#champions-league-race

#champions-league-race

Breaking a string of unwanted records this year, the Dark Blues open Saturday's fixtures remarkably sat in bronze medal position among Germany's elite and they are sat firmly in the driving seat to claim a famous Champions League ticket in 2026. Last seen at the PreZero Arena storming their way to a routine 3-0 romp against Freiburg, the former Strum Graz has seen his squad suffer just a single defeat from any of their previous 10 consecutive appearances.

Gian Piero Gasperini warned Roma they will be in a 'battle to the end' for the Serie A Champions League spots, despite him not expecting his first season to 'go quite this well'.

It's just something that we have to learn from. I think everyone wanted it, everyone was trying to win the game, to score, to fight for each other. Unfortunately that didn't happen, but at least we got a draw, which is important in the end. I felt amazing because at least I know that, once again, I could help the team by trying to secure at least one point.

In LaLiga, Real Madrid swapped flair for pragmatism to get a big win on the road against a strong Villarreal side, and Juventus showed their class in Serie A with a big victory over struggling Napoli that puts them back in touch with the top four. Plus there was more panic for Liverpool, as they lost at Bournemouth with a last-gasp goal that bumped them out of the top four.

FC Bayern face a real test right at the start of the second half of the Bundesliga season. The away match at RB Leipzig is a repeat of a meeting that ended in an emphatic result at the start of the season: with a 6-0 win in the season opener, the Munich men made an early statement. However, this result doesn't take away from the fact that Leipzig have enjoyed a very strong first half of the campaign.

Leeds and Manchester United played out a somewhat low-key draw despite a ferocious Elland Road atmosphere which probably helps the respective ambitions of both teams this season. One of English football's most hostile and bitter rivalries did not quite have the bite or edge to it that historical editions have had, but Daniel Farke's side continued to show why Leeds can be increasingly confident of this fixture being on the Premier League calendar again next season.

Spurs and Aston Villa - who traditionally threaten the Champions League spots - clash in North London in the Premier League.