What to watch this weekend: Chelsea-Spurs, Leipzig and six-pointers in La Liga

The battle for fourth in England intensifies, while RB Leipzig try to catch Bayern and a big weekend of games in La Liga take over this weekend.

Midweek action in the Champions League and Europa League gave us exhilarating fun, goals and suspense to look forward to in the next three weeks. But now it’s back to domestic competition where the intensity never stops, and the stakes are raised with every game played. Let’s take a look at this weekend’s biggest storylines  in Europe’s top five leagues.

Chelsea host Spurs in a huge battle for the top four

Normally, a second-place team facing the third-place team would make for compelling viewing. But because of the UEFA ban placed on Manchester City, and the gap to leaders Liverpool, their game against Leicester City loses some shine. So now all eyes are on fourth place and the final Champions League spot, bringing us to Chelsea vs. Tottenham.

Spurs come into this game in better form, unbeaten in their last four league games including winning their last three. However, they have been decimated by injuries. Heung-Min Son is the latest after a fractured arm could cost him the rest of the season, he joins Harry Kane on treatment table. The games are coming thick and fast at this stage of the season, and players are getting tired and frustrated.

Their 1-0 defeat in the Round of 16 first leg at home to RB Leipzig has made matters worse with Jose Mourinho likening his team to a “gun without bullets.” To his credit, he has scrambled for results and has kept this side in the fight for fourth place, now he has to get one over on his former club.

That former club being Chelsea, who have had a tough month of February. Drawing at Leicester was nice but Chelsea then came back home and lost to Manchester United, who are now just three points behind the Blues. Frank Lampard’s men have won just 5 out of a possible 13 home matches so far this campaign, with a goal differential of plus-2. That 2-0 win in December seems like a long time ago when Lampard delivered a tactical masterclass.

Losing another one at home, to Spurs and Mourinho would complete a disastrous week for them. Not to mention the criticism that will come their way, before another home game in midweek to Bayern Munich. Thanks to City’s ban, the fight around fourth place is a dogfight, and this London derby should be nothing less.

RB Leipzig head to Schalke looking to catch Bayern in the Bundesliga table

One of the most impressive things that happened this week was all five German teams remaining in European competition won. RB Leipzig were one of those five and will look to keep pace with Bayern Munich domestically as they visit Schalke.

The hosts have turned their fortunes around this season with the appointment of David Wagner. In less than six months, the former Huddersfield Town boss has turned Die Knappen into a genuine top-four contender. They currently sit six points behind Borussia Monchengladbach for fourth place and have lost once at the Veltins Arena all season. Schalke are also responsible for handing Leipzig their first loss of the season, winning 3-1 away back in September.

Die Roten Bullen are just one point back of defending champions Bayern but will need help from others to leapfrog the German giants. Leipzig own the second-best away record in the division, and will need to keep that momentum going this weekend. Bayern are ruthless, so any slip-up from RB Leipzig could conceivably cost them the league title.

Six-pointers at both ends of the La Liga table

You can make the case right now that Spain’s top flight is the most competitive league from top to bottom. Despite Real Madrid and Barcelona holding a 10+ point advantage to third-place Getafe, the rest of the table shows very little wiggle room. And that’s where we’ll start, as Getafe in third host Sevilla in sixth.

The fairy tale continued this week for Getafe, who took a decisive 2-0 aggregate lead in their Europa League tie against last season’s Champions League semifinalists in Ajax. Domestically they’ve won four out of their last five, with the one defeat being last week at the Camp Nou.

Getafe sit two points ahead of Sevilla, who face a long trip back to Spain after battling to a 1-1 Europa League draw in Romania against CFR Cluj. But for Sevilla, life on the road in La Liga has been good to them. They own the second best record away from home despite winning six out of a possible 12 thus far. Expect a tight affair at Getafe’s Coliseum Alfonso Perez.

Another game with top-four ramifications in La Liga is Atletico Madrid in fourth hosting Villarreal in sixth. The teams are separated by just two points, but Madrid will come in the happier of the two after a narrow 1-0 win against Liverpool in midweek. But a look the table shows startling numbers for Diego Simeone’s men. Atleti have only scored 25 goals the entire campaign, and have conceded 17.

Villarreal will look to extend their unbeaten streak to five in La Liga play. A draw was the outcome the first time these two played back in December and you can expect another low scoring affair at the Wanda Metropolitano.

If you’re looking for a relegation scrap, Celta Vigo vs. Leganes should be just for you. Celta are 17th, two points ahead of their opponents who are 19th with 19 points and have scored only 19 goals all season. Both teams have the same amount of wins with four. Celta will look to exact revenge after losing a five-goal thriller back in early December.

But unfortunately, the spotlight will shine brighter on Leganes. Top scorer Martin Braithwaite has departed for Barcelona after shameful heavy-handedness from the Catalan club and the league in general. Leganes didn’t have the chance to also sign a replacement, and now relegation is looking more certain with Braithwaite’s goals gone to Camp Nou. Thanks to what has transpired, Leganes will have to fight like hell to avoid the drop, winning at Balaidos this weekend would be a huge step forward.