European Leagues Thread 2012/2013

[Tony Le Mesmer]

Inter draw 1-1 at home to Roma at the weekend. Jose Mourinho has now gone 150 home games without defeat.

[I was there at Elm Park]

Inter draw 1-1 at home to Roma at the weekend. Jose Mourinho has now gone 150 home games without defeat.

I think we just found the man to turn our home form around. Get on the phone Brendan and learn his secret!

[handbags_harris]

Top 5 as you were in the Eredivisie. Steve McLaren's FC Twente won a crucial match against Ajax 1-0 to stay top, with PSV winning 5-1 in The Hague. Feyenoord stay 4th after a 1-1 draw at AZ, and Utrecht stay 5th despite a 3-2 home reverse against Heerenveen. NAC Breda climb to 6th after a 4-0 home thumping of Willem II. Both Heracles and AZ drop a place to 7th and 8th respectively, Heracles being well beaten at FC Groningen. Sparta Rotterdam sit very firmly in mid-table despite a 2-1 home reverse against Roda JC.

At the bottom RKC Waalwijk picked up their first away win of the season, a 1-0 victory at NEC of Nijmegen. Despite this RKC stay rooted to the bottom on 6 points, 5 points behind NEC who drop 4 places to 17th as a result, with the same movement applying to VVV-Venlo (12th - 16th) after a 2-0 defeat in Arnhem to Vitesse. Den Haag also drop 4 places to 15th after their thumping at home to PSV. Roda climb well away from the drop zone to 14th after their victory in Rotterdam, whilst Willem II drop 3 spots to 13th after their defeat against NAC Breda. FC Groningen climb 4 spaces to 12th as a result of their win against Heracles. Heerenveen and Vitesse also climb 4 places as reward for their victories, formerly in Utrecht, and latterly at home to VVV.

Results for Round 13:

FC Groningen 4-1 Heracles Almelo
Vitesse 2-0 VVV-Venlo
Sparta Rotterdam 1-2 Roda JC
NEC 0-1 RKC Waalwijk
NAC Breda 4-0 Willem II
FC Utrecht 2-3 Heerenveen
ADO Den Haag 1-5 PSV
AZ 1-1 Feyenoord
FC Twente 1-0 Ajax

Standings (P, W, D, L, Pts, F-A):

1 FC Twente 13 11 2 0 35 27 - 10
2 PSV 13 10 3 0 33 33 - 11
3 Ajax 13 9 2 2 29 40 - 11
4 Feyenoord 13 7 3 3 24 21 - 14
5 FC Utrecht 13 6 4 3 22 16 - 13
6 NAC Breda 13 6 2 5 20 17 - 17
7 Heracles Almelo 13 6 2 5 20 15 - 16
8 AZ 13 6 1 6 19 22 - 16
9 Sparta Rotterdam 13 5 2 6 17 12 - 17
10 Vitesse 13 4 2 7 14 15 - 21
11 sc Heerenveen 13 4 2 7 14 12 - 19
12 FC Groningen 13 3 4 6 13 12 - 18
13 Willem II 13 4 1 8 13 16 - 24
14 Roda JC 13 3 4 6 13 15 - 24
15 ADO Den Haag 13 3 3 7 12 15 - 24
16 VVV-Venlo 13 1 8 4 11 15 - 22
17 NEC 13 2 5 6 11 11 - 19
18 RKC Waalwijk 13 2 0 11 6 8 - 26

[handbags_harris]

Slightly off-topic but I noticed that Real Madrid were knocked out of the Copa del Rey last night by a Spanish 3rd Division team, Alcorcon. I confess to not following Spanish football all that much, and have never taken any notice of their FA Cup, but a 4-1 aggregate defeat (including a 4-0 defeat in the first leg) against an apparently strong Real Madrid side strikes me as something that doesn't happen often in Spain. Is this the case?

[soggy biscuit]

Slightly off-topic but I noticed that Real Madrid were knocked out of the Copa del Rey last night by a Spanish 3rd Division team, Alcorcon. I confess to not following Spanish football all that much, and have never taken any notice of their FA Cup, but a 4-1 aggregate defeat (including a 4-0 defeat in the first leg) against an apparently strong Real Madrid side strikes me as something that doesn't happen often in Spain. Is this the case?

Correct. The 4-0 defeat was reported in Spain as Real Madrid's worst result in their history. I reported on that game on the last page I think, line up was very strong with Benzema, Raul & Van Nistelhorse all up front.

[soggy biscuit]

Klaas Jan Huntelaar stronly rumoured to be joining Wolfsburg in January as part of a swap deal for Edin Dzeko. If true it would be his 4th club in a year!

[bobbybottler]

Klaas Jan Huntelaar stronly rumoured to be joining Wolfsburg in January as part of a swap deal for Edin Dzeko. If true it would be his 4th club in a year!

Seems a good deal for Milan if it comes off.

In unrelated news, FC Barcelona has been hit by swine flu, Yaya and Abidal are out for Saturday. El Classico is next weekend.

[handbags_harris]

Six games out of nine this weekend featured four or more goals, so it was a high scoring weekend with an average of four goals per game in the Eredivisie. Once again, top five as you were. FC Twente remained unbeaten with a 1-0 win at home to Vitesse to maintain their position as table toppers, whilst PSV stuffed Heracles 4-0 to also remain unbeaten and keep tugging at the Enschede club's coattails. Ajax also won by a four goal margin, 5-1 at home to Heerenveen, to move further clear of both Feyenoord and FC Utrecht in 4th and 5th, who both battled to a turgid goalless draw at de Kuip. AZ move back up to 6th after a 4-2 away win at Roda JC, with NAC Breda dropping to 7th after a highly entertaining 3-3 draw with NEC. Heracles drop a place to 8th after their heavy defeat in Eindhoven, while Sparta stay 9th despite a 5-0 defeat at VVV-Venlo.

At the bottom, RKC Waalwijk picked up their third league win of the season with a 3-1 home victory over FC Groningen. RKC are now a mere three points from 17th placed NEC, who are unmoved despite their promising point at NAC Breda. Roda JC drop two places to 16th after their home defeat to reigning champions AZ, with ADO Den Haag also unmoved in 15th after a 1-1 draw at Willem II. FC Groningen drop two positions to 14th after their defeat to improving RKC Waalwijk. Heerenveen also drop two positions after their mauling at the Amsterdam ArenA, while Willem II rise to 12th after their point against the men from The Hague. Vitesse fall a place to 11th after their narrow defeat in Enschede. The weekend's biggest movers are VVV-Venlo, who rise six places to 10th after their magnificent result against the Castlemen of Sparta.

Results for Round 14:

Roda JC 2-4 AZ
RKC Waalwijk 3-1 FC Groningen
NAC Breda 3-3 NEC
FC Twente 1-0 Vitesse
Feyenoord 0-0 FC Utrecht
VVV-Venlo 5-0 Sparta Rotterdam
Ajax 5-1 Heerenveen
Willem II 1-1 ADO Den Haag
PSV 4-0 Heracles

Standings (P, W, D, L Pts, F - A):

1 FC Twente 14 12 2 0 38 28 - 10
2 PSV 14 11 3 0 36 37 - 11
3 Ajax 14 10 2 2 32 45 - 12
4 Feyenoord 14 7 4 3 25 21 - 14
5 FC Utrecht 14 6 5 3 23 16 - 13
6 AZ 14 7 1 6 22 26 - 18
7 NAC Breda 14 6 3 5 21 20 - 20
8 Heracles Almelo 14 6 2 6 20 15 - 20
9 Sparta Rotterdam 14 5 2 7 17 12 - 22
10 VVV-Venlo 14 2 8 4 14 20 - 22
11 Vitesse 14 4 2 8 14 15 - 22
12 Willem II 14 4 2 8 14 17 - 25
13 sc Heerenveen 14 4 2 8 14 13 - 24
14 FC Groningen 14 3 4 7 13 13 - 21
15 ADO Den Haag 14 3 4 7 13 16 - 25
16 Roda JC 14 3 4 7 13 17 - 28
17 NEC 14 2 6 6 12 14 - 22
18 RKC Waalwijk 14 3 0 11 9 11 - 27

[bobbybottler]

Did you watch it Handbags? I have to confess that I found other things to occupy my time

[handbags_harris]

Unfortunately not. Ed the Dutch has informed me that it was a dire game though.

[Starfish]

1.FCN caused the shock of the weekend here (thank doG). 3-2 victory away to Wolfsburg to climb out of the 'cellar'. Stuttgart & Berlin, two team that pushed for the title last season, in the bottom three.

I am going to the Freiburg game on Saturday and the week after, Dortmund away! I have done very little travelling for away games over the years but thought it time. 4 points from those two games (which is possible but probably unlikely) and Christmas will be an optimistic time in these parts.

HSV at home after those two, btw.

[prostak]

What Starfish omits to mention is the 'gutsy' manner in which FCN beat Wolfsburg, eg - this sort of thing...

Meanwhile, further east, Rubin Kazan again took the Russian title out of Moscow (only the 4th time this has happened since the end of the USSR) after a 0-0 draw at home to Zenit meant Spartak (who themselves lost 3-2 at home to city rivals CSKA) could no longer catch up on points.

[Starfish]

Indeed. Andreas Wolf gets his timing wrong, on occasion but 1.FCN have been accused time and again this season of being 'too nice'. I would be happy if they started to mix it up and bit and it meant they climb the table.

[handbags_harris]

A late update this week, I've had my mind on other things as detailed in AE

Anyway, as usual, as you were at the top of the Eredivisie with FC Twente, PSV, Ajax, Feyenoord, FC Utrecht, and AZ all winning to maintain their top six positions. FC Twente fought out a well-earned 3-1 win away at Willem II, whilst PSV scored a quick-fire double to win the Friday night televised clash away at Sparta 3-2. Ajax dealt with an early setback in Arnhem and stuck five past Vitesse at the Gelredome, Marko Pantelic getting a hat-trick. Ajax have now scored a whopping 50 goals in 15 games, by a long way the top scorers in the Eredivisie. Feyenoord ground out a hard-fought 2-0 win at ADO Den Haag, Anwele Slory settling the match in the 94th minute, while Utrecht's 3-1 win at home to NAC Breda was made much more difficult than it should have been. AZ also comfortably won 2-0 at home to VVV-Venlo. Bottom club RKC Waalwijk lost away at improving Heerenveen by 3-1, while NEC conceded a last minute equaliser in an entertaining 2-2 draw away at FC Groningen. Roda JC scored twice in the last eight minutes although it wasn't enough to get anything from their trip to Heracles, 3-2 the final score in Almelo.

Scores from Round 15:

Sparta Rotterdam 2-3 PSV
AZ 2-0 VVV-Venlo
Heracles Almelo 3-2 Roda JC
Heerenveen 3-1 RKC Waalwijk
Willem II 1-3 FC Twente
Vitesse 1-5 Ajax
ADO Den Haag 0-2 Feyenoord
FC Utrecht 3-1 NAC Breda
FC Groningen 2-2 NEC

Standings (P, W, D, L, Pts, F-A)

1 FC Twente 15 13 2 0 41 31 - 11
2 PSV 15 12 3 0 39 40 - 13
3 Ajax 15 11 2 2 35 50 - 13
4 Feyenoord 15 8 4 3 28 23 - 14
5 FC Utrecht 15 7 5 3 26 19 - 14
6 AZ 15 8 1 6 25 28 - 18
7 Heracles Almelo 15 7 2 6 23 18 - 22
8 NAC Breda 15 6 3 6 21 21 - 23
9 sc Heerenveen 15 5 2 8 17 16 - 25
10 Sparta Rotterdam 15 5 2 8 17 14 - 25
11 VVV-Venlo 15 2 8 5 14 20 - 24
12 FC Groningen 15 3 5 7 14 15 - 23
13 Willem II 15 4 2 9 14 18 - 28
14 Vitesse 15 4 2 9 14 16 - 27
15 NEC 15 2 7 6 13 16 - 24
16 ADO Den Haag 15 3 4 8 13 16 - 27
17 Roda JC 15 3 4 8 13 19 - 31
18 RKC Waalwijk 15 3 0 12 9 12 - 30

[bobbybottler]

AZ lost at home tonight.

Of course, I had noticed their excellent recent run and backed them to win.

[soggy biscuit]

In non Europe world it is the final day of the Brazilian league season, 4 teams could all win it



Sau Paolo, Inter & Flamengo all winning, Palmeiras currently 2-0 down. 15 minutes to go.

[soggy biscuit]

First league title in 17 years for Flamengo

[handbags_harris]

A surprise defeat for Ajax at FC Utrecht's Stadion Galgenwaard enabled FC Twente and PSV to pull away at the top of the Eredivisie this weekend. Second half goals from Jacob Mulenga and Jan Wuytens ensured that the Amsterdammers suffered their third defeat of the season. Ajax's day was compounded by the dismissal of Vurnon Anita late in the game. Ajax stay 3rd, a Europa League 4th Qualifying Round spot, and FC Utrecht stay 5th, the top Europa League Playoff spot.

FC Twente were close to squandering Ajax's open door gesture, only an 88h minute goal from Bryan Ruiz securing a 4-3 victory at Nijmegen's McDOS Goffertstadion, home of NEC. An entertaining first half saw NEC take an early fourth minute lead through John Goossens, only for a quickfire treble from Kenneth Perez, Blaise Nkufo, and Miroslav Stoch to put the Enschede-men in charge after half an hour. 2nd bottom NEC stunned the league leaders, however, with their own Bjorn Vleminckx quickfire double just before half time to tie the sore at 3-3. NEC were also reduced to ten men after Vleminckx was given his marching orders on 55 minutes, and FC Twente's numerical advantage eventually told. FC Twente stay top by two points, the only guaranteed Champions League Group Stage place, while NEC's spirited but ultimately fruitless display keeps them 17th, and in a relegation playoff place.

PSV made hard work of despatching bottom club RKC Waalwijk, but ultimately a 2-0 victory at the Mandemakers Stadion ensured that they kept the pressure on leaders FC Twente. Goals from Jonathan Reis and Darko Lazovic secured the victory. PSV stay second, enough to enter the Champions League 2nd Qualifying Round. RKC are rooted to the bottom of the table four points from NEC in 17th, the only direct relegation spot from the Eredivisie.

Feyenoord were on course to come acropper at home to FC Groningen only for a second half turnaround to secure a 3-1 win at de Kuip. A half time double substitution turned the game on it's head, Roy Makaay and Kevin Leerdam coming on for the ineffective Luigi Bruins and Bart Schenkeveld. Stefan Babovic equalised Koen van de Laak's 4th minute opener in the 53rd minute, and Roy Makaay quickly put the Rotterdammers ahead in the 57th minute. Jon Dahl Tomasson secured the win in the 83rd minute. Feyenoord remain 4th, enough to enter the Europa League 3rd Qualifying Round, and close the door on 3rd placed Ajax to four points. FC Groningen drop a place to 13th, and only outside of the relegation playoff places on goal difference.

Heracles comfortably beat Heerenveen at the Polman Stadion by 3-1, Mark Looms (13) and Willy Overtoom (27) giving the Almelo side a comfortable half time advantage. Oussama Assaidi responded on 82 minutes for Heerenveen, the assist coming via a man who has scored at the Madejski Stadium in the past, Gerald Sibon, but the two-goal margin was restored by Bas Dost in the 90th minute. Heracles rise a place to 6th as a result of AZ's recent demise, a position which offers Europa League playoffs, Heerenveen drop three places to 12th.

Troubled AZ suffered a 2-1 home defeat at the hands of Vitesse, as mentioned previously by bobbybottler, a defeat which has ultimately cost Ronald Koeman his job at the DSB Stadion after the Alkmaar club sacked the former Vitesse, Ajax, Benfica, PSV, and Valencia coach. Moussa Dembele opened the scoring early on for AZ, but second half goals from Lasse Nilsson and Dalibor Stefanovic before the hour mark turned the game on it's head. AZ's Dembele and Vitesse's Stefanovic were both dismissed on 79 minutes, but the dismissals had little bearing on the match. AZ eyes have now turned to Dick Advocaat in an attempt to turn the club's fortunes. The Alkmaar club drop a place to 7th, a Europa League playoff position, with Vitesse rising to 11th from 14th.

Experienced Finnish international and former Crystal Palace player Joonas Kolkka had an inspired three minute spell during NAC Breda's match at home to Sparta Rotterdam. Erik Falkenburg gave Sparta the lead midway through the first half at the Rat Verlegh Stadion, only for Kolkka to provide superb assists for Leonardo's equaliser in the 68th minute and Patrick Zwaanswijk's strike in the 71st. Unfortunately for Kolkka, Sparta equalised in the 74th minute, Rydell Poepon tying the scores at 2-2. NAC sit in 8th on 22 points, the final Europa League playoff position. Sparta sit four points behind them in 9th.

VVV-Venlo's excellent season continued with a home win over Willem II, although the ride was anything but smooth at De Koel. Arjan Swinkels gave the Tilburg club the lead midway through the 2nd half, but Adil Auassar tied the scores in the 81st minute. The game appeared to be heading for a 1-1 stalemete only for Japan international Keisuke Honda to fire the winner in the 91st minute, a goal which moves VVV up to 10th, and Willem II down to 14th and only outside of the relegation playoff places on goal difference.

Last but not least, Roda JC and ADO Den Haag battled out a 1-1 draw at the Parkstad Limburg Stadion. Mads Junker gave the home side the lead, Karim Soltani equalising for the men from The Hague just before the hour mark. Arnaud Sutchuin Djoum was given his marching orders for the Kerkrade club 10 minutes from time, but ADO were unable to capitalise. ADO sit just outside the relegation playoff places in 15th on goal difference, the final relegation playoff place taken by Roda JC. Both clubs lie just a point above NEC, and five points above RKC Waalwijk at the bottom.

Scores from Round 16:

VVV-Venlo 2-1 Willem II
Roda JC 1-1 ADO Den Haag
AZ 1-2 Vitesse
NAC Breda 2-2 Sparta Rotterdam
FC Utrecht 2-0 Ajax
Feyenoord 3-1 FC Groningen
RKC Waalwijk 0-2 PSV
NEC 3-4 FC Twente
Heracles Almelo 3-1 Heerenveen

Standings (P, W, D, L, Pts, F-A)

1 FC Twente 16 14 2 0 44 35 - 14
2 PSV 16 13 3 0 42 42 - 13
3 Ajax 16 11 2 3 35 50 - 15
4 Feyenoord 16 9 4 3 31 26 - 15
5 FC Utrecht 16 8 5 3 29 21 - 14
6 Heracles Almelo 16 8 2 6 26 21 - 23
7 AZ 16 8 1 7 25 29 - 20
8 NAC Breda 16 6 4 6 22 23 - 25
9 Sparta Rotterdam 16 5 3 8 18 16 - 27
10 VVV-Venlo 16 3 8 5 17 22 - 25
11 Vitesse 16 5 2 9 17 18 - 28
12 sc Heerenveen 16 5 2 9 17 17 - 28
13 FC Groningen 16 3 5 8 14 16 - 26
14 Willem II 16 4 2 10 14 19 - 30
15 ADO Den Haag 16 3 5 8 14 17 - 28
16 Roda JC 16 3 5 8 14 20 - 32
17 NEC 16 2 7 7 13 19 - 28
18 RKC Waalwijk 16 3 0 13 9 12 - 32

[Starfish]

My first trip to Dortmund was not a happy one. 1.FCN lost 4-0. Impressive stadium all the same. The noise off the 'Yellow Wall' was worth the trip alone.

[handbags_harris]

My first trip to Dortmund was not a happy one. 1.FCN lost 4-0. Impressive stadium all the same. The noise off the 'Yellow Wall' was worth the trip alone.

I see no death in there!!