Samwise European Soccer Newsletter
Tuesday, May 12, 2026
Trossard Winner Leaves Arsenal One Win from First Title in 22 Years
Arsenal moved within one victory of their first Premier League title in 22 years after Leandro Trossard's 83rd-minute strike secured a 1-0 win at West Ham. The Belgian had twice struck the woodwork before poking home, extending Arsenal's lead over Manchester City to five points with two matches remaining. A stoppage-time VAR review denied Callum Wilson an equaliser, the goal ruled out for a foul on goalkeeper David Raya. Arsenal, with 79 points from 36 appearances, face Burnley at home and Crystal Palace away. City must win all three remaining games and hope Arsenal drop points to have any chance of reclaiming the title.
Sources: Sky Sports, NBC Sports
Tottenham Held 1-1 by Leeds, Remain Just One Point Above the Relegation Zone
Tottenham Hotspur failed to escape the Premier League relegation zone on Monday after drawing 1-1 with Leeds United at Elland Road. Roberto de Zerbi's side, missing captain Cristian Romero through a season-ending knee injury, took the lead before being pegged back by a Leeds outfit desperate for points of their own. The stalemate leaves Spurs just one point above the drop zone with two matches remaining, keeping their survival bid in the balance. Leeds, back in the Premier League after promotion, secured a valuable share of the spoils to bolster their own safety prospects as the 2025-26 campaign approaches its final weekend.
Sources: Crystal Palace FC, Yorkshire Evening Post
Bologna Stun Napoli 3-2 to Heat Up Serie A Champions League Qualification Race
Bologna produced a significant result in the Serie A Champions League qualification race, defeating Napoli 3-2 away from home on Monday to tighten an already congested top-four battle. Napoli, occupying second place before kick-off, suffered a damaging setback as Bologna's win closed the gap on the European places with two rounds remaining. Champions Inter Milan, who sealed their 21st Scudetto title with a 2-0 win over Parma on May 4, are unaffected by the drama. The remaining Champions League qualification spots are now contested among Napoli, AC Milan, Juventus and the surging Bologna, separated by just five points going into the penultimate round.
Sources: Italian Soccer Serie A, CBS Sports
PSG vs Arsenal Set for Budapest on May 30 as UEFA Trials Afternoon Kick-Off
Paris Saint-Germain will face Arsenal in the UEFA Champions League final on May 30 at the Puskas Arena in Budapest, with UEFA trialling a new 17:00 BST kick-off time. PSG eliminated Bayern Munich 6-5 on aggregate, winning the first leg 5-4 before a 1-1 draw in Paris. Arsenal, in their first European final since 2006, qualified by defeating Atletico Madrid 2-1 on aggregate, with Bukayo Saka's goal at Emirates Stadium on May 5 sealing progress. Defending champions PSG, who beat Arsenal 3-1 in last season's semi-finals, are heavy favourites to become the first side to retain the European Cup since Real Madrid in 2018.
Sources: UEFA.com, CBS Sports
Barcelona Clinch Back-to-Back La Liga Titles with Dominant 2-0 El Clasico Win
Barcelona retained the La Liga title in commanding fashion with a 2-0 victory over Real Madrid at Camp Nou on Sunday, opening an unassailable 14-point lead with three games remaining. Marcus Rashford's curling free kick in the ninth minute and Ferran Torres's strike inside 18 minutes settled the contest. It is Barcelona's second consecutive La Liga crown under German manager Hansi Flick and their 29th Spanish title in club history. Flick described back-to-back league titles as extraordinary given the historic difficulty of defending championships in Spain's top division, and the win also ended a long wait for a La Liga triumph at Camp Nou against their greatest rivals.
Sources: Al Jazeera, CBS Sports
Aston Villa Count Down to First European Final Since Their 1982 European Cup Win
Aston Villa are preparing for their first UEFA final since 1982 after reaching the Europa League final with a commanding 4-0 second-leg victory over Nottingham Forest on May 7, overturning a 1-0 first-leg deficit. Unai Emery's side will face Bundesliga club Freiburg at Besiktas Park in Istanbul on May 20. Freiburg, contesting their first-ever continental final, eliminated Braga 4-3 on aggregate. Emery has won the Europa League four times previously, three times with Sevilla and once with Villarreal, though he was on the losing side with Arsenal in the 2019 final. Villa's supporters are hoping to end a 43-year wait for European silverware at the iconic Istanbul venue.
Sources: William Hill, UEFA.com
Historic Three-Way Points Tie Sets Up Bundesliga Final-Day Survival Showdown
Three clubs enter the final Bundesliga matchday level on points in a historically unique three-way fight for survival. Wolfsburg, Heidenheim and St. Pauli are all tied at the foot of the table ahead of Matchday 34 on Saturday, May 16, marking the first occasion in Bundesliga history where the bottom three clubs share identical points entering the final round. Wolfsburg hold a three-goal advantage in goal difference and will face St. Pauli directly, while Heidenheim host Mainz in the simultaneous fixture. Champions Bayern Munich, who secured their 34th Bundesliga title with four games to spare in April under Vincent Kompany, will play without relegation pressure.
Sources: Bavarian Football Works, Bundesliga.com
Crystal Palace Prepare for Leipzig Showdown as England's Third Conference League Finalist
Crystal Palace are preparing for the UEFA Conference League final on May 27 in Leipzig against Spanish club Rayo Vallecano, having secured their place with a 5-2 aggregate victory over Shakhtar Donetsk in the semi-finals. Ismaila Sarr's ninth goal of the competition sealed a 2-1 win in the second leg at Selhurst Park. Palace are the third English club to reach a Conference League final, following West Ham in 2023 and Chelsea in 2025, with both previous English sides lifting the trophy. Rayo Vallecano, in only their second season of UEFA competition, eliminated Strasbourg 2-0 on aggregate to claim their place in the Leipzig showpiece.
Sources: UEFA.com, Crystal Palace FC
UEFA Finals 2025/26
Champions League Final — May 30, Budapest
PSG vs Arsenal — Puskás Aréna (17:00 BST)
Europa League Final — May 20, Istanbul
Aston Villa vs Freiburg — Beşiktaş Park
Conference League Final — May 27, Leipzig
Crystal Palace vs Rayo Vallecano — Red Bull Arena
League Tables
Premier League (MD 36)
1. Arsenal — 79 pts (36 played)
2. Manchester City — 74 pts (35 played)
La Liga — Champions: Barcelona (29th title)
Barcelona — unassailable, 14 pts clear
Serie A — Champions: Inter Milan (21st Scudetto)
UCL race: Napoli, Milan, Juventus, Bologna
Bundesliga — Champions: Bayern Munich (34th)
Relegation: Wolfsburg / Heidenheim / St. Pauli — all tied
Curated by JD · samwise.agency