Europe's best defence revealed with Man City and Newcastle United included in the top 10

With just weeks remaining before the club football calendar in Europe draws to a close once again, titles are being targeted, dreams of European qualification are either alive or dead and relegation looms ever closer for some.

However, if any side is going to achieve anything positive in the remainder of the campaign, remaining solid defensively is certainly a good way to go about things.

But which clubs across Europe's top five leagues currently boast the fewest goals conceded going into the final weeks of the season? In a Premier League season that has thrown numerous twists and turns, it is unsurprising that an English side doesn't top the list.

However, two Premier League outfits make the top ten with Manchester City sat in ninth with 31 goals conceded in 34 matches whilst Newcastle United sit seventh with a slightly lower tally of 29 goals.

Both sides are on course to achieve their respective targets with City closing in on a third consecutive league title whilst Newcastle are in the driving seat to finish in the top four and subsequently secure Champions League football for the first time since 2003.

There are also two French sides included and neither of them are Paris Saint-Germain with Nice sitting in 10th having conceded 31 goals in 34 matches whilst one of the surprises of the season Lens sit fourth having shipped just 26 goals in 34 games.

Although it appears as though PSG will clinch another Ligue 1 title, Lens have mounted a surprise title charge and look set to play in in the Champions League next term.

Arguably the Godfather's of defending, Italy have three clubs included with Juventus (sixth), Lazio (third) and Scudetto winners Napoli (second) conceding 28, 26 and 23 goals in 34 Serie A matches respectively.

Somewhat surprisingly, no German sides currently make the top ten with the remaining three places taken by Spanish outfits with Real Sociedad and Atletico Madrid sitting in eighth and fifth having conceded 29 and 26 goals respectively.

That means, currently leading the way as the best defence across Europe's top five leagues is Barcelona who are also on course to lift the La Liga title for a 27th time and their first in four years.

Ansu Fati in action for Barcelona. Image: Alamy

Xavi Hernandez's side have been an absolute beast defensively, shipping just 11 goals in 33 league matches at a rate of one goal every three games.

Only on two occasions have La Blaugrana conceded more than one goal in a league match this term with a 3-1 El Classico defeat at Real Madrid in October and a 2-1 loss at Rayo Vallecano last month.

The Catalan outfit currently boast a 13 point gap on second place Atletico Madrid with five matches to go, meaning that the title is within touching distance.

Topics: Atletico Madrid, Barcelona, Juventus, La Liga, Lazio, Ligue 1, Manchester City, Napoli, Newcastle United, Nice, Premier League, Real Sociedad, Serie A, Football

Dan Hargraves

Dan is a freelance sports journalist currently in his final year studying Football Journalism at the University of Derby. Currently working for SPORTBible and Reach PLC, he has also worked for Snack Media amongst others. His proudest work thus far came at the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games where he was a live blogger for the Commonwealth Games Federation, providing sports coverage on the tournament's official website to over a billion people.

@danjhargraves