A fierce battle for the Champions’ League places is looming as the main combatants, Chelsea, Arsenal and Tottenham left the weekend with 1-0 wins.

Chelsea had to rely on an own-goal from Phil Jones after a Juan Mata strike to overcome champions-elect Manchester United as they head into a do-or-die match against Tottenham tomorrow. Whoever wins that match will have secured Champions’ League football for next season.

Manchester City were, meanwhile, held to a 0-0 draw by Swansea as Edin Dzeko spilled a chance to win the game late on in a typical stalemate as the season winds down.

Liverpool 0 — 0 Everton

QPR 0 — 1 Arsenal

Tottenham 1 — 0 Southampton

Valencia surge for Europe

Valencia are staging a late-season burst for European football next season as they attempt to close in on fourth-placed Real Sociedad.

After their weekend 4-0 rout of relegation-threatened Osasuna, Valencia were two points behind Sociedad, who had a game in hand.

Real Madrid, for yet another week, delayed an early Catalan celebration with their enthralling 4-3 win over Valladolid as Cristiano Ronaldo netted a brace.

Barcelona 3 — 2 Real Betis

Deportivo 0 — 0 Atletico Madrid

Granada 1 — 0 Malaga

Juve wrap up title

Juventus have won their second Scudetto in two years as they claimed the Serie A title at Palermo with three games to spare.

In the actual match, Juve weren’t all that impressive. However, a mere second-half penalty from Arturo Vidal was enough to give the Bianconeri the three points and this year’s honours.

As this was happening, Mario Balotelli was netting the lone goal in the AC Milan win over Torino to extend their hold on the last Champions’ League place to four points.

Napoli 2 — 1 Inter

Lazio 6 — 0 Bologna

Fiorentina 0 — 1 Roma

Low-key der Klassiker

After triumphing over their midweek Spanish foes, Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich gave a league teaser of the Champions’ League final later this month.

With key players rested ahead of Europe’s biggest tie, first-half goals meant that the long-time rivals played to a 1-1 draw.

Bayer Leverkusen secured Champions’ League football next season with a 2-0 win at Nuremburg as Stefan Kiessling netted from the spot to tie Robert Lewandowski for the Bundesliga’s top scorer. Sidney Sam even missed a penalty for Leverkusen as they comfortably wrapped up third place.

Monchengladbach 0 — 1 Schalke

Bremen 2 — 2 Hoffenheim

E Frankfurt 3 — 1 Dusseldorf

Champions’ League Update

Borussia Dortmund managed to stave off a late Real Madrid charge to hold on to a 4-3 aggregate win, while Bayern Munich further embarrassed Barcelona, beating them 3-0 at home to complete a 7-0 aggregate victory. The two German sides will meet in the derby der Klassiker on May 25 to decide the Champions of Europe at the Wembley Stadium in England.