With just weeks remaining of the season, the titles are being decided across Europe. PSG may have secured the Ligue 1 title at a canter, but Juventus were only crowned Serie A champions on Monday. Napoli’s failure to overcome Roma at the Olimpico saw the Old Lady win her fifth successive Scudetti with Max Allegri’s side now boasting an unassailable 12-point lead at the summit of Italy’s top tier with three games to play.
They could both be joined by Leicester City and Bayern Munich this weekend, as victory for the pair would see them secure Premier League and Bundesliga glory, respectively. Leicester were helped largely by Tottenham’s 1-1 draw with West Brom at White Hart Lane on Monday night, with the north London side now the only other team that can leapfrog the Foxes into top spot in England’s top tier this term.
However, with three games remaining and seven points between Leicester and Spurs, it’s the former’s to lose coming into the last stretch of the season. Leicester travel to Old Trafford on Sunday to face off against Manchester United, who themselves are still gunning for a top-four finish. After securing a spot in the FA Cup final at Everton’s expense on Saturday, United will hope to draw confidence from victory to delay Leicester’s title celebrations.
Incidentally, only Leicester (39) have won more home Premier League points than United (37) this season, while Louis van Gaal’s side have won their last six home league outings, the current longest home winning streak in the league. Moreover, United have conceded the fewest home goals (7) in the Premier League this season. They may not be the most aesthetically pleasing side, but Van Gaal’s made the team a resolute defensive outfit, particularly at home.
Leicester, though, aren’t to be underestimated, as this season has shown. Claudio Ranieri has worked wonders to steer the Foxes to the Premier League’s summit, with Leicester winning more points on the road (37) than any other team in the top flight of English football. The absence of Jamie Vardy is of course a blow, but Leonardo Ulloa proved to be a commendable stand in in the 4-0 trouncing of Swansea last week.
Riyad Mahrez will also be brimming with confidence on the back of his PFA Player of the Year award win, with the Algerian eager to add to his 10 WhoScored man of the match accolades this term. A draw may be enough to see them secure the title this bank holiday weekend, with Tottenham travelling to Chelsea on Monday night, though Ranieri will be keen to see Leicester lift the trophy with victory at Old Trafford on Sunday.
In Germany, meanwhile, it’s somewhat easier for Bayern to land domestic glory on Saturday, with Pep Guardiola’s side hosting Borussia Monchengladbach on Saturday afternoon. Gladbach remain in the hunt for Champions League football this season, but there away form leaves a lot to be desired. Only Wolfsburg (10) and Eintracht Frankfurt (9) have gained fewer points away from home than Gladbach (11) in the Bundesliga this season.
Andre Schubert’s side haven’t won an away game in the league since the end of October and they are unlikely to turn their fortunes around at the Allianz Arena. Bayern have won 14 of their 15 home league games this season, their only defeat coming in a surprise 2-1 reverse at the hands of Mainz 05. Guardiola will undoubtedly have one eye on the midweek second leg Champions League meeting with Atletico Madrid, who secured a 1-0 win at the Calderon on Wednesday, but Guardiola will not allow his players’ focus to drop coming into the meeting with Gladbach.
Atletico will be in a similar position with thoughts cast towards their trip to Germany, but with Los Colchoneros facing off against Rayo Vallecano at the weekend, Diego Simeone knows a win is the minimum requirement. The Madrid side, rivals Real Madrid and Barcelona are separated by only one point at the top of La Liga, with the latter top on account of their superior head-to-head record with Atletico.
All three teams are aware that, whoever blinks first in this stare off, will likely miss out on the Primera Division title, though Atletico have arguably the easier fixture of the trio this weekend. Real Betis have lost only one of their last six home league games and will make things difficult for Barcelona, while Real Sociedad recently prolonged Barcelona’s poor record at the Anoeta. La Real will been eager to add another scalp at Real Madrid’s expense on Saturday.
While La Liga won’t be decided this weekend, chances are the Premier League and Bundesliga will see their champions elected by the time Leicester and Bayern’s respective matches come to an end.
