Serie A MAY HAVE TO PLAY PLAY -OFF
Liverpool and PSG have officially won the Premier League and Ligue 1 (France). The Bundesliga (Germany) championship is considered to belong to Bayern Munich while Barcelona has a big advantage over Real Madrid in La Liga (Spain). Thus, Serie A (Italy) is the only place among the top 5 European national championships where the championship race is still tense.
Arsenal (right) lost 0-1 to PSG in the first leg of the semi-final at home
PHOTO: REUTERS
Napoli are three points ahead of Inter with three games remaining. If the two sides are level on points at the end of the race, then according to Italian football rules, Napoli and Inter will have to play a play-off on a neutral ground. If the match is tied after 90 minutes, it will go to penalties (no extra time). The only time Serie A has needed a play-off to decide the championship was in the 1963-64 season (Bologna beat Inter 2-0).
Serie A is also where the race for Champions League spots is very tense. Inter and Napoli will have the first two spots. Atalanta is dominating. The race for the last spot will be fierce between Juventus, Bologna, Roma, Lazio, Fiorentina.
Similarly, the race for Champions League spots in the Premier League is also taking place enthusiastically between Manchester City, Newcastle, Chelsea, Nottingham Forest, Aston Villa (5 teams, choose 3). In this tournament, the first 2 Champions League spots are considered to belong to Liverpool and Arsenal.
The Spanish King's Cup has been won by Barcelona. The remaining cup competitions have all reached the final threshold. These are the finals PSG - Reims (France), Crystal Palace - Manchester City (England), Bologna - AC Milan (Italy), and Arminia Bielefeld - Stuttgart (Germany).
England football dominates 3 EUROPEAN CUPS
In the 3 European Cups, English football still has 4 representatives competing in the semi-finals. It is almost certain that the Europa League final will take place between two English teams, Tottenham and MU.
Tottenham (leading 3-1) will only need to be a little cautious when they visit Bodo/Glimt in the second leg of the semi-final this week. MU are confident after winning 3-0 at Athletic Bilbao. Thus, the 6th place in the Champions League next season for English football will belong to the winner of the Europa League final.
Chelsea are assured of a place in the Conference League final, having won the first leg of their semi-final 4-1 at Djurgarden. They will face either Betis or Fiorentina (Betis lead 2-1 ahead of the second leg). It is unlikely, but if Arsenal can turn things around at PSG in the second leg of their Champions League semi-final this week, English football will be in all three European finals. Arsenal lost the first leg at home 0-1. Neither Arsenal nor PSG have ever won the Champions League. So the eventual winners of the semi-final will be on the verge of a maiden crown in the world's most prestigious club competition.
The other semi-final in the Champions League is shaping up to be a mouthwatering affair: Inter drew 3-3 at Barcelona in the first leg. Anything is possible in both semi-final return legs this week. If Barcelona and PSG eventually progress, both teams will be aiming for a treble this season. Barcelona will become the first team to win the treble three times if they win.
Source: https://thanhnien.vn/serie-a-va-champions-league-hao-hung-hon-ca-185250504210810065.htm
Comment (0)