European Leagues Thread 2012/2013

[Winston Biscuit]

I quite enjoy the madness of the Serie B play off system with the amount of teams involved not even confirmed until the season is over

If the team finishing 3rd is 10 points or more ahead of 4th place then they are automatically promoted and there are no play offs. If there are less than 10 points between 3rd and 4th then the play offs go ahead including the teams who finish within 14 points of 3rd place (down to 8th place in the league) meaning anywhere between 2 and 6 teams take part

If 6 teams take part then 3rd and 4th get a bye while 5th plays at home to 8th and 6th plays at home to 7th in a one off game. If it is a draw at the end then the team who finished higher in the league progresses through.

the winners of 6th vs 7th plays 3rd and the winner of 5th Vs 8th plays 4th in a 2 legged match. Away goals do not count, if it's a draw after both legs then the team who finished higher in the league progresses

final 2 teams play each other over 2 legs with the team finishing higher in the league getting the home leg 2nd and a draw means the team finishing higher in the league wins. If the teams draw and they are on the same points in the league then they go to extra time and penalties

[Hendo]

I quite enjoy the madness of the Serie B play off system with the amount of teams involved not even confirmed until the season is over

If the team finishing 3rd is 10 points or more ahead of 4th place then they are automatically promoted and there are no play offs. If there are less than 10 points between 3rd and 4th then the play offs go ahead including the teams who finish within 14 points of 3rd place (down to 8th place in the league) meaning anywhere between 2 and 6 teams take part

If 6 teams take part then 3rd and 4th get a bye while 5th plays at home to 8th and 6th plays at home to 7th in a one off game. If it is a draw at the end then the team who finished higher in the league progresses through.

the winners 6th vs 7th plays 3rd and the winner of 5th Vs 8th plays 4th in a 2 legged match. Away goals do not count, if it's a draw after both legs then the team finishing higher in the league progress.

final 2 teams play each other over 2 legs with the team finishing higher in the league getting the home leg 2nd and a draw means the team finishing higher in the league wins. If the teams draw and they are on the same points in the league then they go to extra time and penalties

That is just beautifully mental.

[Winston Biscuit]

it feels so chaotically Italian

[Sanguine]

I quite enjoy the madness of the Serie B play off system with the amount of teams involved not even confirmed until the season is over

If the team finishing 3rd is 10 points or more ahead of 4th place then they are automatically promoted and there are no play offs. If there are less than 10 points between 3rd and 4th then the play offs go ahead including the teams who finish within 14 points of 3rd place (down to 8th place in the league) meaning anywhere between 2 and 6 teams take part

If 6 teams take part then 3rd and 4th get a bye while 5th plays at home to 8th and 6th plays at home to 7th in a one off game. If it is a draw at the end then the team who finished higher in the league progresses through.

the winners of 6th vs 7th plays 3rd and the winner of 5th Vs 8th plays 4th in a 2 legged match. Away goals do not count, if it's a draw after both legs then the team who finished higher in the league progresses

final 2 teams play each other over 2 legs with the team finishing higher in the league getting the home leg 2nd and a draw means the team finishing higher in the league wins. If the teams draw and they are on the same points in the league then they go to extra time and penalties

Not only all that, but with one game to play, Frosinone, Parma and Palermo, in 2nd, 3rd and 4th, are covered by three points and all have the same goal difference - albeit the first separator used in Serie B is head-to-head record, which favours Parma should it come down to that.

[Winston Biscuit]

2 games left in Turkey and Besiktas in 4th are still only 4 points off the top

It's Galatasaray's to lose though as they have a 3 point lead at the top with a better goal difference of +5 over 2nd placed Fenerbahce

Good race for CL spots

Fenerbahce spank the bottom club 7-0 meaning the title race goes down to the final day and is between them and Galatasaray, with the latter 3 points ahead and both clubs on the same GD

Galatasaray play away to the team in 6th
Fenerbahce are home to the team in 15th

Besiktas and Basaksehir could still get 2nd place and therefore Champions League

[tmesis]

Not really no (to feeling intimidated). We were sat in a bar before the game having a chat with the locals and it was all fine, they were interested in us but never anything more than that. We certainly didn't hide who were were at any point. The main ultras were at the other end of the ground, and it wasn't possible to buy tickets in that area. The away fans were tucked in up in a corner on the top tier on the side to our right so we weren't anywhere near them either.

I'm not sure why anyone would expect Italian fans to concerned in the slightest about English people going to a game.

I found the stadium to be one that looks better at a distance. Once inside you realise just how poorly maintained Italian stadiums are. Being a steward in an upper tier at an Italian ground is possibly the world's easiest job too. All you have to do is learn on a wall and watch the game.

Apparently they blame Heysel on the English and associate all English fans with that.

On a separate note I hear Parma may be returning to Serie A. Harking back to the glory days of Gazetta on Channel 4 with Crespo and Chiesa

Put it this way, I've never heard of any English fans who have gone over just to watch a game having any sort of hassle.

[Sanguine]

Buffon to leave Juventus. Italy knows how to do football legends, doesn't it. He is up there with Maldini. He will play his 656th and final game for Juventus this weekend (and 876th club game in all). he's not retiring though - says he is considering offers to play elsewhere (not in Italy).

Given Donnarumma's age and that he looks set to permanently replace Buffon in the Italy team, it's possible the Azzurri will go 30 years with just two first-choice goalkeepers.

Slightly related, I'm amazed that Alban Lafont (like Donnarumma, just 19), isn't yet in the France squad.

[Hendo]

If GB doesn't want to play in Italy, he might be off to the st8s.

[Sanguine]

If GB doesn't want to play in Italy, he might be off to the st8s.

Medium-sized rumours that Liverpool are interested. Can't see it though, as Buffon would only join as first-choice, and I don't think Klopp would want to set an improving Karius back a season.

[paultheroyal]

I quite enjoy the madness of the Serie B play off system with the amount of teams involved not even confirmed until the season is over

If the team finishing 3rd is 10 points or more ahead of 4th place then they are automatically promoted and there are no play offs. If there are less than 10 points between 3rd and 4th then the play offs go ahead including the teams who finish within 14 points of 3rd place (down to 8th place in the league) meaning anywhere between 2 and 6 teams take part

If 6 teams take part then 3rd and 4th get a bye while 5th plays at home to 8th and 6th plays at home to 7th in a one off game. If it is a draw at the end then the team who finished higher in the league progresses through.

the winners of 6th vs 7th plays 3rd and the winner of 5th Vs 8th plays 4th in a 2 legged match. Away goals do not count, if it's a draw after both legs then the team who finished higher in the league progresses

final 2 teams play each other over 2 legs with the team finishing higher in the league getting the home leg 2nd and a draw means the team finishing higher in the league wins. If the teams draw and they are on the same points in the league then they go to extra time and penalties

Didn't know any of that - great stuff.

[Winston Biscuit]

Lazio Vs Inter this weekend which is essentially a one off game to see who gets into the Champions League

High quality skullduggery from Inter who have confirmed that Lazio's best defender, Stefan de Vrij, is joining them on a free after the game and apparently keep making comments in the press questioning what his mental state will be playing against his new club. Lazio told them to shut up and they kept doing bit. Lazio now say the player is unsettled and they are unsure if he will play in the game.

[Sutekh]

Lazio Vs Inter this weekend which is essentially a one off game to see who gets into the Champions League

High quality skullduggery from Inter who have confirmed that Lazio's best defender, Stefan de Vrij, is joining them on a free after the game and apparently keep making comments in the press questioning what his mental state will be playing against his new club. Lazio told them to shut up and they kept doing bit. Lazio now say the player is unsettled and they are unsure if he will play in the game.

Can't do, can he? Big conflict of interest there. But then it is Italian football...

[Hendo]

I <3 Italian football craziness.

[Winston Biscuit]

Lazio Vs Inter this weekend which is essentially a one off game to see who gets into the Champions League

High quality skullduggery from Inter who have confirmed that Lazio's best defender, Stefan de Vrij, is joining them on a free after the game and apparently keep making comments in the press questioning what his mental state will be playing against his new club. Lazio told them to shut up and they kept doing bit. Lazio now say the player is unsettled and they are unsure if he will play in the game.

Can't do, can he? Big conflict of interest there. But then it is Italian football...

He is allowed to as he has just signed a pre contract to join them when his current contract expires. But Lazio say the player was fine to play in this match until Inter started creating an issue around it and and the press whipped up a storm, now the player is unhappy.

[Winston Biscuit]

Buffon to leave Juventus. Italy knows how to do football legends, doesn't it. He is up there with Maldini. He will play his 656th and final game for Juventus this weekend (and 876th club game in all). he's not retiring though - says he is considering offers to play elsewhere (not in Italy).

Given Donnarumma's age and that he looks set to permanently replace Buffon in the Italy team, it's possible the Azzurri will go 30 years with just two first-choice goalkeepers.

Slightly related, I'm amazed that Alban Lafont (like Donnarumma, just 19), isn't yet in the France squad.

French press say PSG have offered Buffon a 2 year contract. Italian press say he is talking to Boca Juniors about joining them.

[Winston Biscuit]

Lazio Vs Inter this weekend which is essentially a one off game to see who gets into the Champions League

High quality skullduggery from Inter who have confirmed that Lazio's best defender, Stefan de Vrij, is joining them on a free after the game and apparently keep making comments in the press questioning what his mental state will be playing against his new club. Lazio told them to shut up and they kept doing bit. Lazio now say the player is unsettled and they are unsure if he will play in the game.

10 minutes left and de Vrij has just lunged in to give away a penalty, which is scored and the game is 2-2 currently

[Winston Biscuit]

Lazio 2-3 Inter

Mentz

[Winston Biscuit]

Huesca up to the top division in Spain for the very first time. Stadium holds just 5500 fans and they have spent most of their history in the 3rd & 4th division.

[Winston Biscuit]

3 years after going bankrupt and being booted onto Serie D, Parma have won promotion back to Serie A

[Stranded]

Huesca up to the top division in Spain for the very first time. Stadium holds just 5500 fans and they have spent most of their history in the 3rd & 4th division.

Reminds of an interesting* story that came out last week, Holstein Kiel could have been promoted to the Bundesliga for the first time in their history (they lost the play-off to Wolfsburg) but were told they would only be allowed to play if they moved stadium as their ground only holds 12500. Bundesliga apparently demands that a stadium has a minimum capacity of 15k.

Did not go down well with football fans across Germany with people pointing out that clubs like Bournemouth, Eibar and now Huesca have no problem playing in stadiums smaller than 15k.