Fight for top four intensifies across top European leagues
WITH the football season drawing to a close, a number of teams in Europe’s top five leagues are battling for top spots and European places. Bayern Munich and RB Leipzig will meet in a potential title-decider tomorrow. However, before that, Lyon and Monaco will square off in an expected thriller as they battle for a vital European spot.
Event # 1 – FRA – Lyon vs Monaco – 2:00 pm
Lyon and Monaco will be looking to enhance their chances for European football when both sides meet later today. Sitting four points outside the top five with three matches to go, Lyon will be eager to close the gap on opponents Monaco who occupy fourth place in the table.
Lyon have been flying at the business end of the season as two weeks ago they game back from 4-1 down to beat Montpelier 5-4, to secure a memorable win thereby keeping their European chance alive. However, they were brought back down to earth by Clermont at the weekend, losing 2-1. Still, Lyon will take confidence from their recent run of form that has seen them rack up five wins from their last seven matches, with victories over top four teams PSG and Rennes during this run.
Monaco looked a certainty for European football a few weeks ago when they went on an incredible run of seven wins from nine matches after the World Cup break, enjoying an unbeaten sequence between December and mid-february.
Monaco have struggled for consistency since then, securing four wins, three draws and four losses in their last 11 league outings, which included heavy defeats to Lens and Montpelier. Indeed, after losing 3-0 at Lens, Monaco then suffered a 4-0 thrashing by Montpelier on home soil, then stopped the slide with a 2-1 win over already relegated Angers at the weekend.
Monaco will travel to Lyon high on confidence as they have had plenty of success on the road so far, losing just two of their 17 away matches, and winning 10 of those matches during the run.
KEY STATS
• Lyon – have won two of their last three home games in Ligue 1 (L1), as many as in their previous 10 (D5 L3), but they have lost four of their six Ligue 1 matches this season against teams starting the matchday in the top five (W2), including the most recent: 1-2 v Marseille on April 23.
• Monaco – have failed to score in three of their last four Ligue 1 matches (2 goals on the run, against Angers), as many times as in their previous 45. In their last game against Lille, Monaco had their first 0-0 in the top-flight since February 2022, against Lorient.
• Both sides – Lyon have lost their last two games against Monaco in Ligue 1, each time in away matches (0-2 in February 2022 and then 1-2 last September). Lyon have not lost three times in a row against Monaco in the top flight since 1983-1990 (3).
The betting tip. Lyon win.
Event # 2 GER – Bayern Munich vs RB Leipzig – 11:30 am
With just two rounds of games to go in the German Bundesliga season, a champion is yet to be decided, as 10-time defending champions Bayern Munich are just one point ahead of fierce rivals Borussia Dortmund in the standings.
Bayern will have a difficult home game against RB Leipzig, tomorrow, who themselves are fighting for a European spot.
Bayern can secure the title on Saturday if they beat RB Leipzig at home and Dortmund lose on Sunday. Bayern will enter this crucial game high on confidence having won their last three matches on the trot including a 6-0 mauling of Schalke last weekend.
RB Leipzig enter this match still fighting for a European spot and a win over Bayern Munich will guarantee them a Champions League spot. While Bayern Munich hammered Schalke 6-0 last weekend, RB Leipzig kept their European hopes alive by pulling off a late 2-1 win over Werder Bremen, scoring in the seventh minute of added on time.
When both teams met earlier this season they shared the spoils in a 1-1 stalemate. Now, with everything to play for, Leipzig will be hoping to spoil Bayern’s party with an away win, as, following three consecutive victories, they have moved back into European contention, ahead of the weekend round. Historically, they have struggled in this fixture, with just one win in 16 head-to-head meetings between both sides.
KEY STATS
• Bayern Munich – with two match days left to play, FC Bayern are just one point ahead of second-placed Borussia Dortmund, making this the closest title race in 13 years. Back then, FC Bayern and Schalke were level on points after match day 32, but the Bavarians went on to finish five points clear at the top.
RB Leipzig – currently in third, are four points clear of fifth place with two games to go. Since 2011/12, when fourth place has meant Champions League qualification, no side has ever blown a lead this big.
Both sides – RB Leipzig have won only one of their 16 competitive games against FC Bayern (D6, L9): 2-1 at home in the Bundesliga in March 2018. Since then, they are without a win in 11 meetings (D5, L6), their longest winless streak against a particular side in professional football.
The betting tip. Bayern win.