European Leagues Thread 2012-2026

[Winston Biscuit]

15th win in a row in all comps for Atletico Madrid last night

[Sanguine]

15th win in a row in all comps for Atletico Madrid last night

Crikey. That one had passed me by. Spanish record is Real Madrid's 22, in 2014-15.

Big test of the streak against Leverkusen next week, who have lost just 3 of their last 80 games.

They've only conceded 12 goals in 19 games in the league. Jan Oblak must have one of the best goals conceded/game ratios in football history.

Proving to be a great move for Conor Gallagher.

[Winston Biscuit]

La Liga team Getafe playing away to 4th tier Pontevedra in the cup

[Sanguine]

One of the biggest upsets in Coupe de France history this week - amateur side FC Bourgoin-Jallieu, of the fifth tier, drew 2-2 with Lyon, and then beat them on penalties.

https://x.com/FOXSoccer/status/1879612878753599642

[Stranded]

One of the biggest upsets in Coupe de France history this week - amateur side FC Bourgoin-Jallieu, of the fifth tier, drew 2-2 with Lyon, and then beat them on penalties.

https://x.com/FOXSoccer/status/1879612878753599642

May just be may but the Coupe de France always seems to throw up a lower league side beating bigger sides and getting to the latter stages or even the final.

Quick look suggest 4 teams from tier 3 or 4 in France have made the final this century. All lost.

[Sanguine]

Yeah I've not looked at the team Lyon fielded, assume it was youngsters. That said, you wouldn't expect, for example, Liverpool's 'kids' to lose to Gateshead.

[Stranded]

Agreed but there does seem to a major culture in France of really not giving a toss about the cup at all if or until you accidentally find yourself in the quarter or semi finals.

[Winston Biscuit]

15th win in a row in all comps for Atletico Madrid last night

Leganes 1-0 Atletico Madrid

[Winston Biscuit]

Last 8 games in La Liga (before Real Madrid play today):

Atletico Madrid - 21 points
Real Madrid - 19 points
Barcelona - 6 points

[Winston Biscuit]

Vitesse, who were relegated from the top division in the Netherlands last season after being given an 18 point deduction, are currently bottom of the 2nd tier on -8 points after starting the season with a 6 point deduction, and then been given a further 21 point deduction late in 2024. There is no relegation from the 2nd tier though.

Dutch FA's Licensing Committee to decide at the end of the season whether to continue allowing Vitesse to have a professional license

[Stranded]

After the 1st round of games after the winter break, the 2.Bundesliga has got even tighter.

Hamburg lead the way now but only on GD from Magdeberg and Köln - Hannover are 1 point behind, with Kaiserslauten and Karlsruhe a further point back.

2 points seperating the top 6.
4 points seperate the top 9
6 points seperate the top 12

In an 18 team division.

[bakerlou]

There is no relegation from the 2nd tier though.

Dutch FA's Licensing Committee to decide at the end of the season whether to continue allowing Vitesse to have a professional license

There is optional relegation from the 2nd tier each season - if one (or more) of the likely top clubs from the (amateur) 3rd tier declare an formal interest in promotion (at a point midway through the season) then relegation can take place subject to financial / infrastructure criteria being met.

So each season starts with no knowledge of whether there will be 2nd / 3rd tier interaction.

The Dutch FA have to decide if 1) Vitesse should continue to receive a pro license and also 2) if not, is there a club from the 3rd tier adequately placed to replace Vitesse. A possibility is a 19 team division next season (25/26), allowing any interested clubs to gear up to turning pro the following season (26/27). A tantalising possibility is multiple-times Dutch champions Amsterdam FC returning to the top divisions of Dutch football.

[Sanguine]

I've been watching the Scottish Championship for some seasons for the fate of Ayr United and Queen's Park, in their attempts to achieve promotion to the SPL, because I like 'new' teams in the top flight. For the same reason I'd love to see Preston or Bristol City or Oxford make the English Championship playoffs.

Ayr United are going well again this season, only two points behind Falkirk, albeit the leaders have a game in hand. They came second in a remarkably close league in 2022-23, finishing five points behind promoted Dundee, level with Queen's Park, and only a point ahead of Greenock Morton. The season before, Arbroath came second by just two points, with Kilmarnock promoted.

I guess the Scottish Championship is part-time? There's remarkable fluctuation in performance year to year. Ayr came 7th last year. Arbroath were relegated to League One last season. Queen's Park were promoted to the division, came a close 3rd, and then 8th.

I'm guessing money has happened at Falkirk. They were only promoted last season, having won League One without losing a game. If they do go up they will return to the SPL after a gap of 15 years.

[Winston Biscuit]

I guess the Scottish Championship is part-time?

all 4 top divs are professional afaik.

Its all about ICT's 'great escape' attempt from league 1 relegation for me! I believe this thread is now the unofficial all divs Scotch football thread
https://hobnob.royals.org/forum/viewtop ... &start=120

[Dirk Gently]

I've been watching the Scottish Championship for some seasons for the fate of Ayr United and Queen's Park, in their attempts to achieve promotion to the SPL, because I like 'new' teams in the top flight. For the same reason I'd love to see Preston or Bristol City or Oxford make the English Championship playoffs.

Ayr United are going well again this season, only two points behind Falkirk, albeit the leaders have a game in hand. They came second in a remarkably close league in 2022-23, finishing five points behind promoted Dundee, level with Queen's Park, and only a point ahead of Greenock Morton. The season before, Arbroath came second by just two points, with Kilmarnock promoted.

I guess the Scottish Championship is part-time? There's remarkable fluctuation in performance year to year. Ayr came 7th last year. Arbroath were relegated to League One last season. Queen's Park were promoted to the division, came a close 3rd, and then 8th.

I'm guessing money has happened at Falkirk. They were only promoted last season, having won League One without losing a game. If they do go up they will return to the SPL after a gap of 15 years.

Yep, lots of money at Falkirk, as well as big spending at Partick Thistle, and, to a certain extent, Queen's Park over recent years. But the overall budgets and salaries are just tiny. I get to see the accounts of a club and just can't get my head around the sums involved and the ridiculous state of finances. - a total club wage bill of well under £1M. - about a quarter of what the teams at the bottom of Tier 4 in England have.

The reality is that a single cup game at Celtic Park or Ibrox can pay half the team's wages for the next season. Just ludicrous!

[Dirk Gently]

I guess the Scottish Championship is part-time?

all 4 top divs are professional afaik.

Its all about ICT's 'great escape' attempt from league 1 relegation for me! I believe this thread is now the unofficial all divs Scotch football thread
https://hobnob.royals.org/forum/viewtop ... &start=120

Fair play to the 200-odd ICT fans who travelled 241 miles each way on Saturday to see an away win at Annan, then yesterday travelled 233 miles each way to Dumfries to see them play QotS. Just 18 miles between the two away grounds they visited three days apart!

[Dirk Gently]

Cappielow has lost a lot of the roof over the Cowshed today.

[Winston Biscuit]

Magdeburg top of the German 2nd tier having not won a home game so far this season

[Sanguine]

Magdeburg top of the German 2nd tier having not won a home game so far this season

This is the one of the most bizarre footballing stats I've ever seen. Has to be some sort of record?

[stealthpapes]