Which is the Most Exciting Title Race in European Football?

By: Daryl | April 16th, 2009

Six weeks ago, we asked everyone: Which is the most exciting league in Europe? The answer was: La Liga, with 31% of the vote.

Today, we’re asking: Which is the most exciting title race in Europe? Not which is the most glamorous, but which is the most exciting as we approach Fergie’s famous sqeaky bum time. Below are the current league tables for several European leagues followed by a big poll.

Take a good look at the tables and then let us know what you think.

Austrian Bundesliga: 7 games to go.

Red Bull gives you wings. And possibly the Austrian title.

Belgian 1st Division: 5 games to go.

Anderlecht and Standard level on points, everyone else playing catchup.

Bulgarian A PFG: 9 games to go.

CSKA four points clear of Levski.

Croatia Prva HNL: 8 games to go.

Two great rivals separated by just one point.

English Premier League: 6 games to go (7 for Man Utd)

It’s Man Utd’s to lose, but the fact that it’s title-starved Liverpool in pursuit makes it exciting.

France Ligue 1: 7 games to go.

Ligue 1 champions weren’t always called Lyon.
(Our blog buddies at SoccerLens have published a nice overview of the French title race)

German 1. Bundesliga: 7 games to go.

Wolfsburg with a narrow lead over Bayern and HSV.

Italian Serie A: 7 games to go.

Inter are awaiting another scudetto delivery.

Polish Ekstraklasa: 7 games to go.

The title challenge goes all the way down to fourth.

Portuguese Liga: 6 games to go.

Porto lead by four points, but Sporting still have time.

Romanian Liga I: 10 games to go.

Dinamo by three, but Timisoara and Urziceni have ten games to make it up.

Spanish La Liga: 8 games to go.

Yes, Barca are dominating. But they’re actually only six points clear with eight games to go. The fat lady isn’t even on stage yet.

Scottish Premier League: 6 games to go.

This is what happens when two teams can comfortably beat every other team except each other.

Swiss Super League: 9 games to go.

Zurich leads Basel by just one point.

Turkish Super Lig: 7 games to go.

Sivasspor could break the Istanbul stranglehold on the Turkish title.

You’ll notice that some leagues are missing. AZ have all but won the Eredivisie and Olympiakos already have the Greek Super League sewn up.

But if you know of a European League not listed above, and there’s an exciting title run-in going on, then please let us know in the comments.

So… which is the most exciting?

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Category: World Football

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Cerberus

I'd have to say Germany only for the history of that table. Pretty much every week for the last couple of months there's been a new champion most every time whereas the other legs have been more steady in general about who's on top and who's chasing. Plus all the parity means there are few if any "freebies" on the lineup that can be considered runouts for the people on top.
Chris

I'm with Ian--I think the Ligue 1 race is facinating due to the fact that Lyon's stranglehold may come to an end. The Bundesliga race is great, too, if only to see if Bayern can keep it together over the next 7 weeks and keep a CL spot.
Tanuj Lakhina

Its very hard to pick between Premiership,Ligue 1 and Bundesliga.
Premiership has three teams up for the title and two of them are also keen on adding the Champions league to their trophy cabinet.
Ligue 1 has 6 teams with a gap of 5 points and Bundesliga has 5 teams with a gap of 6 points between them. Its just to hard to pick between them.Since the number of teams vying for the top slot are most in the Ligue 1,I would go with that.
Matt

Sadly for me, Scotland looks to certainly be "squeeky bum time" since both Celtic and Rangers will be taking on exclusively the top 6 teams (including each other) one more time in the remaining six games (SPL Split, FTW!). The SPL also has exciting races for their other European spots and, as Ian mentioned, for the relegation zone as well.
Jan

It's a close call between France and Germany. It would be interesting to know how many of the top teams in each league still have to play each other.

AFAIR Stuttgart still play against Wolfsburg and Bayern (last matchday) while Hamburg will play against Hertha but that's it.
Ian

Of the big ones, Germany's the one I'd like most to watch, though France looks like a tight one too. I'd like to see how some of the relegation races match up, because Scotland's race at the bottom is very good this year.
Rob

Also in France you have the added spice that Lyon's dominance might end.
Rob

France, I'd say. Very close with a host of teams still realistically in the running, and a fair bit of talent, which puts it ahead of some of the closer leagues.

Due to Man United's recent wobble, England has the most interesting of the big three, I think.