As the major European leagues enter their final straights, relegation and Champions League qualification issues are becoming clearer, too. 

Here, we look at what is at stake in France, Germany, Holland, Italy and Spain heading into the May run-in. 

Ligue 1

Free-scoring Monaco, who boast teenage revelation Kylian Mbappe, have been caught by reigning champions Paris St Germain, but the Champions League semi-finalists have a game in hand. 

However, European engagements could make it harder for Monaco to pull clear of the 80-point mark and clinch their first French title since 2000.  PSG are currently riding an eight-game winning streak. 

The race for continental competition sees early-season leaders Nice in pole position to claim the third Champions League spot, with Bordeaux nine points behind with 12 still to play for.  Lyon, Marseille, St Etienne and eighth-placed Nantes are the realistic contenders for Europa League spots. 

Bastia look likely to become the first team relegated as they are five points from safety having won only once since December.  The battle to avoid the drop is tight as 15th-placed Metz are only four points clear of danger, with Lorient, Caen, Dijon and Nancy facing a more immediate threat. 

This season will see the side that finish 18th play-off against the third-best team in Ligue 2 for top-flight status.  Strasbourg, Brest and Nimes are the leading lights in the second division. 

Bundesliga

Had things panned out differently over the last few weeks, Bayern Munich might have already landed their fifth straight title, but instead RB Leipzig retain an outside chance of pulling off an amazing feat. 

Back-to-back Bayern draws coupled with a four-game winning run from promoted Leipzig - in the Bundesliga for the first time - have slashed the gap to eight points with 12 to play for.  The penultimate game of the season sees Carlo Ancelotti's Bavarians head to Leipzig - that match will be crucial. 

Bayern hold an eight-point lead in the Bundeslifa (Getty)

Borussia Dortmund and Hoffenheim are almost certain to take the other Champions League berths, leaving the rest of the top half to try and dislodge Hertha Berlin and Freiburg from the Europa League spots.  Eintracht Frankfurt are ninth but sit only five points behind fifth-placed Hertha. 

Darmstadt have delayed the long-expected drop by winning their last two games but the best they can hope for is to reach the relegation play-off place - occupied by Augsburg - with four wins from four.  Ingolstadt are likely to join them in the second tier, with Mainz, Wolfsburg and Hamburg in peril. 

Eredivisie

PSV Eindhoven did leaders Feyenoord a huge favour by beating second-placed Ajax on Sunday and the Rotterdammers are now four points clear in their pursuit of a first title since 1999. 

Feyenoord lead the way in the Eredivisie (Getty)

Only two games remain in Holland, so PSV, Utrecht, AZ Alkmaar and Vitesse Arnhem are comfortable in European spots, with seventh-placed FC Twente looking warily at Heerenveen. 

Go Ahead Eagles need to win twice and hope other results save their skin, with Sparta Rotterdam and NEC Nijmegen eager to escape the relegation play-off spots at the expense of Roda JC. 

Serie A

Juventus are within touching distance of winning a sixth straight Scudetto, something that has never been done before. 

Depending on Roma's result at Pescara on Monday night, which could also relegate the rock-bottom Delfini, Juve could find themselves in a position to put one hand on the cup when they visit Atalanta on Friday, as long as Roma drop points in Sunday's derby. 

Massimo Allegri is on course to win a third straight Serie A with Juventus (Getty)

Lazio are seven points behind Napoli, in the final Champions League spot, meaning most of the intrigue will concern the battle for Europa League football.  With Juve playing Lazio in the Coppa Italia final, there will be an extra spot, and AC Milan are currently in sixth - behind Atalanta - and keeping their out-of-form city rivals Inter at arm's length with a two-point cushion. 

If Pescara postpone the drop with an unlikely positive result against Roma, they will still need to win their remaining five games.  Palermo are 13 points adrift and destined for Serie B but improving Crotone have a glimmer of hope as they are only five points behind Empoli. 

La Liga

Barcelona could retain the Spanish crown after all following their 3-2 win at the Bernabeu.  The key to the destination of the title, though, is Real Madrid's game in hand at Celta Vigo. 

Real are away from home four times out of six, with Barca - already knocked out of European competition - at the Nou Camp against lowly opponents on three occasions. 

Real Madrid vs Barcelona player ratings Show all 22 1 /22 Real Madrid vs Barcelona player ratings Real Madrid vs Barcelona player ratings Keylor Navas – 5 out of 10 Hardly at fault for Luis Suarez and Andres Iniesta’s goals, but will have been disappointed to have let Neymar’s shot slip under his legs.  2015 Getty Images Real Madrid vs Barcelona player ratings Danilo – 5 out of 10 Up against Neymar and came second-best every time.  Real Madrid vs Barcelona player ratings Raphael Varane – 4 out of 10 Unusually uneasy.  The member of Madrid’s defence who was most often exposed.  Getty Real Madrid vs Barcelona player ratings Sergio Ramos – 5 out of 10 Unable to marshal his defence effectively early on, which put Madrid firmly on the back foot.  Real Madrid vs Barcelona player ratings Marcelo – 6 out of 10 Offered a decent outlet on the left hand side but was as culpable for defensive frailties.  Real Madrid vs Barcelona player ratings Toni Kroos – 5 out of 10 Failed to stem the tide of Catalan shirts cascading towards him.  2015 Getty Images Real Madrid vs Barcelona player ratings James Rodriguez – 6 out of 10 Tested Bravo twice and was lively at times but looked uncomfortable on the right-hand side of a 4-4-2.  Real Madrid vs Barcelona player ratings Luka Modric – 6 out of 10 Did not exert the kind of influence he usually has.  Getty Real Madrid vs Barcelona player ratings Gareth Bale – 4 out of 10 Ineffective, bordering on invisible.  Looked a shadow of the devastating player he was at White Hart Lane.  Real Madrid vs Barcelona player ratings Karim Benzema – 4 out of 10 With all his off-the-field problems and lack of match fitness, unsurprisingly looked off the boil.  The French striker did nothing to justify his contentious selection.  Real Madrid vs Barcelona player ratings Cristiano Ronaldo – 6 out of 10 Typically, one of his side’s better performers, but lucky not to be sent off for a snide elbow on Dani Alves.  Real Madrid vs Barcelona player ratings Claudio Bravo – 9 out of 10 The scoreline should not suggest that the Chilean had a quiet evening.  Madrid, as bad as they were, created opportunities but found Bravo pulling off top class saves every time.  Real Madrid vs Barcelona player ratings Dani Alves – 7 out of 10 No major errors except, perhaps, hauling Cristiano Ronaldo down in the box needlessly during the first half.  He avoided conceding a penalty but earned an elbow from Ronaldo.  Real Madrid vs Barcelona player ratings Gerard Piqué – 8 out of 10 Received dog’s abuse from the Bernabeu, as expected, but dealt with them effortlessly and handled Madrid’s attacking play in the same way.  Getty Images Real Madrid vs Barcelona player ratings Javier Mascherano – 6 out of 10 Substituted early on after going down injured.  Replace by Jeremy Mathieu.  Real Madrid vs Barcelona player ratings Jordi Alba – 8 out of 10 His performance will be overlooked but barely put a foot wrong.  Real Madrid vs Barcelona player ratings Ivan Rakitic – 7 out of 10 Did well considering his inclusion was in doubt.  Real Madrid vs Barcelona player ratings Sergio Busquets – 8 out of 10 Composed, controlled, denied Madrid time and again.  As good as we’ve come to expect.  Getty Images Real Madrid vs Barcelona player ratings Andres Iniesta – 9 out of 10 In the autumn of his career, no doubt, but still capable of stunning moments.  Received an ovation from the Bernabeu.  Real Madrid vs Barcelona player ratings Sergi Roberto – 9 out of 10 Lionel who?  The man seen as Messi’s stand-in may not be quite at the Argentinian’s level yet, but tonight he filled his shoes and then some.  Electric in the first half.  Real Madrid vs Barcelona player ratings Luis Suárez – 9 out of 10 The man most likely to dismantle any defence in European football and, by virtue of his two goals, tonight’s man of the match.  Real Madrid vs Barcelona player ratings Neymar – 9 out of 10 Sublime, again.  His late claim for the Ballon D’Or is gathering pace. 

Atletico Madrid and Sevilla are well-placed to sew up the final Champions League spots with Villarreal eight points off the pace and hoping Real Sociedad and Athletic Bilbao do not improve over the run-in. 

Osasuna face an instant return to the Segunda Division as they are nine points from safety, with Tony Adams' Granada two points better off while Sporting Gijon can feasibly drag Leganes into the mire.