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La Liga

State of play in La Liga, Serie A and Ligue 1 going into final weekend

A look at what there is to play for in Spain, Italy and France

Rennes will play a key part in the final-day scrap for European football in Ligue 1
Rennes will play a key part in the final-day scrap for European football in Ligue 1Credit: SAMEER AL-DOUMY

There is still plenty to be decided in Spain, Italy and France's top flights this weekend. Here is a look at the current state of play across the continent...

Serie A title race goes down to the wire

Only two of Europe's big five leagues will see their title races go down to the final day and in Italy, Milan are strong favourites to pip rivals Inter to the post.

Stefano Pioli's men lead Inter by two points and the only way they can relinquish top spot is if they lose to Sassuolo and Inter defeat Sampdoria with Milan having the edge in the head-to-head record between the sides, which takes precedence over goal difference.

As a result, Milan are 1-8 to secure the Scudetto with Inter around 13-2 ahead of what is sure to be a pulsating final day of the Serie A season.

The top four are locked in, while only one of Roma, Fiorentina or Atalanta will miss out on a European berth, but there is also drama at the other end.

Venezia and Genoa have already been relegated to Serie B with either Cagliari or Salernitana set to join them.

Bookmakers fancy Cagliari for the drop at 2-7 but that looks a tad short given they are only two points adrift of safety with the same head-to-head record and superior goal difference.

And given Cagliari take on basement boys Venezia, there is every chance there could be one last twist.

Exciting European race the highlight on Ligue 1 final day

After Lille defied the odds to win Ligue 1 last term, PSG came back with a vengeance this season and secured a record-equalling tenth top-flight title in April and, at the top of the table at least, there is only the small matter of who comes second out of Marseille (5-4) and Monaco (4-7).

However, defeat for either of those sides coupled with a Rennes win would see them drop out of the Champions League qualification picture and into fourth spot and the Europa League. Marseille lead Monaco on goal difference.

But Rennes must also watch their backs with Strasbourg, who face Marseille on the final day, and Nice, who travel to Reims, also both still able to make the top four.

Lens, meanwhile, are also not out of the equation and could qualify for the Europa Conference League playoffs if they win and one of Strasbourg or Nice lose.

As for the relegation situation, we know who will finish in the bottom three - Metz, Saint-Etienne and Bordeaux - but the order is not yet decided.

Two of those sides will bid farewell to the top flight while the other will go into a relegation playoff. Metz have the toughest task on the final day with a trip to PSG.

Four sides in the mix for La Liga relegation

Champions League finalists Real Madrid have already won La Liga comfortably and Barcelona, Atletico Madrid and Sevilla are confirmed to be making up Spain's top four for a third straight season.

A point will secure fifth spot for Real Betis, and, like the Andalusians, Real Sociedad are guaranteed Europa League football next season.

The most intriguing shootout is between Villarreal and Athletic Bilbao for seventh spot, which would confirm a place in the Europa Conference League. Eighth would mean no European football.

Defeat to Valencia last time out for Alaves means they join Levante in the Segunda Division next season with any one of Elche, Granada, Mallorca and Cadiz also going down depending on the final day's results.

As it stands, it will be Cadiz due to an inferior head-to-head with Mallorca but they face Alaves in their last game, meaning all is not lost.


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Liam FlinRacing Post Sport

Published on 19 May 2022inLa Liga

Last updated 21:42, 19 May 2022

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