Opinion

In the next week and a half there will be a number of friendlies played by the 24 nations heading to this summer’s European Championship in France. The break from European domestic action gives head coaches of those nations a chance to make some late decisions on their squad options.

The German Bundesliga has reached the home stretch and the top eight teams have lucrative European spots to play for. The top two - FC Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund have first and second position tied up and will now be focused on a title showdown. Below them the picture is murkier, with the next six teams all capable of sealing a spot in Europe for the following season.

Newcastle and Sunderland drawing 1-1 at St James Park did little for either team’s prospects of staying in the Premier League this season. Jermain Defoe opened the scoring for the Black Cats, before Newcastle secured a point late-on through an effort from Aleksandar Mitrovic.

Leicester moved one step closer to securing the Premier League title on Saturday by winning 1-0 at Crystal Palace to move eight points clear at the top of the table. The Foxes continue defy all football predictions by holding their nerve in the title race.

Chelsea and West Ham played a thrilling match, but the away side should be more disappointed with the 2:2 score, as they had the lead twice and it was a late penalty converted by Fabregas that deprived them from a top 4 spot.

Friday’s Champions League draw was always going to be interesting with such big clubs still left in the competition. The most interesting quarter-final draw could be the one that has pitted European champions Barcelona against La Liga rivals Atletico Madrid.

There are nine games remaining in the top division of Italian football and the Serie A title race is still open. Only three points separate league leaders Juventus FC and title chasers SSC Napoli.

It seems that now Liverpool are in the Europa League quarter-final final everybody connected with the club now believe the competition to be important.

As most football predictions suggest prior to the game, Barcelona defeated Arsenal 3-1 at the Nou Camp in the second leg of their Champions League last-16 tie. Once again it was the Blaugrana’s formidable front three of Neymar, Luis Suarez and Lionel Messi that did the damage.

The Barclays Premier League is in the home stretch and we have one of the most unexpected title races in years. Rather interesting are the names leading the Premier League Top Goal Scorers table.

Tottenham went down to a 3-0 defeat at German giants Dortmund in the last-16 of the Europa League on Thursday night. The first leg defeat at the Signal Iduna Park has given Spurs very little chance of progressing to the next round of Europe’s second tier. 

PSG secured their place in the last eight of the Champions League with 2-1 win at Premier League Chelsea on Wednesday to win the tie 4-2 on aggregate.

Liverpool recorded a 2-1 victory at Crystal Palace on Sunday in the Premier League to move within six points of the top-four. The game looked to be heading for a draw until the 96th minute when Belgian striker Christian Benteke was brought down in the penalty area and scored the resulting spot-kick.

Most of the pre-season football predictions suggested that Leicester would be in the relegation battle this season. However, the Foxes keep on defying the odds in the Premier League title race as the side from the Midlands won 1-0 at Watford on Saturday to move five points clear at the top.

West Brom have been a strange team this season. They have been midtable for most of the campaign, but have been flirting with a relegation battle for the last few months.

Spanish league leaders and reigning champions Barcelona broken yet another record in last night’s 5-1 win at nine-man Rayo Vallecano, as they became the first team in the history of Spanish football to go 35 games unbeaten in all competitions.

Manchester City are now ten points behind surprise Premier League leaders Leicester in the table after a 3-0 defeat at Liverpool. In truth the Citizens were poor and looked far from champions on Merseyside.

Reigning Premier League champions Chelsea won 2-1 at relegation-threatened Norwich on Tuesday night. The Blues secured a win courtesy of goals from Kenedy and Diego Costa secured the victory and moved Guus Hiddink’s side up to eighth in the table.

Unlike Premier League title favourites Leicester have an advantage over their title rivals and not just in points either. The Foxes are currently two points ahead of Tottenham in second and five points clear of third place Arsenal.

This Weekend Leicester have the chance to re-establish a five point league at the top of the Premier League table, as the Foxes host Norwich at the King Power Stadium.