The football season restarts after the international break – and here’s Cricket Soccer’s predictions on the shake up and shake down of Europe’s Big Five
Premier League
Title race – It has been over for a while now, with Pep Guardiola ready to be crowned a Premier League winner with Manchester City. It’s a matter of when rather than who.
Prediction – Manchester City champions
Champions League race – Manchester United are currently safely in second place with Liverpool, Tottenham and Chelsea looking to grab the remaining two spots. Chelsea play Tottenham this weekend, then Spurs host Man City in two weeks time. Chelsea v Liverpool on the second last day of the season could be vital.
Prediction – Manchester United, Liverpool, Chelsea
Relegation battle – Crystal Palace are out of trouble for now, West Ham are heading straight into it. Brighton, Newcastle, Swansea and Huddersfield need to be very careful, as Stoke City and Southampton will fight until the very end. Almost impossible for West Bromwich Albion.
Prediction – West Ham, Stoke City, West Brom
"It's getting closer and closer!"@LeroySane19 sounds off with @Dugout on the team's and his season so far! ➡ https://t.co/f0jq6AQWo1 #mancity pic.twitter.com/xlW3tnwKKv
— Manchester City (@ManCity) March 30, 2018
La Liga
Title race – There are 11 points separating Barcelona and Atletico Madrid: safe to say that the trophy will return to Catalunya this season after a trip to Madrid last year.
Prediction – Barcelona champions
Champions League race – Valencia, who currently sit in fourth, are 12 points ahead of Villarreal. The Spanish teams in next year’s edition of the Champions League are pretty much set in stone.
Prediction – Atletico Madrid, Real Madrid, Valencia
Relegation battle – Malaga are bottom with just 14 points, Deportivo have 20, Las Palmas 21. And six points separate the latter from Levante. Difficult to see anything changing here, but Levante, Alaves and Real Sociedad need to be careful.
Prediction – Las Palmas, Deportivo, Malaga
There's no rest in April! A packed fixture list lies ahead, with plenty at stake in three competitions! ???#ForçaBarça https://t.co/4WfeGHzlsc
— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) March 30, 2018
Bundesliga
Title race – Bayern Munich are champions. We’re just all waiting for it to be official.
Prediction – Bayern Munich
Champions League race – Six teams are within six points of each other and battling it out for the remaining three places for next year’s Champions League. Schalke are inevitably favourites, as they are top of this group with Borussia Dortmund, but RB Leipzig, Eintracht Frankfurt and Bayer Leverkusen are all in a huge battle for the final spot.
Prediction – Schalke, Dortmund, Eintracht
Relegation battle – Hamburg and Köln will struggle to stay up, then the fight is on to avoid the play-off. Wolfsburg and Mainz are currently both on 25, Freiburg more safely on 30.
Prediction – Wolfsburg, Köln, Hamburg
? #Heynckes: "It's important that we got ourselves into this position in the #Bundesliga despite trailing by five points, which is a fantastic achievement." #FCBBVB #MiaSanMia pic.twitter.com/tQyhHHwkL5
— FC Bayern English (@FCBayernEN) March 30, 2018
Serie A
Title race – Easily the most exciting race in Europe, with just two points separating Juventus from Napoli. The Scudetto is in the hands of either team at the moment: whoever wins them al their gamesl will be crowned champions. Crucial, of course, to see who comes out on top after the clash at the Allianz Stadium on 22 April.
Prediction – Juventus champions
Champions League race – Very difficult to tell who will make the two remaining spots: Roma are now ahead, Inter and Lazio are also battling it out with AC Milan hoping to catch up. A lot of direct clashes to come, including the Milan derby, the Rome derby and Lazio-Inter on 20th May.
Prediction – Napoli, Roma, Lazio
Relegation battle – Benevento are out of the picture – putting miracles aside – but there are seven teams within eight points, from Hellas Verona on 22 to Genoa on 30. Everyone needs to be very careful.
Prediction – Crotone, Hellas Verona, Benevento
? | Full speed ahead towards #JuveMilan! ???#ForzaJuve pic.twitter.com/CBHLHxWYMN
— JuventusFC (@juventusfcen) March 28, 2018
Ligue 1
Title race – Paris Saint-Germain 83 points, Monaco 66. The title returns to the Parisians after a season in Monaco.
Prediction – Paris Saint-Germain
Champions League race – Monaco should have already locked down the second spot, but the battle for third is as open as ever after Lyon beat Marseille recently. Two points separate the two Ligue 1 giants to get that last spot for next year’s Champions League.
Prediction – Monaco, Marseille, Lyon
Relegation battle – Metz already seem in Ligue 2, then it is mayhem. Eight teams are crammed within seven points, from Lille in 19th on 28, to Angers, Caen and Guingamp, on 35. The bottom two go straight down, the third last has to go for a two-legged play off with the third from Ligue 2.
Prediction – Strasbourg, Lille, Metz
? International break and all, the PSG squad was back in training today ? pic.twitter.com/mAYTVDqJuD
— Paris Saint-Germain (@PSG_English) March 21, 2018
