European stadium tour: Barça and Atlético compare each other, the Reds test at Tottenham

The Premier League could offer several crossovers in the standings this weekend, the last before the festivities.

At the top of the tree, Liverpool (1st, 36 pts) could have their leadership position stolen by Chelsea (2nd, 34 pts) if the “Reds” lose at Tottenham on Sunday (5:30 p.m.) and the “Blues” punish Everton more early in the afternoon (3:00 p.m.).

The depressed champion, Manchester City (5th, 27 pts), will grind on Saturday against Aston Villa (7th, 25 pts) with the hope of overtaking Nottingham Forest (4th, 28 pts) and/or getting back to the level of Arsenal ( 3rd, 30 pts), who faces Crystal Palace (15th, 16 pts) the same day.

Behind them, there is traffic jam before the 17th day: only three points separate Bournemouth, the sixth (25 pts), from Manchester United, the thirteenth (22 pts). The coincidence of the calendar pits them against each other on Sunday at Old Trafford.

Spain: Barça-Atlético at the crossroads

It is possible that a turning point in the La Liga season will take place on Saturday at 9:00 p.m., with FC Barcelona hosting Atlético Madrid. Hansi Flick's men, euphoric at the start of the season, have slowed down in recent weeks and are now tied on points with Atlético and just one unit ahead of Real Madrid, who nevertheless have a game in hand.

Barça have suffered three defeats and two draws in their last six league matches. Conversely, Antoine Griezmann and his partners have just won five victories in a row, and eleven in all competitions.

Real Madrid are in ambush, gradually managing to integrate a Kylian Mbappé in poor form, despite the team's structural problems since the departure of Toni Kroos. The reception of Sevilla FC on Sunday (4:15 p.m.) is an opportunity to forget last week's draw at Rayo Vallecano (3-3) or even the defeat at Bilbao at the beginning of December (2-1).

Germany: Bayern expected at the turning point

Beaten for the first time this season in the Bundesliga last week in Mainz (2-1), Bayern Munich (leader, 33 points) hosts RB Leipzig (4th, 27 points) on Friday evening at the opening of the 15th day.

Vincent Kompany's men have been marking time for three weeks and the injury to their striker Harry Kane, snatching a draw in Dortmund (1-1) at the end of the match on November 30, eliminated from the Cup by Leverkusen four days later late and finally beaten at Mainz. But they will be able to count on Kane, who will return to the Munich squad.

Bayer Leverkusen stepped into the breach perfectly, reducing the gap separating them from the “Rekordmeister”, from nine points on the evening of the 11th day to four points three weeks later.

The reigning German champion hosts Freiburg (5th, 24 points) and will want to achieve an eighth consecutive success in all competitions.

Frankfurt (3rd, 27 points) welcomes Mainz (7th, 22 points) while Borussia Dortmund (8th, 22 points) will finally try to win away from its Westfalenstadion (four defeats and three draws), on the Wolfsburg pitch. (10th, 21 points).

Italy: Atalanta still higher?

Nothing stops Atalanta, not even its very busy schedule. After securing a tenth consecutive victory in the league last weekend, the Serie A leader disgusted Cesena, residents of the 2nd division, 6 to 1 in the round of 16 of the Italian Cup on Wednesday. It is now Empoli (11th, 19 pts) who will try on Sunday (6:00 p.m.) to stop the formidable goal machine (41 since the start of the season) of Gian Piero Gasperini.

With an eleventh victory, the Bergamo club (37 pts) would imitate Naples which had a string of successes between September and November 2022 on the road to the third “scudetto” in its history. But 18 years ago, Inter Milan of Ibrahimovic and Crespo had done better with their 17 successes in a row!

Naples, 2nd (35 pts) two points behind the leader, can put him under pressure by winning against Genoa on Saturday (6:00 p.m.), while Inter (3rd, 34 pts but one game in hand) will host Como (15th , 15 pts) Monday (8:45 p.m.).

Disappointments of this first leg, Juventus (6th, 28 pts) whose last victory in the league dates back to November 9, travels to Monza on Sunday (19th, 10 pts) and AC Milan, relegated to 8th place (23 pts). ), kicks off this 17th day in Verona (16th, 15 pts) on Friday (8:45 p.m.).