There’s plenty of European football to look forward to this weekend, so here’s a selection of games not to be missed from La Liga, Serie A, DFB-Pokal Final, Coupe de France Final and more.
La Liga
It’s the final weekend of the La Liga season and, if truth be told, there’s nothing up for grabs!
We know that Real Madrid are the champions, set to be joined in the Champions League by Barcelona, Girona and Atlético Madrid, with Athletic Club and Real Sociedad Europa League-bound, while Real Betis will be the Conference League representatives.
At the bottom, Cádiz’s relegation was confirmed last Sunday, joining Andalusian neighbours Granada and Almería in the Segunda División.
None of those ten clubs can move position, nor can Villarreal in eighth, so good luck trying to hype up the battle for 11th!
There is set to be so little final day drama that La Liga have given the ten fixtures eight different kick off times, starting with Girona game against Granada, where Montilivi will be in party mood.
The last game of the season comes on Sunday night at Estadio Ramón Sánchez-Pizjuán, in which mid-table Sevilla will conclude a disappointing campaign against Barcelona.
Will this be Xavi’s final game in charge of Barça? Having been persuaded to stay, his future is now in doubt, following a clash with president Joan Laporta and sporting director Deco.
24 hours earlier, Real Madrid will be in action for the final time before next weekend’s Champions League Final, so Carlo Ancelotti can test-run the XI he’ll be looking to deploy at Wembley.
Who he chooses in goal will be worth keeping an eye out for because Thibaut Courtois had started three La Liga matches since returning from his ACL injury, so is he in line to start next weekend, or will Ancelotti show faith in Andriy Lunin? We’re likely to get a clue at the Bernabéu.
Earlier in the day, Atlético Madrid have been abysmal on the road this season, beaten 11 times away from home in all competitions, so Real Sociedad will fancy their chances of victory when Atleti visit Anoeta.
Alexander Sørloth’s four-goal haul against Real Madrid last weekend means he’s two clear in the race for the Pichichi, with the Villarreal forward set to become the first non-Barça or Real winner since Dani Güiza in 2008.
The Norwegian will be looking to continue his red-hot form when el Submarino Amarillo visit Osasuna.
Serie A
Before we discuss this weekend’s Calcio, first a quick word on Atalanta, who were crowned UEFA Europa League winners on Wednesday night, with Ademola Lookman’s stunning hat-trick ending Bayer Leverkusen’s unbeaten season.
This is only la Dea’s second-ever major honour, adding to the Coppa Italia they won all the way back in 1963.
So, to the Serie A fixtures list, it’s also the final weekend of the campaign, with European qualification and relegation still to be determined.
At the bottom, Salernitana and Sassuolo are down, the latter relegated last weekend, but any one of four clubs could potentially join them in Serie B.
Cagliari, the least in danger of the quartet, are actually in action on Thursday, taking on Fiorentina, with the fixture having been brought forward to allow I Viola to prepare for the Europa Conference League Final.
Should Gli Isolani pick up a point, in the 1403rd and final match of Claudio Ranieri’s illustrious managerial career, they would be safe.
Then, on Sunday night, the other three relegation candidates are all in action simultaneously.
Empoli, who kick off in the relegation zone, welcome a Roma team with nothing to play for to Stadio Carlo Castellani.
Defeat for Davide Nicola’s side would send them down, a draw could see them stay up if Udinese lose, while a victory would keep Empoli up.
That’s because the two teams they’re chasing, Frosinone and Udinese, face each-other at Stadio Benito Stirpe, with Eusebio Di Francesco’s team just two points clear, while Fabio Cannavaro’s side are a point worse off.
The victors would be safe while, depending on the other result, whoever is beaten may well go down.
Remember, as we saw last year with Verona and Spezia, if the clubs in 17th and 18th finish level on points, there will be a single-elimination relegation tiebreaker and, as a neutral, we’d love to see it.
If this wasn’t enough, the last European spot is, potentially, up for grabs; here come the permutations!
We already know that champions Internazionale, AC Milan, Bologna, Juventus and Atalanta will feature in next season’s Champions League.
However, after Gian Piero Gasperini’s team won the Europa League in Dublin, if la Dea remain fifth, not moving any higher, then sixth place would sneak into the Champions League, a spot Roma will occupy.
Meanwhile, stay with me here, should Fiorentina remain eighth, something they’d be guaranteed to do with victory in Sardinia on Thursday, if Lazio avoid defeat against Sassuolo on Sunday, and I Viola beat Olympiacos next Wednesday, then ninth spot will go into the Conference League.
It’s all very complicated but, the long and short of it is, Torino and fallen champions Napoli, who’ve put in the worst title defence for 74 years, are fighting over ninth and potential European qualification.
Il Toro kick off one point better off, but they travel to Atalanta so, should Ivan Jurić's team not leave Bergamo victorious, I Partenopei can leapfrog them with victory over Lecce at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona.
Elsewhere, in games that don’t matter that much, Juventus host Monza and then AC Milan welcome Salernitana to San Siro on Saturday.
Lastly, a word on champions Inter, who’ve been simply unstoppable this season, and Simone Inzaghi’s side can take their points tally to 96 by beating Verona on Sunday, one shy of the club’s all-time record, set in 2007.
DFB-Pokal Final
Over in Germany, the league season is now over, well aside from the relegationsspielen, so all eyes are on Berlin and Saturday night’s DFB-Pokal Final.
Bayer Leverkusen, who’ve become the first team to ever complete a Bundesliga season unbeaten, were presented with their maiden Meisterschale last weekend, so will they get their hands on more silverware?
Xabi Alonso’s side were finally beaten for the first time all season on Wednesday night, ending their 51-game undefeated streak, smashed 3-0 by Atalanta in the Europa League Final in Dublin.
So, how will die Schwarzroten react to a feeling of defeat that they’ll have forgotten what it’s like to expirence, seeking to win Bayer’s second Pokal, their sole previous triumph coming at the expense of Hertha BSC Amateure back in 1993?
Regardless of their emphatic defeat in Ireland, die Werkself would still come into this final as overwhelming favourites, regardless of opponent, but especially considering the other finalists are from the second division.
Kaiserslautern are one of the fallen giants of German football, having won the Meisterschale on five occasions as well as two Pokals, most-recently hoisting aloft this trophy in ‘96, more-recently than Bayer, while they were Bundesliga champions just 26 years ago.
Now though, it’s 12 long seasons since die Roten Teufel featured in the top-flight, very nearly relegated to the 3. Liga this year, ending up 13th in the Zweite Bundesliga, just seven points clear of danger.
In this competition, Friedhelm Funkel’s team have been undoubtably lucky; Köln in the second round is the only top-tier club they’ve encountered, subsequently dumping out Nürnberg, Hertha BSC and Saarbrücken.
So, Kaiserslautern have become only the 11th club from outside the top-flight to reach the DFB-Pokal Final since 1970.
In reverse-chronological order, Duisburg (2011), Alemannia Aachen (2004), Union Berlin (2001), Energie Cottbus (’97), Wolfsburg (’95), Rot-Weiss Essen (’94), Hertha BSC Amateure (’93), Stuttgarter Kickers (’87) and Fortuna Köln (’83) have all achieved that unique feat, but tasted defeat in the final.
Thus, they are seeking to emulate the achievements of Hannover (’92), Kickers Offenbach (’70) and Schwarz-Weiß Essen (’59) who are, to date, the only non-top-flight clubs to have won the Pokal.
Nevertheless, it would be a major surprise if Bayer Leverkusen we’re not victorious at Olympiastadion.
Coupe de France Final
Taking place 500 miles west concurrently, it’s time for the Coupe de France Final, with this the very first final in the 107-year history of this competition to take place outside Paris, or it’s nearby suburbs.
As the French capital prepares for the Olympic Games, with the opening ceremony just 62 days away, Stade Pierre-Mauroy, home of LOSC Lille, will host this showpiece occasion.
As usual, Paris Saint-Germain come into this one as overwhelming favourites.
Les Rouge-et-Bleu have already got their hands on the Trophée des Champions, as well as yet another Ligue 1 title, so are seeking to complete a fifth domestic clean sweep in just ten seasons.
Luis Enrique’s side lost only twice in Ligue 1 all season, one of which, against Toulouse, came after the title had been clinched, overcome Brest, Nice and Rennes in the most-recent rounds of this competition.
Between 2015 and 2021, PSG featured in all seven Coupe de France Finals, winning six of them, their sole defeat during this period coming on penalties against Stade Rennais five years ago.
However, in the previous two seasons, les Parisiens were ousted in the round of 16, dumped out by Nice in a shootout and then fierce rivals Marseille, with the latter their sole loss in this competition, excluding shootouts, since Montpellier beat them all the way back in January 2014.
So, a daunting prospect for Olympique Lyonnais but, if there’s any team in France capable of beating PSG in this final, it is surely they.
Fair to say, les Gones’ season has been quite the rollercoaster, sat bottom of Ligue 1 as recently as early-December, having won only one of their first 14 fixtures, losing nine of them.
However, Pierre Sage took over as head coach and, remarkably, managed to turn everything around, with Lyon winning 15 of their last 20 league games, including each of the last four, meaning Alexandre Lacazette’s 96th minute spot-kick last Sunday that snatched victory against Strasbourg saw them secure sixth place.
Thus, regardless of the result in this final, OL have qualified for the Europa League next season, which is a staggering achievement considering they were in the relegation zone at the start of February.
Not so long ago, the talk was that, should Lyon end up in the relegation play-off, they wouldn’t be able to play at home, as their stadium is hosting Taylor Swift for two nights, emphasising how quickly things have changed.
Since 26 January, Lyon have lost just two of 18 fixtures, but one of these was against PSG, smashed 4-1 at Parc des Princes last month, with Sage insisting he’s learnt plenty of lessons from that night.
Nevertheless, as impressive as OL have been in 2024, most expect that PSG will be picking up a record-extending 15th Coupe de France trophy on Saturday night in Villeneuve-d’Ascq.
UEFA Women’s Champions League Final
Saturday is very much cup final day across Europe, with this theme continuing in Bilbao, host city for the 23rd UEFA Women’s Champions League Final.
This will be the ninth successive Champions League Final to feature at least one of Lyon or Barcelona, with the French side prevailing both times the pair have met in the showpiece occasion to date, cruising to a 4-1 victory in Budapest in 2019, also prevailing 3-1 in Turin two seasons ago.
However, most are expecting this to go the opposite way, backing Barça to retain their trophy.
The Catalan giants have now reached five finals in just six seasons, getting their hands on the trophy for the very first time in 2021, before fighting back from 2-0 down to beat Wolfsburg in Eindhoven 12 months ago.
Domestically, the Blaugrana have already secured a treble, even with two Liga F games to go, and their record is imperious; Played 35. Won 34. Drawn 1. Lost zero. Scored 167. Conceded 10.
In this competition, Barça haven’t been bad either, scoring 27 goals in the group phase and swatting aside Brann, before having to dig deep to overcome FAWSL champions Chelsea in the semi-finals.
Following a shock 1-0 loss at Montjuïc, Barcelona’s first home defeat in any competition since February 2019, they produced a remontada by securing a 2-0 victory at Stamford Bridge.
Aitana Bonmatí equalising in West London before Fridolina Rolfö converted a penalty, although the very harsh red card shown to Kadeisha Buchanan was the talking point, certainly is you’re Emma Hayes.
Nevertheless, Jonatan Giráldez’s team are back in yet another final, with this is last meaningful game in charge before taking over Washington Spirit in NWSL, so will he sign off in style?
Having said all of that, can Olympique Lyonnais Féminin ever truly be underdogs in any match?
Les Fenottes are eight-times Champions League winners, with this the 11th final out of the last 15 they’ve featured in, hoisting aloft the trophy in six of the previous eight seasons.
Division 1 Féminine has introduced a new, American-style play-off format so, despite finished 11 points clear of PSG after 22 league games, Sonia Bompastor’s still had to win two more to be French champions.
Well, this mattered not because Lyon smashed Stade de Reims 6-0 in the semi-final, before a 2-1 victory over Paris Saint-Germain last Friday night saw them crowned champions for the 17th time in 18 years.
In this competition, OL are yet to lose this season, overcoming Benfica 6-2 in the quarter-finals and then PSG 5-3 in the semis, battling back from 2-0 down to win the home leg, before a 2-1 victory at Parc des Princes.
This promises to be an amazing occasion, with San Mamés completely sold-out, so, with over 53,000 in attendance, that’ll break the record for a final which stands at 50,212, set at Olympiapark München in 2012; the next most is the 33,147 who watched last year’s.
The last six Champions League Finals have witnessed a whopping 27 goals and, given that both Barça Femení and Lyon Féminin are exceptionally strong teams, this one should be a a thriller too.
Taça de Portugal Final
Lastly, Sunday sees the conclusion of the Portuguese football season, with the Taça de Portugal taking place in Oeiras.
Sporting Clube de Portugal were presented with the Primeira Liga trophy last weekend, following a remarkable campaign in which they won 29 of 34 matches, losing only twice, most-recently beaten in early-December.
This is the Leões 20th title, but only their fourth for 42 years, after 2000, 2002 and 2021, while victory here would be only their eight league and cup double, four of which were achieved pre-1954.
Rúben Amorim’s team beat Porto 2-0 in Lisbon in December, before the pair played out a 2-2 draw at the Dragão a month ago, so Sporting are certainly favourites to win this competition for the first time since 2019.
As for Porto, this season has been an unequivocal disaster, finishing third and, after the Primeira Liga dropped below the Eredivisie in the UEFA Coefficient rankings, next season will be the first time since 2010/11 they’ve not featured in the Champions League in any capacity, including qualifiers.
Sérgio Conceição’s seven-year reign as manager could come to an end, while André Villas-Boas was elected the new president a few weeks ago, succeeding Jorge Nuno Pinto da Costa who’d been in office for 42 years.
Thus, most expect Sporting to prevail at Estádio Nacional on Sunday evening.
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