A look at what’s happening in European soccer on Thursday:
ENGLAND
Fierce rivals Manchester United and Liverpool try again to play their Premier League fixture at Old Trafford, 10 days after the original game was postponed amid protests by United fans against the club's American owners. The match is much bigger for Liverpool, which must win to stand a realistic chance of finishing in the top four and qualify for next season's Champions League. Sixth-place Liverpool is seven points behind fourth-place Chelsea but with two games in hand. United is likely to finish in second place behind already-confirmed champion Manchester City. Everton, which is two points behind Liverpool, can also still qualify for a European competition next season heading into its match at Aston Villa which was rearranged from December, when it was canceled because of a coronavirus outbreak at Villa.
SPAIN
Defending champion Real Madrid needs a win at Granada to get back within two points of Spanish league leader Atlético Madrid ahead of the decisive final two rounds. Atlético opened a five-point gap after beating fifth-place Real Sociedad 2-1 at home on Wednesday. Second-place Barcelona, which drew 3-3 at Levante on Tuesday, was four points back. Madrid is trying to win back-to-back Spanish league titles for the first time since the 2007-08 season. Coach Zinedine Zidane has to deal with a depleted defense for the match against midtable Granada.
GERMANY
German soccer’s traditional season-ending showpiece is taking place before the season ends, demoted from its usual Saturday night prime time slot to a late Thursday kickoff before the Bundesliga’s penultimate round. The German Cup final between Borussia Dortmund and Leipzig will be played in an empty stadium due to continuing coronavirus measures, but its importance is not diminished in any way for two rivals determined to mark a trying season with a trophy. Dortmund is looking for its first title since winning the cup in 2017, while Leipzig hopes to win its first ever trophy before coach Julian Nagelsmann leaves for Bayern Munich. Leipzig was only formed in 2009. The teams played in the league on Saturday, when Jadon Sancho struck late for Dortmund to win 3-2 with injured star striker Erling Haaland watching from the stands. Dortmund is hoping the 20-year-old Haaland will return to lead its attack. Roman Bürki will be back in goal following a knee injury for Marwin Hitz.
FRANCE
A huge mismatch sees high-flying Monaco taking on fourth-tier Rumilly-Vallières for a place in the French Cup final against title holder Paris Saint-Germain next week. Monaco is pushing for an automatic place in next season's Champions League and has won six of its past seven league games without conceding, and has a top striker in France international Wissam Ben Yedder. Rumilly-Vallières is a team of semi-professionals that knocked out second-tier promotion hopeful Toulouse in the quarters. But beating free-scoring Monaco seems a step too far.
ITALY
Bottom club Crotone will be trying to avoid a ninth defeat in 10 games when it hosts mid-table Hellas Verona.
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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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