Title Watch: Champions Will Be Crowned…

By: Daryl | May 9th, 2008

Champions will be crowned

…and others will be abdicating from top flight football. Read on to see who needs to do what in England, Italy and France this weekend:

England:

Man Utd and Chelsea are level on points, but Utd have a big advantage with goal difference. Assuming Chelsea don’t win 100-0 then full points against Wigan guarantees the title. Meanwhile Chelsea are hoping Man Utd slip up. If Utd draw or lose, Chelsea just need a better result against nearly but not quite safe from relegation Bolton to taste Premier League glory.

Down at the bottom, Derby are long gone. Fellow bottom three dwellers Birmingham and Reading still have some hopes of survival, but are relying on other results. Meanwhile Fulham and Bolton could get dragged down if they fail to pick up points this weekend.

Key games, all on Sunday (and all kicking off the same time)

Birmingham v Blackburn
Chelsea v Bolton
Derby v Reading
Portsmouth v Fulham
Wigan v Man Utd

Italy

A win for Inter Milan guarantees the title. Anything less and second place Roma are still in touching distance. With two games to go AC Milan have somehow climbed back into fourth place, but are only one point ahead of Fiorentina.

A whole host of teams could finish in the three relegation spots, and the scramble to avoid Serie B is well truly and on. No one’s officially finished yet, but Livorno look the most likely since they’re bottom with 30 points. After that it’s very tight indeed. Working our way up it’s Empoli (33pts) Parma (34) Catania (35) Reggina (36) Torino (37) and Cagliari (38). I’m not even going to try and work out who needs what. Basically they all need a win, and quick.

Key games (all Sunday)

Internazionale vs Siena
AS Roma vs Atalanta
Napoli vs AC Milan
Fiorentina vs Parma
Reggina vs Empoli
Livorno vs Torino

France

Weren’t Lyon supposed to win Ligue 1 easily? With only one win in the last five games Alain Perrin’s side have made a race of it. With two games to go, they’re just two points ahead of Bordeaux. Lyon face a tough game against third place Nancy, while Bordeuax host lower mid table Sochaux.

Down the bottom, it’s looking complicated. 20t place Metz are planning for Ligue 2 already, they’re gone. 19th place Strasbourg are officially still alive, but with 35 points and a gap between them and the rest, it’s not looking good. So it’s really a battle to avoid 18th place, the final drop spot. Paris St Germain are currently 18th with 39 points and -9 goal difference. Lens are 17th with 39 and -8, and Toulouse are 16th with 39 and -6. All three just need the best results they can and to hope the others don’t start winning. And at this point, every goal counts.

Key games (all Saturday)

Paris Saint-Germain vs Saint-Etienne
Girondins Bordeaux vs FC Sochaux
Olympique Lyon vs AS Nancy
Rennes vs Toulouse FC
Lille OSC vs RC Lens

Any corrections? And any other big games this weekend? Let us know in the comments…