Champions League Race: Chelsea Grab Key Wins

This weekend’s football games in the Premier League and La Liga brought intense action, with Chelsea and Real Madrid earning important wins that boosted their push for Champions League spots and league titles. As the season nears its end, the fight for top places is getting even tougher.

Chelsea 3-1 Liverpool: Blues Keep Champions League Hopes Alive

Chelsea boosted their chances of getting back into the Champions League with a strong 3-1 win over Liverpool at Stamford Bridge. Enzo Fernández opened the scoring early, cutting through Liverpool’s defense and finishing smartly. Things got worse for Liverpool when Jarell Quansah accidentally scored an own goal.

Cole Palmer finished it off with a cool penalty in added time. Van Dijk scored late for Liverpool, but it wasn’t enough. The team looked tired after their big win over Tottenham the week before and couldn’t avoid their third league loss of the season.

Thanks to this win and smart tactics from manager Enzo Maresca, Chelsea now sit fifth in the Premier League with 63 points—the same as fourth-placed Newcastle, who drew 1-1 with Brighton. Nottingham Forest, sitting just below, can also reach 63 points if they beat Crystal Palace. Chelsea have now won five home games in a row and are clearly pushing to rejoin Europe’s top competition.

Real Madrid 3-2 Celta Vigo: Madrid Hold On in Tight Title Race

In Spain, Real Madrid beat Celta Vigo 3-2 in a tight match at the Santiago Bernabéu to stay in the title race. Kylian Mbappé was the star again, scoring twice—one with a sharp finish and the other using his speed. He now has 24 league goals, just one behind the top scorer.

Arda Güler, a young Turkish talent, scored the first goal with a great strike and later assisted Mbappé. Celta Vigo tried to fight back with two late goals, taking advantage of Madrid’s weakened defense, which was missing six injured players. Goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois made key saves to protect the lead. Coach Carlo Ancelotti said, “We struggled a bit, but it was a good win.”

With this result, Real Madrid stay second in La Liga with 72 points, trailing Barcelona by four points. Barcelona had a comeback win over Valladolid. The upcoming El Clásico could decide the title, especially with Madrid already knocked out of the Champions League and losing the Copa del Rey final to Barcelona. Even though Celta lost, they remain seventh and still in the running for a Europa League spot.

Premier League Champions League Qualification Battle

With Liverpool already champions at 82 points, the focus shifts to the remaining Champions League places — and the competition is fierce. Arsenal hold second place with 67 points but have faltered lately, including a costly 2-1 defeat to Bournemouth. This stumble leaves them open to a late surge from Manchester City, who are just three points behind with a game in hand. City’s steady form and squad depth make them favorites to overtake Arsenal in the final stretch.

Newcastle United and Chelsea are tied at 63 points, with Newcastle edging ahead on goal difference. Both teams are in fine shape — Chelsea boosted by five straight home victories, and Newcastle consistently earning points. The heat is on for both to keep their momentum against tough opponents.

Nottingham Forest, with 60 points, are surprise contenders. A win in their next game could draw them level with Chelsea and Newcastle, making the race even tighter. Forest’s lively attacking play gives them a shot, but they’ll need perfect results and some luck with rivals’ slip-ups.

Further back, Fulham and Brighton have slim hopes, needing flawless runs and major errors from those above. They’re more likely to act as disruptors, potentially spoiling the plans of teams in the race.

In truth, Arsenal, Manchester City, Newcastle, Chelsea, and Forest are locked in a five-team fight for three spots. With goal difference, head-to-head results, and final matches all factoring in, this battle could go right to the season’s last day, where every goal and point will be crucial.