Only now realised that FC Copenhagen missed the
Championship Playoffs. Would have expected a
Bwahahaha?
And isn't there a team leading the league in a certain Scandinavian
country that hasn't won the championship in 40 years and a title in 30?
Jesper Lauridsen <rorschak@stofanet.dk> wrote:
2 cases for your consideration:
FC Thun is leading the Swiss league by 14(!) points with 11 rounds to.
64 points in 27 games, just 9 points shy of what last year's champions
had after a full season.
Thun has never won a major title - best results being runners up in
2005, and cup finalists in 1955 and 2019. And they only got promoted
last year!
In Scotland Hearts is leading the league 7 points ahead of Rangers and 9
points ahead of Celtic, before today's Old Firm. Rangers have 1 game in
hand, Celtic 2. So still very open.
Hearts is a 4 time champion, with the last one coming in 1960. The last
40 league titles have gone to the Old Firm.
Any others?
Speaking of Leicester (thanks Mark for reminding me)
- despite all the blatant mismanagement it would be
sad to see them relegated to the third tier exactly one
decade after their title.
This yearrCOs Leicester did indeed go down.
On 01/03/2026 12:39, Jesper Lauridsen wrote:
2 cases for your consideration:
FC Thun is leading the Swiss league by 14(!) points with 11 rounds to.
64 points in 27 games, just 9 points shy of what last year's champions
had after a full season.
Thun has never won a major title - best results being runners up in
2005, and cup finalists in 1955 and 2019. And they only got promoted
last year!
Thun would be the second team in the history of the Swiss League to win
the title as a promoted side, after Grasshoppers in 1951/52.
Biggest success so far one Champions League group stage participation as Swiss runner-up in 2005-06.
Their most prolific striker Elmin Rastoder featured for Vaduz back
during their miracle Conference League run, and to the chagrin of the
Swiss declared for his parents' native North Macedonia some time before
he started his current hot streak.
But of course just like the close league race in Austria Thun's success
is also a reflection on the current overall weakness of the competition.
In Scotland Hearts is leading the league 7 points ahead of Rangers and
9 points ahead of Celtic, before today's Old Firm. Rangers have 1 game
in hand, Celtic 2. So still very open.
Last-gasp 2-2 draw, so Rangers six points back and Celtic eight (with
one game in hand).
Hearts is a 4 time champion, with the last one coming in 1960. The
last 40 league titles have gone to the Old Firm.
Any others?
A couple of interesting races, I think.
Not a Leicester per se, but in Bulgaria Ludogorets's 14-year-long reign
could come to an end as Levski are currently 13 points ahead of them.
But there's still a four-team championship play-off left at the end
of the regular season.
A changing of the guard is also on the cards in Romania. Ex-Steaua
FCSB have for the first time in their history missed the champions
play-off, so already won't be able to defend their 23-24 and 24-25
titles. Current league leaders Uni Craiova last won in 1990-91.
Sint-Truiden, who have never won anything, or even played in Europe
(apart from two appeareances in the Intertoto) are currently just three points off the top in Belgium.
In Hungary former European semifinalists Gy+ar in their second season
back up in the top league are currently closely ahead of perennial
champions Ferencv|iros.
In the Netherlands NEC, who last played in Europe in the 2008-09 UEFA
Cup (one of only three appearances) are making a serious bid for at
least Champions League qualifiers.
In recent weeks Lens have unfortunately faltered in their David vs
Goliath fight with PSG at the top of Ligue 1.
Poland (top 7 within 5 points) and Austria (top 5 within 5 points, and
those points are soon going to halved) are probably the closest top-20 leagues in Europe right now.
Also noticeable that in both countries the teams with the biggest
fanbase are in trouble - Rapid Vienna are on a terrible run and will
have to struggle mightily to reach the Top 6 champions play-off, while
Legia Warsaw are on a relegation spot.
Also, last November ML (abbreviation for betting company Maxline)
Vitebsk won the 2025 Belarusian title as a promoted side. But perhaps
not that big of a surprise considering this is a league where one
oligarch's money can easily make a big difference.
And isn't there a team leading the league in a certain Scandinavian
country that hasn't won the championship in 40 years and a title in 30?
And isn't there a team leading the league in a certain Scandinavian
country that hasn't won the championship in 40 years and a title in 30?
As Jesper has alluded to, Aarhus seem to throw it all away with only one
win so far out of six matches in the Championship Group. After today,
they're likely on even points with Midtjylland, but with a worse
goal difference. Four rounds to go, one of them AGF v FCM.
On 23/04/2026 21.23, Werner Pichler wrote:
And isn't there a team leading the league in a certain Scandinavian
country that hasn't won the championship in 40 years and a title in 30?
As Jesper has alluded to, Aarhus seem to throw it all away with only one
win so far out of six matches in the Championship Group. After today,
they're likely on even points with Midtjylland, but with a worse
goal difference. Four rounds to go, one of them AGF v FCM.
This is what we have to deal with (note times and stats):
https://www.flashscore.com/match/football/aarhus-OOXnKGbO/ midtjylland-8GZDmdbB/?mid=plmw60Ir
Plus the 1-1 was a goalkeeper punch that went the wrong way.
On 01/03/2026 19:34, Werner Pichler wrote:
On 01/03/2026 12:39, Jesper Lauridsen wrote:
2 cases for your consideration:
Updates:
FC Thun is leading the Swiss league by 14(!) points with 11 rounds
to. 64 points in 27 games, just 9 points shy of what last year's
champions had after a full season.
Thun has never won a major title - best results being runners up in
2005, and cup finalists in 1955 and 2019. And they only got promoted
last year!
Thun would be the second team in the history of the Swiss League to win
the title as a promoted side, after Grasshoppers in 1951/52.
Biggest success so far one Champions League group stage participation as
Swiss runner-up in 2005-06.
Their most prolific striker Elmin Rastoder featured for Vaduz back
during their miracle Conference League run, and to the chagrin of the
Swiss declared for his parents' native North Macedonia some time before
he started his current hot streak.
But of course just like the close league race in Austria Thun's success
is also a reflection on the current overall weakness of the competition.
Thun are still 14 points clear 5 rounds from the end. They could clinch
the title this weekend.
In Scotland Hearts is leading the league 7 points ahead of Rangers
and 9 points ahead of Celtic, before today's Old Firm. Rangers have 1
game in hand, Celtic 2. So still very open.
Last-gasp 2-2 draw, so Rangers six points back and Celtic eight (with
one game in hand).
Hearts is a 4 time champion, with the last one coming in 1960. The
last 40 league titles have gone to the Old Firm.
Hearts have been stumbling a bit, drawing against last-placed Livingston
and losing to second-from-last Kilmarnock.
So they're only one point ahead of Rangers and three ahead of Celtic at
the beginning of the Championship Round (5 games).
They will play Rangers at home on matchday 35, and Celtic away on the
last matchday, which could become the title decider.
On 01/03/2026 19:34, Werner Pichler wrote:
On 01/03/2026 12:39, Jesper Lauridsen wrote:
2 cases for your consideration:
Updates:
In recent weeks Lens have unfortunately faltered in their David vs
Goliath fight with PSG at the top of Ligue 1.
Recovered a bit,
currently four points behind with the match in Lens
against PSG still to play. It probably won't be enough, but at least
they also reached the final of the Coupe de France (against Nice).
Werner Pichler <wpichler@gmail.com> wrote:
On 01/03/2026 19:34, Werner Pichler wrote:
On 01/03/2026 12:39, Jesper Lauridsen wrote:
2 cases for your consideration:
Updates:
In recent weeks Lens have unfortunately faltered in their David vs
Goliath fight with PSG at the top of Ligue 1.
Recovered a bit,
Jinx
currently four points behind with the match in Lens
against PSG still to play. It probably won't be enough, but at least
they also reached the final of the Coupe de France (against Nice).
On 01/03/2026 19:34, Werner Pichler wrote:
On 01/03/2026 12:39, Jesper Lauridsen wrote:
2 cases for your consideration:
Updates:
FC Thun is leading the Swiss league by 14(!) points with 11 rounds to.
64 points in 27 games, just 9 points shy of what last year's champions
had after a full season.
Thun has never won a major title - best results being runners up in
2005, and cup finalists in 1955 and 2019. And they only got promoted
last year!
Thun would be the second team in the history of the Swiss League to win
the title as a promoted side, after Grasshoppers in 1951/52.
Biggest success so far one Champions League group stage participation as
Swiss runner-up in 2005-06.
Their most prolific striker Elmin Rastoder featured for Vaduz back
during their miracle Conference League run, and to the chagrin of the
Swiss declared for his parents' native North Macedonia some time before
he started his current hot streak.
But of course just like the close league race in Austria Thun's success
is also a reflection on the current overall weakness of the competition.
Thun are still 14 points clear 5 rounds from the end. They could clinch
the title this weekend.
Any others?
A couple of interesting races, I think.
Not a Leicester per se, but in Bulgaria Ludogorets's 14-year-long reign
could come to an end as Levski are currently 13 points ahead of them.
But there's still a four-team championship play-off left at the end
of the regular season.
Levski still 10 points clear at the start of the Championship Round,
but there are still 6 games to go, and two of them are against
Ludogorets.
On 2026-04-23 12:23, Werner Pichler wrote:
On 01/03/2026 19:34, Werner Pichler wrote:Hope they do
On 01/03/2026 12:39, Jesper Lauridsen wrote:
2 cases for your consideration:
In Scotland Hearts is leading the league 7 points ahead of Rangers
and 9 points ahead of Celtic, before today's Old Firm. Rangers have
1 game in hand, Celtic 2. So still very open.
Last-gasp 2-2 draw, so Rangers six points back and Celtic eight (with
one game in hand).
Hearts is a 4 time champion, with the last one coming in 1960. The
last 40 league titles have gone to the Old Firm.
Hearts have been stumbling a bit, drawing against last-placed Livingston
and losing to second-from-last Kilmarnock.
So they're only one point ahead of Rangers and three ahead of Celtic at
the beginning of the Championship Round (5 games).
They will play Rangers at home on matchday 35, and Celtic away on the
last matchday, which could become the title decider.
Celtic play both Rangers and Hearts at home, so they might well be able
to pull it all off.-a-a Both Celtic and Rangers have had long lasting new manager effects this year.-a Not the only ones, either, since some EPL
teams have had similar long lasting benefits from hiring new coaches,
and I think the same has been true elsewhere.
Poland: top 7 within 6 points now, with five rounds to go. But Lech
Pozna+a are on a good run and three points clear at the top.
Legia also got out of immediate trouble, but are still one of seven
teams within three points of a relegation spot.
Werner Pichler <wpichler@gmail.com> wrote:
Poland: top 7 within 6 points now, with five rounds to go. But Lech
Pozna+a are on a good run and three points clear at the top.
Legia also got out of immediate trouble, but are still one of seven
teams within three points of a relegation spot.
Also, out of Poland an interesting bit of trivia: Lukas
Podolski, aged 40 since last month,
has won the Polish
Cup with G||rnik Zabrze (he played one minute in the
final, which is par for the course regarding his usage
this season), and according to Transfermarkt he is now
the only player worldwide to have won a domestic cup
in five different countries, after having done so
previously also with Bayern, Arsenal, Galatasaray, and
Vissel Kobe.
Ciao,
Werner
On 2026-04-23 16:37, MH wrote:
On 2026-04-23 12:23, Werner Pichler wrote:
On 01/03/2026 19:34, Werner Pichler wrote:Hope they do
On 01/03/2026 12:39, Jesper Lauridsen wrote:
2 cases for your consideration:
In Scotland Hearts is leading the league 7 points ahead of Rangers
and 9 points ahead of Celtic, before today's Old Firm. Rangers have >>>>> 1 game in hand, Celtic 2. So still very open.
Last-gasp 2-2 draw, so Rangers six points back and Celtic eight (with
one game in hand).
Hearts is a 4 time champion, with the last one coming in 1960. The
last 40 league titles have gone to the Old Firm.
Hearts have been stumbling a bit, drawing against last-placed Livingston >>> and losing to second-from-last Kilmarnock.
So they're only one point ahead of Rangers and three ahead of Celtic at
the beginning of the Championship Round (5 games).
They will play Rangers at home on matchday 35, and Celtic away on the
last matchday, which could become the title decider.
Rangers having lost to both Motherwell (at Ibrox) and Hearts (at
Tynecastle) are now out of contention unless something very unusual
happens. Hearts 2-1 win on MOnday keeps them 3 ahead of Celtic but they still need to play Celtic at Parkhead on the final day. Before that they play Motherwell away and Falkirk at home. Their GD is 5 better than Celtic's (who have to play Rangers at home followed by Motherwell away).
MH <MHnospam@ucalgary.ca> wrote:
On 2026-04-23 16:37, MH wrote:
On 2026-04-23 12:23, Werner Pichler wrote:
On 01/03/2026 19:34, Werner Pichler wrote:Hope they do
On 01/03/2026 12:39, Jesper Lauridsen wrote:
2 cases for your consideration:
In Scotland Hearts is leading the league 7 points ahead of Rangers >>>>>> and 9 points ahead of Celtic, before today's Old Firm. Rangers have >>>>>> 1 game in hand, Celtic 2. So still very open.
Last-gasp 2-2 draw, so Rangers six points back and Celtic eight (with >>>>> one game in hand).
Hearts is a 4 time champion, with the last one coming in 1960. The >>>>>> last 40 league titles have gone to the Old Firm.
Hearts have been stumbling a bit, drawing against last-placed Livingston >>>> and losing to second-from-last Kilmarnock.
So they're only one point ahead of Rangers and three ahead of Celtic at >>>> the beginning of the Championship Round (5 games).
They will play Rangers at home on matchday 35, and Celtic away on the
last matchday, which could become the title decider.
Rangers having lost to both Motherwell (at Ibrox) and Hearts (at
Tynecastle) are now out of contention unless something very unusual
happens. Hearts 2-1 win on MOnday keeps them 3 ahead of Celtic but they
still need to play Celtic at Parkhead on the final day. Before that they
play Motherwell away and Falkirk at home. Their GD is 5 better than
Celtic's (who have to play Rangers at home followed by Motherwell away).
Iheanacho converts a 99th-minute penalty
(controversial VAR handball, what else) to give Celtic
the 3-2 win over Motherwell and set up that last-
matchday final at Celtic Park on Saturday afternoon.
Motherwell
on 80 points need a draw to stay ahead of
Celtic at 79.
Ciao,
Werner
Werner Pichler <wpichler@gmail.com> wrote:
On 01/03/2026 19:34, Werner Pichler wrote:
On 01/03/2026 12:39, Jesper Lauridsen wrote:
2 cases for your consideration:
Updates:
FC Thun is leading the Swiss league by 14(!) points with 11 rounds to. >>>> 64 points in 27 games, just 9 points shy of what last year's champions >>>> had after a full season.
Thun has never won a major title - best results being runners up in
2005, and cup finalists in 1955 and 2019. And they only got promoted
last year!
Thun would be the second team in the history of the Swiss League to win
the title as a promoted side, after Grasshoppers in 1951/52.
Biggest success so far one Champions League group stage participation as >>> Swiss runner-up in 2005-06.
Their most prolific striker Elmin Rastoder featured for Vaduz back
during their miracle Conference League run, and to the chagrin of the
Swiss declared for his parents' native North Macedonia some time before
he started his current hot streak.
But of course just like the close league race in Austria Thun's success
is also a reflection on the current overall weakness of the competition.
Thun are still 14 points clear 5 rounds from the end. They could clinch
the title this weekend.
Any others?
A couple of interesting races, I think.
Not a Leicester per se, but in Bulgaria Ludogorets's 14-year-long reign
could come to an end as Levski are currently 13 points ahead of them.
But there's still a four-team championship play-off left at the end
of the regular season.
Levski still 10 points clear at the start of the Championship Round,
but there are still 6 games to go, and two of them are against
Ludogorets.
Thun stumbled a bit with two losses in a row, but
their advantage was big enough to be already crowned
Swiss champions.
MH <MHnospam@ucalgary.ca> wrote:
Iheanacho converts a 99th-minute penalty
(controversial VAR handball, what else)
MH <MHnospam@ucalgary.ca> wrote:
On 2026-04-23 16:37, MH wrote:
On 2026-04-23 12:23, Werner Pichler wrote:
On 01/03/2026 19:34, Werner Pichler wrote:Hope they do
On 01/03/2026 12:39, Jesper Lauridsen wrote:
2 cases for your consideration:
In Scotland Hearts is leading the league 7 points ahead of Rangers >>>>>> and 9 points ahead of Celtic, before today's Old Firm. Rangers have >>>>>> 1 game in hand, Celtic 2. So still very open.
Last-gasp 2-2 draw, so Rangers six points back and Celtic eight (with >>>>> one game in hand).
Hearts is a 4 time champion, with the last one coming in 1960. The >>>>>> last 40 league titles have gone to the Old Firm.
Hearts have been stumbling a bit, drawing against last-placed Livingston >>>> and losing to second-from-last Kilmarnock.
So they're only one point ahead of Rangers and three ahead of Celtic at >>>> the beginning of the Championship Round (5 games).
They will play Rangers at home on matchday 35, and Celtic away on the
last matchday, which could become the title decider.
Rangers having lost to both Motherwell (at Ibrox) and Hearts (at
Tynecastle) are now out of contention unless something very unusual
happens. Hearts 2-1 win on MOnday keeps them 3 ahead of Celtic but they
still need to play Celtic at Parkhead on the final day. Before that they
play Motherwell away and Falkirk at home. Their GD is 5 better than
Celtic's (who have to play Rangers at home followed by Motherwell away).
Iheanacho converts a 99th-minute penalty
(controversial VAR handball, what else) to give Celtic
the 3-2 win over Motherwell and set up that last-
matchday final at Celtic Park on Saturday afternoon.
Lawrence Shankland heads in a corner kick to give
Hearts the lead,
but at the stroke of halftime Celtic get
the equaliser thanks to a (pretty obvious) handball
penalty.
Other than those two incidents, a rather uneventful
first half.
1-1 HT
On Sat, 16 May 2026 12:22:48 -0000 (UTC), Werner Pichler
<wpichler@gmail.com> wrote:
Lawrence Shankland heads in a corner kick to give
Hearts the lead,
Terrible defending by Celtic.
but at the stroke of halftime Celtic get
the equaliser thanks to a (pretty obvious) handball
penalty.
Yes, not really controversial. But the keeper should have saved it,
the ball dribbled under his body.
Other than those two incidents, a rather uneventful
first half.
Love to see the old-style goalkeeper punts, none of this building from
the back woke nonsense.
1-1 HT
This will end in Heartsbreak (most unoriginal pun ever)
This will end in Heartsbreak (most unoriginal pun ever)
On Sat, 16 May 2026 08:27:32 -0400, Futbolmetrix
<futbolmetrix@yahoo.com> wrote:
This will end in Heartsbreak (most unoriginal pun ever)
Hearts defended quite tidily for the first 30 minutes of the second
half, but they are showing signs of nerves/fatigue, conceding two big
chances to Celtic in the past 5 minutes:
82', still 1-1
87' Maeda scores, AR waves it off, but I think VAR wll give it. And it
did.
So predictable.
On Sat, 16 May 2026 09:23:07 -0400, Futbolmetrix
<futbolmetrix@yahoo.com> wrote:
87' Maeda scores, AR waves it off, but I think VAR wll give it. And it
did.
So predictable.
Scottish TV making a huge mess of it. Maeda's position at the moment
of the first pass completely irrelevant, the player who made the cross
was miles onside.
Massive blunder by the assistant referee who waved it off, good thing
there's VAR.
On Sat, 16 May 2026 09:26:13 -0400, Futbolmetrix
<futbolmetrix@yahoo.com> wrote:
On Sat, 16 May 2026 09:23:07 -0400, Futbolmetrix
<futbolmetrix@yahoo.com> wrote:
87' Maeda scores, AR waves it off, but I think VAR wll give it. And it >>>did.
So predictable.
Scottish TV making a huge mess of it. Maeda's position at the moment
of the first pass completely irrelevant, the player who made the cross
was miles onside.
Massive blunder by the assistant referee who waved it off, good thing >>there's VAR.
3 minutes of injury time played, 5 left for Hearts' hopes
On Sat, 16 May 2026 09:23:07 -0400, Futbolmetrix
<futbolmetrix@yahoo.com> wrote:
87' Maeda scores, AR waves it off, but I think VAR wll give it. And it
did.
So predictable.
Scottish TV making a huge mess of it. Maeda's position at the moment
of the first pass completely irrelevant, the player who made the cross
was miles onside.
Massive blunder by the assistant referee who waved it off, good thing
there's VAR.
On 01/03/2026 19:34, Werner Pichler wrote:
On 01/03/2026 12:39, Jesper Lauridsen wrote:
2 cases for your consideration:
Updates:
A changing of the guard is also on the cards in Romania. Ex-Steaua
FCSB have for the first time in their history missed the champions
play-off, so already won't be able to defend their 23-24 and 24-25
titles. Current league leaders Uni Craiova last won in 1990-91.
The two Universities Cluj and Craiova currently at the top on equal
points with five rounds to go.
Universitatea Cluj have never won the Romanian title despite having
been a mainstay in the top division for the best part of a century.
Their best finish so far: runners-up in 1932-33 (!)
Sint-Truiden, who have never won anything, or even played in Europe
(apart from two appeareances in the Intertoto) are currently just three
points off the top in Belgium.
Sint-Truiden have since fallen way behind the top two RUSG and Brugge,
but are still in a position to qualify for Europe.
In Hungary former European semifinalists Gy+ar in their second season
back up in the top league are currently closely ahead of perennial
champions Ferencv|iros.
Last weekend Gy+ar won the top-of-the-table clash 1-0 at home against Ferencv|iros and so are three points clear with three rounds to go.
In the Netherlands NEC, who last played in Europe in the 2008-09 UEFA
Cup (one of only three appearances) are making a serious bid for at
least Champions League qualifiers.
They still do, but it's close between 2nd and 5th. Every team involved
in the race (Feyenoord, NEC, Twente, and Ajax) is very inconsistent.
Poland (top 7 within 5 points) and Austria (top 5 within 5 points, and
those points are soon going to halved) are probably the closest top-20
leagues in Europe right now.
Also noticeable that in both countries the teams with the biggest
fanbase are in trouble - Rapid Vienna are on a terrible run and will
have to struggle mightily to reach the Top 6 champions play-off, while
Legia Warsaw are on a relegation spot.
Poland: top 7 within 6 points now, with five rounds to go. But Lech
Pozna+a are on a good run and three points clear at the top.
Legia also got out of immediate trouble, but are still one of seven
teams within three points of a relegation spot.
In Austria, the two top-of-the-table clashes between Sturm and LASK
have both been a shitshow, both ending 1-1 with poor performances and
poor refereeing, and so with four rounds to go it's suddenly Salzburg
back in the driver's seat.
One thing's for certain, whoever becomes Austrian champion will do so
with the worst point total ever.
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