Schalke overtakes Bayern, Roma closes in on Inter

• by Soccer America , Mar 29, 2010

[EUROPE] No more than two points separate the top two teams in Europe's five major leagues. Schalke 04 took over the top spot from Bayern Munich in Germany, while Roma closed to within one point of Inter Milan in Italy. For a look at the races ...

ENGLAND
P TEAM ... W-T-L GF-GA
72 Man. United 23-3-6 76-25 
71 Chelsea 22-5-5 82-29
68 Arsenal 21-5-6 74-34
(All played 32 games.)

Note: The Premier League title could be decided Saturday when Manchester United hosts Chelsea. Set your dial now: ESPN2, 7:45 a.m. ET.

FRANCE
P TEAM (GB)  W-T-L GF-GA
56 Bordeaux (28) 17-5-6 46-23
56 Montpellier (30) 17-5-8 41-34
55 Auxerre (29) 16-7-6 30-24
54 Lille (30) 16-6-8 56-32
54 Lyon (30) 15-9-6 49-31
53 Marseille (28) 15-8-5 50-30

Note: Montpellier missed a chance to take over sole possession of first place when it fell to Lille, 4-1. Bordeaux and Marseille, which met in Saturday's League Cup final, both now have two games in hand.

GERMANY
P TEAM ....... W-T-L GF-GA
58 Schalke 04  17-7-4  46-22
56 Bayern Munich 16-8-4 55-26
53 Bayer Leverkusen  14-11-3 56-30
(All played 27 games.)

Note: Schalke 04 took over first place when it beat third-place Bayer Leverkusen, 2-0, thanks to a pair of Kevin Kuranyi goals the first half, and Bayern Munich fell to VfB Stuttgart, 2-1. To make matters worse, Dutch winger Arjen Robben pulled a calf muscle against Stuttgart and is doubtful for Bayern's Champions League game against Manchester United.

ITALY
P TEAM ....... W-T-L GF-GA
63 Inter Milan 18-9-4 58-28
62 Roma 18-8-5 56-35
60 AC Milan 17-9-5 49-29
(All played 31 games.)

Note: Roma beat Inter Milan, 2-1, on a late Luca Toni goal and moved to with one point of the defending champions, who hit the woodwork three times.

SPAIN
P TEAM ....... W-T-L GF-GA
76 Real Madrid  24-2-3 81-26
76 Barcelona 23-5-1 68 71-18
(Both played 29 games.)

Note: For a while, Atletico Madrid looked like it might win its first Madrid derby in more than 10 years, but Real Madrid game back from 1-0 down to win, 3-2, on Sunday. Former Liverpool players Xabi Alonso and Alvaro Arbeloa and Gonzalo Higuain scored for Real Madrid, which regained the lead over Barcelona on goal difference.