25/04 - 20:00
Of the six major European leagues, three of them are coming to an end this weekend. The English Premier League, German Bundesliga and Portuguese Primeira Liga will finally conclude at the end of a long, hard and unorthodox season that, lest we forget, had a FIFA World Cup rammed into the middle of it.
With that in mind, this is a look at all of the permutations across those three leagues on the final day and a focus on the matches that really matter this weekend…
BUNDESLIGA
*All matches kick-off at 14:30 on Saturday
BOCHUM vs BAYER LEVERKUSEN
BORUSSIA DORTMUND vs Mainz 05
Borussia Monchengladbach vs AUGSBURG
Cologne vs BAYERN MUNICH
EINTRACHT FRANKFURT vs FREIBURG
RB Leipzig vs SCHALKE 04
STUTTGART vs 1899 HOFFENHEIM
UNION BERLIN vs Werder Bremen
WOLFSBURG vs Hertha Berlin
Heading into the final round of fixtures in the Bundesliga, all nine matches have at least something riding on them and we are in for an absolutely thrilling Saturday afternoon.
So, at the top-of-the-table in what has been a frankly crazy and extremely enjoyable title race, we may well have the first change in the German league winners in a decade. Borussia Dortmund head into the final day at the top and if they hold their nerve with a victory at home to Mainz, who are one of few clubs with nothing to play for this weekend, then they will be champions. Any slip up will allow Bayern Munich to return to the top with a victory at the RheinEnergie Stadion against Cologne.
The top four and the UEFA Champions League spots are not filled just yet, either. The aforementioned Dortmund and Bayern will be in Europe’s elite competition next season, alongside RB Leipzig, but one spot remains. That spot is currently occupied by Union Berlin on 59 points, level with fifth-place Freiburg. Union host Werder Bremen, whilst Freiburg go to still European chasing Eintracht Frankfurt on Saturday. It would be a genuine fairy-tale story for either team to finish in the top four.
One of those sides will miss out and fall into the UEFA Europa League and they will join one of Bayer Leverkusen, Wolfsburg or Eintracht Frankfurt. Xabi Alonso’s Leverkusen, who were UEFA Europa League semi-finalists this season, occupy sixth spot on 50 points. Below them by a point are Wolfsburg so if Leverkusen drop points at relegation battling Bochum, whilst Wolfsburg win at home to already relegated Hertha then Wolfsburg will take the UEL spot and Leverkusen will have to settle for the UEFA Europa Conference League.
They could still be taken over and miss out on Europe altogether by Frankfurt, who face the aforementioned Freiburg, but that would take a major goal difference swing. The more likely route to European qualification for Frankfurt would be hoping Wolfsburg lose at home to Hertha and then a win at home to Freiburg would get them seventh spot. Alternatively, if they beat RB Leipzig in the DFB-Pokal final next weekend than their league position won’t matter anyway.
Down at the bottom, one of the two automatic relegation spots has been sealed with capital city club, Hertha, having been mathematically relegated a couple of weeks ago. Alongside them in the bottom two are Schalke. They go to RB Leipzig on the final day with a draw giving them a chance of finishing above Bochum and in the relegation playoff place but Bochum would have to lose at home to Leverkusen.
The other teams in the battle are Stuttgart and Hoffenheim, who face each other, as well as Augsburg go to mid-table Borussia Monchengladbach. Hoffenheim could finish level on points with third-from-bottom but would have a far better goal difference so will be safe. Augsburg are unlikely to finish in the bottom two due to their goal difference but can finish in the playoff place if they lose and both Bochum and Stuttgart win. A Schalke win, Bochum draw or win and Stuttgart loss would see Stuttgart automatically relegated.
PREMIER LEAGUE
*All matches kick-off at 16:30 on Sunday
Arsenal vs Wolverhampton Wanderers
ASTON VILLA vs Brighton and Hove Albion
BRENTFORD vs Manchester City
Chelsea vs Newcastle United
Crystal Palace vs Nottingham Forest
EVERTON vs AFC Bournemouth
LEEDS UNITED vs TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR
LEICESTER CITY vs West Ham United
Manchester United vs Fulham
Southampton vs Liverpool
With one game of the Premier League season to go, pretty much everything is wrapped up with Manchester City having been crowned champions last weekend. Arsenal and Newcastle United have qualified for the UEFA Champions League with Manchester United requiring a point against either Chelsea or Fulham at home to finish in the top four alongside them. Should they do that then Liverpool will join Brighton and Hove Albion in next season’s UEFA Europa League group stages.
There does remain some intrigue as to who will join those six clubs in European competition next season, though, with seventh spot up for grabs and, as a result, UEFA Europa Conference League qualification. Unai Emery’s Aston Villa occupy that place right now but any slip up at home to Brighton would allow Tottenham to sneak back in if they win at Leeds or even Brentford to earn an unlikely top seven finish with a victory at home to Manchester City.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">🗣️Pep Guardiola: "[Brighton] create 20-25 chances on average a game..."<br><br>🔢Most shots on target in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PL?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#PL</a> this season:<br><br>2⃣2⃣1⃣: ⭐️BRIGHTON⭐️<br>2⃣1⃣2⃣: Man City<br>2⃣0⃣4⃣: Liverpool<br>1⃣9⃣8⃣: Man Utd<br>1⃣9⃣6⃣: Arsenal<br>1⃣9⃣3⃣: Newcastle<br>1⃣9⃣2⃣: Tottenham<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BHAFC?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BHAFC</a> <a href="https://t.co/dOGDz1rlOO">pic.twitter.com/dOGDz1rlOO</a></p>— playmakerstats (@playmaker_EN) <a href="https://twitter.com/playmaker_EN/status/1661313675666370561?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 24, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
The real drama and intrigue, though, comes down at the bottom-of-the-table. Southampton have already filled one of the three relegation spots but two from three will join The Saints this weekend. If Everton win at home to AFC Bournemouth then Leeds and Leicester will be relegated. However, if The Toffees drop points it will allow one of the two to jump out of the bottom three. Leeds host Tottenham and Leicester host West Ham with Leeds reliant on both Everton and Leicester dropping points due to their inferior goal difference.
PRIMEIRA LIGA
*Several different kick off times on Friday, Saturday and Sunday
Rio Ave vs Famalicao (Fri 7pm)
Vizela vs Sporting CP (Fri 9.15pm)
Gil Vicente vs Casa Pia (Sat 12.45pm)
Chaves vs Boavista (Sat 3.30pm)
Estoril vs Maritimo (Sat 3.30pm)
BENFICA vs Santa Clara (Sat 6pm)
Portimonense vs Arouca (Sat 6pm)
PORTO vs Vitoria (Sat 6pm)
Braga vs Pacos de Ferreira (Sat 8.30pm)
Much like the English Premier League, the Portuguese Primeira Liga is coming into its final weekend of the season with little to play for. In fact, the top three and the UEFA Champions League spots are decided with both Benfica and Porto being joined by Braga, breaking up ‘Os Tres Grandes’ (The Big Three).
Sporting CP have had to settle for UEFA Europa League qualification with Arouca joining Vitoria in the UEFA Europa Conference League. Maritimo’s head-to-head record against Pacos de Ferreira means they will finish above them in the relegation playoff place, regardless of the results this weekend, meaning Pacos de Ferreira will join Sanra Clara in the second-tier next season.
The key detail yet to be finalised, though, is the most important one: the league winners. Benfica have been top throughout the campaign but endured a mini mid-April stumble to allow reigning champions Porto to close the gap. Benfica fought back from two down to earn a 2-2 draw at Lisbon rivals Sporting last weekend as they sit just two points clear of Porto. Porto have the better head-to-head record, though, so any Benfica slip up at home to bottom-of-the-table Santa Clara will allow Porto to win the league at home to Vitoria.
