SUPER TEN FROM EUROPEAN FOOTBALL THIS WEEK (Game Week 33)
Chaos in the EPL top four race, Leverkusen slip, La Liga and Serie A title races going down to the wire, a kick of survival from the Wolves and the agony of relegation for the Foxes
Late drama, goals at the death, the kick to survival and the agony of relegation, the Countdown to the end of the season in Europe gets crazier with twists and turns that make the next five weeks a rollercoaster with every result counting as teams races to the finish line across all leagues in Europe.
1. Manchester City leave it late against spirited Toffees
Manchester City secured a crucial 2–0 victory over Everton at Goodison Park, moving into top four as the race for the Champions League qualification goes on. Despite a frustrating performance for much of the match, two late goals sealed the points for Pep Guardiola’s side.
The match was headng into a barren draw before the breakthrough finally arrived in the 84th minute when young midfielder Nico O’Reilly, fresh from his first senior goal, slotted home a close-range finish after Matheus Nunes’s low cross. This strike broke a stubborn Everton defense that had largely kept City at bay.
Moments later, Mateo Kovacic added a second in stoppage time with a well-executed sliding finish, ensuring all three points for the visitors.
The win moves City into fourth place, one point behind Newcastle United and a point above Forest and Chelsea. For Everton, this marks their first home Premier League defeat since January as they sit in 13th position.
2. Villa hand Newcastle heavy defeat in Champions league qualification race
Aston Villa delivered a resounding blow to Newcastle United’s Champions League aspirations, securing a dominant 4–1 victory at Villa Park. The win propelled Villa to within two points of Newcastle in the Premier League standings, intensifying the battle for UCL qualification.
The home side made a perfect start, taking the lead within the first minute as Ollie Watkins’ shot deflected off Fabian Schar past Nick Pope. Despite Schar’s headed equaliser, Villa continued to be a threat, with Watkins twice hitting the woodwork in the first half.
After the break, Villa’s persistence paid off. Watkins turned provider, setting up Ian Maatsen for his debut Premier League goal. The pressure continued as Dan Burn inadvertently directed Jacob Ramsey’s cross into his own net. Amadou Onana then sealed the emphatic victory with a powerful strike in the final quarter of the game.
The result lifts Aston Villa to sixth place with 57 points, level on points with fifth-placed Nottingham Forest and just two points behind third-placed Newcastle and with Villa’s statement victory, the race for Champions League spots. Newcastle has significantly tightened
Newcastle still under the guidance of Jason Tindall in Eddie Howe’s absence, will need to regroup quickly after this setback and hit their form back in the remaining five games to qualify for Europe’s biggest competition.
3. Barcelona comeback in seven goal thriller against Celta Vigo
In LaLiga a seven goal breathtaking encounter was on as league leaders Barcelona staged a remarkable comeback, overcoming a 3–1 deficit to snatch a 4–3 victory against Celta Vigo at the death.
Borja Iglesias’ impressive hat-trick appeared to have Celta on course for a memorable away win, but a tactical masterclass from Hansi Flick and a dramatic late penalty secured all three points for the Catalan giants, extending their lead at the top to seven points.
Ferran Torres had given Barcelona an early advantage with a well-taken strike from the edge of the box. However, Celta responded instantly, capitalizing on a missed save by Wojciech Szczesny to allow Iglesias an easy tap-in. The second half saw Celta take control, with Iglesias punishing a Frenkie de Jong error to grab his second before completing his hat-trick by exploiting Barcelona’s high defensive line.
Despite the setback, Barcelona showed resilience as substitutes proved pivotal with Dani Olmo pulling one back after combining with Robert Lewandowski and Raphinha. Just four minutes later, another substitute, Lamine Yamal, delivered a cross for Raphinha to head in the equalizer.
In a dramatic finale, Olmo was fouled in the box in stoppage time. Following a VAR review, Raphinha stepped up and emphatically converted the penalty in the 98th minute, sealing a stunning victory for Barcelona. The result piles pressure on Real Madrid as they go into the final five games of the season.
In a dramatic LaLiga encounter, Javi Munoz etched his name into Las Palmas folklore by scoring a decisive stoppage-time goal, securing a stunning 1–0 victory for the relegation-battling side against Atletico Madrid. The unexpected result at the Estadio Gran Canaria has significantly dented Atletico’s already faint title aspirations.
Diego Simeone’s men, still sit third and trail Real Madrid with three points as they succumbed to the last minute loss.
For Las Palmas, the late drama sparked scenes of jubilation. Munoz’s volley, which bounced awkwardly past Jan Oblak after Atletico failed to clear a long free-kick from their own goalkeeper Dinko Horkas, lifted them to 17th place with 32 points. This crucial win sees them, at least temporarily, escape the relegation zone, sitting two points clear of Alaves in 18th.
This unexpected triumph provides a massive boost for Las Palmas in their fight for LaLiga survival, while leaving Atletico Madrid to ponder what might have been in a season that had promise.
4. Mc Tominay grabs al three points for Conte’s men in the Seerie A title race
A late header from Scott McTominay proved decisive as Napoli edged out relegation-battling Monza 1–0 on Saturday.
The first half had chances from both ends but the breakthrough arrived in the 72nd minute when McTominay expertly nodded home a beautifully lofted cross from Giacomo Raspadori, delivered from the edge of the penalty area. McTominay’s well-taken goal, his ninth in the league this season, ultimately securing the three points for the visitors.
Napoli, currently second in the standings, will now be keenly watching Sunday’s match between defending champions Inter and Bologna, hoping for a result that could see them level with their rivals at the top.
As Roma continued their resurgence under manager Claudio Ranieri as they grabbed another three points against Hellas Verona with Shomurodov scoring the early goal in the 4th minute and moving the team to a surprise fifth from a disastrous campaign that the aged Italian manager has turned around fantastically.
5. Bayern Munich crush Heidenheim in a commanding last push to the finish line as Leverkusen falter
Bayern Munich delivered a commanding performance on Saturday, securing a decisive 4–0 away victory against Heidenheim. This win propels the reigning champions nine points clear at the Bundesliga summit with only four matches left to play.
Harry Kane opened the scoring in the 12th minute, expertly finishing a pass from Michael Olise. The floodgates opened soon after, with Konrad Laimer doubling Bayern’s advantage just seven minutes later. Kingsley Coman effectively sealed the points in the 36th minute, leaving Heidenheim with a mountain to climb. Kane could have added another before halftime but his header strayed just wide.
Joshua Kimmich added a fourth goal in the 56th minute, further emphasizing Bayern’s dominance. While Heidenheim showed some fight in the latter stages, with Jones Urbig denying Sirlord Conteh, they were unable to breach Bayern’s defense.
Elsewhere, Bayer Leverkusen’s bid to defend their Bundesliga title suffered a huge setback on Sunday following a 1–1 draw away to St. Pauli. Patrik Schick’s first-half header gave Xabi Alonso’s side the lead in the 32nd minute.
However, Leverkusen failed to build on that advantage, allowing a determined St. Pauli to grow into the game after the break. The visitors thought they had equalized, only for a VAR review to disallow Morgan Guilavogui’s strike for a handball.
St. Pauli found their deserved leveller soon after, capitalizing on a spill by Lukas Hradecky from a weak free-kick, allowing Carlo Boukhalfa to equalize.
Despite late efforts from both sides, neither could find a winning goal. The draw leaves Leverkusen eight points adrift of league leaders Bayern Munich, who had convincingly defeated Heidenheim and with only four matches remaining, Leverkusen’s chances of retaining their Bundesliga crown now hang precariously with a few games to go.
6. Chelsea leave it late against Fulham in a race for UCL qualification as Leicester drop to the Championship.
Chelsea snatched a dramatic 2–1 victory against Fulham at Craven Cottage, keeping their Champions League qualification aspirations burning bright. Despite falling behind to an Alex Iwobi strike in the 20th minute after Reece James was dispossessed, the Blues mounted a spirited second-half comeback.
Substitute Tyrique George sparked the turnaround just five minutes after entering the fray, unleashing a powerful first-time shot past Bernd Leno. The decisive moment arrived deep into stoppage time when Pedro Neto displayed exquisite skill, moving quickly to meet Enzo Fernandez’s pass and firing the ball into the net’s roof.
This hard-fought win ends Chelsea’s eight-game winless streak away from home and propels them into fifth place in the league standings, overtaking Nottingham Forest and Aston Villa in the final games and race to UCL qualification.
7. Wolves secure survival against United as Leicester is relegated to the Championship
A moment of brilliance from Pablo Sarabia was enough to secure Wolverhampton Wanderers’ place in the Premier League for another season, as his stunning late free-kick condemned Manchester United to a 1–0 defeat at Old Trafford.
Despite periods of promising possession and intricate build-up play, Manchester United struggled to find the decisive touch in front of goal. Chances fell to Kobbie Mainoo, Rasmus Hojlund, and substitute Mason Mount, but none could find the target in the game.
With the game seemingly headed for a goalless draw, Sarabia stepped up to curl a magnificent 20-yard free-kick into the top corner with just 13 minutes remaining. The Spaniard’s strike not only snatched all three points for Wolves but also mathematically guaranteed their Premier League status.
The victory also marks Wolves’ fifth consecutive win and pulls them level on points with Manchester United. For the home side, however, the loss extends their winless league run to four matches, failing to capitalize on their midweek Europa League comeback.
Wolves can celebrate another year in the top flight, now sitting comfortably 17 points clear of the relegation zone but for Leicester, it was contrast as they are officially relegated back to the Championship.
Their time in the Premier League has come to an end following a narrow 1–0 defeat at home to Liverpool. A moment of brilliance from returning right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold secured the win for the visitors, pushing them closer to the league title and confirming the Foxes’ relegation.
The match at the King Power Stadium was a tense affair, with both sides hitting the woodwork in the first half. Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah was particularly unlucky, striking both posts within a three-minute spell. Leicester goalkeeper Mads Hermansen put in a stellar performance, making crucial saves to deny several Liverpool attackers.
Despite Liverpool’s pressure, Leicester thought they had broken the deadlock in the 67th minute when Conor Coady headed home, only for the goal to be disallowed for a foul in the build-up. The game remained finely balanced until the late stages, with Salah and Diogo Jota both hitting the woodwork again in a frantic sequence before Alexander-Arnold’s powerful volley finally found the back of the net.
This victory extends Liverpool’s lead at the top of the table to 13 points, putting them on the brink of securing the Premier League title. For Leicester City, however, the defeat confirms their relegation with five games still to play. Sitting in 19th place, they are unable to close the gap on the teams above them, bringing an end to their Premier League journey and back to the Championship for the former Premier league champions.
8. Orsolini’s Stunning Strike ignites Scudetto Race
A moment of brilliance from Riccardo Orsolini has thrown the Serie A title race wide open. The Bologna striker’s sensational overhead kick in the dying moments of the match securing a dramatic 1–0 victory over league leaders Inter at the Stadio Renato Dall’Ara.
Orsolini’s 12th goal of the season not only clinched a memorable win for the home side but also prevented Inter from re-establishing a three-point lead over second-placed Napoli.
Inter, hoping to capitalize on Napoli’s earlier win against Monza, had an early opportunity through Carlos Augusto but Bologna proved to be a persistent threat, with Dan Ndoye and Benjamin Dominguez both going close. As the clock ticked down, a draw seemed inevitable. However, in stoppage time, a long throw-in was flicked on, before Orsolini’s spectacular bicycle kick snatched all three points for Bologna and injected fresh excitement into the Scudetto battle with five games to go.
9. Valverde snatches victory at the death as La Liga goes down to the wire
A dramatic stoppage-time goal from Federico Valverde secured a crucial 1–0 victory for Real Madrid against Athletic Bilbao on Sunday, breathing life into their LaLiga title aspirations. The hard-fought win reduces the gap to league leaders Barcelona to just four points with six matches remaining for both teams.
Coming off a disappointing Champions League exit earlier in the week, Real Madrid initially struggled to find their attacking spark, missing the suspended Kylian Mbappe. Valverde registered their only shot on target in the first half. However, the team showed renewed vigor after the break, determined to break down a resolute Bilbao defense.
Bilbao’s goalkeeper, Unai Simon, was in inspired form, denying Jude Bellingham’s header with a brilliant save following a dangerous run and cross from Vinicius Junior. Vinicius himself thought he had broken the deadlock in the 79th minute, but his low shot was ruled out by VAR due to an offside infringement in the build-up involving Endrick.
Bellingham had another opportunity to snatch the win in the 90th minute, but his close-range effort went over the bar. Just as it seemed the points would be shared, Valverde delivered a moment of brilliance. After Bilbao failed to clear in the dying moments, the Uruguayan unleashed a rocket volley into the top corner, sending the Santiago Bernabeu into raptures, securing a vital three points for Carlo Ancelotti’s side as La Liga goes down to the wire.
10. Atalanta hit a crushing blow to Milan’s dismal campaign
Atalanta secured a crucial 1–0 away victory against AC Milan on Sunday, strengthening their hold on a Champions League spot in Serie A. Gian Piero Gasperini’s squad now sits comfortably in third place, holding a four-point advantage over Bologna, who earlier stunned league leaders Inter Milan.
The first half at the San Siro was a cagey affair, with clear-cut chances few and far between. Luka Jovic had the best opportunity for Milan, but failed to trouble the Atalanta goalkeeper. Milan threatened again after the break when Rafael Leao’s cross narrowly missed Christian Pulisic.
However, it was Atalanta who broke the deadlock just after the hour mark. A cross from Ademola Lookman was cleverly played back into the box by Raoul Bellanova, allowing Ederson to score with a diving header past Mike Maignan.
Atalanta nearly extended their lead late in the game, but Milan captain Maignan made a sharp save with his foot to deny Mateo Retegui.
The final whistle was met with jeers from the frustrated Milan supporters, reflecting their disappointment with the team’s overall poor form. For Milan, the defeat leaves them nine points adrift of the top four with only five games remaining, significantly denting their Champions League aspirations with the Coppa Italia where they would play against Inter Milan, their oly slim hope of qualifying for Europe.
