The title races in Europe’s top five leagues are heating up as we reach the defining period in the season.
From unexpected challenges to multi-team title tussles, plenty is going on in Europe’s biggest domestic divisions. Ahead of this weekend’s fixtures, which include mouth-watering clashes between Germany and Spain’s top two, we check in on the title races in Europe’s top five leagues.
Checking in on the title races in Europe’s top five leagues:
Premier League
- Liverpool – 51 points
- Manchester City – 49 points
- Arsenal – 49 points
- Aston Villa – 46 points
- Tottenham – 44 points
Arsenal opened up the Premier League title race with a 3-1 win over Liverpool last weekend, ending the league leader’s 15-game unbeaten run. Just two points separate the top three in the Premier League, with Liverpool top of the table ahead of facing Burnley this weekend.
Manchester City and Arsenal are each two points further back, though the former has a game in hand. Pep Guardiola’s team are chasing a record-breaking fourth title in a row and remain favourites, though the tightness at the top has opened up the prospect of the most exciting race for the Premier League in years.
Aston Villa, five points from the top after exceeding all expectations under Unai Emery, and Tottenham will be hoping to remain in touch.
Bundesliga
- Bayer Leverkusen – 52 points
- Bayern Munich – 50 points
- VfB Stuttgart – 40 points
- Borussia Dortmund – 37 points
- RB Leipzig – 36 points
It’s a two-horse race in the Bundesliga, with Xabi Alonso’s impressive Bayer Leverkusen looking to end Bayern Munich’s stranglehold on the division. Bayern have won a record-breaking 11 league titles on the bounce in Germany, an unprecedented period of dominance. Before their current unbroken run of championships, the record for consecutive Bundesliga titles stood at three.
Leverkusen have been one of the stories of the season, leading the race from the Bavarian behemoth after an incredible transformation under former Bayern midfielder Alonso. Die Schwarzroten are unbeaten in all 30 games this season, both domestically and in Europe.
3️⃣0️⃣ UNBEATEN! 🖤❤️#Bayer04 #Werkself pic.twitter.com/aSU9RkfXQB
— Bayer 04 Leverkusen (@bayer04_en) February 8, 2024
Leverkusen, however, are fighting against the weight of history. The club has never before won the Bundesliga title, despite five runners-up finishes. Their near misses have seen the German outfit nicknamed Neverkusen or Vizekusen (“second-kusen”), which includes a memorable 2001/02 campaign that saw Leverkusen finish as runners-up for the Bundesliga, DFB-Pokal and Champions League.
There will be some celebration should Leverkusen upset the odds to beat a Bayern team strengthened by the record arrival of Harry Kane last summer. The top two meet in a crucial clash at the BayArena this weekend.
La Liga
- Real Madrid – 58 points
- Girona – 56 points
- Barcelona – 50 points
- Atletico Madrid – 48 points
- Athletic Bilbao – 45 points
Could we see an astonishing shock in La Liga this season?
Girona have embarked on an incredible push for the title in the club’s second season since returning to the top division. It’s only Girona’s fourth-ever campaign in La Liga, but Míchel’s men are challenging Spain’s superpowers for the title.
Girona – who are part of the City Group umbrella – have lost just one of their opening 23 games to keep pace with Real Madrid. Their success comes despite losing leading scorer Taty Castellanos to Lazio, Oriol Romeu to Barcelona, and leading defender Santiago Bueno to Wolves in the summer, replacing those exits with some inspired business.
Artem Dovbyk has been a revelation with 14 league goals, while Savio’s performances have seen Manchester City agree a deal to sign the winger at the end of the season.
⚽️ Fewest minutes per goal involvement in La Liga this season (1000+ mins):
🥇 Artem Dovbyk – 70.8 mins
🥈 Jude Bellingham – 101.7 mins
🥉 Álvaro Morata – 102.3 mins
🏅 Antoine Griezmann – 109.6 mins
🏅 Alexander Sørloth – 115.8 mins pic.twitter.com/kRJlluyi30— WhoScored.com (@WhoScored) February 5, 2024
Girona’s only defeat of the season came against Real Madrid in September and the two teams meet again at the Bernabeu this weekend.
Serie A
- Inter – 57 points
- Juventus – 53 points
- AC Milan – 49 points
- Atalanta – 39 points
- Roma – 38 points
Serie A has been the most open of Europe’s top five leagues in recent seasons, with four different champions across the last four campaigns. A new name looks set to be engraved on the title once again this time around, with defending champions Napoli sitting in seventh and 22 points from the summit.
Inter Milan lead the race after a big win over second-placed Juventus last time out, with the Nerazzurri four points clear with a game in hand. Simeone Inzaghi’s side, who reached the Champions League final last season and have been powered by a prolific season from Lautaro Martinez, face a tricky trip to Roma this weekend.
Slightly scrappy, but we’ll certainly take it 😁#ForzaInter #InterJuventus pic.twitter.com/yMSAIBxnH5
— Inter (@Inter_en) February 5, 2024
The fight for Champions League football looks set to be the narrative of the run-in, with only five points separating fourth-placed Atalanta from Lazio in ninth.
Ligue 1
- Paris Saint-Germain – 47 points
- Nice – 39 points
- Brest – 37 points
- Lille – 35 points
- AS Monaco – 35 points
Paris Saint-Germain are cruising towards a 10th title in 12 seasons, with the capital club’s dominance of the division unlikely to be ended anytime soon. PSG are eight points clear at the top, with Kylian Mbappe having scored 20 goals in 18 league starts.
Nice sit second after impressing, boasting a brilliant defensive record with 11 goals conceded in 20 games. Brest, who have not finished in the top half since their return to Ligue 1 in 2019/20, are surprise challengers for Champions League football, two points ahead of Lille and AS Monaco.
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