Title and relegation battles in Europe's top leagues

With Europe’s top leagues coming to an end in the next few weeks, we take a look at how the title races have panned out and which sides are set to suffer the heartbreak of relegation.

Some title races have been extremely tight and teams have been inseparable for the majority of the season, while others have seen a single team dominate the league.

The quality of the 2013/14 domestic leagues in Europe has left football fans all around the world licking their lips ahead of the World Cup in Brazil.

The injection of young talent in conjunction with the continued form of the world's best players will have left fans eagerly anticipating footballs biggest stage regardless of their domestic team’s fortunes.

Barclays Premier League, ENGLAND

With so much promise for a thrilling end, the EPL title race has come to rather anti-climactic finish as Manchester City look set to become champions.

Current leaders Liverpool’s incredible run of form came to a disappointing end on the weekend, giving Manchester City the impetus in the title race.

Liverpool’s failure to defeat Jose Mourinho’s Chelsea, followed by their inexcusable draw with Crystal Palace sees Brendan Rodgers’ men all but gift City the title.

Liverpool saw their title prospects slip out of their hands as Crystal Palace staged a remarkable three-goal comeback at Selhurst Park on Monday.

Meanwhile Mourinho's Chelsea are two points adrift of Liverpool and only have one game left to play.

While Liverpool and Chelsea are still able to finish as champions, it is safe to say that only a miracle will prevent Manchester City from claiming their third league title.

Liverpool are currently on top of the ladder, one point ahead of Manuel Pelligrini’s City.
But City have a game in hand and a superior goal difference.

City will play Aston Villa tomorrow morning and will finish their season against West Ham on the weekend.

These two fixtures should be no trouble for the Sky Blues, especially as they are both at the Etihad.

A win and a draw should be all it takes for City to reclaim the title they won two seasons ago.

Liverpool will play Newcastle at Anfield on the last day of the season, while Chelsea travel to Wales to face Cardiff.

The flip side of the table is a very similar story.

Cardiff were officially relegated and sent back to the Championship, as were Fulham, whose thirteen-year run in England’s premier competition came to an end after defeat to Stoke City.

The final relegation spot looks to be Norwich City’s.

The Canaries currently sit two points outside the safety zone and the two teams above them have a much better goal difference.

Tomorrow morning Sunderland play West Brom and any result except a Sunderland loss will see Norwich relegated.

La Liga, SPAIN

In Spain, an equally enthralling title race continues as Barcelona, Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid all battle for top spot.

Atletico are the current leaders on 88 points, followed by Messi’s Barcelona (85 points) and Ronaldo’s Real Madrid (83 points), who have a game in hand.

If Real win their catch-up fixture against Valladolid, they will increase the pressure on leaders, Atletico.

While a loss, according to their manager Carlo Anceolotti, will see their title hopes fade away.
If Atletico Madrid win all of their remaining games then the title will be theirs.

However, they face the Catalans Barcelona on the final day of the season, and this could decide the fate of all three contenders.

Real Madrid will only win if Atletico draw or lose one of their remaining games.

Therefore, if Barcelona draw or win when they play Atletico it will potentially gift their rivals the league.

Meanwhile at the foot of La Liga, Real Betis have been relegated, while Osasuna and Valladolid currently sit in the other two relegation spots but can still survive.

Bundesliga, GERMANY

Bayern Munich have already sealed the league title this season.

The unstoppable Bayern won the league with a record seven games to spare.

Following Bayern are Borussia Dortmund, Shalke and Bayer Leverkusen.

In the relegation battle, Hamburger SV, FC Nurnberg and Eintracht Braunschweig have all been relegated.

Serie A, ITALY

Juventus sealed their third successive Serie A victory when bottom-of-the-table Catania upset second-place Roma 4-1 on Sunday.

Roma – who started the season with 10 straight wins – were the only team who looked like spoling Juve's grip on the title this season.

But their 4-1 demolition gifted Juventus successive league titles.

At the opposing end of the ladder, Bologna, Catania and Livorno all look set to face the drop.

Ligue 1, FRANCE

Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s Paris St-Germain can seal the title if they defeat Stade Rennes this weekend.
The title can also be won if Monaco slip up against En Avant Guingamp.

PSG are currently eight points ahead of second-placed Monaco, so even if they do lose this weekend, they are still in a very favorable position to win the title.

Finally, Ajaccio and Valenciennes have been relegated, while Sochaux are only one point adrift of safety with two games remaining.