Like the Bundesliga, the top European leagues are also entering the final third of the season. Where is it very exciting? Where has a preliminary decision already been made in the title race? An overview.
England: three-way battle until the end?
This time last year it was a duel in the English top flight. At the time, Arsenal were five points ahead of Manchester City, who eventually overtook the Londoners and won their third title in a row. On matchday 26 of last season, Manchester United were already 14 points behind in third place.
This season it looks like it will be an exciting three-way battle. The leading trio with Liverpool FC, Manchester City and Arsenal FC (each separated by one point) has been playing stably since the beginning of the year. Jürgen Klopp’s Liverpool team have recently won three times, Arsenal six, and City have been unbeaten in eleven games – with nine wins.
Losing is forbidden for each of the three if they are to win the English football championship in the end.
Spain: Real with a cushion heading into the home straight
Only one defeat in 26 games this season: Real Madrid enters the decisive phase of the championship with a comfortable lead of six points. A completely new top club has developed in Spain in FC Girona, which led the league for a long time in the first half of the season.
He shot Girona into the title fight: Artem Dovbyk (already 14 goals this season)
But recently the club from the northeast gave up. Two defeats and a draw in a row and the “Royals” promptly pulled away. On Monday (February 26, 2024) we at least got back on the road to success with a smooth home win against Rayo Vallecano. So does FC Barcelona remain the most dangerous hunter? After an overall less than masterful season, Barca have been more successful in terms of results in recent weeks – four wins, one draw.
Italy: Inter unstoppable
Inter Milan is the measure of all things in Serie A. This year, coach Simone Inzaghi’s team won all games in the championship and cup, and even beat Atletico Madrid in the first leg of the round of 16 of the Champions League (1-0).
If the catch-up game on Wednesday (February 28, 2024) against fifth-placed Atalanta Bergamo also results in a three-pointer for Real, the lead over their pursuers Juventus Turin would have increased to twelve points. A cushion that Inter would probably not be able to take away and would then bring the Scudetto back to Milan after three years.
France: Paris Saint Germain
Like Real Madrid and Inter Milan, Paris Saint-Germain has only lost one championship game this season. The lead over the runner-up has grown to eleven points. This is Stade Brest, the big surprise team in Ligue 1, which could qualify for the Champions League for the first time ever.
But the championship title will probably go back to the capital. It would be the sixth of the last seven years for the subscription master from Paris, which is heavily financed with billions in Qatar.
Türkiye: Head-to-head race in the Süperlig
Things couldn’t be more exciting in the Turkish Süperlig, as champions Galatasaray and cup winners Fenerbahce, the dominant teams of recent years, are once again engaged in an incredibly exciting race for the championship.
With eleven game days to go, “Gala” (72) is two points ahead of rivals Fenerbahce (70 points). Crazy: There is a gap of 24 points to third place, currently Trabzonspor. This shows the balance of the Turkish league, apart from the top duo. Seventh-placed Basaksehir is just eight points clear of the first relegation spot, which is occupied by Konyaspor.
Portugal: High tension in the Primeira Liga
In Portugal, the championship trophy will probably end up in the capital again. Just like in Turkey, two clubs are in a close duel in the southwest of the continent. Benfica is currently two points ahead again, but only because their opponents Sporting made a mistake last weekend at relegation candidate Rio Ave and only achieved a draw.
Tense look on the sidelines of Benfica Lisbon: coach Roger Schmidt
However, Sporting still has a catch-up game in hand and could move past Benfica with a win. FC Porto, the champions of 2020 and 2022, who are currently nine points behind Roger Schmidt’s Benfica, are likely to be left behind again.
Netherlands: PSV Eindhoven masterfully
PSV Eindhoven has not lost a game in the Netherlands this season. Former BVB coach Peter Bosz’s team scored 65 points out of a possible 69 points. That smells like the championship, which Eindhoven has been waiting for for six years.
Last season Feyenoord won the title, but this time Rotterdam are already ten points behind – with eleven match days left. Third is Twente Enschede, 18 points behind PSV.