European Leagues Thread 2012/2013

[Tony Le Mesmer]

Louis Figo and Paulo Maldini play their last games for Inter & Milan on Sunday and have retired from the game.

You could be forgiven neither were still playing anymore because, of course, leagues not covered by Sky dont exist.

Paulo Maldini's achivements in the game are unrivalled, and for me his up there with the top few players ever to have played the game.

[Silver Fox]

Very pleased to hear on Sky's coverage of Osasuna-Madrid last night that CD Tenerife will be back in the big time next year

[TBM]

Louis Figo and Paulo Maldini play their last games for Inter & Milan on Sunday and have retired from the game.

You could be forgiven neither were still playing anymore because, of course, leagues not covered by Sky dont exist.

Paulo Maldini's achivements in the game are unrivalled, and for me his up there with the top few players ever to have played the game.

Im really surprised nobody has snapped up the Italian league, i always enjoyed it when it was on Five - then they got greedy

[Starfish]

1.FCN back into the German top flight. Won the second leg of the 'relegation' tie 2-0 at home to Cottbus yesterday (having won 3-0 away!). Will drop back down in two seasons I suspect.

[wolsey]

FCNA relegated from la ligue (again) - leaving St Etienne and Sochaux (undeservedly) safe.

"Allez les Canaris" - not a good season for European bird based clubs!

[LUX]

Metz did a Reading (again). Were in top two most of the season, then completely fell apart in the last two months.

Lens, Montpellier and Boulogne (?) promoted.

[RoyalChicagoFC]

Yup, in that order. Recapping...

Well done Bordeaux on getting the point needed (all three in fact) to secure their first title in ten years. Marseille hold in second, Lyon finish third and go to Champions League third qualifying round. PSG fall from fifth to sixth and out of the European places as they draw with visiting Monaco while Toulouse draw with Lyon an Lille beat Nancy.

With the three sides finishing level on 64 points, the goal differences were (+18) for Toulouse, (+12) for Lille and (+11) for PSG, so the Europa League berths go to Toulouse in fourth and Lille in fifth (with the latter needing to get thru a qualifying round in order to reach the preliminary knockout round proper).

Congratulations echoed here to Nurnberg on walloping Cottbus over two legs. No Eastern sides in the first division of next season's Bundesliga.

Atletico batter visiting Almeria to hold onto fourth spot in La Liga and book a berth in the third qualifying round of the Champions League, and Valencia and Villarreal are thus denied the spot despite winning to finish in fifth and sixth as they had entered Saturday's play; to the Europa League with those two.

Last day in the Primera Division was quite something with five sides seeking to avoid the last relegation spot and made all the more interesting with the tiebreaking rules in effect in Spain. Osasuna were in 18th headed in and fell behind Real at home early on, after which Sporting de Gijon found themselves a goal behind to visiting Recreativo and Osasuna drew level, which put Sporting into 18th. Osasuna later took the lead after Real had a man sent off, but Sporting then took the lead to put Betis on the rack, and that's where it ended.

Getafe spared themselves the drop by drawing away to Santander on Sunday to finish level with Betis on 42 points, and their safety was assured on away goals in head-to-head league matches against Betis earlier in the campaign (0-0 when Getafe played hosts, and 2-2 when they were away). Had Betis beaten visiting Valladolid on Sunday instead of drawing with them and all other results held, then the latter would have gone down on overall goal difference with both points and head-to-head results between themselves and Getafe all square (and Valladolid had gone into Sunday's final round play in pole position among the relegation candidates).

Doesn't get much better.

[Stooper]

2000-01 Real Madrid Manchester United
2001-02 Valencia CF Arsenal
2002-03 Real Madrid Manchester United
2003-04 Valencia CF Arsenal
2004-05 FC Barcelona Chelsea
2005-06 FC Barcelona Chelsea
2006-07 Real Madrid Manchester United
2007-08 Real Madrid Manchester United
2008-09 FC Barcelona Manchester United

Well, that's that nice little 'stat' ruined

[Starfish]

Paulo Maldini's achivements in the game are unrivalled.

Francisco Gento's achievements certainly do rival Maldini's. For starters.

Ignore me - I am being a bit picky.

[soggy biscuit]

Spanish media all claiming that Kaká will be a Real Madrid player by Friday

[soggy biscuit]

Interesting article on Real Madrid's finances.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/european_football/article6426983.ece

[bobbybottler]

AZ fans obviously happy with the new managerial appointment

A poor start for Fat Ronnie's boys in defence of their Eredivisie title, losing to Heracles.

FC Twente started with a win and quite frankly could run away with it this season.

Feyenoord and Ajax play on Sunday. I have risked a small stake on a Feyenoord home win.

[soggy biscuit]

Being reported in Sweden that Henrik Larsson will announce his retirement after breaking his kneecap in a match for Helsingborg last week

[Arch]

FC Twente started with a win and quite frankly could run away with it this season.

Impossible! The combined intelligence of HNA has established that they have a shit manager.

[soggy biscuit]

FC Twente started with a win and quite frankly could run away with it this season.

Impossible! Jay has established that they have a shit manager.

corrected

[handbags_harris]

I have risked a small stake on a Feyenoord home win.

WINNER!!!!

2-0 win, Jon Dahl Tommasson and Leroy Fer the scorers. Of course, I saw Leroy Fer score for Feyenoord in March

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Of0D-GSIWpw

I was there

[Starfish]

German Cup started for real last weekend. Surprisingly few shocks, alas. 1.FCN looked pretty clinical away to 3rd division Dynamo Dresden, running out 3-0 winners in the end. Schalke at home on Saturday in the league (Magath's first game in charge in the league, obviously) should be a bigger challenge - first time I have a ticket for a Schalke game. Hip hip.

[handbags_harris]

...away to 3rd division Dynamo Dresden...

What the hell has happened to them over the last 10-15 years? When I lived in Germany in 93/94 they were in the Bundesliga!

[Starfish]

First weekend of the Bundesliga. Wolfsburg off to a flyer and 1.FCN pretty toothless at home to Schalke. 1-2 but FCN's goal came after 88 minutes and one had the feeling that Schalke had merely taken their foot off the pedal. Kuranyi with both goals - my but he's an unpopular character - he was booed by everyone around me everytime he touched the ball. I am also not fond of him but I thought he played well. Two goals and some solid defensive headed clearances from corners and crosses.

[soggy biscuit]

Hoffenheim robbed by the ref who said it never crossed the line