Tue 01 Apr 2008
PSG go forward, and may go down
Congratulations to Paris St. Germain, winners of the French League Cup after beating Lens 2:1 in Sunday's final. The side now joins such luminaries as Tottenham, Carquefou, Spartak Moscow, Inter Riga, Llansantffreid, Werder Bremen, and Westbromwich Albion in the UEFA Cup next season. (Some listed sides may not appear.)
We also note the victory of Franchise FC over Rimsby in the Football League Trophy. The side won the match at Wembley Building Site by two blocked toilets and a roof stanchion to some falling masonry.
Upsets
42 Werder Bremen - Duisburg 1:2
41 AEK - Olympiakos 4:0
40 Tottenham Hotspur - Newcastle United 1:4
40 Betis - Barcelona 3:2
37 Birmingham City - Manchester City 3:1
36 AC Milan - Atalanta 1:2
34 Coventry City - Plymouth Argyle 3:1
33 Getafe - Osasuna 0:2
32 Udinese - Fiorentina 3:1
32 Sunderland - West Ham United 2:1
32 Hearts - Dundee Utd 1:0
32 Bayer Leverkusen - Eintracht Frankfurt 0:2
31 Motherwell - Hibs 1:0
18 Hamburger SV - Bielefeld 1:1
18 Cagliari - Roma 1:1
17 Nurnberg - Bayern Munchen 1:1
Werder may have left it just a little too late to renew hostilities with Alamenia Aachen, but the side is certainly playing like the Intertoto Cup would represent an achievement. Surprises in Greece, as AEK records its first win over decent opposition in a long time, and in England, as Newcastle has only its second win in two months. Three of the sides in European League action to-night suffered surprises - Barcelona lost, Roma and Schalke 04 drew, and only the Buccaneers conspired to win. No shocks in Scotland - Rangers won to become champions-elect, and Gretna's loss ensures that the side changes division before the clocks go forward, as it did in '05 and '06.
League 1
LYN 1152 78.5 71 0.90
BDX 1071 77.9 -19 -0.24
MAR 1012 74.8 -52 -0.70
NCY 1011 81.3 28 0.34
PSG 982 78.5 -4 -0.05
SCX 980 80.3 71 0.88
AUX 979 78.8 -17 -0.22
LEM 979 79.4 -19 -0.24
LIL 974 80.8 7 0.09
NIC 970 81.8 -57 -0.70
REN 968 79.5 86 1.08
LEN 961 79.0 -63 -0.80
LOR 959 78.7 -44 -0.56
VCN 934 80.7 10 0.12
CAE 925 82.3 -34 -0.41
TOU 903 80.3 20 0.25
MON 894 80.7 -62 -0.77
SET 877 82.3 -53 -0.64
MTZ 876 82.6 16 0.19
STR 874 84.0 -42 -0.50
NTS (II) 987 117.7 67 0.57
SED (II) 901 115.1 - 7 -0.06
TRY (II) 861 125.7 -36 -0.29
This month - since 19 February - could be re-titled How Lyon Got Its Groove Back. A victory over Bordeaux, and four wins over lesser opposition, means the side is champions-elect once more. And, as last season, there's an almighty ruck for the runner-up places, and to avoid relegation, with sides packed in tighter than sardines in a can. Though Metz have had a good month here, they're miles adrift in the league, with PSG and Toulouse occupying the other trapdoors. Nantes and Le Havre are looking certainties to make the top flight next season; Troyes may yet join them.
Division A
RAN 1058 78.9 20 0.25
CEL 949 80.9 -46 -0.57
ABD 843 76.4 5 0.07
DDU 809 79.6 10 0.13
HBS 798 79.5 17 0.21
HRT 777 80.5 53 0.66
FAL 775 80.6 - 6 -0.07
MTW 774 80.4 -18 -0.22
STM 714 79.0 -23 -0.29
KLM 684 83.3 42 0.50
ICT 656 81.4 -102 -1.25
GRE 562 91.5 - 5 -0.05
LVG (II) 605 131.7 -3 -0.02
DNF (II) 586 126.6 2 0.02
Well, it does look as though the last Edinburgh derby will take place, and that it will take place in the top half of the division, something that looked most unlikely in January. The main topic this month has been Inverness's plummet away from top-six contention towards tenth place. Hamilton Academicals and Dundee are the sides most likely to take the vacant place in the top flight next season. We will decide what to do with Gretna as and when the Scottish League decides on the matter; the precedent of Grazer AK is to keep the side on the listings for a season, but this will not be possible if they drop out of the League 42.
linkpage
Fri 04 Apr 2008
Quarter-finals begin
We'll begin with the European League Quarter-Final, First Leg.
Arsenal 0:2
AC Milan 0:0 Arsenal 1
-----------------
Liverpool 2:1 Liverpool 1
Inter M 0:0
--------------------------
Fenerbahce 3:2 [b]
Sevilla 2:3 Fenerbahce 2 [35]
-----------------
Olympiakos 0:0 CSKA Kens 1
CSKA Kens 0:3
==========================
Schalke 1:0 [a]
Porto 0:1 Schalke 0
-----------------
Celtic 2:0 Barcelona 1
Barcelona 3:1
--------------------------
Roma 2:2
Real Mad 1:1 Roma 0
-----------------
Lyon 1:0 ManchB 2
Manch B 1:1
[a] - 0:0 in extra time, Schalke 04 won 4:1 in kicks from the penalty mark.
[b] - 0:0 in extra time, Fenerbahçe won 3:2 in kicks from the penalty mark.
So the 200th meeting of Arsenal and Liverpool ends with a small advantage to the Stadiennes. CSKA have their work cut out to reach the semi-final, squandering a good first hour. Schalke really should have scored against Barca, with all the posession they had, while the Buccaneers may as well book their tickets for the semi already.
UEFA Cup
Anderlecht 2:1
Bordeaux 1:1 Anderlecht 0:2
----------
Aberdeen 2:1 Bayern M 5:1
Bayern M 2:5 Bayern M 1
================================
AEK Athens 1:0 Getafe 1
Getafe 1:3 Getafe 1:1
----------
Benfica 1:2 Benfica 0:0
Nurnburg 0:2
=============================--------------
Galatasary 0:1
B Leverkus 0:5 B Leverkus 1:2
----------
Zurich 1:0 Hamburg 0:3
Hamburg 3:0 B Leverkus 1
================================
Marseille 3:0 Zenit St P 4 [33]
Spartak M 0:2 Marseille 3:0
----------
Zenit St P 1:1 Zenit St P 1:2
Villarreal 0:2
===========================================
Rangers 0:1
Panath'kos 0:1 Rangers 2:0
----------
Werder B 3:1 Werder B 0:1
Braga 0:0 Rangers 0
================================
Bolton 1:0 Sporting L 0
A. Madrid 0:0 Bolton 1:0
----------
Sporting L 2:3 Sporting L 1:1
Basle 0:0
=============================--------------
Rosenborg 0:1
Fiorentina 1:2 Fiorentina 2:0
----------
Brann 0:1 Everton 0:2 [a]
Everton 2:6 Fiorentina 1
================================
Slavia Pr 1:1 PSV 1
Tottenham 2:1 Tottenham 0:1
----------
PSV 2:2 PSV 1:0 [b]
Helsingbgs 0:1
[a] 0:0 in extra time; Fiorentina won 4:2 in kicks from the penalty mark.
[b] 0:0 in extra time; PSV won 6:5 in kicks from the penalty mark.
A very strange pair of results from CONCACAF world cup qualifying. The British Virgin Islands do not have a stadium of high enough quality to stage any sort of qualifying match, so agreed to shift their home game to Nassau.
26 Mar Nassau BAHAMAS; Bahamas - British Virgin Islands 1:1
30 Mar Nassau BAHAMAS; British Virgin Islands - Bahamas 2:2
3:3 after two legs, Bahamas win 2:1 on away goals, even though both legs were played in the Bahamas. The winners will go on to lose heavily against Jamaica.
Highlights of the week-end's programme include Gencebirligi against Galatasaray, Helsingborgs versus Halmstads, Rennes -v- Bordeaux, Marseille -v- Lyon (SET2, 7.55 Sunday), Borussia Dortmund -v- Bayer Leverkusen, and the 201st meeting between Arsenal and Liverpool.
Also, Metz will be relegated from League 1 unless they're very lucky. Porto will be confirmed as Portugese league champions if they win, or both Benfica and Guimares don't. Leiria will be relegated unless they're very lucky. PSV will wrap up the Dutch league and avoid the play-off nonsense if they win and Ajax lose. Helpful results can also clinch Beitar Jerusalem the championship in Israel. Congratulations to Llanelli, champions in Wales; Dudelange, champions in Luxembourg; to Vaduz, winners of the cup in Liechtenstein; and to Aldershot, winners of the Conference Shield, a made-for-television tournament that (unlike UEFA's) is actually televised.
linkpage
Tue 08 Apr 2008
Not happening: Cardiff -v- Hoffenheim
Portsmouth has booked a place in Europe; the side beat Westbromwich 1:0 in a boring semi-final held at a boring building site. Their opponents in the FA Cup Final will be Cardiff, 1:0 winners over Barnsley in an even more boring semi-final. Cardiff are not entitled to take a place in Europe via the English system, for they are a Welsh side. Not that this stops Sepp Blatter, who has promised to rip up the rule-book if Cardiff win the cup in May.
Elsewhere, Porto has won the Portugese Superleague, a result that was never really in doubt from the start of the season. They'll join Zenit St. Petersburg, Rangers, and the Manchester Buccaneers in next year's European League.
Upsets
41 Palermo - Juventus 3:2
39 Colchester United - Ipswich Town 2:0
39 Celtic - Motherwell 0:1
37 Marseille - Lyon 3:1
36 Southampton - Bristol City 2:0
36 Eintracht Frankfurt - N¨rnberg 1:3
36 Arminia Bielefeld - Karlsruhe 1:0
34 St. Etienne - Le Mans 4:1
32 Stuttgart - Hamburg 1:0
32 Racing Santander - D.La Coruna 1:3
32 Norwich City - Burnley 2:0
32 Catania - SSC Napoli 3:0
31 Torino - Empoli 0:1
31 Borussia Dortmund - Bayer Leverkusen 2:1
30 Sevilla - Villarreal 2:0
21 Middlesbrough - Manchester United 2:2
16 Dundee Utd - Rangers 3:3
Surprises in Scotland, where Celtic lost and Rangers drew. A surprise defeat for Juventus, and Stuttgart show the form that gave them the 1. Bundesliga championship last year by beating Hamburg. Bristol City's loss might cost them automatic promotion to Division I. Ligue 1 is slightly more open than it was after Marseille beat Lyon. So Lyon lost to Marseille, and Marseille lost to Carquefou... how many steps until we reach Notre Dame?
Division I
MUN 1259 81.1 18 0.22
CHE 1223 79.5 -13 -0.16
LIV 1160 76.2 57 0.75
ANL 1151 77.3 -21 -0.27
POR 1096 81.6 32 0.39
EVE 1071 77.3 -21 -0.27
TOT 1048 73.9 -27 -0.37
BLK 1022 81.6 -11 -0.13
AVL 1008 82.9 -43 -0.52
MCY 947 80.9 -43 -0.53
WHM 935 79.7 -65 -0.82
NWC 932 81.6 43 0.53
SUN 914 84.6 47 0.56
MID 912 81.5 -16 -0.20
WIG 906 83.4 34 0.41
REA 892 82.1 45 0.55
BOL 865 78.2 -46 -0.59
BIR 841 84.6 17 0.20
FUL 812 84.7 - 2 -0.02
DER 678 88.0 0 0.00
Changes are against 26 February, since when Liverpool has beaten Internazionale again. Portsmouth's success in the cup keeps them ahead of the other European challengers, while Newcastle and Sunderland have pulled themselves out of relegation danger. Derby's form this year has been so poor that one draw is enough to cover the multitude of losses.
1. Bundesliga
BAY 1128 79.9 -11 -0.14
HAM 1069 80.1 -31 -0.39
SNV 1069 80.1 -20 -0.25
WLF 1044 81.9 36 0.44
STT 1037 85.1 43 0.51
WER 1016 79.7 -53 -0.66
BYL 1012 78.0 -80 -1.03
BDO 998 82.9 2 0.02
EIN 996 86.0 22 0.26
BOC 958 86.1 13 0.15
HAN 952 86.0 -12 -0.14
KRR 947 88.1 -36 -0.41
COT 919 89.3 47 0.53
NUR 911 83.1 31 0.37
BIE 866 88.9 64 0.72
HER 861 87.3 -29 -0.33
HRS 838 90.8 -52 -0.57
DUI 811 92.7 10 0.11
MAI (II) 1012 135.3 0 0.00
AAA (II) 847 128.7 -4 -0.03
BMO (II) 816 128.0 4 0.03
Main story here has been the dives by Werder Bremen and Bayer Leverkusen towards the 2. Bundesliga. They won't get there, it just feels like it. Bielefeld has had a good month, and may yet have done enough to survive. Monchengladbach should bounce back, and the third slot is between four sides, but it's the irresistable rise of Hoffenheim that's looking to attract attention. The side was playing in the fifth-level Nordbaden regional league as recently as 2000, when they received a massive injection of funds from a software magnate. Since then, the side has risen like a rocket through the ranks - promotion from Baden-Wüttenburg in 2001, then five seasons in the Regionalliga Nord - during which there were serious plans to merge with other clubs in the area - before making 2. Bundesliga for this term, and it's looking like first-time promotion to the top flight. Comparisons are going to be drawn with the rise and rise and rise of clubs like Chievo and Gretna. Er.
linkpage
Fri 11 Apr 2008
Those Dutch play-offs in full
The Dutch play-offs begin soon. While the whole play-off system is complex, this year's looks to be so confusing that even we're having difficulty.
The champions - probably PSV Eindhoven - will be exempt from the play-offs, and go straight to the group phase of the European League. The winner of the cup - Feyenoord or Roda - is assured a place in the Final Qualifying Round of the UEFA Cup. But the exact structure of the play-off depends on where the cup-winner finishes. The cup is played in a fallow week-end between the end of the league and the start of the play-offs.
The easiest case is if the cup-winner finishes 6th or below. In this case, the winner is exempt from the play-offs and goes off to the UEFA Cup. Positions 2-5 play off for one EL qualification round and two UEFA Cup places; the last side plays the winner of a contest involving the next four sides (probably 6-10) for the last UEFA spot, the loser of that play-off goes into the Intertoto.
However, if Feyenoord wins the cup and finishes in the top five (Roda can't get that high), they will join the play-offs, hoping for the European League berth. 6-9 will play out, and 10-13 will also have a contest of their own. The theory is that 2-5 all go into Europe, the winner of 6-9 joins them, and the runner-up of 6-9 plays the champion of 10-13 for the Intertoto spot. However, should Feyenoord take the EL spot, Roda cascades into the UEFA Cup-Loser's Cup, and the winner of 6-9 only gets the Intertoto berth. Unless that is Roda, in which case the side they beat does get to play against 10-13.
Something more simple next week: the rules to Mornington Crescent.
European League
Arsenal 0:2
AC Milan 0:0 Arsenal 1:2
-----------------
Liverpool 2:1 Liverpool 1:4
Inter M 0:0 Liverpool
--------------------------
Fenerbahce 3:2 [b] CSKA Kens
Sevilla 2:3 Fenerbahce 2:1
-----------------
Olympiakos 0:0 CSKA Kens 1:3
CSKA Kens 0:3
==========================
Schalke 1:0 [a]
Porto 0:1 Schalke 0:0
-----------------
Celtic 2:0 Barcelona 1:1
Barcelona 3:1 Barcelona
--------------------------
Roma 2:2 Manch B
Real Mad 1:1 Roma 0:0
-----------------
Lyon 1:0 ManchB 2:1
Manch B 1:1
[a] - 0:0 in extra time, Schalke 04 won 4:1 in kicks from the penalty mark.
[b] - 0:0 in extra time, Fenerbahçe won 3:2 in kicks from the penalty mark.
For much of the game, it looked as though the 202nd meeting between Arsenal and the Stadiennes would end in a 1:1 draw, as had meetings 201 and 200. But no, four goals in the last quarter-hour blew open the game. Liverpool was flattered by the scoreline, but clearly better. They'll play CSKA Kensington for the 833rd and 834th time in the last five seasons. In the bottom half, Barcelona held on for another nervy performance, while the Buccaneers sat back and soaked up Roma's pressure before scoring on the break.
UEFA Cup
Anderlecht 2:1
Bordeaux 1:1 Anderlecht 0:2
----------
Aberdeen 2:1 Bayern M 5:1
Bayern M 2:5 Bayern M 1:1
================================
AEK Athens 1:0 Getafe 1:1 [c]
Getafe 1:3 Getafe 1:1
----------
Benfica 1:2 Benfica 0:0
Nurnburg 0:2 Bayern M
=============================--------------
Galatasary 0:1 Zenit St P
B Leverkus 0:5 B Leverkus 1:2
----------
Zurich 1:0 Hamburg 0:3
Hamburg 3:0 B Leverkus 1:1
================================
Marseille 3:0 Zenit St P 4:0
Spartak M 0:2 Marseille 3:0
----------
Zenit St P 1:1 Zenit St P 1:2
Villarreal 0:2
===========================================
Rangers 0:1
Panath'kos 0:1 Rangers 2:0
----------
Werder B 3:1 Werder B 0:1
Braga 0:0 Rangers 0:0
================================
Bolton 1:0 Sporting L 0:2
A. Madrid 0:0 Bolton 1:0
----------
Sporting L 2:3 Sporting L 1:1
Basle 0:0 Rangers
=============================--------------
Rosenborg 0:1 Fiorentina
Fiorentina 1:2 Fiorentina 2:0
----------
Brann 0:1 Everton 0:2 [a]
Everton 2:6 Fiorentina 1:2
================================
Slavia Pr 1:1 PSV 1:0
Tottenham 2:1 Tottenham 0:1
----------
PSV 2:2 PSV 1:0 [b]
Helsingbgs 0:1
[a] 0:0 in extra time; Fiorentina won 4:2 in kicks from the penalty mark.
[b] 0:0 in extra time; PSV won 6:5 in kicks from the penalty mark.
[c] 2:2 in extra time, Bayern wins on away goals.
Bayern München really do like leaving things late: the equaliser came in the 89th minute, and even though Getafe scored twice in the opening five minutes of extra time, Bayern responded with two in the last five minutes. Pity the fans at the other end of the ground, or who were watching ITV, and saw none of the six goals. Elsewhere, Bayer Leverkusen won a drab match in St Petersburg, but Zenit still progress. Fiorentina overcame PSV, and Rangers won their match away to Sporting Lisbon. Useless fact of the season: Rangers has been drawn at home in the first leg of all six European League and UEFA Cup ties they've played this season, and they've not even played Westbromwich.
Rangers's fixture pile-up is now acute: in addition to already-scheduled games, the side has two postponed league games, plus anything up to two more matches in the Scottish Cup even after this Saturday's quarter-final. Expect reschedulings or a reserve side in some matches.
linkpage
Tue 15 Apr 2008
Second cup
Scotland has been at the forefront of moves to prevent the cup runner-up from competing in Europe when they lose to the league winner (or other European League entrant). We can see their point: last year's entrants Gretna (promoted from III to II) were knocked out by Derry City, this year's team Dunfermline (relegated from I to II) also fell in the qualifiers, and now Queen of the South (certain to stay in II) have beaten Aberdeen to probably take a place in Europe. Rangers are certain of a European League place; they beat Partick on Sunday and will now play St Johnstone (II and not moving) for a spot in the final. Either way, Scotland's cup entrant - for the third season in a row - will come from Division B. The top teams are playing with one hand tied behind their backs, and this is stopping Scottish sides from taking their rightful place at Europe's top table.
43 Hamburg - Duisburg 0:1
42 Queen of the South - Aberdeen 4:3
39 Betis - Levante 0:1
38 Reggina - Sampdoria 1:0
35 Almeria - Villarreal 1:0
34 Luton Town - Brighton & Hove Albion 1:2
34 Karlsruhe - Hansa Rostock 1:2
32 Reading - Fulham 0:2
31 Preston North End - Barnsley 1:2
31 Bolton Wanderers - West Ham United 1:0
30 Werder Bremen - Schalke 04 5:1
20 CSKA Kensington - Wigan 1:1
15 Birmingham City - Everton 1:1
Elsewhere, CSKA's draw is a vital twist in the English race, giving the Buccaneers a surely impregnable margin. Werder returned to winning ways, and consigned Schalke's coach to the history books. The big upset wasn't even the end of Karlsruhe's dream, or Fulham's first away win since the Ryder Cup, but Hamburg losing to relegation-threatened Duisburg.
Primera Division
BAR 1180 74.6 -47 -0.63
SEV 1155 77.1 30 0.39
RMD 1134 78.5 -16 -0.20
VIL 1132 78.2 11 0.14
SAN 1107 75.9 20 0.26
AMD 1089 77.2 10 0.13
GET 1087 70.4 10 0.14
DEP 1085 80.9 62 0.77
MAL 1076 78.0 20 0.26
ALM 1066 83.4 1 0.01
ABL 1059 78.8 49 0.62
HEU 1040 80.8 9 0.11
OSA 1039 80.3 18 0.22
VAL 1039 75.8 -28 -0.37
BET 1018 81.1 5 0.06
VDD 1008 82.2 14 0.17
ESP 995 79.9 -71 -0.89
ZAR 968 80.1 -14 -0.17
RMC 916 84.7 11 0.13
LEV 895 83.7 -27 -0.32
MGA (II) 1014 127.4 0 0.00
SOC (II) 1001 120.4 -8 -0.07
CAD (II) 995 132.8 0 0.00
CVG (II) 941 117.1 7 0.06
TAR (II) 913 122.9 0 0.00
ALA (II) 795 124.1 0 0.00
Though Real Madrid are nine points clear of Barcelona at the top, with six to play, it's Barcelona who head our tables, courtesy of their success in Europe. Seville has also impressed this calendar year. At the foot, Levante look doomed, Real Murcia should join them. Numancia are in pole position to come up from the Segunda, with Malaga (MGA) likely to join them. There's a chance that Tarragon (TAR) may drop to the third level.
Serie A
INT 1227 82.4 - 2 -0.02
ROM 1181 75.7 - 6 -0.08
JVE 1106 84.1 28 0.33
FIO 1074 72.3 -21 -0.29
ACM 1047 75.9 -50 -0.66
SAM 1035 79.3 34 0.43
LAZ 1024 76.8 19 0.25
UDI 1012 77.7 36 0.46
GNA 995 82.0 27 0.33
SIE 969 80.3 21 0.26
NAP 952 80.8 24 0.30
PAL 946 78.8 -14 -0.18
ATL 936 79.2 -29 -0.37
REG 927 79.9 15 0.19
CAG 920 80.5 55 0.68
PAR 906 81.8 - 2 -0.02
TOR 903 79.2 -55 -0.69
EMP 894 81.1 -10 -0.12
CAT 890 77.8 - 4 -0.05
LVO 863 80.2 -50 -0.62
CHI (II) 1022 128.7 45 0.35
ASC (II) 769 122.7 -20 -0.16
MES (II) 765 128.7 -24 -0.19
It's between Inter and Roma for the title; they're 14 and 10 clear of Juventus with five matches to go. Note how the Italian sides are more evenly matched than the Spanish - 9 sides rise in Italy, compared to 14 in Spain. AC's decline continues, and the side is not assured of UEFA Cup football next season. Five points cover the bottom seven sides, and we wouldn't care to pick which three of the six sides disputing the top of Serie B will join us next season.
This mid-week is a domestic week: a full programme in 1. Bundesliga, cup matches in Italy, Spain, and France (including Carquefou hosting Paris St Germain, a match you won't be able to see on UK television) and catch-up games in England and Scotland.
linkpage
Fri 25 Apr 2008
Intertoto Draw Time
That Last Ever Intertoto Draw in Full
South-East
--------------------------------
Croatia
Macedonia Israel Spain
--------------------------------
Serbia
Greece Italy
--------------------------------
Bos-Herz
Montenegro Turkey Portugal
--------------------------------
Albania* Switzerland
Cyprus
Malta Bulgaria
Slovenia
--------------------------------
Central-Med
--------------------------------
Luxembrg Russia
Georgia Germany
--------------------------------
Azerbaijan Belgium
Slovakia Romania
--------------------------------
Armenia France
Moldova Ukraine
--------------------------------
Poland Austria
Belarus
Kazakhstan Czechia
Hungary
--------------------------------
Northern
--------------------------------
Lithuania Netherlands
Estonia Norway
--------------------------------
Nor Ire
Finland Denmark England
--------------------------------
Faroes Scotland
Sweden
- - - - - - -
Latvia
Iceland
Rep Ire
Wales
--------------------------------
To explain the bottom entry, Latvia, Iceland, Ireland, and Wales will provide one team to the third round, to play Scotland or Sweden.
Albania is currently suspended from competition owing to government interference; if this suspension is still in force in mid-June, their place would be taken by Andorra.
European League
Arsenal 0:2
AC Milan 0:0 Arsenal 1:2
-----------------
Liverpool 2:1 Liverpool 1:4
Inter M 0:0 Liverpool 1
--------------------------
Fenerbahce 3:2 [b] CSKA Kens 1
Sevilla 2:3 Fenerbahce 2:1
-----------------
Olympiakos 0:0 CSKA Kens 1:3
CSKA Kens 0:3
==========================
Schalke 1:0 [a]
Porto 0:1 Schalke 0:0
-----------------
Celtic 2:0 Barcelona 1:1
Barcelona 3:1 Barcelona 0
--------------------------
Roma 2:2 Manch B 0
Real Mad 1:1 Roma 0:0
-----------------
Lyon 1:0 ManchB 2:1
Manch B 1:1
[a] - 0:0 in extra time, Schalke 04 won 4:1 in kicks from the penalty mark.
[b] - 0:0 in extra time, Fenerbahçe won 3:2 in kicks from the penalty mark.
Two matches, two goals, no winners. Liverpool's goal was a cracker, but the side also conceded a rather soft own goal. Barcelona and the Buccaneers fought out a rather tedious goalless draw.
UEFA Cup
Anderlecht 2:1
Bordeaux 1:1 Anderlecht 0:2
----------
Aberdeen 2:1 Bayern M 5:1
Bayern M 2:5 Bayern M 1:1
================================
AEK Athens 1:0 Getafe 1:1 [c]
Getafe 1:3 Getafe 1:1
----------
Benfica 1:2 Benfica 0:0
Nurnburg 0:2 Bayern M 1
=============================--------------
Galatasary 0:1 Zenit St P 1
B Leverkus 0:5 B Leverkus 1:2
----------
Zurich 1:0 Hamburg 0:3
Hamburg 3:0 B Leverkus 1:1
================================
Marseille 3:0 Zenit St P 4:0
Spartak M 0:2 Marseille 3:0
----------
Zenit St P 1:1 Zenit St P 1:2
Villarreal 0:2
===========================================
Rangers 0:1
Panath'kos 0:1 Rangers 2:0
----------
Werder B 3:1 Werder B 0:1
Braga 0:0 Rangers 0:0
================================
Bolton 1:0 Sporting L 0:2
A. Madrid 0:0 Bolton 1:0
----------
Sporting L 2:3 Sporting L 1:1
Basle 0:0 Rangers 0
=============================--------------
Rosenborg 0:1 Fiorentina 0
Fiorentina 1:2 Fiorentina 2:0
----------
Brann 0:1 Everton 0:2 [a]
Everton 2:6 Fiorentina 1:2
================================
Slavia Pr 1:1 PSV 1:0
Tottenham 2:1 Tottenham 0:1
----------
PSV 2:2 PSV 1:0 [b]
Helsingbgs 0:1
[a] 0:0 in extra time; Fiorentina won 4:2 in kicks from the penalty mark.
[b] 0:0 in extra time; PSV won 6:5 in kicks from the penalty mark.
[c] 2:2 in extra time, Bayern wins on away goals.
We're struggling to come up with something good to say about the Rangers game, and haven't seen highlights of the game of the night. Another brilliant piece of judgement from ITV, bringing boring draws to your television set every week.
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Fri 02 May 2008
European Competition Finals
European League
Arsenal 0:2
AC Milan 0:0 Arsenal 1:2
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Liverpool 2:1 Liverpool 1:4
Inter M 0:0 Liverpool 1:1
-------------------------- [c]
Fenerbahce 3:2 [b] CSKA Kens 1:1
Sevilla 2:3 Fenerbahce 2:1
-----------------
Olympiakos 0:0 CSKA Kens 1:3
CSKA Kens 0:3 CSKA Kens
=============================================
Schalke 1:0 [a] Manch B
Porto 0:1 Schalke 0:0
-----------------
Celtic 2:0 Barcelona 1:1
Barcelona 3:1 Barcelona 0:0
--------------------------
Roma 2:2 Manch B 0:1
Real Mad 1:1 Roma 0:0
-----------------
Lyon 1:0 ManchB 2:1
Manch B 1:1
[a] - 0:0 in extra time, Schalke 04 won 4:1 in kicks from the penalty mark.
[b] - 0:0 in extra time, Fenerbahçe won 3:2 in kicks from the penalty mark.
[c] - CSKA Kensington wins 2:1 in extra time.
Another tedious, goal-free snore-fest between the Buccaneers and Barcelona. Goal-free, that is, apart from the goal, which was a speculative shot to nothing. After this match, we knew the European League would have an all-English final, played in that well-known English seaside resort of Moscow. We also knew that England would take the number one spot in the UEFA rankings for only the second time in the country's history: the previous occasion had been in the five years ending 1985, and was curtailed only by of political interference from UEFA.
We were expecting another tedious, goal-free snore-fest between the Stadiennes and CSKA Kensington, not least because seven meetings in the previous four seasons have produced just five goals, and one of those never crossed the line. This time, though, the sides manages a goal each in normal time, CSKA went 2:0 up in extra time, only for the visiting Stadiennes to pull one back and force a nervy final few minutes.
The result, though, is that the final between CSKA and the Buccaneers will take place at that well-known English city of Moscow. Won't Kensington enjoy home advantage?
UEFA Cup
Anderlecht 2:1
Bordeaux 1:1 Anderlecht 0:2
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Aberdeen 2:1 Bayern M 5:1
Bayern M 2:5 Bayern M 1:1
================================
AEK Athens 1:0 Getafe 1:1 [c]
Getafe 1:3 Getafe 1:1
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Benfica 1:2 Benfica 0:0
Nurnburg 0:2 Bayern M 1:0
=============================-------------- [36]
Galatasary 0:1 Zenit St P 1:4
B Leverkus 0:5 B Leverkus 1:2
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Zurich 1:0 Hamburg 0:3
Hamburg 3:0 B Leverkus 1:1
================================
Marseille 3:0 Zenit St P 4:0
Spartak M 0:2 Marseille 3:0
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Zenit St P 1:1 Zenit St P 1:2
Villarreal 0:2 Zenit St P
=======================================================
Rangers 0:1
Panath'kos 0:1 Rangers 2:0
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Werder B 3:1 Werder B 0:1
Braga 0:0 Rangers 0:0
================================
Bolton 1:0 Sporting L 0:2
A. Madrid 0:0 Bolton 1:0
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Sporting L 2:3 Sporting L 1:1
Basle 0:0 Rangers 0:0
=============================-------------- [d]
Rosenborg 0:1 Fiorentina 0:0
Fiorentina 1:2 Fiorentina 2:0
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Brann 0:1 Everton 0:2 [a]
Everton 2:6 Fiorentina 1:2
================================
Slavia Pr 1:1 PSV 1:0
Tottenham 2:1 Tottenham 0:1
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PSV 2:2 PSV 1:0 [b]
Helsingbgs 0:1
[a] 0:0 in extra time; Fiorentina won 4:2 in kicks from the penalty mark.
[b] 0:0 in extra time; PSV won 6:5 in kicks from the penalty mark.
[c] 2:2 in extra time, Bayern wins on away goals.
[d] 0:0 in extra time; Rangers won 4:2 in kicks from the penalty mark.
The surprise in the first semi wasn't so much that Zenit won their game so easily - 4:0 didn't flatter them in the slightest - but that München crumbled so easily. Zenit took the lead in the third minute, after Kahn was unsighted at a free-kick, and though Bayern threatened, they rather gave up after falling 2:0 down. Next stop, Manchester; after that, the European League.
The nightcap was a poor game, Rangers content to soak up the pressure and hope to hit on the break. Neither side found their range, and the game had KFTPM written all over it. Though Rangers missed their first spot kick, that was all they missed, the Scottish League will be running its Schedule B, and West Coast need to lay on some extra trains.
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Tue 06 May 2008
Ups and downs
Final day of action in Divisions II to IV, and we've the end-of-season tables there. Westbromwich and Stoke won the automatic play-off places, with the unfamiliar quartet of Bristol City, Hull, Crystal Palace, and Watford vying for the last place. Spare a thought for Wolves, denied on goal difference by just one goal. Scunthorpe and Colchester were relegated some weeks ago, with Leicester joining them on the final day. From Division III, Swansea are joined by Nottingham Forest, with Doncaster, Carlisle, Southend, and Leeds making the play-offs. The relegated sides are Luton, Port Vale, Gillingham, and Bournemouth. Division IV was resolved some little time ago, Franchise, Peterborough, and Hereford are automatically up, Rochdale, Stockport, Darlington, and Wycombe play-off, and Wrexham and Mansfield drop out of the league, with Aldershot '92 replacing one of them.
This week-end's upsets
40 Middlesbrough - Portsmouth 2:0
39 Siena - Juventus 1:0
39 Duisburg - Bayer Leverkusen 3:2
38 Southampton - Sheffield United 3:2
38 AC Milan - Internazionale 2:1
37 Cagliari - Fiorentina 2:1
36 Real Zaragossa - Deportivo La Coruna 1:0
35 Parma - Genoa 1:0
33 Aston Villa - Wigan Athletic 0:2
33 Arminia Bielefeld - Bochum 2:0
32 Torino - Napoli 2:1
32 Ipswich Town - Hull City 1:0
31 Lazio - Palermo 1:2
31 Hertha Berlin - Karlsruhe 3:1
15 Hibernian - Rangers 0:0
Portsmouth's loss just about ends their hopes of qualifying for the UEFA Cup through the league, but they've still got a very real chance of winning the FA Cup. A week of surprises in Italy, topped by defeats for Juventus and Internazionale; the net result is that AC Berlusconi is back in the top four and heading towards the European League. Southampton needed a win to save themselves, Sheffield United a win to preserve their play-off chances, and the Saints pulled off the biggest upset in the city for almost two and a half days. Wigan's win means they're safe from relegation, while Fulham beat Birmingham to clamber out of the drop zone. Rangers's draw means they're now seven points behind Celtic, who have benefitted from very dodgy refereeing decisions in the last two matches, and have played three more games than Rangers. For the second week running, Ligue 1 ran without a single upset.
Division II
WBA 851 74.1 39 0.53 -- prom
STK 833 77.1 3 0.04 -- prom
SFU 826 74.7 8 0.11
CPL 824 76.3 34 0.45 -- play
HUL 820 75.4 5 0.07 -- play
CDF 799 73.0 1 0.01
WLV 797 74.0 28 0.38
IPS 786 75.8 11 0.15
BRC 773 77.1 -20 -0.26 -- play
PNE 762 75.6 -23 -0.30
WAT 749 75.8 -62 -0.82 -- play
QPR 747 76.3 -12 -0.16
CHA 746 76.0 -22 -0.29
SFW 738 74.4 14 0.19
PLY 736 75.6 -32 -0.42
BAN 730 73.6 -17 -0.23
BNL 724 76.0 -11 -0.14
SOT 714 76.3 28 0.37
BPL 698 76.9 -14 -0.18
LEI 695 76.3 7 0.09 -- rel
NOR 682 76.7 -10 -0.13
COV 678 74.8 2 0.03
SCU 638 79.6 36 0.45 -- rel
CCR 605 77.3 0 0.00 -- rel
SEN (III) 714 103.6 38 0.37 -- play
LEE (III) 700 112.2 19 0.17 -- play
LUT (III) 625 102.7 -14 -0.14 -- rel
MIL (III) 610 109.2 -30 -0.27
BRI (III) 579 113.9 38 0.33
CRW (III) 522 118.5 -60 -0.51
Sheffield United's run came a little too late to secure their play-off place, and included a better run in the league than many other sides - with the exception of Westbromwich, it seems that it paid to be knocked out early and concentrate on the league. Greatest exponents of this were Leeds, beaten by Hereford in the round of 256, and overcoming their 15-point deduction (upheld by an appeal panel last week) to take the last play-off place. Were Division III decided only by matters on the field, Crewe and Luton would both have been relegated.
We'll confirm the new team codes in about three weeks, once all the promoted teams in Europe are known.
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Fri 09 May 2008
Pyramid, Scotland, Netherlands
England has won the UEFA Fair Play league, and the top side in the domestic fair play table (almost certainly Manchester City) will join the UEFA Cup in its first qualifying round in mid-July. The two lottery slots will be between Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Germany, Spain and France; the draw will take place at half-time in next Wednesday's UEFA Cup final - appropriately, at the Commonwealth Arena, Manchester City's home ground.
Though the decision on which sides join which leagues won't be made until next week, we know most of the promoted and relegated sides from the bottom half of the English pyramid:
V
Prom - Aldershot Town, Cambridge Utd / Exeter
Rel - Droylsden, Stafford, Farsley Celtic, Altrincham
VI (N)
Prom - Kettering, Stalybridge / Barrow
Rel - Leigh RMI, Vauxhall Motors, Hucknall Town
VI (S)
Prom - Lewes, Eastbourne
Rel - Sutton, Dorchester, Cambridge City*
VII (N)
Prom - Fleetwood, Gateshead
Rel - Leek, Stamford, Lincoln Utd
VII (S)
Prom - King's Lynn, Team Bath
Rel - Bedford, Bromsgrove, Cirencester, Cheshunt
VII (SE)
Prom - Chelmsford, Wimbledon
Rel - Leyton, Folkestone, East Thurrock, Borehamwood
VIII (N-N)
Prom - Bradford Park Avenue, Manchester United
Rel - (none)
VIII (N-S)
Prom - Cammell Laird, Nantwich
Rel - Alsager*
VIII (S-M)
Prom - Evesham, Stourbridge
Rel - Malvern, Berkhamstead**
VIII (S-SW)
Prom - Farnborough, Oxford City
Rel - Newport IOW, Slough**
VIII (SE-N)
Prom - Dartford, Canvey Island
Rel - Edgware*, Wivenhoe**
VIII (SE-S)
Prom - Dover, Tooting & Mitcham
Rel - Horsham YMCA, Molesey**
* - Relegated for non-playing reasons
** - Candidates for reprieve if Division VIII (N) divisions expand to 22 sides.
Promoted from Division IX: Trafford, Salford, Atherstone, Loughborough Dynamo, Glapwell, Crowborough, Merstham, Concord Rangers, Soham, North Leigh, Totton, Truro, Thamesmead, Beaconsfield SYCOB.
Upsets
38 ARIS Salonika - AEK Athens 4:0
33 Bayer Leverkusen - Hertha Berlin 1:2
31 B. Dortmund - Stuttgart 3:2
30 Getafe - Almeria 4:2
19 Catania - Roma 1:1
They're breathing a sigh of relief in France, where PSG and Lyon beat lower-league Amiens and Sedan by 1:0, ensuring they'll meet in the cup final, and there will be an additional UEFA Cup place released for a side finishing at the top of League 1.
No surprises in Ukraine, where Shakhtar beat Dinamo in the cup. Nor in Serbia, as Partizan overcame lower-league opposition. If Partizan conspires to lose the league to Crvena Zvezda (unlikely) then Obscura Beograd are frozen out, not even to play a Cup-Loser's Cup match against Queen of the South.
Those Dutch play-offs in full
Turning now to correspondence, and Mr. Pokery wrote about the play-offs in the Netherlands.
The obvious question is why they thought that would be a desirable state of affairs to bring about. The only suggestion that springs to mind is that the play-offs are made for TV.
The logic seems to be that (almost) every side has something to play for in these play-offs, and (yes) the league becomes much more attractive to television. After the 34-game season, and assuming the cup-winner's place goes to a top-five side, the Eredivise is scheduled to split into seven bits:
1 - Champions. Season ends.
2-5 - European League playoff. Winner goes to the European League; others to the UEFA Cup.
6-9 - UEFA playoff. Winner to the UEFA Cup.
10-13 - Intertoto playoff. Winner plays off against runner-up from UEFA playoff for the Intertoto berth.
14-15 - Nothing to do. Season ends.
18 - Relegated. Season ends.
16-17 go into a relegation playoff, with six sides from Eerste Divise, where the champion is automatically promoted. The season in the lower league is divided into six periods of six games, and the winner of each period (or highest side not yet through) qualifies for the playoff, along with the two (usually three, because the champ will have won a period) highest sides in the final table not already qualified. The sides are ranked by their overall positions. First round is a simple home-and-away between Eerste 6-9. Winners join with Eerste 2-5 and the Eredivise sides, at which point the ties become best-of-three; if the first two games don't produce a clear winner, away goals or kicks from the penalty mark decide home advantage for the third game. Two winners take Eredivise places, and the draw should pit Er 16 against Ee 3 and Er 17 against Ee 2, keeping apart the Eredivise sides, and top two Eerste sides.
This year, there's a slightly different format, because the cup winner isn't in the top five.
1 - Champions. Season ends.
2-5 - European League playoff. Winner goes to the European League; losing finalist and 3rd place to the UEFA Cup.
6-10 - UEFA playoff. Winner plays off against 4th from EL for the remaining UEFA Cup spot; loser to Intertoto. Cup winner will not participate.
11-15 - Nothing to do. Season ends.
16-17 - Relegation playoffs, as before.
18 - Relegated. Season ends.
Next year, the play-offs become a little more simple: the top two go through to the European League, the cup-winners and next two go through to the UEFA Cup, and there's a four-team play-off between the sides immediately below for that last spot. The relegation playoffs remain.
Scotland
If there is logic to them, I wonder whether it might be a more sensible model to follow for Scotland's top league of 12 than the (actually reasonably sensibly designed and unjustly maligned) current 3½ matches per opponent per season.
A few observations here:
1) The Scottish clubs like having Rangers and Celtic visit twice a year. It keeps them rich. Reducing that to once would be such a financial kick that it'll not happen easily.
2) We're having great difficulty understanding the model above, and we've just described it. Try explaining that to your stereotypical football fan who's had a few tinnies. Especially that bit about the periods: should East Fife get a chance at promotion because easy fixtures allowed them 16 points in December and naff all elsewhere?
3) To have a promotion / relegation playoff would require Division B to finish at about the same time as Division A, not a month (plus Rangers delays) earlier. (With a will, this is not insurmountable.)
All that said, if Scotland were to revert to 16 or 18 teams in Division A, a Division B of similar size, and cutting some teams loose to regional amateur leagues, we reckon an arrangement like this would make for a good way to end the season, certainly better than the current playing out for pride amongst the bottom six. Fewer games might also avoid the fixture congestion we've seen this year, but then why has this occurred? The fixture pile-up has many causes:
- Rangers' success in reaching the final of every competition they've entered, playing (by our quick reckoning) 69 matches since last July.
- An artefact of the problems at Motherwell, both with their pitch and following the untimely death of Phil O'Donnell
- The postponement of Rangers' last-32 cup tie at East Stirlingshire, the SFA's refusal to allow the last-16 replay on an international mid-week, and a replay in the last-8.
- The postponement of matches to allow Scotland players a week off before the international against Italy; and to allow Rangers a clear week before Lyon.
- The length of the Scottish season, playing a 20-team league amongst 12 sides.
As we say, the most radical move would be to extend Division A so that the regular season was 30 games (16 clubs, as in Portugal) or 34 games (18 clubs, as in the Netherlands and Germany). This would allow the regular season to have very few mid-week matches and still end in late April, possibly with play-offs to decide promotion, relegation, and the last UEFA Cup place. Rangers (and Celtic, who could easily face a similar problem in a future season) would be in favour of this reform, and we can bet that the sides currently on the cusp of promotion from Division B would love it.
The smaller clubs in the top flight would still be less happy, because they would only receive two visits from Rangers and Celtic, not the three or four they have at the moment. On the other hand, would the additional security of knowing that they'll have those visits for the forseeable future help to raise security? Is there a case for some gate sharing (for instance, 5% of the net turnstile proceeds goes to the visiting club at the end of the season)?
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Tue 13 May 2008
Port o'shadiness
Trouble in Portugal, where three clubs have been found guilty of fixing matches back in the 2003-4 season. They include Porto, champions that season and this, who have been fined €300 000, and docked six points from this season's total. It's worth remembering that Porto also won the European League in that season, and it's not clear if UEFA will uphold the AC Berlusconi precedent and throw Porto out of next year's contest.
Upsets
40 Birmingham City - Blackburn Rovers 4:1
38 Portsmouth - Fulham 0:1
37 Napoli - AC Milan 3:1
36 Hearts - Kilmarnock 0:2
33 Cottbus - Hamburg 2:0
31 Udinese - Cagliari 0:2
30 Middlesbrough - Manchester City (EIGHT) 8:1
20 CSKA Kensington - Bolton Wanderers 1:1
15 Internazionale - Siena 2:2
So, Manchester Buccaneers beat Wigan, CSKA could only draw with Bolton, allowing the Bucs to win the Division I title. All three sides in relegation contention won, so Fulham stay up, and Reading and Birmingham join Derby in relegation.
No surprises in Spain or Germany, where things are just about settled. No shocks in France, where Lyon go into the final day leading Bordeaux, and a battle-royal for the last UEFA Cup spot. Strasbourg were relegated this week, and Toulouse and PSG are still battling to avoid that embarrassing fate.
The big shocks came in Italy. Internazionale and Juventus drew, Roma were uncertain in beating Atlanta, and AC Berlusconi suffered a reverse to Napoli, allowing Fiorentina first dibs on the European League spot. AC to be next season's Bayern, anyone?
Division I
MUN 1271 78.5 12 0.15
CHE 1241 77.5 18 0.23
LIV 1199 75.6 39 0.52
ANL 1153 79.2 2 0.03
EVE 1050 78.6 -21 -0.27
TOT 1034 76.3 -14 -0.18
POR 1019 80.6 -77 -0.96
BLK 1001 82.9 -21 -0.25
AVL 996 82.4 -12 -0.15
REA 951 82.3 59 0.72
WIG 946 83.6 40 0.48
BOL 940 79.5 75 0.94
NWC 934 81.6 2 0.02
MCY 933 81.0 -14 -0.17
MID 928 80.9 16 0.20
WHM 913 81.0 -22 -0.27
FUL 906 84.0 94 1.12
SUN 874 83.0 -40 -0.48
BIR 865 84.5 24 0.28
DER 648 89.8 -30 -0.33
Were Reading too good to go down? Their form was consistent throughout the season, but the side dropped just too many points to their relegation rivals for their own good. Spot the tremendous gulf in class between the top four and the rest, and the value of good runs in cups for Tottenham (winners of the League Cup), Everton (like Spurs, big in Europe), and - in spite of their woeful late season form - Portsmouth (the last non-league side in the FA Cup). Derby will come into next season's Division II as the bottom side.
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