Born in the south east of Ireland, Simon put his life-long love of football to good use when he started a successful independent blog in 2010. That opened up an alternative route to a career in journalism, and having had work published across a number of sites and publications, Simon joined the staff at Spotlight Sports Group in 2018.
While several of Europe’s domestic leagues have already downed tools and finished their work for the 2019/20 season, there are still a number of competitions across the continent inching towards the climax of their respective campaigns.
With just a smattering of fixtures left to contest in each division, the fast approaching final shake up in terms of positions and points has yet to be fully determined, and with so many permutations to keep track of, we thought it would be a good idea to compile a rundown of what could still happen across Europe’s domestic championships between now and the end of the season.
You can find out what’s still left to play for around Europe’s major leagues below, and remember – we’ll be covering all of the action extensively with match previews and free betting tips on our football predictions page.
Spain La Liga
The title race
With a four-point lead at the summit of the La Liga table and just two fixtures left to navigate, Real Madrid already have one hand on what would be their first Spanish title since 2017.
Los Blancos, in the midst of a sensational nine-match winning streak, can clinch top spot if they win their 10th successive fixture at Villarreal’s expense on Thursday in Madrid.
Long-serving French striker Karim Benzema will hope to get among the goals in the capital this week. The 32-year-old, on 19 goals for the season, is three shy of Lionel Messi’s current total in the battle to win this year’s Pichichi Trophy.
European qualification
Barcelona, Sevilla and Atletico Madrid already have La Liga’s remaining Champions League qualification berths sewn up, though the race to secure the Europa League spots behind them is still running.
Villarreal, 5th with 57 points, and Getafe, 6th with 54 points, are currently in the driving seat for the division’s two UEL qualification positions, but with just a four-point spread between Getafe and Granada in 10th – a number of scenarios could still play out.
Real Sociedad in 7th, finish their season with tough games against Sevilla and Atletico Madrid, while Athletic Bilbao in 8th close out their campaign with matches against Leganes and Granada.
9th placed Valencia meanwhile, play Espanyol and Sevilla in their two remaining games, while Granada must negotiate a trip to Mallorca before their final fixture against at home to Athletic Club.
In terms of form, all six of the aforementioned competitors have struggled for consistency of late – though we think a talented young Real Sociedad side could grab a top six finish at the death.
Battle for survival
Espanyol’s demotion to the Spanish second tier has already long been confirmed, while Mallorca and Leganes must over come four-point deficits inside their remaining couple of fixtures to secure the latest of great escapes.
Leganes, with final fixtures against Real Betis and champions elect Real Madrid, look right up against it, though Mallorca, who finish with matches against Granada and Osasuna, might yet pull a miracle out of the bag.
We’ll be covering all of the remaining Spanish action in detail with free betting tips on our La Liga predictions page.
Italy Serie A
The title race
With a six-point lead over Atalanta at the top of the Serie A standings, a game in hand to come, and just six matches left to play this season, serial winners Juventus look almost home and hosed in Italy, with their 9th straight Italian title now looking a formality.
Below them, the incredibly exciting and free-scoring La Dea will hope to land what would be a richly deserved spot as the country’s second-best team, ahead of Inter and Lazio in 3rd and 4th place respectively.
Powered by the goals of the relentlessly prolific Cristiano Ronaldo, Juventus have been a cut above the rest in Serie A again this term however, and the Old Lady’s stranglehold over the domestic game in Italy doesn’t look like loosening any time soon.
European qualification
Juventus, Atalanta, Inter and Lazio already have the top four places in Serie A locked down this season, with an enormous 14 point gap already opened up between the Biancocelesti in 4th and their city rivals Roma in 5th.
However, the skirmish to land one of the league’s two Europa League qualification spots still holds plenty of interest, with just four points separating the Giallorossi from AC Milan in 7th.
A battle-hardened Napoli, currently in 6th spot, will go head-to-head against the other members of the aforementioned UEL targeting trio across the league’s final six rounds of fixtures.
Milan, who face Parma, Bologna, Sassuolo, Atalanta, Sampdoria and Cagliari, look to have a slightly easier run in than their other top six rivals, and could force their way up the table before the final ball is kicked.
Battle for survival
Both SPAL and Brescia, locked in bottom and second bottom respectively, will already be preparing for life in Serie B next season, though one from Lecce, Genoa, Torino, Udinese and Sampdoria will drop down with them before the end of the summer.
Lecce in 18th, need just one more point to draw level with Genoa just above the drop zone, and while Torino, Udinese and Sampdoria have a little extra wiggle room to play with, they all have work to do to save their Serie A skins.
Torino, who lost 10 of their last 13 Serie A fixtures since January 18, look particularly vulnerable, and with their form relegation worthy, they could yet sink into the bottom three.
You can find out latest Italian football betting tips and match previews over on our Serie A predictions page.
Portugal Primeira Liga
The title race
After a title tussle littered with unexpected results and surprising upsets, Porto seem to have finally secured a grip on the Primeira Liga silverware, after a sequence where they capitalised on several Benfica slip-ups to open up a five-point advantage over their traditional rivals.
On Wednesday evening, the 28-times champions can land their 29th title by taking just a point at home to Sporting Lisbon – a result that would see them wrestle the championship back from Benfica having relinquished it last year.
European qualification
2nd placed Benfica, a full 12 points clear of Sporting CP in 3rd, have already secured their passage to the Champions League pre-tournament qualification stages for next season, with Europa League participation a worthy money-spinning consolation prize for los Leões.
Sporting Braga in 4th spot, will hope to join Sporting in next season’s UEL, though they must hold off a challenge from surprise packages Famalicao to land their place.
Battle for survival
The battle to stay afloat in the murky relegation waters looks set to provide the most fascinating closing chapter of the Primeira Liga this season.
Bottom club Desportivo Aves’ fate was sealed a while ago, though one from Vitória Setúbal, Tondela, Portimonense and Belenenses will be demoted with them before next season commences.
Just a single point separates Belenenses in 14th from Vitória Setúbal in 17th, with Tondela and Portimonense sandwiched in between – and with just three fixtures left to complete, futures, careers and finances are all on the line.
Belenenses have what could prove a pivotal game in hand over their near rivals, though an away trip to play Sporting Braga is hardly a gimme.
Incredibly, Belenenses travel to play Vitória Setúbal on the final weekend of the 2019/20 season, and both teams fate could be decided that day at the Estádio do Bonfim.
We’ll have extensive coverage of all the goings on in Portugal including match previews and betting tips on our Primeira Liga predictions page.
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