, Chelsea, Aston Villa, Manchester City and Nottingham Forest all have a chance to qualify for a spot, as there are still three spots p for grabs.
Liverpool FC, the Champions, and Arsenal, in the second position, have already been guaranteed a Champions League place.
Aston Villa, Chelsea and Nottingham Forest during the weekend defeated their opponents to further boost their chances with Manchester City not playing because of their involvement in the final of the FA Cup where they were beaten by an Ebereche Eze of Crystal Palace lone goal to lift the trophy and a major trophy for the first time in the club’s history.
Aston Villa beat Tottenham Hotspur 2-0 while Chelsea pipped Manchester United 1-0, and Newcastle United lost 1-0 to Arsenal at the Emirate stadium in London.
Nottingham Forest travelled to the Olympic Stadium in London and defeated their host West Ham United 2-1.
So as it stands, Newcastle United are on 66 points, Chelsea 66 points, Aston Villa 66 points, Manchester City 68 points and Nottingham Forest also on 65 points going into the final match this weekend.
Manchester City, after the disappointing result against Crystal Palace in the FA Cup final, shift their attention to their rescheduled match against AFC Bournemouth on Tuesday and in an emotional match to bid club legend and one of the game finest, Kevin De Bruyne dispatch their opponent 3-1 and move above Newcastle United to the third position as they seek to return to the Elite clubs competition next season.
One interesting thing is that all five club sides will do everything humanly possible to avoid finishing fifth as they will relinquish the fifth spot to the team that won the Europa League between Manchester United or Tottenham Hotspur.
As the battle for a Champions League place hots up, the battle to avoid relegation in the premier league has already been settled as Leicester City, Ipswich Town and Southampton have all been relegated to the championship.
In the Spanish LA Liga, the Champion FC Barcelona were beaten 3-2 by Villarreal, which themselves are chasing a Champions League place, while Real Madrid beat Sevilla 2-0 with Kylian Mbappe on the score sheet as Atletico Madrid also cemented their position in the third place by humbling Real Betis 4-1.
Real Sociedad defeated Girona 3-2; Valencia lost 1-0 to Athletic Bilbao, and Osasuna beat Espanyol 2-0.
FC Barcelona, Real Madrid, and Atletico Madrid have all been guaranteed a place going into the last and final matches this weekend, and the battle for the remaining one spot is going to be contested between Athletic Bilbao on 70 points and Villarreal on 67 points while Laganes, Las Palmas and Real Valladolid have all been relegated.
In the Italian Serie A, there is going to be a photo finish to determine who is crowned the Champion between Napoli and Inter Milan, who both were held to a goalless draw by Parma and Lazio, respectively.
Inter Milan, on 78 points, play out a two-all draw with Lazio on 65 points and Parma, on 33 points, frustrating Napoli on 79 points to a goalless draw going into the final match in the Serie A this weekend.
So also, the battle for the two remaining spots for the Champions League place is looking very interesting as three teams, Juventus 67 points, AS Roma 66 points, and Lazio 65, are all in the mix.
In the relegation battle, drama awaits football fans as Parma at 33 points, Lecce at 31 points, Empoli at 31 points and Venezia at 29 points will all play the game of their life this weekend to avoid relegation.
However in the German Bundesliga Bayern Munich, Bayer Leverkusen, Eintracht Frankfurt and Borussia Dortmund have all secured a place in next year Champions League competition while Holstein Kiel and VFL Bochum relegated with Heidenheim’s fate still hanging as they await a playoff to secure their Bundesliga place.
Results across Europe
English Barclay Premier League
Aston Villa 2- Tottenham 0
Chelsea 1- Manchester United 0
Everton 2- Southampton 0
West Ham 1- Nothingham 2
Brentford 2- Fulham 3
Leicester 2- Ipswich Town 0
Arsenal 1- Newcastle 0
Brighton 3- Liverpool 2
Manchester City 3- AFC Bournemouth 1
Crystal Palace 4- Wolves 2
Spanish LA Liga
Atletico Madrid 4- Real Betis 1
Barcelona FC 2- Villarreal 3
Celta Vigo 0- Rayo Vallacano 2
Valencia 0- Athletic Bilbao 1
Mallorca 1- Gatafe 2
Real Sociedad 3 Girona 2
Sevilla 0- Real Madrid 2
Real Valladolid 0- Deportivo 1
Las Palmas 0- Laganes 1
Osasuna 2- Espanyol 0
Italian Serie A
Genoa 2- Atalanta 3
Cagliari 3- Venezia 0
Fiorentina 2- Bologna 2
Hellas Verona 1- Como 1
Inter Milan 2- Lazio 2
Juventus 2- Udinese 0
Lacce 1- Torino 0
AC Monza 1- Empoli 3
Parma 0- Napoli 0
AS Roma 3- AC Milan 1
German Bundesliga
Mainz 05 2- Leverkusen 2
RB Leipzig 2- Stuttgart 3
Hoffenheim 0- Bayern Munich 4
SC Freiburg 0- Frankfurt 3
Heidenheim 1- Werder Bremen 4
Monchenglabach 0- Wolfsburg 1
FC Augsburg 1- Union Berlin 2
FC St Pauli 0- VFL Bochum 2
Dortmund 3- Holstein Kiel 0
