European Football Season is Winding Down

While we here in America are only just now starting our soccer season, European football leagues are drawing to a close. The major leagues only have two to four games left and only the Champions League Final in Madrid remains for cup competition. The four biggest leagues all have very intriguing races for their respective domestic titles, so let's shift across the Atlantic for some good old football, fútbol, calcio, and fußball (depending on your nation/league of choice).

The Barclay’s Premier League title was thought to be Chelsea’s to lose after a late season win over Manchester United at Old Trafford, and it’s possible that they could do just that. The Blues soon fell to Tottenham Hotspur, allowing United to creep back within a single point at the top of the table. United did drop two out of a possible three points in a draw against Blackburn Rovers that could have brought them level with Chelsea, but the remaining schedule is favorable. The Red Devils’ remaining games are against two middle of the table teams, playing at Sunderland followed by a home date with Stoke City, whom Chelsea recently demolished 7-0. Chelsea, on the other hand, must face an inhospitable crowd at Anfield against Liverpool before a meeting with Wigan Athletic. It should be safe to assume that United come out victorious in both of their remaining fixtures (even without Wayne Rooney), and Chelsea come out on top against lowly Wigan, so that leaves Chelsea match with Liverpool to likely decide the Premiership. As already mentioned, Chelsea recovered nicely after their stumble against Blackburn, and Liverpool haven’t been in the greatest form as of late. But Liverpool are still one of the best teams in England, so look for that game to offer plenty of drama and excellent football.

Arsenal once had dreams of contending for the title, but back-to-back defeats to Tottenham and Wigan and a draw with Manchester City have the Gunners left firmly in third position. After them however, are a cluster of teams fighting for the final Champion’s League spot. Tottenham and Aston Villa both have 64 points, Manchester City have 63, and Liverpool sit furthest with 62. Both Tottenham and City have a game in hand. But City must face both Villa and Spurs, making their path more difficult than the other contenders. The bright side, though, is that both of those matches are at home. Tottenham, however, still control their destiny as they sit above the rest and have a game in hand.

Despite the well-chronicled failures of the world’s most expensive team, Real Madrid are still very much in contention against rivals Barcelona in La Liga. Separated by a solitary point in the table with four matches to go each. Barca’s remaining games include road visits against Villarreal and Sevilla, balanced with home matches against relegation-threatened Tenerife and Valladolid. In contrast, Madrid’s toughest match is against current fourth place holder Mallorca, the rest of the games being against Athletic Bilbao, Osasuna (middling teams) and Malaga (barely staving off relegation).

Italy’s Serie A also has four games left, with Internazionale Milan and AS Roma battling it out for the top spot. Inter currently holds a two point advantage over Roma, and with similar schedules to end the year, that lead may hold the rest of the way out.

Over in Germany, Bayern Munich and Schalke 04 are all tied up with only two games remaining. But fortune is smiling on Bayern right now. Having reserved their spot in Madrid for Champions League, they face two teams at the very bottom of the Bundesliga table in VfL Bochum and Hertha Berlin. Schalke, meanwhile, must face third place Werder Bremen along with Mainz. Munich is also +13 over Schalke in goal differential at the moment, if it were to come down to that.

I know that it is nary impossible to watch these games here in the U.S., you should stay connected at the very least to the scores from across the pond, as these races are sure to come down to the wire. And don’t forget to tune in on May 22 at 1:30 CT on FOX (that’s right, international soccer on broadcast television) as Bayern Munich takes on Inter in the Champions League Final from Madrid’s Santiago Bernabéu Stadium.

(Note: This is the first post inspired by reader email, thanks to Eric Hume. If you have any other suggestions, or just comments or questions, we'll be sure to try to get to them. Email us at bencrookexperience@gmail.com or write on our Facebook page.)