While the Premier League title race remains a particularly thrilling two-horse race in which Liverpool and Manchester City remain neck and neck, not every European top flight has been quite so tight. In Italy, Juventus’s procession to their eighth consecutive scudetto ended almost a fortnight ago with five matches to spare. Meanwhile in France, Paris Saint-Germain could afford the luxury of squandering three separate chances to win their sixth Ligue 1 title in seven years before stumbling over the line on the same weekend. In Spain, Barcelona lifted the Primera Liga trophy last Saturday with three games to spare, having looked home and hosed for some weeks. Elsewhere, however, leagues are tighter and here we cast an eye over four high-profile European title races beyond the English top tier that also look to be going right to the wire.

Portuguese Primeira Liga

Teams in contention: Benfica and Porto. Rounds of fixtures remaining: 3

Benfica and Porto have shared the past 16 Portuguese titles and their stranglehold is showing no sign of abating. Having won four in a row, Benfica lost the title to Porto last season but currently lead their rivals by two points with just three matches each remaining. Currently occupying third place, Sporting Lisbon could yet have a major say in the destination of the title.

They visit Porto on the final day of the season and if the championship remains in the balance, a cynic could be forgiven for thinking they might be tempted to roll over in a bid to do everything they can to stop their hated city rivals Benfica from winning a 37th title. Should this particular scenario unfold, the Portuguese Cup final later this month could make for interesting viewing. Porto and Sporting will meet again in the Taça de Portugal showpiece and it is not beyond the realms of possibility that they might do so with one club owing the other a very big favour indeed.

Benfica celebrate in 2017, will they be doing so again this season? Photograph: Miguel Riopa/AFP/Getty Images

German Bundesliga

Teams in contention: Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund. Rounds of fixtures remaining: 3

Seven points behind Borussia Dortmund at the beginning of February, Bayern Munich took advantage of a subsequent stutter in their rivals’ form to take what they believe to be their rightful place at the top of the Bundesliga. A surprise home defeat at the hands of Schalke in last weekend’s Revierderby looked to have sealed Dortmund’s fate, but Bayern’s inability to beat struggling Nürnberg means the jig is not yet up for Lucien Favre’s side. They remain two points behind the reigning champions with three rounds of fixtures to go. Dortmund have the easier run-in, scheduled as they are to face mid-table sides Werder Bremen and Fortuna Düsseldorf, before ending their campaign away at Borussia Mönchengladbach. Bayern Munich, by contrast, have what looks like a home gimme against bottom side Hannover, but must then face RB Leipzig and Eintracht Frankfurt, who are currently in third and fourth place respectively.

Dutch Eredivisie

Teams in contention: Ajax and PSV Eindhoven. Rounds of fixtures remaining: 2

Currently sweeping all before them in the Champions League with their prodigiously talented and energetic blend of youth and experience, Ajax are top of the Eredivisie but are finding PSV Eindhoven harder to shake off. The two clubs are deadlocked on 80 points each with two matches each left to play, but Ajax lead courtesy of a goal difference superior enough to be worth an extra point. With the distraction of this Sunday’s KNVB Cup final against Willem II and next week’s Champions League semi-final second leg against Tottenham to contend with, Ajax must also prepare for league matches against Utrecht, in fifth place, and struggling De Graafschap. Mark van Bommel’s PSV, by contrast, will have had 17 days off by the time they travel to fourth-placed AZ Alkmaar for their penultimate league fixture. Their final game of the season is three days later at home to Heracles, who are currently in sixth.

PSV are still in the hunt for the Eredivisie thanks to the league’s top scorer Luuk de Jong. Photograph: Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images

Turkish Süper Lig

Teams in contention: Istanbul Basaksehir, Galatasaray and Besiktas. Rounds of fixtures remaining: 4

Without a major trophy to their name, Istanbul Basaksehir have seen their lead at the top of the Turkish Süper Lig whittled down from six points to two in the past fortnight, but remain in the box-seat to claim their first silverware. Galatasaray are behind them, with Besiktas a further point back in third and the two Istanbul heavyweights will meet on Sunday in a match that could have a major say in a thrilling title race. With Basaksehir also due to visit Galatasaray in their penultimate game of the campaign, their supporters and players will remember that at this point last season, the four points dropped by their team in the final four games of the campaign ultimately cost them the title despite leading for long periods. To lose out on one championship in such circumstances could be considered unfortunate, to lose out on two would be little short of careless.