As the Premier League continues to have its Boxing Day fixtures, the other four big leagues in Europe are taking a holiday break. Here’s how things stand with them heading into the new year.
Top four leagues in Europe and their table-toppers
La Liga
Real Madrid lead the race for the Spanish title, currently eight points clear of their closest challengers, Sevilla. La Liga has been as unpredictable as ever, with Rayo Vallecano producing the biggest surprise of the season so far. They are currently in fourth, ahead of Barcelona and Atletico Madrid.
Real Betis have set themselves up well for a top half finish, and will have to build on this momentum if they are to achieve a Champions League spot at the end of the season.
Serie A
We all expected Inter Milan to struggle after Romelu Lukaku and Achraf Hakimi left the club. But, the defending champions are at the top of the table after Napoli and Milan failed to hold things together when they were leading. The Azzurri are now third, with Atalanta right behind them.
Following the departure of Cristiano Ronaldo, Juventus are out of the top four as well. They are twelve points off the top of the table, and are struggling to get consistent results. The title race is currently between the two Milan teams. AC Milan are chasing their first league title since 2011, while Inter are fighting to defend their crown.
Bundesliga
Bayern Munich are dominating the German league right now, nine points clear of Borussia Dortmund who have struggled badly in recent games. Freiburg have presented the most welcome surprise this year, as they are currently third.
The fourth place is occupied by Bayer Leverkusen, with Hoffenheim and Eintracht Frankfurt breathing down their neck, level on points.
Ligue 1
Things are back to normal in Ligue 1 after Lille’s miraculous title victory last season. PSG are currently leading the title race by 13 points. Their closest challengers are Nice and Marseille, who are tied on 33 points. Rennes, Montpellier and Monaco are close behind at 31 points.
Defending champions Lille are down in eighth, while Lyon are down in 13th.
