Match Day 34 Preview

With 5 games left to play things are starting to get a bit clearer in the battles for glory and the scraps for survival, whilst little is decided for certain there are a few inevitabilities beginning to appear.

In the battle to be Champions Bayern are pushing Barca all the way but there appears to be no crack in the Spanish sides resolve to keep their crown, with 5pts separating the two their clash on MD36 will be pivotal.

Real need a single point to confirm their appearance in the SMFA Champions Cup next season whilst Juve continue to stutter and hold on to 4^thspot by 2pts from both Liverpool and Dortmund who must harbour hopes of overtaking the Italians who must face both of the challengers in the run in.

After a recent dip in form PSG have seen their challenge wain and will surely have to be content with an SMFA Shield place. Both Lazio and Arsenal have hit a bad patch of form as they look to secure their berths in the competition but both they together with Napoli still look favourites to qualify whilst Valencia, Chelsea and Porto could sneak in if any of the above slip up.

At the foot of the table the fat lady is warmed up and the curtains are ready to be raised for Fiorentina, failure to gain 3pts away to Barcelona on MD34 or victory for Fenerbahce and a point for Man City will see the Florence clubs relegation confirmed.

Leverkusen seem destined for the same fate and whilst they can’t be relegated this Thursday failure to win will surely see them going down.

The battle above this pair intensified with a vital win on MD33 for Man City over Atletico lifting them 4pts clear of the drop zone and dragging the Spaniards back into the relegation mix. City leap frogged Fenerbahce who drew with fellow strugglers Schalke, the Germans will be the happier of the two as they jump above Man Utd on goal difference after they went down to Barca.

Whilst there are no head to heads on MD34 that stand out as key fixtures there are plenty of clashes which will have a bearing at both the top and bottom.

Juventus               v                Chelsea

Napoli                  v                Real

Arsenal                v                Fenerbahce

Schalke                v                Liverpool

Leverkusen          v                Dortmund

Porto                    v                Man Utd

Barcelona            v                Fiorentina

Valencia              v                Man City

Atletico               v                Bayern

Lazio                   v                PSG

The automatic promotion spots look likely to go to the three current occupants, Milan, Monchengladbach and Spurs. Milans promotion could be confirmed on MD 34 if they manage a victory over Zenit.

Zenits draw with Monchengladbach on Sunday leaves them with fading hopes of an automatic spot though they could still have a major impact on deciding the Champions with that game to come against Milan and also with Spurs to play too. Roma failed to capitalise drawing with Wolfsburg though they too will have a big say in the top 3 shake up with games against all the contenders in the run in.

Both will be concentrating on cementing a place in the play-offs with Ajax and Shakthar occupying the other two places whilst Sevilla, Newcastle, Spartak and Internazionale are all in contention and will be looking to capitalise on any slip ups.

Whilst mathematically all the other teams down to CSKA in 16^th could make the play-offs most will be concentrating on looking at avoiding being drawn into the relegation battle.

Sporting are likely to be the first casualties here, defeat on Thursday to fellow strugglers Basel would all but but condemn the Portuguese club to Div 3 football next season which would be confirmed if they lose and both CSKA and Benfica gain at least a point.

Basels recent run of good form came to an end with defeat to Shakhtar on Sunday but they have done enough in recent weeks to keep themselves within 2pts of both Boca and Loko above them.

A 5pt gap separates Loko in 17^thfrom their Moscow rivals CSKA and Benfica above them, Lyons good run continued with victory over CSKA at the weekend seeing them now 6pts clear of the drop zone.

This Thursdays pick of the fixtures at the top of the table are Milans clash with Zenit and Roma taking on Monchengladbach whilst at the bottom Sportings visit to Basel will be pivotal.

Spartak                     v                Boca

Ajax                          v                Lyon

CSKA                       v                Shakhtar

Basel                         v                Sporting

Internazionale           v                Benfica

Newcastle                 v                Everton

Sevilla                      v                Loko

Spurs                        v                Wolfsburg

Roma                        v                Monchengladbach

Milan                        v                Zenit

Things remain tight at the top of Div 3 but Villa are starting to put some daylight between themselves and their rivals and have built up a 7pt cushion to 4^th place and are currently looking like the only firm favourites for promotion.

Both Genoa and Internacional have hit a bad patch of form which has allowed Leicester to close the gap with PSV, Besiktas and Athletic Club all still in the picture too despite all dropping points at the weekend.

The latter three though will also have to look over their shoulder as they are being pursued by clubs eager to grab one of the play-off spots. This group realistically extends down to Palace in 13^th with the next placed four of Stoke, Monaco, Hoffenheim and Swansea all not yet mathematically out of the picture though they will all be surely concentrating on the battle at the bottom.

Bordeaux were T100’s first confirmed casualties of the season, with defeat at Stoke for them and wins for Hoffenheim and Swansea on Sunday sending them through the trap door. St Etienne are in danger of making it a French relegation double and defeat for them away at Hoffenheim on Thursday would all but seal their fate.

Just 4pts separate Udinese, Swansea, Hoffenhein and Swansea as they scrap to avoid making up the foursome of teams destined for Div 4.

Stoke are by no means out of the woods currently sitting 4pts above 17^th placed Swansea, Palace should be safe with their 7pt cushion.

The previously mentioned game between Hoffenheim and St Etienne is the key fixture at the foot of the table on Thursday with the games at Besiktas and Athletic Club being the ones to watch at the top.

Cruzeiro               v                Swansea

Leicester              v                Galatasaray

Besiktas               v                Internacional

Palace                  v                Udinese

Monaco               v                Genoa

Sunderland          v                Bordeaux

Stoke                   v                Villa

Athletic Club       v                PSV

Marseille             v                Southampton

Hoffenheim         v                St Etienne

Sau Paulo’s form has faltered leading up to the run in seeing them concede the leadership to Villarreal who now have a 6pt lead at the top over the Brazilians and Feyenoord in third.

West Ham, Sampdoria, Chievo Verona and Stuttgart currently sitting in the play-off spots are all within one win of catching the 2^nd and 3^rd place clubs.

This league has been too close to call all season and looks like going all the way to the wire with clubs down as far as Dnipro in 16^th only 7pts away and having a realistic chance of making a late push for the play-off party.

Similarly at the foot of the table where Malaga despite 1pt in 6 games are still by no means certainties for the drop, though a serious turn around in form needs to start soon.

Above them 7pts separates 19^thplaced Torino from 12^th placed Atalanta with Dynamo and AZ currently making up the quartet in the drop zone, whilst a win won’t see any of them climb out of the bottom four on Thursday it would bring the pack above them well within striking distance for Sunday.

The stand out fixture at the top of table without doubt is Feyenoords visit to Sau Paulo whilst at the bottom Dyanamo’s clash with Dnipro and Malaga’s trip to Montpellier will be vital fixtures.

Hamburg               v                Stuttgart

Torino                   v                West Ham

Montpellier           v                Malaga

AZ                        v                Villarreal

Sao Paulo             v                Feyenoord

Lille                     v                River Plate

Hellas Verona      v                Sampdoria

Chievo Verona     v               Atalanta

Dynamo               v               Dnipro

Koln                     v               Sassuolo

Kyiv who at one time looked likely to build an unassailable lead at the top lead the league by a single point from Olympiacos, these two are nailed on for promotion and are now scrapping over who will take the title, a battle that may be decided on MD37 when the two clubs meet. In the meantime a win for both clubs or defeat for Flamengo would see their promotions confirmed this Thursday.

In the play-off spots Flamengo sit 3pts ahead of Celtic and Brugge who in turn sit 3pts above Zagreb. A chasing posse of clubs within 7pts extend down to Bremen in 13^th, all who will be hoping to put a run of results together to make the play-offs come the end of the season.

At the foot of the table Augsberg did their battle to avoid winning the wooden spoon again this season no harm with victory over Espanyol at the weekend and will need to continue that form if they are to overhaul either West Brom or Partizan above them who look the most likely of clubs in the basement to be caught.

The pick of the fixtures this Thursday is the visit of Brugge to Kyiv which could have a major bearing on the title and promotion picture for both clubs.

Independiente  v      Santos

Anderlecht       v      Celtic

Kyiv                 v      Brugge

Bremen            v      Zagreb

Kazan              v      Augsburg

Espanyol         v      Olympiacos

Celta Vigo       v      Levante

West Brom      v      Hertha

Liege               v      Partizan

Twente             v     Flamengo