European Leagues Thread 2012/2013

[Stranded]

In the lower divisions, MSV Duisburg - who have been a staple of the top 2 divisions since the Bundesliga was formed in 1963 dropped out of the national leagues yesterday for the first time.

They will play in the Regional 4th tier next season - which is notoriously hard to get out of as not every divison has a direct promotion spot.

[Winston Biscuit]

Leverkusen equalled Benfica's unbeaten record with a 5-1 away win at Frankfurt - 48 unbeaten in all competitions.

They were unplayable yesterday and with Bochum (a) and Augsburg (H) to play, you would be a brave man to bet against them completing the league season undefeated. You would also expect them to dispatch Kaiserlauten comfortably in the Cup Final.

With a 2-0 lead of Roma in Europe, again, you don't see them slipping up there. So realistically, the EL Final is the most difficult hurdle left

I can see the Roma game being trickiest, as their opponent needs to go all out to win, and Leverkusen don't need to.

[Franchise FC]

Leverkusen equalled Benfica's unbeaten record with a 5-1 away win at Frankfurt - 48 unbeaten in all competitions.

They were unplayable yesterday and with Bochum (a) and Augsburg (H) to play, you would be a brave man to bet against them completing the league season undefeated. You would also expect them to dispatch Kaiserlauten comfortably in the Cup Final.

With a 2-0 lead of Roma in Europe, again, you don't see them slipping up there. So realistically, the EL Final is the most difficult hurdle left

I can see the Roma game being trickiest, as their opponent needs to go all out to win, and Leverkusen don't need to.

It would feel like a serious anticlimax now if they don’t do the whole season unbeaten, even if they win the treble
They’ve been exceptional

[Clyde1998]

Leverkusen equalled Benfica's unbeaten record with a 5-1 away win at Frankfurt - 48 unbeaten in all competitions.

They were unplayable yesterday and with Bochum (a) and Augsburg (H) to play, you would be a brave man to bet against them completing the league season undefeated. You would also expect them to dispatch Kaiserlauten comfortably in the Cup Final.

With a 2-0 lead of Roma in Europe, again, you don't see them slipping up there. So realistically, the EL Final is the most difficult hurdle left

I can see the Roma game being trickiest, as their opponent needs to go all out to win, and Leverkusen don't need to.

I'd say Roma would be their hardest remaining game on paper (even including a potential Europa League final) as well. If Leverkusen are 1-0 down with ten minutes to play again them, they're not going to risk losing the tie to try remain unbeaten and I think Roma are stronger than Marseille and probably on the same level as Atalanta. You wouldn't expect them to lose any of their remaining domestic matches now.

[Stranded]

They were unplayable yesterday and with Bochum (a) and Augsburg (H) to play, you would be a brave man to bet against them completing the league season undefeated. You would also expect them to dispatch Kaiserlauten comfortably in the Cup Final.

With a 2-0 lead of Roma in Europe, again, you don't see them slipping up there. So realistically, the EL Final is the most difficult hurdle left

I can see the Roma game being trickiest, as their opponent needs to go all out to win, and Leverkusen don't need to.

I'd say Roma would be their hardest remaining game on paper (even including a potential Europa League final) as well. If Leverkusen are 1-0 down with ten minutes to play again them, they're not going to risk losing the tie to try remain unbeaten and I think Roma are stronger than Marseille and probably on the same level as Atalanta. You wouldn't expect them to lose any of their remaining domestic matches now.

I think you are seriously underestimating how much remaining unbeaten means to Leverkusen at this point.

[Clyde1998]

I can see the Roma game being trickiest, as their opponent needs to go all out to win, and Leverkusen don't need to.

I'd say Roma would be their hardest remaining game on paper (even including a potential Europa League final) as well. If Leverkusen are 1-0 down with ten minutes to play again them, they're not going to risk losing the tie to try remain unbeaten and I think Roma are stronger than Marseille and probably on the same level as Atalanta. You wouldn't expect them to lose any of their remaining domestic matches now.

I think you are seriously underestimating how much remaining unbeaten means to Leverkusen at this point.

I think it's important, but I don't think it's more important getting to the Europa League final. I could be wrong though.

[Winston Biscuit]

Girona are IN! the Champions League next season having qualified in only their 4th ever season in La Liga

4 games left to play and they could also be the first Catalan team to finish above Barcelona since 1942

[Franchise FC]

Girona are IN! the Champions League next season having qualified in only their 4th ever season in La Liga

4 games left to play and they could also be the first Catalan team to finish above Barcelona since 1942

The win against Barca at the weekend was just amazing
Saw the extended highlights yesterday

They seemed quite pleased !!

[Winston Biscuit]

its about this time of year I express my bemusement that the normal Segunda season runs into June, and the play offs go until late June. Seems a bit odd for a hot country.

Though the 4 teams in the play off spots right now are all on the north coast (Espanol on the north east)

[Winston Biscuit]

Serie A midfielder of the season awarded to Lewis Ferguson

[Winston Biscuit]

Gipuzkoa is the smallest province in Spain and is where Arteta, Alonso, Emery & Iriola all come from

[From Despair To Where?]

I always remember the old story about how Bellshill, a small town in Lanarkshire with a population of less than 20,000, was the birthplace of a disproportionately large percentage of Scottish internationals.

Turns out one of the main maternity hospitals serving East Glasgow was based there.

Gipuzkoa may he geographically small but it's got a population of 750,000, half of which live in San Sebastian.

[Franchise FC]

And Leverkusen do it again

[Winston Biscuit]

Last day in Serie B today

They use H2H over GD so Parma have already won the league, and the play offs are sorted as 8th place is 4 points ahead of 9th, so aside from sorting who plays in which round of the play offs,at the top end its all about who grabs the 2nd automatic spot and whether the Roberts/Fabregas show can get Como up. Venezia have the winning H2H over Como

Venezia away to Spezia, who are trying to avoid the relegation play off, Como at home to 10th place Cosenza, who have nothing to play for but its so tight in the middle of the league that they could finish anywhere from 9th to 14th, so maybe there is the motivation

At the bottom there is one automatic relegation spot which 3 clubs are fighting to avoid, and another 2 relegation play off spots which brings another club into the fight to avoid

[Winston Biscuit]

With Fenerbahce dropping points last week it means there is a potential for Galatasaray to secure the league win in the penultimate game of the season, at home, to Fenerbahce

[Hendo]

With Fenerbahce dropping points last week it means there is a potential for Galatasaray to secure the league win in the penultimate game of the season, at home, to Fenerbahce

[Winston Biscuit]

Last day in Serie B today

They use H2H over GD so Parma have already won the league, and the play offs are sorted as 8th place is 4 points ahead of 9th, so aside from sorting who plays in which round of the play offs,at the top end its all about who grabs the 2nd automatic spot and whether the Roberts/Fabregas show can get Como up. Venezia have the winning H2H over Como

Venezia away to Spezia, who are trying to avoid the relegation play off, Como at home to 10th place Cosenza, who have nothing to play for but its so tight in the middle of the league that they could finish anywhere from 9th to 14th, so maybe there is the motivation

At the bottom there is one automatic relegation spot which 3 clubs are fighting to avoid, and another 2 relegation play off spots which brings another club into the fight to avoid

Half time - Como are losing and Venezia are winning. So as it stands Como drop down from automatic promotion into the play offs

[Winston Biscuit]

Como are up!

[Winston Biscuit]

Dutch 2nd Div - Roda JC get the win they need to secure promotion, pitch invasion at the final whistle, much delirium ensues....but wait, while the fans are on the pitch celebrating, elsewhere Groningen score a 95th minute equiliser in their game meaning they are 3 points behind Roda and with a better goal diffo, so Roda are not up, and must wait for next weeks final game of the season to see if they can secure promotion

Final game next week is Roda JC Vs Groningen

Groningen 2-0 Roda

Groningen promoted, Roda into the play offs.

Lol

[From Despair To Where?]

Rangers shit the bed and all but hand Celtic the title. 13pts dropped in 8 games.