A look at what’s happening in European soccer on Thursday:
ENGLAND
After two straight losses in the Premier League, Leicester looks for a win at home against relegation-threatened West Bromwich Albion to get its bid to qualify for next season's Champions League back on track. Brendan Rodgers' team is in third place and with a game in hand on most of its top-four rivals. But Leicester is now just a point ahead of Chelsea and West Ham, with Liverpool a further two points back. Manchester City and West Ham have beaten Leicester across the last two rounds, though Rodgers' team did reach the FA Cup final last weekend. West Brom has found some form when the team most needed it, scoring a total of eight goals in back-to-back wins over Chelsea and Southampton to keep alive its slim hopes of staying up. West Brom is in next-to-last place but has moved to within nine points of fourth-from-last Burnley, which has played an extra game.
SPAIN
Atlético Madrid tries to regain sole possession of the lead in the Spanish league when it hosts Huesca. Atlético is tied on points with Real Madrid, which won 3-0 at Cádiz on Wednesday. Barcelona later hosts Getafe, bidding to regain third place after being overcome by Sevilla. The Catalan club is five points off the lead with two games in hand. Real Sociedad can move back into fifth place with a home win against Celta Vigo. Mid-table Granada hosts last-place Eibar.
ITALY
There are two battles for the Champions League places in Serie A as Atalanta visits Roma and Napoli hosts Lazio. Atalanta occupies fourth spot and the final qualifying position for the Champions League but can move into second with a win in Rome. Gian Piero Gasperini’s side is also full of confidence after a 1-0 win over Juventus last weekend. Roma is 10 points below Atalanta and has seen its European dreams fade after just one win in its past five league matches -- although it is in the semifinals of the Europa League. Napoli is four points below Atalanta and two above Lazio.
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