Season 4 - Match Day 36 preview

With just 3 games to go little is decided across the divisions by way of promotion and relegation but rest assured we'll keep you up to speed with our ongoing weekly reviews during the run in.

Division 1

With 3 games left and 5pts the difference Bayern could be crowned Champions if they win at home to PSG and Barca fail to take 3pts in their home fixture against Juve. A draw for the Germans would in reality be enough if the Catalans lose due to their far superior goal difference.

Bayern, Barca and Real who all feature in this seasons semi-finals are joined in having qualified for next seasons Champions Cup by Juve, a further CC place will be available to the 5^th place team should any of the aforementioned trio lift the trophy this season but the other semi-finalist Liverpool will be hoping to book their ticket into the tournament by winning it this time around.

Only 3pts separate eight teams vying for that 5^th place, those being Chelsea, Dortmund, Liverpool, Spurs, Valencia, Milan, Napoli and Porto, add to that group PSG for those contending the 6 automatic Champions Shield Places.

With Liverpool and Bayern having won the League Cup and Shield respectively qualification for the CS places could extend to 9 places (all of the above) courtesy of the Champions Cup outcome.

In the basement Lazio as feared have had their relegation confirmed and nothing but a win away to Napoli will prevent them from finishing bottom.

Above Lazio only 3pts separate Schalke in 19^th and Monchengladbach in 15^th with Atletico, Zenit and Man City sandwiched in between. With none of the bottom clubs facing each other on Thursday all will live to fight at least one more game day.

Whilst Arsenal aren’t mathematically safe they will be breathing soundly and victory at Monchengladbach would secure their status next season due to goal difference.

Division 2

All still to play for in the fight for promotion with Everton stealing the initiative to head the table, Div 1 football beckons both they and Roma if either at least match Wolfsburgs result against Southampton on Thursday.

Man Utd however would need a win, a Wolfsburg defeat and Inter to fail to win for them to make the rise. Naturally Wolfsburg and Inter will be looking for Man Utd to slip up whilst Southampton must overcome The Wolves and hope for results above them to go in their favour to retain their automatic promotion hopes.

Whilst Wolfsburg and Inter are decent bets to be assured of at least a play-off place the other contenders for a place in the lottery are Southampton, Internacional, Genoa, Sevilla, Fiorentina and Ajax but Thursday may thin out the pack somewhat.

At the bottom thin is the operative word when it comes to chances of avoiding the drop. With Newcastle already confirmed as down Shakhtar, Villa and CSKA will all be confirmed as joining them if they lose on Thursday.

Shakthar are down regardless of their result at Fenerbahce if Benfica win at Villa, a result which see the Midlanders through the trap door too. CSKA meanwhile have a stiff challenge as they host high flying Everton.

Division 3

Sporting could seal promotion with victory at home to Stoke if both Villarreal and Boca fail to secure 3pts in their fixtures at home to Loko and Stuttgart respectively. A draw would be enough for the Portuguese outfit if Villarreal and Boca both lose as it would for Swansea in second if they continue their good form with a win at Sao Paulo.

The final automatic promotion place can’t be decided on Thursay with both Villarreal and Boca locked on 60pts, Leicester trail them by 5pts and Athletic Club by 6pts, both will be hoping to capitalise on any slip up to make a last minute push for Div 2.

These two however will be also looking at assuring their play-off places with Sunderland, Loko, and Marseille vying with them for the four places, Hamburg, Cruzeiro and Sao Paulo still have an outside chance of making it too.

With Stuttgart already relegated Udinese could join them with defeat at Palace as could Basel at Cruzeiro, both these two look doomed but will still not have given up the chase.

Above them Stoke currently 4^th from bottom are only 4pts behind PSV in 13^th, they, Besiktas, Galatasary and Palace are likely to scrap it out until Week 37 at the earliest to decide which of them also faces Div 4 football next season.

Division 4

Already promoted Hellas Verona will be looking to take the title by gaining at least a point away to Lille.

The battle to join Hellas is tight with only 5pts separating Sassuolo in 2^nd with Chievo Verona in 6^th, St Etienne, Liege and Sampdoria being sandwiched in between.

All of these look likely to at least make the play-offs with Dnipro Olympiacos and AZ following close enough to have a realistic chance of making the cut.

At the foot defeat for West Ham at Chievo or victory for Bordeaux at home to St Etienne will see them down, even a draw for the Frenchmen would seal the Hammers fate due to their goal difference. A similar fate awaits Montpellier and River Plate if they lose at home to Olympiacos and Dnipro respectively.

Lille currently 4^th from bottom are currently in good form and only 3pts behind Kyiv in 12^th, between them lay Bordeaux, Monaco, Feyenoord and Zagreb, all will be desperate for 3pts on Thursday to increase their hopes of survival.

Division 5

With 3 to play only 6pts separate the top 5 of Moscow, Santos, Celta Vigo, Celtic and Torino, none can confirm promotion this Thursday but all will be desperate for victory, the game between Celtic and Celta Vigo is crucial and will go a long way to making the promotion shake up a lot clearer.

Below the promotion protagonists Hertha, Malaga, Levante, Rubin Kazan, Brugge and Independiente are all in with a shout and scrapping to the death to make it into the play-off bingo call.

At the foot West Broms wooden spoon will be confirmed with anything less than victory at home to Cologne or if Anderlecht win at Santos.