Upcoming league battles for the UCL semi-finalists
In the Champions League, only four teams remain: Barcelona, Liverpool, Ajax, and Tottenham. Of those semi-finalists, the Blaugrana has the least work cut out for them domestically. Messi and Co. boast a nine-point lead at the top with only six rounds remaining, with Getafe being the only top-six club left to face. Their Copa del Rey final against Valencia will be crucial, but Valverde will have the liberty to rest his star names for the important games.
The same cannot be said for the other three, however. Ajax has a KNVB final to contest and is level on points with PSV at the top in the Eredivisie title race with only four rounds remaining. Fortunately, the Dutch FA has decided to cancel an entire round so De Jong and Co. can rest for their showdown with Spurs.
Pochettino's men have a heated top-four race and their Champions League campaign to juggle. They have tricky trips to Man City and Bournemouth on their desk and will lock horns with West Ham and Everton at home in the coming rounds. Meanwhile, Klopp's men are also contesting in two competitions but their remaining fixtures are winnable as they seek both domestic and European glory.
These are the final run of games for the EPL's top-six clubs
What challenges await the Europa League final four in their domestic leagues?
Both Arsenal and Chelsea booked their tickets to the Europa League semi-finals but winning this competition could be all the more important for the Blues. The reason is while the London giants are both battling it out in a highly-contested top-four race, Sarri's men look the likeliest to miss out on a Champions League spot, meaning their only route could be through winning this competition.
As for Frankfurt and Valencia, the two other semi-finalists, they are also battling it out for a Champions League berth in their domestic leagues. While the fourth-placed Bundesliga side is fighting to maintain the status quo, the sixth-placed Spanish outfit is aiming to overturn the three-point gap between them and Sevilla in order to break into the top four.
While Frankfurt is trying to keep hold of their position...
Valencia is trying to climb up the ladder
What's next for those who waved goodbye to Europe?
For Juventus and Napoli, nothing really. The Bianconeri are a win away from officially being crowned the Serie A champions while Ancelotti's side sits comfortably in the second spot. For Man City and Man Utd, however, their European exits mean they can solely focus on what matters most now.
One has the Premier League title and the domestic treble in sight while the other will throw everything at qualifying for next season's Champions League. However, both teams have a few hurdles to overcome in their remaining five games. Guardiola's men will host Tottenham once more on Saturday before traveling to Old Trafford on the 24th, while the Red Devils will lock horns with Chelsea after that Manchester Derby.
Porto and Slavia Praha, having bowed out of the Champions League and Europa League respectively, can focus on their domestic leagues. With five games remaining in the Primeira Liga, the Dragons will want to wrestle the lead back from Benfica, whom they trail on goal difference alone. Meanwhile, Slavia Praha realistically needs only a single point to be crowned Czech champion. As for Villarreal, their sole aim now will be to survive relegation, as they sit only a point above the danger zone.
Porto is in a tight title race with Benfica, as well as Bayern and Dortmund, Ajax and PSV
Who are the biggest winners and losers?
Man United could benefit from their Champions League exit, as they would not be preoccupied with a competition they were never going to win while a European exit could be a blessing in disguise for Man City. Sure, they have missed out on a historic quadruple, but this could make their route to the domestic treble a lot easier. However, there is no silver lining for Juventus as they have missed out on their biggest goal.
Things will get trickier for the likes of Liverpool, Tottenham, and Ajax. It will be interesting to see how they will cope with juggling the Champions League with their domestic commitments, but it will be an exciting one to watch.
