It is a do-or-die situation for most teams as the summer, hence, the end of the season, is nearer for European football clubs, which will battle it out for a good spot in their leagues this weekend.
In La Liga, Barcelona can seal qualification for next season's Champions League by beating Real Betis on Saturday as six of the Spanish league's top seven go head-to-head in what could be a pivotal weekend in the race for the top four.
Barca, in second, are 8 points clear of Betis, in fifth, and if they can extend that gap to 11 with three games left to play, their spot in the Champions League will be secure. It would represent a significant achievement for the Catalans, despite a disappointing dip in recent weeks meaning the enthusiasm of a few weeks ago, when they thrashed Real Madrid 4-0, has fizzled out. Xavi Hernandez took over with Barcelona sitting ninth in La Liga, with the very real threat of missing out on the top four hanging over the club, who have debts of more than a billion euros and desperately need the money from playing in Europe's most lucrative club tournament. "We have two objectives," said Xavi last weekend, "Qualify for the Champions League and then also to finish second. But the main thing is to qualify for the Champions League."
A victory for Xavi's side at the Benito Villamarin would also come as a boost to Atletico Madrid, who are only three points ahead of Betis, with the local derby at home to Real Madrid to come on Sunday. Atletico have already said they will not give Real Madrid a guard of honor as champions, a subject that has dominated discussions in Spain in recent days but a gesture they consider to be "an attempt at mockery" that the club insisted has "the aim of humiliation." Atleti will hope Real Madrid's sensational comeback against Manchester City on Wednesday in the Champions League, which required extra time and a heap of emotional and physical energy, might take its toll at the Wanda Metropolitano.
In Serie A, Inter Milan is heading into a week that could make or break its season. The Nerazzurri, which is set to host Empoli on Friday, will then have to prepare for Wednesday's Italian Cup final against Juventus. Empoli is safe from relegation and has little to play for, while Inter knows that a win would send it back to the top of the league, a point above AC Milan, which doesn’t play until Sunday.
In the Bundesliga, Hertha could be saved, Arminia condemned and Stuttgart are somewhere in the middle ahead of a Bundesliga weekend thousands of anxious fans will watch through their fingers. VfB Stuttgart and Hertha Berlin have ambitions to challenge at the upper end of the Bundesliga but after dismal seasons both would simply settle for being in the top-flight next term.
A nail-biting weekend awaits both as they will first watch second-last Arminia Bielefeld, on 27 points, visit Bochum on Friday. Stuttgart, currently in the playoff place on 29, could avoid automatic demotion if Arminia don't win with a victory of their own on Sunday – but away to champions Bayern Munich that looks tough.
Accordingly, it is Hertha, at home to midtable Mainz in between on Saturday who seems to have the best chance to confirm their status. They kick-off sitting 15th, in the last of the guaranteed safe spots, on 33 points, and a win will ensure they avoid the bottom three. Veteran coach Felix Magath has turned Hertha's fortunes in his six games in charge with the last three bringing 7 points, including 4 from direct rivals Stuttgart and Bielefeld. "Our coach gave us a spirit," midfielder Prince Boateng told the club homepage. "It’s in our hands, and we want to get it done at home." Hertha's players are currently in a dispute with their fans after heavy criticism following a recent 4-1 debacle at home to Union Berlin but securing safety would create a mood for forgiveness. "We will continue to work as hard as we have in the last weeks, and focus solely on that," said Vladimir Darida. "We aren’t thinking about what might happen the next day in Munich. If we do our job, then we won’t have to wait for that," he added.
Stuttgart are winless in five, having lost momentum at the worst possible time, but rescued a late draw against Wolfsburg last time. "We’re taking the energy from the late equalizer with us, focussing fully on the next task and are going to give it our best shot there," Chris Fuehrich said of the trip to Munich. “We need to be on it from the start in this match." While Bayern have nothing left to play for this season, they will want to atone for the 3-1 shock in Mainz last time and enjoy their latest title party – their 10th in succession – in front of their own fans. Third-placed Bayer Leverkusen can seal a Champions League spot away to Hoffenheim on Saturday when Freiburg, fourth, hope to boost their own chances against Union Berlin.
In the Premier League, Manchester City must pick themselves off the floor for Newcastle's visit in the Premier League after their painful Champions League exit or risk ending the season empty-handed, with Liverpool on the prowl.
Pep Guardiola's men, reeling after blowing a two-goal lead in the final minute of their semifinal against Real Madrid to lose 6-5 on aggregate, are one point clear of the second-placed Reds but have the disadvantage of playing after their rivals for the second consecutive weekend. At the other end of the table, Norwich have already been relegated and Watford look certain to follow, with Burnley, Leeds or Everton set to join them in the Championship next season.
Manchester City were on course for a treble before Liverpool won last month's FA Cup semifinal at Wembley. Now they have just one trophy to play for. Jurgen Klopp's team have the chance to turn the screw on Saturday even though they have a tricky fixture against Tottenham, who are in desperate need of the points as they chase a top-four spot. Newcastle lost 1-0 to Liverpool last week but that came after four straight wins for Eddie Howe's revived side, who are now safely in midtable after their early-season woes. City know the maths is simple: Win their remaining four Premier League games and they will be champions for the fourth time in five seasons.
Guardiola is confident his side can shrug off the agony of their European exit but he has no margin for error. "We need time now, one or two days, but we will rise," he said. "We have to do it."
