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Chris Wright, Toe Poke writer
With a handful of games remaining, the 2022-23 season is drawing to a close across European club football. Two or three rounds remain in most of the continent’s top tiers, and many clubs in England, Spain, Germany, Italy and France have concerns beyond mere final league placings with titles, European qualification and relegation still on the line.
Here’s a quick roundup of exactly what is left to play for in the English Premier League, Spanish LaLiga, German Bundesliga, Italian Serie A and French Ligue 1 at this late stage.
– Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, more (U.S.)
Premier League
Title: It’s official, Manchester City (85 points) are champions for a third straight season after Arsenal (81) lost to Nottingham Forest at the City Ground on Saturday evening.
Champions League: City and the Gunners are locked in and the remaining two UEFA Champions League (UCL) qualification places are all but sewn up, with Newcastle United (69) and Manchester United (69) sitting three points clear of Liverpool (66). Given that Jurgen Klopp’s side only has one game left to play, both Newcastle and United will only need a single point from their two remaining matches to secure Champions League football next season.
Europe: Barring any major collapses from Newcastle and Man United, Liverpool will finish fifth and take one of the two UEFA Europa League (UEL) qualification berths on offer. Sixth-placed Brighton & Hove Albion (58) are the only club capable of overtaking Klopp’s side — by winning their three games in hand, and the Reds losing on the final day. More likely is that the Seagulls will be looking over their shoulder; Aston Villa (58), Tottenham (57) and Brentford (56) could all sneak into sixth place if results go their way. The consolation prize for the team that finishes seventh will be a spot in the UEFA Europa Conference League (UECL).
West Ham United (37) are safe from relegation but could seal a place in the Europa League if they beat Fiorentina in the UECL final.
Relegation: Bottom club Southampton (24) have already had their fate sealed, but it remains to be seen which two of Leicester City (30), Leeds United (31) and Everton (33) will be joining them in the bottom three come the end of the season.
Bundesliga
Title: Bayern Munich (68) and Borussia Dortmund (67) are entrenched in a dramatic two-horse title race as the Bundesliga championship looks like it will go all the way to the wire. Just a single point separates them, as BVB have two games to play and the Bavarians are down to the final matchday. After Bayern lost to RB Leipzig on Saturday, Dortmund can go top of the table with a win at FC Augburg on Sunday.
Dortmund vs. Augsburg, stream live, May 21, 11.30 a.m. ET
Champions League: Nestled beneath the top two, RB Leipzig (63) and Union Berlin (59) will be hoping to earn Champions League qualification. However, the latter can still be pipped by Freiburg (59), who are only behind them on goal difference (-4).
Europe: Freiburg are safe for Europa League in fifth, but Wolfsburg (49) have slipped down to seventh behind Bayer Leverkusen thanks to their fractionally inferior (-1) goal difference. Eintracht Frankfurt (47) or Mainz (45) could also do it, but they are more likely to end up in the UECL. There’s also the equation of the German Cup final between Leipzig and Eintracht. Sixth place in the Bundesliga will only definitely be set for Europa League if Leipzig win; right now it’s UECL. Eintracht may finish outside the top six and qualify by winning it.
Relegation: Hertha Berlin (26) were the first club to be relegated on Saturday while Stuttgart (29), Schalke (31), Bochum (32), and Augsburg (34) are all still very much in danger of the drop. A reminder that the bottom two go down, with the 16th-placed side facing a 2.Bundesliga promotion hopeful in a playoff.
LaLiga
Title: Barcelona (85) were formally anointed LaLiga champions for the first time in four years when they beat neighbours Espanyol 4-2 in the local derby last weekend.
Champions League: Real Madrid (71), Atletico Madrid (69) and Real Sociedad (65) occupy the rest of the top-four slots in the Spanish top flight.
While both Madrid teams look relatively safe with four league fixtures remaining, Real Sociedad are ahead of Villarreal (60) and Real Betis (55).
Europe: As mentioned, Villarreal and Betis will qualify for the Europa League as things stand, with Athletic Club (50) five points adrift. Girona (48) are seven points behind, with Osasuna and Sevilla (47) are then a further point off the pace, though it’s unlikely any will muscle into the equation. They will fight for the UECL instead. Sevilla face Roma in the Europa League final, so they could claim Champions League football if they win it.
Relegation: Adrift at the bottom, Elche (19) were relegated in early May. Above them are Espanyol (31), Getafe (35), and Real Valladolid (35). Other teams clubs sitting precariously above the dotted line include Almeria (39), Celta Vigo (39), Cadiz (38) and Valencia (37).
Serie A
Title: Napoli (83) cantered to their first Scudetto in 33 years after wrapping things up with a pivotal 1-1 draw against Udinese on May 4.
Champions League: Despite a tumultuous campaign both on and off the pitch, Juventus (69) are still lodged in distant second, with Inter Milan (66) and Lazio (65) making up the top four. There are three games to play, but Inter are in the Champions League final vs. Man City and could seal a place by winning that.
Europe: Behind Lazio, fifth-place AC Milan (61) are on course to qualify for the Europa League but could still leapfrog into the Champions League spots if results go their way. Sixth gets a place in the UECL as it stands, with Atalanta (61) and Roma (59) battling it out for that place. Roma have a route to the Champions League through the Europa League final, while eighth-placed Fiorentina have two shots at reaching the Europa League through winning the final of the Coppa Italia (vs. Inter) or the UECL (vs. West Ham). If Inter win the Coppa Italia, sixth will enter the Europa League, while seventh will get the UECL.
Relegation: Bottom club Sampdoria (18) were relegated with four games left to play, though the final two Serie A relegation places remain in flux. Cremonese (24) will need a miracle to save themselves, though Verona (30), Spezia (30) and Lecce (32) can still feasibly play their way out of trouble as only two points separate the three sides.
Ligue 1
Title: Paris Saint-Germain (81) are six points clear of challengers Lens (75) at the top of the table with three games remaining. PSG could be champions on Sunday if Lens slip up against Lorient. Third-placed Marseille (73) would need to win all three and hope PSG lose all three to have a chance.
Champions League: With only three qualification berths up for grabs in the French top flight, it looks like PSG, Lens and Marseille will be taking the honours given the eight-point gulf that has opened up between L’OM and fourth-placed Monaco (65).
Europe: Toulouse have already qualified for the Europa League by winning the Coupe de France. With five points between Monaco and fifth-placed Lille (60), it would take a spectacular capitulation from the former to see them tumble out of the single qualification spot left. But Lille need to hold off Rennes and Lyon (59) for the UECL.
Relegation: Ligue 1 is to be reduced from 20 clubs down to 18 from the 2023-24 season, meaning that four will be relegated this season in order to facilitate the change.
Angers (14), Troyes (22) and Ajaccio (23) are already doomed, though with one point between Nantes (33) and Auxerre (34) it looks like one of the two will end up contesting the fourth relegation spot as Brest (38) and Strasbourg (38) have a gap.