Champions League race : Chelsea and Man City still close to qualify

Arsenal have gone up to third place following their 3-0 win against Liverpool but are still far away from the top two teams who look really good for Champions League qualification.

 

1 Chelsea  32 points + 26  ( 4 games to play)

 

Wed 9 May Chelsea v Birmingham

Sat 12 May Chelsea v Sunderland

Tue 15 May Bristol v Chelsea

Sun 20 May Liverpool v Chelsea  

 

2 Man City 29 points + 23 ( 5 games to play)

 

Thu 03 May Bristol v Man City

Sun 13 May Arsenal v Man City

Wed 16 May Man City v Yeovil

Sun 20 May Man City v Everton

tbc Liverpool v Man City

 

3 Arsenal  28 points + 15 ( 4 games to play)

 

Sun 29 Apr Birmingham v Arsenal

Sun 13 May Arsenal v Man City

Wed 16 May Sunderland v Arsenal

Sun 20 May Bristol v Arsenal

 

4 Reading  25 points +17 ( 3 games to play)

 

Sun 29 Apr Sunderland v Reading

Sat 12 May Reading v Liverpool

Sun 20 May Birmingham v Reading

 

5 Liverpool 24 points +6 ( 4 games to play)

 

Sun 29 Apr Liverpool v Everton

Sat 12 May Reading v Liverpool

Sun 20 May Liverpool v Chelsea

tbc Liverpool v Man City

 

6 Birmingham 23 points +7 ( 4 games to play)

 

Sun 29 Apr Birmingham v Arsenal

Wed 9 May Chelsea v Birmingham

Sun 13 May Everton v Birmingham City

Sun 20 May Birmingham v Reading

 

The chasing pack all need a win this week-end to keep their hopes alive. With the top two teams involved in the Champions League semi-final, the four chasing teams could close the gap. Actually three of them could close the gap as Birmingham and Arsenal will play each other at Solihull Moors.

Any of the four chasing teams that does not win this week-end will be probably out of the Champions League race,  although it won’t be mathematically confirmed until  potentially the 3rd of May for Reading and the 9th of May for Liverpool and Birmingham.

Chelsea and Manchester City have really 90% chances of Champions League qualification. 38 points should seal the deal  imo so Chelsea probably need two wins in four and Manchester City three wins in five.

The Champions League places battle is hotting up

We are now in the final weeks of the 2017/18 season and there are still six teams still competing for the two Champions League places.

 

Chelsea and Manchester City are huge favorites to be once again the two English teams in the top club competition. The chasing pack are hot on their tails but do not seem to be consistent enough to threaten them.

Here are the upcoming fixtures for the six teams. You can note that some teams’ fixtures have not been updated yet by the FA as  the whole season schedule has been a mess as usual. Games in italics are the games with the top six teams going head to head.

 

1 Chelsea  32 points + 26  ( 4 games to play)

 

Wed 9 May Chelsea v Birmingham

Sat 12 May Chelsea v Sunderland

Tue 15 May Bristol v Chelsea

Sun 20 May Liverpool v Chelsea  

 

2 Man City 29 points + 23 ( 5 games to play)

 

Sun 13 May Arsenal v Man City

Wed 16 May Man City v Yeovil

Sun 20 May Man City v Everton

 

3 Reading  25 points +17 ( 3 games to play)

 

Sun 29 Apr Sunderland v Reading

Sat 12 May Reading v Liverpool

Sun 20 May Birmingham v Reading

 

 

4 Arsenal  25 points + 12 ( 5 games to play)

 

Tue 24 Apr Arsenal v Liverpool

Sun 29 Apr Birmingham v Arsenal

Sun 13 May Arsenal v Man City

Wed 16 May Sunderland v Arsenal

Sun 20 May Bristol v Arsenal

 

5 Liverpool 24 points +9 ( 5 games to play)

 

Tue 24 Apr Arsenal v Liverpool

Sun 29 Apr Liverpool v Everton

Sat 12 May Reading v Liverpool

Sun 20 May Liverpool v Chelsea

 

6 Birmingham 23 points +7 ( 4 games to play)

 

Sun 29 Apr Birmingham v Arsenal

Wed 9 May Chelsea v Birmingham

Sun 13 May Everton v Birmingham City

Sun 20 May Birmingham v Reading

 

As previously mentioned, Chelsea and Manchester City are favorite for the top two finish, but they have a very busy schedule. City actually have two games not scheduled yet. If Any one or both teams reach the Champions League final, they will have a tough run-up to the showpiece in Kiev.

There are many head to head games remaining between the top six and those games will probably decide who will be in Europe next season.  Reading and Birmingham are unlikely to make it but mathematically still in. Both could be out of the Champions League race by Sunday though.

Arsenal and Liverpool are the chasing group. They play each other tonight, a draw or a defeat for any of those teams would surely cost them champions league qualification. While the winner would close down the gap to Manchester City.

The title race and the Champions League race might go to final day depending on how the teams will react to playing so many games in such a short time. It is clearly a survival of the fittest kind of situation, rather than the best football teams will make it to the elite club competition.

 

 

 

Ticketing for the FIFA U-20 World Cup now open

The first ticketing phase for the FIFA U-20 WWC in France has now opened with a pre-sale for VISA card holders.

For the England fans who want to watch the group stage games and then the knock-out stage here are the single ticket prices :

Group Stage ( group B)

Koread DPR v England Sun 05 Aug  in Dinan-Lehon  16 and 20€ ( seated)

Brazil v England  Wed 08 Aug in Dinan-Lehon  16 and 20€ ( seated)

England v Mexico* Sun 12 Aug in Saint-Malo  10€  ( standing ) and 20€  ( seated)

 

*All games are double headers and this ticket includes Netherlands v France where the home fans might buy a lot of tickets, that is the FFF aim obviously.

 

Knock-out stage

 

Quarter-finals

1A v 2B  Thu 16 Aug in Concarneau  16€  ( standing) and 26€ ( seated)

1B v 2A Fri 17 Aug in Vannes 14, 20 and 26€ ( seated)

 

Semi-finals

Mon 20 Aug in Vannes 18, 24, 28 €  (seated)

 

3^rd place play-off and final

Fri 24 Aug in Vannes  20, 26, 30 € ( seated)

 

There are also city related packages for the fans who want to see all the games at a specific location.

 

 

 

Here is a reminder of the full schedule :

The link to buy the tickets is here :

Fans have to register to the website as usual before buying the tickets. Most tickets have to  to be collected at the venues before the games except in Vannes, where e-tickets are available.