A look at what’s happening in European soccer on Thursday:
ENGLAND
A place in the Premier League's top four is at stake in the meeting between Liverpool and Chelsea, two teams who were expected to be challenging for the title this season. Liverpool's title defense has collapsed mostly because of a bad run of injuries, plunging the champions to sixth place. Chelsea, which spent nearly $300 million on new players for this season, has regained some form after changing managers — Thomas Tuchel came in for the fired Frank Lampard in January and is unbeaten after nine games — but is still only in fifth place. The winner would climb above West Ham into fourth place. Seventh-place Everton is level on points with Liverpool heading into a match at next-to-last West Bromwich Albion, while Fulham could climb out of the relegation zone on goal difference by beating Tottenham at home.
Chelsea's head coach Thomas Tuchel gives instructions during the English Premier League soccer match between Chelsea and Southampton at St. Mary's Stadium in Southampton, England, Saturday, Feb.20, 2021. (Neil HallPool via AP)
SPAIN
Levante and Athletic Bilbao play in the Copa del Rey semifinals, with the winner meeting Barcelona in the April 17 final in Seville. Barcelona eliminated Sevilla on Wednesday. Levante, playing in the Copa semifinals for the first time in 86 years, held Athletic to a 1-1 draw in the first leg in Bilbao. Athletic is the competition's second most successful club with 23 titles. It will play in last season's postponed final against Basque Country rival Real Sociedad on April 3.
ITALY
Inter Milan can extend its lead at the top of Serie A with a win at relegation-threatened Parma. Antonio Conte’s side can move six points clear of second-place AC Milan after the Rossoneri were held to a 1-1 draw at home by Udinese on Wednesday. Inter has won six of its past seven league matches, scoring 17 goals and conceding just the one. Parma is second from bottom, six points from safety. It drew its past two matches 2-2 after leading 2-0 in both. It also drew 2-2 at Inter in October.
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A look at what’s happening in European soccer on Saturday:
GERMANY
Bayern Munich can seal a record 10th consecutive Bundesliga title in style with three games remaining with a victory at home over second-placed Borussia Dortmund. Bayern is hoping to continue its strong record against Dortmund after winning their last seven encounters. In Europe’s top five leagues, Bayern is tied for the record of nine consecutive titles with Juventus, which won Serie A every season from 2012 to 2020. For Dortmund, Erling Haaland ended a goal drought by scoring twice against Wolfsburg last week amid speculation over his future. Elsewhere, Leipzig hosts Union Berlin for the second time this week after winning their German Cup semifinal, and Champions League-chasing Freiburg hosts Borussia Mönchengladbach. Bayer Leverkusen visits last-placed Greuther Fürth, Eintracht Frankfurt takes on Hoffenheim, and Cologne plays Arminia Bielefeld.
PSG's Kylian Mbappe, center right, celebrates his goal with teammates during the League One soccer match between Angers and Paris Saint Germain, at the Raymond-Kopa stadium in Angers, western France, Wednesday, April 20, 2022. (AP PhotoJeremias Gonzalez)
FRANCE
Paris Saint-Germain is just one point away from sealing a record-equaling 10th league title. With five matches left to play this season, Mauricio Pochettino’s players have the opportunity to wrap up their dominant campaign in front of their home fans against Lens at the Parc des Princes. PSG has a 15-point lead over Marseille and can be crowned even if it loses against Lens on the condition that Marseille does not beat Reims on Sunday. PSG is set to move level with Saint-Etienne, which won its 10th title in 1981 and is fighting to stay up this season. Only two of PSG's previous titles — in 1986 and 1994 — were conquered before Qatar Sports Investments took over PSG in 2011 with the aim of turning it into a world-class club. Also, Saint-Etienne hosts in-form Monaco and Montpellier travels to Lyon.
ENGLAND
Manchester City's head coach Pep Guardiola gestures during the English Premier League soccer match between Manchester City and Brighton and Hove Albion at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, England, Wednesday, April 20, 2022. (AP PhotoDave Thompson)
Manchester City can move four points clear of second-placed Liverpool in the back-and-forth Premier League title race with a home win over relegation-threatened Watford. A victory for City would put pressure on Liverpool ahead of its Merseyside derby against Everton on Sunday. More intrigue this weekend might lie in the race for Champions League qualification, with two candidates meeting at Emirates Stadium when fifth-placed Arsenal hosts sixth-placed Manchester United. Arsenal is tied on points with fourth-placed Tottenham, with United three points back. Tottenham visits Brentford in a match between Christian Eriksen's past and present clubs. Last-placed Norwich is eight points from safety heading into a home match against Newcastle, and Leicester hosts Aston Villa in the other game.
SPAIN
Real Betis and Valencia play the final of Spain’s Copa del Rey in Betis’ hometown of Seville. The match will be at Estadio La Cartuja, a neutral ground where Spain’s national team played its group phase matches for last year’s European Championship. Valencia will be seeking its ninth Copa del Rey after winning No. 8 in 2019. Betis’ second and last cup title came back in 2005. The winner will also earn a Europa League berth.
ITALY
Inter Milan forward Edin Džeko could bring up a century of Serie A goals by scoring twice against his former club as the defending champion hosts Roma. Džeko has a total of 98 goals in the Italian league — 13 for Inter this season and the rest in five years at Roma. A win would send Inter to the top of Serie A, with current leader AC Milan playing at Lazio on Sunday. Inter will also be buoyed after beating Milan 3-0 midweek to reach the Italian Cup final. A win could reignite Roma’s challenge for a Champions League berth. Atalanta has seen its hopes of a top-four finish evaporate following a run of three straight defeats and it visits relegation-threatened Venezia. Two other sides battling the drop, Sampdoria and Spezia, travel to Hellas Verona and Torino respectively.
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