36

EUROPEAN
LEAGUES
ANALYSED
WHO WON WHAT & WHERE
OUR STARS OF THE SEASON
FULL RESULTS
& TABLES

BLATTER THE NEXT SEPP:

WHERE NOW FOR
GOES! FIFA AND FOOTBALL?
$'Ζ'$6
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 Summer 2015

24
THE WORLD THIS MONTH
People in the news...on and off the pitch
4 In pictures
24 Jim Holden old guard wary of little upstarts
26 Paul Gardner referees must learn to signal
27 Notebook World Soccer online

EYEWITNESS
28 Argentina Superclasico ends in disgrace

EUROPEAN SEASON ROUND-UP 28

36 Champions League Final
40 Europa League Final
42 Belgium
44 Czech Republic
45 Denmark
46 England
54 France
62 Germany
70 Greece
72 Holland 36
74 Italy
82 Poland
84 Portugal
86 Romania
88 Russia
90 Scotland
92 Spain
100 Switzerland 72
SPECIAL REPORT 102
104
Turkey
Ukraine
FIFA IN CRISIS: BLATTER RESIGNS 106 Albania
10 From the editor Austria
11 Keir Radnedge end of a rotten empire Bosnia
13 Lasana Liburd will Warner face justice? Bulgaria
15 Tim Vickery TV rights and wrongs Croatia
Cyprus
22 Brian Glanville Blatter: a man with no shame
108 Georgia
Hungary
Israel
Follow World Soccer online Macedonia

FOOTBALL 24-7 Malta

Moldova
110 Montenegro
Northern Ireland 90
Serbia
Slovakia
Slovenia
Wales

THE GREAT MATCHES

Follow worldsoccermag Like World Soccer Magazine 130 Liverpool v Milan, 2005

116
The
ultimate
news &
results
section 116 Australia Victory take the title
Exclusive reports from our worldwide 118 Guam players told to go overseas
network of correspondents 120 CONCACAF Gold Cup preview

P L U S 116 Global diary 122 ESM XI 124 Golden Shoe 125 Results, tables, fixtures
WORLD SOCCER 3
THE WORLD THIS MONTH

The global game caught on camera

4 WORLD SOCCER
SPAIN…Barcelona players are
showered with confetti on their
victory parade through the city’s
streets after winning the treble

WORLD SOCCER 5
THE WORLD THIS MONTH

ARGENTINA…Boca Juniors
fans before their Libertadores
Cup game against River Plate
is abandoned

MEXICO…Walter Kannemann of Atlas

is on the receiving end of a boot from
Guadalajara’s Jorge Enriquez

SCOTLAND…Bilel Mohsni
of Rangers throws a punch
at Motherwell’s Lee Erwin

6 WORLD SOCCER
 IN PICTURES

ITALY…Sampdoria president GERMANY…the Westfalonstadion

Massimo Ferrero dances in pays tribute to departing Borussia
front of his club’s fans during Dortmund coach Jurgen Klopp
an away match at Empoli

AUSTRALIA…FFA chairman Frank

Lowy falls off the stage just as he is
about to present the A-League Grand
Final trophy to Melbourne Victory

PICTURES OF THE To see more of the best photos from the month, scan the QR code using any free QR reader that can
MONTH QR CODE be downloaded to your smartphone. You can also see the images by logging on to http://po.st/BpimKn

WORLD SOCCER 7
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 THE WORLD THIS MONTH: FIFA CRISIS

The bulk of this special issue of World Soccer is

dedicated to reviewing the season across the European
continent. That’s as it should be: a reminder of why we
all follow the sport in the first place. But we cannot avoid
the extraordinary events in Zurich over the past month,
culminating in the decision of Sepp Blatter to “lay down
his mandate” as FIFA president – though not, as yet,
tender his resignation.
The biggest crisis in FIFA’s history is by no means
over. Almost every day there have been new eye-
popping revelations of corruption. Blatter has clung on
as, one by one, his regional bosses – Warner, Blazer, Bin
Hammam, Hayatou, Leoz, Teixeira – have been exposed.
Somehow, he has remained above the fray. Is he corrupt
for turning a blind eye? Or incompetent for not
challenging them? Probably both.
It says everything about FIFA that it took
an investigation by the FBI to
uncover the corruption that so
many had warned about for so Is Blatter corrupt
long. The corrupting culture for turning a
that Blatter allowed to flourish
throughout the organisation has blind eye or
now been exposed for all to see. incompetent for
His self-aggrandisement created not challenging
a machine that was ruthless in his regional
its pursuit of money to fund the
political patronage that kept bosses?
him in power. Under Blatter’s
direction, FIFA morphed from
an amateur sporting body into a global corporation
with aggressive commercial aspirations, but its political
structures have remained frozen in time.
The great danger is that any successor to Blatter fails
to recognise the need for fundamental change. Over the
coming months, the debate needs to be thorough and
widespread. The English-speaking media has played
a leading role in exposing corruption at FIFA, but any
debate needs to extend way beyond these shores.
Around the world, there is huge resentment towards
Europe, and the Premier League in particular, for taking
players, fans and TV money away from
local leagues. It’s a huge
imbalance that Blatter
never challenged. But
there is now the need,
more than ever, for
something to change.
Gavin Hamilton, Editor

10 WORLD SOCCER
 GLOBAL FOOTBALL INTELLIGENCE

FIFA CRISIS

The end of a
rotten Empire
Sepp Blatter’s resignation marked the culmination of the
most dramatic crisis in FIFA’s history. Keir Radnedge reports
 THE WORLD THIS MONTH: FIFA CRISIS

“This is the World Cup of

fraud. Today we are issuing
FIFA with a red card”
Richard Weber of the Internal Revenue Service

M
ay 27, 2015, will go down and had nothing more to discuss; the vast
in FIFA’s history as the day majority of their votes had long since been
which unveiled the worst pledged to Blatter.
corruption scandal in the Then, at 6am the following morning,
world federation’s history; a scandal which everything changed as Swiss police
not only swallowed up individuals but laid knocked on seven doors in the Baur au
bare a rotten culture at the heart of the Lac and informed the rooms’ occupants
pinnacle of the people’s game. that arrest warrants had been issued at
Not least among the scandalised the request of the US Justice Department.
elements was that those FIFA staff Over the next half hour, the seven –
undertaking valuable work around with their immediate belongings tossed
the world – using football as a tool for into black bags – were ushered into
education, health and social welfare – unmarked cars with their exits masked
were tarred by the sins of a ruling clique, by pristine-laundered white bed sheets.
some of whose members had long mined The seven were FIFA vice-president
the system for personal gold. Jeffrey Webb, head of CONCACAF
And it all fell apart on the eve of FIFA’s (Cayman Islands); outgoing FIFA vice-
Congress week. president Eugenio Figueredo (Uruguay);
Congress has long followed a traditional incoming FIFA ExCo member Eduardo Li
pattern, in which,
two or three days
in advance, the At 6am, everything changed as the
ExCo meets to Swiss police knocked on seven doors
ensure that no
disagreeable in the Baur au Lac
outbursts hit the
stage in front of
the world. The (Costa Rica); former Brazilian CBF
Candidates...Blatter surrounding days president Jose Maria Marin; Julio Rocha
with Prince Ali are then taken up (president of the Nicaragua FA); Costas Sign of the times... Report into the 2018-22 World Cup bid
with pre-Congress conferences of the six Takkas (Webb’s aide and former general protesters sense it’s scandal last November by FIFA itself, felt
all over for FIFA
regional confederations at their chosen secretary of the Cayman Islands FA); and pressed to appear up to speed with its
luxury hotels, in this year’s case in Zurich. Rafael Esquivel (FIFA disciplinary own investigation. Secondly, the presence
None, however, match in luxury of the committee member and Venezuela of the world’s football leaders in one city
lakeside Baur au Lac which has been the federation head). simplified the arrests process. That
FIFA ExCo’s home-from-home since the Simultaneously, but in a separate Congress was two days away merely
days of Joao Havelange. investigation of their own, Swiss police exacerbated the drama.
All appeared in order as the ExCo turned up at FIFA headquarters in the Shortly afterwards, the US Justice
ended on the Tuesday. The assorted search for further documentation about Department confirmed that it was chasing
confederation presidents, most of them the 2018-2022 World Cup bid scandal. down nine present and past FIFA officials
FIFA vice-presidents, plus their regional The timing was no coincidence on two as well as five “corporate executives” for
delegates had endorsed president Sepp levels. Firstly, the Swiss attorney-general’s Raid...police descend “racketeering, conspiracy and corruption”.
Blatter’s attempt to find a compromise office, handed the contentious Garcia on the Zurich hotel Charges focused on bribery and money-
over the thorny issue of Palestine’s bid to laundering allegations in connection with
force Israel’s suspension in the freedom- rights awards in the central and north
of-access saga. American and Caribbean region for World
Beyond that, Blatter appeared to Cup qualifiers, the CONCACAF Gold Cup,
be sailing serenely towards a decisive the CONCACAF Champions League, the
first-round knockout victory over Jordan’s CONMEBOL/CONCACAF Centenary Copa
Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein – the last America, the Copa America, the
challenger standing after the withdrawals Libertadores Cup and the Brazilian Cup.
of Michael Van Praag and Luis Figo – in Also under investigation were payments
the presidential election. in connection with the sponsorship of the
Later, Blatter and Prince Ali each paid CBF by a major US sportswear company
brief visits to the CONCACAF conference, (Nike), the selection of the host country
presided over by Jeffrey Webb. But so for the 2010 World Cup and the 2011
low-key was the atmosphere that Asia and FIFA presidential election.
Oceania cancelled their conferences. Both The investigation had been built on the
had recently staged their own congresses admissions of former CONCACAF general-

12 WORLD SOCCER
 GLOBAL FOOTBALL INTELLIGENCE

Lasana
LIBURD
TRINIDAD & TOBAGO

Will Warner finally face justice?

There are two stories that best tell the tale of one- the controversial administrator after the scandal
time CONCACAF president Jack Warner and ex of its final Italia 1990 World Cup qualifying match
general-secretary Chuck Blazer: that Blazer used against the United States. The national team only
CONCACAF funds to rent an apartment in Trump needed a draw to progress and were heavy
Tower for his cats, and that Warner allegedly favourites. But the fixture became chaotic long
misappropriated roughly $690,000 in aid relief before the opening whistle, as Warner flouted
funds meant for Haiti, after the devastating 2010 several FIFA match-day regulations and, more
Port-au-Prince earthquake. worryingly, sold more than double the capacity
While Blazer, an American, confessed to the of the National Stadium’s 22,000 seats.
FBI four years ago and has been a co-operative But rather than censure Warner, FIFA gave
witness ever since, Warner remains on the Trinidad & Tobago a “Fair Play Award” for the
run and has vowed to give the United States scandalous events of November 19 1989. And
Department of Justice a lengthy tour of the CONCACAF officials, at Havelange’s urging, even
Trinidad & Tobago judicial system. elected the Trinidadian as their president.
He has also threatened prime minister Kamla Warner used both honours as leverage, arguing
Persad-Bissessar he will publish incriminating that the world was praising his stewardship while
evidence against her government if he is his compatriots tried to crucify him. He suggested
extradited, ahead of the general election on that, due to his new post, any legal proceedings
the two-island republic on September 7. would damage the country’s reputation –
Warner’s last stand, on a tiny Caribbean nation something that was to become a regular theme
with a population of below 1.5million, is a local for Warner, who found countries happy to ignore
affair. Despite his teases about leaking embattled the law to win his favour.
FIFA president Sepp Blatter’s dirty secrets, he South Africa’s $10m payment to Warner, via
knows his only chance of avoiding a US cell lies FIFA, for a non-existent “Diaspora Legacy
Programme” has become an example of
the corrupt World Cup bidding process.
As the filmed chat about Mohamed Bin
Hammam’s $40,000 “gift” to members
of Caribbean Football Union suggested,
secretary (and former FIFA ExCo member) Warner was never big on discretion.
Chuck Blazer, and Daryll and Daryan The CONCACAF president succeeded
Warner, two sons of infamous ex- because he and FIFA’s other crooked
CONCACAF president Jack Warner. officials were considered a necessary evil to
The Brazilian entrepreneur Jose Hawilla many of football’s stakeholders throughout
had also cut a deal, agreeing to forfeit a the world.
staggering $150million-plus. By then, the millions of dollars laundered
Blazer had been “turned” by the FBI Warner...millions of dollars have passed through his hands into Warner’s tiny home island had passed
after the fallout from the cash-for-votes through so many hands that, in June 2015,
scandal in Port of Spain in May 2011, when in testing the will of T&T’s justice system. even Archbishop Joseph Harris referred to the
Warner had organised a presidential-bid And the fact that he is the MP for Chaguanas disgraced official as a friend and admitted that
conference for Qatar’s Mohamed Bin West, a constituency of roughly 28,000 people, the Roman Catholic church benefitted from his
Hammam...which was followed by says much about the unsophisticated view of generosity.
$40,000 cash gifts to each Caribbean white-collar crime within sections of the country. The US Attorney General, however, will not be
member delegation for “expenses”. Warner’s longevity in FIFA’s world of bribes and as easily swayed.
Some refused and reported back to bid-rigging had little do with his nationality. The As the noose tightens, Warner has vowed to
Blazer, who then “shopped” Warner and Trinidadian’s rise owed much to the democratic embarrass his former “friends” into protecting
Bin Hammam. However, further inquiries system of “one country, one vote” that former him from “meddling outsiders” and extradition.
FIFA president Stanley Rous implemented but his His next court hearing is on July 9.
successor, Brazilian Joao Havelange, exploited. Warner has beat justice many times before,
Havelange took over the FIFA reigns in 1974, often without ever being called to the stand.
just months after Warner became the T&T He avoided punishment for November 19 and
FA’s general-secretary. By the time Havelange the Haiti aid scandal – among others – while,
stepped down in 1998, CONCACAF had grown despite his disgraceful FIFA exit in 2011, he was
from 22 to 35 members – roughly 16 percent of allowed to keep the multi-million dollar Centre
the FIFA electorate – and Warner, with Blazer’s of Excellence, which is his main money spinner
help, had whipped them into a single voting bloc. at present.
Warner might have ended in a cell before he The US Department of Justice might be the
had time to spread his wings. In 1990, the only body left with the might and will to hold
Turned...FBI informant Blazer T&T government launched an enquiry into him accountable. WS
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 THE WORLD THIS MONTH: FIFA CRISIS

“The FIFA president, secretary-general

and communications director are in a
car. Who’s driving? The police”
FIFA communications chief Walter De Gregorio cracks a joke on Swiss
television...and then resigns

revealed the multi-million extent to which conference at which a brazen comment

Blazer had been cashing-in himself. That by communications director Walter De
alerted the US tax authorities and the FBI, Gregorio, that this was “a good day” for
and led all the way to the FIFA humiliation the world federation was greeted with
of May 27, 2015. hoots of derision by journalists.
Later in the day, Loretta Lynch, the US If FIFA can rebuild and restructure then
Attorney General, FBI director James B maybe, one long-distant day in the future,
Comey and Richard Weber of the Internal he may be proved correct, but the steady
Revenue Service’s criminal investigation flow of new revelations was nothing in
department laid out the case against which to take pride. At a time when
the 14 being sought over corruption humility was needed, the comment
allegations concerning more than $150m. encapsulated perceptions that FIFA’s
In addition to the “Zurich Seven”, these ruling clique was utterly out of touch
included Warner, Nicolas Leoz (former with expectations of the game at large.
president of the Paraguayan and South Main topic...the home General announced his intention to Prince Ali, his suspicions about some of
American federation and one-time ExCo page of Interpol’s interview the 10 men who had been his ExCo colleagues vindicated, said: “We
website
member), sports marketing executives members of the FIFA ExCo in 2010, over cannot go on like this.”
Alejandro Burzaco, Aaron Davidson recollections of the 2018-2022 bid ballot. Even more strident was Sharan Burrow,
(president of the NASL and Traffic Sports The 10 were: Michel D’Hooghe the general-secretary of the International
USA which owns Carolina RailHawks), (Belgium), Jacques Anouma (Ivory Coast), Trade Union Confederation which has
Hugo Jinkis and Mariano Jinkis, plus Marios Lefkaritis (Cyprus), Angel Maria lambasted FIFA over Qatari labour laws,
alledged intermediary, Jose Margulies. Villar (Spain), Senes Erzik (Turkey), Worawi who insisted Blatter quit now.
Lynch was specific in explaining that Makudi (Thailand), Issa Hayatou The Swiss and US investigations had
(Cameroon), Hany Abo Rida (Egypt), Vitaly delved back to the early 1990s when
Mutko (Russia) and Rafael Salguero Blatter was already ensconced as FIFA
“The indictment alleges corruption (Guatemala). Five of these – Anouma, general-secretary and chief executive,
that is rampant, systematic and deep Erzik, Makudi, Abo Rida and Salguero – ahead of becoming president in 1998.
rooted, both abroad and in the US” had been due to step down from the ExCo Blatter, in a massive understatement,
Loretta Lynch, US Attorney General at Congress on Friday. took responsibility for “the unfortunate
US and Swiss authorities indicated there events” of the past, but believed he was
was no immediate prospect of Blatter still the right man to clean up the mess.
her department had been empowered himself being accused and/or arrested. Subsequently, FIFA’s independent ethics
because the offences had been committed Specific...Lynch FIFA summoned a hasty press judge, Hans-Joachim Eckert, suspended
within US criminal and financial jurisdiction.
She did not pull any punches.
“The indictment alleges corruption
that is rampant, systemic, and deep-
rooted both abroad and here in the United
States,” said Lynch. “It spans at least two
generations of soccer officials who, as
alleged, have abused their positions of
trust to acquire millions of dollars in bribes
and kickbacks.
“It has profoundly harmed a multitude
of victims, from the youth leagues and
developing countries that should benefit
from the revenue generated by the
commercial rights these organizations
hold, to the fans at home and throughout
the world whose support for the game
makes those rights valuable.
“Today’s action makes clear that this
Department of Justice intends to end
any such corrupt practices, to root out
misconduct, and to bring wrongdoers
to justice – and we look forward to
continuing to work with other countries
in this effort.”
Back in Zurich, the Swiss Attorney

14 WORLD SOCCER
 GLOBAL FOOTBALL INTELLIGENCE

Tim
VICKERY
BRAZIL

TV rights and wrongs

from all football activities 11 of the 14 over In 1980 an obscure Brazilian journalist called engaging in conspiracy
which it had power: Webb, Li, Rocha, Jose (usually referred to simply as J) Hawilla to racketeer, to commit
Takkas, Jack Warner, Figueredo, Esquivel, bought Traffic, a company that had specialised wire fraud and to
Marin, Leoz, Blazer and Daryll Warner. in bus-stop adverts. Within a few years he had launder money, and also
Little had been heard, so far, from UEFA transformed South American football. to obstruction of justice.
since European football’s leaders were He quickly took control of the business of He instantly paid back
in Warsaw for the Europa League Final. In pitch-side advertising boards in Brazil, but the $25million and has
Poland, general-secretary Gianni Infantino big deal was a continent-wide TV scoop. In 1986, agreed to pay back a Guilty...Hawilla
suggested congress should be suspended, Paraguay’s Nicolas Leoz began his long reign as total of $151m – testament to the profitability
but early the following Thursday morning, CONMEBOL president. The following year, after of the link-up between football and TV.
Michel Platini found UEFA in a minority of it had fallen into disuse, the Copa America was It is entirely probable that Hawilla is a leading
one when he flew in to Zurich. brought back as a made-for-TV competition,with source of evidence for the charges being brought
Blatter had excused himself from the rights sold by Traffic. It was the start of a long against “the FIFA 14” – the nine officials from
opening the second day of a FIFA medical and fruitful partnership – which seemed to turn either CONMEBOL or CONCACAF FAs and the
conference to summon a meeting of the sour in November 2011. five corporate executives, drawn from the three
FIFA emergency committee. Traffic believed that they owned the rights companies in the Datisa umbrella.
With Webb and Figueredo “otherwise to the 2015 Copa, with an option on future The interface between these two groups is
detained”, Blatter and Platini were joined tournaments, but CONMEBOL granted the rights where the bribes and the kickbacks have
by David Chung (Oceania), Sheikh Salman to Full Play, an Argentinian company. Traffic took exchanged hands – over a 24-year period,
Bin Ebrahim Al Khalia (AFC), incoming the matter to court in Florida, and Hawilla was according to the US investigation.
declared persona non grata by CONMEBOL. It is fair to say that the accusations of financial
The outcome was an agreement where Traffic malpractice have not come as a total surprise
agreed to share the rights with Full Play and Ty C, to the South American audience. But the US
another Argentinian concern. The three formed a investigation has emboldened local police and
company called Datisa, based in Uruguay. politicians to make enquiries into people who
The fact that Hawilla had sought legal regress were previously seen as untouchable. The shock
in a US court is significant, and not without its waves will be felt for some time in the
ironies. Looking to expand, Traffic had set up US administration of the continent’s game.
branches – and they had always had an eye on These years of marriage between football
opportunities to the north. The company were and TV have been beneficial to South America’s
prime movers in the addition of two extra teams national teams – especially the less traditional
in the Copa America from 1993 as it was a way to ones, who have profited from the relaunch of
get a piece of the giant Mexican TV market. The the Copa America and, especially, from the
logical conclusion of this was the bizarre decision introduction of the marathon format of World
of CONMEBOL to celebrate 100 years of its Cup qualification. With many more competitive
national team competition on US soil – the 2016 games to play – and to sell to the TV stations
Centenary Copa America, to which Datisa hold – standards have risen. The last three World Cups
the rights – but which may now not take place. have seen best-ever performances from Ecuador,
The TV contract for the competition is part of Paraguay and Colombia, while the last two have
Brazen...De Gregorio said it was a “good day” the US investigation into football corruption. After been the best from Chile with the exception of
working so hard to bring the US into the global 1962, which they hosted. The continent’s
CONMEBOL president Juan Angel Napout, game, Hawilla has now proved a victim of its legal national-team football can boast an
Lydia Nsekera (Burundi) on behalf of CAF system. Last December he pleaded guilty to unprecedented strength in depth.
leader Issa Hayatou, and Rafael Salguero It is the clubs who have far
(Guatemala) on behalf of CONCACAF’s more reason to feel aggrieved.
new interim president Alfredo Hawit The distance between club
(Honduras). football in Europe and South
All the other confederations wanted America has never been wider.
to go ahead with both Congress and That, of course, is not helped by
the election. Platini acquiesced before the fact that the South American
pursuing one last attempt to persuade clubs are being short-changed
Blatter to stand down. by TV deals based on bribery
Later Platini recalled: “I said to him: ‘We and crony capitalism.
started together in 1998 [when Blatter first Of course, the financial
became president] and we won together weakness of the clubs creates a
for FIFA, and now I’m asking you to leave necessity for players to be sold
FIFA, to step down. We are giving out a – with more opportunities for
terrible image. We can’t continue this way. money to be siphoned off into
“After the meeting we discussed this Big player...Traffic re-started the Copa America and sold the broadcast rights private bank accounts. WS

WORLD SOCCER 15
 THE WORLD THIS MONTH: FIFA CRISIS

“Beginning in and around 2004 and continuing

through 2011, I and others agreed to accept bribes
in conjunction with the selection of South Africa”
Chuck Blazer says he and fellow ExCo members took bribes in the run-up to choosing the
host of the 2010 World Cup

between the two of us in his office and I sweep to a clear first-round victory by
repeated that he should step down. securing at least 140 (two-thirds) of the
“Times were tough and he needed to 209 votes. Instead, he ended up with 133
have the stature to recognise the situation. against Prince Ali’s 73 (with three votes
He said to me: ‘I like you but it’s too late. I spoiled). Prince Ali, his numbers expanded
can’t leave now when congress starts only by the sense of crisis, had little diplomatic
this evening.’” option but to withdraw.
Hence, in the context of Platini’s Blatter, grinning widely, thus bounced
pleading, a worldwide storm of criticism, back on stage in triumphalist style as if he
a threat from David Gill not to take up had won by a landslide. Once more, utterly
his seat as Britain’s vice-president plus the wrong note had been struck. But he
expressions of worried concern from the was, so it appeared, for good or ill, back in
World Cup sponsors, Blatter took to the place for another four years.
stage for the sparkly, showbiz-style Far away, however, events continued to
opening ceremony to congress that conspire against his credibility.
evening. Jack Warner was arrested in Port of
He warned of “more bad news ahead” Spain – and then taken suddenly ill –
after events which had “cast a long and bailed to answer his extradition
shadow over football and over this week’s warrant. In Paraguay, Leoz was arrested in
congress. The action of individuals brings hospital, where he too claimed to be
shame and humiliation on football and unwell and suffering from the recurrence
demands action and change from us of a heart condition.
all. We cannot allow the reputation of The next morning, after an ExCo
football and of FIFA to be dragged through meeting which did little more than confirm
the mud any longer. It has to stop here the status quo for the World Cup slots in
and now.” 2018 and 2022, Blatter promised the
Already matters had gone too far for media he would “take our boat back into
Swiss sports minister Ueli Maurer, who calmer waters”.
responded that FIFA had fallen down on But calmer waters were an illusion.
its primary duty to provide an example to Elected...Blatter’s for congress for fear of arrest. Valcke came under scrutiny for his role in
the football family around the world. reign this time was Back home he would be safe as Brazil’s the channelling of South African money to
extremely short
Then Olympic president Thomas Bach constitution prohibits the extradition of its Warner; then FAI CEO John Delaney raised
warned that trying to root out FIFA’s citizens. This was the key reason why, it an Irish storm with confirmation that FIFA
corruption culture would prove a long also emerged, Teixeira had ended his self-
and painful task. exile in Miami and also flown home to the
Any faux-party atmosphere was finally armed-guard security of a luxury new
dispelled for Blatter when he learned,
on leaving the ceremony, that Marco Polo
Del Nero had checked out of the Baur
“I’m asking you to leave FIFA, to step
au Lauc hotel and fled the country. The down. We are giving out a terrible
president of Brazil’s CBF, also a FIFA image. We can’t continue this way”
ExCo member, had not risked waiting What Michel Platini says he told Blatter

apartment in Rio de Janeiro.

Congress thus began with Blatter’s
opening remarks. He conceded that
congress had been briefly put in question
by Wednesday’s “storm” and was even
interrupted briefly by a pro-Palestinian
protest before secretary-general Jerome
Valcke ran through the agenda.
This included a warning from audit
chairman Domenico Scala that FIFA
needed a culture change plus a high-
tension debate which resulted in another
Palestinian-Israeli compromise.
So to the main event, the presidential
Voting...staff empty the presidential ballot boxes election. Blatter had been expected to Defiant...Warner
is still protesting
16 WORLD SOCCER his innocence
 GLOBAL FOOTBALL INTELLIGENCE

Mark
GLEESON
SOUTH AFRICA

Spotlight on 2010 ‘bribe’

“bought off’ a legal protest over the It did not take long after the swoop by
notorious Thierry Henry handball in the Swiss police at Zurich’s Baur au Lac
2010 World Cup qualifiers that cost the hotel for the gloss to start peeling off
Republic of Ireland a place at the finals. South Africa’s 2010 World Cup.
Even as these tempests raged so In the hours after FIFA officials
no one gave any credence to Blatter’s were taken, the US justice department
suggestion at Congress and after the in New York released the 164-page
ExCo that this would be his last term of indictment of the 14 they sought to
office...until the following Tuesday when prosecute for racketeering, wire fraud
FIFA convened a press conference at and money-laundering conspiracies.
such speed that only a handful of And midway through the document
reporters were present to see and were the most salacious details Tainted...South Africa’s hosting of the 2010 World Cup
hear the 79-year-old announce his around South Africa’s 2010 bid strategy, including
impending departure. details of a Paris hotel-room exchange of dollar or accounting of what their money was being
Among all the twists and turns of what bills to buy votes and the government’s alleged used for.
were 10 remarkable days – even by FIFA’s agreement of a $10million bribe for the votes of “We gave the money unconditionally. Jack
turbulent standards – this was the most the three CONCACAF members on the FIFA Warner was the leader of CONCACAF and the
astonishing of all. executive committee at the time. Caribbean Football Union and a man of good
O Did Platini’s words finally come home The document implicates deeply both the standing,” said a straight-faced South African
to him? South African bid and the government – and it sports ministry’s director general, Alec Moemi.
O Did the concerns of his daughter has come as no surprise that they jumped onto There are few in the country who swallow the
and closest adviser Corinne suddenly the defensive with an initial denial, and then a story, except perhaps for Mbeki, who was possibly
ring true? disingenuous explanation, leaving more questions duped by his own people into believing the
O Did the prospect of more US Justice than answers. money would actually be used for some good.
revelations intimidate him? The South African part of the indictment is But why would South Africa have felt the need
O Did an imperative to end the risks of based on evidence given by former CONCACAF for a development programme in the Caribbean
worldwide travel, to foreign jurisdictions, general-secretary and FIFA ExCo member Chuck when it had initiated no similar projects closer to
weigh him down? Blazer and the sons of one of his long-time home, particularly not in the African countries
Blatter’s announced departure accomplice Jack Warner, the long-serving where there were other FIFA voters, such as
answered one question while raising even CONCACAF president. It details a sinister neighbouring Botswana?
more...and opening the way to another handover of cash to Warner’s son and also makes And why was there no publicity at the time
congress which, like its title, will be clear the $10m from South Africa was to pay for when it would be expected such a considerable
extraordinary indeed. WS the votes of Warner, Blazer and CONCACAF’s donation would be giant-sized fodder to be
third member on the FIFA ExCo at the time, Isaac gobbled up by any public relations machine?
Sasso Sasso from Costa Rica. When one reporter asked Moemi why a
The incredulity around the enormous payment Google search failed to deliver a single line of the
is heightened by the fact the money was “African legacy programme” prior to the recent
eventually paid over directly to Warner, not by revelations, he said it was because reporters had
South Africa’s government, as originally promised, not thought it not newsworthy at the time.
but directly from FIFA in Zurich. Ostensibly they Certainly the recipients believed the money to
took it out of $100m they were giving South be a bribe and the “development programme”
Africa to organise the 2010 finals. just a front. Blazer was promised $1m of the
South Africa’s tenuous defence is that the $10m, but eventually only got $750,000 and
money was intended for a legacy programme for was plainly stitched up by Warner.
the African Diaspora in the Caribbean. As part The American indictment fingers two South
of its denial, the government found an old sound African bid officials – one who handed over
bite of former South African president Thabo the cash in the Paris hotel room – and it is the
Mbeki explaining to a CNN interviewer the idea revelation of these identities when the court case
behind the project. in the US unfolds that is eagerly anticipated in
However, there South Africa.
is no record of this Danny Jordaan, who ran the bid campaign
legacy programme, almost single-handedly and is now the FA
ostensibly run by the president, has gone to ground since the
Warner-controlled indictment’s release, refusing any comment.
Caribbean Football His image as the man who delivered the World
Union, and it seems Cup is severely dented, even if he has yet to be
inconceivable accused of any wrong doing. And much of the
that South Africa positive publicity that the country got post the
Top...Mbeki (left) and Jordaan sought no oversight hosting of the World Cup now lies in tatters. WS
WORLD SOCCER 17
 THE WORLD THIS MONTH: FIFA CRISIS

“This is blasphemy. It’s a state

conspiracy. People are always
trying to knock Blatter”
Guinea-Bissau FA Chief Nascimento Lopes
remains a fan of the FIFA president

Who’s who in FIFA’s biggest scandal

ARRESTED IN ZURICH
WANTED BY THE FBI
Charged with conspiring to
Sought in connection with
solicit and receive “well over FBI & INFORMANTS CHARGED IN BRAZIL
“racketeering, wire fraud and
$150m in bribes and
money laundering”.
kickbacks” since 1991.

Jack Warner Ricardo Teixeira

(Trinidad & Tobago) (Brazil)
Former CONCACAF Former Brazl FA boss
president and FIFA and FIFA ExCo member.
vice-president. Charged by the Brazilian
authorities with fraud
Nicolas Leoz and money laundering.
(Paraguay) Recently fled Miami.
Former president of
the Paraguayan and
South American
federation and former Loretta Lynch (USA)
Jeffrey Webb (Cayman Islands) FIFA ExCo member. American Attorney General who has
Head of CONCACAF and FIFA spearheaded the investigation into ZURICH
vice-president. Alejandro Burzaco FIFA corruption.
(Argentina)
Eugenio Figueredo Sports marketing Jose Hawilla
(Uruguay) executive. Was staying (Brazil)
Former Uruguay FA at the Baur au Lac hotel Former head of Traffic
boss and outgoing FIFA on the morning of the who has entered into a Sepp Blatter
vice-president. FBI arrests but was deal with the FBI and (Switzerland)
not arrested. agreed to forfeit fees FIFA president who
Eduardo Li of $150m. initially vowed to carry
(Costa Rica) Aaron Davidson on after winning a
Incoming FIFA (USA) Daryl Warner fifth term but then
ExCo member. President of the North (Trinidad & Tobago) dramatically announced
American Soccer Eldest son of Jack a U-turn four days later.
Jose Maria Marin League and Traffic Warner. Fled to Miami
(Brazil) Sports USA which owns in 2011 and now Jerome Valke
Former federation Carolina RailHawks. reportedly an FBI (France)
president. informant. FIFA general-secretary
Hugo Jinkis and closely linked to
Julio Rocha (Argentina) Daryan Warner the $10m payment to
(Nicaragua) CEO of Full Play Group, (Trinidad & Tobago) CONCACAF from the
President of the football broadcasting Younger son of Jack South African FA.
Nicaragua FA. rights company. Warner. Reportedly
turned FBI informant. Walter De Gregorio
Costas Takkas Mariano Jinkis (Switzerland)
(Cayman Islands) (Argentina) Chuck Blazer Quit as FIFA’s
Webb’s aide and former Son of Hugo. (USA) communications chief.
general secretary of the Former CONCACAF
Cayman Islands FA. general-secretary and Domenico Scala
Jose Margulies (Brazil) FIFA ExCo member. (Switzerland)
Rafael Esquivel Alleged to be an Turned FBI informant Head of FIFA’s audit and
(Venezuela) “intermediary” who when confronted by US compliance unit. A key
On FIFA’s disciplinary paid bribes to officials tax officials over his figure in the staging of
committee and head of on behalf of sports undeclared revenue extraordinary congress
Venezuelan federation. marketing companies. from commercial deals. to elect a new president.

18 WORLD SOCCER
 GLOBAL FOOTBALL INTELLIGENCE

“In these circumstances, FIFA cannot evade the

obligation to hold a new vote under its new rules on the
allocation of major events including the World Cup”
A Council of Europe report calls for a re-vote of the 2022 World Cup decision

FIFA EXCO IN 2010

The 22 men who took the
decision, in 2010, to award the
2018 World Cup to Russia and the
2022 finals to Qatar

Sepp Blatter
FIFA president since 1998.

Issa Hayatou
African Confederation president. Named
as recipient of bribes from former FIFA
marketing company ISL. Still on the ExCo.

Ricardo Teixeira
Former head of Brazilian FA, ex son-
in-law of Joao Havelange. Banned from
FIFA in wake of ISL corruption scandal. one of the biggest critics of Qatar 2022 Waiting...the ExCo 2022 campaign. Stepped down from the
decision. Still on the ExCo. wait for the 2018 and ExCo, May 2015.
2022 World Cup hosts
Jack Warner to be announced
Controversial former president of Chuck Blazer Hany Abo Rida
CONCACAF. Resigned from all FIFA Suspended by FIFA following allegations Egyptian ally of Bin Hammam who
positions in June 2011 following an of fraud during his time at CONCACAF. accompanied the Qatari on his fateful trip
investigation into allegations of corruption. No longer on the ExCo. to the Caribbean Football Union (CFU).
Stepped down from the ExCo, May 2015.
Mohamed Bin Hammam Worawi Makudi
Qatari who is the former president of the Thai FA president who was accused by Julio Grondona
Asian Confederation. He was banned for Lord Triesman (under UK parliamentary Veteran Argentinian FA president, who
life from all football activities by a FIFA privilege) of demanding money for the TV died last year aged 84. Blatter ally who
ethics committee in July 2011 following rights to a friendly between England and voted for Qatar.
attempts to bribe members of the Thailand. Stepped down from the ExCo
Caribbean Football Union with envelopes in May 2015. Vitaly Mutko
containing $40,000. Russia FA boss who led his country’s
Nicolas Leoz successful bid to host the 2018 World
Chung Mong-joon Paraguayan, former president on the Cup. Still on the ExCo.
Korean, wealthy scion of the Hyundai South American confederation. Resigned
family, but voted off the ExCo in 2011. from FIFA in April 2013, citing health Senes Erzik
reasons, weeks after he was accused Turkish vice-president of UEFA. Stepped
Angel-Maria Villar of taking bribes from ISL. Accused by ALSO… down from the ExCo in May 2015.
Spanish FA president, former goalkeeper. Lord Triesman of requesting a UK Reynald Temarii
Key figure in alleged collusion between knighthood in return for supporting and Amos Adamu Junji Ogura
Spain-Portugal’s 2018 bid and Qatar. England’s World Cup bid. did not take part Japan FA boss who headed his country’s
Still on the ExCo. in the 2018/2022 2022 World Cup bid. Has since stepped
Marios Lefkaritis vote because they down from ExCo.
Michel Platini Cypriot FA boss whose family has been had been banned
UEFA president. Voted for Qatar 2022 bid. accused of benefitting from a multimillion- from the ExCo (for Franz Beckenbauer
pound property deal with the Qatari one and three Former Germany World Cup winner who
Geoffrey Thompson authorities shortly after the 2018/2022 years respectively) backed Australia in the 2022 vote but has
Former chairman of the Football votes. Still on the ExCo. after being caught since stepped down from the ExCo.
Association. Stepped down after leading on camera by The
England’s failed 2018 bid. Jacques Anouma Sunday Times Rafael Salguero
Former head of the Ivory Coast FA who asking for cash Guatemalan lawyer, former head of his
Michel D’Hooghe was accused by a British parliamentary in return for their country’s FA. Stepped down from the
Belgian head of FIFA’s medical committee, committee of taking bribes from Qatar’s 2018/2022 votes. ExCo in May 2015.
WORLD SOCCER 19
 THE WORLD THIS MONTH: FIFA CRISIS

“I do not feel that I have a mandate from the entire world of

football: the fans, the players, the clubs, the people who live,
breathe and love football as much as we all do at FIFA”
Blatter’s dramatic “resignation” speech

Who’s next?
The contenders to succeed Blatter as FIFA president

MICHEL PLATINI SHEIKH AHMAD AL FAHAD AL SABAH SHEIKH SALMAN BIN EBRAHIM
UEFA’s 59-year-old president always The Kuwaiti is a formidable powerbroker in AL KHALIFA
insisted he “would never run against the Olympic family but was comparatively The 49-year-old Asian confederation
Blatter” and he was as good as his word unknown in football politics until this year, president headed the task force which
despite the contradiction of persistent when AFC president Sheikh Salman Bin decided on switching the Qatar World Cup
criticism of his old mentor for breaking Ebrahim Al Khalifa manipulated the to the winter and is a dedicated defender
his promise to stand down this year. confederation’s FIFA slot so Sheikh of Qatar’s World Cup hosting.
This time around the Frenchman may Ahmad could walk into the ExCo. He gained overwhelming support in his
believe he has no alternative but to throw He had been thought to be targeting election as AFC president in 2013, albeit
his hat into the ring. He would undertake the FIFA top job in 2019 but may now feel thanks to the behind-the-scenes support
the presidency in a very different manner he must challenge earlier than expected. of Sheikh Ahmad. He beat Yousuf Al
to Blatter’s 24/7 approach but might Sheikh Ahmad, one-time head of oil Serkal of the United Arab Emirates and
struggle to obtain enough votes in Africa cartel OPEC, heads the Association of Thailand’s Worawi Makudi to replace
New dawn...FIFA has
and Asia, whose FAs are suspicious of National Olympic Committees (ANOC), Mohamed Bin Hammam. the chance to restore
UEFA power play – particularly after the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) and While he or Sheikh Ahmad seem some credibility
the toppling of Blatter. revenue-distributing Olympic Solidarity. certain to run, they will not both stand.

ALSO…MICHAEL VAN PRAAG and

LUIS FIGO, having fallen out of the
2015 race even before the ballot,
would lack credibility to try again…
JEROME CHAMPAGNE, with by far
the most credible programme last time,
may feel encouraged that the ground
has changed sufficiently to run again
even though he lacked sufficient
nominations...secretary-general JEROME
PRINCE ALI BIN AL HUSSEIN CHUNG MONG-JOON VALCKE has been linked with the
The 39-year-old Jordanian prince took a The billionaire scion of the Hyundai empire possible Blatter succession for the
praiseworthy 73 votes in his defeat by spent 11 years as Asia’s FIFA vice- sake of “continuity” – the reason Blatter
Sepp Blatter in Zurich and must consider president and, most notably, led South was supported by predecessor Joao
whether this is a platform to try again. The Korea’s aggressive late run to share joint Havelange...Chilean HAROLD MAYNE-
problem for Prince Ali is that he may not World Cup hosting rights with Japan in NICHOLLS, head of the 2018-2022
have full-hearted support from within his 2002. The 63-year-old has been missing technical assessment team, considered
own Asian confederation. from among the game’s elite since 2011. running this year then decided against. He
might be a compromise candidate in case
of a stalemate between Africa/Asia and
“The problem for Prince Ali is that he may not Europe/North-America.
have full-hearted support from within his own
AND NOT FORGETTING…
Asian confederation” Not to be totally ruled out - a late African/
Asian move to persuade Blatter to stay on.
20 WORLD SOCCER
 GLOBAL FOOTBALL INTELLIGENCE

“I have no reason not to stay secretary-general because

of what happened in the past few days because I have no
responsibility and I’ve done nothing wrong”
Jerome Valcke toughs it out

authorities were also reported to be looking

at the money paid for the Argentina v
Brazil friendly in Qatar, three weeks before
the ExCo vote in 2010. The match fee was
said to be twice the regular amount
charged by Brazil for exhibition games.
In the most recent revelation, The
Sunday Times revealed evidence of
payments made by Qatari construction
companies into a Monaco bank account
of former ExCo member Ricardo Teixeira.
A Brazilian indictment against Teixeira
revealed the account contained $30m.

THE FIGHT TO EXTRADITE

Paraguay’s former CONMEBOL president
Nicolas Leoz was placed under house
arrest, pending an attempt to extradite
him to the USA. At 86, and in frail health,
that may not be an easy request to grant.
In the 1990s, he declared CONMEBOL
headquarters, on the outskirts of
Paraguay’s capital Asuncion, to have
diplomatic immunity, like an embassy.
However, Paraguay’s congress has
already moved to strip the CONMEBOL
building of its diplomatic status.
Meanwhile, South American prosecutors
have made a joint request to the US

The next steps... authorities for access to information on

criminal activities unearthed by the FBI, so
that local investigations can be furthered.

DECEMBER ELECTION DATE recommendation of governance guru FURTHER INVESTIGATIONS IN BRAZIL

The FIFA executive committee will meet Mark Pieth in May 2012 and can sit in Up until last month the headquarters of
in Zurich on July 20 to set a date for the on any committee, to delve into whatever the CBF was named after Jose Maria
extraordinary Congress which will elect document he likes and check up on the Marin, the organisation’s former president.
a new president. December 16 appears work of whoever catches his attention.
to be the most favoured date. Direct involvement by Scala in the next
Audit and compliance chairman transitional months can be crucial. As he Paraguay’s congress has already
Domenico Scala will issue new electoral has indicated all along, he believes FIFA moved to strip the CONMEBOL
regulations, setting a five-nominations cannot rebuild without a radical change of
declaration deadline for candidates, governing structure, term and age limits, building of its diplomatic status
possibly mid-October. and meaningful transparency.
In the meantime FIFA’s political work Scala has ordered much tighter controls
has been halted, as has the 2026 World on development projects and used his The letters were hurriedly removed from
Cup bid process. power to halt projects that are throwing the front of the building after Marin was
up accounting concerns. one of those arrested in Switzerland as
CENTRE STAGE FOR SCALA He worked with now-departed ethics part of the FBI investigation.
When Sepp Blatter made his dramatic chief Michael Garcia to draw up this year’s The Federal Police are looking into the
resignation announcement he was first FIFA electoral regulations. affairs of the CBF, who will also fall under
accompanied not by secretary-general the scrutiny of a commission of inquiry in
Jerome Valcke or communications director WORLD CUP INVESTIGATIONS Brazil’s congress, which player turned
Walter De Gregorio but by audit and The Swiss attorney-general’s office is rebel politician Romario has been pushing
compliance chairman Scala. continuing its investigations into the for in recent months. Marin’s successor,
The 54-year-old Swiss businessman awarding of the 2018 and 2022 World Marco Polo del Nero, did not even stay
is probably the one man in and around Cups. It has seen the contents of the in Switzerland for the FIFA presidential
FIFA who could be counted as truly Garcia Report and has seized computer election, instead scurrying back to Brazil
independent. He was brought in on the records from FIFA House. The Swiss to take charge of the CBF’s defence.
WORLD SOCCER 21
 Brian
GLANVILLE
THE VOICE OF FOOTBALL

A man and an
organisation with
no sense of shame
It was Mao Tse-tung, of unhallowed
memory, who did once memorably say:
“Power comes out of the barrel of a gun.”
To which one might add that even smoking
guns, however incriminating and however
plainly revealed, are seldom enough in
themselves to bring retribution.
By all this I mean that not until the
Federal Bureau of Investigation, and its
American allies, suddenly and sensationally
made a host of arrests and published
specific charges of corruption by members
of FIFA did there seem any real prospect
of the Augean Stables at last being cleared.
My own newspaper, The Sunday Times,
in the course of a formidable investigation
of millions of emails, laid bare the appalling
scale and shocking detail of FIFA’s World
Cup machinations. But nothing happened.
Indeed the ineffable Sepp Blatter,
addressing a representative audience,
actually had the gall to brush the
investigation aside with an idiotic
charge of racism. This is a man and an
organisation with no sense of shame.
Well, he’s out of office now, thank the
Lord, though still trying at the time of
writing to cling to it for many months. For
all The Sunday Times’ shocking revelations, of soccer in the Caribbean area. What Hot seat…Blatter is represent them in a New York court where
determined to cling
he had been voted back into power and noble generosity. Valcke claims to have on to his post until a
their brief was to overturn the deal for
presidency by a landslide. And even after had nothing to do with the payment, even successor is elected World Cup representation enjoyed by
his announced resignation, he received a though an email sent by him in December MasterCard in favour of Visa. The female
10-minute ovation from the minions he 2007 states: “I have never received judge virtually chased them out of court,
employed. Shades of the vacuous dictum confirmation but, more important, I would accusing them of lying.
in Italian Fascist times that “Mussolini is like to know when the transfer can be Back in Zurich, Valcke was briefly
always right”. Mass brainwashing would done.” This, he told the South African demoted, but in no time at all, the
seem to be in order. minister, was “based on a discussion smoke cleared and he was installed
All sorts of repellent creatures are between FIFA and the South African as Blatter’s second in command.
crawling out from under stones. We learn government and also between our Please note, that not a single peep
that South Africa paid a $10million bribe President and [South African] President of protest was heard from any member
to Jack Warner of CONCACAF which, for M’Beki”. A FIFA lady had insisted that country of the world body.
obscure, bewildering reasons, was even everything was wholly in order.
mediated through FIFA, allegedly via But thereby hangs an all too significant
Blatter’s number two, Jerome Valcke tale. A few years ago, Valcke, then a “Even after Blatter’s announced
(denied, of course). The money was middling executive, and the gross Chuck resignation, he received a 10-minute
supposedly, as oddly maintained by the Blazer, who has now helpfully turned ovation from the minions he employed”
South Africans, to help the development state’s evidence, were sent by FIFA to
22 WORLD SOCCER
 Crooked…Havelange’s
embezzlement
funded his many Irish deal makes
costly global trips
no sense at all
Much furore over the revelation that
the FA of Ireland accepted a ¤5million
payment from FIFA as compensation for
the handball goal of Thierry Henry in the
World Cup 2010 play-off in Paris.
Jose Mourinho is among those who
have poured scorn on it. For my part, I am
somewhat bewildered. Beyond doubt the
Irish were shamefully cheated, but no
more so, surely, than England in Mexico
City in 1986 when Diego Maradona scored
against them with the so-called “Hand
of God”. Wretched refereeing in both
cases. In that of Maradona, a trio of
inexperienced African officials had been
absurdly appointed.
As for the Henry affair, there is no
evidence to suggest or confirm that the
Havelange, FIFA’s biggest crook referee and his linesman were culpable
other than in simple error. That ¤5m was
Somewhere in Brazil, now well into his how Havelange bought the (largely essentially blood money. But given that no
90s, Joao Havelange, the monster and African) votes he needed for the malfeasance had been proved, why pay it
manipulator who was ultimately behind it presidential election in Frankfurt in 1974. at all?
all, sits smugly and snugly on his untold Money was embezzled, as his former Should the FAI and its now embroiled
millions. Yes, we know that quite recently business partner Dr Lobo states, partly supremo, John Delaney, have accepted it?
he and the abominable Ricardo Teixeira, from the Brazilian Football Confederation Should FIFA have ever paid it?
now reportedly gone to ground while of which Havelange was president, and In doing so there was an implicit
accused of embezzling $100million, partly from rich Portuguese politicians suggestion of culpability. A sombre affair.
found themselves eased out of their fleeing their own country when its A tacit admission of guilt?
roles – Havelange’s merely being that of neo-fascist regime had been overturned.
honorary FIFA president – as a result of With these funds, Havelange was able
the ISL swindle and the money they had to run a colossally expensive international
pocketed to implement it. campaign which took him round and round
Whatever we may think of Blatter, not the world. In 1986, Playboy magazine
least the suspicious way he suddenly and interviewed Havelange and asked: “Visiting
surprisingly pipped Sweden’s Johansson eighty-six countries costs a lot. Who paid
for the presidency in 1998, there is no for the trip?” I did, replied Havelange who,
doubt that it was Havelange who corrupted usually so meticulous about money, added
FIFA. The Americans have been talking he had no idea of how much he had spent.
about going back 24 years in their So Rous was duly outvoted and
investigation but, ideally, inquiries should Havelange’s putrescent 24-year reign
go back to 1974, that fateful day when began. In the meanwhile, he assiduously
Havelange bought his way past Stanley promoted the career of his then son-in-
Rous to the presidency. law Teixeira, who was struggling financially
It was a shocking and direly significant when Havelange took him up and got him
fact that he retained it until 1998. How into the television business. Controversy…the Republic of Ireland appeal in vain as Henry (left) handles
could it be that Havelange was re-elected Yallop gives infinite excruciating chapter in the build-up to France’s goal in the 2010 World Cup qualifying play-off
every four years almost automatically? In
his remarkable, supremely well-researched
and verse on Teixeira’s greed and devious
manipulation, but all these long years it
ORead Brian Glanville’s
book How They Stole The Game, David was he whom the Brazilians appointed exclusive online column
Yallop gives us superabundant detail of to lead their World Cup committee. at worldsoccer.com

Please, no Platini
Whoever succeeds Blatter, let it not by any he was leaned on by then French president
stretch of the imagination be Michel Platini. Nicolas Sarkozy, intent on maintaining oil
He has eternally blotted his copybook supplied from Qatar. In which case, the
as president of UEFA by betraying his honourable thing for Platini to have done
European trust in voting for Qatar as a was either to refuse or to resign.
summer, 50 degrees centigrade, tournament And what of Franz Beckenbauer, who
– then compounding it by supporting its not only supported Qatar for 2022 but,
transfer to the European winter, thus according to a witness quoted in The
utterly subverting the competitions of Sunday Times investigation, was paid vast
the countries he supposedly represents. sums to endorse the 2018 Russian bid?
Oil pressure…then-French president Sarkozy (left) and Platini The word is, however, he wasn’t bought; He has yet to deny it or take libel action.
WORLD SOCCER 23
 THE WORLD THIS MONTH

Jim
HOLDEN
AT THE HEART OF THE GAME

Old guard remain wary

of the little upstarts
rationale there is in reverse. The problem with
Ingolstadt is they have too much wealth.
Ingolstadt is where the novel Frankenstein
was set, and some see a monster in their
rise and rise, with the club, who play at the
15,000-capacity Audi Sportpark, derisively
known by critics as “FC Audi”.
Former Germany defender Christoph
Metzelder called the promotion “a slap in the
face for traditional clubs”, while the chairman
of Eintracht Frankfurt, Heribert Bruchhagen,
was equally damning – as well as fearful about
the role of corporate cash.
“Pretty well everyone is surprised that a
club like Ingolstadt can make a run at the
Bundesliga and may, depending on Audi’s
commitment, become a major player in the
long term,” claimed Bruchhagen.
“It’s another indication that the traditional
clubs of the Bundesliga feel under pressure
from corporate-sponsored entities
masquerading as factory clubs.”
No mention there of the club’s brilliant
coach, Ralph Hasenhuttl, who has created
a superb team where before there was
Shock...unfashionale Frosinone celebrate defying their critics and clinching promotion to Serie A mediocrity despite Audi’s involvement.
In England, Bournemouth have suffered
The major leagues of Europe have never seen promotions were sealed, Lotito said: “If Carpi similar brickbats because their financial status
anything like it, with the minnows of Carpi, come up, if teams come up who are not worth has been secured by the riches of a Russian
Frosinone, Ingolstadt and Bournemouth joining a cent, then in two or three years we won’t owner, Maxim Demin, who made his fortune in
their respective top flights next season. have a penny. the petro-chemical industry. However, the
For many football lovers, this is a wonderful “I’ve done well in selling TV rights, we have club’s wage bill was among the lower end of
and heart-warming story amid the scandals of brought in ¤1.2billion thanks to my skill. If in the 24-team Championship last season, and
FIFA and the predictable domination of three years we have teams such as Frosinone, their excellence on the field – from a squad of
silverware by the game’s giants. who would buy those modest reputation – has
Carpi have won four promotions in five
seasons to reach Serie A with an average
rights? They don’t even
know where Frosinone is?”
Carping is to be been forged by impressive
young boss Eddie Howe,
home attendance of 2,991. Frosinone’s similar Well, Frosinone is a small expected from the who was named Manager
ascent has come with gates of 5,087. and delightful town full of of the Year by his peers in
Ingolstadt were only created in 2004, when decent people in the Lazio old powers of the England, ahead even of
they began playing in the fourth tier of the region south of Rome. game as they take Jose Mourinho.
Bavarian regional league, and Bournemouth Carpi is in the province Too little money. Too
were saved from extinction as recently as of Modena. Both have fright so easily much wealth.
2008 by money collected in plastic buckets achieved success on The self-serving
by their supporters. modest budgets, using young Italian players accusations fly from the old guard of European
Each of these triumphs is a proper sporting and thanks to the work of fine coaches in football when they should be acknowledging
fairy tale – and yet still the romance is lost on Fabrizio Castori at Carpi and Roberto Stellone the joy of sport to confound and to delight.
some sad souls. with Frosinone. Who knows if Carpi, Frosinone, Ingolstadt
Listen to Claudio Lotito, the owner of Lazio, There is virtue in their glory even if they and Bournemouth will prove to be more than
who slammed the prospect of “Cinderella don’t smell of money. But I suppose the one-season wonders?
clubs” in Serie A because they would be carping is to be expected from the old powers But one thing is for certain: they should
detrimental to the amount of TV income the of the game as they take fright so easily. definitely not be mocked or sneered at for
league could generate. Speaking before the It’s just the same in Germany – although the their achievements. WS
24 WORLD SOCCER
 THE WORLD THIS MONTH

Paul
GARDNER
THE WORLDWIDE VIEW

Time for referees to

signal their intentions
There was a moment towards the end of the free-kick, for playing advantage and how to that is required. Explanations of why the call
Premier League season in England, just one brandish a card – which is an obvious action was made can follow after the game.
minute into the Chelsea-Liverpool game, when that barely qualifies as a signal anyway. If you want to argue that the previous
total confusion reigned. After Chelsea’s Cesc The history of signals shows a long hostility FIFA statement is 45-years old, and things
Fabregas had committed a nasty looking foul to the whole idea; from Stanley Rous’ famous are much better now, there is one crucial piece
on Raheem Sterling, the referee, Andre “I don’t want my referees looking like windmills” of evidence that contradicts that assumption
Marriner, took his red card out and appeared to statements from FIFA. This one from 1970 is – because it is clear that the “don’t tell them
to show it to John Obi Mikel. Then, mysteriously, typical of the official attitude: “It is not the duty anything” mentality still dominates referees’
the red card disappeared and Fabregas of the referee, nor is it a useful function, to thinking. How is it that, after over 150 years
escaped with just a yellow. explain his decisions to the players or of written soccer rules, there is still no official
The BBC’s Alan Green was justifiably baffled, spectators. Any list of obligatory
commenting: “I’m sorry. The referee is meant, attempt to do so Why would anyone referee signals?
through his signals, to tell people in a stadium can only lead to How difficult would
precisely what has happened.” confusion, uncertainty object to referees it be to draw up a set
If only, Alan. If only. The fact is, referees are
under no obligation to signal anything.
and delay.”
Extraordinary. But
identifying their calls? of signals to cover all
the important calls?
The rule book lists 18 “powers and duties” this official attitude – that it is alright to keep My calculation is that this would involve
for the referee – and giving signals to define not only the fans, but the players as well, in the somewhere between a dozen and 20 signals
decisions is not one of them. dark – involves a huge misunderstanding on – hardly a daunting task.
In the “Guidelines” section, there is a page the part of the rule makers. Of course, the lead should be taken by the
headed simply “Referee Signals”. That’s all; no The idea of the signals is not to explain referees themselves, but that is not going to
mention of whether these signals have to be the referee’s calls, it is to define them. For happen. However, action can be taken because
used or not. The page has just five drawings; example, in order to give a clear and this is not something that in any way changes
two of which are identical: how to give a yellow immediate indication that, say, “impeding the or contravenes the existing rules and therefore
card and how to give a red card. So then, just progress of an opponent” (what used to be does not impact on the playing of the game.
four signals: for a direct free-kick, an indirect called obstruction) has been called. That’s all The permission of FIFA is not required.
The people who should jump in to draw
up the signals are the Americans.
American sports fans are used to clear
signals in their sports. They get them in gridiron
football, in basketball, in baseball. In gridiron
stadiums and basketball arenas they also get
PA announcements of the calls.
This is an opportunity for Major League
Soccer to show the way. Let them draw up
a provisional list. By all means involve
representatives from other countries, should
they show any interest, then let’s see how
things go after a full MLS season using the
signals. The important things are simply to
show, first, that a list of acceptable signals can
be compiled, and second that the signals work
in practice.
Unthinking tradition cannot serve as a solid
basis for modern refereeing. In this age of
announced transparency in the game, why
would anyone object to referees identifying
their calls?
This is not another attempt to permit
technology to encroach on the referee’s
duties. Rather the opposite. Decisively
Confusion...Marriner delivered, authoritative signals would make
it clear that the referee is in charge. WS
26 WORLD SOCCER
 GLOBAL FOOTBALL INTELLIGENCE

“I’m going in with my eyes wide

open. I know I’m not going to be
a front runner”
Ex-England centre-half Sol Campbell
says he will run for mayor of London

Surplus...Kagawa GERMANY Mainz midfielder, Johannes Geis, Freiburg’s

Notebook
Swiss keeper Roman Burki, Club Brugge
The removal vans should be zipping in and and Belgium Under-21 striker Obbi
out of the Westfalenstadion now that Oulare, and Argentinian front-man Guido
Thomas Tuchel has arrived to begin the Carrillo from Estudiantes.
post-Klopp era at Borussia Dortmund. Among those thought to be surplus to
In conjunction with general manager requirements are the Polish right-back
Michael Zorc, he already has brought in Lukasz Piszczek, the Japanese attacking
Bayer Leverkusen’s Gonzalo Castro and midfielder Shinji Kagawa and German
young Munich 1860 schemer Julian Weigl, international centre-back Matthias Ginter.
and would also love to recruit promising Nick Bidwell

BRAZIL they held Racing of Argentina to a gripping Shock...Guarani (in yellow)

goalless draw to go through 1-0.
There was a historic moment for Guarani Their semi-final opponents will be
of Paraguay in the Libertadores Cup. With River Plate, who lost their first leg 1-0 at
the veteran Julio Cesar Caceres once more home, but produced the performance of
superb at the heart of their back three, the week to win 3-0 against Cruzeiro of
they kept another clean sheet – their Brazil, who won the last two domestic
fourth in a row – as they eliminated their titles but consistently disappointed in
second consecutive giant. After beating the Libertadores.
Corinthians of Brazil 3-0 on aggregate Tim Vickery

SPAIN
Highlights
from some Carlo Ancelotti puffed his way through
of our Real Madrid’s penultimate game of the
regular season. Suspended, he sat in a private
on-line box, smoking on a cigarette. He will still
contributions be suspended for
the final match
against Getafe,
meaning that he
has probably sat
on the Madrid
bench for the
last time.
The only thing
Dutch trio...(from that can keep him
left) Van Basten, in a job now is if
Rijkaard and Gullit
Madrid fail to find
a man who can replace him – not
ITALY on the other Italy. exactly a solid foundation for another
“The last time we won a Champions year together.
Former Italy and Milan coach Arrigo League, we did it with an Inter side in Sid Lowe
Sacchi may have talked himself into which there wasn’t a single Italian.
more trouble last weekend. “In my opinion, that was a complete
Not long ago, Sacchi was accused of disgrace. Problem is that in Italy, in order
racism when he complained about the to win, people are willing to sell their souls
number of “coloured” players he had seen to the devil”.
participating in the prestigious Viareggio Needless to say, folks up at Appiano
Youth tournament in February. Gentile were not much amused with one
This time, Sacchi has touched a similar of the few Italians in that Inter side,
Weekly notes note when welcoming the recent rise and namely Marco Materazzi, commenting:
from Brazil, Spain, rise of Juventus. “Now I ask you, would Sacchi’s great AC
Germany and Italy at
worldsoccer.com He was reported to have said: “The sun Milan team have won quite so much
is shining again on Italian football thanks without those three Dutchmen (Van
to Juventus and let’s hope that this sun Basten, Gullit and Rijkaard)?”
shines not just on Italian football but also Paddy Agnew

WORLD SOCCER 27
 eye
witness Joel Richards reports from Buenos Aires

ARGENTINA

Superclasico trilogy
ends in disgrace
Fan attack sees Boca expelled
from the Libertadores Cup

When the calendars and results aligned to of the second half, Adrian Napolitano, a
schedule three Superclasicos in the space supporter known as “The Baker”, sprayed
of 11 days in May, many wondered quite home-made mace (an irritant similar to
how Argentina would cope with such an tear gas) at the tunnel shielding the away
intense timetable. The resounding answer side as the Boca team ran out onto the
was broadcast around the world for over pitch at the Bombonera.
an hour when the third game between The footage, however, was only released
River Plate and Boca Juniors was after CONMEBOL had ruled on what
suspended. For a country that is well action to take – a move that fanned
accustomed to violence in football, the numerous conspiracy theories as the
scandalous scenes at the Libertadores South American governing body’s decision
Cup clash represented an absolute nadir. was widely viewed as lenient.
Television footage clearly showed the Although Boca forfeited the round- Disgraceful...riot
police are forced to
moment of the attack on the River players of-16 tie and were expelled from this shield River coach
and those responsible. Just before the start year’s Libertadores, they received no Marcelo Gallardo

Affected...River’s Sebastian Driussi (left) and Leo Ponzio suffer after being sprayed by a Boca fan

28 WORLD SOCCER
WORLD SOCCER 29
 eyewitness
future ban from the tournament. relegation, serious questions have to be
The Superclasico trilogy had promised asked about security checks at games. It
much. The clubs were joint top of the was clear that the game could not
league, with Boca unbeaten in 17 games continue and it took San Lorenzo coach
after investing heavily in players for this Edgardo Bauza to point out what seemed
season. And although River had been poor to have been lost in the madness when
in the Libertadores group stage, they still he commented: “The players could have
had the backbone of the side that won the been blinded.”
league and Sudamericana Cup last year. While the behaviour of a few supporters
In the first meeting, in the league and at who decided to plan and carry out the
the Bombonera, Boca scored twice late on attack is ample material for study by
in a turgid affair to win 2-0. psychologists and sociologists, there is
In the first leg of the Libertadores game, a broader, cultural issue. When River’s
River had Colombian striker Teo Gutierrez players finally left the pitch, bottles and
sent off but were
comfortable 1-0
winners. Then, in
“Football is slowly dying”
the highly charged River Plate coach Marcelo Gallardo
return leg that
would decide who
progressed to the
quarter-finals of the
Libertadores, River
contained Boca for
45 minutes and
looked set to win
the tie. However,
coming out for the
second half, several
River players were
sprayed.
Midfielders Leo
Ponzio and Matias
Kranevitter, and
defenders Leonel
Vangioni and
Ramiro Funes Mori
were the worst
affected and had to be taken to hospital Mocking...a drone flies other items rained down on them – not
later that evening. Dario Herrera, the overhead before the from the barra brava, but from club
game
inexperienced referee surprisingly handed members in the more expensive seats.
a Superclasico for his debut game in the Boca’s players, meanwhile, applauded
Libertadores, delayed restarting the the stand from where River’s players had
match. With Boca all set and ready been sprayed before they left the pitch.
to play, the CONMEBOL official made And these type of incidents are not
several phone calls, but for an hour, limited to only one club. This was simply
there was no decision. the latest, and arguably one of the most
With pepper spray having been shocking, to have occurred.
smuggled into the ground, not to mention In the aftermath of the game, Boca
the drone that was flown above River’s sued 15 members for over £4million in
Volatile...Boca fans
players taunting them about their 2011 damages and arguments raged over what

LIBERTADORES ROUND-UP Last four...River

After being awarded a 3-0 win and passage celebrate victory
over Cruzeiro
to the quarter-finals of the Libertadores
following the abandonment of the game
against Boca, River Plate produced a
stunning comeback in Brazil to reach the
last four.
Trailing 1-0 to Cruzeiro from the game in
Buenos Aires, River cruised to a 3-0 victory
with goals from Carlos Sanchez, Jonathan
Maidana and Teofilo Gutierrez.
River now face Guarani of Paraguay, who
beat Argentinian champions Racing Club
1-0 on aggregate. Behind after the away
leg, Racing failed to break down the visitors
in the return and were not helped by a red
card for goalkeeper Sebastian Saja in the
Clash...River’s Jonathan Maidana (left) and Pablo Perez of Boca

30 WORLD SOCCER
 ARGENTINA

had happened. For some, the attack was and finished on the pitch. Several voices
second leg – even if replacement Nelson more than just a stupid, irresponsible from within the club even suggested that
Ibanez did save Julian Benitez’s penalty.
The other semi-final sees Internacional of
prank and was viewed as part of a wider River had tried to take advantage of the
Brazil take on Tigres, who are only the internal battle for control of the club’s fact that four of their players were sprayed
Raw...Herrera (right)
fourth Mexican team to get this far, after with Boca coach barra brava. with mace.
Cruz Azul, America and Guadalajara. Rodolfo Arruabarrena Boca president Daniel Angelici resigned With the attack clearly captured by
Having lost 1-0 in Ecuador, Tigres took just as AFA vice-president, saying he “did not television cameras for all to see, questions
five minutes to level against Emelec in the
return, before defender Jose Rivas settled
want to be part of a system that did not have been asked as to why the company
matters 11 minutes from time. work”. However, the AFA president, Luis involved in screening the game, Torneos y
Internacional also overcame a 1-0 first-leg Segura, felt obliged to point out that Competencias, did not release the footage
loss to progress with a 2-0 home win over Angelici had made no such complaints until after the sanctions for Boca had been
Santa Fe of Colombia. A second-minute about the institution in the previous years officially announced.
header from defender Juan levelled the
scores on aggregate before an own goal
of his vice-presidency. Interestingly, the company’s CEO,
from Baldomero Perlaza settled matters. While Angelici did admit that the Alejandro Burzaco was among those
incident was an “international disgrace”, indicted by the US justice department in
OSemi-finals to be played July14/15 and 21/22 Boca also maintained that the game the shock FIFA arrests that followed a few
should have been played to its conclusion weeks later. WS
WORLD SOCCER 31
  


 

   
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 EURO
SEASON
REVIEW
Who won what and where, plus our stars of the season
and a complete record of tables and results

36 CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FINAL 74 ITALY 106 ALBANIA MACEDONIA

40 EUROPA LEAGUE FINAL 82 POLAND AUSTRIA MALTA

42 BELGIUM 84 PORTUGAL
BOSNIA MOLDOVA
44 CZECH REPUBLIC 86 ROMANIA
BULGARIA 110 MONTENEGRO
45 DENMARK 88 RUSSIA
CROATIA NORTHERN IRELAND
46 ENGLAND 90 SCOTLAND
CYPRUS SERBIA
54 FRANCE 92 SPAIN

62 GERMANY 100 SWITZERLAND 108 GEORGIA SLOVAKIA

70 GREECE 102 TURKEY HUNGARY SLOVENIA

72 HOLLAND 104 UKRAINE ISRAEL WALES

WORLD SOCCER 35
 2015 CHAMPIONS
LEAGUE FINAL
KIER RADNEDGE

2015 CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FINAL

JUNE 6, OLYMPIASTADION, BERLIN
Juventus 1 (Morata 55)
Barcelona 3 (Rakitic 4, Suarez 67,
Neymar 90+6)
HT: 1-0 Att: 40,442 Ref: Cakir (Tur)
Juventus: Buffon; Lichtsteiner, Barzagli,
Bonucci, Evra (Coman 89); Marchisio, Pirlo,
Pogba, Vidal (Pereyra 79); Tevez, Morata
(Llorente 85)

Barcelona scale new heights Booked: Pogba, Vidal

Barcelona: Ter Stegen; Alves, Pique,
Mascherano, Alba; Rakitic (Mathieu 90+1),
Busquets, Iniesta (Xavi 78); Messi, Suarez
Xavi bows out as Catalans prove worthy champions in (Pedro 90+6), Neymar
Booked: Suarez
fifth European Cup triumph

The game in Spain stands head and because of injury and was not yet a major
shoulders above the rest of Europe in player in Barcelona. He was lined up, of
football’s international club competitions course, along with Pique, Xavi and Iniesta
in the second decade of the new century. against Manchester United, both in 2009
The national team won the 2010 World in Rome and two years later in London,
Cup, in between a 2008 and 2010 Not that Barcelona and first-season
European Championship double, and coach Luis Enrique approached Berlin in
the clubs have carried the flag forward. entirely carefree mood. Tax evasion cases
Barcelona (now twice) and Real Madrid hang over Messi and now Neymar in Brazil
have won half of the first six of the – in addition to the impending Spanish
decade’s Champions League Finals, while court case in which Barcelona and
Atletico Madrid and Sevilla have carried off presidents past and present deny having
the Europa League twice each. misled the authorities over the Brazilian’s
For all the Premier League’s worldwide 2013 transfer from Santos.
popularity, the glory game is being Both they and Juventus were pursuing
monopolised by Barcelona and Madrid, trebles after winning their domestic
and on an individual level, by Lionel Messi possess all the attributes, although they On top…Barca’s Pique Spanish and Italian leagues and cups, but
and Cristiano Ronaldo – even if only the will defend the crown next season without beats Tevez to the ball the “Old Lady” was handicapped by a late
Argentinian made it through to Berlin for Xavi, who emerged from the bench late in injury to Italy centre-back Giorgio Chiellini;
the 2015 Champions League Final. the game and carried off the cup before hence no close encounter of the toothy
Above all, Barcelona secured their heading to Qatar’s Al Sadd. type with Suarez, recalling their World Cup
fifth European triumph in all by seeing Xavi and three of his team-mates – meeting last summer. He was replaced by
off Juventus 3-1 in a Final which provided Gerard Pique, vice-captain Andres Iniesta Andrea Barzagli.
a welcome respite on the pitch to the 10 and Messi – qualified to join an elite club Chiellini issued a battle-cry, urging his
days off it dominated by not only FIFA registered previously by only eight players “great team-mates…to show the world the
chaos but alleged criminality in Zurich. in the 59-year history of the European courage, strength and determination to
Cup: winning it achieve our dream”.
four or more times. Words, however fine, cannot always be
“This is special…to lift the trophy and Previously only one translated into deeds but Juventus, with a
dedicate it to the people of Barcelona” player had managed summer’s perspective, should realise they
Xavi gets his wish in his final game for Barca that status in the exceeded expectations in not only reaching
Champions League the Final – eliminating holders Real
era: Clarence Madrid in the semi-final – but in surviving
Goals from Ivan Rakitic, Luis Suarez Seedorf (uniquely with three different two exhilarating bursts of Barcelona
and Neymar wiped away Juve’s hopes clubs in Ajax, Real Madrid and Milan). wizardry at the start of each half.
of marking the 30th anniversary of the The other multi-winners with four In the end resilience was not enough,
Heysel disaster with a success against the European Cups are Jose Hector Rial and Airborne…Barcelona but it never could be on a night when
odds. The Italians were briefly on terms Marquitos (with Real Madrid) and Phil Neal hoist coach Enrique Messi, Suarez and Neymar were on top
through Alvaro Morata early in the second (Liverpool). Jose Maria Zarraga and the of their collaborative game, more for
half but Barcelona’s overwhelming class great Alfredo Di Stefano both won five, all the team than individually. Juve coach
and creative brilliance crowned them in Madrid, as did Paolo Maldini with Milan. Massimiliano Allegri acknowledged the fact,
worthy champions of Europe. Out on his own is Madrid’s flying winger saying he regretted only the result, not the
Their next target is not merely to Francesco Gento, with six European Cups. “extraordinary” performance of his team.
attempt to match the six-title year of Xavi, Iniesta and Messi were the only The MSN strike force had claimed 120
2009 but to become the first club to win three survivors of the Barcelona team who goals between them before the Final
the Champions League, in its modern beat Arsenal in Paris in 2006 although but it was the unnoticed Rakitic who put
incarnation, two seasons in a row. They the Argentinian did not play in the Final Barcelona ahead after four minutes. With
36 WORLD SOCCER
 EURO SEASON REVIEW

KEY MOMENTS

GOAL!
4min In Barcelona’s first attack,
Rakitic slots home Iniesta’s pass after
a nine-man passing move. Juventus 0
Barcelona 1
8min Vidal shoots over from the edge
of the area for Juventus.
9min Neymar shoots over for Barca.
13min Alves’ shot is palmed away by
Juve keeper Buffon.
24min Marchisio of Juve shoots wide.
39min Suarez shoots across goal and
just wide of the far post.
40min Suarez’s shot is pushed over
by Buffon.
48min After a swift Barca counter-
attack, Suarez’s shot is blocked by
Buffon at the near post.

GOAL!
55min A Marchisio backheel
wrongfoots the Barca defence. Tevez’s
shot is parried by Ter Stegen into the
path of Morata, who taps home.
Juventus 1 Barcelona 1
63min Tevez shoots over from the edge
of the area.
67min A Juve penalty claim is denied
after Pogba is challenged in the area.

GOAL!
68min Messi leads a rapid Barcelona
attack. His shot is pushed out by Buffon,
but Suarez fires the rebound in.
Juventus 1 Barcelona 2
71min Neymar heads Suarez’s cross
past Buffon but the ball is adjudged to
have hit his arm on the way in.
81min Pique, played in by Rakitic after
a corner, volleys over.
89min Marchisio’s shot is pushed wide
from the edge of the area.

the exception of Suarez, the other nine left them exposed at the back. In the 67th Finale…Xavi leaves
outfield players contributed to the move. minute Barcelona broke again at speed. Barca with a fourth
European Cup
They could have scored more but Rakitic fed Messi, who unleashed a low
Juventus, having emerged from the initial drive that Gigi Buffon could only push
hurricane at a cost of only one goal, began away, and Suarez followed up for his
to find their own attacking feet in the seventh goal in his last 10 games.
second half. A neat backheel from Claudio Neymar then deflected his header into GOAL!
Marchisio allowed Lichtsteiner to cross; the goal off his own outstretched arm, but 90+6min Barca break, Neymar
Carlos Tevez’s shot on the turn was saved he was not to be denied. In the last minute exchanges passes with Suarez and then
by Marc-Andre Ter Stegen but Morata was of stoppage time he finished off another fires a fierce shot under Buffon.
on hand to fire home. breakaway and the scoreline reflected more Juventus 1 Barcelona 3
Suddenly Juve had their tails up, but it realistically the gap between the teams.
WORLD SOCCER 37
 2015 CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FINAL
TACTICAL REVIEW
JONATHAN
WILSON

Masters of the ball but

not of their own destiny
The current Barcelona are more dangerous than Pep
Guardiola’s 2011 side but they are also more vulnerable
NOW & THEN
How do you deal with a front three of
Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar? It W
W
must be the first question any coach who Víctor Valdes
Marc-Andre Ter Stegen
comes up against Barcelona asks, but it
is one to which, at the moment, it seems W W W W
there is no answer. Javier Mascherano Gerard Pique Javier Mascherano Gerard Pique
Bayern Munich’s former Barca boss,
Pep Guardiola, looking at his former side
W W W W
before their semi-final meeting, effectively
Dani Alves Jordi Alba Dani Alves Eric Abidal
decided not to bother. He played three
W W
man-markers at the back and pressed Sergio Busquets Sergio Busquets
high into midfield, remembering, perhaps, W W
how Marcelo Bielsa’s Athletic Bilbao had W W Xavi Andres Iniesta
unsettled his Barca. Maybe, he seems Ivan Rakitic Andres Iniesta
W
to have reasoned, unused as they are to Lionel Messi
W W
being pressed, Barca’s midfield could be David Villa Pedro
W W
shaken by having done to them what they Neymar
Lionel Messi W
had habitually done to others. Luis Suarez
A handful of through balls from Andres
Iniesta and Ivan Rakitic and subsequent
near misses, he changed tack.
Juventus, less radically, pursued a BARCELONA 2015 BARCELONA 2011
similar logic in the Champions League
Attention...Juve
Final in Berlin. Although their back four defenders stick close ferociously. And, for about two-and-a-half of Iniesta, but no side can be at 100 per
stayed relatively deep, they pressed to Messi minutes, it worked. cent all the time. Mistakes happen. And
Javier Mascherano twice misplaced against a side like Barca there’s always a
passes. Barca looked rattled. And then, small blanket effect going on; you can’t
from a throw-in on the left, they held cover everything all of the time.
possession for a while to regain their Juve played with a midfield diamond
composure, the move slowly blossoming as part of the plan to congest the middle,
into a 15-pass attack that featured every effectively surrendering the flanks to
outfield player, bar Suarez, and ended Barca, but that created the avenue into
with Rakitic giving them the lead. which Jordi Alba surged to knock Messi’s
Like Alex Ferguson in 2011, Massimiliano pass inside for Neymar. As soon as the
Allegri seemed remarkably relaxed in decision had been taken to play with a
defeat; both knew that against brilliance front two – and Carlos Tevez and Alvaro
there just isn’t much you can do. Morata are key to how Juve break and to
There were individual flaws in the build- the semi-final victory over Real Madrid
up. Paul Pogba’s positioning seemed oddly – that was always the risk.
high and if he’d been nearer to Messi, You can’t keep both your shoulders and
perhaps he wouldn’t have been able to your feet warm at the same time.
clip that pass out to the left flank so easily, Three years ago, thanks to the example
and Arturo Vidal failed to pick up the run of Internazionale and Chelsea in the

38 WORLD SOCCER
 EURO SEASON REVIEW

reaches the forward as the opposing

WHAT THEY SAID
defence is less likely to be set, but
presents a greater possibility of the ball
LUIS ENRIQUE
being lost. His pass for Messi for his (Barcelona coach):
second goal in the first leg of the semi- “This Final was
final against Bayern was the perfect spectacular because
example of that; his pass to Messi for it was against a top-
Barca’s second in the final showcased his level opponent. When
they were 1-0 down
spatial intelligence. The pass was angled they caused us a lot
slightly to the left which created the angle of trouble – even though we generated
for Messi to cut back onto his right foot opportunities of our own – before we
and send a shot goalwards. wrote history again for Barcelona.
But because they take more risks, this “It started perfectly for us by scoring
a goal from the first opportunity. We
Barca never quite has the control that dominated the first half, but Buffon was
Guardiola’s Barca would – even if it is, at absolutely his top level. The second
paradoxically probably better at defending, half went as I expected. Juventus
or at least at defending in its purest sense. started to press more strongly and
scored and we felt we had to struggle.
Guardiola’s side prioritised one aspect of
“But I felt we were always superior
the game – possession – above all else, and we deserved to win.
and with it dominated games almost “This season we have played 60
absolutely, defending by denying the matches, losing only six and drawing
opposition the ball. four. I think these figures show this one
of the greatest seasons of even such a
It’s easy to imagine that if it had been
great club as Barcelona. But the players
Guardiola’s side that had taken a still have a hunger for all these trophies
fourth-minute lead with a brilliant goal, and titles. We want to keep it going.”
they’d have killed the game – as, say, Ajax
did against Juventus after taking an early MASSIMILIANO
ALLEGRI
lead in the 1973 European Cup Final – by
(Juventus coach):
holding possession. They probably “At the end of the
wouldn’t have created as many chances as game I thanked the
semi-finals of 2010 and 2012, everybody Talent...Neymar and this Barca did, but equally they wouldn’t team not only
knew that the best way to deal with Barca his fellow front men have left themselves as open to conceding because of the
are all fine dribblers extraordinary season
was to sit deep, deny them space and an equaliser after squandering possession.
but because of the way they played
verticality, and hope they end up passing Buoyed by the equaliser, and by the tonight - an extraordinary game. They
the ball square across the pitch. The way showed great personality, technique
Barca have evolved – and the remarkable and skill.
thing is they have done it with only four “It was a great Final but,
unfortunately, when you play against
changes in outfield personnel in Alba,
great players and you think you have
Rakitic, Neymar and Suarez – makes that things under control that greatness
a far riskier way to play against them. enabled them to get away from us
Barca’s front three are all fine dribblers just when I thought we were about
– and different types of dribbler: the to score again.
“So we do feel sorry for losing but,
trickery of Neymar, the minimalist shuffle
above all, we come out of this Final with
of Messi, the powerful surge of Suarez. greater self-esteem, greater confidence
Between them, they dribble on average 12 and awareness of what we can do. We
times per Champions League match – as can consolidate and strengthen our way
opposed to the 4.1 times per game Messi, of playing and stay among the eight top
teams in Europe consistently.
Alexis Sanchez and Pedro did in 2011-12
“I thought we could win it but the
– and that creates big issues for defences. moment we made a mistake Barcelona
A blur of feet and they can be past one, got away. They have three exceptional
two, three opponents – and, once that’s strikers who are great on the counter
happened, any marking structure is in attack so we paid the price for that.”
tatters. Other defenders must come across
ANDRES INIESTA
to cover, and when they do, that inevitably (Barcelona, man of
leaves other players free. The danger to Midfield clash...Pogba (left) and Rakitic the match):
Barcelona is that running with the ball “Juventus made it
risks concession of possession: even Messi raucous celebrations from their fans, Juve difficult for us. We
had early chances
completes only 65 per cent of his dribbles. went on the attack, and for 10 minutes or
for 2-0 which would
The other major difference between so the game hung in the balance. But the have allowed us to
this Barcelona and that of Guardiola is its danger with this Barca is that they are not play in a more relaxed manner. Still, we
capacity for directness through midfield. merely superb with the ball; they are also won and it’s been a spectacular day for
Where Xavi would look always for a simple masters of the counter-attack, as the us, FC Barcelona, for Barcelona itself
and for our supporters.
pass, preserving possession, Rakitic takes Suarez and Neymar goals proved. “Six years ago we thought the treble
more risks. He looks for the instant ball, This Barcelona is more varied than the was impossible to repeat yet now we’ve
which is more dangerous when it Guardiola incarnation, is capable of playing done it again.
in more different ways, and is probably “It makes my hair stand on end to
harder to stop. But at the same time it look back and realise how fortunate
Because they take more risks, this has a vulnerability, lacks the same sense
I feel to play for FC Barcelona and
achieve great success. I don’t think,
Barca never quite has the control of control. It may be more fun to watch, right now, I see its true value - not
that Guardiola’s Barca would but whether it is better is a slightly even 10 per cent of it.”
different issue. WS
WORLD SOCCER 39
 2015 EUROPA LEAGUE FINAL
GAVIN HAMILTON

2015 EUROPA LEAGUE FINAL

MAY 27, NATIONAL STADIUM, WARSAW
Dnipro 2 (Kalinic 7, Rotan 44)
Sevilla 3 (Krychowiak 28, Bacca 31, 73)
HT: 2-2. Ref: Atkinson (Eng). Att: 45,000
Dnipro: Boyko; Fedetskyi, Douglas,
Cheberyachko, Matos; Kankava (Shakhov
85), Fedorchuk (Bezus 68), Matheus, Rotan,

Sevilla make history Konoplyanka; Kalinic (Seleznyov 78)

Booked: Kankava, Bezus, Kalinic, Rotan, Matos
Sevilla: Rico; Vidal, Carrico, Kolodziejczak,
Spanish side land record fourth title after exciting Tremoulinas; Mbia, Krychowiak; Reyes (Coke
59), Banega (Iborra 89), Vitolo; Bacca
victory over Ukraine’s Dnipro in Warsaw (Gameiro 82)
Booked: Krychowiak, Carrico, Bacca

The Europa League has had a chequered rewarded with automatic entry to the
history since the UEFA Cup morphed into “other” competition.
the current competition in 2009. While Emery was keen to reflect on his team’s
English clubs have struggled with the triumph, saying: “Now is not the time to
midweek format, others elsewhere have talk about the future. We have demanded
failed to see beyond the figures that make a lot of ourselves so we want to enjoy
it the poor relation – in terms of both our great achievement right now. The
prize money and TV audiences – of the Champions League will be an eye-opener
Champions League. but we’ll think about it in the coming days.
But Sevilla are doing their best to “We are closer than ever to Seville, the
single-handedly rescue the Europa city and the fans. When football throws up
League’s reputation. After beating a brilliant moment, you have to live it. It’s
Ukraine’s Dnipro 3-2 in an exciting Final in not easy to win the Europa League as you
Warsaw’s national stadium – the first have to work hard, but obviously we want
more. We now have more – we have the
Champions League, and we will enjoy it
fully because it’s a great competition.”
Sevilla can be considered worthy
winners of this season’s Europa League.
In the knockout stage, there were victories
over Fiorentina, Zenit, Villarreal and
Borussia Monchengladbach, and only one
loss, to Feyenoord, in the group stage.
Emery, the former Valencia boss, may
Gloom…the Dnipro bench sense defeat have lost Ivan Rakitic, the star of last year’s
Final, to Barcelona at the start of the
European Final hosted by a Polish city – season, but in Colombian striker Carlos
the Andalusian club celebrated a record Bacca, he had a worthy man of the match
fourth victory in the competition. in Warsaw.
Twelve months ago, Unai Emery’s side Bacca scored twice, including the
overcame Benfica on penalties in Turin winner, as Sevilla recovered from an early
to add to their back-to-back wins over setback of conceding the opening goal.
Middlesbrough and Espanyol in the 2006 Bacca’s history is fascinating, arriving in
and 2007 UEFA Cup Finals. Spain via a spell in Belgium. He made his
Emery could have been forgiven for professional debut in Colombia aged 23,
casting an envious eye towards the riches having previously made a living
on offer in the Champions League this as a bus conductor and Heaven sent…
season, yet the coach had no regrets fresh-fish seller. Bacca celebrates
his winning goal
about spending a season toiling in the Bacca had a half-chance to
Europa League. “We care about this open the scoring as early as the
competition more than anyone,” he had first minute but flashed his shot
said after watching his side’s emphatic over after some clever control
victory over Fiorentina in the semi-final. had set up the opportunity.
Ironically, Sevilla’s reward for winning However, it was Dnipro who
in Warsaw will be a place in next season’s took the lead on the counter-
Champions League – the first time the attack. A long ball was met by
Europa League winners have been Nikola Kalinic, who headed on
40 WORLD SOCCER
 EURO SEASON REVIEW

for Bacca, and two goals in less than

KEY MOMENTS
“We are closer than ever to Seville, four minutes midway through the first
the city and the fans” half turned the game on its head. First
Krychowiak snatched the equaliser from
Sevilla coach Unai Emery
a corner, hooking his shot through the
Dnipro defence. Then Bacca ran on to Jose
into the path of Matheus. The Brazilian Reyes’ clever pass to put Sevilla ahead.
returned the compliment with an inviting Sevilla should have killed the game off
cross which Kalinic nodded in. before half-time, but Dnipro were back in GOAL!
Dnipro’s progress to the Final had been it when veteran skipper Ruslan Rotan 7min Kalinic heads down a long ball
by the finest of margins; the Ukrainians curled a delightful free-kick over the and then turns in Matheus’s cross with
scoring only 15 times in 16 matches. But defensive wall. a second header. Dnipro 1 Sevilla 0
their exceptional defensive qualities now The goal set up an intriguing second 11min A long shot from Banega goes
well over.
faced their sternest test. half but the intensity of Sevilla’s play
20min Reyes shoots into the side netting.
By contrast, Sevilla were the dropped until the substitution of Reyes on 24min Krychowiak’s header from a
competition’s top scorers, and they the hour allowed the speedy Aleix Vidal to corner is palmed away by Boyko.
worked hard to establish control. Grzegorz push further forward on the right flank.
Krychowiak, back in the stadium where The winning goal came from a mistake
he has become a key figure for Poland’s by Dnipro keeper Denys Boyko, who skied
national side, was outstanding as a a clearance, allowing Vitolo to stab the ball
defensive midfield pivot. forward to the alert Bacca, who fired home.
Further forward, Argentinian Ever It was a disappointing end for Dnipro GOAL!
Banega probed and uncovered openings following an incredible run in this season’s
28min From a patiently worked
corner, Krychowiak’s snap shot finds
its way past Boyko. Dnipro 1 Sevilla 1

GOAL!
31min Bacca runs on to Reyes’
weighted through-ball and rounds the
keeper to score. Dnipro 1 Sevilla 2
37min Konaplyanka’s curling
long-range shot is tipped over by Rico.

Cause for concern… competition. The sequence of victories –

Matheus is carried over the likes of Napoli, Club Brugge, Ajax
off following a
clash of heads and Olympiakos – had been all the more
remarkable because they were forced to
GOAL!
play all their home games in Kiev, 450km
from their home, because of the ongoing 44min Rotan curls a free-kick over the
Sevilla wall and into the corner of the
violence in the east of Ukraine. net. Dnipro 2 Sevilla 2
Coach Myron Markevych was the 55min Konoplyanka shoots over.
unsung hero of the campaign. He enjoyed 64min Mbia heads over from a corner.
a prolonged period of success with 67min From another corner, an effort
Metallist Kharkiv (although he never broke by Krychowiak is blocked in the six-
yard box.
the duopoly of Dynamo Kiev and Shakhtar 69min Sevilla claim a penalty after
Donetsk) and joined Dnipro last summer Matheus pushes Vitola.
after Juande Ramos – the coach of Sevilla
when they won the competition in 2006
and 2007 – moved his family back to
Spain as the violence intensified.
Markevych masterfully guided a squad
composed of mostly homegrown players,
including national team winger Yevhen
Konoplyanka. A nervous silence fell on the
stadium when one of his foreign charges, GOAL!
Matheus, collapsed in the final minute. The 73min Bacca, played in by Vitolo,
Brazilian left the pitch on a stretcher, the shoots past Boyko after Dnipro fail to
result of a clash of heads a few minutes clear their lines. Dnipro 2 Sevilla 3
79min Boyko saves brilliantly from
earlier, but thankfully recovered quickly
Bacca’s close-range header.
when he arrived in hospital. 89min Matheus collapses on the pitch
Battle for control… “It looks like he is OK,” said Markevych, a minute after a clash of heads with
Sevilla’s French who was honest about his team’s Tremoulinas and is carried off on a
defender Benoit deficiencies. “In previous games we stretcher. Dnipro finish the match
Tremoulinas out jumps with 10 men.
Artem Fedetskyi of wouldn’t have lost a match like this even
Dnipro if we’d only scored once,” he said. WS
WORLD SOCCER 41
JOHN
BELGIUM
PLAYER OF
CHAPMAN
THE SEASON
Mat Ryan
(Club Brugge)
The 23-year-old
Australian keeper
was in great form for
his side during the
Cup Final, was
excellent in the
Europa League and
proved himself to be
consistently good
throughout the
league campaign.

Hats off to head man Hein

T
he annual Gent Festival attracts them to the Belgian Cup Final in 2012.
two million visitors and lasts for Appointed at Gent at the beginning of
10 days. After the city’s football this season, he was the club’s sixth coach
club won the title for the first in 18 months. He cleared out unwanted
time, the celebrations lasted for a similar players, brought in a few new faces and
period. On the Sunday evening a few days gave prominent roles to some of those
after they had clinched the league crown he had worked with at Kortrijk. These
with a 2-0 victory over Standard, an included Israeli centre-back Rami
estimated 125,000 fans watched their Gershon, much-travelled midfielder
heroes parade the trophy along the Leie Sven Kums, whom he appointed captain,
river on a flotilla of boats. and youngsters Benito Raman and
Gent had not been expected to mount Brecht Dejaegere.
a challenge and their unexpected success Vanhaezebrouck is a great motivator,
was primarily down to one man: coach often getting the most out of players
Hein Vanhaezebrouck. who have struggled elsewhere. He’s also
Little-known outside his homeland, an astute tactician, favouring a 3-5-2
formation that requires his players to
be physically fit and willing to follow
instructions. The 51-year-old likes his
teams to play football from the back
and continually create problems for
the opposition.
In a sense, Vanhaezebrouck’s teams
have always played in the same way
– except that now he has a better quality
squad. Not that this title-winning team has
recognised stars. Goalkeeper Matz Sels
and striker Laurent Depoitre both received
honourable mentions in the end-of- On top...coach Ghelamco Arena – which houses a
season Players’ Player of the Year awards Vanhaezebrouck Michelin star restaurant – is the only
Parade...Gent celebrate on the Leie river celebrates with his
but they are not household names. Then players state-of-the-art stadium in Belgium. The
Vanhaezebrouck was born in Kortrijk but second, and perhaps equally important,
his family moved to Lauwe, not far from was the arrival of their coach.
the border with France, when he was six
“This city has been waiting for the During the regular season,
months old. And he was expected to follow title for such a long time. We have Vanhaezebrouck kept Gent in the leading
in the footsteps of his father, who was a always believed we were capable pack, but the league format places
headmaster, until football beckoned. of doing something” enormous importance on the play-offs,
On the field, his career was far from and Club Brugge – who topped the table
Gent coach Hein Vanhaezebrouck
spectacular. He played as a libero with by four points – saw their lead over
several Flemish clubs, although he did win Anderlecht and Gent halved overnight.
the third-division title with KRC Harelbeke there’s Nigerian winger Moses Simon, Too much...Club During the play-offs, Michel
Brugge and boss
in 1990. signed in January from Slovakian side Preud’homme Preud’homme’s Club Brugge found the
He got his first coaching post in 2000, Trencin as an unknown and who is now played 65 games strain of playing on three fronts – league,
as an assistant at Lokeren, and then came on the radar of several bigger clubs. Belgian Cup and Europa League – too
his big break when appointed boss of Although Gent are one of Belgium’s much, while Anderlecht and Standard
Kortrijk in 2006. “Big Five”, with a budget of ¤25m, they flattered to deceive. And when those
His achievements at Kortrijk, with an are some way down the pecking order, two played out a disappointing draw in
annual budget of just ¤8million, were to behind Anderlecht, Club Brugge, Standard Brussels, the spotlight switched to Gent
make his reputation. In seven seasons, and Genk. and Vanhaezebrouck. His team didn’t
Vanhaezebrouck won the second division However, two events have shaken things choke and significantly, after the title
title and, following an unhappy interlude up. The first was in 2013 when Gent win, he made special mention of sports
at Genk, he returned to Kortrijk and took inaugurated their new ground. The psychologist Eva Maenhout who joined

42 WORLD SOCCER
 EURO SEASON REVIEW

TEAM OF THE SEASON

NEWCOMER OF COACH OF PROMOTED EUROPEAN W W
THE SEASON THE SEASON Second Division QUALIFIERS Olivier Deschacht Moses Simon
Neeskens Kebano Hein Vanhaezebrouck champions Sint- Gent gain direct entry (Anderlecht) (Gent)
(Charleroi) (Gent) Truiden return to to the Champions W
After failing at Paris Turned a squad the top flight once League group stage, W W Laurent Depoitre
Saint-Germain, the without stars into again, having been while Club Brugge Jorge Teixeira Neeskens Kebano (Gent)
midfielder blossomed title winners. relegated in 2012. go into the third W (Standard) (Charleroi)
under Felice Mazzu. They will be joined by qualifying round. Matt Ryan
RELEGATED Leuven, who won the Anderlecht are in the (Club Brugge) W W
CUP WINNERS Lierse finished last promotion play-off Europa League group Chancel Mbemba Youri Tielemans
Club Brugge won in the league but it – ahead of Eupen, stage, with Charleroi (Anderlecht) (Anderlecht) W
their first silverware took them another 11 Lierse and Lommel and Standard in the Aleksandar Mitrovic
for eight years with play-off games before United – are back just second and third W W (Anderlecht)
a 2-1 victory over they went down with one season after they qualifying rounds Thomas Meunier Mehdi Carcela-Gonzalez
Anderlecht. Cercle Brugge. went down. respectively. (Club Brugge) (Standard)

PRO LEAGUE 2014-15

P W D L F A Pts
CLUB BRUGGE 30 17 10 3 69 28 61
GENT 30 16 9 5 52 29 57
ANDERLECHT 30 16 9 5 51 30 57
STANDARD 30 16 5 9 49 39 53
KORTRIJK 30 16 3 11 54 35 51
CHARLEROI 30 14 7 9 44 31 49
GENK 30 13 10 7 38 28 49
LOKEREN 30 10 12 8 38 32 42
MECHELEN 30 10 11 9 37 39 41
OOSTENDE 30 11 5 14 40 52 38
WESTERLO 30 8 9 13 42 63 33
ZULTE WAREGEM 30 8 7 15 41 54 31
MOUSCRON 30 7 5 18 32 51 26
WAASLAND-BEV 30 7 5 18 30 49 26
CERCLE BRUGGE 30 6 6 18 21 45 24
LIERSE 30 5 7 18 30 63 22

TOP GOALSCORERS
Aleksandar Mitrovic (And’lect) 20 goals
Ivan Santini (Kortrijk) 15 goals
Euro chase...Anderlect’s Andy Najar (left) and Adrien Trebel of Standard

N
GE

RE
GE

VE
UG

KEY
HT

N
I

UG

BE
BR

W LTE O
EC

O
K

EM
ER

L
N

LE

D-
CR
IJ
BR

Home win Away win

RL

Z U ER
EN

DA
RE
E

HE
SE

EG
AR -
RL

AN
L

US
DE

T
NK

ST
RT
NT
UB
RC

KE

AN

ES
ER
0-0 Score draw
A

EC

’L
O

O
AN

KO
CH

GE

GE

LO
CE

CL

ST

W
W
LI

O
No fixture
AWAY TEAM

ANDERLECHT 3-2 1-0 2-2 0-0 1-2 2-0 3-0 1-1 1-1 3-1 3-0 0-2 1-0 4-0 0-0
CERCLE BRUGGE 0-2 1-0 0-3 0-1 0-0 0-4 1-2 1-0 2-3 2-1 0-1 0-1 1-0 1-2 2-2
CHARLEROI 3-1 0-2 0-0 1-0 0-0 0-2 6-0 1-0 2-0 2-0 2-0 0-1 2-2 2-3 2-1
CLUB BRUGGE 2-2 1-1 1-0 4-1 2-2 5-0 1-0 1-1 1-1 3-0 2-0 3-0 4-2 5-0 2-1
GENK 0-1 1-1 1-1 1-1 3-2 3-0 3-0 0-0 3-0 2-0 1-1 0-2 1-0 3-1 3-2
GENT 0-2 4-0 2-2 2-1 0-0 0-1 2-1 1-1 3-1 1-0 3-1 1-2 4-1 4-0 3-1
KORTRIJK 2-3 1-0 0-0 2-0 1-1 2-3 1-0 2-3 3-0 3-0 0-2 2-3 2-1 6-0 3-1
HOME TEAM

LIERSE 2-2 2-1 0-2 0-6 0-2 0-1 0-0 1-1 0-1 2-2 2-0 2-3 1-1 3-3 3-1
LOKEREN 1-2 0-0 5-2 1-3 1-1 3-3 1-2 2-0 3-2 1-0 3-1 1-1 3-0 0-0 2-1
MECHELEN 1-1 1-1 0-0 3-1 3-1 0-0 1-2 2-1 0-1 1-0 0-0 1-0 2-0 5-2 1-1
MOUSCRON 4-2 4-0 0-2 1-4 1-2 1-3 0-3 2-1 2-2 1-1 0-1 5-2 1-0 1-0 0-1
at the turn of the year. OOSTENDE 0-2 2-0 1-3 2-2 1-1 1-3 1-7 2-1 0-1 2-0 0-0 3-2 4-3 4-0 1-3
Having lost only one game in 2015 STANDARD 2-0 1-0 3-0 1-3 1-0 0-1 0-2 2-2 2-0 2-0 3-0 3-5 3-2 2-2 1-2
– and that in the 92nd minute – Gent’s W’LAND-BEVEREN 0-2 1-0 1-3 0-2 0-1 0-1 1-0 2-0 0-0 2-2 2-1 1-0 0-2 1-1 1-3
championship success was richly deserved WESTERLO 2-2 1-0 2-3 1-3 1-2 0-0 2-1 6-1 1-0 1-1 1-3 3-0 1-1 1-2 2-2
in a season where coaches have mattered ZULTE-WAREGEM 0-2 1-2 1-3 1-1 2-0 2-1 2-0 2-3 1-0 2-3 1-1 1-4 1-1 1-4 1-3

more than players.

D

CHAMPIONSHIP GROUP
N

AN

Preud’homme did an excellent job at

LE

SL

P W D L F A Pts
HE
NK

E
AA

LT

Club Brugge, but having to play 65 games

EC

GENT 10 6 2 2 18 11 49
GE

Z U
W
M


– more than any other team in Europe – CLUB BRUGGE 10 5 1 4 16 16 47 PLAY-OFFS GROUP A AWAY TEAM
ANDERLECHT 10 5 2 3 18 13 46
saw his team ran out of gas. Anderlecht’s STANDARD 10 4 1 5 14 13 40 GENK 1-0 7-1 1-0
HOME

MECHELEN 4-0 4-1 3-0

TEAM

Besnik Hasi did all he could to repeat his CHARLEROI 10 3 2 5 13 15 36

KORTRIJK 10 2 2 6 11 22 34 WAASLAND-BEVEREN 0-2 1-2 0-2
title win of the previous season but he had Teams carried forward half their regular-season points (rounded up) ZULTE-WAREGEM 2-3 0-1 2-2
problems with a squad containing several
N

inflated egos. In the south, Charleroi’s

O

ND

RL
N

CR
RE

TE
E
US

ST

Felice Mazzu worked wonders with a

KE

ES
O

O
LO

W
M


O

team that had been many people’s tip for

E
T

PLAY-OFFS GROUP B
NT GG

AWAY TEAM
AR CH

UB OI

RD
G E RU

AN JK

relegation, while Standard employed three

C L ER
C H LE

LOKEREN 2-1 6-1 1-1

DA
S T RI
B
R

L
DE

RT

coaches and lurched from crisis to crisis.

HOME

MOUSCRON 1-5 2-0 1-1

TEAM
AN

K O

But in the end it was Vanhaezebrouck CHAMP’SHIP P-OFF AWAY TEAM OOSTENDE 1-2 0-1 2-0
ANDERLECHT WESTERLO 4-3 0-3 1-2
who topped the lot and now Gent fans are 1-0 3-1 2-1 5-1 1-1
CHARLEROI 0-1 2-3 2-1 5-2 1-0
demanding a statue in his honour. European play-offs qualifier
HOME

CLUB BRUGGE 2-1 3-1 2-3 1-0 2-1

TEAM

The man himself does not seem in GENT 2-1 1-1 2-2 2-0 2-0 Lokeren v Mechelen 2-2,1-2 (agg 3-4)
favour, however, saying with a smile: “They KORTRIJK 2-2 1-1 2-0 0-1 3-1
European play-offs Final
can be knocked down too easily”. WS STANDARD 3-1 2-0 1-0 1-3 4-0 Mechelen v Charleroi 2-1, 0-2 (agg 2-3)

WORLD SOCCER 43
 CZECH REPUBLIC
SAM BECKWITH

PLAYER OF THE SEASON

Pavel Kaderabek
(Sparta Prague, above left)
The pacey 23-year-old right-back/
midfielder was hugely impressive for Sparta
and is being chased by Hoffenheim.

Triumph tinged with tragedy

NEWCOMER OF THE SEASON

V
iktoria Plzen’s third league Ales Mateju
title in five years was put into (Pribram)
perspective by the loss of Eighteen-year-old right-back who returned
midfielder Daniel Kolar’s wife, from a year’s loan spell with PSV to become
the Czech league’s brightest rising star. He
Tereza, to cancer in December, and
will join champions Plzen over the summer.
defender Marian Cisovsky’s ongoing
struggle with serious illness.
Unable to play since April last year,
35-year-old Cisovsky joined his team- COACH OF THE SEASON
Miroslav Koubek
mates for an emotional celebration on
(Viktoria Plzen)
the pitch as they won the championship Once a reserve goalkeeper at Sparta, the
with two games to spare. 63-year-old masterminded Plzen’s triumph
“I am a hard man, but I had tears in over his former club to win over the sceptics
my eyes because of Marian,” said coach and clinch the first league title of his career.
Miroslav Koubek of the Slovakian who
is reported to be suffering from motor
neurone disease. “If I could swap the title CUP WINNERS
I have been waiting for 32 years, for Slovan Liberec beat regional rivals Jablonec
his health, I would do it immediately.” on penalties, after a 1-1 draw, to lift the
Czech Cup for the second time.
It was a tragic backdrop to what would
otherwise have been a deeply satisfying
triumph for Koubek. Tragic...Viktoria Plzen its peak in 2012 when Sparta owner
Appointed in August, after Dusan Uhrin defender Cisovsky is Daniel Kretinsky accused Plzen officials RELEGATED
seriously ill Hradec Kralove and Ceske Budejovice.
Jr failed to qualify for the Europa League of bribing referees. This time, however, he
group stage, Koubek was an unpopular accepted Plzen’s success in good grace,
choice with many Plzen fans. Sacked by commenting: “Viktoria Plzen beat us twice
Slavia Prague last season, he came close this season in fair, direct competition, with PROMOTED
an aggregate score of 4-0. The title and Sigma Olomouc and Varnsdorf.
congratulations justly belong to them.”
“I am a hard man, but I had tears Koubek stuck with the club’s attack-
in my eyes because of Marian” oriented blueprint on taking charge and EUROPEAN QUALIFIERS
Plzen coach Miroslav Koubek on defender Marian Cisovsky the fact that only two outfield players Viktoria Plzen and Sparta Prague start
failed to score gives a clear indication of in the Champions League; Slovan Liberec,
their inclination. His success also proved Jablonec and Mlada Boleslav are in the
Europa League qualifiers.
to winning the league five years ago before that Plzen no longer depend on veteran
his Banik Ostrava side blew their lead with playmaker, Pavel Horvath. The iconic
two games to go. Most damning, though, midfielder played a relatively minor LIGA 1 2014-15
was a previous stint as Plzen coach, which on-field role in his latest campaign and, P W D L F A Pts
had ended in relegation in 2001. aged 40, he has now retired and taken VIKTORIA PLZEN 30 23 3 4 70 24 72
Despite an initially hostile reception, on an assistant coach’s role. SPARTA 30 21 4 5 57 20 67
JABLONEC 30 19 7 4 58 22 64
Koubek took Plzen to the top of the table Plzen’s continuing success is bad news MLADA BOLESLAV 30 13 7 10 43 34 46
in his first game in charge and – one or for Sparta who finished trophyless after PRIBRAM 30 12 7 11 40 45 43
DUKLA 30 11 8 11 34 40 41
two blips notwithstanding – they remained the previous season’s league/cup/Super TEPLICE 30 9 11 10 41 37 38
there for virtually the entire campaign, Cup treble. They stood by coach Vitezslav BOH’IANS 1905 30 10 8 12 35 41 38
twice beating Sparta 2-0 along the way. Lavicka despite failing to reach the SLOVACKO 30 10 7 13 43 46 37
JIHLAVA 30 10 6 14 33 38 36
Given the acrimonious relationship Champions League group stage or make it SLAVIA 30 9 7 14 40 45 34
between the two clubs in recent years, through the same phase of the Europa SLOVAN LIBEREC 30 7 12 11 39 43 33
BRNO 30 9 6 15 34 45 33
those victories were particularly sweet. League. But by April they had been BANIK OSTRAVA 30 8 9 13 23 41 33
Viktoria’s squad also contained players knocked out of the Czech Cup at the H KRALOVE 30 6 7 17 26 52 25
C BUD’VICE 30 5 7 18 29 72 22
ditched by Sparta earlier in their careers, quarter-final stage and were five points
such as David Limbersky, Daniel Kolar, behind Plzen in the league, prompting TOP GOALSCORERS
Milan Petrzela and Jan Holenda. Kretinsky to bring in Zdenek Scasny for David Lafata (Sparta Prague) 20 goals
Milan Skoda (Slavia Prague) 19 goals
The rancour between the clubs reached the last seven games. WS Libor Dosek (Slovacko) 16 goals

44 WORLD SOCCER
 DENMARK EURO SEASON REVIEW

JIM HOLDEN COACH OF THE NEWCOMER OF

SEASON THE SEASON
Glen Riddersholm Pione Sisto
(Midtjylland, right) (Midtjylland)
Bold, intelligent A 20-year-old
boss of the midfielder who was
champions who born in Uganda, of
is now being Southern Sudanese
linked with a parents, and has
move to a big won under-21
club overseas. caps for Denmark.

PLAYER OF CUP WINNERS EUROPEAN

THE SEASON Copenhagen won the QUALIFIERS
Erik Sviatchenko Cup for a sixth time, Midtjylland are
(Midtjylland) beating Vestsjaelland in the Champions
Defender who was – who were making League; Brondby,

The appliance of science the heartbeat of

the champions.
their debut in the
Final – 3-2 with an
extra-time winner
Copenhagen and
Randers enter the
Europa League.
RELEGATED from 19-year-old

T
he land of Hans Christian since this system started every single Silkeborg and Faroese midfielder PROMOTED
Andersen loves a fairy tale, player we have signed has been a success. Vestsjaelland. Brandur Olsen. Viborg and AGF.
none more so than the national That’s extremely unusual.”
side’s famous triumph at the One of those is Martin Pusic, an
1992 European Championship. This year, unheralded 27-year-old striker from used to prepare for games and in post-
the country has gloried in the success Austria who had been at nine previous match analysis.
of Midtjylland, who captured their first clubs across Europe without success. “Before every game. I receive a huge
Superliga title with the rigorous appliance Another is 31-year-old Denmark amount of data on the team we’re going to
of science. international midfielder Jakob Poulsen. face,” says 43-year-old Riddersholm, who
Formed 16 years ago from a merger Midtjylland began the campaign with took charge in 2011 after a spell as coach
between Ikast FS and Herning Fremad, a 3-1 victory against Brondby and never of the national under-17 side.
the minnows have been transformed by looked back. A win away to Copenhagen “It’s the same at half-time. I’ll receive
innovative coach Glen Riddersholm and a text message with various statistics
a “Moneyball” approach to transfers. about the pattern of the game and the
The club’s majority shareholder is “We look at players from a statistical performance of both teams and players.
Matthew Benham, a former hedge-fund and mathematical point of view” “Set-piece situations are something
manager and professional gambler who we’ve focused closely on for the past three
Midtjylland coach Glen Riddersholm
also owns English second-tier side years. We have a coach who specialises in
Brentford. And with no star names in how to strike the ball and he works with
their ranks, Midtjylland shrugged off the in the fifth round of games cemented the young players and first-team guys.
challenge of Denmark’s major clubs a leadership of the table that was never “There are also specialists from other
Copenhagen and Brondby to secure remotely threatened. sports who give advice. We try to leave
the title with three games to spare. Far and away the Superliga’s top nothing to chance.”
“We look to be creative in everything scorers, Riddersholm’s brand of attacking Magical Midtjylland… Copenhagen and Brondby trailed
we do and go beyond the old conservative football is helped by his side being among Nigerian striker in behind the champions, having been
ways of looking at football,” explains Europe’s most prolific at set-pieces. This Sylvester Igboun pushed all the way by another small club,
leads the celebrations
Riddersholm. “We don’t have the money is just another element of their scientific as the club celebrate Randers, under the guidance of English
of FC Copenhagen or Brondby, so we need approach, with a mountain of detail being their first league title boss Colin Todd. WS
to be better in other aspects.
“When Matthew took over the club, we
set up a fantastic scouting system focusing
on more than 60 different leagues. We
look at players from a statistical and
mathematical point of view.
“It’s not only statistics, though. We also
make sure players have the mental and
human qualities we are looking for, and

SUPERLIGA 2014-15
P W D L F A Pts
MIDTJYLLAND 33 22 5 6 64 34 71
COPENHAGEN 33 20 7 6 40 22 67
BRONDBY 33 16 7 10 43 29 55
RANDERS 33 14 10 9 39 28 52
AAB 33 13 9 11 39 31 48
NORDSJAELLAND 33 13 5 15 39 44 44
HOBRO 33 11 10 12 40 47 43
ESBJERG 33 10 10 13 47 45 40
OB 33 11 7 15 35 43 40
SONDERJYSKE 33 7 16 10 35 44 37
VESTSJAELLAND 33 9 6 18 31 52 33
SILKEBORG 33 2 8 23 26 59 14

TOP GOAL SCORERS

Mads Hvilsom (Hobro) 16 goals
Martin Pusic (Esbjerg/Midtjylland) 16 goals
Morten Rasmussen (Midtjylland) 13 goals

WORLD SOCCER 45
 ENGLAND
GAVIN
HAMILTON

Super-strength
Chelsea see off
all challengers

F
rom October onwards, there
was barely a point in the season
when Chelsea’s title ever looked
in doubt. After a stirring first half
of the campaign, they were in cruise
control after Christmas, grinding out
results without ever playing spectacularly.
Manager Jose Mourinho’s first season
back in England had been a hit-and-miss
affair, but last summer, buoyed by new
arrivals in the transfer market, he felt his
side were well placed for a title challenge.
And so it proved.
Chelsea hit the ground running with
four consecutive Premier League wins,
scoring 15 goals (including seven for new
signing Diego Costa), and did not look
back from there on. Only a late equaliser
from old boy Frank Lampard, playing for
Manchester City before heading off to
Major League Soccer, prevented Chelsea “There is a campaign against
from a fifth straight victory. Chelsea. I don’t know why there is
Chelsea were bolstered by the summer
additions of goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois,
this campaign and I do not care”
midfielder Cesc Fabregas and striker Costa. Jose Mourinho gets paranoid early in the season
Mourinho had assembled his best XI and
he stuck with it through the autumn and
winter months, rarely rotating. When Costa
was unavailable through injury, old boy
Didier Drogba filled in.
Back after a loan spell in Spain,
Courtois was an outstanding addition, while
Nemanja Matic, having joined in January
2014, started the new season in fine form.
The key attacking midfield axis between
Cesc Fabregas and Eden Hazard Three...its another
bamboozled most opposition defences, Premier title for
while at the other end John Terry found Chelsea’s boss
new reserves of defensive strength.
Mourinho’s season was not without
controversy. After a 1-1 draw with
Southampton, he complained: “There is
a campaign against Chelsea. I don’t know
why there is this campaign and I do not
care.” And Chelsea had their blips - such

46 WORLD SOCCER
EURO SEASON REVIEW

Spot on...Branislav Ivanovic

celebrates team-mate Eden
Hazard’s penalty against
Crystal Palace that secured
the title for Chelsea

WORLD SOCCER 47
 FRANCE

PLAYER OF NEWCOMER OF COACH OF RELEGATED EUROPEAN

THE SEASON THE SEASON THE SEASON Hull City, after two QUALIFIERS
Eden Hazard Harry Kane Jose Mourinho seasons in the top Chelsea, Manchester
(Chelsea) (Tottenham Hotspur) (Chelsea) flight, went down on City and Arsenal go
The Belgian provided The 21-year-old Won the title in his the final day, They into the Champions
the flair and extra striker enjoyed a second season back joined Burnley, who League group stage,
quality that drove remarkable rise at Stamford Bridge. battled hard but while Manchester
Chelsea to the title. that culminated in His accusation that lacked quality, and United are in the
He weighed in with 14 a goal on his senior Chelsea were victims QPR, who spent qualifiers. Tottenham
goals, many of which England debut. A of a “conspiracy” was heavily, but in vain. and Liverpool are in
were penalties that rare home-grown dismissed as fanciful the Europa League
he won himself. goalscoring hero but there was no PROMOTED group phase, with
Mourinho says he among the expensive denying the strength Bournemouth, Southampton and
would cost “¤100m Premier League of the side that he Watford and fairplay winners West
...for each leg”. imports. has built. Norwich City. Ham in the qualifiers.

as losing 5-3 to Tottenham Hotspur

on New Year’s Day – but their closest
challengers, Manchester City and Arsenal,
failed to land serious blows. Manchester
United, meanwhile, were regrouping under
Louis Van Gaal and Liverpool, missing the
goals of Luis Suarez (now in Barcelona)
and Daniel Sturridge (mostly injured),
never came close to matching the intensity
of their previous season’s challenge.
City faded again in the Spring, with Yaya
Toure, who had been so crucial to the
previous season’s title success, a shadow
of his former self.
Arsenal rallied with performances that
suggested they could push Chelsea to the
wire, but Mourinho’s men ground out
results in April and May to claim the title.
“April was the month people were
waiting for Chelsea to sleep, to lose a
game,” Mourinho said. “And it was exactly
the month where we were phenomenal.”
Howver, the major blot on the
Chelsea landscape was their failure in
the Champions League. After cruising
through the group stage, they appeared
to have done the hard work against Paris
Saint-Germain in the round of 16 by
drawing 1-1 in France. But back at
Stamford Bridge, Chelsea lacked their
early-season swagger. PSG lost Zlatan
Ibrahimovic to an early red card – after
Chelsea’s players had swarmed around
the referee to demand his expulsion –
but fought on with 10 men to draw 2-2 Safe...Newcastle beat once had dreams of emulating Barcelona, sold to Everton for £28million last
and take the tie on away goals West Ham to stay up both on and off the pitch, and fell out summer after loan spells on Merseyside
Arsenal and Manchester City did not spectacularly with Mourinho when the and at West Bromwich Albion.
fare any better, leaving English football “Special One” was sacked in 2007. For Chelsea ended the season with more
now he seems content to allow Mourinho’s than 70 players on their books. Almost
aggressive pragmatism to dominate; a 30 spent all or part of the campaign on
“April was the month people were change of heart that can be attributed loan elsewhere. They ranged from the
waiting for Chelsea to sleep, to lose to the growing influence of director Marina impressive young English striker Patrick
Granovskaia, the woman who has been Bamford at Middlesbrough to the much-
a game. And it was exactly the month described as Abramovich’s “eyes and ears” travelled French midfielder Gael Kakuta
where we were phenomenal” Mourinho within the club. at Rayo Vallecano.
The publicity-shy Granovskaia is Further signings are expected to
probably the most powerful woman in be farmed out this summer. Romanian
with no teams in the quarter-finals for world football, having played a crucial teenager Cristian Manea, the latest signing
the second time in three seasons. The role in luring Mourinho back to the club who has joined from Viitorul Constanta, is
failure of Liverpool, Tottenham and Everton in 2013. She has taken charge of Chelsea’s set to be loaned out to Dutch club Vitesse.
in the Europa League only added to the transfer dealings and is seen as the driving The strategy has helped reduce their
sense of frustration that such a wealthy force behind the policy in which talented outgoings to comply with Financial Fairplay
league can produce teams that youngsters have been farmed out on loan regulations, but Chelsea remained among
underachieve so spectacularly in Europe. to satellite clubs to gain playing time and the league’s highest-paying clubs in the
Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich increase their value. Romelu Lukaku was Premier League. Their annual wage bill,
48 WORLD SOCCER
 Xxx
EURO SEASON REVIEW

TEAM OF THE SEASON

CUP WINNERS W
W
Arsenal retained Cesar Azpilicueta
Alexis Sanchez
the FA Cup with an (Chelsea) W
(Arsenal)
emphatic 4-0 victory Eden Hazard
over Aston Villa at W (Chelsea)
Wembley. Villa found John Terry W
themselves totally W (Chelsea) W Sergio Aguero
out-thought and David De Gea Nemanja Matic (Manchester City)
outclassed by a (Man United) W (Chelsea)
vibrant Gunners Jose Fonte W
side that was (Southampton) Harry Kane
W
inspired by Theo Philippe Coutinho (Tottenham H)
Walcott, Santi W
(Liverpool)
Cazorla and Branislav Ivanovic
Alexis Sanchez. (Chelsea)

Slaven Bilic, is a calculated gamble. The

PREMIER LEAGUE 2014-15
club’s owners want a more attack-minded
P W D L F A Pts team to attract fans when the club move
CHELSEA 38 26 9 3 73 32 87
MAN CITY 38 24 7 7 83 38 79
to the Olympic stadium in 2016. Allardyce
ARSENAL 38 22 9 7 71 36 75 failed to provide that, but his record of
MAN UNITED 38 20 10 8 62 37 70 keeping teams in the top flight, notably
TOTTENHAM 38 19 7 12 58 53 64
LIVERPOOL 38 18 8 12 52 48 62 Bolton Wanderers and now West Ham,
SOUTHAMPTON 38 18 6 14 54 33 60 is exemplary.
SWANSEA 38 16 8 14 46 49 56 Result...Southampton
STOKE 38 15 9 14 48 45 54 punched above their
The price of relegation from the
CRYSTAL PALACE38 13 9 16 47 51 48 weight in terms of Premier League has become all too
EVERTON 38 12 11 15 48 50 47 money spent on wages clear in recent years. Of the teams who
WEST HAM 38 12 11 15 44 47 47
WEST BROM 38 11 11 16 38 51 44 went down 12 months ago, only Norwich
LEICESTER 38 11 8 19 46 55 41 City came back up this season, with
NEWCASTLE 38 10 9 19 40 63 39
SUNDERLAND 38 7 17 14 31 53 38 Cardiff City and Fulham failing to trouble
ASTON VILLA 38 10 8 20 31 57 38 the play-off places. Wigan Athletic,
HULL 38 8 11 19 33 51 35
BURNLEY 38 7 12 19 28 53 33
relegated two seasons ago, dropped
QPR 38 8 6 24 42 73 30 into League One.
TOP GOALSCORERS
The troubles of the recently relegated
Sergio Aguero (Manchester City) 26 goals sides makes the achievement of
Harry Kane (Tottenham Hotspur) 21 goals
Diego Costa (Chelsea) 20 goals Bournemouth all the more remarkable.
Charlie Austin (Queens Park Rangers) 18 goals The south-coast club were 10 minutes
away from slipping out of the Football
having the 15th highest wage bill. League altogether on the final home
By contrast, Queens Park Rangers, with game of the 2008–09 season but have
a wage bill of £75.3m, the eighth highest since enjoyed a rapid rise through the
in the league, were relegated, along with divisions, culminating in promotion to
Burnley and Hull City. the Premier League as winners of this
Swansea City continued to make season’s Championship.
progress, despite the January sale of Manager Eddie Howe, a former
Wilfried Bony to Manchester City, while Bournemouth player dubbed the
Crystal Palace, in the relegation zone when “English Special One” by Gary Lineker, has
Alan Pardew left Newcastle United to take overseen much of the club’s tranformation.
over in January, finished in the top 10. Yet it is not a complete rags to riches tale.
As Palace moved up the table, so Russian owner Maxim Demin has put
at £192.7m, was less than the two Newcastle dropped, losing nine games in a more than £25m into the club in recent
Manchester clubs (United on £215.8m, row under caretaker boss John Carver and seasons. Although the exact extent of his
City £205m) but ahead of London rivals needing a last-day victory over West Ham wealth is unclear, the reclusive Demin can
Remarkable..manager
Arsenal (£166.4m). United to stay up at the expense of Hull. Howe and Bournmouth now look forward to sharing in the Premier
Generally, the final league positions Newcastle owner Mike Ashley came are in the big time League’s growing wealth. WS
tallied very closely with club wage bills. under increasing fire from fans for his
The top four clubs paid the most, ahead stewardship of the club. The London-
of fifth-place Liverpool on £144m and based billionaire sports retailer appeared
Tottenham (£100.4m) in sixth. Burnley, happy for the club to act as little more
relegated after one season in the top than an advertising hoarding for his
flight, had the lowest bill, at £21.4m. business, bumping along the lower
There were some notable exceptions reaches of the league, selling their
to this, of course. best players but avoiding relegation
Southampton, despite losing key players and expensive excursions into Europe.
Adam Lallana, Rickie Lambert and Dejan Next season will put Ashley’s risky
Lovren to Liverpool, as well as manager strategy to the test. The latest bumper
Mauricio Pochettino to Tottenham, TV deal kicks in next summer, making it
continued to punch above their weight. imperative for clubs to survive next season
They finished seventh in the league in order to benefit from the bonanza.
to qualify for European competition West Ham’s ditching of Sam Allardyce,
for the first time since 2003, despite and his replacement by former defender
WORLD SOCCER 49
 PREMIER LEAGUE RESULTS 2014-15: THE COMPLETE RECORD

Aug 16, 2014 Arsenal 2 (Koscielny 45+1,

Ramsey 90+1)
Crystal Palace 1 (Hangeland 35) Att: 59,962

Leicester 2 (Ulloa 22, Wood 86)

Everton 2 (McGeady 20, Naismith 45) Att: 31,603

Manchester United 1 (Rooney 53)

Swansea 2 (Ki 28, Sigurdsson 72) Att: 75,339

Queens Park Rangers 0

Hull 1 (Chester 52) Att: 17,603

Stoke 0
Aston Villa 1 (Weimann 50) Att: 27,478

West Bromwich 2 (Berahino pen 42, 74)

Sunderland 2 (Cattermole 5, Larsson 85)
Att: 25,468

West Ham 0
Tottenham 1 (Dier 90+3) Att: 34,977

Aug 17 Liverpool 2 (Sterling 23, Sturridge 79)

Southampton 1 (Clyne 56) Att: 44,736

Newcastle 0
Manchester City 2 (Silva 38, Aguero 90+2)
Att: 50,816 Tough…QPR’s Loic Remy bursts
through the Hull defence but it
Aug 18 Burnley 1 (Arfield 14)
was to be a miserable season
Chelsea 3 (Diego Costa 17, Schurrle 21,
Ivanovic 34) Att: 20,699 for both clubs

Aug 23 Aston Villa 0 West Ham 1 (Noble 27) Sep 21 Everton 2 (Lukaku 9, Baines pen 83) Swansea 2 (Bony 17, Routledge 50)
Newcastle 0 Att: 30,267 Southampton 3 (Schneiderlin 45, 68, Pelle 83) Crystal Palace 3 (Jedinak pen 30, Campbell 54, Newcastle 2 (Cisse 43, 75) Att: 20,622
Att: 34,907 Bolasie 69) Att: 37,574
Chelsea 2 (Diego Costa 62, Hazard 77) Oct 5 KEY GAME
Leicester 0 Att: 41,604 Aug 31 Aston Villa 2 (Agbonlahor 14, Weimann KEY GAME Chelsea 2 (Hazard pen 27, Diego Costa 78)
36) Leicester 5 (Ulloa 17, pen 83, Nugent pen 62, Arsenal 0 Att: 41,607
Crystal Palace 1 (Chamakh 48) Hull 1 (Jelavic 74) Att: 28,336 Cambiasso 64, Vardy 79) Managers Jose Mourinho and Arsene Wenger
West Ham 3 (Zarate 34, Downing 37, Cole 62) Manchester United 3 (Van Persie 13, Di Maria 16, clashed on the touchline as Chelsea consolidate
Att: 24,242 Leicester 1 (Ulloa 22) Ander Herrera 57) Att: 31,784 an early five-point lead.
Arsenal 1 (Sanchez 20) Att: 31,535 Louis Van Gaal’s United throw away a 3-1 lead to
Everton 2 (Coleman 19, Naismith 45) newly promoted Leicester.
Arsenal 2 (Ramsey 83, Giroud 90) Att: 39,490 Tottenham 0 Manchester United 2 (Di Maria 27, Falcao 62)
Liverpool 3 (Sterling 8, Gerrard pen 49, Everton 1 (Naismith 55) Att: 75,294
Southampton 0 Moreno 60) Att: 36,130 Manchester City 1 (Lampard 85)
West Bromwich 0 Att: 27,598 Chelsea 1 (Schurrle 71) Att: 45,602 Tottenham 1 (Eriksen 40)
Sep 13 Arsenal 2 (Wilshere 63, Sanchez 74) Southampton 0 Att: 35,564
Swansea 1 (Dyer 23) Manchester City 2 (Aguero 28, Demichelis 83) Tottenham 0
Burnley 0 Att: 20,565 Att: 60,003 West Bromwich 1 (Morrison 74) Att: 35,861 West Ham 2 (Onuoha og 5, Sakho 59)
Queens Park Rangers 0 Att: 34,907
Aug 24 Hull 1 (Jelavic 42) Chelsea 4 (Diego Costa 45, 56, 67, Remy 81) Sep 27 Arsenal 1 (Oxlade-Chamberlain 74)
Stoke 1 (Shawcross 83) Att: 24,348 Swansea 2 (Terry og 11, Shelvey 86) Att: 41,400 Tottenham 1 (Chadli 56) Att: 59,900 Oct 18 Arsenal 2 (Sanchez 13, Welbeck 90+1)
Hull 2 (Diame 17, Hernandez 46) Att: 60,004
Sunderland 1 (Rodwell 30) Crystal Palace 0 Chelsea 3 (Oscar 7, Diego Costa 59, Willian 79)
Manchester United 1 (Mata 17) Att: 43,217 Burnley 0 Att: 23,829 Aston Villa 0 Att: 41,616 Burnley 1 (Boyd 60)
West Ham 3 (Sakho 49, Valencia 54, Cole 70)
Tottenham 4 (Chadli 12, 37, Dier 30, Adebayor 65) Liverpool 0 Crystal Palace 2 (Campbell 51, Jedinak 54) Att: 18,936
Queens Park Rangers 0 Att: 36,109 Aston Villa 1 (Agbonlahor 9) Att: 44,689 Leicester 0 Att: 24,311
Crystal Palace 1 (Campbell 90)
Aug 25 Manchester City 3 (Jovetic 41, 55, Southampton 4 (Pelle 6, 19, Cork 54, Hull 2 (Mangala og 21, Hernandez pen 32) Chelsea 2 (Oscar 6, Fabregas 51) Att: 24,451
Aguero 69) Schneiderlin 90+4) Manchester City 4 (Aguero 7, Dzeko 11, 68,
Liverpool 1 (Zabaleta og 83) Att: 45,471 Newcastle 0 Att: 29,678 Lampard 87) Att: 22,859 Everton 3 (Jagielka 18, Lukaku 48, Coleman 76)
Aston Villa 0 Att: 39,505
Aug 30 Burnley 0 Stoke 0 Liverpool 1 (Gerrard 65)
Manchester United 0 Att: 21,099 Leicester 1 (Ulloa 64) Att: 27,500 Everton 1 (Jagielka 90+1) Att: 44,511 Manchester City 4 (Aguero 13, pen 20,
pen 68, 75)
Everton 3 (Mirallas 45, Naismith 69, Eto’o 76) Sunderland 2 (Johnson 4, Kane og 82) Manchester United 2 (Rooney 5, Van Persie 22) Tottenham 1 (Eriksen 15) Att: 45,549
Chelsea 6 (Diego Costa 1, 90, Ivanovic 3, Tottenham 2 (Chadli 2, Eriksen 48) Att: 40,799 West Ham 1 (Sakho 37) Att: 75,317
Coleman og 67, Matic 74, Ramires 77) Att: 39,402 Newcastle 1 (Obertan 71)
West Bromwich 0 Southampton 2 (Bertrand 54, Pelle 68) Leicester 0 Att: 51,886
Manchester City 0 Everton 2 (Lukaku 2, Mirallas 66) Att: 23,567 Queens Park Rangers 1 (Austin 66) Att: 30,504
Stoke 1 (Diouf 58) Att: 45,622 Southampton 8 (Vergini og 12, Pelle 18, 69, Cork
Sep 14 Manchester United 4 (Di Maria 24, Sunderland 0 37, Bridcutt og 63, Tadic 78, Wanyama 79, Mane 86)
Newcastle 3 (Janmaat 37, Aarons 73, Ander Herrera 36, Rooney 44, Mata 58) Swansea 0 Att: 41,325 Sunderland 0 Att: 29,615
Williamson 88) Queens Park Rangers 0 Att: 75,355
Crystal Palace 3 (Gayle 1, Puncheon 48, Sep 28 West Bromwich 4 (Dawson 30, Oct 19 Queens Park Rangers 2 (Vargas 87,
Zaha 90+5) Att: 49,226 Sep 15 Hull 2 (Hernandez 39, Diame 64) Berahino 45+1, 56, Dorrans 90) 90+2)
West Ham 2 (Valencia 50, Sakho 67) Att: 21,275 Burnley 0 Att: 24,286 Liverpool 3 (Dunne og 67, Coutinho 90,
Queens Park Rangers 1 (Austin 45+2) Caulker og 90+5) Att: 18,069
Sunderland 0 Att: 17,930 Sep 20 Aston Villa 0 Sep 29 Stoke 1 (Crouch 15)
Arsenal 3 (Ozil 32, Welbeck 34, Cissokho og 36) Newcastle 0 Att: 26,332 Stoke 2 (Adam pen 43, Walters 76)
Swansea 3 (Dyer 2, 71, Routledge 24) Att: 40,013 Swansea 1 (Bony pen 34) Att: 27,017
West Bromwich 0 Att: 20,318 Oct 4 Aston Villa 0
Burnley 0 Manchester City 2 (Toure 82, Aguero 88) Att: 32,964 Oct 20 West Bromwich 2 (Sessegnon 8,
Sunderland 0 Att: 20,026 Berahino 66)
Hull 2 (Diame 60, Jelavic 89) Manchester United 2 (Fellaini 48, Blind 87)
Newcastle 2 (Cisse 73, 87) Crystal Palace 0 Att: 24,281 Att: 25,794
Hull 2 (Jelavic 48, Diame 68) Att: 49,119
Leicester 2 (Schlupp 33, Mahrez 40) Oct 25 Liverpool 0
Queens Park Rangers 2 (Caulker 42, Kranjcar 88) Burnley 2 (Kightly 39, Wallace 90+6) Att: 31,448 Hull O Att: 44,591
Stoke 2 (Diouf 11, Crouch 51) Att: 16,163
Liverpool 2 (Lallana 45, Henderson 61) Southampton 1 (Mane 33)
Swansea 0 West Bromwich 1 (Berahino pen 56) Att: 44,708 Stoke 0 Att: 30,017
Southampton 1 (Wanyama 80) Att: 20,596
Sunderland 3 (Wickham 4, Fletcher 23, 79) Sunderland 0
West Ham 3 (Reid 2, Sakho 7, Amalfitano 88) Stoke 1 (Adam 15) Att: 42,713 Arsenal 2 (Sanchez 30, 90+2) Att: 44,449
Mersey derby…Liverpool and Everton Liverpool 1 (Sterling 26) Att: 34,977

50 WORLD SOCCER
 EURO SEASON REVIEW

Swansea 2 (Bony 34, 57) West Bromwich 0 Dec 6 Hull 0 Manchester City 3 (Silva 49, 61, Toure 81)
Leicester 0 Att: 20,259 Newcastle 2 (Perez 45, Coloccini 62) Att: 26,476 West Bromwich 0 Att: 23,279 Crystal Palace 0 Att: 45,302

West Bromwich 2 (Anichebe 51, Berahino pen 90+3) Nov 22 Arsenal 1 (Giroud 90+5) Liverpool 0 Queens Park Rangers 3 (Austin pen 24, 48, 86)
Crystal Palace 2 (Hangeland 16, Manchester United 2 (Gibbs og 56, Rooney 85) Sunderland 0 Att: 44,716 West Bromwich 2 (Lescott 10, Varela 20) Att: 17,560
Jedinak pen 45+1) Att: 24,738 Att: 60,074
Manchester City 1 (Toure pen 24) Southampton 3 (Lukaku og 38, Pelle 65, Yoshida 82)
West Ham 2 (Amalfitano 21, Sakho 75) Chelsea 2 (Diego Costa 11, Hazard 25) Everton 0 Att: 45,603 Everton 0 Att: 31,475
Manchester City 1 (Silva 77) Att: 34,977 West Bromwich 0 Att: 41,600
Newcastle 2 (Cisse 57, 78) Tottenham 2 (Kane 21, Lamela 35)
Oct 26 Burnley 1 (Ings 20) Everton 2 (Lukaku 26, Osman 73) Chelsea 1 (Drogba 83) Att: 52,019 Burnley 1 (Barnes 27) Att: 35,681
Everton 3 (Eto’o 4, 85, Lukaku 29) Att: 19,927 West Ham 1 (Zarate 56) Att: 39,182
Queens Park Rangers 2 (Fer 51, Austin 74) West Ham 2 (Carroll 24, Downing 56)
KEY GAME Leicester 0 Burnley 0 Att: 17,785 Leicester 0 Att: 34,977
Manchester United 1 (Van Persie 90+4) Sunderland 0 Att: 31,825
Chelsea 1 (Drogba 53) Att: 75,327 Stoke 3 (Crouch 1, Bojan 35, Walters 45) Dec 21 Liverpool 2 (Coutinho 45, Skrtel 90+7)
Robin Van Persie’s injury-time equaliser denies Manchester City 2 (Jovetic 19, Toure 62) Arsenal 2 (Cazorla pen 68, Ramsey 70) Att: 27,367 Arsenal 2 (Debuchy 45+2, Giroud 64) Att: 44,703
Chelsea the chance to extend their lead at the Swansea 1 (Bony 9) Att: 45,448
top of the table. Tottenham 0 Newcastle 0
Newcastle 1 (Sissoko 78) Crystal Palace 0 Att: 35,860 Sunderland 1 (Johnson 90) Att: 52,315
Queens Park Rangers 0 Att: 51,915
Tottenham 1 (Adebayor 18) Dec 7 Aston Villa 2 (Clark 17, Hutton 71) Dec 22 Stoke 0
Newcastle 2 (Ameobi 46, Perez 58) Att: 35,650 Stoke 1 (Walters 32) Leicester 1 (Ulloa 13) Att: 27,692 Chelsea 2 (Terry 2, Fabregas 78) Att: 27,550
Burnley 2 (Ings 12, 13) Att: 27,018
Oct 27 Queens Park Rangers 2 (Austin 17, 69) West Ham 3 (Carroll 41, 66, Sakho 87) Dec 26 Arsenal 2 (Sanchez 37, Rosicky 65)
Aston Villa 0 Att: 18,022 Nov 23 Crystal Palace 3 (Gayle 17, Ledley 78, Swansea 1 (Bony 19) Att: 34,125 Queens Park Rangers 1 (Austin pen 79) Att: 59,947
Jedinak 81)
Nov 1 Arsenal 3 (Sanchez 70, 90+1, Chambers Liverpool 1 (Lambert 2) Att: 24,862 Dec 8 Southampton 1 (Pelle 31) Burnley 0
72) Manchester United 2 (Van Persie 12, 71) Att: 31,420 Liverpool 1 (Sterling 62) Att: 21,335
Burnley 0 Att: 60,012 Hull 1 (Livermore 8)
Tottenham 2 (Kane 61, Eriksen 90) Att: 23,561 Dec 13 Arsenal 4 (Giroud 15, 58, Chelsea 2 (Terry 31, Diego Costa 62)
Chelsea 2 (Oscar 32, Hazard pen 75) Cazorla 54, pen 88) West Ham 0 Att: 41,589
Queens Park Rangers 1 (Austin 62) Att: 41,486 Nov 24 Aston Villa 1 (Agbonlahor 29) Newcastle 1 (Perez 63) Att: 59,949
Southampton 1 (Clyne 81) Att: 25,311 Crystal Palace 1 (Dann 86)
Everton 0 Burnley 1 (Barnes 73) Southampton 3 (Mane 17, Bertrand 48,
Swansea 0 Att: 39,149 Nov 29 Burnley 1 (Ings pen 87) Southampton 0 Att: 17,287 Alderweireld 53) Att: 24,565
Aston Villa 1 (Cole 38) Att: 19,910
Hull 0 Chelsea 2 (Hazard 7, Diego Costa 68) Everton 0
Southampton 1 (Wanyama 3) Att: 22,828 Liverpool 1 (Johnson 85) Hull 0 Att: 41,626 Stoke 1 (Bojan pen 38) Att: 39,166
Stoke 0 Att: 44,735
Leicester 0
West Bromwich 1 (Cambiasso og 47) Att: 31,819 Manchester United 3 (Smalling 16, Rooney 42,
Van Persie 66)
Newcastle 1 (Perez 73) Hull 0 Att: 75,345
Liverpool 0 Att: 52,166
Queens Park Rangers 3 (Morgan og 37, Fer 45,
Stoke 2 (Moses 33, Diouf 56) Austin 73)
West Ham 2 (Valencia 60, Downing 73) Att: 27,174 Leicester 2 (Cambiasso 4, Schlupp 67) Att: 18,054

Nov 2 Aston Villa 1 (Weimann 16) Sunderland 0

Tottenham 2 (Chadli 84, Kane 90) Att: 32,049 Chelsea 0 Att: 45,232

Manchester City 1 (Aguero 63) Swansea 1 (Bony 15)

Manchester United 0 Att: 45,358 Crystal Palace 1 (Jedinak pen 25) Att: 20,240

Nov 3 Crystal Palace 1 (Brown og 55) West Bromwich 0

Sunderland 3 (Fletcher 31, 90+5, Jordi Gomez 79) Arsenal 1 (Welbeck 60) Att: 24,228
Att: 23,212
West Ham 1 (Cresswell 56)
Nov 8 Burnley 1 (Barnes 50) Newcastle 0 Att: 34,977
Hull 0 Att: 16,998
Nov 30 Southampton 0
Liverpool 1 (Can 9) Manchester City 3 (Toure 51, Lampard 80,
Chelsea 2 (Cahill 14, Diego Costa 67) Att: 44,698 Clichy 88) Att: 30,919
Heated… West Ham’s
Manchester United 1 (Mata 67) Tottenham 2 (Eriksen 21, Soldado 45+1) Andy Carroll and
Crystal Palace 0 Att: 75,325 Everton 1 (Mirallas 15) Att: 35,901 Branislav Ivanovic
of Chelsea
Queens Park Rangers 2 (Austin 21, Dec 2 Burnley 1 (Boyd 34)
Demichelis og 76) Newcastle 1 (Cisse 48) Att: 18,791
Manchester City 2 (Aguero 32, 83) Att: 18,005 Crystal Palace 1 (McArthur 11) Leicester 1 (Ulloa 48)
Crystal Palace 0 Stoke 1 (Crouch 13) Att: 23,038 Tottenham 2 (Kane 1, Eriksen 71) Att: 31,870
Southampton 2 (Long 75, 80) Aston Villa 1 (Benteke 32) Att: 23,935
Leicester 0 Att: 31,297 Leicester 0 Manchester United 3 (Rooney 23, 36, Van Persie 53)
Leicester 1 (Mignolet og 22) Manchester City 1 (Lampard 40) Att: 31,643 Newcastle 1 (Cisse pen 87) Att: 75,318
West Ham 0 Liverpool 3 (Lallana 26, Gerrard 54, Henderson 83)
Aston Villa 0 Att: 34,857 Att: 32,000 Sunderland 1 (Jordi Gomez pen 22) Sunderland 1 (Johnson 1)
West Ham 1 (Downing 29) Att: 41,694 Hull 3 (Ramirez 32, Chester 51, Jelavic 90+6)
Nov 9 Sunderland 1 (Larsson 67) Manchester United 2 (Fellaini 21, Mata 59) Att: 44,817
Everton 1 (Baines pen 76) Att: 43,476 Stoke 1 (N’Zonzi 39) Att: 75,388 West Bromwich 1 (Gardner 72)
Aston Villa 0 Att: 24,684 Swansea 1 (Sigurdsson 13)
Swansea 2 (Sigurdsson 75, Gomis 78) Swansea 2 (Ki 78, Routledge 83) Aston Villa 0 Att: 20,683
Arsenal 1 (Sanchez 63) Att: 20,812 Queens Park Rangers 0 Att: 20,145 Dec 14 Manchester United 3 (Rooney 12,
Mata 40, Van Persie 71) West Bromwich 1 (Ideye 87)
Tottenham 1 (Chadli 77) West Bromwich 1 (Dawson 10) Liverpool 0 Att: 75,331 Manchester City 3 (Fernando 8, Toure pen 13,
Stoke 2 (Bojan 6, Walters 33) Att: 35,699 West Ham 2 (Nolan 35, Tomkins 45+3) Att: 23,975 Silva 34) Att: 26,040
Swansea 1 (Bony 48)
Dec 3 Arsenal 1 (Sanchez 89) Tottenham 2 (Kane 4, Eriksen 89) Att: 20,650 Dec 28 Aston Villa 0
Southampton 0 Att: 60,025 Sunderland 0 Att: 35,436
Dec 15 Everton 3 (Barkley 33, Mirallas 43,
Chelsea 3 (Hazard 19, Drogba 22, Remy 73) Naismith 53) Hull 0
Tottenham 0 Att: 41,518 Queens Park Rangers 1 (Zamora 80) Att: 34,035 Leicester 1 (Mahrez 32) Att: 23,809

Everton 1 (Lukaku 34) Dec 20 Aston Villa 1 (Benteke 18) Manchester City 2 (Silva 23, Fernandinho 33)
Hull 1 (Aluko 59) Att: 34,645 Manchester United 1 (Falcao 53) Att: 41,273 Burnley 2 (Boyd 47, Barnes 81) Att: 45,608

Sunderland 1 (Wickham 19) Hull 0 Newcastle 3 (Cisse 34, Perez 51, Colback 68)
Manchester City 4 (Aguero 21, 71, Jovetic 39, Swansea 1 (Ki 15) Att: 21,913 Everton 2 (Kone 5, Mirallas 84) Att: 52,313
Zabaleta 55) Att: 41,152
Floored…Leicester’s Esteban Cambiasso

WORLD SOCCER 51
 ENGLAND

Queens Park Rangers 0 Swansea 2 (Ki 30, Gomis 73)

Crystal Palace 0 Att: 18,011 Manchester United 1 (Ander Herrera 28) Att: 20,809

Southampton 1 (Mane 17) Feb 22 Everton 2 (Naismith 57, Upson og 88)

Chelsea 1 (Hazard 45+1) Att: 31,641 Leicester 2 (Nugent 63, Cambiasso 70) Att: 38,904

Stoke 2 (Diouf 51, 66) Southampton 0

West Bromwich 0 Att: 27,070 Liverpool 2 (Coutinho 3, Sterling 73) Att: 31,723

Tottenham 0 Tottenham 2 (Rose 81, Kane 90+6)

Manchester United 0 Att: 35,711 West Ham 2 (Kouyate 22, Sakho 62) Att: 35,837

West Ham 1 (Kouyate 54) Feb 28 Burnley 0

Arsenal 2 (Cazorla pen 41, Welbeck 44) Att: 34,977 Swansea 1 (Heaton og 64) Att: 17,388

Dec 29 Liverpool 4 (Moreno 33, Lallana 51, 61, Manchester United 2 (Rooney pen 66, 84)
Shelvey og 69) Sunderland 0 Att: 75,344
Swansea 1 (Sigurdsson 52) Att: 44,714
Newcastle 1 (Cisse 37)
Jan 1, 2015 Aston Villa 0 Aston Villa 0 Att: 51,573
Crystal Palace 0 Att: 29,047
Stoke 1 (Crouch 71)
Hull 2 (Elmohamady 33, Jelavic 43) Hull 0 Att: 26,473
Everton 0 Att: 23,865
West Bromwich 1 (Berahino 2)
Liverpool 2 (Gerrard pen 17, pen 40) Southampton 0 Att: 25,303
Leicester 2 (Nugent 58, Schlupp 60) Att: 44,720
Grim… a home defeat by Crystal Palace West Ham 1 (Valencia 76)
Manchester City 3 (Toure 57, Jovetic 66, in January kept Michael Keane (left) and Crystal Palace 3 (Murray 41, 63, Dann 51)
Lampard 73) Burnley deep in relegation trouble Att: 34,857
Sunderland 2 (Rodwell 68, Johnson pen 71)
Att: 45,367 Swansea 0 Swansea 1 (Ki 66) Mar 1 Arsenal 2 (Giroud 39, Rosicky 89)
Chelsea 5 (Oscar 1, 36, Diego Costa 20, 34, Sunderland 1 (Defoe 42) Att: 20,355 Everton 0 Att: 59,925
Newcastle 3 (S Taylor 15, Colback 26, Sissoko 78) Schurrle 79) Att: 20,785
Burnley 3 (Dummett og 19, Ings 66, Boyd 86) Tottenham 2 (Kane 56, 86) Liverpool 2 (Henderson 11, Coutinho 75)
Att: 51,761 Tottenham 2 (O’Shea og 3, Eriksen 88) Arsenal 1 (Ozil 11) Att: 35,659 Manchester City 1 (Dzeko 25) Att: 44,590
Sunderland 1 (Larsson 31) Att: 35,973
Queens Park Rangers 1 (Fer 20) Feb 8 Burnley 2 (Barnes 11, Ings 32) Mar 3 Aston Villa 2 (Agbonlahor 22,
Swansea 1 (Bony 90+2) Att: 17,729 Jan 18 Manchester City 0 West Bromwich 2 (Brunt 45+1, Ideye 67) Att: 16,904 Benteke pen 90+4)
Arsenal 2 (Cazorla pen 24, Giroud 67) Att: 45,596 West Bromwich 1 (Berahino 66) Att: 31,272
Southampton 2 (Mane 34, Tadic 56) Newcastle 1 (Colback 74)
Arsenal 0 Att: 31,492 West Ham 3 (Carroll 49, Amalfitano 69, Downing 72) Stoke 1 (Crouch 90) Att: 47,763 Hull 1 (N’Doye 15)
Hull 0 Att: 34,914 Sunderland 1 (Rodwell 77) Att: 23,017
Stoke 1 (Shawcross 2) West Ham 1 (Kouyate 49)
Manchester United 1 (Falcao 26) Att: 27,203 Jan 19 Everton 0 Manchester United 1 (Blind 90+2) Att: 34,499 Southampton 1 (Mane 83)
West Bromwich 0 Att: 34,739 Crystal Palace 0 Att: 28,351
Tottenham 5 (Kane 30, 52, Rose 44, Feb 10 Arsenal 2 (Koscielny 27, Walcott 41)
Townsend pen 45+4, Chadli 78) Jan 31 KEY GAME Leicester 1 (Kramaric 61) Att: 60,032 Mar 4 Liverpool 2 (Henderson 29, Sturridge 51)
Chelsea 3 (Diego Costa 18, Hazard 61, Terry 87) Chelsea 1 (Remy 41) Burnley 0 Att: 44,717
Att: 35,903 Manchester City 1 (Silva 45) Att: 41,620 Hull 2 (Jelavic 22, N’Doye 74)
A disappointing stalemate, but a draw sees the Aston Villa 0 Att: 21,467 Manchester City 2 (Silva 45+2, Milner 88)
West Ham 1 (Sakho 10) leaders Chelsea maintain their lead over their Leicester 0 Att: 45,000
West Bromwich 1 (Berahino 42) Att: 34,914 closest challengers. Liverpool 3 (Markovic 15, Gerrard pen 53,
Balotelli 83) Newcastle 0
Jan 10 Burnley 2 (Arfield 12, Ings 37) Tottenham 2 (Kane 26, Dembele 61) Att: 44,577 Manchester United 1 (Young 89) Att: 49,801
Queens Park Rangers 1 (Austin pen 33) Att: 17,523 Crystal Palace 0
Everton 1 (Lukaku 2) Att: 25,197 Sunderland 0 Queens Park Rangers 1 (Austin 82)
Chelsea 2 (Oscar 43, Diego Costa 59) Queens Park Rangers 2 (Fer 17, Zamora 45+1) Arsenal 2 (Giroud 64, Sanchez 69) Att: 17,977
Newcastle 0 Att: 41,612 Hull 0 Att: 39,077
Newcastle 3 (Cabella 40, Ameobi 50, Gouffran 78) Stoke 2 (Moses 32, Diouf 84)
Crystal Palace 2 (Gayle pen 69, Puncheon 80) Att: 23,925 Feb 11 Chelsea 1 (Willian 89) Everton 0 Att: 26,431
Tottenham 1 (Kane 49) Att: 24,193 Everton 0 Att: 41,592
Liverpool 2 (Sterling 51, Sturridge 80) Tottenham 3 (Chadli 7, Mason 51, Townsend 60)
Everton 1 (Naismith 78) West Ham 0 Att: 44,718 Crystal Palace 1 (Campbell 71) Swansea 2 (Ki 19, Sigurdsson 89) Att: 34,008
Manchester City 1 (Fernandinho 74) Att: 39,499 Newcastle 1 (Cisse 42) Att: 25,118
Manchester United 3 (Van Persie 27, Falcao 32, West Ham 0
Leicester 1 (Konchesky 45+1) Morgan og 44) Manchester United 3 (Smalling 6, 45+3, Chelsea 1 (Hazard 22) Att: 34,927
Aston Villa 0 Att: 31,728 Leicester 1 (Wasilewski 80) Att: 75,329 Van Persie pen 82)
Burnley 1 (Ings 12) Att: 75,356 Mar 7 Queens Park Rangers 1 (Sandro 75)
Sunderland 0 Stoke 3 (Walters 21, 34, 90+2) Tottenham 2 (Kane 34, 68) Att: 17,992
Liverpool 1 (Markovic 8) Att: 45,369 Queens Park Rangers 1 (Kranjcar 36) Att: 27,512 Southampton 0
West Ham 0 Att: 31,241 Mar 14 Arsenal 3 (Giroud 45+1, Ramsey 81,
Swansea 1 (Noble og 74) Sunderland 2 (Wickham 20, Defoe 34) Flamini 84)
West Ham 1 (Carroll 43) Att: 20,745 Burnley 0 Att: 44,022 Stoke 1 (Crouch 38) West Ham 0 Att: 60,002
Manchester City 4 (Aguero 33, pen 70, Milner 55,
West Bromwich 1 (Berahino 78) West Bromwich 0 Nasri 76) Att: 27,011 Burnley 1 (Boyd 61)
Hull 0 Att: 24,818 Tottenham 3 (Eriksen 6, Kane 15, pen 64) Manchester City 0 Att: 21,216
Att: 25,079 West Bromwich 2 (Ideye 60, Berahino 74)
Jan 11 Arsenal 3 (Koscielny 6, Sanchez 33, 49) Swansea 0 Att: 23,516 Crystal Palace 3 (Zaha 21, McArthur 40, Ward 42)
Stoke 0 Att: 59,956 Feb 1 Arsenal 5 (Giroud 8, Ozil 56, Walcott 63, Queens Park Rangers 1 (Phillips 83) Att: 24,886
Cazorla pen 75, Bellerin 90+2) Feb 21 Aston Villa 1 (Sinclair 20)
Manchester United 0 Aston Villa 0 Att: 59,958 Stoke 2 (Diouf 45, Moses pen 90+3) Att: 31,880 Leicester 0
Southampton 1 (Tadic 69) Att: 75,395 Hull 0 Att: 31,456
Southampton 0 Chelsea 1 (Ivanovic 14)
Jan 17 Aston Villa 0 Swansea 1 (Shelvey 83) Att: 30,943 Burnley 1 (Mee 81) Att: 41,629 Sunderland 0
Liverpool 2 (Borini 24, Lambert 79) Att: 39,758 Aston Villa 4 (Benteke 16, 44, Agbonlahor 18, 37)
Feb 7 Aston Villa 1 (Okore 48) Crystal Palace 1 (Murray 90+4) Att: 45,746
Burnley 2 (Mee 12, Ings 16) Chelsea 2 (Hazard 8, Ivanovic 66) Att: 35,969 Arsenal 2 (Cazorla pen 8, Giroud 45+1) Att: 24,721
Crystal Palace 3 (Gayle 28, 87, Puncheon 48) West Bromwich 1 (Ideye 19)
Att: 17,782 Everton 0 Hull 2 (Jelavic 16, N’Doye 89) Stoke 0 Att: 24,323
Liverpool 0 Att: 39,621 Queens Park Rangers 1 (Austin 39) Att: 24,466
Leicester 0 Mar 15 Chelsea 1 (Diego Costa 11)
Stoke 1 (Bojan 63) Att: 31,772 Leicester 0 Manchester City 5 (Aguero pen 2, Nasri 12, Southampton 1 (Tadic pen 19) Att: 41,624
Crystal Palace 1 (Ledley 55) Att: 31,695 Dzeko 21, Silva 51, 53)
Newcastle 1 (Gouffran 29) Newcastle 0 Att: 45,602 Everton 3 (McCarthy 20, Lukaku pen 56,
Southampton 2 (Elia 14, 62) Att: 49,307 Manchester City 1 (Milner 90+2) Barkley 90+3)
Hull 1 (Meyler 35) Att: 45,233 Sunderland 0 Newcastle 0 Att: 38,806
Queens Park Rangers 0 West Bromwich 0 Att: 40,943
Manchester United 2 (Fellaini 58, Wilson 90+4) Queens Park Rangers 0
Att: 18,098 Southampton 1 (Mane 90+3) Att: 18,082

52 WORLD SOCCER
 EURO SEASON REVIEW

Apr 18 Chelsea 1 (Hazard 38) Everton 0

Bragging rights…Harry Manchester United 0 Att: 41,422 Sunderland 2 (Graham 53, Defoe 85) Att: 38,246
Kane’s second goal of the
match enables Tottenham Crystal Palace 0 Hull 0
to beat Arsenal in the north West Bromwich 2 (Morrison 2, Gardner 53) Burnley 1 (Ings 62) Att: 24,877
London derby Att: 24,765
Leicester 2 (Mahrez 7, 19)
Everton 1 (Mirallas 29) Southampton 0 Att: 31,939
Burnley 0 Att: 39,496
Newcastle 1 (Perez 41)
Leicester 2 (Ulloa 15, King 89) West Bromwich 1 (Anichebe 32) Att: 47,894
Swansea 0 Att: 31,121
Stoke 3 (Adam 21, N’Zonzi 32, Diouf 86)
Stoke 2 (Diouf 47, Adam 84) Tottenham 0 Att: 27,104
Southampton 1 (Schneiderlin 22) Att: 26,467
May 10 Chelsea 1 (Terry 5)
Apr 19 Manchester City 2 (Collins og 18, Liverpool 1 (Gerrard 44) Att: 41,547
Aguero 36)
West Ham 0 Att: 45,041 Manchester City 6 (Aguero 4, 50, pen 65,
Kolarov 32, Milner 70, Silva 87)
Newcastle 1 (Colback 46) Queens Park Rangers 0 Att: 44,564
Tottenham 3 (Chadli 30, Eriksen 53, Kane 90+1)
Att: 47,427 May 11 Arsenal 0
Swansea 1 (Gomis 85) Att: 59,989
Apr 25 Burnley 0
Leicester 1 (Vardy 60) Att: 19,582 May 16 Burnley 0
Stoke 0 Att: 18,636
Manchester United 3 (Fellaini 9, Carrick 19, Leicester 2 (Cambiasso 12, King 86) Crystal Palace 0
Rooney 34) West Ham 1 (Kouyate 32) Att: 31,863 Hull 2 (N’Doye 51, 90+2) Att: 23,876 Liverpool 1 (Lallana 26)
Tottenham 0 Att: 75,112 Crystal Palace 3 (Puncheon 43, Zaha 60,
Manchester United 3 (Ander Herrera 43, 90+2, Manchester City 3 (Aguero 3, Kolarov 66, Murray 90+1) Att: 44,673
Mar 16 Swansea 0 Rooney 79) Fernandinho 89)
Liverpool 1 (Henderson 68) Att: 20,828 Aston Villa 1 (Benteke 80) Att: 75,397 Aston Villa 2 (Cleverley 68, Sanchez 85) Att: 45,036 Queens Park Rangers 2 (Phillips 54, Fer 61)
Newcastle 1 (Riviere 24) Att: 17,608
Mar 21 Aston Villa 0 Swansea 3 (Ki 18, Gomis 37, 90+1) Newcastle 2 (Perez 20, De Jong 87)
Swansea 1 (Gomis 87) Att: 35,598 Hull 1 (McShane 50) Att: 20,333 Swansea 3 (Nelson Oliveira 45+2, Sigurdsson 49, Southampton 6 (Mane 13, 14, 16, Long 26, 38,
Cork 71) Att: 46,884 Pelle 81)
Manchester City 3 (Bony 27, Fernando 40, Silva 77) West Bromwich 1 (Anichebe 58) Aston Villa 1 (Benteke 45+3) Att: 31,636
West Bromwich 0 Att: 45,018 Queens Park Rangers 4 (Vargas 15, Austin 37, Queens Park Rangers 0
Zamora 43, Barton 90+5) Att: 25,735 West Ham 0 Att: 18,036 Sunderland 0
Newcastle 1 (Sissoko 48) Leicester 0 Att: 46,705
Arsenal 2 (Giroud 24, 28) Att: 50,544 Apr 5 Burnley 0 Southampton 2 (Pelle 29, 65)
Tottenham 0 Att: 18,829 Tottenham 2 (Lamela 43, Chadli 70) Att: 31,622 Tottenham 2 (Chadli 54, Rose 61)
Southampton 2 (Long 37, Shackell og 58) Hull 0 Att: 35,857
Burnley 0 Att: 30,864 Sunderland 1 (Defoe 45+1) Stoke 1 (Adam 27)
Newcastle 0 Att: 47,563 Sunderland 1 (Wickham 1) Att: 26,706 West Ham 1 (Downing 62)
Stoke 1 (Diouf 14) Everton 2 (Osman 68, Lukaku 90+3) Att: 34,977
Crystal Palace 2 (Murray pen 41, Zaha 45+2) Apr 6 Crystal Palace 2 (Murray 34, Puncheon West Bromwich 0
Att: 27,532 48) Liverpool 0 Att: 26,663 May 17 Manchester United 1 (Ander Herrera
Manchester City 1 (Toure 78) Att: 24,718 30)
Tottenham 4 (Kane 6, 13, pen 64, Schlupp og 85) Apr 26 Arsenal 0 Arsenal 1 (Blackett og 82) Att: 75,323
Leicester 3 (Vardy 38, Morgan 50, Nugent 90) Apr 7 Aston Villa 3 (Benteke 10, 33, 83) Chelsea 0 Att: 60,066
Att: 35,950 Queens Park Rangers 3 (Phillips 7, Hill 55, Swansea 2 (Sigurdsson 45, Gomis 64)
Austin 78) Att: 33,708 Everton 3 (McCarthy 5, Stones 35, Mirallas 74) Manchester City 4 (Toure 21, 74, Milner 36,
West Ham 1 (Sakho 88) Manchester United 0 Att: 39,497 Bony 90+2) Att: 20,669
Sunderland 0 Att: 34,914 Apr 11 Burnley 0
Arsenal 1 (Ramsey 12) Att: 20,615 Apr 28 Hull 1 (Dawson 37) May 18 West Bromwich 3 (Berahino 9, pen 47,
Mar 22 Hull 2 (Elmohamady 26, Hernandez 28) Liverpool 0 Att: 24,843 Brunt 60)
Chelsea 3 (Hazard 2, Diego Costa 9, Remy 77) Southampton 2 (Ward-Prowse pen 56, Pelle 81) Chelsea 0 Att: 24,750
Att: 24,598 Hull 0 Att: 30,359 Apr 29 Leicester 1 (Albrighton 45+3)
Chelsea 3 (Drogba 48, Terry 79, Ramires 83) May 20 Arsenal 0
KEY GAME Sunderland 1 (Wickham 90) Att: 32,021 Sunderland 0 Att: 59,987
Liverpool 1 (Sturridge 69) Crystal Palace 4 (Murray 48, Bolasie 51, 53, 62)
Manchester United 2 (Mata 14, 59) Att: 44,405 Att: 42,073 May 2 Aston Villa 3 (Benteke 10, 45, Cleverley May 24 Arsenal 4 (Walcott 4, 14, 37, Wilshere
Steven Gerrard was sent off 38 seconds after 64) 17)
appearing as a substitute as Liverpool blew Everton 2 (Lukaku pen 59, Jagielka 90+2) Att: 37,859 West Bromwich 1 (McAuley 57) Att: 59,971
their chance of a top-four finish.
Leicester 3 (Ulloa 1, pen 48, Morgan 17) Aston Villa 0
Newcastle 0 Att: 31,576 Burnley 1 (Ings 6) Att: 40,792
Queens Park Rangers 1 (Vargas 65)
Everton 2 (Coleman 18, Lennon 77) Att: 17,706 Liverpool 2 (Coutinho 19, Gerrard 87) Chelsea 3 (Diego Costa pen 37, Remy 70, 88)
Queens Park Rangers 1 (Fer 73) Att: 44,707 Sunderland 1 (Fletcher 26) Att: 41,620
Apr 4 Arsenal 4 (Bellerin 37, Ozil 40,
Sanchez 45, Giroud 90+1) Manchester United 0 Crystal Palace 1 (Chamakh 57)
Liverpool 1 (Henderson pen 76) Att: 60,081 West Bromwich 1 (Olsson 63) Att: 75,454 Swansea 0 Att: 25,076

Chelsea 2 (Hazard pen 39, Remy 62) Close…Manchester City’s Sergio Aguero Sunderland 2 (Jordi Gomez pen 21, pen 55) Everton 0
Stoke 1 (Adam 44) Att: 41,098 Southampton 1 (Mane 22) Att: 39,613 Tottenham 1 (Kane 24) Att: 39,365
Swansea 1 (Shelvey pen 69)
Everton 1 (Jagielka 16) Everton 1 (Lennon 41) Att: 20,468 Swansea 2 (Montero 76, Ki 90+2) Hull 0
Southampton 0 Att: 39,390 Stoke 0 Att: 20,661 Manchester United 0 Att: 24,745
Tottenham 0
Aston Villa 1 (Benteke 35) Att: 35,687 West Ham 1 (Noble pen 24) Leicester 5 (Vardy 16, Albrighton 43, Ulloa 51,
Burnley 0 Att: 34,946 Cambiasso 52, Kramaric 86)
West Bromwich 2 (Fletcher 8, Gardner 26) Queens Park Rangers 1 (Austin 57) Att: 31,467
Leicester 3 (Nugent 20, Huth 80, Vardy 90+1) May 3 Chelsea 1 (Hazard 45)
Att: 26,768 Crystal Palace 0 Att: 41,566 Manchester City 2 (Lampard 31, Aguero 88)
Southampton 0 Att: 45,919
West Ham 1 (Cresswell 7) Tottenham 0
Stoke 1 (Arnautovic 90+5) Att: 34,946 Manchester City 1 (Aguero 29) Att: 35,784 KEY GAME
Newcastle 2 (Sissoko 54, Gutierrez 85)
Apr 12 Manchester United 4 (Young 14, May 4 Hull 1 (Quinn 56) West Ham 0 Att: 52,094
Fellaini 27, Mata 67, Smalling 73) Arsenal 3 (Sanchez 28, 45+1, Ramsey 33) Att: 23,628 Last-day drama as Newcastle, threatened by
Manchester City 2 (Aguero 8, 89) Att: 75,313 relegation after a run of 10 games without a win,
May 9 Aston Villa 1 (Cleverley 31) survive the drop.
Queens Park Rangers 0 West Ham 0 Att: 39,294
Chelsea 1 (Fabregas 88) Att: 17,939
Crystal Palace 1 (Puncheon 57) Stoke 6 (Diouf 22, 26, Walters 30, Adam 41,
Apr 13 Liverpool 2 (Sterling 9, Allen 70) Manchester United 2 (Mata pen 19, Fellaini 78) N’Zonzi 45, Crouch 86)
Lift off…Sunderland’s Connor Wickham Newcastle 0 Att: 44,611 Att: 25,009 Liverpool 1 (Gerrard 70) Att: 27,602

WORLD SOCCER 53
 FRANCE
HOWARD
JOHNSON

PSG juggernaut running

out of competition

H
ow do you solve a problem demolition of Bastia in April, before
like Paris? No, this isn’t one collecting a third successive Ligue 1 title
of those churlish, Michel after finishing eight points ahead of Lyon.
Platini-inspired rants about And to top off a remarkable domestic
the evils of Arab money ruining football. campaign, they landed the French Cup
Let’s face it, anyone who saw Paris in May, beating second division Auxerre
Saint-Germain play before the Qatari 1-0 in what was very much an end-of-
money arrived would have known they season performance.
were already making a very tidy job of What is perhaps most revealing about
ruining football without anyone else’s PSG’s season, however, isn’t immediately
interference. They were hopeless. But apparent. The capital club were able to
all the same, when one team is now land the Ligue 1 title after a start to the
so ludicrously superior to any other, campaign that could only be described
questions have to be asked about where as beyond sluggish. Three wins and an
domestic football is heading in France. astonishing six draws in their opening nine
Under coach Laurent Blanc, PSG won matches saw PSG lying in third place,
not only the treble, but a never-before-
done quadruple, picking up the trail of
silverware back in August last year.
“In 15 years I have never seen such
As 2013-14 Ligue 1 champions, they a referee. In this shit country, this
faced French Cup winners Guingamp in country does not deserve PSG.
the Champions Trophy, a “Charity Shield We are too good for this country”
on the road” affair in Beijing, and cruised
Zlatan Ibrahimovic lets rip after Paris Saint-Germain’s
to a 2-0 win. Then they bagged the 3-2 defeat at Bordeaux
League Cup at a canter with a 4-0

Going public…PSG coach Blanc had harsh words for his club’s critics

54 WORLD SOCCER
 EURO SEASON REVIEW

Clean sweep…Paris Saint-Germain

made history by lifting all four
domestic trophies on offer
during the season

WORLD SOCCER 55
 FRANCE

PLAYER OF NEWCOMER OF COACH OF CUP WINNERS RELEGATED

THE SEASON THE SEASON THE SEASON It was no surprise Two of last season’s
Anthony Lacazette Nabil Fekir Laurent Blanc that Paris Saint- promoted teams,
(Lyon) (Lyon) (PSG) Germain made it Metz and Lens,
With 27 league goals He started the season After bagging four to the Final at the headed straight back
to his name, eight as a fringe player, and trophies it couldn’t Stade de France. But through the Ligue 1
more than Zlatan ended it with 13 goals be anyone else but it was a shock that trap door. They were
Ibrahimovic, the and nine assists. Blanc. But a special they made such hard joined by Evian, who
Lyon powerhouse French boss Didier mention goes to work of second finished the campaign
demonstrated what Deschamps was Lyon boss Hubert division Auxerre. five points behind
a lethal finisher he is. impressed enough Fournier, who led An Edinson Cavani 17th-placed Toulouse.
At 24 years of age to hand the 21-year- his side to a very header after 54
he’s surely one of the old his first senior creditable second minutes proved the PROMOTED
most coveted new cap, against Brazil place finish in his first only goal of a fairly Angers, Gazelec GFC
stars in Europe. in March. season in charge. turgid affair. Ajaccio and Troyes.

seven points behind Marseille. Yet even Challenge…Lyon’s

with such a head start, neither OM nor Milan Bisevac (left)
clashes with Abdelaziz
anybody else was able to match the Barrada of Marseille,
Parisians for strength, depth, ability and who were the early
durability. There was never any real sense season pace-setters
during the long campaign that it would
be anyone other than PSG skipper Thiago
Silva who would end up hoisting the
league trophy aloft. The title was duly
delivered with a game to spare thanks
to a 2-1 win at Montpellier.
In his hour of glory, Blanc wasn’t slow to
take a dig at PSG’s critics, of whom there
had been many during the campaign.
“To retain the title is never easy,” said
Blanc after doing just that. “That we had
to wait until the second-to-last match to
do it tells you something. So obviously
I get more pleasure out of this title than
last season’s.
“The critics? I’ve got nothing to say
about them.” This wasn’t exactly true, as
the 49-year-old immediately went on
the attack. “They should be more realistic.
People won’t remember this, but believe
you me, in the first half of the season you
lot were really hard on the team and the
coach. It’s a good job I love this job.”
Indeed it is – and by the way the PSG
players celebrated their victory you’d be
hard-hearted to claim they didn’t love
their work every bit as much. Mind you,
you too would have a smile on your face if
you were a member of the current squad.
A recent survey revealed that the average
first-team wage at the club came in at an

eye-watering £5.5million, or £101,898 per they immediately announced that their

week. That’s 20 times as much as fellow aim was to build a European juggernaut,
Ligue 1 club Guingamp. Small wonder, a footballing superpower. Well, nobody can
then, that PSG inflicted a 6-0 defeat on claim to be a superpower until they’ve won
them in May. the “Big One”. PSG Chairman Nasser El
While nobody could have expected the Khelaifi has openly stated that “our main
plucky little Brittany club to provide serious dream, the one we are working for every
competition for PSG, the worry as thoughts day, remains to win the Champions
turn to next season is where any sort of League”. So Blanc simply has to keep
meaningful competition is going to come his team improving.
from. After all, Blanc has already made it Speaking on satellite sports channel
clear that next term he expects his side to beIN Sport, the coach was candid when
go up another notch and aim higher. he said that regenerating the group for the
Impressive…Bordeaux’s new stadium When the Qataris first took over in 2011 next campaign was a priority, with up to

56 WORLD SOCCER
 Qualifiers…Saint-
Etienne (in green)
and Bordeaux are
EURO SEASON REVIEW
in next season’s
Europa League TEAM OF THE SEASON
EUROPEAN W
W
QUALIFIERS Maxwell
Nabil Fekir
PSG and Lyon enter (PSG) W
(Lyon)
the Champions Dimitri Payet
League group stage, W (Marseille)
while third-placed Aymen Abdennour W
Monaco play in the W (Monaco) W Zlatan Ibrahimovic
third qualifying round. Anthony Lopes Marco Verratti (PSG)
Marseille (fourth) go (Lyon) W (PSG)
into the Europa League Thiago Silva W
group stage, while (PSG) Anthony Lacazette
W
Saint-Etienne (fifth) Javier Pastore (Lyon)
and Bordeaux (sixth) W
(PSG)
will play in the third Fabinho
qualifying round. (Monaco)

five current players being moved on. when the base level of support for the serious ambitions of winning the title next
“There are some who will leave PSG team simply isn’t there. Money can buy season. Spain has arguably the two best
in the summer,” he said. “They just don’t you a lot, such as a third-place Ligue 1 teams in the world battling it out for
know it yet.” finish and a quarter-final slot in the supremacy. Do domestic championships
With Blanc confirming that he expects Champions League, but it can’t buy that lack real cutting-edge competition
to sign two attacking players, neither Monaco that big-club feel. hinder clubs when they step up to take
Edinson Cavani nor Ezequiel Lavezzi will Elsewhere Marseille have potential, but on the very best that Europe has to offer?
be feeling too sure of themselves just now, both the club and the city’s – how shall we Maybe so, but the PSG top brass will take
while fringe players, such as Adrien Rabiot, put this? – “difficult” reputation makes it heart from looking at Germany, where
look likely to be shown the door. a less enticing investment proposition. Close…Monaco (in red) Bayern Munich were runaway champions
Money is clearly no object, but can Lyon? They did great things on the pitch in take on Saint-Etienne by a whopping 10 points from Wolfsburg.
a club like PSG grow to the level it truly finishing second, but their stated policy is Yet there’s little doubt that Pep Guardiola’s
needs to when the level of domestic to keep things tight at the bank, so again, boys are eating at Europe’s top table.
competition is weak? The team lost it’s hard to see a serious challenge coming Who will the Qatari megabucks lure to
just three league games all season: to from them. the French capital, especially now that it
Guingamp, Bastia and Bordeaux. All of Elsewhere, there is little opposition. looks like those infamous UEFA Financial
those defeats were much more like bad Saint-Etienne have the tradition and the Fairplay rules are about to be relaxed?
days at the office than losses to teams of fan base, but they have zero financial clout A number of names have been bandied
equal stature, and it is entirely conceivable about, but frankly they’re the usual
that PSG could go through a whole season suspects all the top outfits currently covet.
unbeaten in domestic competition.
“We have to reinvent our game. Paul Pogba at Juventus is one obvious
A league isn’t a league unless there’s At the moment we’re not far from name and Blanc has already gone public
real competition and right now France the floor of the swimming pool” about his admiration for the midfielder.
doesn’t seem to be coming up with Lille president Michel Seydoux said French football was Kevin De Bruyne from Wolfsburg is
anything credible to halt the PSG “ill”, lacking investors, good governance and attractiveness another. Angel Di Maria has also been
bandwagon. Not so long ago it seemed mentioned, despite his poor campaign
as if Russian roubles might allow Monaco at Manchester United. And out-of-favour
to provide some real competition. But just now. Lille have aspirations to move Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech, too.
the sale of James Rodriguez to Real up to bigger things, but their magnificent Perhaps of this group, only Pogba would
Madrid and the loan of Radamel Falcao new stadium has yet to witness a team Shock…Jeremy Pied set the hearts of the PSG faithful racing,
to Manchester United suggested that a worthy of it. (centre) celebrates but with all the money the club can wave
serious attempt was not really being made. Talking of new stadiums, one of the a goal as Guingamp about, it would be foolish not to expect
become one of only
And, let’s face it, Monaco have very little three teams to beat PSG in season three teams to beat some exciting new arrivals to depress the
chance of being a sustainable powerhouse 2014-15, Bordeaux, ended their campaign PSG in the league rest of Ligue 1 next season. WS
in a spanking new arena, inspiringly called
LIGUE 1 2014-15 the Nouveau Stade Bordeaux. Under
P W D L F A Pts coach, the former France defender
PSG 38 24 11 3 83 36 83 Willy Sagnol, Les Girondins finished
LYON 38 22 9 7 72 33 75
MONACO 38 20 11 7 51 26 71 in a creditable sixth place, but were
MARSEILLE 38 21 6 11 76 42 69 never a serious threat to Paris.
SAINT-ETIENNE 38 19 12 7 51 30 69
BORDEAUX 38 17 12 9 47 44 63
So what does all this mean for Ligue 1
MONTPELLIER 38 16 8 14 46 39 56 next season? Well, it’s genuinely hard to
LILLE 38 16 8 14 43 42 56 see anything but PSG followed by the rest.
RENNES 38 13 11 14 35 42 50
GUINGAMP 38 15 4 19 41 55 49 The Parisians have the financial firepower
NICE 38 13 9 16 44 53 48 to blow pretty much anyone out of the
BASTIA 38 12 11 15 37 46 47
CAEN 38 12 10 16 54 55 46
water on the European stage, never mind
NANTES 38 11 12 15 29 40 45 in France. And even then, which clubs
REIMS 38 12 8 18 47 66 44 have more allure? Probably only Barcelona
LORIENT 38 12 7 19 44 50 43
TOULOUSE 38 12 6 20 43 64 42 and Real Madrid can offer more glamour
EVIAN 38 11 4 23 41 62 37 and more glory. PSG look like they have
METZ 38 7 9 22 31 61 30
LENS 38 7 8 23 32 61 29 everything in place to win the Champions
League sooner rather than later.
TOP GOALSCORERS
Alexandre Lacazette (Lyon) 27 goals Their Achilles heel? It has to be the lack
Andre-Pierre Gignac (Marseille) 21 goals of genuine domestic competition. England
Zlatan Ibrahimovic (PSG) 19 goals
Edinson Cavani (PSG) 18 goals has three or four clubs who will have
WORLD SOCCER 57
 LIGUE 1 RESULTS 2014-15: THE COMPLETE RECORD

Aug 8, 2014 Reims 2 (Oniangue 22, Devaux 34) Nice 1 (Bosetti 11)
Paris Saint-Germain 2 (Ibrahimovic 7, 63) Bordeaux 3 (Diabate pen 32, Maurice-Belay 47,
Att: 18,540 Sertic 55) Att: 22,712

Aug 9 Bastia 3 (Maboulou 9, 73, Tallo pen 66) Reims 0

Marseille 3 (Gignac 12, pen 62, Romaric og 17) Caen 2 (Kante 83, Bazile 90+2) Att: 12,015
Att: 15,537
Aug 24 Lyon 0
Evian TG 0 Lens 1 (Nomenjanahary 11) Att: 24,636
Caen 3 (Kante 12, Duhamel 32, 37) Att: 9,915
Nantes 0
Guingamp 0 Monaco 1 (Falcao 45) Att: 27,042
Saint-Etienne 2 (Erdinc pen 39, 90+2) Att: 16,852
Saint-Etienne 0
Lille 0 Rennes 0 Att: 31,037
Metz 0 Att: 34,327
Aug 29 Marseille 4 (Payet 19, 48, Thauvin 45,
Montpellier 0 Barrada 87)
Bordeaux 1 (Diabate 17) Att: 15,190 Nice 0 Att: 41,413

Nantes 1 (Bammou 65) Aug 30 Caen 0

Lens 0 Att: 27,964 Rennes 1 (Toivonen pen 88) Att: 12,767

Nice 3 (Cvitanich 23, 63, Bosetti 69) Lens 4 (Cyprien 45, Chavarria 47, Touzghar pen 61,
Toulouse 2 (Braithwaite 44, Ben Yedder 45) Coulibaly pen 87)
Att: 19,474 Reims 2 (Mandi 7, Courtet 80) Att: 9,846

Aug 10 Lyon 2 (Malbranque 64, Lacazette pen 74) Lorient 4 (Jeannot 58, Lavigne 80, 90+3, Ayew 83)
Rennes 0 Att: 27,811 Guingamp 0 Att: 13,061

Monaco 1 (Falcao pen 78) Monaco 1 (Berbatov 61)

Lorient 2 (Aboubakar pen 9, Lavigne 87) Att: 13,960 Lille 1 (Roux 18) Att: 9,345

Aug 15 Caen 0 Nantes 1 (Gakpe 79)

Lille 1 (Origi pen 69) Att: 12,664 Montpellier 0 Att: 21,559

Aug 16 Lens 0 Toulouse 1 (Regattin 78)

Guingamp 1 (Douniama 90+3) Att: 9,512 Evian TG 0 Att: 10,206

Lorient 0 Aug 31 Bordeaux 1 (Rolan 78)

Nice 0 Att: 13,885 Bastia 1 (Tallo 18) Att: 21,917

Metz 1 (Ngbakoto 12) Metz 2 (Ngbakoto pen 82, Falcon 86)

Nantes 1 (Veretout 3) Att: 20,329 Lyon 1 (Lacazette 68) Att: 20,168

Paris Saint-Germain 2 (Lucas Moura 26, Cavani 57) Paris Saint-Germain 5 (Ruffier og 24,
Bastia 0 Att: 45,258 Ibrahimovic 41, 62, 72, Cavani 63)
Saint-Etienne 0 Att: 46,088
Rennes 6 (Toivonen 7, 57, Mexer 40, 44, Ntep 76, 87)
Evian TG 2 (Wass 35, 83) Att: 17,591 Sep 12 Lyon 2 (Fekir 30, Tolisso 73)
Monaco 1 (Ocampos 39) Att: 34,099
Toulouse 2 (Akpa Akpro 10, Ben Yedder 45)
Lyon 1 (Lacazette 77) Att: 13,283 Sep 13 Bastia 1 (Gillet 54)
Lens 1 (Chavarria 40) Att: 12,479

Montpellier 1 (Kone og 44)

Lorient 0 Att: 12,106 Sep 21 Lens 0 Sep 27 Lille 1 (Origi 39)
Saint-Etienne 1 (Lemoine 82) Att: 11,072 Bastia 0 Att: 33,558
Nice 1 (Bosetti 90+5) Lorient 0
Metz 0 Att: 18,019 Lille 0 Evian TG 2 (Kone 2, Barbosa 79) Att: 11,058
Montpellier 0 Att: 31,742
Reims 2 (N’Gog 13, Courtet 86) Metz 3 (Falcon 51, 90+2, Kashi 71)
Toulouse 0 Att: 11,019 Monaco 1 (Dirar 38) Reims 0 Att: 18,273
Guingamp 0 Att: 6,351
Rennes 1 (Ntep 56) Monaco 0
Paris Saint-Germain 1 (Camara 43) Att: 27,290 Paris Saint-Germain 1 (Cavani 20) Nice 1 (Carlos Eduardo 7) Att: 8,941
Lyon 1 (Umtiti 84) Att: 45,428
Saint-Etienne 1 (Pierre og 74) Montpellier 2 (Camara 49, Montano 88)
Caen 0 Att: 26,293 Sep 23 Reims 0 Guingamp 1 (Beauvue 83) Att: 10,282
Marseille 5 (Gignac 8, 20, Ayew 52, 59, Imbula 74)
Sep 14 Evian TG 1 (Nsikulu 90+1) Att: 17,705 Toulouse 1 (Ben Yedder 8)
Marseille 3 (Gignac 1, Imbula 44, Thauvin 63) Paris Saint-Germain 1 (Bahebeck 33) Att: 20,762
Home win…Bordeaux (left) beat Monaco Att: 12,967 Rennes 0
Toulouse 3 (Pesic 42, Diagne og 58, Ben Yedder 62) Sep 28 Bordeaux 2 (Khazri 73, Toure 90+3)
Guingamp 2 (Diallo 26, Mandanne pen 34) Att: 17,182 Rennes 1 (Habibou 80) Att: 18,668
Aug 17 Bordeaux 4 (Rolan 48, 65, Sala pen 61, Bordeaux 1 (Diabate 83) Att: 12,912
Khazri pen 75) Sep 24 Bastia 0 Lens 0
Monaco 1 (Berbatov 45) Att: 28,287 Lille 2 (Origi 46, Lopes 49) Nantes 0 Att: 11,380 Caen 0 Att: 8,525
Nantes 0 Att: 32,560
Marseille 0 Caen 0 Marseille 2 (Imbula 7, Payet 28)
Montpellier 2 (Mounier 19, Sanson 69) Att: 50,774 Sep 19 Bordeaux 2 (Rolan 19, Khazri 56) Paris Saint-Germain 2 (Lucas Moura 18, Saint-Etienne 1 (Brison 53) Att: 55,367
Evian TG 1 (Tejeda 86) Att: 15,103 Marquinhos 56) Att: 19,998
Saint-Etienne 3 (Gradel 60, Monnet-Paquet 70, Nantes 1 (Veretout pen 73)
Erdinc 81) Sep 20 Lorient 0 Evian TG 2 (Wass 10, Mensah 30) Lyon 1 (Kone 51) Att: 26,077
Reims 1 (Perrin og 27) Att: 33,810 Reims 1 (Moukandjo 72) Att: 12,004 Lens 1 (Touzghar 55) Att: 9,864
Oct 3 Reims 1 (Odair Fortes 32)
Aug 22 Evian TG 0 Marseille 3 (Gignac 50, 63, Alessandrini 90+4) Guingamp 0 Bordeaux 0 Att: 14,546
Paris Saint-Germain 0 Att: 14,600 Rennes 0 Att: 46,150 Metz 1 (Bussmann 24) Att: 12,712
Oct 4 Bastia 0
Aug 23 Bastia 1 (Boudebouz pen 24) Metz 3 (Krivets 14, Milan 64, Falcon 74) Lyon 4 (Lacazette 5, Fekir 39, 68, N’Jie 50) Lorient 2 (Peybernes og 48, Sunu 62) Att: 11,542
Toulouse 0 Att: 13,813 Bastia 1 (Ayite 42) Att: 18,605 Lorient 0 Att: 32,523
Caen 1 (Musavu-King 84)
Guingamp 0 Nantes 2 (Amavi og 9, Shechter 43) Montpellier 0 Marseille 2 (Romao 74, Gignac 90+3) Att: 20,501
Marseille 1 (Gignac 46) Att: 16,901 Nice 1 (Amavi 70) Att: 23,240 Monaco 1 (Germain 90+3) Att: 11,570
Evian TG 3 (Doukoure og 62, Wass pen 75, Bruno 81)
Lille 2 (Delaplace 58, Kjaer 74) Toulouse 3 (Ben Yedder pen 21, Regattin pen 83, Nice 1 (Bodmer 41) Metz 0 Att: 10,937
Lorient 0 Att: 34,860 Ninkov 87) Lille 0 Att: 16,541
Caen 3 (Raspentino 7, Nangis 76, Calve 86) Nice 1 (Palun 90+3)
Montpellier 2 (Tiene 44, Camara 89) Att: 13,058 Sep 25 Saint-Etienne 1 (Van Wolfswinkel 31) Montpellier 1 (Hilton 72) Att: 19,634
Metz 0 Att: 12,337 Bordeaux 1 (Tiago Ilori 39) Att: 25,510

58 WORLD SOCCER
 EURO SEASON REVIEW

Oct 19 Bordeaux 1 (Diabate pen 22) Marseille 2 (N’Koulou 10, Thauvin 60) Rennes 2 (Abdennour og 10, Toivonen 19)
Caen 1 (Bazile 77) Att: 19,798 Lens 1 (Guillaume 31) Att: 52,805 Monaco 0 Att: 17,213

Lyon 5 (Gourcuff 36, 47, Fekir 38, Lacazette 82, Nantes 1 (Armand og 21) Toulouse 2 (Doumbia 23, Pesic 70)
Malbranque 88) Rennes 1 (Pedro Henrique 4) Att: 31,893 Lorient 3 (Guerreiro 55, Jeannot 57, Ayew pen 60)
Montpellier 1 (Tiene 54) Att: 35,688 Att: 20,550
Nov 7 Rennes 1 (Pedro Henrique 89)
Marseille 2 (N’Koulou 20, Gignac 35) Lorient 0 Att: 18,390 Nov 30 Bordeaux 1 (Diabate 62)
Toulouse 0 Att: 61,846 Lille 0 Att: 19,361
Nov 8 Bastia 2 (Tallo 21, 45+1)
Oct 24 Toulouse 0 Montpellier 0 Att: 11,557 Evian TG 2 (Wass 59, Nielsen 81)
Lens 2 (El Jadeyaoui 11, Bourigeaud 27) Att: 12,105 Guingamp 0 Att: 10,665
Caen 1 (Duhamel 24)
Oct 25 Bastia 1 (Maboulou 21) Nantes 2 (Vizcarrondo 40, Veretout 60) Att: 17,900 Saint-Etienne 3 (Sall 18, Van Wolfswinkel 40,
Monaco 3 (Germain 5, Kondogbia 78, Cohade 68)
Ferreira Carrasco 84) Att: 13,106 Evian TG 1 (Wass 76) Lyon 0 Att: 36,004
Nice 0 Att: 7,738
Caen 2 (Nangis 3, Duhamel pen 53) Dec 2 Lorient 1 (Ayew pen 37)
Lorient 1 (Ayew pen 24) Att: 15,963 Lens 1 (Touzghar pen 74) Marseille 1 (Payet 32) Att: 16,011
Bordeaux 2 (Khazri 24, Diabate 41) Att: 11,037
Evian TG 0 Monaco 2 (Berbatov pen 64, Ferreira Carrasco 90+3)
Nantes 2 (Veretout pen 42, Bammou 75) Att: 10,063 Toulouse 3 (Sirieix 3, Ben Yedder 61, Pesic 72) Lens 0 Att: 5,686
Metz 0 Att: 16,412
Paris Saint-Germain 3 (Lucas Moura pen 45+3, Nantes 1 (Veretout pen 64)
pen 50, Lavezzi 81) Nov 9 Lyon 3 (Lacazette 8, Fekir 20, 87) Toulouse 2 (Sylla 24, Braithwaite 85) Att: 19,669
Bordeaux 0 Att: 46,077 Guingamp 1 (Lopes og 45) Att: 36,461
Dec 3 Bastia 1 (Abdallah og 35)
Reims 1 (Moukandjo 90) Paris Saint-Germain 2 (Lucas Moura 38, Cavani 85) Evian TG 2 (Wass 65, Nsikulu 83) Att: 10,902
Montpellier 0 Att: 11,331 Marseille 0 Att: 45,961
Guingamp 5 (Mandanne 4, 62, Giresse 21,
Oct 26 KEY GAME Reims 2 (Moukandjo pen 26, Mandi 33) Beauvue pen 61, 78)
Guingamp 2 (Beauvue 8, Schwartz 70) Lille 0 Att: 13,004 Caen 1 (Yahia 17) Att: 13,423
Nice 7 (Carlos Eduardo 12, 26, 43, 50, 65,
Plea 45+1, Bautheac 72) Att: 14,664 Saint-Etienne 1 (Van Wolfswinkel 58) Lille 1 (Sirigu og 42)
Poor Guingamp suffer the indignity of a 7-2 home Monaco 1 (Traore 17) Att: 29,403 Paris Saint-Germain 1 (Cavani 29) Att: 45,771
defeat to Nice, whose Brazilian striker Carlos
Eduardo scores five times. Nov 21 Metz 2 (Maiga pen 49, pen 53) Metz 0
Paris Saint-Germain 3 (Pastore 9, Bussmann og 16, Bordeaux 0 Att: 17,866
Lavezzi 84) Att: 25,012
KEY GAME Montpellier 0
Lyon 1 (Gourcuff 66) Nov 22 Bastia 0 Saint-Etienne 2 (Pogba 23, Baysse 43) Att: 10,425
Marseille 0 Att: 38,712 Lyon 0 Att: 12,349
League leaders Marseille’s eight-game winning Nice 1 (Cvitanich 83)
run comes to an end as they suffer a home defeat Guingamp 0 Rennes 2 (Ntep 12, Konradsen 49) Att: 15,033
against Lyon. Rennes 1 (Ntep 37) Att: 16,501
Dec 4 Lyon 2 (Tolisso 6, Placide og 90+1)
Lorient 1 (Guerreiro 22) Reims 1 (Moukandjo 36) Att: 32,513
Rennes 2 (Habibou 47, Doucoure 54) Lens 0 Att: 13,204
Hero…Eduardo Lille 0 Att: 17,392 Dec 5 Toulouse 0
celebrates the Monaco 2 (Imorou og 5, Joao Moutinho 75) Monaco 2 (Berbatov 45, pen 77) Att: 9,947
first of his five Saint-Etienne 1 (Gradel 74) Caen 2 (Koita 51, Kondogbia og 59) Att: 7,508
Metz 0 Att: 33,991 Dec 6 Bordeaux 3 (Khazri 43, Diabate 64, 66)
goals in Nice’s
Nice 0 Lorient 2 (Jeannot 31, Le Goff 51) Att: 15,724
7-2 win at
Oct 31 Monaco 1 (Echiejile 20) Reims 0 Att: 15,207
Guingamp Reims 1 (Moukandjo 80) Att: 5,488 Caen 2 (Duhamel pen 39, Nangis 45)
Nov 23 Marseille 3 (Lemina 60, Gignac 85, Nice 3 (Amavi 32, Bautheac pen 64, Plea 74)
Rennes 2 (Ntep 54, 84) Nov 1 Guingamp 1 (Yatabare 32) Batshuayi 89) Att: 13,487
Lens 0 Att: 18,907 Bastia 0 Att: 14,293 Bordeaux 1 (Toure 55) Att: 54,323
Paris Saint-Germain 2 (Ibrahimovic 34, 48)
Oct 5 Guingamp 0 Lille 1 (Frey 16) Montpellier 2 (Mounier 37, Camara 87) Nantes 1 (Bedoya 8) Att: 46,161
Nantes 1 (Nkoudou 33) Att: 14,744 Saint-Etienne 1 (Gradel 60) Att: 36,170 Toulouse 0 Att: 9,270
Rennes 0
Lyon 3 (Lacazette 39, 45, 84) Lorient 1 (Guerreiro 42) Nantes 0 Montpellier 4 (Martin 23, Sanson 55, Barrios 60,
Lille 0 Att: 34,349 Paris Saint-Germain 2 (Cavani 60, Bahebeck 69) Saint-Etienne 0 Att: 32,324 Mounier 90+2) Att: 16,123
Att: 15,652
KEY GAME Nov 28 Marseille 2 (Thauvin 24, Fanni 39) Saint-Etienne 1 (Van Wolfswinkel 58)
Paris Saint-Germain 1 (Lucas Moura 71) Metz 3 (Maiga 10, 50, Malouda pen 90) Nantes 0 Att: 54,103 Bastia 0 Att: 28,686
Monaco 1 (Martial 90+2) Att: 45,308 Caen 2 (Calve 65, Koita 83) Att: 17,864
Champions PSG draw their sixth game of the Nov 29 Caen 1 (Duhamel 40) Dec 7 Evian TG 2 (Barbosa 28, 64)
season, leaving them seven points behind Montpellier 2 (Berigaud 32, Mounier 90) Montpellier 1 (Hilton 17) Att: 14,976 Lyon 3 (Benzia 62, Lacazette 81, pen 90+4)
Marseille in third place. Evian TG 0 Att: 8,440 Att: 13,064
Lens 2 (El Jadeyaoui 65, Bourigeaud 79)
Nice 1 (Puel 51) Metz 0 Att: 8,922 Lens 1 (Coulibaly 90+2)
Saint-Etienne 0 Lyon 3 (Malbranque 64, Lacazette 80, 90+4) Lille 1 (Gueye 48) Att: 40,112
Toulouse 1 (Ben Yedder 22) Att: 27,581 Att: 15,677 Paris Saint-Germain 1 (Ibrahimovic pen 15)
Nice 0 Att: 45,542 Marseille 3 (Gignac 43, Ayew 59, Payet 90+2)
Oct 17 Lens 1 (Coulibaly 10) Nov 2 Bordeaux 2 (Planus 52, Rolan 63) Metz 1 (Malouda 46) Att: 45,537
Paris Saint-Germain 3 (Cabaye 28, Maxwell 34, Toulouse 1 (Pesic 68) Att: 16,618 Reims 2 (N’Gog 10, Moukandjo 85)
Cavani pen 55) Att: 70,785 Bastia 1 (Modesto 41) Att: 13,504 Reims 2 (Charbonnier 6, Oniangue 68)
Guingamp 3 (Jacobsen 33, Mandanne 47,
Oct 18 Lille 1 (Mavuba 79) Beauvue 79) Att: 11,255
Guingamp 2 (Beauvue 45+1, Schwartz 57)
Att: 33,926 Dec 12 Lyon 3 (Lacazette pen 7, 57, Benzia 62)
Caen 0 Att: 32,962
Lorient 0
Saint-Etienne 1 (Lemoine 87) Att: 14,069 Dec 13 Bastia 2 (Boudebouz 45+1, Cahuzac 81)
Rennes 0 Att: 11,121
Metz 0
Rennes 0 Att: 18,074 Lorient 3 (Ayew 13, Guerreiro 37, Jeannot 45+1)
Metz 1 (Ngbakoto 46) Att: 11,507
Monaco 2 (Joao Moutinho pen 2,
Ferreira Carrasco 71) Montpellier 3 (Sanson 1, Barrios 16, Mounier 63)
Evian TG 0 Att: 5,497 Lens 3 (Valdivia 18, Guillaume 35, Touzghar 80)
Att: 9,784
Nantes 1 (Audel 13)
Reims 1 (Diego 58) Att: 22,908 Determined… Nantes 2 (Veretout 23, Jug og 66)
Lorient’s Lamine Bordeaux 1 (Hansen og 28) Att: 23,751
Nice 0 Kone (left) battles
Bastia 1 (Ayite 51) Att: 18,919 with Wissam Ben Reims 3 (Diego 14, 80, Mandi 78)
Yedder of Toulouse Evian TG 2 (Wass 57, Cambon 69) Att: 11,011

WORLD SOCCER 59
 FRANCE

Dec 14 KEY GAME Head first…David Luiz Rennes 1 (Ntep 11)

Guingamp 1 (Pied 11) gives PSG the lead in their Bordeaux 1 (Khazri pen 77) Att: 16,833
Paris Saint-Germain 0 Att: 17,636 4-2 win over Evian
Guingamp bring to an end PSG’s run of 30 league Feb 22 Guingamp 0
games without defeat – dating back to the spring Montpellier 2 (Sanson 2, Berigaud 55) Att: 13,942
– with a 1-0 victory.
Lyon 1 (Fekir 67)
Nantes 0 Att: 36,819
Lille 3 (Sidibe 7, Ryan Mendes 50, Roux 77)
Toulouse 0 Att: 37,938 Reims 0
Metz 0 Att: 12,575
Monaco 1 (Bernardo Silva 67)
Marseille 0 Att: 12,648 Saint-Etienne 2 (Gradel pen 54, Erdinc 90+1)
Marseille 2 (Batshuayi 64, 67) Att: 35,651
Nice 0
Saint-Etienne 0 Att: 18,493 Feb 27 Marseille 2 (Ayew 45+2, Gignac 63)
Caen 3 (Seube 67, Sala 70, Benezet 87) Att: 44,614
Dec 19 Lens 2 (Cyprien 38, Coulibaly 86)
Nice 0 Att: 8,705 Feb 28 Bordeaux 1 (Kiese Thelin 18)
Reims 1 (Charbonnier 32) Att: 19,212
Dec 20 Caen 1 (Feret 74) Lorient 1 (Guerreiro 59) Caen 1 (Feret 41)
Bastia 1 (Kamano 21) Att: 14,021 Lille 0 Att: 12,026 Saint-Etienne 0 Att: 19,432 Lens 0
Rennes 1 (Doucoure 36) Att: 7,549
Lorient 1 (Ayew 73) Metz 2 (Ngbakoto pen 20, Bussmann 39) Monaco 0
Nantes 2 (Bammou 44, Audel 79) Att: 15,091 Montpellier 3 (Barrios pen 17, 53, 69) Att: 16,786 Lyon 0 Att: 7,161 Lille 2 (Gueye 56, Lopes 60)
Lyon 1 (Tolisso 3) Att: 40,080
Metz 0 Monaco 1 (Bernardo Silva 73) Feb 6 Saint-Etienne 3 (N’Guemo 18, Mollo 57,
Monaco 1 (Ferreira Carrasco 79) Att: 18,354 Nantes 0 Att: 5,692 Erdinc 83) Lorient 2 (Bellugou 16, Bruno 85)
Lens 3 (Touzghar 60, pen 69, Chavarria 77) Bastia 0 Att: 13,619
Paris Saint-Germain 0 Toulouse 1 (Braithwaite 77) Att: 31,974
Montpellier 0 Att: 46,157 Bastia 1 (Ahamada og 48) Att: 10,215 Metz 1 (Sarr 45)
Feb 7 Bastia 2 (Kamano 65, Boudebouz pen 79) Evian TG 2 (Carrasso og 29, Sunu 73) Att: 16,286
Rennes 1 (Mexer 45) Jan 18 Marseille 2 (Lemina 84, Gignac 89) Metz 0 Att: 11,399
Reims 3 (Charbonnier 65, Odair Fortes 76, Guingamp 1 (Beauvue pen 90+2) Att: 42,620 Toulouse 1 (Akpa Akpro 88)
De Preville 90) Att: 17,739 Caen 2 (Privat 17, Feret pen 72) Saint-Etienne 1 (Gradel pen 45) Att: 14,579
Paris Saint-Germain 4 (David Luiz 30, Verratti 38, Toulouse 0 Att: 13,960
Toulouse 1 (Doumbia 25) Pastore 74, Cavani 89) Mar 1 Monaco 0
Guingamp 1 (Giresse 8) Att: 14,188 Evian TG 2 (Barbosa 14, Van der Wiel og 64) Evian TG 0 Paris Saint-Germain 0 Att: 12,065
Att: 45,561 Bordeaux 1 (Khazri 11) Att: 10,033
Dec 21 Bordeaux 0 Montpellier 2 (Dabo 44, Barrios 66)
Lyon 5 (Lacazette 39, 90, Tolisso 56, Fekir 81, Rennes 0 Montpellier 1 (Dabo 90+3) Nice 1 (Bautheac pen 36) Att: 12,083
Ferri 85) Att: 31,873 Saint-Etienne 0 Att: 17,555 Lille 2 (Roux 9, Lopes 54) Att: 10,635
Nantes 1 (Bammou 68)
Marseille 2 (Roux og 32, Batshuayi 69) Jan 23 Nice 2 (Genevois 47, Hult 73) Reims 1 (Moukandjo 42) Guingamp 0 Att: 24,118
Lille 1 (Gueye 61) Att: 62,408 Marseille 1 (Thauvin 77) Att: 25,407 Lorient 3 (Gassama 49, Guerreiro 63, Jeannot 85)
Att: 11,757 Mar 4 Evian TG 1 (Nsikulu 26)
Saint-Etienne 3 (Gradel 2, Van Wolfswinkel 20, Jan 24 Bastia 0 Lorient 0 Att: 7,643
Hamouma 65) Bordeaux 0 Att: 11,571 Rennes 1 (Toivonen 27)
Evian TG 0 Att: 33,017 Marseille 1 (Ocampos 60) Att: 25,325 Mar 6 Toulouse 1 (Ben Yedder 77)
Guingamp 3 (Beauvue 19, pen 76, Mandanne 69) Marseille 6 (Batshuayi 2, 44, Aloe 6,
Jan 7, 2015 Lille 1 (Traore 61) Lorient 2 (Jeannot pen 72, Leveque og 90+2) Feb 8 Guingamp 1 (Leveque 51) Moubandje og 20, Ayew 78, Gignac 89) Att: 19,001
Evian TG 0 Att: 32,580 Att: 13,764 Monaco 0 Att: 13,532
Mar 7 Bastia 2 (Gillet 26, Sio 68)
Jan 9 Montpellier 2 (Berigaud 36, Lasne 62) Lille 0 Lyon 1 (N’Jie 31) Nice 1 (Carlos Eduardo 18) Att: 13,777
Marseille 1 (Omrani 68) Att: 20,840 Monaco 1 (Berbatov 57) Att: 34,898 Paris Saint-Germain 1 (Ibrahimovic pen 69)
Att: 37,581 Caen 1 (Privat 72)
Jan 10 Bastia 4 (Boudebouz pen 32, Modesto Montpellier 4 (Lasne 8, Berigaud 57, Mounier 78, Bordeaux 2 (Rolan 69, pen 90+5) Att: 20,067
45, Palmieri 56, 90) Barrios 82) Nice 0
Paris Saint-Germain 2 (Lucas Moura 10, Nantes 0 Att: 11,037 Nantes 0 Att: 18,062 Evian TG 1 (Sougou 78)
Rabiot 20) Att: 13,028 Monaco 3 (Martial 18, Berbatov 35, Toure 60)
Jan 25 Evian TG 1 (Thomasson 4) Feb 13 Marseille 2 (Payet 58, Ayew 69) Att: 10,905
Evian TG 1 (Thomasson 63) Toulouse 0 Att: 8,022 Reims 2 (De Preville 6, N’Gog 90) Att: 43,653
Rennes 1 (Ntep 66) Att: 8,011 Paris Saint-Germain 4 (David Luiz 43,
Lyon 2 (Lacazette pen 31, Tolisso 83) Feb 14 Lens 0 Ibrahimovic pen 60, Matuidi 80, Pastore 82)
Guingamp 2 (Mandanne 17, Beauvue pen 76) Metz 0 Att: 36,580 Evian TG 2 (Duhamel 19, 35) Att: 7,899 Lens 1 (Touzghar 69) Att: 46,279
Lens 0 Att: 13,520
Reims 0 Lille 0 Reims 3 (Bourillon 14, Mandi 17, N’Gog 61)
Lille 1 (Frey 20) Lens 0 Att: 13,813 Nice 0 Att: 35,053 Nantes 1 (Bangoura 79) Att: 15,261
Caen 0 Att: 34,334
Rennes 1 (Andre 15) Nantes 0
Nice 3 (Bautheac pen 29, Bosetti 60, Caen 4 (Privat 4, Nangis 50, Feret 85, Da Silva 89) Bastia 2 (Sio 30, Ayite 75) Att: 19,987
Carlos Eduardo 67) Att: 18,091
Lorient 1 (Jeannot 6) Att: 16,141 Paris Saint-Germain 2 (Ibrahimovic 2, Lavezzi 40)
Saint-Etienne 0 Caen 2 (Sala 89, Bazile 90+2) Att: 45,571
Reims 1 (Cohade og 90) Paris Saint-Germain 1 (Ibrahimovic pen 60)
Saint-Etienne 2 (Mollo 44, Hamouma 48) Att: 15,013 Att: 32,302 Toulouse 2 (Trejo 10, Pesic 84)
Rennes 1 (Toivonen 82) Att: 14,786
Jan 11 KEY GAME Jan 30 Paris Saint-Germain 1 (Lavezzi 29)
Lyon 3 (Lacazette 14, 27, Fekir 49) Rennes 0 Att: 44,955 Feb 15 Bordeaux 1 (Rolan 42)
Toulouse 0 Att: 35,928 Saint-Etienne 0 Att: 27,661
Lyon take over as league leaders after their 3-0 Jan 31 Lens 1 (Kantari pen 80)
win against Toulouse. Bastia 1 (Boudebouz pen 62) Att: 7,987 Lorient 1 (Ayew 50)
Lyon 1 (N’Jie 78) Att: 14,354
Lorient 0
Monaco 0 Montpellier 0 Att: 11,549 Metz 0
Bordeaux 0 Att: 5,579 Guingamp 2 (Mandanne 26, Pied 39) Att: 20,252
Marseille 1 (Gignac pen 49)
Nantes 0 Evian TG 0 Att: 46,579 Feb 20 Nice 0
Metz 0 Att: 28,100 Monaco 1 (Bernardo Silva 85) Att: 24,130
Metz 0
Jan 16 Bordeaux 1 (Rolan pen 33) Nice 0 Att: 15,115 Feb 21 Bastia 2 (Sio 22, Ayite 40)
Nice 2 (Amavi 66, Plea 90) Att: 13,953 Lille 1 (Ryan Mendes 17) Att: 11,621
Nantes 1 (Vizcarrondo 80)
Jan 17 Caen 4 (Feret 4, Privat 9, Yahia 29, Lille 1 (Delaplace 14) Att: 19,252 Caen 4 (Feret pen 7, Sala 35, 75, Bazile 36)
Koita pen 76) Lens 1 (El Jadeyaoui 45) Att: 17,751
Reims 1 (Charbonnier pen 27) Att: 13,193 Toulouse 1 (Pesic 43)
Reims 0 Att: 17,987 Paris Saint-Germain 3 (Rabiot 27, 48,
Lens 0 Thiago Silva 74)
Lyon 2 (Gbamin og 22, Lacazette pen 26) Att: 11,173 Feb 1 Bordeaux 1 (Poundje 55) Toulouse 1 (Ben Yedder 51) Att: 45,628
Guingamp 1 (Beauvue 28) Att: 16,104

60 WORLD SOCCER
 EURO SEASON REVIEW

Rennes 1 (Ntep 19) Toulouse 2 (Ben Yedder 18, Kana Biyik 61) May 8 Paris Saint-Germain 6 (Cavani 2, 52, 70,
Metz 0 Att: 17,174 Bordeaux 1 (Rolan 28) Att: 15,288 Ibrahimovic 18, pen 90, Maxwell 56)
Guingamp 0 Att: 46,683
Mar 8 Guingamp 0 Mar 22 Lens 0
Lille 1 (Roux 52) Att: 13,639 Marseille 4 (Batshuayi 46, 90+3, Romao 67, May 9 Bordeaux 2 (Rolan pen 20, 69)
Ayew 72) Att: 70,122 Nantes 1 (Veretout pen 15) Att: 31,495
Montpellier 1 (Barrios 6)
Lyon 5 (Lacazette pen 30, 90+4, Fekir 40, 72, Reims 1 (Diego 70) Caen 3 (Benezet 41, 44, Privat 85)
Tolisso 90+1) Att: 16,431 Monaco 3 (Fabinho 5, Martial 14, Dirar 79) Lyon 0 Att: 19,842
Att: 14,692
Saint-Etienne 2 (Mollo 74, Gradel 90) Evian TG 2 (Sunu 45+3, Duhamel 48)
Lorient 0 Att: 30,921 Saint-Etienne 2 (Gradel 63, 74) Reims 3 (N’Gog 40, 64, Moukandjo 86) Att: 13,740
Lille 0 Att: 32,185
Mar 13 Monaco 3 (Martial 22, 51, Acrobat…Saint-Etienne’s Romain Hamouma Metz 0
Matheus Carvalho 43) Apr 3 Monaco 1 (Martial 68) Lorient 4 (Mostefa 12, Philippoteaux 34, Kone 55,
Bastia 0 Att: 5,764 Saint-Etienne 1 (Erdinc 62) Att: 8,894 Nice 1 (Bodmer 45+1) Ayew 84) Att: 16,987
Paris Saint-Germain 3 (Pastore 39, 63,
Nice 1 (Bautheac 58) Apr 4 Guingamp 1 (Beauvue 80) Cavani pen 69) Att: 25,145 Rennes 0
Guingamp 2 (Mandanne 49, 61) Lyon 3 (Fekir 26, Lacazette pen 39, N’Jie 61) Bastia 1 (Danic 78) Att: 20,368
Played behind closed doors Att: 17,381 Apr 19 Lille 2 (Roux 13, Traore 90+4)
Bordeaux 0 Att: 37,605 Toulouse 3 (Ben Yedder 30, Trejo 81, Braithwaite 83)
Mar 14 Lens 1 (Chavarria 77) Lille 3 (Corchia 18, Origi 47, Roux 72) Lille 2 (Roux 9, Boufal 61) Att: 19,819
Toulouse 0 Att: 7,494 Reims 1 (De Preville 52) Att: 38,632 Lyon 2 (N’Jie 24, Jallet 48)
Saint-Etienne 2 (Gradel pen 31, Hamouma 45) May 10 Lens 0
Lorient 2 (Guerreiro 43, Ayew 60) Lorient 0 Att: 37,715 Montpellier 1 (Mounier 90+1) Att: 18,000
Caen 1 (Bazile 42) Att: 12,877 Rennes 3 (Mexer 17, Armand 43, Doucoure 50)
Att: 14,718 Montpellier 1 (Hilton 4) Marseille 2 (Ayew 79, Alessandrini 87)
Metz 2 (Lejeune 56, Ngbakoto pen 90+1) Caen 0 Att: 11,308 Monaco 1 (Joao Moutinho 1) Att: 62,471
Saint-Etienne 3 (Gradel 38, Erdinc 42, Mollo 80) Metz 3 (Maiga 25, 42, 54)
Att: 16,721 Toulouse 2 (Ben Yedder 22, Doumbia 90) Att: 20,072 Apr 24 Marseille 3 (Ayew 58, Morel 67, Saint-Etienne 5 (Perrin 25, Clement 40, Erdinc 62,
Batshuayi 76) Gradel 84, Monnet-Paquet 88)
Montpellier 3 (Barrios 4, 73, Sanson 90+2) Montpellier 3 (Barrios pen 69, Mounier pen 72, Lorient 5 (Ayew 9, 84, Bellugou 14, Nice 0 Att: 32,770
Reims 1 (Oniangue 87) Att: 11,250 Sanson 90+2) Philippoteaux 68, Autret 86) Att: 55,180
Bastia 1 (Sio 35) Att: 11,349 May 16 Bastia 1 (Ayite 12)
Nantes 2 (Nkoudou 45, Gakpe 47) Apr 25 Bordeaux 1 (Khazri 83) Caen 1 (Privat 10) Att: 14,902
Evian TG 1 (Nsikulu 76) Att: 22,047 Nice 2 (Bosetti 45+1, Eysseric 68) Metz 1 (Sassi 24) Att: 22,708
Evian TG 2 (Nounkeu 18, Gomis og 78) Att: 18,518 Evian TG 1 (Duhamel 42)
Mar 15 Bordeaux 3 (Sane 18, Khazri 70, Rolan Caen 0 Saint-Etienne 2 (Gradel 12, pen 82) Att: 14,382
88) Apr 5 Bordeaux 2 (Mariano 80, Guingamp 2 (Beauvue 49, Marveaux 66) Att: 18,807
Paris Saint-Germain 2 (Ibrahimovic 50, pen 85) Maurice-Belay 90+3) Guingamp 2 (Mandanne 5, Beauvue 49)
Att: 32,236 Lens 1 (Chavarria 86) Att: 22,407 Evian TG 1 (Sunu 42) Toulouse 1 (Ben Yedder pen 27) Att: 17,239
Bastia 2 (Kamano 57, 87) Att: 8,521
Lille 3 (Origi 38, pen 63, 72) Marseille 2 (Gignac 30, 43) Lille 0
Rennes 0 Att: 34,727 Paris Saint-Germain 3 (Matuidi 35, Marquinhos 49, Paris Saint-Germain 6 (Maxwell 1, Marseille 4 (Gignac 2, Fanni 26, Alessandrini 70,
Morel og 51) Att: 65,148 Cavani 4, pen 73, Lavezzi 28, 44, 77) Ayew 76) Att: 44,286
Marseille 0 Lille 1 (Basa 59) Att: 45,001
Lyon 0 Att: 62,832 Nantes 1 (Bedoya 11) Lyon 1 (Fekir 9)
Caen 2 (Sala pen 80, Lemar 90+2) Att: 25,560 Rennes 2 (Prcic 47, Konradsen 90) Bordeaux 1 (Crivelli 3) Att: 39,961
Mar 20 Paris Saint-Germain 3 (Ibrahimovic pen Nice 1 (Bautheac 22) Att: 20,675
4, pen 82, 90+1) Apr 7 Monaco 0 Monaco 2 (Bernardo Silva 45, Germain 88)
Lorient 1 (Ayew 67) Att: 45,705 Montpellier 0 Att: 5,676 Toulouse 1 (Regattin 22) Metz 0 Att: 8,627
Nantes 1 (Bedoya 88) Att: 17,274
Mar 21 Bastia 0 Apr 10 Caen 0 KEY GAME
Guingamp 0 Played behind closed doors Monaco 3 (Martial 29, Bernardo Silva 64, 84) Apr 26 Lens 0 Montpellier 1 (Mounier 40)
Att: 20,065 Monaco 3 (Ferreira Carrasco 36, Martial 44, Paris Saint-Germain 2 (Matuidi 17, Lavezzi 25)
Caen 0 Bernardo Silva 72) Att: 11,228 Att: 27,930
Metz 0 Att: 15,810 Apr 12 Bordeaux 1 (Yambere 61) PSG retain their league crown with this victory
Marseille 0 Att: 32,408 Reims 2 (Peuget 13, Charbonnier 90+2) away at Montpellier.
Evian TG 1 (Nsikulu 85) Lyon 4 (Tolisso 2, Lacazette 6, N’Jie 20,
Montpellier 0 Att: 8,730 Evian TG 0 Tacalfred og 90) Att: 19,270
Lille 1 (Boufal pen 81) Att: 9,986 Nantes 1 (Audel 6)
Lyon 1 (Gonalons pen 56) Saint-Etienne 1 (Gradel 20) Lorient 1 (Djilobodji og 4) Att: 28,321
Nice 2 (Carlos Eduardo 23, Eysseric pen 86) Lens 0 Montpellier 0 Att: 35,221
Att: 36,300 Lorient 0 Att: 7,468 Nice 2 (Amavi 30, Digard 77)
Apr 28 Paris Saint-Germain 3 (Verratti 25, Lens 1 (Touzghar 14) Att: 20,185
Rennes 0 Reims 0 Cavani 42, Van der Wiel 77)
Nantes 0 Att: 25,140 Nice 1 (Benrahma 5) Att: 14,905 Metz 1 (Maiga 53) Att: 46,337 Reims 1 (Charbonnier pen 59)
Rennes 0 Att: 16,712
Rennes 1 (Toivonen 80) May 1 Metz 0
Guingamp 0 Att: 27,193 Marseille 2 (Gignac 38, 62) Att: 23,190 May 23 Bordeaux 2 (Rolan 9, 39)
Montpellier 1 (Bakar 63) Att: 40,275
Saint-Etienne 1 (Tabanou 18) May 2 Bastia 1 (Ayite 84)
Nantes 0 Att: 37,417 Saint-Etienne 0 Att: 14,944 Caen 3 (Bazile 61, 69, Sougou og 68)
Evian TG 2 (Sorlin 88, Sougou 90+4) Att: 19,937
Toulouse 1 (Trejo 45+2) Guingamp 2 (Beauvue pen 62, Mandanne 90+4)
Montpellier 0 Att: 18,732 Reims 0 Att: 14,665 Lens 1 (Chavarria 4)
Nantes 0 Att: 9,123
Apr 15 Lyon 2 (Yattara 77, Lacazette 85) Lorient 0
Bastia 0 Att: 36,549 Bordeaux 0 Att: 16,143 Lorient 0
Monaco 1 (Ferreira Carrasco 20) Att: 15,844
Apr 17 Nantes 1 (Gakpe 20) Lyon 2 (Grenier 21, Lacazette pen 39)
Marseille 0 Att: 36,022 Evian TG 0 Att: 36,839 Marseille 3 (Payet 14, Djiku og 39, Ocampos 89)
Bastia 0 Att: 59,533
Apr 18 Bastia 1 (Sio 47) Montpellier 0
Reims 2 (N’Gog 5, Mandi 45+1) Att: 15,461 Rennes 0 Att: 12,074 Metz 1 (Palomino 83)
Lille 4 (Balmont 40, Gueye 41, Roux 44, pen 69)
Guingamp 1 (Beauvue 44) Nice 1 (Carlos Eduardo 41) Att: 15,239
Evian TG 1 (Blandi 50) Att: 13,788 Caen 1 (Benezet 15) Att: 19,009
Paris Saint-Germain 3 (Cavani 30, 84, Rabiot 45)
Lorient 0 May 3 Lille 3 (Boufal pen 41, Sidibe 74, Origi Reims 2 (Mandi 54, Kyei 89) Att: 46,297
Toulouse 1 (Braithwaite 28) Att: 13,511 90+3)
Lens 1 (Chavarria 24) Att: 41,435 Rennes 0
Metz 3 (Malouda 13, Sarr pen 57, Maiga 79) Lyon 1 (N’Jie 86) Att: 26,281
Lens 1 (Madiani 89) Att: 16,875 Monaco 4 (Bernardo Silva 9, Martial pen 45+1,
Joao Moutinho 56, Germain 90+3) Saint-Etienne 2 (Gradel 36, 49)
Eyes down…Diego Monaco 1 (Bernardo Silva 28) Toulouse 1 (Braithwaite 26) Att: 7,006 Guingamp 1 (Beauvue pen 61) Att: 39,147
of Reims shields Rennes 1 (Habibou 87) Att: 6,527
the ball from Nantes 0 Toulouse 2 (Ben Yedder 80, Trejo 81)
Marseille’s Brice Paris Saint-Germain 2 (Cavani 3, Matuidi 31) Nice 3 (Maupay 8, Bautheac 34, 53) Att: 19,830
Dja Djedje Att: 34,088

WORLD SOCCER 61
 GERMANY
NICK BIDWELL

No fairy tale end for Klopp

as Bayern dominate again

A
s Bayern Munich coach records tell their own story of Bayern’s
extraordinaire Pep Guardiola hegemony. The miserly 18 goals conceded;
will surely confirm, even the 22 clean sheets; the 13 consecutive
winning a championship is games in the “Autumn Championship”
sometimes not enough in the pressurised without letting in a goal; the 11-point lead
environs of the Bavarian masters. they had over second-place Wolfsburg at
When Bayern clinched the Bundesliga the winter break.
title in late April, the 25th championship In seven years as a head coach,
in the club’s history, there was much for Guardiola has won 19 trophies, and in
the Spaniard to be satisfied with. His team each of his two seasons at the Allianz-
were victorious in 24 of their 30 games Arena he has scooped the domestic
up until that point and had only twice league spoils. But, unfair on him or
tasted defeat. Their intoxicating brew of not, German league titles tend to be
collective harmony, fluidity, imagination, regarded as the bare minimum in these
defensive rigour and utter consistency
had proved far too potent for most of the
league. And taking into account the 11
“People speak too much in Germany.
players they had on World Cup duty in They should have more respect for
Brazil, their energy and hunger was, at the German champions”
times, remarkable. Pep Guardiola hits out at the barrage of anti-Bayern
The statistics and the raft of Bundesliga comment towards the end of the season

parts. With everything going wrong for

Bayern in the last month of the season
– beaten on penalties by Borussia
Dortmund in the semi-final of the German
Cup, falling to Barcelona in the last four of
the Champions League and losing three
straight dead rubbers in the Bundesliga -
Guardiola inevitably found himself under
heavy fire.
Unfavourably compared to his
predecessor Jupp Heynckes – who just
happened to win the treble in his final
campaign – Guardiola was mainly taken to
task for overdosing on rotation and tactical
tinkering. He had also had to tetchily field
a myriad of other accusations: that his
players lacked physical conditioning and
were prone to fade late in games; that
he was diluting the Bayern identity with
too many Spaniards (five players plus
technical staff); and that he did not get
on with a number of players, notably
Mario Gotze, Franck Ribery, Thomas
Muller and Bastian Schweinsteiger.
Pressure…winning the Bundesliga was the least that was expected of Guardiola While Guardiola could argue with

62 WORLD SOCCER
EURO SEASON REVIEW

Farewell…Klopp salutes
the fans after his final
Bundesliga game in
charge of Dortmund

WORLD SOCCER 63
 GERMANY

PLAYER OF NEWCOMER OF COACH OF CUP WINNERS RELEGATED

THE SEASON THE SEASON THE SEASON Dortmund had hoped Their debut in the top
Kevin De Bruyne Davie Selke Lucien Favre to bid farewell to flight was a disaster
(Wolfsburg) (Werder Bremen) (Borussia coach Jurgen Klopp as Paderborn simply
Moved this season It says everything Monchengladbach) with victory in the did not have players
from a wide position about the calibre Arguably the best Final in Berlin, but with top-flight
to a freewheeling of the 20-year-old analyst and tactician it all ended in an experience, while
central role, the striker that he looked in the country, it anticlimax as they Freiburg were
Belgian creative anything but a would be no surprise were thoroughly just too physically
midfielder made a rookie this term. to see the Swiss outclassed and lightweight and
huge contribution to Will he come to chessmaster take outsmarted by defensively suspect.
his team’s Bundesliga regret his recent over from Guardiola Wolfsburg, whose
pre-eminence, decision to move if and when the 3-1 win was their PROMOTED
scoring 10 goals to second division Spaniard does first-ever triumph Ingolstadt and
and setting up 21. RB Leipzig? leave Bayern. in the German Cup. Darmstadt.

some justification that the fates defender Matthias Ginter, Italian striker in Dortmund for his authenticity, humour
conspired against him, that the Barca tie Ciro Immobile and Colombian front runner and emotion, he not only brought the club
might have turned out differently if three Adrian Ramos all ending up in their own untold success – two Bundesliga titles, a
of his liveliest performers – Arjen Robben, personal Bermuda Triangle. German Cup and the runners-up spot in
David Alaba and Ribery – had not been For the first time, Klopp’s philosophy the 2013 Champions League – but he
sidelined with injury, he certainly did bring became subject to sustained and virulent also instigated a footballing revolution, his
some of the press attacks on himself. His scrutiny. Despite his team improving in the young guns rarely failing to thrill with their
uncompromising nature caused no little second half of the campaign – finishing aggressive, frenzied and high-tempo style.
friction and a perfect example was his seventh in the Bundesliga and reaching Klopp’s successor, the former Mainz
long-simmering clash with veteran club the German Cup Final – an era was clearly boss Thomas Tuchel, undeniably has a
doctor Hans-Wilhelm Muller-Wohlfahrt, drawing to a close at the Westfalenstadion,. hard, if not impossible, act to follow. Even
who sensationally resigned in the spring Those dark days of the autumn and winter with Hummels and Reus opting to stay
after claiming that Guardiola had blamed clearly took their toll, prompting loyal, the Dortmunder first XI will have to
the medical department for a Champions the 47-year-old to announce in April that be extensively rebuilt, and it remains to be
League defeat at Porto. he would be stepping down at the end of seen how easy it will be to go from the
Out of their depth…
World-renowned orthopaedist Muller- relegated Freiburg (in the season. direct Klopp blitzkrieg to Tuchel’s favoured
Wohlfahrt was part of the Bayern furniture white) and Paderborn The news that the seven-year Klopp possession game.
for almost four reign was over undoubtedly was the Of all the coaches operating in the
decades. He was Bundesliga story of the season. Adored Bundesliga this term, no one flopped more
widely seen in the
Bavarian capital as
the victim in the
affair – and whatever
Guardiola’s concerns
about injury recovery
rates and MW’s lack
of presence on the
training ground, he
should have handled
it with more finesse
and tact.
Guardiola, for whom next season will
probably be his last at Bayern, will have to
be careful. After all, it was control freakery
and a disregard for local mentalities which
led to the demise of Jurgen Klinsmann
back in 2009.
Whichever way it is cut, this season will
always be regarded as an annus horribilis
for coaching superstar Jurgen Klopp.
After a half-dozen years on the up and
up with Dortmund, his team suddenly and
shockingly went into freefall. By Christmas
they were second bottom, undone by a
spate of defensive howlers, a vulnerability
to counter-attacks and failure to turn
possession into goals.
Plagued by injuries to such key players
as centre-back Mats Hummels, midfield
hub Ilkay Gundogan and attacker Marco
Solid…Borussia
Reus, Dortmund this term often seemed Monchengladbach
to lack the zip and sheer fearlessness of keep out Bayern
yore. There can be no hiding from the fact on their way
to qualification
that last summer’s recruitment drive was for next season’s
a disaster, with young German central Champions League

64 WORLD SOCCER
 EURO SEASON REVIEW

TEAM OF THE SEASON

EUROPEAN into a metropolis like playing style and won’t make up for W
QUALIFIERS of footballing much more fighting the disappointment David Alaba W
Bayern Munich (CL): excellence. spirit than in the past. of missing out on the (Bayern) W Patrick Herrmann
Were dominance Bor M’gladbach Augsburg (EL): Proof Champions League Granit Xhaka (B Mon’gladbach)
personified until (CL): The best that even a club with cash. Suffered from W (B Mon’gladbach)
easing off the counter-attacking the second-smallest too little creativity. Naldo W
accelerator with team in the country budget in the league Borussia Dortmund W (Wolfsburg) Robert Lewandowski
the title in the bag. were superb in 2015. can be competitive. (EL): Jurgen Klopp’s Bernd Leno W (Bayern)
Wolfsburg (CL): Bayer Leverkusen Expertly drilled high-energy side (Leverkusen) W Kevin De Bruyne
Their mix of (CL): Coach Roger by coach Markus continue to outstrip Jerome Boateng (Wolfsburg)
expensive stars, Schmidt did all that Weinzierl, they were most in a foot race, (Bayern) W
hungry youngsters was asked of him in bold, brave and tough but were let down by Gonzalo Castro
W
and the odd his first season in to outmanoeuvre. their frailties at the W (Leverkusen)
Arjen Robben
journeyman turned charge: a top-four Schalke (EL): A place back and indecision Paul Verhaegh (Bayern)
the VW’s Auto City finish, a Dortmund- in the Europa League in the attacking third. (Augsburg)

dramatically than Roberto Di Matteo at blame. A few bad apples in a squad can
Schalke. Appointed in October to replace cause no end of damage and Schalke
the sacked Jens Keller, the former Chelsea plainly had their share of the egomanical,
manager might have been a Champions the unproductive and the disruptive. A
League winner with the Londoners in couple of weeks before the end of the
2012, but he never got to grips with the season, midfielder Kevin-Prince Boateng
volatile Gelsenkirchen scene and after and winger Sidney Sam had the dubious
finishing two places short of Champions distinction of being kicked off the team
League qualification, he walked before he for disciplinary reasons, but by then, of
could be pushed. course, it was far too late.
Winning only 14 of his 33 competitive One of the most salient lessons of the
games and without an away victory in the 2014-15 Bundesliga is the heights which
Bundesliga this year, Di Matteo was the can be scaled success when a coach and
exact opposite of what Schalke fans look director of sport work hand-in-glove to
for in a boss. He preached discipline and execute an intelligent plan.
caution; they wanted full-blooded attack. Augsburg’s Markus Weinzierl and the In full cry…Wolfsburg medal, a chance to rediscover the
He was cool, calculating and former German World Cup winner Stefan with the German Cup Champions Cup/Champions League
undemonstrative; they yearned for passion. after 37 long years.
Not that Di Matteo was entirely to Runners-up to Bayern, albeit 10 points
“I have in the last few weeks and days to the rear, Wolfsburg too had an
asked myself if I was still the right outstanding leadership tag-team in coach
coach for the club and I wasn’t sure” Dieter Hecking and CEO Klaus Allofs.
Jurgen Klopp calls time on his stint as Dortmund coach Though it’s fashionable to solely attribute
their success to the huge investment of
parent company VW, that’s not the whole
Reuter made light of a shoestring story. Over the last year or two, Hecking
budget to steer their upstart club to a has added a much cuter tactical edge,
brilliant fifth-place finish. The Borussia and when it comes to farsighted business
Monchengladbach brains trust of master programmes and transfer market work,
tactician Lucien Favre and sharp-eyed Allofs has no peers.
talent-spotter Max Eberl intelligently laid The Wolves were exceptional at
the foundations for a superb bronze switching defence into attack in the blink
of an eye and striking early in a game,
BUNDESLIGA 2014-15 while another of their great strengths was
P W D L F A Pts
their highly impressive “spine”, the axis of
BAYERN 34 25 4 5 80 18 79 Swiss goalkeeper Diego Benaglio, Brazilian
WOLFSBURG 34 20 9 5 72 38 69 central defender, Naldo, Belgian attacking
B M’GLADBACH 34 19 9 6 53 26 66
B LEVERKUSEN 34 17 10 7 62 37 61 midfield ace Kevin De Bruyne and reborn
AUGSBURG 34 15 4 15 43 43 49 Dutch striker Bas Dost.
SCHALKE 34 13 9 12 42 40 48
B DORTMUND 34 13 7 14 47 42 46 It was a good time to be an anti-
HOFFENHEIM 34 12 8 14 49 55 44 relegation firefighter. Michael Frontzeck
E FRANKFURT 34 11 10 13 56 62 43
arriving just in the nick of time to save
W BREMEN 34 11 10 13 50 65 43
MAINZ 34 9 13 12 45 47 40 Hanover; Pal Dardai steadying the ship at
COLOGNE 34 9 13 12 34 40 40 Hertha Berlin; Huub Stevens eventually
HANOVER 34 9 10 15 40 56 37
STUTTGART 34 9 9 16 42 60 36 pulling Stuttgart away from the cliff’s edge
HERTHA BERLIN 34 9 8 17 36 52 35 with three wins in the last three weeks of
HAMBURG 34 9 8 17 25 50 35
FREIBURG 34 7 13 14 36 47 34
the season and Bruno Labbadia somehow
PADERBORN 34 7 10 17 31 65 31 keeping the severely-holed Hamburg
afloat thanks to victory over Karlsruher
PROMOTION/RELEGATION PLAY-OFF in a promotion/relegation play-off.
Hamburg v Karlsruher1-1, 2-1aet (3-2 on agg)
A word to the wise: change your coach
TOP GOALSCORERS
Alexander Meier (Eintracht Frankfurt) 19 goals if you want to survive. Freiburg and
Robert Lewandowski (Bayern) 17 goals Paderborn chose not to read the runes
Arjen Robben (Bayern) 17 goals
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (B Dortmund) 16 goals and, for their pains, ultimately fell through
Bas Dost (Wolfsburg) 16 goals
the trapdoor. WS
WORLD SOCCER 65
 BUNDESLIGA RESULTS 2014-15: THE COMPLETE RECORD

Aug 22, 2014 Bayern Munich 2 (Muller 37, Monchengladbach 4 (Hahn 17, 50, Kruse 56, Wolfsburg 2 (Rodriguez 15, Olic 57) Mainz 2 (Hofmann 20, Jairo 23)
Robben 47) Raffael 79) Werder Bremen 1 (Busch 37) Att: 29,117 Augsburg 1 (Werner 78) Att: 27,687
Wolfsburg 1 (Olic 52) Att: 71,000 Schalke 1 (Choupo-Moting pen 52) Att: 54,010
Sep 28 Augsburg 1 (Verhaegh pen 27) Schalke 2 (Huntelaar 19, Draxler 65)
Aug 23 KEY GAME Paderborn 0 Hertha Berlin 0 Att: 28,532 Hertha Berlin 0 Att: 61,973
Borussia Dortmund 0 Cologne 0 Att: 14,993
Bayer Leverkusen 2 (Bellarabi 1, Kiessling 90+5) Hamburg 1 (N Muller 58) Stuttgart 3 (Werner 57, Klein 67, Harnik 76)
Att: 80,667 Sep 14 Eintracht Frankfurt 0 Eintracht Frankfurt 2 (Seferovic 44, Piazon 90) Bayer Leverkusen 3 (Son 4, 9, Bellarabi 41)
In a clear sign of the below-par season to come, Augsburg 1 (Bobadilla 49) Att: 43,500 Att: 47,643 Att: 40,900
Dortmund lose their season-opener at home to a
bright Leverkusen. Hanover 2 (Andreasen 13, Sobiech 24) Oct 3 Hertha Berlin 3 (Kalou pen 22, 64, Oct 19 Hamburg 1 (Lasogga 34)
Hamburg 0 Att: 49,000 Beerens 74) Hoffenheim 1 (Modeste 15) Att: 49,003
Stuttgart 2 (Leitner 5, Wagner og 83)
Cologne 0 Sep 19 Freiburg 2 (Kempf 30, Klaus 79) Att: 46,312 Paderborn 3 (Ducksch 66, Hunemeier 79,
Hamburg 0 Att: 50,000 Hertha Berlin 2 (Ronny 36, 90+6) Att: 23,600 Kutschke 85)
Oct 4 Bayer Leverkusen 2 (Bender 42, Eintracht Frankfurt 1 (Meier 57)
Eintracht Frankfurt 1 (Seferovic 15) Sep 20 Augsburg 4 (Baier 14, Bellarabi 90) Att: 15,000
Freiburg 0 Att: 46,200 Verhaegh pen 45+3, Werner 77, Matavz 90+3) Paderborn 2 (Koc 20, Stoppelkamp 87)
Werder Bremen 2 (Selke 3, Di Santo pen 56) Att: 30,210 Oct 24 Werder Bremen 0
Hanover 2 (Prib 67, Joselu 70) Att: 29,044 Cologne 1 (Ujah 59) Att: 42,100
Schalke 1 (Huntelaar 47) Att: 49,000 Bayern Munich 4 (Lewandowski 6, 38,
Hamburg 0 Robben 13, 79) Oct 25 Augsburg 2 (Verhaegh pen 11,
Hertha Berlin 2 (Schieber 16, 47) Bayern Munich 0 Att: 57,000 Hanover 0 Att: 71,000 Altintop 66)
Werder Bremen 2 (Lukimya 53, Di Santo 55) Freiburg 0 Att: 28,324
Att: 59,672 Mainz 2 (Okazaki 66, Ginter og 74) Borussia Dortmund 0
Borussia Dortmund 0 Att: 34,000 Hamburg 1 (Lasogga 35) Att: 80,667 Bayer Leverkusen 1 (Calhanoglu 53)
Hoffenheim 2 (Szalai 33, Elyounoussi 35) Schalke 0 Att: 30,210
Augsburg 0 Att: 23,792 Paderborn 2 (Kachunga 71, Stoppelkamp 90+3) Eintracht Frankfurt 3 (Meier 44, 54,
Hanover 0 Att: 15,000 Wimmer og 79) Borussia Dortmund 0
Aug 24 Monchengladbach 1 (Kramer 90) Cologne 2 (Risse 15, Hector 65) Att: 51,500 Hanover 1 (Kiyotake 62) Att: 80,667
Stuttgart 1 (Maxim 51) Att: 50,203 Schalke 2 (Choupo-Moting pen 40,
Draxler 50) Hoffenheim 2 (Elyounoussi 13, Szalai 29) Eintracht Frankfurt 4 (Madlung 21, 65, Meier 57,
Paderborn 2 (Kachunga 37, Hunemeier 87) Eintracht Frankfurt 2 (Meier 15, Russ 24) Schalke 1 (Huntelaar 83) Att: 30,000 Aigner 61)
Mainz 2 (Okazaki 33, Koo pen 90+4) Att: 14,824 Att: 61,798 Stuttgart 5 (Harnik 34, 36, Gentner 51, 84,
Werder Bremen 1 (Di Santo 31) Werner 81) Att: 49,700
Aug 29 Augsburg 2 (Bobadilla 82, Matavz 89) Stuttgart 0 Freiburg 1 (Darida pen 8) Att: 40,029
Borussia Dortmund 3 (Reus 11, Hoffenheim 2 (Modeste 15, Elyounoussi 84) Hertha Berlin 3 (Ben-Hatira 59, 85, Heitinga 65)
Papastathopoulos 14, Ramos 78) Att: 30,660 Att: 44,000 Oct 5 Monchengladbach 1 (Kruse 15) Hamburg 0 Att: 58,768
Mainz 1 (Hofmann pen 31) Att: 50,383
Aug 30 Bayer Leverkusen 4 (Jedvaj 50, Sep 21 Cologne 0 Hoffenheim 1 (Volland 73)
Spahic 62, Brandt 74, Bellarabi 86) Monchengladbach 0 Att: 50,000 Wolfsburg 1 (Naldo 58) Paderborn 0 Att: 25,712
Hertha Berlin 2 (Jedvaj og 24, Schieber 60) Augsburg 0 Att: 25,734
Att: 27,819 Wolfsburg 4 (Rodriguez pen 8, 63, Vieirinha 45, Oct 26 Monchengladbach 0
Hunt 81) Oct 18 Bayern Munich 6 (Lahm 20, 79, Bayern Munich 0 Att: 54,010
Bayer Leverkusen 1 (Drmic 29) Att: 27,811 Xabi Alonso 27, Muller pen 43, Gotze 45, 86)
All square…Wolfsburg
Werder Bremen 0 Att: 71,000 Wolfsburg 3 (Naldo 15, Perisic 59, Caligiuri 87)
(in green) draw Sep 23 Bayern Munich 4 (Gotze 8, 78, Mainz 0 Att: 26,238
with Frankfurt Lewandowski 14, Muller 85) Cologne 2 (Vogt 40, Zoller 74)
Paderborn 0 Att: 71,000 Borussia Dortmund 1 (Immobile 48) Oct 31 Schalke 1 (Huntelaar 37)
Att: 50,000 Augsburg 0 Att: 60,954
Eintracht Frankfurt 2 (Meier 45+1,
Seferovic 82) Freiburg 1 (Kerk 90+1) Nov 1 Bayern Munich 2 (Lewandowski 72,
Mainz 2 (Hofmann 41, Okazaki 44) Att: 44,100 Wolfsburg 2 (Caligiuri 8, 66) Att: 23,500 Robben pen 85)
Borussia Dortmund 1 (Reus 31) Att: 71,000
Hoffenheim 3 (Elyounoussi 44, Rudy 63, Hanover 0
Vestergaard 90+3) Monchengladbach 3 (Kruse 14, 90, Xhaka 49) Hamburg 1 (Van der Vaart pen 26)
Freiburg 3 (Frantz 31, 33, Darida pen 75) Att: 49,000 Bayer Leverkusen 0 Att: 52,990
Att: 24,872

Hamburg 0 Werder Bremen 0

Paderborn 3 (Kachunga 29, Vrancic 68, Schalke 3 (Meyer 48, Neustadter 51, Barnetta 85)
Stoppelkamp 87) Att: 54,553 Att: 40,139

Schalke 1 (Howedes 62) Sep 24 Bayer Leverkusen 1 (Son 33)

Bayern Munich 1 (Lewandowski 10) Att: 61,973 Augsburg 0 Att: 23,081

Stuttgart 0 Borussia Dortmund 2 (Aubameyang 73,

Cologne 2 (Osako 22, Ujah 33) Att: 55,000 Immobile 86)
Stuttgart 2 (Didavi 48, 68) Att: 79,500
Werder Bremen 1 (Galvez 59)
Hoffenheim 1 (Roberto Firmino 19) Att: 38,900 Hanover 1 (Joselu 6)
Cologne 0 Att: 39,400
Wolfsburg 2 (Naldo 15, Arnold 79)
Eintracht Frankfurt 2 (Jung og 23, Kadlec 86) Hertha Berlin 1 (Kalou 35)
Att: 27,528 Wolfsburg 0 Att: 35,847

Aug 31 Freiburg 0 Monchengladbach 1 (Kruse 25)

Monchengladbach 0 Att: 24,000 Hamburg 0 Att: 44,175

Mainz 0 Sep 26 Mainz 0

Hanover 0 Att: 27,647 Hoffenheim 0 Att: 28,729

Sep 12 Bayer Leverkusen 3 (Jedvaj 17, Sep 27 Cologne 0

Calhanoglu 63, Son 73) Bayern Munich 2 (Gotze 19, Halfar og 66)
Werder Bremen 3 (Bartels 45, Di Santo 60, Att: 50,000
Prodl 85) Att: 30,210
Freiburg 0
Sep 13 Bayern Munich 2 (Gotze 27, Ribery 85) Bayer Leverkusen 0 Att: 23,500
Stuttgart 0 Att: 71,000
Paderborn 1 (Wemmer 70)
Borussia Dortmund 3 (Ramos 34, Kagawa 41, Monchengladbach 2 (Herrmann 8, Raffael 14)
Aubameyang 78) Att: 15,000
Freiburg 1 (Sorg 90) Att: 80,200
Turnaround…
Schalke 2 (Matip 10, Choupo-Moting 23) Bayer Leverkusen
Hertha Berlin 1 (Ronny pen 86) Borussia Dortmund 1 (Aubameyang 26) keeper Bernd Leno
Mainz 3 (Okazaki 36, 90+1, Allagui 70) Att: 42,069 Att: 61,153 is unimpressed as
Stuttgart come
Hoffenheim 1 (Modeste 55) Stuttgart 1 (Schwaab 69) from 3-0 down
Wolfsburg 1 (Olic 89) Att: 23,813 Hanover 0 Att: 40,500 to draw 3-3

66 WORLD SOCCER
 EURO SEASON REVIEW

Hanover 1 (Madlung og 88) Schalke 4 (Huntelaar 9, 25, 61, Barnetta 54) Hoffenheim 0
Eintracht Frankfurt 0 Att: 42,200 Mainz 1 (Okazaki 44) Att: 60,904 Bayer Leverkusen 1 (Kiessling 79) Att: 24,731

Mainz 1 (Okazaki 3) Werder Bremen 4 (Junuzovic 10, Selke 48, Monchengladbach 4 (Kruse pen 32, Wendt 38,
Werder Bremen 2 (Di Santo 45, 49) Att: 31,017 Bartels 50, Aycicek 80) Kramer 64, Hrgota 88)
Paderborn 0 Att: 41,800 Werder Bremen 1 (Junuzovic 51) Att: 44,513
Stuttgart 0
Wolfsburg 4 (Perisic 15, 88, Knoche 45+1, Nov 30 Eintracht Frankfurt 2 (Meier 5, Paderborn 1 (Ayhan og 31)
De Bruyne 48) Att: 50,050 Seferovic 78) Schalke 2 (Choupo-Moting 44, Neustadter 78)
Borussia Dortmund 0 Att: 51,500 Att: 15,000
Nov 2 Cologne 0
Freiburg 1 (Darida pen 51) Att: 49,500 Wolfsburg 1 (Knoche 12) Dec 19 KEY GAME
Monchengladbach 0 Att: 30,000 Mainz 1 (Soto 21)
Monchengladbach 3 (Hahn 12, Herrmann 32, 52) Seven goals…Hoffenheim (right) v Hanover Bayern Munich 2 (Schweinsteiger 24, Robben 90)
Hoffenheim 1 (Modeste 30) Att: 52,409 Dec 5 Borussia Dortmund 1 (Gundogan 17) Att: 34,000
Hanover 1 (Gulselam 60) Hoffenheim 0 Att: 80,000 Arjen Robben pops up with the winning goal in the
Paderborn 3 (Bakalorz 28, Kachunga 52, Meha 75) Bayer Leverkusen 3 (Kiessling 46, Son 58, last-minute. Bayern complete the first-half of the
Hertha Berlin 1 (Kalou 41) Att: 14,630 Bellarabi 72) Att: 40,800 Dec 6 Bayern Munich 1 (Ribery 51) season unbeaten.
Bayer Leverkusen 0 Att: 71,000
Nov 7 Hertha Berlin 0 Mainz 2 (Diaz 27, Bell 88)
Hanover 2 (Briand 44, Kiyotake 76) Att: 39,710 Freiburg 2 (Schmid 30, Mehmedi 58) Att: 28,157 Cologne 1 (Ujah 13) Dec 20 Augsburg 2 (Feulner 20, Bobadilla 51)
Augsburg 2 (Djurdjic 53, Esswein 90) Att: 48,500 Monchengladbach 1 (Kruse pen 3) Att: 30,660
Nov 8 Augsburg 3 (Werner 7, 47, Monchengladbach 1 (Nordtveit 6)
Callsen-Bracker 68) Eintracht Frankfurt 3 (Stendera 54, Meier 57, Hanover 1 (Joselu 45+1) Bayer Leverkusen 1 (Bellarabi 83)
Paderborn 0 Att: 27,755 Inui 73) Att: 54,010 Wolfsburg 3 (De Bruyne 4, Dost 69, Arnold 85) Eintracht Frankfurt 1 (Meier pen 37) Att: 30,210
Att: 41,400
Bayer Leverkusen 0 Paderborn 2 (Rupp 60, Saglik 81) Schalke 0
Mainz 0 Att: 29,714 Borussia Dortmund 2 (Aubameyang 12, Monchengladbach 3 (Jantschke 9, Raffael 53, Hamburg 0 Att: 61,973
Reus 45+1) Att: 15,000 Hazard 83)
Eintracht Frankfurt 0 Hertha Berlin 2 (Schieber 45, Kalou pen 90+2) Stuttgart 0
Bayern Munich 4 (Muller 23, 64, 67, Shaqiri 86) Schalke 3 (Choupo-Moting 10, 22, Fuchs 25) Att: 50,190 Paderborn 0 Att: 55,000
Att: 51,500 Wolfsburg 2 (Olic 37, Bendtner 74) Att: 60,989
Paderborn 1 (Kachunga 89) Werder Bremen 2 (Selke 3, Bartels 62)
Freiburg 2 (Gunter 22, Schmid 68) Nov 23 Hamburg 2 (Rudnevs 84, Wolf og 90+3) Freiburg 1 (Darida pen 18) Att: 14,738 Borussia Dortmund 1 (Hummels 69) Att: 42,100
Schalke 0 Att: 24,000 Werder Bremen 0 Att: 57,000
Stuttgart 0 Wolfsburg 2 (Dost 16, Naldo 78)
Hoffenheim 3 (Szalai 2, Roberto Firmino 39, 45) Stuttgart 0 Schalke 4 (Choupo-Moting 1, 21, 61, Meyer 10) Cologne 1 (Maroh 11) Att: 26,824
Cologne 4 (Olkowski 5, 83, Lehmann 12, Ujah 35) Augsburg 1 (Verhaegh pen 72) Att: 48,200 Att: 44,700
Att: 30,150 Dec 21 Freiburg 2 (Frantz 45, Kempf 81)
Nov 28 Freiburg 1 (Darida 42) Dec 7 Eintracht Frankfurt 5 (Meier 34, 68, Hanover 2 (Bittencourt 83, Joselu 90+3)
Werder Bremen 2 (Prodl 30, Bartels 57) Stuttgart 4 (Harnik 31, 76, Gruezo 52, Werner 68) Seferovic 52, Aigner 76, Stendera 80) Att: 23,550
Stuttgart 0 Att: 40,284 Att: 24,000 Werder Bremen 2 (Gebre Selassie 45,
Caldirola 79) Att: 46,800 Hertha Berlin 0
Nov 9 Borussia Dortmund 1 (Kramer og 58) Nov 29 Augsburg 3 (Altintop 50, Bobadilla 62, Hoffenheim 5 (Brooks og 23, Salihovic pen 26,
Monchengladbach 0 Att: 80,667 Verhaegh pen 70) Hamburg 2 (Cleber 32, Van der Vaart pen 54) pen 39, Schipplock 74, Rudy 84) Att: 39,604
Hamburg 1 (Van der Vaart 45+1) Att: 30,321 Mainz 1 (Okazaki 89) Att: 45,968
Wolfsburg 2 (Olic 27, Hunt 64) Jan 30, 2015 KEY GAME
Hamburg 0 Att: 30,000 Bayer Leverkusen 5 (Bellarabi 26, 90+1, Dec 12 Hoffenheim 3 (Volland 43, Szalai 66, Wolfsburg 4 (Dost 4, 45+2, De Bruyne 53, 73)
Calhanoglu 61, Drmic 79, 88) Roberto Firmino 87) Bayern Munich 1 (Bernat 55) Att: 30,000
Nov 22 Bayern Munich 4 (Gotze 23, Cologne 1 (Lehmann pen 4) Att: 30,210 Eintracht Frankfurt 2 (Aigner 58, Seferovic 77) Bayern suffer their first defeat of the season,
Lewandowski 40, Robben 82, Rode 87) Att: 28,331 falling victim to a Wolfsburg counter-attacking
Hoffenheim 0 Att: 71,000 Hertha Berlin 0 masterclass.
Bayern Munich 1 (Robben 27) Att: 76,197 Dec 13 Augsburg 0
Cologne 1 (Ujah 58) Bayern Munich 4 (Benatia 58, Robben 60, 71,
Hertha Berlin 2 (Beerens 28, N’Djeng 86) Hoffenheim 4 (Schwegler 19, Volland 37, Lewandowski 68) Att: 30,660 Jan 31 Bayer Leverkusen 0
Att: 49,200 Polanski 59, Sule 63) Borussia Dortmund 0 Att: 30,210
Hanover 3 (Stindl 43, 86, Joselu 52) Att: 22,716 Freiburg 0
Hamburg 0 Att: 24,000 Freiburg 4 (Darida pen 62, Petersen 64, 70, 88)
Eintracht Frankfurt 1 (Russ 1) Att: 24,000
Hertha Berlin 1 (Schieber 40)
Borussia Dortmund 0 Att: 75,254 Hamburg 0
Cologne 2 (Risse 62, 78) Att: 56,053
Mainz 1 (Geis 36)
Stuttgart 1 (Kostic 72) Att: 29,279 Mainz 5 (Malli 6, 46, De Blasis 69, Allagui 82,
Geis pen 87)
Schalke 1 (Sane 85) Paderborn 0 Att: 27,114
Cologne 2 (Ujah 47, Lehmann pen 67) Att: 61,516
Schalke 1 (Hoger 32)
Werder Bremen 3 (Junuzovic 36, Lorenzen 55, Hanover 0 Att: 61,646
Selke 88)
Hanover 3 (Stindl 12, Joselu 62, Kiyotake 64) Stuttgart 0
Att: 40,932 Monchengladbach 1 (Herrmann 71) Att: 46,200

Dec 14 Bayer Leverkusen 1 (Calhanoglu 18)

Monchengladbach 1 (Brouwers 40) Att: 30,210

Wolfsburg 1 (Rafa og 17)

Paderborn 1 (Meha pen 51) Att: 26,044

Dec 16 Bayern Munich 2 (Robben 41, Muller 48)

Freiburg 0 Att: 71,000

Cologne 0
Mainz 0 Att: 42,900

Hamburg 0
Stuttgart 1 (Klein 42) Att: 48,223

Hanover 2 (Sane 20, Joselu pen 55)

Augsburg 0 Att: 30,800

Dec 17 Borussia Dortmund 2 (Aubameyang 8,

Immobile 76)
Wolfsburg 2 (De Bruyne 29, Naldo 85) Att: 80,467

Eintracht Frankfurt 4 (Aigner 43, Seferovic 58,

Meier 90, 90+1)
Hertha Berlin 4 (Brooks 21, Ben-Hatira 33,
Schieber 37, Niemeyer 80) Att: 40,200 Clash…Cologne (in red) win at Schalke

WORLD SOCCER 67
 GERMANY

Feb 1 Augsburg 3 (Altintop 39, Werner 42, Feb 14 KEY GAME

Bobadilla 90+3) Bayer Leverkusen 4 (Son 57, 62, 67, Bellarabi 72)
Hoffenheim 1 (Roberto Firmino 45) Att: 27,090 Wolfsburg 5 (Dost 6, 29, 63, 90+3, Naldo 17)
Att: 29,227
Werder Bremen 2 (Di Santo 43, 69) Bas Dost scores with the last kick of the game
Hertha Berlin 0 Att: 40,187 to give Wolfsburg all three points in a nine-goal,
thriller at the BayArena.
Feb 3 Bayern Munich 1 (Robben 67)
Schalke 1 (Howedes 72) Att: 75,000
Bayern Munich 8 (Muller pen 21, 55, Gotze 23, 88,
Eintracht Frankfurt 1 (Aigner 58) Robben 36, 47, Lewandowski 56, Ribery 69)
Wolfsburg 1 (De Bruyne 88) Att: 34,400 Hamburg 0 Att: 75,000

Hanover 1 (Briand 26) Eintracht Frankfurt 1 (Piazon 65)

Mainz 1 (Soto 77) Att: 30,500 Schalke 0 Att: 50,400

Monchengladbach 1 (Herrmann 23) Hoffenheim 2 (Roberto Firmino 30, Rudy 90+3)

Freiburg 0 Att: 37,091 Stuttgart 1 (Sakai 39) Att: 29,309

Feb 4 Borussia Dortmund 0 Monchengladbach 1 (Xhaka 90+1)

Augsburg 1 (Bobadilla 50) Att: 80,667 Cologne 0 Att: 54,010

Cologne 0 Werder Bremen 3 (Lukimya 16, Di Santo pen 23,

Stuttgart 0 Att: 48,400 Gebre Selassie 45)
Augsburg 2 (Klavan 21, Werner 79) Att: 39,746
Hertha Berlin 0
Bayer Leverkusen 1 (Kiessling 49) Att: 34,636 Feb 15 Hanover 1 (Marcelo 66)
Paderborn 2 (Lakic 72, Meha 79) Att: 38,300
Hoffenheim 1 (Bicakcic 34)
Werder Bremen 2 (Di Santo 8, Bargfrede 52) Hertha Berlin 0
Att: 23,631 Freiburg 2 (Klaus 14, Philipp 52) Att: 37,617

Paderborn 0 Feb 20 Stuttgart 2 (Klein pen 32,

Hamburg 3 (Van der Vaart pen 2, Jansen 72, Niedermeier 90+1)
Stieber 90+1) Att: 15,000 Borussia Dortmund 3 (Aubameyang 25,
Gundogan 39, Reus 89) Att: 60,000
Feb 6 Schalke 1 (Barnetta 11)
Monchengladbach 0 Att: 61,973 Feb 21 Augsburg 2 (Caiuby 59, Hitz 90+4)
Bayer Leverkusen 2 (Drmic 8, Reinartz 84)
Feb 7 Cologne 0 Att: 28,154
Paderborn 0 Att: 49,500
Cologne 1 (Ujah 17)
Freiburg 0 Hanover 1 (Joselu 5) Att: 47,300
Borussia Dortmund 3 (Reus 9,
Aubameyang 56, 72) Att: 24,000 Freiburg 1 (Hohn 25)
Hoffenheim 1 (Volland 39) Att: 23,800
Hamburg 2 (Marcelo og 26, Jansen 50)
Hanover 1 (Sobiech 66) Att: 51,779 Mainz 3 (Clemens 38, Geis 47, Malli 50)
Eintracht Frankfurt 1 (Aigner 35) Att: 33,237
Mainz 0
Hertha Berlin 2 (Hegeler pen 35, Beerens 42) Paderborn 0 Serby…Dortmund’s Shinji Kagawa (in yellow) helps his side beat Schalke in February
Att: 26,756 Bayern Munich 6 (Lewandowski 24, 37,
Robben pen 63, 86, Ribery 72, Weiser 78) Borussia Dortmund 3 (Aubameyang 78, Mar 8 Cologne 4 (Deyverson 28, Risse 72,
Stuttgart 0 Att: 15,000 Mkhitaryan 79, Reus 86) Osako 79, Ujah 82)
Bayern Munich 2 (Robben 41, Alaba 51) Schalke 0 Att: 79,500 Eintracht Frankfurt 2 (Meier 58, pen 90+3)
Att: 60,000 Schalke 1 (Meyer 61) Att: 50,000
Werder Bremen 1 (Prodl 90+2) Att: 61,973 Eintracht Frankfurt 2 (Meier pen 12, 54)
Wolfsburg 3 (Dost 3, De Bruyne 28, 84) Hamburg 1 (Stieber 45+2) Att: 50,500 Paderborn 0
Hoffenheim 0 Att: 26,356 Feb 22 Hamburg 1 (Stieber 73) Bayer Leverkusen 3 (Papadopoulos 73, Son 84,
Monchengladbach 1 (Hrgota 90+2) Att: 52,105 Hanover 1 (Stindl 70) 90+3) Att: 14,905
Feb 8 Augsburg 2 (Klavan 7, Bobadilla 37) Stuttgart 1 (Gentner 52) Att: 40,200
Eintracht Frankfurt 2 (Aigner 45+2, Meier 70) Wolfsburg 2 (Dost 10, 74) Mar 13 Bayer Leverkusen 4 (Wendell 32,
Att: 27,122 Hertha Berlin 1 (Schieber 30) Att: 27,683 Hertha Berlin 1 (Kalou 88) Drmic 36, 59, Bellarabi 50)
Augsburg 0 Att: 36,015 Stuttgart 0 Att: 29,384
Werder Bremen 2 (Selke 17, Junuzovic 29) Feb 27 Bayern Munich 4 (Schweinsteiger 3,
Bayer Leverkusen 1 (Calhanoglu 43) Att: 39,653 Ribery 10, Robben 67, Lewandowski 75) Hoffenheim 2 (Volland 55, Polanski 76) Mar 14 Augsburg 0
Cologne 1 (Ujah 45+1) Att: 75,000 Mainz 0 Att: 24,310 Mainz 2 (Okazaki 32, Koo 89) Att: 28,359
Feb 13 Borussia Dortmund 4 (Subotic 50,
Reus 55, Aubameyang 71, Sahin 78) Feb 28 Bayer Leverkusen 1 (Rolfes 33) Mar 1 Monchengladbach 2 (Johnson 18, Borussia Dortmund 0
Mainz 2 (Soto 1, Malli 57) Att: 80,200 Freiburg 0 Att: 28,624 Herrmann 81) Cologne 0 Att: 80,667
Paderborn 0 Att: 53,152
Eintracht Frankfurt 4 (Meier 27, Stendera 42,
Werder Bremen 3 (Junuzovic 9, Di Santo 16, Aigner 55, Haedo Valdez 82)
Vieirinha og 28) Paderborn 0 Att: 46,000
Wolfsburg 5 (Caligiuri 10, 53, Arnold 18,
Dost 48, 51) Att: 40,126 Hertha Berlin 2 (Ben-Hatira 21, Haraguchi 81)
Schalke 2 (Sane 40, Matip 90) Att: 59,156
Mar 6 Stuttgart 0
Hertha Berlin 0 Att: 45,420 Hoffenheim 3 (Polanski pen 22, 81, Rudy 87)
Hamburg 0 Att: 30,150
Mar 7 Augsburg 1 (Kohr 63)
Wolfsburg 0 Att: 28,721 Werder Bremen 0
Bayern Munich 4 (Muller 24, Alaba 45,
Freiburg 0 Lewandowski 76, 90+1) Att: 42,100
Werder Bremen 1 (Di Santo 35) Att: 24,000
Mar 15 Monchengladbach 2 (Herrmann 43, 75)
Hamburg 0 Hanover 0 Att: 49,134
Borussia Dortmund 0 Att: 57,000
Wolfsburg 3 (De Bruyne 19, Rodriguez pen 78,
Hanover 1 (Kiyotake 25) Arnold 85)
Bayern Munich 3 (Xabi Alonso 28, Freiburg 0 Att: 26,538
Muller pen 61, 72) Att: 49,000
Mar 20 Hamburg 0
Mainz 2 (Geis 73, Okazaki 77) Hertha Berlin 1 (Langkamp 84) Att: 53,640
Monchengladbach 2 (Raffael 27, 67) Att: 34,000
Mar 21 Cologne 1 (Lehmann pen 88)
Schalke 3 (Fuchs 12, Meyer 41, 53) Werder Bremen 1 (Selke 27) Att: 50,000
Hoffenheim 1 (Volland 73) Att: 60,607
Freiburg 2 (Schmid 71, Petersen 84)
Struggling…but Hamburg (in white) eventually escaped relegation by winning a play-off Augsburg 0 Att: 23,700

68 WORLD SOCCER
 EURO SEASON REVIEW

Hanover 2 (Stindl 31, 82) Mainz 2 (Koo pen 78, pen 90+1) Borussia Dortmund 2 (Aubameyang pen 24, Eintracht Frankfurt 3 (Oczipka 18, Seferovic 27,
Borussia Dortmund 3 (Aubameyang 19, 61, Bayer Leverkusen 3 (Son 15, Kiessling 60, Kagawa 32) Chandler 34)
Kagawa 57) Att: 49,000 Calhanoglu 73) Att: 31,578 Eintracht Frankfurt 0 Att: 80,667 Hoffenheim 1 (Volland 51) Att: 50,600

Paderborn 0 Monchengladbach 3 (Wendt 1, Raffael 32, Cologne 1 (Finne 83) Hanover 1 (Stindl 21)
Hoffenheim 0 Att: 14,401 Nordtveit 67) Bayer Leverkusen 1 (Brandt 60) Att: 45,600 Werder Bremen 1 (Junuzovic 78) Att: 49,000
Borussia Dortmund 1 (Gundogan 77) Att: 54,010
Schalke 0 Hamburg 3 (Olic 11, Lasogga 19, 71) Monchengladbach 3 (Kruse 50, Herrmann 81,
Bayer Leverkusen 1 (Bellarabi 35) Att: 61,973 Paderborn 2 (Kachunga 48, Lakic 60) Augsburg 2 (Bobadilla 25, Werner 69) Att: 51,321 Traore 88)
Augsburg 1 (Hojbjerg 52) Att: 14,446 Bayer Leverkusen 0 Att: 53,761
Stuttgart 3 (Ginczek 63, 66, Maxim 80) Hanover 1 (Stindl pen 24)
Eintracht Frankfurt 1 (Seferovic 51) Att: 48,500 Schalke 0 Hoffenheim 2 (Modeste 2, Schipplock 83) Stuttgart 2 (Didavi 66, Kostic 79)
Freiburg 0 Att: 61,471 Att: 46,200 Mainz 0 Att: 54,300
Mar 22 KEY GAME
Bayern Munich 0 Apr 12 Cologne 3 (Lehmann pen 20, Ujah 54, Stuttgart 2 (Ginczek 24, Harnik 27) May 10 Cologne 2 (Risse 34, Gerhardt 89)
Monchengladbach 2 (Raffael 30, 77) Att: 75,000 Hector 78) Freiburg 2 (Petersen pen 58, 85) Att: 58,000 Schalke 0 Att: 46,500
Pep Guardiola’s all-conquering Bayern side lose Hoffenheim 2 (Polanski pen 70, Modeste 88)
their first encounter at the Allianz-Arena, taken Att: 45,000 Apr 26 Monchengladbach 1 (Kruse 90) Paderborn 1 (Rupp 90+1)
down by two goals from Gladbach’s Brazilian Wolfsburg 0 Att: 52,147 Wolfsburg 3 (Klose 16, Dost 25, 82) Att: 14,659
midfielder Raffael. Stuttgart 3 (Gentner 15, Ginczek 70, 90+1)
Werder Bremen 2 (Selke 50, Vestergaard 86) Paderborn 2 (Vrancic 25, Stoppelkamp 27) May 16 Augsburg 1 (Verhaegh pen 30)
Att: 51,330 Werder Bremen 2 (Selke 45, Hajrovic 76) Hanover 2 (Stindl 24, 54) Att: 29,899
Mainz 1 (Bungert 7) Att: 15,000
Wolfsburg 1 (Luiz Gustavo 61) Att: 32,236 Apr 17 Eintracht Frankfurt 0 Bayer Leverkusen 2 (Calhanoglu 45+1,
Monchengladbach 0 Att: 51,500 May 2 Augsburg 0 Kiessling 61)
Apr 4 Bayer Leverkusen 4 (Castro 7, 63, Cologne 0 Att: 29,158 Hoffenheim 0 Att: 29,072
Kiessling 44, 56) Apr 18 Augsburg 2 (Werner 7, Bobadilla 73)
Hamburg 0 Att: 30,210 Stuttgart 1 (Ginczek 22) Att: 30,660 Bayer Leverkusen 2 (Calhanoglu 55, Brandt 81) Freiburg 2 (Mehmedi 33, Petersen 89)
Bayern Munich 0 Att: 30,210 Bayern Munich 1 (Schweinsteiger 13) Att: 24,000
Borussia Dortmund 0 Bayer Leverkusen 4 (Toprak 20, Brandt 40,
Bayern Munich 1 (Lewandowski 36) Att: 80,667 Papadopoulos 49, Kiessling 70) Freiburg 1 (Petersen 40) Hertha Berlin 0
Hanover 0 Att: 29,482 Paderborn 2 (Rupp 70, 80) Att: 24,000 Eintracht Frankfurt 0 Att: 60,168
Eintracht Frankfurt 2 (Madlung 27, Aigner 54)
Hanover 2 (Marcelo 69, Ya Konan 82) Att: 49,600 Borussia Dortmund 3 (Mkhitaryan 48, Hoffenheim 1 (Volland 33) Mainz 2 (Koo 47, Jairo 83)
Aubameyang 55, Kagawa 80) Borussia Dortmund 1 (Hummels 35) Att: 30,150 Cologne 0 Att: 33,702
Freiburg 1 (Frantz 37) Paderborn 0 Att: 80,667
Cologne 0 Att: 23,800 Schalke 3 (Huntelaar 9, 78, Klein og 89) Schalke 1 (Hunemeier og 88)
Freiburg 2 (Mehmedi 81, Schmid 90+1) Stuttgart 2 (Harnik 22, Kostic 51) Att: 61,973 Paderborn 0 Att: 61,973
Hoffenheim 1 (Schipplock 17) Mainz 3 (Okazaki 39, 45+1, Malli 84) Att: 24,000
Monchengladbach 4 (Kruse pen 26, Werder Bremen 1 (Selke 66) Stuttgart 2 (Gentner 27, Harnik 35)
Herrmann 31, 51, Raffael 36) Att: 30,150 Hertha Berlin 0 Eintracht Frankfurt 0 Att: 42,100 Hamburg 1 (Kacar 12) Att: 60,000
Cologne 0 Att: 51,203
Werder Bremen 0 Wolfsburg 2 (Dost 24, Perisic 45) Werder Bremen 0
Mainz 0 Att: 41,000 Hoffenheim 0 Hanover 2 (Briand 47, Sane 58) Att: 29,514 Monchengladbach 2 (Raffael 53, 86) Att: 42,100
Bayern Munich 2 (Rode 38, Beck og 90+3)
Wolfsburg 3 (Rodriguez pen 41, 65, Schurrle 76) Att: 30,150 May 3 Hertha Berlin 1 (Stocker 13)
Stuttgart 1 (Harnik 44) Att: 30,000 Monchengladbach 2 (Kruse 11, Traore 85)
Apr 19 Werder Bremen 1 (Di Santo pen 84) Att: 56,881
Apr 5 Augsburg 0 Hamburg 0 Att: 42,100
Schalke 0 Att: 30,660 Mainz 1 (Malli 76)
Wolfsburg 1 (De Bruyne 78) Hamburg 2 (Baumgartlinger og 37, Kacar 87)
Hertha Berlin 2 (Stocker 68, Schulz 88) Schalke 1 (Sane 53) Att: 30,000 Att: 34,000
Paderborn 0 Att: 44,031
Apr 24 Mainz 2 (Bell 28, 31) May 8 Hamburg 1 (Kacar 90)
Apr 10 Hanover 1 (Schulz 75) Schalke 0 Att: 34,000 Freiburg 1 (Mehmedi 25) Att: 57,000
Hertha Berlin 1 (Stocker 83) Att: 46,000
Apr 25 KEY GAME May 9 Bayern Munich 0
Apr 11 Bayern Munich 3 (Lewandowski 15, 66, Bayern Munich 1 (Schweinsteiger 80) Augsburg 1 (Bobadilla 71) Att: 75,000
Muller 82) Hertha Berlin 0 Att: 75,000
Eintracht Frankfurt 0 Att: 75,000 Bastian Schweinsteiger fires home a late winner to Borussia Dortmund 2 (Subotic 9, Durm 47)
put Bayern on the brink of another Bundesliga title. Hertha Berlin 0 Att: 80,667
Hamburg 0 The following day, Gladbach’s defeat of Wolfsburg
Wolfsburg 2 (Guilavogui 10, Caligiuri 73) makes it certain.
Att: 57,000 Champion…Bastian Schweinsteiger

Wolfsburg 2 (Caligiuri 1, Naldo 49)

Borussia Dortmund 1 (Aubameyang pen 11)
Att: 30,000

May 23 Bayern Munich 2 (Lewandowski

pen 25, Schweinsteiger 48)
Mainz 0 Att: 75,000

Borussia Dortmund 3 (Kagawa 15,

Aubameyang 17, Mkhitaryan 42)
Werder Bremen 2 (Oztunali 26, Gebre Selassie 85)
Att: 80,667

Cologne 2 (Osako 3, Knoche og 61)

Wolfsburg 2 (Luiz Gustavo 8, Perisic 15)
Att: 49,200

Eintracht Frankfurt 2 (Seferovic 4, Madlung 39)

Bayer Leverkusen 1 (Bellarabi 6) Att: 51,500

Hamburg 2 (Olic 49, Rajkovic 58)

Schalke 0 Att: 57,000

Hanover 2 (Kiyotake 3, Krmas og 84)

Freiburg 1 (Petersen 90+2) Att: 49,000

Hoffenheim 2 (Modeste 8, Roberto Firmino 80)

Hertha Berlin 1 (Beerens 72) Att: 30,150

Monchengladbach 1 (Raffael 36)

Close…Gonzalo Augsburg 3 (Hojbjerg 72, Matavz 77,
Castro missed with Molders 90+5) Att: 54,010
this free-kick but
Leverkusen still Paderborn 1 (Vucinovic 4)
won 3-2 at Mainz Stuttgart 2 (Didavi 36, Ginczek 72) Att: 15,000

WORLD SOCCER 69
 GREECE
LOU ECONOMOPOULOS PLAYER OF NEWCOMER OF COACH OF
THE SEASON THE SEASON THE SEASON
Alejandro Alexandros Kontos Giannis Anastasiou
Dominguez (Kerkyra) (Panathinaikos)
(Olympiakos) The 28-year-old Led the team to
The 33-year-old attacking midfielder second place in the
Argentinian midfielder weighed in with eight regular season with
topped the league goals and five assists a strong finish in the
table for attempts on in his breakthrough second half of the
goal (83), assists (11) season in the top campaign and has
and passes (347). He flight with the club extended his contract
also finished third in from Corfu. Played until 2018 to become
the scoring charts, two Superleague the club’s first Greek
helping himself to games four seasons coach to start three
15 goals. ago with Panserraikos. seasons in a row.

Champions named in match-fixing investigation

end of the year or in early 2016.
In his 4,100-page report, Poulios refers
to 51 matches during the period 2008 to
2011 which are “suspected” of being fixed,
including Super League matches, second-
tier games and Greek Cup contests.
Charges being faced include participation
in a criminal enterprise, criminal extortion,
corruption, threats, fraud, illegal gambling
and money laundering.
In February, the Super League’s board
of directors meeting ended abruptly when
a shouting match between the presidents
of Olympiakos and Panathinaikos ended in
an altercation. Alafouzos told the media
that his deputy, former club great Vasilis
Konstantinou, was attacked and received a
cut lip from one of Marinakis’ bodyguards.
“We were assaulted,” claimed Alafouzos.
“Mr Marinakis threw a glass of water at me
and his bodyguard threw a punch at Mr
Konstantinou. I cannot believe a board of
the Super League had such violence.”

O
ympiakos’ fifth successive economic and political influence to Double...league The incident came after Alafouzos and
championship was their 42nd arrange certain referees for key matches, champs Olympiakos Marinakis swore at each other, continuing
pick up the cup
in total and their 17th in the as well as loaning a number of players to the war of words two days after the
last 19 years, and they ended teams in order to gain their backing.
the season by adding the Greek Cup for Marinakis, and 25 other defendants,
a 27th time to complete a 17th domestic have denied the charges. “We have decided to leave the
double. But a dark shadow has been cast Much of the dialogue from the match- rottenness that exists in football”
over the country’s most successful and fixing investigation has been leaked to OFI’s Nikos Machlas
best supported side, with accusations that Kyriakos Thomaidis, who is a journalist with
their 3-0 win against Veria in January Skai TV – which is owned by Giannis
2013 was fixed. Alafouzos, who is the president and violence-marred derby between the two
According to testimony before majority shareholder of Panathinaikos. clubs was won 2-1 by Panathinaikos.
prosecutor Aristidis Korreas – given by “We want to see a change in the way And football-related hooliganism is just
Veria’s coach at the time, Dimitris Greek soccer is managed,” says Alafouzos. one of the problems that Greece’s new
Kalaitzidis, and the team’s former player “We want to be convinced that we will not leftist government is trying to address.
Nikos Georgeas, who now plays for AEK face next season the way the league was Under the new legislation, fines ranging
– Veria players were ordered to lose by conducted this year. from ¤10,000 to ¤25million for violent
that score in a deal arranged by “Whether Mr Marinakis is sentenced or incidents can be imposed, as well as
Olympiakos owner Evangelos Marinakis. not is a matter for justice to decide.” Named...Olympiakos events being postponed or cancelled. The
This was the first time Olympiakos have In April, an Athens prosecutor owner Marinakis new legislation also introduces guidelines
been mentioned in the Greek judicial recommended that 93 people be brought for the use of security cameras, electronic
authorities ongoing investigations into before the Court of Appeals for Felonies, ticketing, heavy fines to media outlets for
match fixing and the prosecutor is now but the deputy prosecutor of the Court of showing or inciting violence, and prison
looking into accusations that Marinakis, Appeals, Panagiotis Poulios, argued that terms for individuals from unofficial
along with three members of the Greek 53 – including Marinakis – should not be supporters clubs for issuing tickets.
Football Federation, had been directing a called due to a lack of evidence. The bill also calls on referees to submit
criminal organisation to control the sport The court is expected to decide on financial statements of their wealth to the
through blackmail and fraud since 2011. Poulios’ recommendations after the relevant authorities.
Marinakis is accused of using his summer and trials will either start at the However, UEFA and FIFA have warned
70 WORLD SOCCER
 EURO SEASON REVIEW

TEAM OF THE SEASON

EUROPEAN RELEGATED W W
QUALIFIERS Ergotelis and Arthur Masuaku Nicolas Martinez
Olympiakos and Levadiakos were (Olympiakos) (Panaitolikos)
Panathinaikos will relegated, while Niki W
be in the Champions Volos and OFI did not W W Jeronimo Barrales
League, PAOK, complete the season. Dorin Goian Alejandro (Asteras)
Asteras and W (Asteras) Dominguez
Atromitos are in the PROMOTED Roberto (Olympiakos)
Europa League. With next season’s (Olympiakos) W W
Superleague being Gordon Schildenfeld Cleyton
CUP WINNERS reduced from 18 to (Panathinaikos) (Xanthi) W
Debutant finalists 16 teams, AEK and Marcus Berg
Xanthi were beaten Iraklis were the W W (Panathinaikos)
3-1 by Olympiakos, only teams to be Omar Elabdellaoui Zeca
who won the double. promoted this term. (Olympiakos) (Panathinaikos)

Greece that government interference

SUPERLEAGUE 2014-15
with the affairs of the country’s football
federation would not be tolerated and P W D L F A Pts
could lead to the federation’s suspension. OLYMPIAKOS 34 24 6 4 79 23 78
1
PANATHINAIKOS 34 21 6 7 59 31 66
“Our objective was not to exclude our PAOK 34 20 5 9 57 42 65
teams from international competitions ASTERAS 34 17 8 9 52 37 59
ATROMITOS 34 14 12 8 43 27 54
but to bring order,” says sports minister PAS GIANNINA 34 13 14 7 47 33 53
Stavros Kontonis. PANETOLIKOS 34 14 10 10 41 28 52
XANTHI 34 12 11 11 44 41 47
At least one sort of order has been PLATANIAS 34 12 8 14 32 30 44
restored in the domestic game with the KERKYRA 34 12 8 14 39 38 44
return of AEK to the Superleague next KALLONI 34 11 11 12 34 39 44
PANTHRAKIKOS 34 11 10 13 35 44 43
term, following their drop to amateur PANIONIOS 34 11 10 13 43 42 43
status following a period of turmoil. VERIA 34 12 7 15 45 54 43
LEVADIAKOS 34 12 7 15 41 34 43
“The story is well known and very ERGOTELIS 34 8 8 18 35 60 32
sad for our fans,” admits AEK executive OFI 2 34 7 2 25 26 72 -6
NIKI VOLOS 2 34 2 1 31 7 84 -6
director Dusan Bajevic. “But now we are 1
3pts deducted for fan violence 2withdrew mid-
on the right path and feel much better. season and all remaining games were awarded as
3-0 wins to their scheduled opponents; both had
“We must keep our feet on the ground, their points tally reduced to -6
be serious, make the right moves and
TOP GOALSCORERS
avoid mistakes.” Jeronimo Barrales (Asteras) 17 goals
In 2013, the club were relegated to the Kostas Mitroglou (Olympiakos) 16 goals
Alejandro Dominguez (Olympiakos) 15 goals Clash...Panathinaikos’ Stathis Tavlaridis (green) and Kostas Mitroglou of Olympiakos
second division for the first time in their

A
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AT NIN
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Home win Away win

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caused by the financial mismanagement

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of successive short-lived administrations.

LE

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No fixture
Although their management woes were AWAY TEAM

over a decade in the making, the fall ASTERAS 1-0 2-1 1-0 2-0 2-1 3-0 6-1 0-0 1-1 1-1
2-0 2-1 3-0 2-2 1-0 2-0 2-1
ATROMITOS 4-3 1-1 0-0 2-1 1-0 3-0 3-0 1-0 0-0 2-0
3-1 2-0 4-0 1-1 1-0 0-0 2-0
coincided with the climax of Greece’s own
ERGOTELIS 1-4 1-2 3-3 1-2 0-2 3-0 3-2 2-3 1-1 0-2
2-2 2-1 0-2 1-0 0-3 2-2 0-2
economic crisis. So, to clear the slate, the KALLONI 1-0 1-1 2-0 1-0 0-0 3-0 3-0 0-5 0-0 1-0
1-0 2-0 1-2 1-0 0-0 4-1 2-2
club opted to drop to the amateur third KERKYRA 1-0 1-1 3-1 2-0 0-0 3-0 4-1 0-4 1-2 1-1
1-0 2-1 0-1 2-0 1-2 4-0 0-0
tier in order to qualify for liquidation. LEVADIAKOS 3-1 2-1 1-1 3-0 2-3 3-0 3-0 1-2 0-0 1-1
1-0 1-1 1-2 1-2 0-0 0-2 1-2
NIKI VOLOS 0-2 0-1 1-4 2-0 0-0 0-3 DNP 0-3 0-3 0-3
0-3 1-0 0-3 0-3 0-3 0-3 0-3
The future is not so bright for Crete-
OFI 2-3 1-0 1-0 1-1 3-2 0-2 3-0 0-3 1-0 2-3
0-3 0-1 3-1 0-3 0-3 0-1 0-1
HOME TEAM

based OFI, who announced at the start of OLYMPIAKOS 2-0 2-1 3-0 5-0 3-0 4-0 3-1 3-0 2-0 1-0
2-0 5-1 1-2 2-2 2-1 3-0 2-0
the second half of the season that they PANETOLIKOS 2-0 1-1 4-0 2-0 0-1 0-1 3-0 3-1 1-1 0-1
2-1 3-1 0-1 0-0 1-0 2-0 5-2
were withdrawing from the Superleague PANATHINAIKOS 2-2 2-0 5-0 1-0 2-0 1-0 1-0 1-2 2-1 1-0 2-1 4-0 4-3 3-1 3-0 2-1 2-0
due to “unfair and uneven decisions”. PANIONIOS 2-1 2-2 2-1 0-2 0-0 1-0 2-1 2-0 2-2 3-0 1-1 2-1 0-0 0-1 0-0 4-2 1-1
PANTHRAKIKOS 1-1 1-1 0-0 3-2 1-0 1-0 3-0 0-0 1-3 0-0 2-1 1-0 3-1 1-1 1-0 1-1 2-0
“We have decided to leave the PAOK 0-0 2-1 1-0 1-1 2-1 1-0 3-0 4-0 0-0 1-2 1-2 3-2 3-2 1-1 1-0 4-1 2-1
rottenness that exists in football and to be PAS GIANNINA 3-1 1-0 0-0 0-0 2-1 0-4 4-0 3-0 3-1 0-0 0-0 1-3 2-2 3-0 1-0 4-1 2-2
able once again to become the team that PLATANIAS 0-1 0-0 1-2 1-0 1-1 1-3 3-1 1-0 1-1 2-0 2-3 3-0 2-0 0-4 0-0 1-0 1-0
we all want and not to be treated like VERIA 4-0 1-1 0-1 1-1 2-1 2-1 2-0 4-1 0-2 1-3 1-0 2-2 0-1 1-3 2-0 2-0 3-2
XANTHI 0-0 1-0 0-1 2-1 0-0 2-0 2-0 2-1 1-3 3-0 4-2 1-1 0-0 4-2 1-1 0-0 2-2
something I wouldn’t want to mention,”
says former OFI and Greece striker Nikos
EUROPEAN PLAY-OFFS
Machlas, who acts as chairman of the
steering committee of the team.
S
O
IK

Founded in 1925, OFI were not the first

A
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PA ITO

PA HIN
AT AS
M

team to quit the top flight, with Niki Volos

T
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NA

K
RO
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O
AS

departing earlier in the campaign due to

AWAY TEAM
financial difficulties.
ASTERAS 1-0 0-4 1-0
“We see laws observed in some cases
HOME

ATROMITOS 0-0 2-0 1-1

TEAM

and not in others,” adds Machlas. “We PANATHINAIKOS 0-0 2-0 2-0
see decisions with other weights and PAOK 0-0 0-1 0-1
measures. The club’s administration put
a huge effort into finishing the season P W D L F A Pts
with dignity but we saw decisions which PANATHINAIKOS 6 4 1 1 9 2 15
ASTERAS 6 2 3 1 2 4 10
massacred the team. It is a shame for ATROMITOS 6 2 2 2 4 4 8
all and a shame for soccer.” WS All at stake...PAOK (stripes) and Panathinaikos in the play-offs PAOK 6 0 2 4 1 6 4

WORLD SOCCER 71
 HOLLAND
KLASS-JAN PLAYER OF
DROPPERT
THE SEASON
Memphis Depay
(PSV)
The league’s top
scorer agreed a deal
to join Manchester
United next season.
Played for current
United boss Louis
Van Gaal at the
2014 World Cup,
where he became
Holland’s youngest
scorer at a finals.

PSV on top as other big clubs struggle

W
hile it was a season to of the youth academy, and director Marc stage – by beating AZ. But after collecting
remember for many of Overmars are no longer on speaking just two points in their last five games they
the country’s smaller terms after Jonk criticised his former slipped to fourth. The Rotterdam club then
clubs, most of Holland’s team-mate’s transfer policy of buying fell at the first hurdle in the play-offs.
top sides will hope to erase all memory mediocre players such as Lerin Duarte and Feyenoord coach Fred Rutten didn’t
of the 59th edition of the Eredivisie. Mike Van der Hoorn. According to Jonk, even make it to the play-offs and was
The exception to this rule, however, was those squad places should be filled by sacked as soon as the league finished, but
PSV, who won the title for the first time in recruits from the academy. Things got so his successor Giovanni Van Bronckhorst
seven years. bad that even Johan Cruyff himself arrived was unable to repair the damage.
Much of their success was down to in Amsterdam to try to sort things out. Double...Cocu has Arguably the biggest loser has been
won the title as a
the bond between Memphis Depay and Things weren’t much better at player and a coach Twente, who had a six-point deduction
Georginio Wijnaldum who, after a highly Feyenoord, who managed to throw away with PSV imposed due to financial chaos. In a bid
successful World Cup together, both their entire season in the final stages. to stay at the top of the tree after winning
decided against moving abroad and Five weeks before the end of the the title in 2010, megalomanic chairman
opted to stay in Eindhoven for the campaign they looked set to finish in third Strong...PSV’s Luciano Joop Munsterman took far too many risks,
Narsingh (right) shrugs
2014-15 season. That decision paid off place – which guarantees automatic off Miquel Nelom of paying extraordinary salaries to mediocre
handsomely, with Depay scoring 22 goals qualification to the Europa League group Feyenoord players while facing increasing debt
before earning a ¤25million transfer
to Manchester United. Club skipper
Wijnaldum was maybe less spectacular
but just as vital in keeping his team-mates
focused on the ultimate goal.
Right from the start there was little
doubt who the best team in Holland were.
Depay and Wijnaldum were well supported
by the prolific Luuk De Jong, who managed
20 goals following unsuccessful spells
at Newcastle United and Borussia
Monchengladbach; left-back Jetro Willems,
who was second in the season’s assists
rankings; and the 28-year-old Mexico
international Andres Guardado, who
kept an attack-minded team together.
The title was also a huge boost for
Phillip Cocu, who was heavily criticised in
his first year in charge and missed the end
of the season due to a tumour in his back.
He also became the third man – after Eric
Gerets and Ronald Koeman – to win titles
with PSV as both a player and a coach
Ajax had their traditional setback before
the winter break but, unlike in the previous
four campaigns, this time Frank De Boer’s
team couldn’t make up ground. Supporters
reacted with anger at the directors’
announcement that they needed to raise
ticket prices next season “in order to keep
up with the European giants” while
expecting the fans to watch a lacklustre
team every home game.
Meanwhile, Ajax’s “Velvet Revolution”
also looks in danger as Wim Jonk, head
72 WORLD SOCCER
 EURO SEASON REVIEW

TEAM OF THE SEASON

NEWCOMER OF COACH OF CUP WINNERS EUROPEAN W W
THE SEASON THE SEASON Groningen won QUALIFIERS Jetro Willems Albert Rusnak
Andres Guardado Jurgen Streppel silverware for the first PSV go into the (PSV) (Groningen)
(PSV) (Willem II) time in their history, Champions League W
The Mexican winger Led the Tilburg-based beating holders PEC group stage, while W W Memphis Depay
joined on loan from club to ninth place in Zwolle 2-0 in the Ajax enter at the Wesley Hoedt Andres Guardado (PSV)
Valencia last summer their first year back at Final, at De Kuip third qualifying round. W (AZ) (PSV)
and his experience the highest level. His stadium in Rotterdam, AZ are in the Europa Eloy Room
was just what a young side played attractive with two goals from League group phase, (Vitesse) W W
team needed to make football while also Albert Rusnak. with Groningen, Sven Van Beek Hakim Ziyech
the final push for the proving hard to beat. Vitesse and Go (Feyenoord) (Twente) W
championship. Has RELEGATED Ahead Eagles – as Luuk De Jong
now signed a deal PROMOTED Dordrecht, Go Holland’s fair-play W W (PSV)
tieing him to PSV NEC, De Graafschap Ahead Eagles entrant – in the Bram Van Polen Tjaronn Chery
for three years. and Roda. and NAC. qualifying rounds. (PEC Zwolle) (Groningen)

repayments on the stadium and missing

EREDIVISIE 2014-15
out on potential millions as they repeatedly
failed to qualify for the Champions League. P W D L F A Pts
Munsterman, who sold the club’s PSV 34 29 1 4 92 31 88
AJAX 34 21 8 5 69 29 71
transfer rights to the Doyen Sports Group, AZ 34 19 5 10 63 56 62
took control of everything on his own and FEYENOORD 34 17 8 9 56 39 59
VITESSE 34 16 10 8 66 43 58
his fellow board members only found out PEC ZWOLLE 34 16 5 13 59 43 53
what was going on when it was too late. HEERENVEEN 34 13 11 10 53 46 50
GRONINGEN 34 11 13 10 49 53 46
A recovery plan is now in place, but it will WILLEM II 34 13 7 14 46 50 46
take time. Meanwhile, the fans have lost TWENTE 34 13 10 11 56 51 43
patience with coach Alfred Schreuder and UTRECHT 34 11 8 15 60 62 41
CAMBUUR 34 11 8 15 46 56 41
his position would seem at risk were it not DEN HAAG 34 9 10 15 44 53 37
for the fact that sacking a man who was HERACLES 34 11 4 19 47 64 37
EXCELSIOR 34 6 14 14 47 63 32
given a contract by Munsterman until 2019 NAC 34 6 10 18 36 68 28
would only add to Twente’s debts. In fact, GO AHEAD 34 7 6 21 29 59 27
the club’s financial situation is so dire that DORDRECHT 34 4 8 22 24 76 20

they turned down the chance to play in

the Europe League qualifiers next term European play-off semi-finals
after Holland was awarded an extra spot Heerenveen v Feyenoord1-0, 2-2 (agg 3-2)
PEC Zwolle v Vitesse1-2,1-1 (agg 2-3)
by finishing top of the fair play ranking.
Instead, Go Ahead Eagles, who were European play-off Final
Heerenveen v Vitesse 2-2, 2-5 (agg 4-7) Not enough...Ajax’s Nick Viergever celebrates his goal against Twente
relegated, will take their place.
S

Where there are losers, there are also

LE
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KEY EN
T

LE
D

ER EN
EX ECH

OR

winners, of course, and AZ did extremely

FE IOR

VE
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OL
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II
D

T
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UT E
EA

IN

Home win Away win

NO

M
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EN

CL

ZW
HA

R
BU

LS

SS

LE
RD

EN
AH

RA

RE
AX

YE
CE
M

TE
C
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IL
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0-0 Score draw

TW
NA
GR
GO

PS
CA
AZ

HE

HE

PE
AJ

W
VI
No fixture
“I’ve learned so much AWAY TEAM

at PSV, not only on AJAX

AZ 1-3
0-1 3-0
2-1
1-0 4-0
3-1 2-0
1-0 0-0 3-1 2-0 4-1
3-3 1-4 2-0 2-2 0-1
2-1 0-0 0-0
3-1 3-2 1-0
1-3
2-4
4-2
2-2
3-1
0-3
4-1
1-0
5-0
2-0
the pitch but also as CAMBUUR 2-4 0-2 3-2 4-1 1-1 0-1 1-0 3-0 2-1 1-0 0-1 2-1 1-2 1-1 3-1 0-2 1-2

a person” DEN HAAG

DORDRECHT
1-1
2-1
2-3
1-3
2-2
0-0 0-0
2-0 2-2 0-1 1-1 3-0 0-1
1-0 1-2 2-1 1-1 0-0
1-3 3-2 3-2
2-3 0-1 1-2
2-3
1-3
2-0
0-4
2-0
1-3
1-0
2-6
3-2
0-4
Memphis Depay EXCELSIOR 0-2 1-4 1-1 2-3 1-1 2-5 3-2 1-1 3-0 3-1 0-0 0-5 2-3 2-1 2-2 1-3 2-3
FEYENOORD 0-1 2-2 2-1 2-1 2-0 3-2 0-1 4-0 1-1 2-1 3-0 2-0 2-1 3-1 1-2 1-4 1-2
GO AHEAD EAGLES 1-2 0-2 1-2 1-0 0-0 0-0 0-4 2-3 1-1 1-3 2-0 3-2 0-3 2-2 0-2 0-2 1-0
HOME TEAM

well to overcome a crisis of their own. GRONINGEN 2-0 2-4 3-2 1-1 2-0 1-1 1-1 2-0 1-1 3-1 1-0 0-1 1-1 2-2 2-2 1-1 1-0
HEERENVEEN 1-4 5-2 2-2 0-0 1-2 2-0 3-1 2-2 3-1 0-1 0-0 4-0 1-0 1-3 3-1 4-1 1-1
Early in the season, Marco Van Basten
HERACLES 0-2 0-3 0-1 3-1 1-1 0-3 2-0 1-0 2-2 1-4 6-1 2-0 1-2 1-4 1-1 1-1 1-3
found the personal pressure too much and NAC 2-5 0-1 2-1 1-1 2-2 1-1 0-1 1-0 4-5 0-2 1-3 3-1 0-2 1-1 1-5 0-1 0-0
stepped back to become an assistant. The PEC ZWOLLE 1-1 1-1 6-1 3-1 4-0 1-1 3-0 0-1 2-0 2-2 4-2 4-1 3-1 1-2 2-0 2-1 1-0
club’s number two, Alex Pastoor, took over PSV 1-3 3-0 4-0 1-0 3-0 3-0 4-3 5-0 2-1 4-1 2-0 6-1 3-1 2-0 3-1 2-0 2-1
TWENTE 1-1 0-2 2-1 2-2 3-0 1-3 0-0 2-1 1-2 2-0 2-0 1-1 2-0 0-5 3-1 1-2 3-2
but within a few weeks he was gone after
UTRECHT 1-1 6-2 1-3 0-0 6-1 2-2 0-0 2-3 1-0 1-2 2-4 3-4 0-2 1-5 1-0 3-1 2-1
a difference of opinion with his new VITESSE 1-0 3-1 2-2 6-1 3-0 3-1 0-0 2-2 1-1 1-1 3-0 2-2 2-1 0-1 2-2 3-3 2-0
assistant. In September, former Anderlecht WILLEM II 1-1 3-0 1-1 1-0 2-1 1-1 2-2 1-0 1-4 2-1 3-0 2-1 0-1 1-3 2-2 1-0 1-4
boss John Van den Brom arrived and, with
Van Basten still Relegation/promotion play-offs First Round
Almere City v De Graafschap1-1,1-2 (agg 2-3)
on board, he led the club to third place. Oss v VVV Venlo1-2, 0-0 (agg1-2)
Special praise should also go to
Relegation/promotion play-offs Second Round
Groningen, who won the Dutch Cup for De Graafschap v Go Ahead Eagles1-0,1-0 (agg 2-0)
Volendam v Eindhoven 2-1,1-1 (agg 3-2)
the first time, and Willem II, who came up VVV Venlo v NAC 0-1, 0-3 (agg 0-4)
from the second tier and finished ninth. Emmen v Roda 0-1, 2-2 (agg 2-3)

They will be the blueprint for NEC, who Relegation/promotion play-offs Third Round
return to the top flight after just one De Graafschap v Volendam 0-0,1-0 (agg1-0)
NAC v Roda1-0,1-2aet (agg 2-2; Roda win on away goals)
season’s absence. And with the Nijmegen
club collecting a record 101 points on their
way to promotion, why shouldn’t they TOP GOAL SCORERS
continue to grow in a league where the Memphis Depay (PSV) 22 goals
Luuk De Jong (PSV) 20 goals
small clubs seem to win more and more Michael De Leeuw (Groningen) 17 goals
every year? WS Maiden success...Groningen win a trophy for the first time Michiel Kramer (Den Haag) 17 goals

WORLD SOCCER 73
 ITALY
PADDY
AGNEW

Big problems still haunt

the Italian game

T
wo days after Juventus’ 3-1 loss develop a sports vision of the game and to Beaten...Juve’s
to Barcelona, club president hand the game back to the players, in the best was not good
enough to overcome
Andrea Agnelli met the media way that UEFA manages to do. Barcelona in Berlin
to offer his reflection on what “There is a total lack of medium- and
has been a momentous season for the long-term vision. If Italian football is to
club. In the process, he not only offered reclaim a leading role at international level,
an accurate summary of the Champions then we are talking about a five-to-10-year
League Final but – and arguably more plan. No one has the magic wand that can
importantly – he also suggested that, the change things from one day to the next,
game in Berlin notwithstanding, all is not not [Carlo] Tavecchio [president of the
well with football in Italy. Italian Football Federation] nor Giancarlo
“If Juventus managed to make the Final Abete [the previous president].
of the Champions League, and Fiorentina “There needs to be a shared vision
and Napoli the semi-finals of the Europa
League, that was no thanks to the ‘sistema “Their stadium is their best signing every season”
Italia’ but rather thanks only to the good
Milan vice-president Adriano Galliani is envious of the Juventus Stadium
work of the three clubs involved,” said which, uniquely for Italy, is wholly owned by the club and generally sold out
Agnelli. “The [Italian] federation needs to

Storm...a controversial victory over Roma saw further accusations from some quarters of a pro-Juventus bias within the game

74 WORLD SOCCER
 EURO SEASON REVIEW

among the football stakeholders. As of

now, the number one Italian problem
concerns the stadia. There’s got to be
a joint effort to modernise the stadia.
Then, after that, I would like the federation
to have some sort of real sports plan.”
Agnelli went on to suggest his vision of
the future, to some extent, was shared by
two outsiders within the Italian system,
namely Roma’s American president, James
Pallotta, and Internazionale’s Indonesian
chief, Erick Thohir.
In other words, if for one second
anyone had been tempted to think that
the good showing by its clubs in Europe
throughout the season means that Italian
football is seriously on the mend, then
they had clearly understood nothing. And
Agnelli has a point.
An Italian season which began with
Tavecchio calling African footballers
“banana eaters”, and which ended
with the amateur league president Felice
Proud...Allegri Belloli suggesting that women’s football

was a matter for “a bunch of lesbians”,

clearly has deep-rooted problems with
its ruling class.
When it came to his reflections on the
defeat by Barca, Agnelli offered a lucid
analysis of the game, arguing that Juventus
had every reason to be proud of their
highly successful season, saying: “The
team’s performance in Berlin is a great
starting point for the future.
“We made a game of it with Barcelona
in a match in which they scored an early
goal that would have killed off most other
teams. Instead, we came back, we scored
an equaliser and we played 20 minutes of
fantastic football in a game that we could
have won – even if, in the end, Barcelona
scored a counter-attacking goal that
finished off the match.”
Acknowledging that many people had
underlined how the defeat represented
Juve’s eighth loss in a Champions Cup/
League Final, Agnelli suggested that this
time Juventus had nothing to regret. The
defeats by Hamburg (1983), Borussia
Dortmund (1997) and Milan (2003) had
hurt a great deal more, he said.
Not surprisingly, he had special words of
WORLD SOCCER 75
 FRANCE

PLAYER OF NEWCOMER OF COACH OF CUP WINNERS RELEGATED

THE SEASON THE SEASON THE SEASON Victory in the Final Financial meltdown
Felipe Anderson Daniele Rugani Stefano Pioli was a fitting end to a saw Parma deducted
(Lazio) (Empoli) (Lazio) season of Juventus seven points as they
The 22-year-old The centre-back will Massimiliano Allegri domestic dominance, dropped out of the
Brazilian midfielder return to Juventus may have won the but Lazio will argue top flight, along with
came of age in his this summer after domestic double that, with a little luck, Cagliari and Cesena.
second season in a spell on loan at and reached the they could have won
Serie A, with his goals Empoli. Voted Serie Champions League this one. With the PROMOTED
playing a crucial role B’s player of the Final with Juventus, score at 1-1 midway Bologna won the
in Lazio qualifying season when they but the 49-year- through the second play-off to return to
for the Champions were promoted and old deserves the half, Lazio’s Filip Serie A after just one
League. Currently has outstanding again as accolade for his Dordevic managed year, and they will be
a five-year contract they secured another achievements with to hit both posts with joined by debutants
with the club. term in the top flight. the Biancocelesti. a powerful shot. Carpi and Frosinone.

praise for club coach Massimiliano Allegri. September’s and good form, Garcia set up his side to
Recalling the “very difficult moment” at “For seven months, Champions League “mix it” with the visitors, playing his usual
which the coach had taken over the team they took us for idiots” games. Then two attacking game.
last summer – within 24 hours of the problems, in the Roma dreams and expectations lasted
Antonio Cassano, who walked
shock resignation of predecessor, Antonio away from bankruptcy-bound shape of Juventus less than 10 minutes and by half-time they
Conte – Agnelli expressed his admiration Parma after going several and Bayern Munich, were 5-0 down, with Bayern eventually
for the “impeccable manner” in which months without being paid appeared on the winning 7-1.
Allegri had synchronised with a team that Roma horizon. It is at least arguable that Roma never
“was already very strong”. In early October Juventus beat Roma really recovered, psychologically, from that
If Agnelli had every reason to sound 3-2 in Turin in a bitterly disputed contest drubbing. Injuries to players like Dutch
proud of what his team had achieved this which saw three penalties, two sendings- midfielder Kevin Strootman and the
season, even he would have to admit that, off and a hotly disputed winning goal. prolonged absence of Ivory Coast striker
on the home front, no side provided any The big controversy came in the 86th Gervinho at the African Nations Cup in
real opposition. Roma, Napoli and Milan, minute when Juve’s central defender January clearly did not help, but the
the three teams which had finished second Leonardo Bonucci scored the winner with Bayern rout would appear to have burned
to Juventus in the last three seasons, never a long-range shot, following sustained a serious hole in the Roma psyche.
really threatened. Juventus pressure. The problem was In a sense, it came as little surprise that,
Two years ago, under newly appointed that, as Bonucci struck the winning goal, from that point on, Roma’s European
French coach Rudi Garcia, Roma made a Juve midfielder Arturo Vidal was clearly campaign fizzled out. They were eliminated
fantastic start to the season, winning 10 in standing in an offside position, seemingly from the Champions League with a 2-0
a row. This year had essentially “blown up” blocking the vision of Roma keeper Lukasz home loss to Manchester City in their last
by the end of October. Skorupski. While it was probably a valid group game and then knocked out of the
Once again, Garcia’s team made a goal, Vidal’s position was enough to fuel Europa League in March when beaten 3-0
terrific start, playing attacking football and all the worst Roma suspicions. by Fiorentina, again at the Stadio Olimpico
winning their first five league games as Finale...Lazio (in Two weeks later, Roma played host to in Rome. The fact that Roma went on to
purple) beat Napoli to
well as trouncing CSKA Moscow 5-1 and a Champions League Bayern Munich and, unintimidated by the end the season in second place, fully 17
drawing 1-1 away to Manchester City in spot on the last day German champions’ formidable reputation points behind Juventus, simply serves to
underline just how totally Juve dominated
Serie A.
Napoli, who might have been
considered possible pretenders to the
throne, managed to play themselves out

SERIE A 2014-15
P W D L F A Pts
JUVENTUS 38 26 9 3 72 24 87
ROMA 38 19 13 6 54 31 70
LAZIO 38 21 6 11 71 38 69
FIORENTINA 38 18 10 10 61 46 64
NAPOLI 38 18 9 11 70 54 63
GENOA 38 16 11 11 62 47 59
SAMPDORIA 38 13 17 8 48 42 56
INTER 38 14 13 11 59 48 55
TORINO 38 14 12 12 48 45 54
MILAN 38 13 13 12 56 50 52
PALERMO 38 12 13 13 53 55 49
SASSUOLO 38 12 13 13 49 57 49
VERONA 38 11 13 14 49 65 46
CHIEVO 38 10 13 15 28 41 43
EMPOLI 38 8 18 12 46 52 42
UDINESE 38 10 11 17 43 56 41
ATALANTA 38 7 16 15 38 57 37
CAGLIARI 38 8 10 20 48 68 34
CESENA 38 4 12 22 36 73 24
PARMA1 38 6 8 24 33 75 19
1
Deducted 7pts for failing to pay players and other
breaches of regulations
TOP GOALSCORERS
Mauro Icardi (Internazionale) 22 goals
Luca Toni (Verona) 22 goals
Carlos Tevez (Juventus) 20 goals
Gonzalo Higuain (Napoli) 18 goals
Jeremy Menez (Milan) 16 goals

76 WORLD SOCCER
 Euro missions...
Sampdoria (in whte) EURO SEASON REVIEW
and Fiorentina

TEAM OF THE SEASON

EUROPEAN W W
QUALIFIERS Leonardo Bonucci Felipe Anderson
Juventus and Roma (Juventus) (Lazio)
go directly into the
W
Champions League W W
group stage, while Carlos Tevez
Daniele Rugani Claudio Marchisio
Lazio start in the (Juventus)
W (Empoli) W (Juventus)
play-off round. Marco Sportiello Andrea Pirlo
Fiorentina and W
(Atalanta) (Juventus) W Mohamed Salah
Napoli are in the
W Mirko Valdifiori (Fiorentina)
Europa League
Alessio Romagnoli (Empoli)
group phase, with
(Sampdoria)
Sampdoria having W
to play in the third Antonio Candreva
qualifying round. (Lazio)

of contention even earlier. Arguably, finished out of Europe in 10th and eighth Fallen giants...Inter (in Mazzari with former Manchester City
they too never fully recovered from a place respectively? blue) and Milan both coach Roberto Mancini in November
had seasons to forget
disastrous start to the season which saw Having offloaded one former player in a futile attempt to get back onto a
them beaten in the August qualifying turned coach in Clarence Seedorf at the Champions League qualifying course.
round of the Champions League by a end of last season, Milan chose another in So far the move has not worked, but
modest Athletic Bilbao side. Pippo Inzaghi for this year. However, with the hope is that the team will be more
In the end, Napoli partly rehabilitated the results clearly not satisfying the club’s competitive next term when “moulded”
their season by getting to the semi-finals owner Silvio Berlusconi, it was hardly along Mancini lines.
of the Europa League, where they went surprising that he chose to shake up things One final note: in May, Italian football
out to Ukrainian side Dnipro. That defeat at the end of the campaign by engaging was hit by another betting/match-fixing
and fifth place in Serie A – thanks to a Sampdoria coach Sinisa Mihajlovic, scandal when state attorneys in Catanzaro,
last-day 4-2 loss to Lazio in a Champions attempting to recall former Milan player, the capital of the Calabria region, arrested
League decider – perhaps persuaded Zlatan Ibrahimovic from Paris Saint- more than 50 people – players, coaches
owner Aurelio De Laurentiis that the time Germain and, arguably most importantly, and administrators – suspected of
had come to part with Spanish coach Rafa considering a sale of a 48 per cent involvement in a scam which saw the fixing
Benitez, who was replaced by Naples-born shareholding in the club to Thai of games in Lega Pro and Serie D (the
Maurizio Sarri of Empoli. businessman Bee Taechaubol. third, fourth and fifth divisions).
And what of the miserable season Inter owner Thohir, did his shaking up As previously suggested, all is not well
experienced by Milan and Inter, who earlier in the season, replacing Walter in the garden of Italian football. WS
WORLD SOCCER 77
 SERIE A RESULTS 2014-15: THE COMPLETE RECORD

Aug 30, 2014 Chievo 0 Palermo 1 (Vazquez 3)

Juventus 1 (Biraghi og 6) Att: 25,000 Internazionale 1 (Kovacic 42) Att: 18,292

Roma 2 (Nainggolan 28, Gervinho 90+3) Roma 2 (Destro 11, Florenzi 13)
Fiorentina 0 Att: 44,353 Cagliari 0 Att: 40,977

Aug 31 Atalanta 0 Sassuolo 0

Verona 0 Att: 14,925 Sampdoria 0 Att: 12,004

Cesena 1 (Rodriguez 38) Torino 0

Parma 0 Att: 14,415 Verona 1 (Ionita 66) Att: 13,405

Genoa 1 (Pinilla 40) Udinese 1 (Danilo 70)

Napoli 2 (Callejon 3, De Guzman 90+5) Att: 21,963 Napoli 0 Att: 8,833

Milan 3 (Honda 7, Muntari 56, Menez pen 64) Sep 23 Empoli 2 (Tonelli 13, Pucciarelli 21)
Lazio 1 (Alex og 67) Att: 36,674 Milan 2 (Fernando Torres 43, Honda 57) Att: 12,619

Palermo 1 (Dybala 7) Sep 24 Cagliari 1 (Cossu 11)

Sampdoria 1 (Gastaldello 90+1) Att: 17,064 Torino 2 (Glik 21, Quagliarella 29) Att: 9,400

Sassuolo 1 (Zaza 42) Fiorentina 0

Cagliari 1 (Sau 44) Att: 11,292 Sassuolo 0 Att: 28,175

Torino 0 Internazionale 2 (Osvaldo 40, Hernanes 87)

Internazionale 0 Att: 25,824 Atalanta 0 Att: 29,535 Agony…Napoli keepeer Rafael is
beaten by a last-gasp header from
Udinese 2 (Di Natale 57, 62) Juventus 3 (Vidal pen 18, 64, Lichtsteiner 85) Hernanes as Internazionale salvage
Empoli 0 Att: 7,889 Cesena 0 Att: 36,027 a 2-2 draw

Sep 13 Empoli 0 Napoli 3 (Koulibaly 2, Zapata 11, Callejon 45+1)

Roma 1 (Sepe og 45+1) Att: 11,113 Palermo 3 (Belotti 18, 61, Vazquez 24) Att: 18,521 Napoli 2 (Insigne 55, Callejon 72) Napoli 6 (Hamsik 44, 58, Higuain 68, 84, pen 90,
Torino 1 (Quagliarella 14) Att: 30,586 Callejon 76)
Juventus 2 (Tevez 8, Marchisio 75) Parma 1 (De Ceglie 56) Verona 2 (Hallfredsson 1, Lopez 67) Att: 25,992
Udinese 0 Att: 38,217 Roma 2 (Ljajic 27, Pjanic 88) Att: 12,657 Parma 1 (Coda 66)
Genoa 2 (Perotti 53, Matri 90+3) Att: 11,898 Udinese 2 (Di Natale 6, Thereau 36)
Sep 14 Cagliari 1 (Cossu 85) Sampdoria 2 (Gastaldello 45, Romagnoli 80) Atalanta 0 Att: 8,300
Atalanta 2 (Estigarribia 4, Boakye 67) Att: 9,100 Chievo 1 (Paloschi 90) Att: 19,346 Sampdoria 1 (Gabbiadini 35)
Atalanta 0 Att: 20,050 Oct 28 Sassuolo 3 (Missiroli 56, Floccari 61,
Fiorentina 0 Verona 2 (Tachtsidis 52, Ionita 64) Berardi 73)
Genoa 0 Att: 34,058 Genoa 2 (Matri 34, 48) Att: 16,785 Udinese 1 (Bruno Fernandes 62) Empoli 1 (Croce 18) Att: 10,710
Cesena 1 (Cascione pen 90+2) Att: 8,887
Internazionale 7 (Icardi 4, 30, 53, Kovacic 21, Sep 25 Lazio 0 Oct 29 Atalanta 1 (Denis 57)
Osvaldo 43, 72, Guarin 74) Udinese 1 (Thereau 26) Att: 26,919 Oct 18 Roma 3 (Destro 5, Ljajic 25, Totti pen 33) Napoli 1 (Higuain 86) Att: 14,882
Sassuolo 0 Att: 34,549 Chievo 0 Att: 41,522
Sep 27 Atalanta 0 Cagliari 1 (Ibarbo 24)
Lazio 3 (Candreva 19, Parolo 56, Mauri 90) Juventus 3 (Tevez 35, 59, Morata 83) Att: 22,074 Sassuolo 1 (Zaza 13) Milan 1 (Bonaventura 34) Att: 16,000
Cesena 0 Att: 31,200 Juventus 1 (Pogba 19) Att: 21,584
Roma 2 (Florenzi 75, Destro 86) Fiorentina 3 (Babacar 44, 70, Borja Valero 81)
Napoli 0 Verona 0 Att: 40,432 Oct 19 Atalanta 1 (Boakye 90) Udinese 0 Att: 27,016
Chievo 1 (Lopez 49) Att: 35,251 Parma 0 Att: 14,944
Sep 28 Cesena 1 (Succi 10) Genoa 1 (Antonini 90+4)
Parma 4 (Cassano 27, Felipe 51, Lucarelli 73, Milan 1 (Rami 20) Att: 22,027 Cagliari 2 (Avelar pen 59, Sau 77) Juventus 0 Att: 21,971
De Sciglio og 89) Sampdoria 2 (Gabbiadini 28, Obiang 39) Att: 9,426
Milan 5 (Bonaventura 25, Honda 37, Chievo 1 (Meggiorini 50) Internazionale 1 (Icardi pen 90)
Menez pen 45, 79, De Jong 68) Att: 14,264 Empoli 1 (Pucciarelli 59) Att: 6,000 Fiorentina 0 Sampdoria 0 Att: 28,057
Lazio 2 (Djordjevic 35, Lulic 90+2) Att: 30,967
Sampdoria 2 (Gabbiadini 34, Okaka 79) Genoa 0 Palermo 1 (Rigoni 81)
Torino 0 Att: 21,180 Sampdoria 1 (Gabbiadini 75) Att: 29,800 Internazionale 2 (Guarin 82, Hernanes 90+1) Chievo 0 Att: 13,985
Napoli 2 (Callejon 79, 90) Att: 40,383
Sep 15 Verona 2 (Toni pen 41, Pisano og 77) Internazionale 1 (Osvaldo 18) Roma 2 (Destro 9, De Rossi 81)
Palermo 1 (Vazquez 18) Att: 18,304 Cagliari 4 (Sau 10, Ekdal 29, 34, 44) Att: 36,925 Palermo 2 (Dybala 33, Gonzalez 90+1) Cesena 0 Att: 34,044
Cesena 1 (Rodriguez pen 61) Att: 14,780
Sep 20 Cesena 2 (Marilungo 30, Defrel 32) Sassuolo 0 Torino 1 (Darmian 10)
Empoli 2 (Tavano pen 55, Rugani 72) Att: 14,093 Napoli 1 (Callejon 28) Att: 13,935 Torino 1 (Quagliarella 62) Parma 0 Att: 12,648
Udinese 0 Att: 13,434
Milan 0 Torino 1 (Quagliarella 62) Oct 30 Verona 1 (Toni pen 69)
Juventus 1 (Tevez 71) Att: 78,681 Fiorentina 1 (Babacar 78) Att: 15,134 Verona 1 (Lopez 87) Lazio 1 (Lulic 43) Att: 17,760
Milan 3 (Rafael Marques og 21, Honda 27, 56)
Sep 21 Atalanta 0 Sep 29 Palermo 0 Att: 27,125 Nov 1 Empoli 0
Fiorentina 1 (Kurtic 58) Att: 15,406 Lazio 4 (Djordjevic 45, 75, 83, Parolo 90+3) Juventus 2 (Pirlo 61, Morata 72) Att: 14,698
Att: 17,087 Oct 20 Genoa 1 (Bertolacci 14)
Chievo 2 (Izco 4, Paloschi 82) Empoli 1 (Tonelli 77) Att: 17,843 Napoli 2 (Higuain 3, Callejon 85)
Parma 3 (Cassano 65, 77, Coda 75) Att: 5,000 Udinese 4 (Di Natale 28, 45, Heurtaux 58, Roma 0 Att: 30,157
Thereau 84) Oct 25 Empoli 0
Genoa 1 (Pinilla 87) Parma 2 (Mauri 22, Cassano pen 45+4) Att: 8,652 Cagliari 4 (Sau 31, Avelar 37, pen 38, Ekdal 45+1) Parma 2 (De Ceglie 5, 76)
Lazio 0 Att: 18,009 Att: 8,121 Internazionale 0 Att: 13,539
Oct 4 Milan 2 (Muntari 55, Honda 78)
Chievo 0 Att: 34,601 Parma 1 (Cassano 78) Nov 2 Chievo 0
Sassuolo 3 (Floccari 20, Acerbi 24, Taider 52) Sassuolo 0 Att: 5,000
Verona 1 (Tachtsidis 89) Att: 11,313
Cagliari 0 Att: 17,813 Milan 0
Sampdoria 0 Palermo 2 (Zapata og 23, Dybala 26) Att: 28,272
Oct 5 Empoli 3 (Maccarone 4, Tonelli 33, Roma 0 Att: 23,548
Pucciarelli 63) Sampdoria 3 (Palombo pen 27, Rizzo 43, Eder 78)
Palermo 0 Att: 7,504 Oct 26 Cesena 0 Fiorentina 1 (Savic 45) Att: 20,822
Internazionale 1 (Icardi pen 32) Att: 22,917
Fiorentina 3 (Babacar 7, Cuadrado 19, Tomovic 76) Torino 0
Internazionale 0 Att: 34,279 Chievo 1 (Zukanovic 36) Atalanta 0 Att: 13,489
Genoa 2 (Matri 72, Pinilla 84) Att: 10,000
KEY GAME Udinese 2 (Di Natale 1, Widmer 41)
Juventus 3 (Tevez pen 27, pen 45+3, Bonucci 86) Juventus 2 (Vidal 32, Llorente 64) Genoa 4 (Marchese 22, Iago Falque 24, Matri 54,
Roma 2 (Totti pen 32, Iturbe 44) Att: 39,102 Palermo 0 Att: 38,891 Kucka 87) Att: 8,701
In a clash of the league’s top two teams, the
champions snatch a late victory thanks to Lazio 2 (Biglia 15, Klose 60) Nov 3 Cesena 1 (Defrel 22)
Leonardo Bonucci’s controversial volley. Torino 1 (Farnerud 53) Att: 34,782 Verona 1 (Gomez Taleb 77) Att: 15,375

Milan 1 (De Jong 25) Lazio 4 (Mauri 7, Klose 25, 26, Ederson 90+2)
Lazio 3 (Mauri 9, Djordjevic 25, Candreva 35) Fiorentina 1 (Ilicic 64) Att: 38,384 Cagliari 2 (Braafheid og 48, Joao Pedro 84)
Feast…Parma and Milan shared nine goals Sassuolo 2 (Berardi 26, pen 51) Att: 29,381 Att: 32,569

78 WORLD SOCCER
 EURO SEASON REVIEW

Nov 30 Cagliari 0 Genoa 0 Jan 6 Cesena 1 (Brienza 75)

Fiorentina 4 (Fernandez 17, 56, Gomez 70, Roma 1 (Nainggolan 40) Att: 20,055 Napoli 4 (Callejon 29, Higuain 41, 72,
Cuadrado 75) Att: 11,000 Capelli og 64) Att: 16,275
Juventus 1 (Evra 12)
Cesena 0 Sampdoria 1 (Gabbiadini 51) Att: 39,089 Chievo 0
Genoa 3 (Matri 5, Antonelli 7, Volta og 43) Torino 0 Att: 7,000
Att: 14,650 Milan 2 (Menez 6, Bonaventura 52)
Napoli 0 Att: 35,867 Empoli 0
Empoli 0 Verona 0 Att: 7,705
Atalanta 0 Att: 6,938 Parma 0
Cagliari 0 Att: 10,646 Genoa 2 (Iago Falque pen 51, Matri 69)
Juventus 2 (Vidal pen 15, Pirlo 90+3) Atalanta 2 (Zappacosta 37, Moralez 49) Att: 18,415
Torino 1 (Bruno Peres 22) Att: 38,899 Udinese 1 (Di Natale 31)
Verona 2 (Toni 45+1, Christodoulopoulos 46) Juventus 1 (Tevez 5)
Milan 2 (Menez pen 65, 75) Att: 8,247 Internazionale 1 (Icardi 64) Att: 38,791
Udinese 0 Att: 36,170
Dec 15 Chievo 0 Milan 1 (Poli 9)
Palermo 2 (Dybala 37, Barreto 73) Internazionale 2 (Kovacic 19, Ranocchia 55) Sassuolo 2 (Sansone 28, Zaza 67) Att: 35,034
Parma 1 (Palladino 41) Att: 14,444 Att: 10,000
Palermo 5 (Morganella 5, Munoz 10,
Roma 4 (Gervinho 21, Holebas 47, Empoli 0 Dybala pen 33, 72, Barreto 85)
Pjanic 60, 90+2) Torino 0 Att: 7,796 Cagliari 0 Att: 18,268
Internazionale 2 (Ranocchia 36, Osvaldo 57)
Att: 41,701 Dec 18 Cagliari 1 (Rossettini 65) Parma 1 (Costa 11)
Juventus 3 (Tevez 3, Vidal 15, Llorente 50) Fiorentina 0 Att: 12,641
Dec 1 Sampdoria 1 (Eder 57) Att: 16,074
Napoli 1 (Zapata 90+2) Att: 21,033 Udinese 0
Roma 1 (Astori 17) Att: 10,870
Dec 5 Fiorentina 0
Juventus 0 Att: 38,000 Jan 10 Sassuolo 1 (Zaza 15)
Udinese 1 (Thereau 26) Att: 11,221
Nov 8 Sampdoria 2 (Okaka 45+1, Eder 51) Dec 6 Roma 2 (Ljajic pen 78, 90+3)
Milan 2 (El Shaarawy 10, Menez pen 65) Att: 23,893 Sassuolo 2 (Zaza 16, 18) Att: 38,787 Torino 1 (Glik 81)
Milan 1 (Menez pen 3) Att: 14,350
Sassuolo 0 Torino 2 (Martinez 35, Glik 63)
Atalanta 0 Att: 10,776 Palermo 2 (Rigoni 16, Dybala 44) Att: 13,974 Jan 11 Atalanta 1 (Zappacosta 72)
Chievo 1 (Lazarevic 90) Att: 11,876
Nov 9 Cagliari 1 (Diego Farias 16) Dec 7 Atalanta 3 (Benalouane 45+1, Shock…Empoli see off Lazio in November
Genoa 1 (Rossettini og 53) Att: 8,000 Stendardo 50, Moralez 52) Cagliari 2 (Joao Pedro 11, Donsah 27)
Cesena 2 (Defrel 31, 43) Att: 12,495 Cesena 1 (Brienza 89) Att: 10,000
Chievo 2 (Pellissier 48, 90) Napoli 2 (Zapata 19, Mertens pen 30)
Cesena 1 (Djuric 88) Att: 5,000 Genoa 1 (Antonelli 32) Parma 0 Att: 20,799 Fiorentina 4 (Pasqual 20, Basanta 51,
Milan 0 Att: 21,319 Cuadrado 64, Joaquin 74)
Empoli 2 (Barba 52, Maccarone 55) Dec 20 Roma 0 Palermo 3 (Quaison 59, 61, Belotti pen 81)
Lazio 1 (Djordjevic 67) Att: 8,153 Internazionale 1 (Icardi 44) Milan 0 Att: 46,620 Att: 26,376
Udinese 2 (Bruno Fernandes 60, Thereau 71)
Fiorentina 0 Att: 34,912 Sassuolo 1 (Zaza pen 76) Internazionale 3 (Palacio 12, Icardi 39, Vidic 88)
Napoli 1 (Higuain 62) Att: 31,987 Cesena 1 (Ze Eduardo 90+4) Att: 11,079 Genoa 1 (Izzo 85) Att: 37,525
Napoli 2 (Zapata 67, De Guzman 72)
Internazionale 2 (Icardi 18, 48) Empoli 2 (Verdi 19, Rugani 53) Att: 30,128 Dec 21 Atalanta 3 (Denis pen 40, 76, Moralez Napoli 1 (Britos 64)
Verona 2 (Toni 10, Lopez 89) Att: 27,314 55) Juventus 3 (Pogba 29, Caceres 69, Vidal 90+4)
Parma 1 (Palladino 45) Palermo 3 (Rigoni 6, Vazquez 16, 45+1) Att: 12,344 Att: 53,006
Juventus 7 (Llorente 23, 36, Lichtsteiner 29, Lazio 2 (Mauri 45+3, Felipe Anderson 59)
Tevez 50, 58, Morata 76, 88) Att: 10,778 Fiorentina 1 (Vargas 44) KEY GAME
Parma 0 Att: 38,816 Empoli 1 (Tonelli 57) Att: 34,162 Roma 2 (Totti 48, 64)
Dec 8 Cagliari 0 Lazio 2 (Mauri 25, Felipe Anderson 29) Att: 51,252
Palermo 1 (Dybala pen 42) Chievo 2 (Meggiorini 4, Paloschi 9) Att: 12,000 Internazionale 2 (Kovacic 66, Palacio 80) Francesco Totti rescues a point with two
Udinese 1 (Thereau 5) Att: 15,658 Lazio 2 (Felipe Anderson 2, 37) Att: 36,344 second-half goals in the Rome derby and
Verona 1 (Toni 37) celebrates by taking a selfie with fans.
Roma 3 (Torosidis 8, Keita 27, Ljajic 58) Sampdoria 3 (Eder pen 28, Okaka 57, Sampdoria 2 (Obiang 15, Gabbiadini 60)
Torino 0 Att: 35,770 Gabbiadini 62) Att: 18,390 Udinese 2 (Geijo 31, Danilo 34) Att: 21,413
Sampdoria 1 (Eder 49)
Nov 22 Atalanta 1 (Moralez 1) Dec 13 Lazio 3 (Mauri 51, 71, Lulic 81) Torino 2 (Glik 52, 63) Empoli 0 Att: 19,931
Roma 2 (Ljajic 23, Nainggolan 42) Att: 17,286 Atalanta 0 Att: 24,477 Genoa 1 (Iago Falque 42) Att: 15,611
Verona 3 (Sala 39, Toni 72, Valoti 90+1)
Lazio 0 Palermo 2 (Rigoni 3, Belotti 90+3) Verona 0 Parma 1 (Lodi 63) Att: 15,915
Juventus 3 (Pogba 25, 64, Tevez 55) Att: 55,000 Sassuolo 1 (Pavoletti 85) Att: 21,086 Chievo 1 (Paloschi 81) Att: 22,927
Jan 17 Empoli 0
Nov 23 Cesena 1 (Lucchini 60) Dec 14 Cesena 1 (Savic og 60) Jan 5, 2015 Lazio 3 (Parolo 38, Internazionale 0 Att: 13,449
Sampdoria 1 (Nica og 77) Att: 16,184 Fiorentina 4 (Borja Valero 44, Savic 47, Felipe Anderson 41, Djordjevic 66)
Rodriguez 79, El Hamdaoui 90+3) Att: 16,275 Sampdoria 0 Att: 31,322 Palermo 1 (Dybala 2)
Milan 1 (Menez 23) Roma 1 (Destro 54) Att: 15,397
Internazionale 1 (Obi 61) Att: 79,173
Spectacular… Jan 18 Cesena 2 (Brienza pen 43, pen 85)
Napoli 3 (Higuain 11, Inler 30, De Guzman 62) Torino 3 (Benassi 20, Quagliarella 22, Lopez 87)
Palermo’s Andrea
Cagliari 3 (Ibarbo 38, Diego Farias 47, 68) Att: 14,910
Att: 45,413
Belotti attempts a
bicycle kick in the 4-3 Chievo 1 (Pellissier 72)
Parma 0 defeat by Fiorentina Fiorentina 2 (Rodriguez 35, Babacar 90+4)
Empoli 2 (Vecino 45+1, Tavano 56) Att: 10,625 Att: 10,000

Torino 0 Genoa 3 (Iago Falque 25, Fetfatzidis 53, pen 90+2)

Sassuolo 1 (Floro Flores 87) Att: 15,528 Sassuolo 3 (Berardi pen 19, 69, Missiroli 50)
Att: 17,822
Udinese 1 (Di Natale 45+1)
Chievo 1 (Radovanovic 74) Att: 8,544 Juventus 4 (Pogba 3, Tevez 7, 74, Pereyra 66)
Verona 0 Att: 36,243
Verona 1 (Lopez 39)
Fiorentina 2 (Rodriguez 16, Cuadrado 62) Lazio 0
Att: 21,553 Napoli 1 (Higuain 18) Att: 26,857

Nov 24 Genoa 1 (Antonelli 30) Milan 0

Palermo 1 (Dybala 7) Att: 18,588 Atalanta 1 (Denis 33) Att: 27,836

Nov 29 Chievo 0 Parma 0

Lazio 0 Att: 6,000 Sampdoria 2 (Bergessio 54, Soriano 70) Att: 14,130

Sassuolo 2 (Sansone 50, Taider 78) Udinese 2 (Allan 55, Thereau 56)
Verona 1 (Moras 7) Att: 12,234 Cagliari 2 (Joao Pedro 39, Avelar pen 90+1)
Att: 9,366

WORLD SOCCER 79
 ITALY

Jan 24 Cagliari 2 (Rossettini 20, Cop 79) Fiorentina 3 (Basanta 18, Diamanti 76, Pasqual 89) Torino 1 (Glik 68) Torino 0
Sassuolo 1 (Rossettini og 76) Att: 14,000 Atalanta 2 (Zappacosta 9, Boakye 83) Att: 27,018 Napoli 0 Att: 20,274 Lazio 2 (Felipe Anderson 71, 78) Att: 12,932

Lazio 3 (Parolo 47, 81, Klose 51) Internazionale 3 (Guarin 16, Icardi 65, 88) MAR 2 KEY GAME Mar 21 Chievo 1 (Paloschi 35)
Milan 1 (Menez 4) Att: 32,228 Palermo 0 Att: 30,085 Roma 1 (Keita 78) Palermo 0 Att: 9,128
Juventus 1 (Tevez 64) Att: 55,651
Jan 25 Fiorentina 1 (Gomez 19) Napoli 3 (Mertens 8, Gabbiadini 21, Thereau og 59) Juve take a major step towards retaining the title Milan 3 (Menez 21, pen 78, Mexes 49)
Roma 1 (Ljajic 49) Att: 28,899 Udinese 1 (Thereau 27) Att: 28,773 with a draw against 10-man Roma. Cagliari 1 (Diego Farias 47) Att: 30,748

Internazionale 0 Sampdoria 1 (Eder 9) Mar 22 Cesena 0

Torino 1 (Moretti 90+4) Att: 34,209 Sassuolo 1 (Acerbi 2) Att: 19,710 Mar 7 Milan 2 (Menez pen 41, Tachtsidis og 47) Roma 1 (De Rossi 41) Att: 16,575
Verona 2 (Toni pen 18, Lopez 90+5) Att: 29,510
Juventus 2 (Pogba 60, Lichtsteiner 73) Feb 9 Lazio 0 Empoli 3 (Saponara 46, 60, Mchedlidze 59)
Chievo 0 Att: 38,629 Genoa 1 (Perotti pen 29) Att: 28,355 Sampdoria 2 (De Silvestri 33, Eto’o 72) Sassuolo 1 (Rugani og 49) Att: 7,703
Cagliari 0 Att: 21,127
Parma 1 (Cascione og 76) Feb 11 Parma 0 Juventus 1 (Tevez 25)
Cesena 2 (Pulzetti 21, Rodriguez 89) Att: 11,791 Chievo 1 (Zukanovic 54) Att: 10,250 Mar 8 Cesena 0 Genoa 0 Att: 39,919
Palermo 0 Att: 15,071
Sampdoria 1 (Eder 6) Feb 14 Palermo 3 (Lazaar 14, Vazquez 36, Lazio 2 (Felipe Anderson 4, Candreva 45+2)
Palermo 1 (Vazquez 48) Att: 22,023 Rigoni 65) Chievo 0 Verona 0 Att: 40,119
Napoli 1 (Gabbiadini 82) Att: 12,784 Roma 0 Att: 15,128
Verona 1 (Saviola 53) Napoli 1 (Zapata 89)
Atalanta 0 Att: 16,857 Sassuolo 1 (Berardi 67) Empoli 1 (Barba 66) Atalanta 1 (Pinilla 72) Att: 30,820
Fiorentina 3 (Salah 30, Babacar 32, 62) Att: 12,816 Genoa 1 (Niang 27) Att: 10,392
Jan 26 Empoli 1 (Saponara pen 37) Parma 0
Udinese 2 (Di Natale 19, Widmer 60) Att: 7,381 Feb 15 Atalanta 1 (Moralez 27) Napoli 2 (Hamsik 51, Higuain 63) Torino 2 (Lopez 19, Basha 73) Att: 10,145
Internazionale 4 (Shaqiri pen 2, Guarin 37, 63, Internazionale 2 (Palacio 72, Icardi pen 87)
Napoli 2 (Higuain 7, pen 75) Palacio 72) Att: 13,765 Att: 36,646 Sampdoria 1 (Eder 65)
Genoa 1 (Iago Falque 56) Att: 39,321 Internazionale 0 Att: 22,865
Cesena 2 (Djuric 17, Brienza 70)
Jan 31 Genoa 1 (Tatarusanu og 14) Juventus 2 (Morata 27, Marchisio 33) Att: 23,661
Fiorentina 1 (Rodriguez 54) Att: 18,829
Take off…but Miguel Britos’
Chievo 2 (Izco 2, Meggiorini 39) overhead kick comes to
Roma 1 (Maicon 57) Sampdoria 1 (Muriel 90+1) Att: 9,128 nothing as Napoil go down
Empoli 1 (Maccarone pen 39) Att: 33,621 1-0 to Roma
Genoa 5 (Agostini og 10, Niang 12, 30,
Feb 1 Atalanta 2 (Biava 18, Pinilla 90+4) Bertolacci 65, Perotti 86)
Cagliari 1 (Dessena 44) Att: 12,353 Verona 2 (Toni 20, 57) Att: 17,823

Cesena 2 (Defrel 60, Cataldi og 77) Milan 1 (Destro 40)

Lazio 1 (Klose 87) Att: 14,818 Empoli 1 (Maccarone 68) Att: 27,170

Chievo 1 (Britos og 25) Roma 0

Napoli 2 (Cesar og 18, Gabbiadini 62) Att: 15,000 Parma 0 Att: 37,539

Milan 3 (Menez pen 17, 57, Zaccardo 76) Torino 1 (El Kaddouri 35)
Parma 1 (Nocerino 24) Att: 24,396 Cagliari 1 (Donsah 34) Att: 15,554

Palermo 2 (Dybala 18, Belotti 79) Udinese 0

Verona 1 (Tachtsidis 8) Att: 14,058 Lazio 1 (Candreva pen 23) Att: 8,283

Sassuolo 3 (Zaza 17, Sansone 29, Feb 20 Juventus 2 (Llorente 39, Pirlo 45)
Berardi pen 90+3) Atalanta 1 (Migliaccio 25) Att: 37,195
Internazionale 1 (Icardi 83) Att: 18,446
Feb 22 Empoli 3 (Rugani 22, Maccarone 46, 67)
Torino 5 (Quagliarella 16, pen 29, 65, Amauri 75, Chievo 0 Att: 7,338
Bruno Peres 90+3)
Sampdoria 1 (Obiang 77) Att: 14,401 Fiorentina 1 (Salah 85)
Torino 1 (Vives 87) Att: 27,088
Udinese 0 Parma 0 Udinese 2 (Wague 15, Kone 62)
Juventus 0 Att: 11,241 Lazio 2 (Mauri 33, Candreva 78) Atalanta 0 Att: 10,448 Fiorentina 2 (Gomez 50, 53) Att: 9,000
Palermo 1 (Dybala 26) Att: 27,186
FEB 7 KEY GAME Udinese 3 (Di Natale 17, Molinaro og 25, Apr 4 Atalanta 1 (Pinilla 74)
Juventus 3 (Tevez 14, Bonucci 31, Milan 2 (Bonaventura 22, Pazzini pen 90) Wague 49) Torino 2 (Quagliarella 20, Glik 39) Att: 15,718
Morata 65) Cesena 0 Att: 27,958 Torino 2 (Quagliarella 15, Benassi 69) Att: 8,519
Milan 1 (Antonelli 28) Att: 39,015 Cagliari 1 (Sau 49)
The champions open up a 10-point lead at the top Verona 1 (Keita og 38) Mar 9 Juventus 1 (Pogba 82) Lazio 3 (Klose 31, Biglia pen 60, Parolo 90+2)
of the table after an easy win over struggling Roma 1 (Totti 26) Att: 17,953 Sassuolo 0 Att: 37,506 Att: 12,000
Milan, who drop to 10th.
Feb 23 Cagliari 1 (Carrizo og 74) Lazio 4 (Biglia 6, Candreva pen 65, Klose 75, 85) Fiorentina 2 (Diamanti 61, Salah 64)
Internazionale 2 (Kovacic 47, Icardi 68) Att: 16,000 Fiorentina 0 Att: 33,025 Sampdoria 0 Att: 33,777
Verona 1 (Toni 83)
Torino 3 (Martinez 32, Quagliarella pen 50, Napoli 2 (Zapata 61, Hamsik 70) Mar 14 Cagliari 1 (Joao Pedro 20) Genoa 1 (De Maio 19)
El Kaddouri 90+2) Att: 17,038 Sassuolo 0 Att: 46,925 Empoli 1 (Vecino 90+3) Att: 10,059 Udinese 1 (Thereau 68) Att: 18,117

Feb 8 Cagliari 1 (M’Poku 90+5) Feb 24 Sampdoria 1 (Eder 19) Palermo 0 Internazionale 1 (Guarin 25)
Roma 2 (Ljajic 37, Paredes 85) Att: 9,961 Genoa 1 (Iago Falque 17) Att: 30,595 Juventus 1 (Morata 70) Att: 29,850 Parma 1 (Lila 44) Att: 33,175

Empoli 2 (Maccarone 30, Signorelli 57) Feb 28 Chievo 0 Mar 15 Atalanta 0 Juventus 2 (Tevez 43, Pereyra 90+4)
Cesena 0 Att: 7,586 Milan 0 Att: 16,128 Udinese 0 Att: 14,073 Empoli 0 Att: 40,029

Mar 1 Atalanta 1 (Stendardo 16) Genoa 0 Palermo 1 (Dybala pen 72)

Sampdoria 2 (Muriel 68, Okaka 81) Att: 16,180 Chievo 2 (Paloschi 49, 68) Att: 17,630 Milan 2 (Cerci 37, Menez 83) Att: 15,113

Cagliari 1 (Conti 90) Internazionale 1 (Palacio 48) Roma 1 (Pjanic 25)

Verona 2 (Toni 9, Gomez Taleb 56) Att: 14,000 Cesena 1 (Defrel 30) Att: 24,589 Napoli 0 Att: 34,425

Cesena 1 (Rodriguez 76) Sassuolo 4 (Sansone 24, 36, Berardi pen 61, Sassuolo 1 (Berardi pen 23)
Udinese 0 Att: 14,794 Missiroli 65) Chievo 0 Att: 10,686
Parma 1 (Lila 26) Att: 10,525
Internazionale 0 Verona 3 (Toni 3, 62, Gomez Taleb 30)
Fiorentina 1 (Salah 55) Att: 39,310 Verona 2 (Toni 7, 51) Cesena 3 (Carbonero 70, Brienza 77, Succi 81)
Napoli 0 Att: 22,468 Att: 17,590
Palermo 0
Empoli 0 Att: 22,352 Mar 16 Fiorentina 2 (Rodriguez 83, Joaquin 89) Apr 8 Parma 1 (Varela 70)
Milan 1 (Destro 56) Att: 31,432 Udinese 0 Att: 9,772
Sassuolo 0
Lazio 3 (Felipe Anderson 45, Klose 70, Parolo 77) Roma 0 Apr 11 Genoa 2 (Niang 52, Iago Falque 58)
Att: 11,807 Sampdoria 2 (De Silvestri 60, Muriel 78) Att: 33,250 Cagliari 0 Att: 17,727
Battling…Sassuolo’s Simone Zaza (left)

80 WORLD SOCCER
 EURO SEASON REVIEW

Parma 1 (Mauri 60) Cagliari 0

Juventus 0 Att: 15,311 Palermo 1 (Vazquez 9) Att: 5,000

Verona 0 Roma 2 (Nainggolan 45, Torosidis 65)

Internazionale 3 (Icardi 11, Palacio 48, Udinese 1 (Perica 19) Att: 35,720
Moras og 90+2) Att: 20,645
Sassuolo 3 (Berardi 13, 31, 77)
Apr 12 Atalanta 2 (Denis 42, pen 63) Milan 2 (Bonaventura 33, Alex 51) Att: 13,777
Sassuolo 1 (Berardi 59) Att: 15,311
Torino 2 (Lopez 51, 69)
Cesena 0 Chievo 0 Att: 15,000
Chievo 1 (Pellissier 82) Att: 15,094
Verona 2 (Moras 24, Sala 67)
Lazio 4 (Mauri 4, Klose 31, Candreva 44, Empoli 1 (Saponara 6) Att: 18,588
Felipe Anderson 53)
Empoli 0 Att: 49,096 May 18 Fiorentina 3 (Rodriguez 13, Gilardino 30,
Salah 56)
Milan 1 (De Jong 74) Parma 0 Att: 27,179
Sampdoria 1 (Soriano 58) Att: 30,735
Crunch…Genoa’s Napoli 3 (Mertens 19, 57, Gabbiadini 20)
Napoli 3 (Mertens 23, Hamsik 71, Callejon 89) Armando Izzo Cesena 2 (Defrel 15, 45+2) Att: 37,568
Fiorentina 0 Att: 21,804 goes flying
against Atalanta May 23 Genoa 3 (Pavoletti 24, Lestienne 41,
Torino 1 (Lopez 64) Kucka 89)
Roma 1 (Florenzi pen 57) Att: 11,317 Internazionale 2 (Icardi 19, Palacio 30) Att: 27,161
Lazio 1 (Klose 45+1) May 2 Sampdoria 0
Udinese 1 (Di Natale 81) Chievo 1 (Paloschi 75) Att: 45,359 Juventus 1 (Vidal 32) Att: 22,083 Juventus 3 (Pereyra 13, Sturaro 77, Pepe pen 90+3)
Palermo 3 (Lazaar 15, Rigoni 21, Chochev 66) Napoli 1 (David Lopez 50) Att: 40,485
Att: 8,704 Napoli 4 (Gabbiadini 31, Higuain 34, pen 81, Sassuolo 0
Insigne 47) Palermo 0 Att: 11,321 May 24 Cesena 0
Apr 15 Genoa 2 (Iago Falque 14, Pavoletti 76) Sampdoria 2 (Albiol og 12, Muriel 89) Att: 30,724 Cagliari 1 (Sau 90+1) Att: 13,945
Parma 0 Att: 17,568 May 3 Atalanta 1 (Biava 49)
Parma 1 (Nocerino pen 22) Lazio 1 (Parolo 77) Att: 15,479 Chievo 1 (Pellissier 88)
Apr 18 Juventus 2 (Tevez 17, Bonucci 28) Palermo 0 Att: 10,921 Atalanta 1 (Gomez 48) Att: 10,128
Lazio 0 Att: 38,916 Fiorentina 3 (Ilicic pen 31, 35, Gilardino 56)
KEY GAME Cesena 1 (Rodriguez 59) Att: 28,675 Empoli 1 (Pucciarelli 57)
Sampdoria 0 Torino 2 (Darmian 45, Quagliarella 57) Sampdoria 1 (Eto’o 90+1) Att: 9,084
Cesena 0 Att: 21,182 Juventus 1 (Pirlo 35) Att: 26,296 Internazionale 0
Torino’s victory in the Turin derby is overshadowed Chievo 0 Att: 33,144 Milan 3 (El Shaarawy 18, 65, Pazzini pen 57)
Apr 19 Cagliari 0 by violence in the stands, where supporters are Torino 0 Att: 33,818
Napoli 3 (Callejon 24, Balzano og 45+1, injured when a firework explodes. Napoli 3 (Hamsik 70, Higuain 74, Gabbiadini 76)
Gabbiadini 59) Att: 8,000 Milan 0 Att: 25,469 Palermo 2 (Jajalo 26, Rigoni 69)
Fiorentina 3 (Ilicic 23, Gilardino 33,
Chievo 1 (Pellissier 39) Verona 3 (Gomez Taleb 30, Toni 63, 71) Roma 2 (Doumbia 35, Florenzi 90+3) Marcos Alonso 78) Att: 27,429
Udinese 1 (Cesar og 71) Att: 10,128 Sassuolo 2 (Moras og 35, Floro Flores 89) Genoa 0 Att: 37,068
Att: 18,375 Parma 2 (Nocerino 21, Varela 36)
Empoli 2 (Maccarone 32, Tonelli 45) Verona 0 Verona 2 (Toni 42, pen 80) Att: 11,889
Parma 2 (Lodi 19, Belfodil 73) Att: 7,767 Apr 28 Udinese 1 (Di Natale 50) Udinese 1 (Di Natale 62) Att: 17,418
Internazionale 2 (Icardi pen 48, Podolski 65) Udinese 0
Internazionale 0 Att: 8,901 May 4 Cagliari 4 (Ekdal 3, Diego Farias 14, Sassuolo 1 (Magnanelli 70) Att: 8,899
Milan 0 Att: 74,022 M’Poku 38, Cop 63)
Apr 29 Cesena 2 (Brienza pen 56, Carbonero 70) Parma 0 Att: 10,000 May 25 Lazio 1 (Djordjevic 81)
Palermo 2 (Chochev 9, 30) Atalanta 2 (Pinilla 50, 82) Att: 14,170 Roma 2 (Iturbe 73, Yanga-Mbiwa 85) Att: 49,385
Genoa 1 (Iago Falque 52) Att: 15,471 May 6 Torino 0
Chievo 1 (Meggiorini 11) Empoli 1 (Padelli og 3) Att: 10,074 May 30 Atalanta 1 (Baselli 21)
Roma 1 (Totti pen 3) Cagliari 0 Att: 9,128 Milan 3 (Pazzini pen 36, Bonaventura 38, 80)
Atalanta 1 (Denis pen 23) Att: 35,088 May 9 Juventus 1 (Pogba 45) Att: 18,426
Juventus 3 (Llorente 36, Tevez 45+1, 70) Cagliari 1 (Rossettini 85) Att: 38,847
Sassuolo 1 (Berardi pen 45+1) Fiorentina 2 (Rodriguez pen 33, Ilicic 90) Verona 2 (Toni 48, Gomez Taleb 90+3)
Torino 1 (Quagliarella pen 58) Att: 12,500 Att: 37,503 Milan 2 (Van Ginkel 40, Destro 59) Juventus 2 (Pereyra 42, Llorente 57) Att: 23,249
Roma 1 (Totti pen 73) Att: 35,614
Apr 20 Fiorentina 0 Lazio 4 (Parolo 10, Klose 13, Candreva 16, Keita 81) May 31 Cagliari 4 (Sau 13, Joao Pedro 19,
Verona 1 (Obbadi 90) Att: 27,094 Parma 0 Att: 32,367 May 10 Cesena 2 (Defrel 15, Brienza 29) M’Poku 79, Bruno Fernandes og 85)
Sassuolo 3 (Zaza 48, Taider 51, Missiroli 69) Udinese 3 (Aguirre 44, Bruno Fernandes 81,
Apr 25 Internazionale 2 (Hernanes 15, Icardi Milan 1 (Mexes 66) Att: 13,712 Thereau 87) Att: 7,000
88) Genoa 3 (Bertolacci 37, Niang 49,
Roma 1 (Nainggolan 63) Att: 37,695 Iago Falque pen 90+3) Att: 25,916 Chievo 2 (Paloschi 9, Pellissier pen 40) Fiorentina 3 (Ilicic 12, Bernardeschi 76,
Verona 2 (Gomez Taleb 20, Toni 26) Att: 22,128 Badelj 90+3)
Udinese 2 (Pinzi 58, Agyemang-Badu 74) Palermo 2 (Vitiello 10, Rigoni 26) Chievo 0 Att: 32,199
Milan 1 (Pazzini 88) Att: 9,006 Torino 2 (Bruno Peres 13, Lopez 60) Att: 15,238 Empoli 2 (Saponara 28, Mchedlidze 77)
Fiorentina 3 (Ilicic 4, 68, Salah 57) Att: 9,878 Internazionale 4 (Palacio 49, Icardi 53, 77,
Apr 26 Atalanta 2 (Gomez 43, Denis 90+3) Sampdoria 1 (De Silvestri 65) Brozovic 70)
Empoli 2 (Saponara 41, Maccarone 60) Att: 13,651 Verona 1 (Toni 68) Att: 19,609 Lazio 1 (Candreva 8) Empoli 3 (Mchedlidze 59, 88, Pucciarelli 62)
Internazionale 2 (Hernanes 26, 84) Att: 37,367 Att: 32,036
Fiorentina 1 (Gilardino 74) Sassuolo 0
Cagliari 3 (Cop 7, 59, Diego Farias 90+2) Roma 3 (Doumbia 6, Florenzi 27, Pjanic 74) Palermo 2 (Vazquez 43, Rigoni 68) KEY GAME
Att: 27,560 Att: 12,196 Atalanta 3 (Baselli 6, Andjelkovic og 17, Napoli 2 (Higuain 55, 64)
Gomez 51) Att: 13,792 Lazio 4 (Parolo 33, Candreva 45+1, Onazi 85,
Genoa 3 (Bertolacci 38, Perotti pen 45+3, Apr 30 Empoli 4 (Maccarone 8, Britos og 43, Klose 90+2) Att: 57,510
Pavoletti 53) Saponara 45+1, Albiol og 81) Parma 2 (Palladino 9, Jorquera 33) Lazio hold off a stirring Napoli comeback to claim
Cesena 1 (Carbonero 69) Att: 19,663 Napoli 2 (Laurini og 64, Hamsik 90+1) Att: 9,201 Napoli 2 (Gabbiadini 28, Mertens 72) Att: 13,172 a Champions League play-off place. Gonzalo
Higuain misses a penalty at 2-2.
Udinese 1 (Di Natale pen 87)
Rivals…Emiliano Moretti Sampdoria 4 (Soriano 25, 62, Acquah 80,
celebrations Torino’s Duncan 89) Att: 8,942 Roma 1 (Totti 85)
derby victory overJuventus Palermo 2 (Vazquez pen 35, Belotti 90+4)
May 11 Genoa 5 (Iago Falque 18, Att: 44,752
Costa 69, 90+5, Bertolacci 87, Pavoletti 90+2)
Torino 1 (El Kaddouri 61) Att: 20,282 Sampdoria 2 (Romagnoli 53, De Silvestri 79)
Parma 2 (Palladino 74, Varela 88) Att: 20,913
May 16 Internazionale 1 (Icardi 9)
Juventus 2 (Marchisio pen 42, Morata 83) Sassuolo 3 (Berardi 3, Zaza 18, 32)
Att: 60,362 Genoa 1 (Pavoletti 41) Att: 14,936

Sampdoria 0 Torino 5 (Martinez 10, Lopez 16, 70, Benassi 31,

Lazio 1 (Gentiletti 54) Att: 21,843 Moretti 49)
Cesena 0 Att: 18,569
May 17 Atalanta 1 (Pinilla pen 18)
Genoa 4 (Pavoletti 30, Bertolacci 57,
Iago Falque 61, 73) Att: 16,881

WORLD SOCCER 81
 POLAND
DARIUSZ PLAYER OF THE SEASON
KUROWSKI
Kamil Wilczek
(Piast Gliwice)
Had the best season of his career, finishing
as the league’s top scorer with 20 goals, but
then announced he would be looking for a
new club this summer.

NEWCOMER OF THE SEASON

Bartlomiej Dragowski
(Jagiellonia Bialystok)
Promising keeper who made his debut at
the end of last term and became a regular
this season. Does not turn 18 until August.

Lech knock Legia off the top COACH OF THE SEASON

Michal Probierz

I
t’s not often that a losing team (Jagiellonia Bialystok)
receive more attention than the A 2010 Cup winner in an earlier spell as
winners, but all the talk in Poland at coach of the club, he returned in April last
year and led the side to third place in the
the end of the season concentrated
league and qualification for Europe.
on Legia Warsaw’s demise rather than
Lech Poznan’s first title since 2010.
Champions for the past two years, and
with a £20million budget that is double
that of Lech, Legia began the campaign
with Champions League ambitions and
their sights set on a domestic treble.
Early problems became clear, however,
as their Norwegian coach, Henning Berg,
introduced a squad rotation system.
Keeping his strongest side for the
European qualifier with Irish amateurs
St Patrick’s Athletic, Berg’s team were Light show…Lech had said: “I will be satisfied only when we
humbled 3-2 by Zawisza Bydgoszcz in Poznan fans set are champions”. Now he has a third crown
off flares as the CUP WINNERS
their own stadium in the Super Cup. players parade the to go with those he won with Wisla Krakow Marek Saganowski scored the winning goal
Disaster then struck in the Champions championship trophy in 2008 and 2009. as Legia beat Lech to win the Polish Cup
League when, after getting past St Pats Sports daily Przeglad Sportowy panned for a record-extending 17th time.
they thrashed Celtic 6-1 on aggregate, Berg’s leadership at Legia, commenting,
only to be disqualified for fielding an “you have a Mercedes car, but cannot drive
ineligible player. With the Final to be well enough”. After 18 months in the driving RELEGATED
played in Warsaw, Legia had an added seat the coach has hardly fulfilled chairman GKS Belchatow and early season Super
incentive after dropping into the Europa Boguslaw Lesnodorski’s claim he would Cup winners Zawisza.
League, but after negotiating the group “bring new standards to the club”. WS
phase they fell 4-0 on aggregate to Ajax.
All that was left was the Ekstraklasa and EKSTRAKLASA REGULAR SEASON PROMOTED
its new format. After the first 30-game P W D L F A Pts Zaglebie Lubin are back in the top flight
phase, the 16 teams’ points were halved LEGIA 30 17 5 8 57 30 56 a year after being relegated, while LKS
LECH 30 14 12 4 52 27 54 Nieciecza, who are from a village of 750
as they were split into championship and JAGIELLONIA 30 14 7 9 43 35 49 people, are promoted for the first time.
relegation groups, where they would play SLASK 30 12 10 8 43 36 46
those in their section once more. Legia, WISLA 30 11 10 9 47 39 43
GORNIK ZABRZE 30 11 10 9 43 43 43
who topped the first stage table, had a POGON 30 11 8 11 40 38 41
huge morale boost in beating Lech 2-1 LECHIA 30 11 8 11 36 37 41 EUROPEAN QUALIFIERS
KORONA 30 10 9 11 34 42 39 Lech Poznan are in the second qualifying
in the Polish Cup Final. But PIAST 30 11 6 13 38 43 39
round of the Champions League, while
when the clubs met again PODBESKIDZIE 30
in the opening second-
“I will be satisfied CRACOVIA 30
10
10
9
7
11
13
40
35
48
41
39
37 Legia are in the second qualifying round of
the Europa League. Jagiellonia Bialystok,
stage match, Lech took only when we GORNIK LECZNA 30
RUCH 30
8
8
10
9
12
13
31
33
37
38
34
33 Slask Wroclaw and Legia start in the first
revenge with a 1-0 win to are champions” BELCHATOW
ZAWISZA
30
30
8
8
7
5
15
17
24
32
42
52
31
29
qualifying round of the Europa League.
go top for the first time. Maciej Skorza, on his Top 8 formed championship group, bottom 8 formed
“It will be interesting to appointment as coach of Lech relegation group; teams carried forward half their EKSTRAKLASA RELEGATION GROUP
regular-season points (rounded up) but the rest of
see how my players bear their regular-season record in full
P W D L F A Pts
this pressure,” said coach CRACOVIA 37 15 9 13 50 44 36
Maciej Skorza. They coped fantastically, EKSTRAKLASA CHAMPIONSHIP GROUP RUCH 37 12 10 15 44 46 30
finishing a point ahead of Legia to be KORONA 37 12 11 14 44 55 28
P W D L F A Pts PIAST 37 13 8 16 50 56 28
crowned champions for the seventh time. LECH 37 19 13 5 67 33 43 PODBESKIDZIE 37 12 10 15 47 60 27
“This title is down to our coach and we LEGIA 37 21 7 9 64 33 42 GORNIK LECZNA 37 11 11 15 39 46 27
JAGIELLONIA 37 19 8 10 59 44 41 ZAWISZA 37 10 8 19 45 63 24
should be thankful to him,” said defender SLASK 37 15 13 9 50 43 35 BELCHATOW 37 9 9 19 35 60 21
Tomasz Kedziora of the 43-year-old who LECHIA 37 13 10 14 45 47 29
WISLA 37 12 13 12 56 48 28 TOP GOALSCORERS
replaced Mariusz Rumak in August after GORNIK ZABRZE 37 12 11 14 50 60 26 Kamil Wilczek (Piast Gliwice) 20 goals
Lech’s poor start to the season. Skorza POGON 37 11 9 17 45 52 22 Flavio Paixao (Slask Wroclaw) 18 goals

82 WORLD SOCCER
ON SALE NOW
 PORTUGAL
TOM KUNDERT PLAYER OF
THE SEASON
Maxi Pereira
(Benfica)
The considerable
power and stamina
of Uruguay’s tireless
right-back show no
sign of waning with
age, and the 30-
year-old once again
proved himself to be
a key component in
Benfica’s defensive
and attacking game.

Jesus wins again, then shocks Benfica

W
ith Benfica’s treble- Victorious...Benfica’s younger squads of Porto and Sporting.
winning team of the Eliseu parades the The Eagles of Lisbon were also helped
championship trophy
previous season brutally in front of fans at the domestically by an early exit from Europe.
dismembered in the Estadio da Luz As the season reached its climax, Benfica
transfer market, and bitter rivals Porto looked fresh and sprightly at precisely the
spending big to bolster their squad, few same time as Porto, who had exhausted
gave Jorge Jesus’ side much hope of themselves against Bayern Munich in the
retaining their league title. But nine Champions League, began to labour badly.
months down the line and Benfica have But it is impossible to downplay the
their first back-to-back titles in 31 years. importance of coach Jesus, who has
Making light of the loss of players of almost single-handedly shattered Porto’s
the calibre of Jan Oblak, Ezequiel Garay hegemony of Portuguese football. And
and Enzo Perez, the charismatic Jesus outspoken former Benfica boss Manuel
moulded a side that got their noses in Jose voiced the thoughts of many when
front early on and never let go of top spot. he said: “If Jorge Jesus had been coach of
But in contrast to his previous five years this Porto squad, and Julen Lopetegui had
at Benfica, Jesus’ side this time relied far been coach of this Benfica squad, Porto
less on individual talent and far more on would have been crowned champions
a united front. weeks before the end of the season.”
“This squad may not have the quality of
the last few years but we are a family and
it is this togetherness that has won “His only demand was that he was allowed
us the title,” said the coach after the to coach his favourite club”
league was secured with a goalless draw Sporting president Bruno De Carvalho on the news that Jorge Jesus
at a sun-drenched Estadio D Afonso will leave Benfica to coach their city rivals next season
Henriques in Guimaraes. “The players, the
fans and the whole structure contributed
and should be congratulated.” Jesus then stunned the whole country
The visitors’ goalkeeper, Julio Cesar, by announcing his intention to leave
was suitably emotional the day that they Benfica and move across town to rivals
clinched the league but, considering what Sporting. The 60-year-old, a former
he had endured the previous summer, Sporting player, was said to be angry at a
one would have needed a heart of stone reduced pay offer in a new contract offer has three to his name (two in Portugal,
not to be touched by his reaction in the from Benfica. He was reported to have one in Greece), as has Jesus who has
immediate aftermath of Benfica’s triumph. been offered ¤6million a year over three three times led Benfica to the Primeira
He began his on-pitch interview by saying seasons by Sporting. Benfica have lined up Liga, while AVB (Portugal and Russia) and
“after what happened at the Brazil World Vitoria Guimaraes coach Rui Vitoria as his Paulo Sousa (Israel and Switzerland) have
Cup…” before breaking off as tears flowed replacement. each won two national championship titles.
down his cheeks. Jesus was the local face of a remarkably Nuno Espirito Santo at Valencia and
While Argentinian wingers Nicolas Trio...Jesus won three successful campaign for Portuguese Leonardo Jardim at Monaco have also
Gaitan and Eduardo Salvio – the two titles with Benfica managers across Europe with no fewer earned plaudits after guiding their teams
but in a shock move
remaining star names who survived last quit to coach rivals than five guiding their teams to their to Champions League qualification in Spain
year’s transfer cull – may have provided Sporting next season respective national championships: Vitor and France respectively, while further
the gold dust, the success was personified Pereira (Olympiakos), Jose Mourinho afield Jesualdo Ferreira is well placed to
in the indefatigable running of 30-year- (Chelsea), Andre Villas-Boas (Zenit), Paulo wrap up the Egyptian championship at
old Maxi Pereira and the talismanic Sousa (Basle) and Jorge Jesus (Benfica). the helm of Zamalek.
performances of captain Luisao, 34. None of the quintet are novices when it Their success is all the more
Along with Julio Cesar (35), defender comes to finishing top of the pile after a extraordinary when one considers that
Eliseu (31), and strikers Jonas (31) and long hard season. The masterful Mourinho as recently as 20 years ago the stock
Lima (32), the Lisbon club had a wealth of has now accumulated an incredible eight of Portuguese coaches was anything
experience, which ultimately made the league titles (two in Portugal, two in Italy, but high. Never mind abroad, at that time
difference when set against the much one in Spain and three in England), Pereira Primeira Liga clubs, big and small alike,
84 WORLD SOCCER
 EURO SEASON REVIEW

TEAM OF THE SEASON

NEWCOMER OF COACH OF RELEGATED PROMOTED W
THE SEASON THE SEASON Their respective Tondela will be in the Joao Afonso W
Oliver Torres (Porto) Jorge Jesus (Benfica) seasons already top flight for the first (Vitoria Guimaraes) Jonas Oliveira
Enjoyed a fine season Lost half his treble- looked in danger time, while Uniao W (Benfica)
at the Estadio do winning team from when Penafiel and Madeira were last W Oliver Torres
Dragao on loan from the previous season Gil Vicente became there in 1995. Luisao (Porto)
Atletico Madrid. An but still built a side the first Primeira Liga W (Benfica)
Matheus W W
inventive passer who to retain the title. clubs to fire their EUROPEAN
Nicolas Gaitan Jackson Martinez
offers a potent goal coaches after a poor QUALIFIERS (Braga)
threat, the Spanish CUP WINNERS start to the campaign. Benfica, Porto and W (Benfica) (Porto)
playmaker’s flawless Sporting Lisbon, However, it did Sporting start in the Tiago Pinto
W
technique was who came from 2-0 neither any good as Champions League, (Rio Ave) W
Danilo Pereira
perfectly suited to down to draw 2-2 they occupied the Braga, Guimaraes W Marco Matias
(Maritimo)
Porto’s possession and beat Braga on bottom two positions and Belenenses are Maxi Pereira (Nacional)
game. penalties in the Final. all term. in the Europa League. (Benfica)

PRIMEIRA LIGA 2014-15

P W D L F A Pts
BENFICA 34 27 4 3 86 16 85
PORTO 34 25 7 2 74 13 82
SPORTING 34 22 10 2 67 29 76
BRAGA 34 17 7 10 55 28 58
V GUIMARAES 34 15 10 9 50 35 55
BELENENSES 34 12 12 10 34 35 48
NACIONAL 34 13 8 13 45 46 47
PACOS FERREIRA 34 12 11 11 40 45 47
MARITIMO 34 12 8 14 46 45 44
RIO AVE 34 10 13 11 38 42 43
MOREIRENSE 34 11 10 13 33 42 43
ESTORIL 34 9 13 12 38 56 40
BOAVISTA 34 9 7 18 27 50 34
V SETUBAL 34 7 8 19 24 56 29
ACADEMICA 34 4 17 13 26 46 29
AROUCA 34 7 7 20 26 50 28
GIL VICENTE 34 4 11 19 25 60 23
PENAFIEL 34 5 7 22 29 69 22

TOP GOAL SCORERS

Jackson Martinez (Porto) 21 goals
Jonas (Benfica) 20 goals
Lima (Benfica) 19 goals Panic...Porto sub Juan Quintero causes problems for Estoril in a 5-0 win

S
RA

AE
ON
EI

AR

L
BA
RR

SB

TU
ON E

NA FE

LI
ES

UI
KEY
E

NS
OU A

NT

SE
CO L
IC

OR O

G
NG
BE NS

E
BR TA

L
A
RE
IM

D
CA

BO A

E
EM

CE

A
GI L

SP E

A
NE

IS

TI
FI
Home win Away win
IC

RI

O
A

AV

RI
S
EI

RI
IT
VI

OR
AD

AG
AV

RT
NF

TO

CI
LE

TO
AR

TO
O
L

PO
NA

0-0 Score draw

AR

PA
AC

BE

PE
ES

VI
RI

VI
M

No fixture
AWAY TEAM
ACADEMICA 1-1 1-1 0-2 0-0 1-1 2-2 1-2 1-1 0-0 2-1 2-2 1-1 0-3 0-0 1-1 2-4 1-1
AROUCA 0-1 0-1 1-3 0-0 1-0 1-1 3-1 1-0 1-2 3-3 1-3 0-1 0-5 1-0 1-3 1-2 1-0
BELENENSES 0-0 0-0 0-2 3-1 0-1 2-2 2-0 1-0 2-0 3-1 0-1 0-0 1-1 1-3 1-1 0-3 1-1
BENFICA 5-1 4-0 3-0 3-0 2-0 6-0 1-0 4-1 3-1 3-1 2-0 4-0 0-0 1-0 1-1 3-0 3-0
BOAVISTA 1-0 3-1 1-0 0-1 1-0 1-2 3-2 0-2 3-1 0-1 1-2 1-0 0-2 1-1 1-3 3-1 0-0
BRAGA 0-0 2-0 1-1 2-1 3-0 2-1 2-0 1-3 1-0 3-1 3-0 4-0 0-1 3-0 0-1 0-0 5-0
ESTORIL 1-2 1-0 1-2 2-3 2-0 0-2 1-1 1-1 1-1 2-1 1-0 3-3 2-2 1-5 1-1 1-0 1-0
1-1 1-1 0-2 0-5 1-1 0-2 1-1 1-2 0-1 0-0 1-0 2-1 1-5 0-0 0-4 1-3 1-1
HOME TEAM

GIL VICENTE
MARITIMO 2-1 1-1 1-2 0-4 4-0 2-1 0-0 1-2 1-2 1-1 2-1 2-0 1-0 4-0 0-1 4-0 1-1
MOREIRENSE 0-2 1-0 0-1 1-3 1-0 0-0 1-1 2-0 1-1 2-3 2-0 0-0 0-2 1-1 1-4 2-1 3-1
NACIONAL 1-0 2-0 2-1 1-2 2-1 1-1 1-0 3-2 3-0 0-1 3-0 2-0 1-1 0-0 0-1 2-2 3-0
PACOS DE FERREIRA 3-2 2-1 2-0 1-0 1-0 2-2 1-1 1-1 3-2 0-0 2-3 2-1 0-1 1-2 1-1 2-2 4-1
constantly hired foreign coaches, some PENAFIEL 0-0 0-2 1-3 0-3 2-2 1-6 1-2 2-1 3-4 1-2 2-1 0-1 1-3 0-2 0-4 1-1 2-0
with questionable credentials, rather than PORTO 1-0 1-0 3-0 0-2 0-0 2-1 5-0 2-0 2-0 3-0 2-0 5-0 2-0 5-0 3-0 1-0 4-0
entrusting the fortunes of their teams to RIO AVE 3-0 1-2 0-0 2-1 4-0 0-2 2-1 0-0 0-0 1-1 1-1 0-0 3-2 1-3 0-1 1-1 2-0
SPORTING 1-0 1-0 1-1 1-1 2-1 4-1 3-0 2-0 4-2 1-1 2-0 1-1 3-2 1-1 4-2 4-1 3-0
local tacticians. When the option was taken 4-0 1-0 0-1 0-0 3-0 1-0 2-0 2-2 1-0 2-1 4-0 1-1 3-0 1-1 0-0 3-0 0-1
VITORIA GUIMARAES
to recruit a Portuguese coach, it appeared VITORIA SETUBAL 0-0 2-1 1-1 0-5 0-1 1-3 1-2 2-0 1-0 2-1 2-0 0-0 0-1 0-2 4-1 1-2 0-1
a colossal moustache and an impressive
career as a player were the only two boxes
Wait over...the
that had to be ticked, with little thought Portuguese Cup
given to the candidate’s tactical, technical was Sporting’s first
or man-management skills. silverware since 2008
The spectacular success of Mourinho,
Villas-Boas and Carlos Queiroz changed
the mentalities of club presidents up and
down the country. Queiroz’s work in
nurturing Portugal’s golden generation
triggered a sea-change in perceptions and
the glittering achievements of Mourinho
and AVB at Porto definitively brought into
vogue a university-trained, studious and
well-educated coach. WS
WORLD SOCCER 85
 ROMANIA
EMANUEL ROSU PLAYER OF THE SEASON
Florin Cernat (Otelul)
Now aged 35, the former Dynamo Kiev
midfielder returned to his boyhood club last
summer and had a fine campaign, despite
the big financial problems they faced during
a season which ended in relegation.

COACH OF THE SEASON

Constantin Galca
(Steaua)
Despite losing some
key players, he
picked up three
trophies and only

Minnows miss out Ciobotariu. “He kept the boys motivated,

even though salaries weren’t paid and the
missed out on the
group stage of the
Champions League

at the last moment contracts for 14 of the most important

players ran out at the end of the season,”
said general manager Narcis Raducan.
spot after a penalty
shoot-out.

S
teaua may have won a record- With a remarkable 38 coaching
extending 26th championship, changes during the campaign, it was no NEWCOMER OF THE SEASON
but the Bucharest giants did surprise that Ciobotariu wasn’t offered a Quenten Martinus (Botosani)
their very best to throw it away, contract extension at the end of the Signed by Botosani coach Leo Grozavu
surrendering a 13-point lead going into season. “We should have started talks after he had watched just 15 seconds of
the winter break before snatching the title about his contract a long time ago, but the the 24-year-old on DVD. Grozavu says of
the Dutch left-winger: “His talent is just
on the last day of the season. situation at the club didn’t allow us to,” outstanding. If he wouldn’t be so stubborn,
Having sold three key players in January admitted Raducan. Ciobotariu joined Saudi he’d be playing for a way bigger club. He’s
– Lucian Sanmartean, Lukasz Szukala Arabian side Al Faisaly and was replaced by class, absolute class.”
and Claudiu Keseru – Steaua allowed former Chelsea defender Dan Petrescu.
promoted Targu Mures to claw back the The axe descended at Steaua, too. Not
CUP WINNERS
deficit and overtake them. Tipped for even winning the treble was enough for Steaua beat Universitatea Cluj 3-0 to win
relegation last summer and with players Constantin Galca to keep his job and he the domestic treble of league, Cup and
going unpaid for months, the club from the was replaced by club legend Mirel Radoi. League Cup for the first time in their 68-
northern city defied all expectations and “Galca’s contract expired. We didn’t year history.
only missed out on a shock celebration extend it. How is that wrong in any way?”
after losing their last two games. argued Steaua owner Gigi Becali, who who
“We didn’t expect such an outcome for released from prison in April. RELEGATED
this season. It’s absolutely incredible,” says Having won a third successive title, Rapid, Universitatea Cluj, Otelul, Brasov,
Targu Mures’ deputy mayor, Claudiu Maior. Steaua will want to make their mark in Ceahlaul and Gaz Metan go down.
“We were left without money for salaries Europe next season, but with no money
for the players, who won one game after available for new signings this summer
another. We had to pay huge bonuses.” that may be difficult. PROMOTED
After sacking the coach who had taken Tense…players from However, nobody would mind next Voluntari and Poli Timisoara come up as
them up because “the football wasn’t Targu Mures (stripes) season’s domestic competition being the top flight reduces from 18 to 14 teams.
get into an ugly
attractive enough”, and then dismissing his skirmish during as close and exciting as it was this term.
replacement, Targu Mures settled on Liviu a 3-1 defeat by Astra And that costs nothing. WS
EUROPEAN QUALIFIERS
Steaua enter the Champions League, but
with CFR Cluj, CSU Craiova, Petrolul and
Dinamo all barred, Targu Mures, Astra and
Botosani go into the Europa League.

LIGA 1 2014-15
P W D L F A Pts
STEAUA 34 22 5 7 59 23 71
TARGU MURES 34 20 8 6 51 25 68
CFR 34 16 9 9 46 29 57
ASTRA 34 15 12 7 53 27 57
CSU CRAIOVA 34 14 11 9 40 34 53
PETROLUL 34 14 10 10 42 30 52
DINAMO 34 13 9 12 47 44 48
BOTOSANI 34 12 11 11 40 43 47
PANDURII 34 12 9 13 47 42 45
CSM STUD’TESC 34 11 10 13 31 39 43
VIITORUL 34 11 10 13 44 54 43
CONCORDIA 34 9 14 11 39 44 41
GAZ METAN 34 8 15 11 29 34 39
BRASOV 34 9 9 16 33 46 36
UNIV CLUJ 34 8 11 15 29 41 35
RAPID 34 8 9 17 21 42 33
OTELUL 34 7 11 16 24 45 32
CEAHLAUL 34 6 9 19 25 58 27
TOP GOALSCORERS
Gregory Tade (CFR Cluj) 18 goals
Mihai Roman (Pandurii) 16 goals
Bogdan Mitrea (Viitorul) 14 goals

86 WORLD SOCCER
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 RUSSIA
VICTOR GUSEV PLAYER OF
THE SEASON
Hulk (Zenit)
The 28-year-old
Brazilian striker
was the league’s top
scorer with 15 goals
and it was his free-
kick against Ufa, in
May, that sealed the
championship with
two games to spare.
He signed a two-year
extension to his
contract in February.

Zenit make no late mistakes this time

H
aving wasted their nine-point Dominant...Zenit
spring advantage during the have won all four
of their Russian
previous campaign, Zenit titles in the last
made certain that there eight years
would be no such mistake this time round,
wrapping up the league title with two
games to spare.
Russia’s richest club were led to victory
by the tournament’s top scorer Hulk, who
managed 15 goals in 28 games, but he
was assisted greatly by two important
new arrivals in St Petersburg. Argentinian
defender Ezequiel Garay cemented Zenit’s
back line while Spanish midfielder Javi
Garcia broke play up in front of them.
With this being Zenit’s fourth Russian
title (after successes in 2004, 2007 and
2010), to go with their Soviet league title
in 1984, the club now has the right to
wear a star on their shirts.
Having profited from Zenit’s slip last
time out, CSKA fell seven points short in
their attempts to retain their title, but the
Moscow-based side did take second spot
– and a Champions League qualifying
place – from Krasnodar by virtue of having
won more games.
CSKA newcomers Bibars Natho and
Roman Yeremenko formed an impressive
partnership in central midfield that helped
to compensate for a lack of firepower after

an honourable eighth-place finish. past, Anzhi have already signed one of

“We should be one At 49, Kononov is frequently put Russia’s most talented forwards in Fyodor
of the top 10 clubs forward as a possible replacement for Smolov. The 25-year-old, who had a very
in Europe” national coach Fabio Capello. The Italian good season with Ural while on loan from
has been under attack since the team Dynamo, was snapped up after becoming
Zenit coach Andre Villas-Boas
flopped in Brazil last summer and his a free agent this summer.
situation wasn’t helped when his contract Meanwhile, Lokomotiv won the Russian
Seydou Doumbia left the club for Roma details – his ¤7million a year accounts Cup under the guidance of caretaker
in mid season. for 20 per cent of the Russian Football coach Igor Cherevchenko just 10 days after
Despite their success domestically, In demand...Kononov
Union’s total budget – were made public. he stepped in to replace Miodrag Bozovich.
coaches Andre Villas-Boas and Leonid Kononov has said he would consider the Former Lokomotiv defender Cherevchenko
Slutski, of Zenit and CSKA respectively, proposal only if he was allowed to remain became the first person to win the Cup as
were heavily criticised during the season at the helm of his present club. both a player and a coach.
for their side’s lack of success against Semin, who took Lokomotiv Moscow Major changes await Spartak. Known as
European opposition. to the league in 2002 and 2004, has “the people’s team” due to their popularity
Far more favourable views were left Mordovia and will join Anzhi. Having throughout the country, they have started
afforded to Oleg Kononov of Krasnodar finished as runners-up in the second tier, an overhaul of the club, with Leonid Fedun
and 68-year-old Yuri Semin, who not the Makhachkala-based club are back stepping down as president and Murat
only kept promoted Mordovia safe with new ambitions. Yakin becoming the ninth coach to leave
from relegation but led the club to Known for their huge spending in the under Fedun’s watch since 2004. He is

88 WORLD SOCCER
 EURO SEASON REVIEW

TEAM OF THE SEASON

COACH OF NEWCOMER OF CUP WINNERS PROMOTED W W
THE SEASON THE SEASON Under interim coach Anzhi and Krylia Vitali Kaleshin Danny
Oleg Kononov Ezequiel Garay Igor Cherevchenko, Sovetov. (Krasnodar) (Zenit)
(Krasnodar) (Zenit) Lokomotiv Moscow W
After taking his side A league winner in his came from behind EUROPEAN W W Hulk
into Europe for the Argentinian homeland to beat debutant QUALIFIERS Ezequiel Garay Bibars Natho (Zenit)
first time this season, with Newell’s Old finalists Kuban Zenit and CSKA are W (Zenit) (CSKA)
thanks to last term’s Boys and then in Krasnodar 3-1 after in the Champions Andrei Dikan
fifth spot, he did even Portugal with Benfica, extra time and win League, with the (Krasnodar) W W
better this time in the the 28-year-old was the Russian Cup for former straight Vasili Berezutski Roman Yeremenko
league, overseeing a rock at the back as a sixth time. through to the (CSKA) (CSKA) W
a domestic campaign he picked up his third group stage, while Ari
that ended with third championship medal RELEGATED Krasnodar, Dynamo W W (Krasnodar)
spot and a another in three different Arsenal Tula and and Lokomotiv are in Igor Smolnikov Oleg Shatov
outing in Europe. countries. Torpedo Moscow. the Europa League. (Zenit) (Zenit)

PREMIER LEAGUE 2014-15

P W D L F A Pts
ZENIT 30 20 7 3 58 17 67
CSKA 30 19 3 8 67 27 60
KRASNODAR 30 17 9 4 52 27 60
DYNAMO 30 14 8 8 53 36 50
RUBIN 30 13 9 8 39 33 48
SPARTAK 30 12 8 10 42 42 44
LOKOMOTIV 30 11 10 9 31 25 43
MORDOVIA 30 11 5 14 22 43 38
TEREK 30 10 7 13 30 30 37
KUBAN 30 8 12 10 32 36 36
AMKAR 30 8 8 14 25 42 32
UFA 30 7 10 13 26 39 31
URAL 30 9 3 18 31 44 30
ROSTOV 30 7 8 15 27 51 29
TORPEDO 30 6 11 13 28 45 29
ARSENAL 30 7 4 19 20 46 25
Relegation/promotion play-offs
Tom Tomsk v Ural 0-1, 0-0 (agg 0-1)
Tosno v Rostov 0-1,1-4 (agg1-5)

TOP GOALSCORERS
Hulk (Zenit) 15 goals
Moscow pride...Spartak (in red) battle it out with neighbours CSKA
Roman Eremenko (CSKA) 13 goals
Quincy Promes (Spartak) 13 goals
Salomon Rondon (Zenit) 13 goals
R
DA
O
SN
R

V
RA

IA
DA

I
OT

O
L

OV

K
K
O

NO
NA

ED
OV

TA
AM
R

K
RD
KA

T
BA

RP
KO

AL
AS

AR
KA
SE

ST

BI

RE

NI
N

A
O
AM

RO
AR

RU

UR
KU
KR
DY

TO
SP

UF
LO
CS

TE

ZE
M

AWAY TEAM

AMKAR 0-1 1-0 2-0 1-2 1-0 1-1 0-1 2-0 0-3 2-0 2-1 0-0 0-1 2-1 1-0
ARSENAL 4-0 1-4 1-2 0-3 0-1 0-2 0-1 1-1 0-0 1-0 1-1 1-3 0-1 1-2 0-4
CSKA 2-1 2-1 1-2 1-1 6-0 1-0 4-0 6-0 3-0 0-1 1-0 4-1 5-0 3-1 0-1
DYNAMO 5-0 2-2 1-0 1-1 2-2 2-2 2-1 7-3 0-2 1-2 3-0 0-0 3-1 2-0 0-1
KRASNODAR 1-1 3-0 2-1 0-2 3-2 1-0 4-0 2-1 2-0 4-0 2-0 2-2 0-2 1-1 2-2
KUBAN KRASNODAR 1-0 5-1 0-1 1-2 1-1 2-1 0-0 2-2 2-1 3-3 1-0 1-1 2-0 0-2 0-0
LOKOMOTIV 3-1 0-1 1-3 4-2 0-0 1-1 1-1 2-1 3-0 1-0 2-1 2-0 0-0 1-0 0-1
HOME TEAM

MORDOVIA 1-0 1-0 0-1 0-1 2-1 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-1 1-3 1-0 1-0 0-2 2-1 1-0
ROSTOV 1-1 0-1 1-1 2-2 0-2 2-1 0-1 2-1 1-2 2-1 0-1 1-0 2-0 1-0 0-5
RUBIN 1-1 1-0 2-1 1-1 1-2 1-0 1-1 5-0 2-0 0-4 2-1 2-1 1-1 2-1 0-1
SPARTAK 3-3 2-0 0-4 1-0 1-3 1-1 1-1 4-2 1-1 1-0 1-1 3-1 1-2 2-0 1-1
replaced by Dmitry Alenichev, whose TEREK 4-0 3-0 1-2 0-0 0-1 0-0 0-0 1-0 2-1 1-1 4-2 0-1 1-0 1-3 1-2
Arsenal side were relegated. TORPEDO 1-1 0-1 0-2 1-3 0-3 0-0 0-1 2-0 2-1 2-2 0-1 0-0 2-2 3-1 1-1
Many Spartak supporters expressed UFA 1-1 0-1 3-3 0-2 0-2 3-2 1-0 1-2 0-0 1-1 1-2 0-1 1-1 0-1 1-1
URAL 1-0 1-0 3-4 2-1 1-1 0-1 2-0 2-3 0-1 1-3 2-0 0-1 0-2 1-1 1-2
their dissatisfaction by boycotting the last
ZENIT 2-0 1-0 2-1 3-2 4-0 1-0 1-0 5-0 3-0 1-1 0-0 1-3 8-1 1-0 3-0
game of the season, with an attendance of
11,500 against Amkar being the lowest at
KEY
the new arena since it was opened earlier Home win Away win
this year. However, that attendance still 0-0 Score draw
exceeded the average for the Premier No fixture
League as a whole, with less then 10,000
fans per game – the lowest figure for the
past decade.
These figures, along with he
organisation’s poor financial situation,
forced Nikolai Tolstykh to stand down as
president at the May conference of the
Russian Football Union. Russian Sports
minister Vitali Mutko and ex-CSKA coach
Cup joy...it’s a
Valeri Gazzayev have been named among sixth Cup success
the candidates to take his post. WS for Lokomotiv

WORLD SOCCER 89
 SCOTLAND
PHIL PLAYER OF
GORDON
THE SEASON
Craig Gordon
(Celtic)
Out of the game
for two years after
being released by
Sunderland, the
32-year-old put
his injury problems
behind him and was
in commanding form.
Also made his first
start for Scotland
for five years.

Transfer-window buys give Celtic the edge

L
ies, damned lies and statistics.
When it comes to the Scottish
Premiership of 2014-15, don’t
be too fooled by the numbers.
While the final table may show a 17-point
gap between champions Celtic and
Aberdeen, that owed much to the north-
east club taking just one point from their
last four games once Celtic had sealed the
title – something no second-placed side
had ever done.
After the traditional games on January 1,
Aberdeen actually held a one-point lead
over the Glasgow club and were dreaming
of a first title in 30 years, since the days
when Alex Ferguson was manager. When
Aberdeen went to Celtic Park in early
March, the sides were level on points –
even if Celtic had games in hand. However,
a 4-0 victory for Celtic halted Derek
McInnes’ team and left Ronny Deila to
guide the club to a fourth title in a row.
The Scottish Premiership was a lot
closer than European leagues such as the
Bundesliga for most of the campaign. In
fact, back in the high-spending era of a
decade ago, a Rangers side managed by
Dick Advocaat once spent £12million on
Tore Andre Flo to finish 20 points behind
Celtic. Flo’s fee was six times McInnes’
entire wage budget at Aberdeen.
Celtic, though, used a winter break in Opener...Celtic on his five officials missed Josh Meekings and Maribor – before progressing from
Gran Canaria in January to transform their way to a 4-0 keeping out Leigh Griffiths header with a a low-key Europa League group.
win over Aberdeen
themselves from a team that had been hand. That error ended Celtic’s chances of When the Europa League resumed
completing the treble – they had won the in February, Celtic were paired with
League Cup against Dundee United in Internazionale in a re-match of their 1967
“We always felt Celtic would win March – for only the fourth time in the European Cup Final. Deila had signed
the league and all we could do club’s history: once was under Martin Stuart Armstrong and Gary Mackay-Steven
was determine when they won it” O’Neill in 2001; and twice under Jock from Dundee United for just over £2m in
Aberdeen manager Derek McInnes Stein, in 1967 – when Celtic were also the transfer window and that injection of
European champions - and 1969. midfield quality was a perfect addition to
Being in such celebrated company gave the strongest area of Celtic’s side. With
labouring, and was unsure under their new plenty of Celtic fans reason to downplay Stefan Johansen and Scott Brown
Norwegian manager, into one which lost Deila’s success. Lies, damned lies and peerless, Deila’s side flourished and
just one of their last 20 league games. statistics, again. When three honours Armstrong scored twice in a 3-3 draw with
The only other domestic match they became two, the debate dropped off. Inter in Glasgow before losing 1-0 in Italy.
lost was in the Scottish Cup semi-final to There is little doubt that the Norwegian “Bringing in the two new boys gave
Inverness Caledonian Thistle, going down did well to turn around a side which, in Celtic something,” admits McInnes. “We
3-2 in extra-time after goalkeeper Craig October, had been humbled at home by always felt Celtic would win the league and
Gordon was sent off. Hamilton for the first time since 1938 and all we could do was determine when they
There was huge controversy in that was knocked out of the Champions won it.
game, as referee Steven MacLean and League qualifiers twice – by Legia Warsaw “Spending a couple of million quid in
90 WORLD SOCCER
 EURO SEASON REVIEW

TEAM OF THE SEASON

NEWCOMER OF COACH OF CUP WINNERS EUROPEAN W
THE SEASON THE SEASON Only formed in QUALIFIERS Graeme Shinnie
Ryan Christie John Hughes 1994, Inverness Celtic enter the W
(Inverness CT)
(Inverness CT) (Inverness CT) Caledonian Thistle Champions League Stefan Johansen W
The locally born Ronny Deila may have claimed their first qualifiers, with W (Celtic) Leigh Griffiths
midfielder who won the title, but the major silverware Aberdeen, Inverness Virgil Van Dijk (Celtic)
only turned 20 in Caley boss worked by beating Falkirk and St Johnstone in W (Celtic) W
Craig Gordon Scott Brown W
February has great marvels on one of 2-1 with goals from the Europa League
(Celtic) W (Celtic) Adam Rooney
balance and passing smallest budgets in Marley Watkins qualifiers.
Jason Denayer (Aberdeen)
ability. A product of the Premiership. An and James Vincent,
the club’s youth unbelievable season despite having Carl RELEGATED (Celtic)
system, his father, ended with victory in Tremarco sent off. St Mirren W
W
Charlie Christie, the Scottish Cup and Second-tier Falkirk W Stuart Armstrong
Greg Stewart
played over 300 entry to Europe for also lost in the 1997 PROMOTED Shay Logan (Dundee United & Celtic)
(Dundee)
games for the club. the first time. and 2009 Finals. Hearts (Aberdeen)

January certainly helped them but they

PREMIERSHIP 2014-15
are worthy champions.”
Deila’s decision to stump up the cash TOP GOALSCORERS
TOP SIX Adam Rooney (Aberdeen) 18 goals
to prevent the gifted Armstrong and P W D L F A Pts Nadir Ciftci (Dundee Utd) 14 goals
CELTIC 38 29 5 4 84 17 92 Leigh Griffiths (Celtic) 14 goals
Mackay-Steven from moving to England ABERDEEN 38 23 6 9 57 33 75
was part of a commitment to Scottish INVERNESS 38 19 8 11 52 42 65
players which really paid off. While Celtic ST JOHNSTONE 38 16 9 13 34 34 57
DUNDEE UTD 38 17 5 16 58 56 56
spent plenty of money in recruiting strikers DUNDEE 38 11 12 15 46 57 45
Stefan Scepovic from Spain and John
Guidetti on loan from Manchester City, it
BOTTOM SIX
P W D L F A Pts
was Leigh Griffiths who emerged as the HAMILTON 38 15 8 15 50 53 53
club’s top scorer, despite being on the PARTICK 38 12 10 16 48 44 46
ROSS COUNTY 38 12 8 18 46 63 44
bench until February. KILMARNOCK 38 11 8 19 44 59 41
The signing of keeper Gordon as a free MOTHERWELL 38 10 6 22 38 63 36
ST MIRREN 38 9 3 26 30 66 30 Derby day...Dundee (left) v Dundee United Impressive...Rooney
agent last summer as a replacement for
Division split after 33-round regular season; teams
Southampton-bound Fraser Forster was carried forward full regular-season record

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was impressive and the manager was AWAY TEAM
presented with the league trophy after a 5-0 ABERDEEN 1-2 3-3 0-3 3-0 3-2 1-0 1-0 2-0 3-0 2-0 2-2
win over Inverness, with his predecessor, CELTIC 2-1 2-1 6-1 0-1 1-0 2-0 1-1 1-0 0-0 0-1 4-1
DUNDEE 2-3 1-1 1-4 2-0 1-2 1-1 4-1 1-1 1-1 1-1 1-3
DUNDEE UNITED 0-2 2-1 6-2 2-2 1-1 3-1 1-0 1-0 2-1 2-0 3-0
HAMILTON ACADEMICAL 3-0 0-2 2-1 2-3 0-2 0-0 5-0 3-3 4-0 1-0 3-0
HOME TEAM

INVERNESS CT 0-1 1-0 0-0 1-0 4-2 2-0 3-1 0-4 1-1 2-1 1-0
KILMARNOCK 0-2 0-2 1-3 2-0 1-0 1-2 2-0 3-0 0-3 0-1 2-1
MOTHERWELL 0-2 0-1 1-3 1-0 0-4 0-2 1-1 1-0 2-2 0-1 1-0
PARTICK THISTLE 0-1 0-3 1-1 2-2 1-2 3-1 1-1 3-1 4-0 0-0 1-2
ROSS COUNTY 0-1 0-5 2-1 2-3 0-1 1-3 1-2 1-2 1-0 1-2 1-2
ST JOHNSTONE 1-0 0-3 0-1 2-1 0-1 1-0 1-2 2-1 2-0 2-1 1-2
ST MIRREN 0-2 1-2 0-1 0-3 0-2 0-1 E 1-2 0-1 0-1 2-2 0-1
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0-0 Score draw

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No fixture
Big time...Inverness won their first major trophy AWAY TEAM

ABERDEEN 1-0 1-0 2-1 0-0 4-0 3-0

Neil Lennon, also there doing TV work. CELTIC 4-0 3-0 4-0 4-1 4-0 2-0
“I went from first grade to 10th grade in DUNDEE 1-1 1-2 3-1 1-1 1-0 1-0
two days when I went from Stromsgodset DUNDEE UNITED 1-0 3-1 0-2 1-2 0-2
HAMILTON ACADEMICAL 0-3 0-2 0-0 2-2 1-1
HOME TEAM

to Celtic,” says Deila. “We struggled with

INVERNESS CT 1-1 1-1 2-1 3-3 1-1 2-0
that. A lot of managers have come into KILMARNOCK 1-2 3-2 1-2 2-2 1-0
Celtic, and other places before me, and MOTHERWELL 0-1 4-0 2-1 1-1 5-0
also struggled.” PARTICK THISTLE 5-0 1-0 2-0 1-3 3-0 0-1
Inverness secured their first European ROSS COUNTY 0-1 1-0 2-1 3-2 1-0
ST JOHNSTONE 1-1 1-2 1-0 0-0 2-0
involvement with a third-place finish and ST MIRREN 0-2 1-2 1-1 1-0 1-2 0-3
victory in the Scottish Cup Final, while
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finish seventh.
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TOP SIX AWAY TEAM BOTTOM SIX AWAY TEAM

The relegation scrap was a tame one as
St Mirren ended their nine-season stay in ABERDEEN 0-1 0-1 HAMILTON ACADEMICAL 2-0 1-1 1-0
CELTIC 5-0 5-0 KILMARNOCK 2-3 1-2
the top flight, just two years after winning
HOME

HOME

DUNDEE MOTHERWELL
TEAM

TEAM

1-1 0-1 0-2 3-1 0-0 1-1

the Scottish League Cup. Motherwell DUNDEE UNITED 1-0 0-3 3-0 PARTICK THISTLE 1-4 3-0
prevented Rangers’ return with a 6-1 INVERNESS CT 1-2 3-0 ROSS COUNTY 2-1 1-2 1-2
aggregate victory in the play-offs. WS ST JOHNSTONE 0-0 1-1 1-1 ST MIRREN 4-1 2-1

WORLD SOCCER 91
 SPAIN
SID LOWE

Xavi signs
off in style
with treble

X
avi Hernandez’s last three
matches for Barcelona all
finished the same way: with
him lifting a trophy. The man
who has played more games for the
club than anyone else – and arguably
the most important footballer in Spain’s
history as the ideologue behind the most
successful generation there has been –
departed European football after exactly
900 games for club and country. He did
so having won 28 senior trophies: 25
for his club, plus two European
Championships and the World Cup.
The final three trophies arrived in the
space of a fortnight. On Saturday, May
23, he lifted the league title trophy; the
following Saturday it was the Copa del Rey;
and the Saturday after that he raised the
European Cup in Berlin. Victory over
Atletico Madrid clinched La Liga with
a week to spare and the trophy was
presented six days later. Athletic Bilbao
were defeated in a Spanish Cup Final
marked by Lionel Messi scoring one of the
most astonishing goals in memory. And
Juventus were beaten in Berlin, with Ivan
Rakitic, Luis Suarez and Neymar scoring.
In Berlin, they went wild; back in

Clean sweep...the all-conquering Barca side

92 WORLD SOCCER
 EURO SEASON REVIEW

Treble...the city celebrates Barcelona’s success

Goodbye...Xavi at the
end of his last league
game in Spain

Barcelona, supporters poured down the

Ramblas. The celebrations continued long
into the night and started up again when
the team arrived the following day. And
rightly so, too. Barcelona had won the
treble, only the seventh team in European
football history ever to do so and the first
team ever to win it twice: under Pep
Guardiola in 2009 and again six years
later under Luis Enrique.
When Xavi was called to lift the
Champions League, he was with his
companion for the last 15 years – the ball.
Tucking it up his shirt, he took the trophy
from Michel Platini. It was almost one
o’clock in the morning when he finally left
the Olympic Stadium, carrying the cup
with Sergio Busquets, the midfielders

“Whatever happens, we
won’t change. We have
confidence in him”
Real Madrid president Florentino
Perez gives coach Carlo Ancelotti a
vote of confidence – two months
before sacking him

holding an “ear” each. “This ending is

incredible,” Xavi said. “It does not get any
better than this.”
He had been on the verge of walking
away last summer, but had eventually
decided to wait a year. His role may have
been reduced, but he was grateful to
Enrique for persuading him to stay. “I’m
so glad that he could leave this way,” the
Barcelona coach said. Yet he could never
have expected this. No one could.
Few teams have deserved to win the
European Cup so clearly: Barcelona had
beaten the champions of Holland, France,
England, Germany and Italy. Manchester
City (three), Bayern Munich (five), Paris
Saint-Germain (five) and Juventus (three)
had all conceded at least three times
against them. Two of the competition’s
WORLD SOCCER 93
 FRANCE

PLAYER OF NEWCOMER OF COACH OF CUP WINNERS RELEGATED

THE SEASON THE SEASON THE SEASON Barcelona beat Almeria and
Lionel Messi Jonathas Luis Enrique Athletic Bilbao 3-1 at Cordoba. Elche
(Barcelona) (Elche) (Barcelona) Camp Nou to win the have appealed their
Despite rumours of In his first season in Despite suffering second part of their demotion for financial
a fallout with coach Spain, the Brazilian plenty of early season treble. Barca’s irregularities. If the
Luis Enrique at the striker proved crucial criticism, he ended opening goal was a appeal is successful,
turn of the year, the to Elche’s 13th place the campaign by brilliant solo effort Eibar will go down in
world’s greatest finish. However, even emulating Pep from Lionel Messi, Elche’s place.
player hit the heights his talents may not Guardiola’s feat of who evaded the
once again, scoring have been enough to guiding Barcelona challenges of three PROMOTED
58 goals in 57 keep his side up as to the treble. The 45- Bilbao defenders Betis, Sporting Gijon
appearances and they were demoted year-old’s reward was before surging into and the winners of
winning the treble due to financial a contract extension the area and finishing the Segunda Division
in the process. problems. until 2017. with a low shot. play-offs.

three top scorers were theirs: Messi and changed,” Messi admitted. Barcelona significant was the distribution of those
Neymar, like Cristiano Ronaldo, finished recovered, the pieces falling into place. goals, an eloquent comment on the way
on 10 goals. Suarez, who had begun the Messi, Neymar and Suarez began to that Barcelona had improved: of his 25
season banned, scored seven, including forge a terrifying front three, with the goals, only three had been scored before
two in Paris, two in Manchester and the Argentinian now occupying a right-sided Christmas. Defeat against Real Sociedad
second goal in the Final. position, as a starting point at least, and was a turning point: the following week
And yet, when the draw for the last 16 the Uruguayan moving into the middle. they defeated Atletico Madrid and their
was made, many considered Manchester “The secret,” Neymar said, “is that we’re season really began.
City favourites against Barcelona. friends.” It was not merely a platitude: the Barcelona went 19 games, playing every
Coming up to Christmas, it was Real three of them, with Javier Mascherano too,
Dismissed...Ancelotti team in the league, winning 17, drawing
Madrid who seemed most likely to take are genuinely close. one and losing one, before they played
the title in Spain. And when Barcelona By the end of the season, they had Atletico again. Victory took the title; they
were beaten by Real Sociedad in the first scored 122 goals between them. Suarez had racked up 52 of 57 points. From the
game of 2015, the ensuing crisis brought had 25. He had set himself a target of 20 Real Sociedad game to the end of the
the sacking of sporting director Andoni goals. “So I have five left over for next season Barcelona won 30 times.
Zubizarreta and a call for presidential season,” he said in Berlin. More As Barcelona improved, so Madrid
elections. The club appeared to be on stumbled. There
the verge of sacking the coach too, amid wasn’t a dramatic
reports of his relationship with Messi “He’s the best player of all-time, comparable to Pele. collapse, but they
breaking down. One poll had 68 per I’m so happy to see this football” came up short.
cent of fans wanting Enrique to go. Bayern Munich coach Pep Guardiola on Lionel Messi Ronaldo was top
How things change. “Everything scorer again,
racking up
incredible statistics once more, but he has
won just one league title since he came to
Spain. The world club champions and
European Super Cup winners, Madrid
failed to claim any of the major trophies
this season. No coach had done that and
survived since Alfredo Di Stefano in 1983,
and Carlo Ancelotti was sacked soon after
the end of the season. Asked why, and what
was it that the coach lacked, the president
Florentino Perez replied: “I don’t know.”
If the decision itself was questionable,
the way it was handled was worse,
demonstrating a lack of the class and
dignity that Ancelotti has in abundance.
Right to the end, they avoided him,
briefing against him but never admitting to
his face what he could no longer fail to
see: that he was about to lose his job.
Almost exactly a year after winning Real
Madrid’s 10th European Cup, a trophy that
obsessed them and one that they had
waited well over a decade for, they finally
sacked the man who took them there.
Next season, they will try again
under Rafa Benitez. They will be joined
by Barcelona, the defending champions,
and by Atletico Madrid, Valencia and
Safe...Deportivo get Sevilla. Spain will have five teams in the
a point at Barcelona competition after Sevilla qualified by
on the last day of
winning the Europa League for the
the season
second time in a row, the fourth in their

94 WORLD SOCCER
 Euro-bound...
Bilbao (in green)
and Atletico EURO SEASON REVIEW

TEAM OF THE SEASON

EUROPEAN W
W
QUALIFIERS Jose Gaya
Cristiano Ronaldo
Barcelona, Real (Valencia) W
(Real Madrid)
Madrid and Atletico Dani Parejo
Madrid enter the W (Valencia)
group stages of the Nicolas Otamendi W
Champions League, W (Valencia) W Lionel Messi
along with Europa Diego Alves Sergio Busquets (Barcelona)
League winners (Valencia) W (Barcelona)
Sevilla, while Gerard Pique W
Valencia enter the (Barcelona) Carlos Bacca
W
qualifying stages. Grzegorz Krychowiak (Sevilla)
Villarreal and W
(Sevilla)
Athletic Bilbao enter Dani Alves
the Europa League. (Barcelona)

history – more than any other club. travel almost 800km by bus on the final
Sevilla, the first club to benefit from a day of the campaign as a punishment.
change in UEFA’s rules, fully embraced the There were four teams still fighting to
Europa League. The joy that they felt in beat the drop that day: Almeria, Granada,
winning the competition, and the Deportivo La Coruna and Eibar. Almeria
excitement of Villarreal and Athletic faced Valencia, who were chasing third
Bilbao, who will represent Spain in the and being chased for fourth. Granada,
competition next season, revealed the who’d won three in three, having previously
absurdity of those clubs that turn their managed four in 33, played Atletico.
nose up at the competition, eschewing Deportivo travelled to the Camp Nou. And
glory and emotion for...what, exactly? Sevilla Eibar played Cordoba.
continued to compete domestically, which Within 10 minutes, the two teams that
did little for the theory that it gets in the way started the day in the drop zone, Eibar and
of league progress, and there is a deeper Almeria, had moved above the two that
question too: what are you playing for? had started out of it (Deportivo and
As the Sevilla coach Unai Emery put it: Granada). But things had only just started
“When I arrived at Sevilla, the first thing and the composition of the relegation
they said to me was: ‘Unai, playing in the zone was to change seven times.
Champions League, like Valencia did with Deportivo, 2-0 down at Barcelona,
you, is lovely, but you haven’t experienced came back to draw 2-2, while Almeria,
what it is to win things’. Now I have; I have who were leading, got pulled back by
felt it. And it is the greatest feeling there Valencia. Down on the bench, players
is, something really shared. had radios, listening nervously to results
“Football is emotion. There’s an coming in from elsewhere.
economic [imperative] but what fans really Few expressed the tension better than
want is to enjoy their team. Deportivo’s Lucas Perez. “This is mad, lots
“If you have money but don’t generate of the players are crying,” he said after
feeling, it’s worthless.” Deportivo escaped.
Sevilla’s victory in Poland was sealed They had thought they were dead and
by two superbly taken goals from Carlos buried; instead, they had survived. So
Bacca, the striker who once sold fish to too had Granada, where a pitch invasion
survive. Not only fish; it is just seven years began. Jose Ramon Sandoval, the coach
since he was a bus conductor in Colombia. who had been in charge for just four
At the other end of the table, with games on a one-month contract, had
Cordoba relegated long before the end Euro win...Sevilla LA LIGA 2014-15 rescued them with 10 points from 12.
of the season, striker Florin Andone “I’ve only been here for 23 days,” he
P W D L F A Pts
described himself and his team-mates BARCELONA 38 30 4 4 110 21 94 said. “But it feels like two seasons.”
as a “disaster”, admitting that he felt REAL MADRID 38 30 2 6 118 38 92 Instead it was Almeria who were
ATLETICO MADRID 38 23 9 6 67 29 78
“ashamed” as the team were made to VALENCIA 38 22 11 5 70 32 77
relegated, while Eibar, who finished level
SEVILLA 38 23 7 8 71 45 76 with Granada and Deportivo, joined them
VILLARREAL 38 16 12 10 48 37 60 on the head-to-head record. Jon Errasti,
ATHLETIC BILBAO 38 15 10 13 42 41 55
CELTA VIGO 38 13 12 13 47 44 51 the Eibar-born captain, one of 10 players
MALAGA 38 14 8 16 42 48 50 who won two consecutive promotions with
ESPANYOL 38 13 10 15 47 51 49
RAYO VALLECANO 38 15 4 19 46 68 49
the club, heading from the third tier to the
REAL SOCIEDAD 38 11 13 14 44 51 46 top flight only to be relegated back down
ELCHE 38 11 8 19 35 62 41 again, summed it up: “It hurts,” he said.
LEVANTE 38 9 10 19 34 67 37
GETAFE 38 10 7 21 33 64 37 But then it all changed again. Because
DEP LA CORUNA 38 7 14 17 35 60 35 of a debt with the tax authorities and their
GRANADA 38 7 14 17 29 64 35
EIBAR 38 9 8 21 34 55 35 squad, the league relegated Elche, and
ALMERIA 38 8 8 22 35 64 32 Eibar will take their place in the first
CORDOBA 38 3 11 24 22 68 20
division – or so says the LFP president,
TOP GOALSCORERS Javier Tebas. First, though, there will be
Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid) 48 goals
Lionel Messi (Barcelona) 43 goals a legal challenge.
Antoine Griezmann (Atletico Madrid) 22 goals It has been a long season; it may yet
Neymar (Barcelona) 22 goals
Down...Almeria (in the stripes) twice lost the lead against Valencia Carlos Bacca (Sevilla) 20 goals be a long summer too. WS
WORLD SOCCER 95
 LA LIGA RESULTS 2014-15: THE COMPLETE RECORD

Aug 23, 2014 Almeria 1 (Soriano 52) Levante 0

Espanyol 1 (Sergio Garcia 90+13) Att: 12,000 Real Madrid 5 (Cristiano Ronaldo pen 13, 61,
Hernandez 38, Rodriguez 66, Isco 82) Att: 23,506
Granada 2 (Rochina 55, Babin 77)
Deportivo La Coruna 1 (Ivan Cavaleiro 20) Oct 19 Atletico Madrid 2 (Tiago 43,
Att: 14,800 Mario Suarez 71)
Espanyol 0 Att: 54,069
Malaga 1 (Luis Alberto 35)
Athletic Bilbao 0 Att: 24,500 Deportivo La Coruna 3 (Gaya og 36,
Lucas Perez 43, Toche 79)
Sevilla 1 (Aleix Vidal 44) Valencia 0 Att: 21,908
Valencia 1 (Orban 88) Att: 29,352
Elche 0
Aug 24 Barcelona 3 (Messi 42, 63, Munir 46) Sevilla 2 (Bacca 59, Gameiro 73) Att: 26,059
Elche 0 Att: 68,105
Villarreal 2 (Uche 23, 59)
Celta Vigo 3 (Nolito 20, Orellana 56, Larrivey 70) Almeria 0 Att: 19,000
Getafe 1 (Sammir 62) Att: 20,416
Struggle…Deportivo Oct 20 Real Sociedad 1 (Hervias 82)
Eibar 1 (Javi Lara 45) La Coruna (in white) Getafe 2 (Yoda 90, 90+3) Att: 19,098
Real Sociedad 0 Att: 5,173 and Granada
narrowly avoided Oct 24 Celta Vigo 3 (Larrivey 27, 83,
Levante 0 relegation Alex Lopez 90)
Villarreal 2 (Uche 56, Cheryshev 85) Att: 19,000 Levante 0 Att: 19,231

Aug 25 Rayo Vallecano 0 Sep 20 Athletic Bilbao 0 Atletico Madrid 4 (Koke 19, Saul 42, Oct 25 Almeria 0
Atletico Madrid 0 Att: 11,070 Granada 1 (Cordoba 40) Att: 33,000 Raul Garcia pen 83, Jimenez 89) Athletic Bilbao 1 (Etxeita 56) Att: 12,000
Sevilla 0 Att: 52,000
Real Madrid 2 (Benzema 30, Cristiano Ronaldo 90) Atletico Madrid 2 (Miranda 31, Godin 41) Cordoba 1 (Xisco 87)
Cordoba 0 Att: 70,356 Celta Vigo 2 (Hernandez 19, Nolito pen 53) Barcelona 6 (Neymar 26, 45, 66, Rakitic 43, Real Sociedad 1 (Inigo Martinez 22) Att: 15,712
Att: 47,000 Messi 62, 82)
Aug 29 Getafe 1 (Alvaro 29) Granada 0 Att: 72,596 Eibar 1 (Boveda 37)
Almeria 0 Att: 6,000 Deportivo La Coruna 2 (Medunjanin pen 51, Granada 1 (Nyom 8) Att: 4,838
Toche 84) Levante 0
Valencia 3 (Paco Alcacer 31, Parejo 45, Piatti 56) Real Madrid 8 (Cristiano Ronaldo 29, 41, 78, Rayo Vallecano 2 (Leo Baptistao 12, 33) Att: 18,000 KEY GAME
Malaga 0 Att: 41,550 Rodriguez 36, Bale 66, 74, Hernandez 88, 90+2) Real Madrid 3 (Cristiano Ronaldo pen 35,
Att: 27,685 Villarreal 0 Pepe 50, Benzema 61)
Aug 30 Athletic Bilbao 3 (Aduriz 32, Real Madrid 2 (Modric 32, Cristiano Ronaldo 40) Barcelona 1 (Neymar 4) Att: 85,450
Iturraspe 51, Muniain 76) Espanyol 2 (Caicedo 16, Stuani 88) Att: 22,146 With his global ban at an end, Luis Suarez finally
Levante 0 Att: 48,300 Malaga 2 (Camacho 53, Duda 90+3) Att: 12,600 makes his debut for Barcelona – but Madrid are
Sep 28 Cordoba 0 victorious as Karim Benzema produces an
Atletico Madrid 2 (Miranda 11, Mandzukic 25) Sep 21 Cordoba 1 (Borja 83) Espanyol 0 Att: 24,000 oustanding performance.
Eibar 1 (Abraham 33) Att: 48,000 Sevilla 3 (Bacca 8, pen 88, Mbia 73) Att: 17,023
Deportivo La Coruna 0
Cordoba 1 (Cartabia 60) Levante 0 Almeria 1 (Edgar 90+2) Att: 18,000 Valencia 3 (Mustafi 13, Parejo 18, Lomban og 64)
Celta Vigo 1 (Orellana 52) Att: 15,982 Barcelona 5 (Neymar 34, Rakitic 44, Sandro 57, Elche 1 (Jonathas 90+2) Att: 37,500
Pedro 64, Messi 77) Att: 22,177 Getafe 1 (Michel 25)
Espanyol 1 (Stuani 61) Malaga 0 Att: 5,500
Sevilla 2 (Bacca 34, Iborra 57) Att: 16,490 Real Sociedad 1 (Castro 85)
Almeria 2 (De la Bella og 32, Dos Santos 51) Real Sociedad 1 (Canales 36)
Aug 31 Deportivo La Coruna 2 Att: 18,000 Valencia 1 (Carles Gil 15) Att: 25,168
(Jose Rodriguez 7, Cuenca pen 90)
Rayo Vallecano 2 (Bueno 40, 73) Att: 18,054 Villarreal 4 (Espinosa 33, Musacchio 62, Oct 3 Getafe 1 (Diawara 88)
Vietto 74, 87) Cordoba 1 (Ekeng 78) Att: 9,000
Elche 1 (Lomban 90+1) Rayo Vallecano 2 (Kakuta 22, Bueno 29)
Granada 1 (Fran Rico 81) Att: 20,025 Att: 15,050 Oct 4 Almeria 2 (Verza pen 37, Hemed 84)
Elche 2 (Victor Rodriguez 6, Jonathas 56) Att: 9,000
Real Sociedad 4 (Inigo Martinez 35, Sep 22 Getafe 0
Zurutuza 41, 65, Vela 75) Valencia 3 (Paco Alcacer 7, Andre Gomes 20, Eibar 3 (Pedro Lopez og 46, Saul 70,
Strength…Pepe scores in El Clasico
Real Madrid 2 (Sergio Ramos 5, Bale 11) Rodrigo pen 72) Att: 6,000 Piovaccari 90+3)
Att: 27,879 Levante 3 (Morales 2, Camarasa 43, Victor 79) Oct 26 Espanyol 0
Sep 23 Celta Vigo 2 (Nolito 4, Larrivey 72) Att: 4,265 Deportivo La Coruna 0 Att: 21,800
Villarreal 0 Deportivo La Coruna 1 (Cuenca 55) Att: 23,811
Barcelona 1 (Sandro 82) Att: 21,200 Malaga 2 (Santa Cruz 60, Antunes pen 80) Getafe 0
Real Madrid 5 (Bale 20, Cristiano Ronaldo pen 28, Granada 1 (El Arabi 1) Att: 19,000 Atletico Madrid 1 (Mandzukic 40) Att: 9,300
Sep 12 Almeria 1 (Edgar 12) 32, pen 80, 90+2)
Cordoba 1 (Cartabia 19) Att: 10,682 Elche 1 (Edu Albacar pen 15) Att: 63,634 Rayo Vallecano 0 Malaga 4 (Samu Garcia 6, Darder 21, Juanmi 45,
Barcelona 2 (Messi 35, Neymar 36) Att: 14,070 Amrabat pen 49)
Sep 13 Barcelona 2 (Neymar 79, 84) Sep 24 Almeria 0 Rayo Vallecano 0 Att: 21,800
Athletic Bilbao 0 Att: 80,181 Atletico Madrid 1 (Miranda 60) Att: 11,863 Valencia 3 (Miranda og 6, Andre Gomes 7,
Otamendi 13) Sevilla 2 (Denis Suarez 88, Bacca pen 90+3)
Celta Vigo 2 (Orellana 28, Larrivey 48) Eibar 1 (Arruabarrena 8) Atletico Madrid 1 (Mandzukic 29) Att: 44,000 Villarreal 1 (Vietto 79) Att: 34,500
Real Sociedad 2 (Agirretxe 69, Jonny og 90+2) Villarreal 1 (Gerard 71) Att: 4,231
Att: 19,385 Oct 5 Celta Vigo 1 (Larrivey 44) Oct 31 Deportivo La Coruna 1 (Helder
Granada 0 Villarreal 3 (Moi Gomez 32, 33, Mario 90+1) Postiga 80)
Malaga 0 Levante 1 (Ruben Garcia 46) Att: 15,731 Att: 23,000 Getafe 2 (Fabricio og 35, Lafita 46) Att: 20,150
Levante 0 Att: 20,000
Malaga 0 Espanyol 2 (Lucas Vazquez 7, Stuani 90+2) Nov 1 Atletico Madrid 4 (Griezmann 43, 58,
Real Madrid 1 (Cristiano Ronaldo pen 26) Barcelona 0 Att: 24,820 Real Sociedad 0 Att: 18,326 Mandzukic 62, Raul Garcia 80)
Atletico Madrid 2 (Tiago 10, Arda 76) Att: 85,253 Cordoba 2 (Ghilas 53, 87) Att: 48,600
Rayo Vallecano 2 (Leo Baptistao 39, 89) Real Madrid 5 (Cristiano Ronaldo 2, 55, 88,
Sep 14 Granada 0 Athletic Bilbao 1 (Aduriz 20) Att: 11,040 Benzema 41, 69) Barcelona 0
Villarreal 0 Att: 21,000 Athletic Bilbao 0 Att: 77,987 Celta Vigo 1 (Larrivey 55) Att: 71,468
Sevilla 1 (Deulofeu 18)
Rayo Vallecano 2 (Kakuta 45, Bueno pen 90+1) Real Sociedad 0 Att: 29,456 Sevilla 4 (Mbia 24, 57, Bacca 39, Vitolo 63) Granada 0
Elche 3 (Edu Albacar 37, Jonathas 55, Deportivo La Coruna 1 (Medunjanin 31) Real Madrid 4 (Cristiano Ronaldo 2, Rodriguez 31,
Mosquera 69) Att: 9,521 Sep 25 Espanyol 2 (Sergio Garcia 65, Stuani 82) Att: 31,000 87, Benzema 54) Att: 21,800
Getafe 0 Att: 14,285
Sevilla 2 (Bacca pen 44, Aleix Vidal 87) Oct 17 Granada 0 Real Sociedad 0
Getafe 0 Att: 34,600 Valencia 3 (Paco Alcacer 22, Gaya 27, Feghouli 73) Rayo Vallecano 1 (Manucho 90+3) Att: 19,000 Malaga 1 (Juanmi 72) Att: 21,086
Cordoba 0 Att: 36,000
Valencia 3 (Piatti 7, Parejo 63, Paco Alcacer 73) Oct 18 Athletic Bilbao 1 (Aduriz pen 6) Nov 2 Athletic Bilbao 1 (Aduriz 13)
Espanyol 1 (Sergio Garcia pen 90) Att: 38,500 Sep 26 Elche 0 Celta Vigo 1 (Nolito 73) Att: 35,600 Sevilla 0 Att: 42,000
Celta Vigo 1 (Nolito 90) Att: 20,852
Sep 15 Eibar 0 Barcelona 3 (Xavi 60, Neymar 72, Messi 74) Elche 2 (Jonathas 19, 52)
Deportivo La Coruna 1 (Juan Dominguez 13) Sep 27 Athletic Bilbao 0 Eibar 0 Att: 75,546 Espanyol 1 (Stuani pen 86) Att: 21,471
Att: 4,522 Eibar 0 Att: 45,000
Cordoba 1 (Ghilas 90+4) Levante 2 (David Barral 26, Victor 75)
Sep 19 Elche 0 Malaga 2 (Samu Garcia 22, Amrabat pen 31) Almeria 1 (Zongo 70) Att: 16,000
Eibar 2 (Dani Garcia 3, Albentosa 42) Att: 22,474 Att: 17,000

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 EURO SEASON REVIEW

Levante 2 (Victor 58, Morales 74) Levante 1 (Rafael Martins 71) Valencia 2 (Barragan 52, Otamendi 65)
Valencia 1 (Parejo 73) Att: 17,200 Getafe 1 (Yoda 56) Att: 13,582 Real Madrid 1 (Cristiano Ronaldo pen 14)
Att: 50,738
Rayo Vallecano 1 (Bueno 20) Dec 12 Almeria 1 (Verza 39)
Celta Vigo 0 Att: 7,100 Real Madrid 4 (Isco 34, Bale 42, Jan 5 Cordoba 2 (Ghilas 16, Andone 44)
Cristiano Ronaldo 81, 88) Att: 13,950 Granada 0 Att: 18,600
Villarreal 2 (Mario 38, Gerard 43)
Getafe 1 (Lacen 61) Att: 19,500 Dec 13 Cordoba 0 Jan 9 Levante 0
Levante 0 Att: 18,600 Deportivo La Coruna 0 Att: 17,000
Nov 24 Granada 0
Almeria 0 Att: 16,500 Getafe 0 Jan 10 Celta Vigo 1 (Orellana 61)
Barcelona 0 Att: 9,500 Valencia 1 (Rodrigo 43) Att: 18,000
Nov 28 Real Sociedad 3 (Vela 3, 31, 53)
Win…Valencia (in white) beat Villarreal Elche 0 Att: 17,000 Malaga 1 (Samu Garcia 21) Eibar 2 (Manu 33, Capa 51)
Celta Vigo 0 Att: 23,650 Getafe 1 (Diego Castro 80) Att: 4,115
Villarreal 1 (Manu Trigueros 88) Nov 29 Celta Vigo 0
Valencia 3 (Manu Trigueros og 6, Mustafi 64, 73) Eibar 1 (Manu 30) Att: 16,000 Valencia 3 (Feghouli 13, 34, Piatti 36) Malaga 1 (Amrabat 60)
Att: 23,000 Rayo Vallecano 0 Att: 36,800 Villarreal 1 (J Dos Santos 45+1) Att: 23,500
Espanyol 2 (Caicedo 19, Sergio Garcia 35)
Nov 3 Rayo Vallecano 2 (Leo Baptistao 67, 68) Levante 1 (Morales 12) Att: 12,723 Dec 14 Atletico Madrid 0 KEY GAME
Eibar 3 (Arruabarrena pen 38, 86, Piovaccari 49) Villarreal 1 (Vietto 84) Att: 37,000 Real Madrid 3 (Rodriguez 12, Bale 28, Nacho 76)
Att: 10,625 Getafe 1 (Lafita 90+1) Espanyol 0 Att: 69,600
Athletic Bilbao 2 (San Jose 36, Benat 90) Espanyol 2 (Caicedo 34, Stuani 90) Liga leaders Madrid continue their winning streak
Nov 7 Cordoba 0 Att: 8,100 Granada 1 (El Arabi 61) Att: 18,405 but Gareth Bale is jeered by some supporters for
Deportivo La Coruna 0 Att: 15,643 not passing to team-mate Cristiano Ronaldo.
Malaga 1 (Santa Cruz 90+2) Real Sociedad 1 (Vela 3)
Nov 8 Almeria 1 (Bifouma 37) Real Madrid 2 (Benzema 18, Bale 83) Att: 29,025 Athletic Bilbao 1 (De Marcos 61) Att: 26,651
Barcelona 2 (Neymar 73, Jordi Alba 82) Att: 12,606 Jan 11 Almeria 0
Nov 30 Atletico Madrid 2 (Saul 43, Arda 55) Sevilla 0 Sevilla 2 (Iborra 58, Coke 63) Att: 16,000
Celta Vigo 0 Deportivo La Coruna 0 Att: 45,000 Eibar 0 Att: 20,000
Granada 0 Att: 20,000 Athletic Bilbao 1 (San Jose 73)
Cordoba 0 Dec 15 Deportivo La Coruna 1 (Farina 22) Elche 2 (Victor Rodriguez 17, Fajr 53) Att: 42,000
Getafe 0 Villarreal 2 (Vietto 24, Uche 70) Att: 15,998 Elche 0 Att: 14,167
Elche 0 Att: 6,000 Barcelona 3 (Neymar 12, Suarez 35, Messi 87)
Sevilla 5 (Bacca 24, 79, Banega 65, Mbia 89, Dec 19 Celta Vigo 0 Atletico Madrid 1 (Mandzukic pen 57) Att: 81,658
Malaga 2 (Juanmi 53, Amrabat pen 89) Gameiro 90+2) Almeria 1 (Hemed 17) Att: 13,200
Eibar 1 (Arruabarrena 42) Att: 22,600 Granada 1 (El Arabi pen 42) Att: 30,347 Granada 1 (Fran Rico pen 79)
Dec 20 Barcelona 5 (Pedro 2, Suarez 53, Real Sociedad 1 (Vela pen 36) Att: 22,000
Real Madrid 5 (Bale 9, Sergio Ramos 40, Valencia 0 Pique 80, Messi 82, 90+1)
Kroos 55, Benzema 59, Cristiano Ronaldo 83) Barcelona 1 (Busquets 90+3) Att: 51,200 Cordoba 0 Att: 60,066 Jan 12 Rayo Vallecano 0
Rayo Vallecano 1 (Bueno 44) Att: 76,842 Cordoba 1 (Ba og 39) Att: 10,620
Dec 1 Almeria 0 Eibar 0
Nov 9 Espanyol 1 (Colotto 90) Rayo Vallecano 1 (Kakuta 86) Att: 8,500 Valencia 1 (Paco Alcacer 31) Att: 4,700 Jan 16 Cordoba 1 (Andone 1)
Villarreal 1 (Mario 26) Att: 22,000 Eibar 1 (Arruabarrena 73) Att: 14,800
Dec 6 Athletic Bilbao 0 Levante 1 (Ivanschitz pen 90+3)
Real Sociedad 2 (Vela 15, Agirretxe 82) Cordoba 1 (Ghilas 23) Att: 38,500 Real Sociedad 1 (Canales 48) Att: 16,800 Jan 17 Espanyol 1 (Caicedo 90)
Atletico Madrid 1 (Mandzukic 10) Att: 22,768 Celta Vigo 0 Att: 15,000
Deportivo La Coruna 0 Rayo Vallecano 1 (Leo Baptistao 45)
Sevilla 1 (Vitolo 31) Malaga 1 (Darder 22) Att: 19,000 Espanyol 3 (Sergio Garcia 9, 90+5, Real Sociedad 0
Levante 1 (Victor 80) Att: 28,500 Lucas Vazquez 76) Att: 7,776 Rayo Vallecano 1 (Manucho 81) Att: 21,542
Elche 0
Valencia 0 Atletico Madrid 2 (Gimenez 17, Mandzukic 53) Dec 21 Athletic Bilbao 1 (Mikel Rico 17) Valencia 3 (Parejo 11, Rodrigo 28, Negredo 83)
Athletic Bilbao 0 Att: 39,600 Att: 18,290 Atletico Madrid 4 (Griezmann 46, 73, 81, Almeria 2 (Hemed 13, 33) Att: 37,500
Raul Garcia pen 53) Att: 46,500
Nov 21 Athletic Bilbao 3 (Aduriz 29, Viguera 44, Real Madrid 3 (Cristiano Ronaldo pen 36, 65, 81) Villarreal 2 (Cheryshev 42, Bruno pen 83)
Iturraspe 78) Celta Vigo 0 Att: 80,300 Elche 1 (Lomban 45+1) Athletic Bilbao 0 Att: 19,300
Espanyol 1 (Victor Sanchez 84) Att: 28,000 Malaga 2 (Camacho 49, Luis Alberto 77)
Dec 7 Barcelona 5 (Messi 45, 50, 81, Pique 53, Att: 24,134 Jan 18 Atletico Madrid 2 (Mandzukic pen 34,
Nov 22 Atletico Madrid 3 (Tiago 12, Pedro 78) Raul Garcia 88)
Griezmann 42, Godin 83) Espanyol 1 (Sergio Garcia 13) Att: 76,057 Granada 1 (Cordoba 40) Granada 0 Att: 42,000
Malaga 1 (Santa Cruz 64) Att: 44,200 Getafe 1 (Velazquez 78) Att: 19,600
Granada 1 (Success 89) Deportivo La Coruna 0
Barcelona 5 (Messi 21, 72, 78, Neymar 49, Valencia 1 (Negredo 83) Att: 18,300 Villarreal 3 (J Dos Santos 10, Vietto 68, 73) Barcelona 4 (Messi 10, 33, 62, Sidnei og 83)
Rakitic 65) Deportivo La Coruna 0 Att: 16,000 Att: 25,173
Sevilla 1 (Jordi Alba og 47) Att: 78,283 Rayo Vallecano 0
Sevilla 1 (Bacca 8) Att: 11,604 Jan 3, 2015 Atletico Madrid 3 (Griezmann 18, Elche 1 (Jonathas 12)
Deportivo La Coruna 0 47, Godin 82) Levante 0 Att: 14,726
Real Sociedad 0 Att: 18,521 Villarreal 4 (Zubikarai og 64, Cheryshev 73, Levante 1 (El Zhar 62) Att: 52,163
Moi Gomez 80, 86) Getafe 0
Eibar 0 Real Sociedad 0 Att: 16,000 Deportivo La Coruna 1 (Ivan Cavaleiro 24) Real Madrid 3 (Cristiano Ronaldo 63, 79, Bale 67)
Real Madrid 4 (Rodriguez 23, Cristiano Ronaldo Athletic Bilbao 0 Att: 16,200 Att: 11,500
43, pen 83, Benzema 70) Att: 5,859 Dec 8 Eibar 5 (Piovaccari 3, Saul 21,
Albentosa 31, Raul Navas 57, Capa 75) Elche 2 (Jonathas 26, Victor Rodriguez 35) Sevilla 2 (Bacca 36, Denis Suarez 68)
Nov 23 Elche 2 (Lomban pen 63, Jonathas 75) Almeria 2 (Soriano 43, Edgar 77) Att: 4,200 Villarreal 2 (Vietto 12, Uche 17) Att: 18,283 Malaga 0 Att: 24,000
Cordoba 2 (Fidel 12, Cartabia 60) Att: 22,639
Malaga 1 (Samu Garcia 73) Jan 24 Atletico Madrid 3 (Griezmann 12, 22,
Almeria 2 (Hemed 39, pen 76) Att: 19,500 Manucho og 56)
Rayo Vallecano 1 (Trashorras 35) Att: 37,202
Sevilla 1 (Pareja 32)
Celta Vigo 0 Att: 31,253 Cordoba 1 (Ghilas pen 3)
Real Madrid 2 (Benzema 27, Bale pen 89)
Jan 4 Espanyol 1 (Caicedo 80) Att: 21,822
Eibar 2 (Manu 34, Boveda 38) Att: 19,136
Elche 0
Getafe 1 (Alvaro 3) Barcelona 6 (Pique 35, Messi pen 55, 88,
Rayo Vallecano 2 (Jozabed 39, Baena 64) Neymar 69, 71, Pedro 90+3) Att: 28,235
Att: 6,500
Real Sociedad 1 (Xabi Prieto 55)
KEY GAME Eibar 0 Att: 19,000
Real Sociedad 1 (Jordi Alba og 2)
Barcelona 0 Att: 28,748 Villarreal 1 (Vietto 56)
Defeat in the first game of the new year and a Levante 0 Att: 11,000
seeming crisis at Barca is followed by the sacking
of sporting director Andoni Zubizarreta and a call Jan 25 Athletic Bilbao 1 (San Jose 70)
for presidential elections, with coach Luis Malaga 1 (Javi Guerra 78) Att: 41,200
Enrique’s job on the line.
In control…Atletico Deportivo La Coruna 2 (Jose Rodriguez 34,
Madrid’s Guilherme Lucas Perez 38)
Siqueira against Elche Granada 2 (Piti 7, Robert Ibanez 83) Att: 17,000

WORLD SOCCER 97
 SPAIN

Espanyol 3 (Stuani 37, 40, Caicedo 74)

Almeria 0 Att: 16,792 Mar 8 Atletico Madrid 1 (Koke 33)
Valencia 1 (Mustafi 78) Att: 49,500
Valencia 3 (Parejo pen 18, 32, Javi Fuego 56)
Sevilla 1 (Bacca pen 36) Att: 46,704 Barcelona 6 (Suarez 5, 90+1, Pique 49,
Messi pen 56, 63, 68)
Jan 26 Getafe 2 (Alvaro 19, Sarabia 85) Rayo Vallecano 1 (Bueno pen 81) Att: 87,151
Celta Vigo 1 (Charles 15) Att: 3,500
Real Sociedad 1 (Canales 38)
Jan 30 Rayo Vallecano 1 (Bueno 22) Espanyol 0 Att: 23,329
Deportivo La Coruna 2 (Borges 10, pen 72)
Att: 10,724 Villarreal 4 (G Dos Santos 41, Musacchio 45+1,
Vietto 73, Gerard 84)
Jan 31 Celta Vigo 1 (Nolito 56) Celta Vigo 1 (Fernandez 50) Att: 14,366
Cordoba 0 Att: 16,200
Mar 9 Cordoba 1 (Andone 77)
Eibar 1 (Piovaccari 89) Getafe 2 (Fede Vico og 87, Juan Rodriguez 90+2)
Atletico Madrid 3 (Griezmann 7, Att: 15,181
Mandzukic 23, 25) Att: 5,200
Mar 13 Valencia 2 (Parejo pen 61,
Granada 1 (Cordoba 56) Paco Alcacer 72)
Elche 0 Att: 15,320 Deportivo La Coruna 0 Att: 47,000

Real Madrid 4 (Rodriguez 3, Sergio Ramos 37, Mar 14 Celta Vigo 1 (Larrivey 64)
Benzema 52, 76) Athletic Bilbao 2 (Aduriz pen 17, San Jose 32)
Real Sociedad 1 (Elustondo 1) Att: 71,653 Att: 17,000

Feb 1 Almeria 1 (Edgar 44) Eibar 0

Getafe 0 Att: 13,000 Barcelona 2 (Messi pen 31, 55) Att: 5,439

Barcelona 3 (Neymar 45, Rafinha 53, Messi 55) Espanyol 0

Villarreal 2 (Cheryshev 30, Vietto 51) Att: 60,005 Atletico Madrid 0 Att: 22,538

Levante 0 Rayo Vallecano 3 (Bueno 65, 76, Embarba 90+4)

Athletic Bilbao 2 (Aduriz 48, 90) Att: 16,359 Granada 1 (Cordoba 8) Att: 10,952
Double…Valencia’s
Sevilla 3 (Diogo Figueiras 26, Vitolo 35, Mar 15 Almeria 0
Iago Aspas 89)
Dani Parejo celebrates Villarreal 0 Att: 14,000
Espanyol 2 (Stuani pen 15, Victor Sanchez 77) his second goal
Att: 27,955 against Sevilla Malaga 2 (Juanmi 48, Amrabat 84)
Cordoba 0 Att: 24,547
Feb 2 Malaga 1 (Samu Castillejo 25) Feb 9 Elche 2 (Suarez 21, Garry Rodrigues 82) Real Sociedad 4 (Agirretxe 16, Xabi Prieto pen 48,
Valencia 0 Att: 20,191 Rayo Vallecano 0 Att: 14,000 90, Arribas og 82) Real Madrid 2 (Bale 18, 40)
Sevilla 3 (Kolodziejczak 43, Bacca 67, Levante 0 Att: 64,500
Feb 4 Real Madrid 2 (Rodriguez 12, Jese 36) Feb 13 Almeria 2 (Verza pen 5, Hemed 40) Gameiro pen 78) Att: 21,378
Sevilla 1 (Iago Aspas 80) Att: 67,126 Real Sociedad 2 (Agirretxe 27, Canales 48) Sevilla 3 (Bacca pen 18, 31, Gameiro 81)
Att: 13,600 Villarreal 1 (Vietto 71) Elche 0 Att: 31,351
Feb 6 Deportivo La Coruna 2 (Lucas Perez 52, Eibar 0 Att: 18,500
Ivan Cavaleiro 79) Feb 14 Granada 0 Mar 16 Getafe 0
Eibar 0 Att: 16,898 Athletic Bilbao 0 Att: 14,879 Feb 23 Levante 2 (Camarasa 88, Real Sociedad 1 (Guaita og 66) Att: 5,500
David Barral 90+3)
Feb 7 KEY GAME Malaga 0 Granada 1 (El Arabi pen 13) Att: 14,000 Mar 20 Elche 0
Atletico Madrid 4 (Tiago 14, Saul 18, Espanyol 2 (Alvaro 41, Sergio Garcia 90+3) Valencia 4 (Andre Gomes 44, Paco Alcacer 57,
Griezmann 67, Mandzukic 89) Att: 16,134 Feb 27 Espanyol 1 (Abraham 43) Roco og 71, Otamendi 90+2) Att: 26,510
Real Madrid 0 Att: 53,063 Cordoba 0 Att: 16,000
The title race is blown wide open by Atletico’s Real Madrid 2 (Isco 22, Benzema 73) Mar 21 Athletic Bilbao 2 (Etxeita 9,
stunning win over their injury-hit neighbours. Deportivo La Coruna 0 Att: 68,500 Feb 28 Almeria 0 Mikel Rico 26)
Deportivo La Coruna 0 Att: 8,979 Almeria 1 (Balenziaga og 47) Att: 36,500
Sevilla 3 (Krychowiak 38, Bacca 44, Iborra 76)
Levante 4 (David Barral 26, pen 37, pen 62, Cordoba 0 Att: 29,450 Granada 1 (Fran Rico pen 53) Atletico Madrid 2 (Fernando Torres 3, Tiago 44)
Uche 75) Barcelona 3 (Rakitic 25, Suarez 48, Messi 70) Getafe 0 Att: 38,673
Malaga 1 (Juanmi 24) Att: 14,500 Feb 15 Barcelona 5 (Neymar 17, Messi 38, 59, Att: 18,119
pen 65, Suarez 73) Granada 0
Real Sociedad 1 (Agirretxe 8) Levante 0 Att: 74,963 Malaga 3 (Juanmi 10, Darder 57, Ricardo Horta 68) Eibar 0 Att: 15,000
Celta Vigo 1 (Nolito 85) Att: 14,836 Getafe 2 (Alvaro 55, 76) Att: 21,600
Celta Vigo 2 (Nolito pen 59, Orellana 71) Levante 0
Villarreal 2 (Musacchio 30, Gerard 90+2) Atletico Madrid 0 Att: 15,600 Rayo Vallecano 4 (Bueno 23, 32, 33, 38) Celta Vigo 1 (Charles 86) Att: 11,473
Granada 0 Att: 16,000 Levante 2 (Victor 13, Uche 85) Att: 10,512
Rayo Vallecano 2 (Bueno 51, Kakuta 69) Rayo Vallecano 1 (Kakuta 22)
Feb 8 Athletic Bilbao 2 (Mikel Rico 59, Aduriz Villarreal 0 Att: 10,914 Mar 1 Eibar 0 Malaga 0 Att: 9,110
66) Athletic Bilbao 1 (Gurpegi 36) Att: 5,226
Barcelona 5 (Messi 15, Suarez 26, Valencia 1 (Negredo pen 71) Mar 22 KEY GAME
De Marcos og 62, Neymar 64, Pedro 86) Att: 43,800 Getafe 0 Att: 48,245 Real Madrid 1 (Cristiano Ronaldo pen 52) Barcelona 2 (Mathieu 19, Suarez 56)
Villarreal 1 (Gerard 64) Att: 71,000 Real Madrid 1 (Cristiano Ronaldo 31) Att: 98,760
Cordoba 1 (Cartabia 10) Feb 16 Eibar 0 Barca pull four points clear of their rivals after a
Almeria 2 (Michel 61, 66) Att: 18,000 Elche 1 (Jonathas 50) Att: 4,109 Sevilla 0 chaotic, open game at Camp Nou.
Atletico Madrid 0 Att: 36,001
Espanyol 1 (Sergio Garcia 89) Feb 20 Getafe 2 (Sarabia 33, Alvaro 57)
Valencia 2 (Piatti 62, Pau Lopez og 85) Att: 18,752 Espanyol 1 (Arbilla 89) Att: 10,000 Valencia 2 (Piatti 53, 56) Deportivo La Coruna 0
Real Sociedad 0 Att: 38,000 Espanyol 0 Att: 18,000
Getafe 2 (Alvaro pen 29, Pedro Leon 85) Feb 21 Atletico Madrid 3 (Mandzukic pen 13,
Sevilla 1 (Krychowiak 66) Att: 5,000 Griezmann 20, 29) Mar 2 Celta Vigo 1 (Krohn-Dehli 61) Real Sociedad 3 (Agirretxe 33, Castro 75,
Almeria 0 Att: 44,500 Elche 1 (Lomban pen 88) Att: 14,500 Finnbogason 90+2)
Cordoba 1 (Andone 12) Att: 21,169
Barcelona 0 Mar 6 Levante 2 (David Barral 65, Uche 67)
Malaga 1 (Juanmi 7) Att: 78,276 Eibar 1 (Saul 55) Att: 16,922 Villarreal 0
Sevilla 2 (Coke 49, Vitolo 65) Att: 7,500
Cordoba 1 (Ghilas pen 74) Mar 7 Athletic Bilbao 1 (Aduriz 26)
Valencia 2 (Andre Gomes 38, Piatti 81) Att: 18,000 Real Madrid 0 Att: 52,600 Apr 3 Eibar 1 (Arruabarrena pen 35)
Rayo Vallecano 2 (Bueno 40, Manucho 42)
Deportivo La Coruna 0 Deportivo La Coruna 3 (Oriol Riera 28, 72, Att: 5,000
Celta Vigo 2 (Charles 46, Larrivey 82) Att: 30,334 Lucas Perez pen 90+3)
Sevilla 4 (Vitolo 33, 52, Gameiro pen 65, Apr 4 Almeria 1 (Hemed pen 70)
Feb 22 Athletic Bilbao 1 (Aduriz 86) Sidnei og 83) Att: 15,000 Levante 4 (David Barral 17, 53, 75, Victor 32)
Rayo Vallecano 0 Att: 32,600 Att: 9,500
Elche 1 (Victor Rodriguez 6)
Elche 0 Almeria 0 Att: 23,127 Cordoba 0
Real Madrid 2 (Benzema 56, Cristiano Ronaldo 69) Atletico Madrid 2 (Griezmann 5, Saul 39)
Att: 31,512 Granada 1 (Camacho og 57) Att: 15,000
Real misery…a humbling by Atletico Malaga 0 Att: 16,374

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Malaga 1 (Recio 55) Granada 2 (Mainz 45, El Arabi pen 69)

Real Sociedad 1 (Ruben Pardo 83) Att: 22,000 Cordoba 0 Att: 19,266

Sevilla 2 (Aleix Vidal 3, Bacca 21) Real Madrid 2 (Pepe 56, Isco 84)
Athletic Bilbao 0 Att: 27,752 Valencia 2 (Paco Alcacer 19, Javi Fuego 26)
Att: 76,000
Apr 5 Celta Vigo 0
Barcelona 1 (Mathieu 73) Att: 23,731 May 10 Almeria 1 (Partey 31)
Malaga 2 (Casado og 23, Javi Guerra 69) Att: 10,690
Getafe 2 (Alexis 17, Escudero 34)
Deportivo La Coruna 1 (Toche 79) Att: 6,200 Celta Vigo 1 (Santi Mina pen 58)
Sevilla 1 (Gameiro 8) Att: 18,957
Real Madrid 9 (Bale 25, Cristiano Ronaldo 30, 36,
38, 54, 89, Benzema 52, 56, Mainz og 83) Levante 2 (David Barral 32, Uche 63)
Granada 1 (Robert Ibanez 74) Att: 71,863 Atletico Madrid 2 (Siqueira 35,
Fernando Torres 80) Att: 19,314
Valencia 0
Villarreal 0 Att: 49,545 Mesmerising… Villarreal 1 (Campbell 26)
Neymar has Cordoba Elche 0 Att: 13,500
Apr 6 Espanyol 1 (Sergio Garcia 17) tied in knots during
Elche 1 (Cristian Herrera 77) Att: 13,892 the 8-0 thrashing May 11 Rayo Vallecano 2 (Manucho 28,
by Barcelona Fedor 73)
Apr 7 Atletico Madrid 2 (Mikel Gonzalez og 2, Getafe 0 Att: 9,475
Griezmann 10)
Real Sociedad 0 Att: 42,500 Deportivo La Coruna 1 (Oriol Riera 78) Levante 1 (David Barral 41) May 17 KEY GAME
Atletico Madrid 2 (Griezmann 5, 22) Att: 24,693 Cordoba 0 Att: 16,000 Atletico Madrid 0
Eibar 1 (Arruabarrena 52) Barcelona 1 (Messi 65) Att: 53,254
Malaga 0 Att: 4,008 Real Madrid 3 (Sergio Ramos 24, Rodriguez 69, Apr 29 Celta Vigo 1 (Nolito 89) Barcelona clinch the title with a game to spare on
Cristiano Ronaldo 90+2) Malaga 0 Att: 17,205 the ground where they lost their crown to Atletico
Levante 1 (Uche 73) Malaga 1 (Juanmi 71) Att: 78,354 exactly a year earlier.
Sevilla 2 (Gameiro 10, Reyes 37) Att: 12,980 Eibar 1 (Piovaccari 51)
Apr 19 Eibar 0 Sevilla 3 (Bacca 7, 15, Reyes 64) Att: 4,300
Apr 8 Barcelona 4 (Messi 33, Suarez 55, 90+3, Celta Vigo 1 (Nolito pen 40) Att: 4,520 Cordoba 1 (Luso 56)
Bartra 75) Elche 4 (Jonathas 6, Lomban pen 20, Pasalic 54, Rayo Vallecano 2 (Baena 21, Embarba 78)
Almeria 0 Att: 73,837 Granada 1 (Mainz 16) Garry Rodrigues 90+1) Att: 7,000
Sevilla 1 (Mainz og 69) Att: 18,275 Deportivo La Coruna 0 Att: 19,642
Deportivo La Coruna 1 (Andone og 87) Deportivo La Coruna 2 (Lopo 21, Juanfran 80)
Cordoba 1 (Andone 55) Att: 17,602 Rayo Vallecano 2 (Amaya 23, Fedor 90) Real Madrid 3 (Rodriguez 44, Dos Santos og 49, Levante 0 Att: 30,251
Almeria 0 Att: 10,165 Arbeloa 84)
Granada 1 (Robert Ibanez 3) Almeria 0 Att: 63,813 Elche 2 (Jonathas 32, 45)
Celta Vigo 1 (Bongonda 90+3) Att: 14,338 Villarreal 0 Athletic Bilbao 3 (Aketxe 80, San Jose 87,
Cordoba 0 Att: 23,000 Villarreal 0 Williams 90+2) Att: 22,693
Rayo Vallecano 0 Atletico Madrid 1 (Fernando Torres 74) Att: 18,725
Real Madrid 2 (Cristiano Ronaldo 68, Apr 20 Elche 1 (Jonathas 19) Espanyol 1 (Stuani 73)
Rodriguez 73) Att: 13,009 Real Sociedad 0 Att: 19,159 Apr 30 Granada 1 (Mainz 73) Real Madrid 4 (Cristiano Ronaldo 59, 83, 90+1,
Espanyol 2 (Sergio Garcia 45, Montanes 84) Marcelo 79) Att: 30,180
Apr 9 Athletic Bilbao 1 (Aduriz 90) Apr 24 Cordoba 0 Att: 15,097
Valencia 1 (De Paul 61) Att: 42,666 Athletic Bilbao 1 (Deivid og 56) Att: 16,000 Getafe 1 (Hinestroza 33)
Rayo Vallecano 1 (Embarba 19) Eibar 1 (Borja 36) Att: 7,200
Elche 0 Apr 25 Atletico Madrid 3 (Griezmann 55, 77, Valencia 1 (Parejo 66) Att: 10,055
Getafe 1 (Hinestroza 84) Att: 15,000 Raul Garcia 63) Real Sociedad 0
Elche 0 Att: 47,531 May 1 Real Sociedad 3 (Finnbogason 13, Granada 3 (El Arabi 74, Robert Ibanez 79,
Villarreal 0 Bergara 51, Vela 86) Rochina 88) Att: 20,644
Espanyol 3 (Caicedo 24, 68, Victor Sanchez 79) Espanyol 0 Levante 0 Att: 18,821
Att: 20,000 Barcelona 2 (Neymar 17, Messi 25) Att: 30,253 Sevilla 2 (Iborra 65, 70)
May 2 Atletico Madrid 0 Almeria 1 (Bifouma 30) Att: 32,511
Apr 11 Almeria 3 (Partey 45+1, 87, Espinosa 59) Getafe 0 Athletic Bilbao 0 Att: 53,500
Granada 0 Att: 14,000 Levante 1 (Victor 35) Att: 7,000 Valencia 1 (Otamendi 71)
KEY GAME Celta Vigo 1 (Hernandez 8) Att: 44,498
Celta Vigo 6 (Larrivey 6, 37, Santi Mina 21, 40, Real Sociedad 0 Cordoba 0
51, 56) Villarreal 0 Att: 17,073 Barcelona 8 (Rakitic 42, Suarez 45+2, 53, 88, Villarreal 2 (Gerard 82, 87)
Rayo Vallecano 1 (Manucho 1) Att: 21,000 Messi 46, 80, Pique 65, Neymar pen 85) Att: 13,775 Malaga 1 (Darder 90) Att: 15,000
Apr 26 Almeria 2 (Bifouma 8, Verza pen 68) Luis Suarez scores a hat-trick as Barcelona
Malaga 2 (Fernando Torres og 37, Samu Garcia 71) Eibar 0 Att: 10,715 remain two points clear in the title race after May 23 Almeria 2 (Partey 9, Soriano 37)
Atletico Madrid 2 (Griezmann 25, 78) Att: 24,500 thrashing doomed Cordoba. Valencia 3 (Otamendi 28, Feghouli 45,
Celta Vigo 2 (Nolito 9, Santi Mina 28) Paco Alcacer 80) Att: 11,429
Real Madrid 3 (Cristiano Ronaldo 21, Real Madrid 4 (Kroos 16, Hernandez 24, 69,
Hernandez 31, Jese 83) Rodriguez 43) Att: 25,077 Deportivo La Coruna 1 (Borges 50) Athletic Bilbao 4 (Aduriz pen 25, 60, Iraola 28,
Eibar 0 Att: 73,965 Villarreal 1 (Jaume Costa 48) Att: 20,817 Benat 36)
Malaga 1 (Amrabat 47) Villarreal 0 Att: 43,276
Sevilla 2 (Banega 38, Gameiro 84) Deportivo La Coruna 1 (Oriol Riera 60) Att: 23,851 Sevilla 2 (Bacca pen 45+2, Iborra 79)
Barcelona 2 (Messi 14, Neymar 31) Att: 40,355 Real Madrid 3 (Cristiano Ronaldo 36, 37, 69) Barcelona 2 (Messi 5, 59)
Sevilla 2 (Iborra 16, Daniel Carrico 43) Att: 39,689 Deportivo La Coruna 2 (Lucas Perez 67,
Apr 12 Cordoba 0 Rayo Vallecano 0 Att: 28,532 Diogo Salomao 76) Att: 93,743
Elche 2 (Roco 41, Pasalic 68) Att: 14,164 May 3 Espanyol 1 (Moreno 80)
Apr 27 Valencia 4 (Javi Fuego 26, Parejo pen 40, Rayo Vallecano 1 (Insua 29) Att: 15,435 Celta Vigo 3 (Hugo Mallo 38, Cabral 58, Nolito 76)
Espanyol 1 (Sergio Garcia 40) Feghouli 85, Negredo 88) Espanyol 2 (Sergio Garcia pen 23, Stuani 48)
Athletic Bilbao 0 Att: 20,143 Granada 0 Att: 43,800 Getafe 1 (Pedro Leon 45) Att: 15,000
Granada 2 (El Arabi pen 14, 59) Att: 7,000
Getafe 1 (Diego Castro 64) Apr 28 Athletic Bilbao 1 (Aduriz pen 52) Eibar 3 (Arruabarrena 6, Raul Navas 11, Capa 34)
Villarreal 1 (Uche pen 52) Att: 6,000 Real Sociedad 1 (De la Bella 60) Att: 42,322 Malaga 1 (Javi Guerra 90+4) Cordoba 0 Att: 6,065
Elche 2 (Jonathas 29, Pasalic 89) Att: 18,714
Real Sociedad 2 (Xabi Prieto pen 33, Castro 57) Barcelona 6 (Messi pen 9, 47, Suarez 25, 40, Granada 0
Deportivo La Coruna 2 (Lucas Perez 40, Neymar 28, Xavi 30) Valencia 3 (Otamendi 25, Parejo 56, Atletico Madrid 0 Att: 20,848
Toche 78) Att: 21,894 Getafe 0 Att: 65,356 Paco Alcacer 71)
Eibar 1 (Arruabarrena 84) Att: 39,320 Levante 0
Apr 13 Valencia 3 (Paco Alcacer 16, Feghouli 36, Elche 0 Att: 11,847
Negredo 90+3) May 4 Almeria 2 (Bifouma 47, Zongo 68)
Levante 0 Att: 46,955 Celta Vigo 2 (Nolito 17, Santi Mina 39) Att: 10,898 Malaga 2 (Javi Guerra 67, 90+2)
Sevilla 3 (Reyes 52, Banega 55, Aleix Vidal 62)
Apr 17 Levante 2 (Simao 21, Victor 87) May 8 Eibar 0 Att: 23,103
Espanyol 2 (Lucas Vazquez 18, Caicedo 45+1) Espanyol 2 (Sergio Garcia 29, Stuani 60) Att: 5,722
Att: 17,062 Rayo Vallecano 2 (Bueno 42, Morcillo 64)
May 9 Athletic Bilbao 1 (Aduriz 14) Real Sociedad 4 (Vela 19, Castro 21, Agirretxe 73,
Apr 18 Athletic Bilbao 4 (Aduriz pen 45, 46, Deportivo La Coruna 1 (Lopo 90+3) Att: 39,670 Elustondo 75) Att: 9,593
Ibai Gomez 79, Susaeta 87)
Getafe 0 Att: 40,000 Barcelona 2 (Neymar 51, Pedro 85) Real Madrid 7 (Cristiano Ronaldo 13, 32, pen 34,
Real Sociedad 0 Att: 86,047 Hernandez 47, Rodriguez 51, Jese 71, Marcelo 90)
Barcelona 2 (Suarez 1, Messi 90+4) Getafe 3 (Escudero 22, Diego Castro 26,
Valencia 0 Att: 92,915 In flight…Valencia’s Andre Gomes Lacen 42) Att: 63,769

WORLD SOCCER 99
 SWITZERLAND
BRIAN PLAYER OF NEWCOMER OF COACH OF
HOMEWOOD
THE SEASON THE SEASON THE SEASON
Shkelzen Gashi Breel Embolo Paulo Sousa
(Basle) (Basle) (Basle)
The 26-year-old, The 18-year-old, Won the title in his
Swiss-born Albania who was born in first season with his
international has Cameroon but has side playing a style
been the Super chosen to play for of football that was
League’s top Switzerland, scored easy on the eye. Has
goalscorer for the 17 goals in all now won silverware
past two seasons, first competitions in his as a coach in Israel,
with Grasshoppers first full season, Hungary and
and now with Basle, including one against Switzerland, plus
who he joined in June Ludogorets in the Portugal, Italy and
last year. Champions League. Germany as a player.

Different approach, same outcome

B
asle’s sixth Super League title full-backs freedom to attack down the latter category included former Argentina
in a row was the first of that flanks, while there was constant movement defender Walter Samuel, who had an
half dozen to be won under in midfield and generally two wide forwards unhappy season, making only a handful of
a coach with no previous supplying a target man. When not in appearances, and former Switzerland
connection to the club and who wasn’t possession, the team would be expected forward Marco Streller, who retired at the
either German or Swiss. to press high in the opposition’s half. end of the campaign.
Ambitious yet likeable, and considerably Even when Basle lost 5-1 at Real Nevertheless, the club’s dominance of
less dour than many of his fellow Madrid in the Champions League, Sousa Swiss football is clearly a worry and the
Portuguese bosses, Paulo Sousa quickly pointed out his team had managed 16 financial gap between them and the rest
set about implementing his philosophy shots on goal. Out…Frei quit as can only get bigger as they rake in
on joining last summer, even if it meant Things began to turn with the Lucerne’s sporting Champions League money, creating a
director after a
ruffling a few feathers along the way. Champions League win at home to disastrous start snowball effect.
Early on he baffled supporters with Liverpool, and Basle went on to reach the Young Boys, Zurich and Grasshoppers
some of his formations, switching players last 16 with a 1-1 draw at Anfield, where have finished runners-up over the past few
around and leaving captain Marco Streller Sousa produced another bold, attacking seasons and this time it was Young Boys’
on the bench for important games. One turn, finishing 12 points adrift and
of his most controversial decisions was wondering what might have been had they
to substitute Fabian Schar after only 36
“Year after year, the expectations are not failed to win any of their first four games.
minutes into a 3-1 defeat at Grasshoppers, always higher and higher, and for me, Grasshoppers, who were second the
leaving the defender clearly humiliated this was the challenge” season before, had a miserable time after
and close to tears. Paulo Sousa, who took charge of Basle last summer selling leading scorer Shkelzen Gashi to
Sousa’s failure to learn German, instead Basle and finished eighth. Michael Skibbe

line-up. Then, after the 14th game of the

domestic campaign, Basle went top of the
league – and stayed there.
“Year after year, the expectations are
always higher and higher, and for me
this was the challenge, to come to a club
which has won for five years in a row,” said
Sousa after a goalless draw with Young
Boys wrapped up the title with three
games to spare. “I knew it would be
difficult from the beginning.
No double…Basle lost the Cup Final to Sion
“I’m really proud – proud of myself and
speaking in English, also antagonised my staff, who have convinced the boys to
some local sensitivities, although that was play in a certain way, to be consistent in
an odd complaint given he would probably that way, to promote the protagonism of
not have been to able understand the football and to be attractive.”
various dialects that Swiss Germans speak Basle remain a model of good
anyway. In fact, many Swiss prefer to speak organisation; a sort of mini-Bayern Munich
English than standard German which, but without the overbearing arrogance.
although the official language, is used The club lives within its means and there is
almost exclusively for writing. a vibrant fan culture which belies the Swiss
By late September, Basle fans were reputation for being reserved.
wondering whether their club, with a The squad is divided into three types of
reputation for stability, should nip the players in what Basle call the “one-third
Portuguese experiment in the bud and rule”. There are young players raised at
go back to a tried and trusted local their own youth academy, foreign players
coach. But, in the end, it was worth using the club as a springboard for a move
the persistence. to a bigger league, and experienced
Sousa’s positive outlook gave his campaigners playing out their careers. The

100 WORLD SOCCER

 EURO SEASON REVIEW

TEAM OF THE SEASON

CUP WINNERS EUROPEAN W W
Sion made it 13 wins QUALIFIERS Taulant Xhaka Renato Steffen
with a shock 3-0 Basle and Young (Basle) (Young Boys)
victory over Basle. Boys will both start in W
the third qualifying W W Guillaume Horau
PROMOTED round of the Marek Suchy Fabian Frei (Young Boys)
Challenge League Champions League. W (Basle) (Basle)
champions Lugano. Sion go straight into Yvon Mvogo
the Europa League (Young Boys) W W
RELEGATED group phase, while Fabian Schar Yassine Chikhaoui
After two seasons in Zurich enter the (Basle) (Zurich) W
the top flight, Aarau Europa League third Shkelzen Gashi
drop down after qualifying round, with W W (Basle)
finishing a point Thun in the second Michael Lang Derlis Gonzalez
adrift of Vaduz. qualifying round. (Grasshoppers) (Basle)

resigned halfway through the season and

SUPER LEAGUE 2014-15
was replaced by Pierluigi Tami.
Lucerne got off to a disastrous start, P W D L F A PTS
managing only two wins in the first half BASLE 36 24 6 6 84 41 78
YOUNG BOYS 36 19 9 8 64 45 66
of the season and reaching the winter ZURICH 36 15 8 13 55 48 53
break at the bottom. Alexander Frei, THUN 36 13 13 10 47 45 52
LUCERNE 36 12 11 13 54 46 47
Switzerland’s leading scorer who retired ST GALLEN 36 13 8 15 57 65 47
last year, quit as sporting director after only SION 36 12 9 15 47 48 45
GRASSHOPPERS 36 11 10 15 50 56 43
six months in the post and there was also VADUZ 36 7 10 19 28 59 31
a coaching change as Carlos Bernegger AARAU 36 6 12 18 31 64 30
made way for Markus Babbel. Those
changes seemed to do the trick and they
climbed the table to finish fifth with a run
which included two successive 6-2 wins.
Sion, unsurprisingly, were the only club
to change coaches twice. Having failed to
persuade former Italy defender Claudio
Gentile to join up, president Christian
Constantin handed the poisoned chalice
to Frederic Chassot. He lasted two months
before making way for Jochen Dries, who
in turn was replaced by Didier Tholot, back
for a third stint, three months later. Finishing power…Gashi
Tholot had previously left in 2010, since TOP GOAL SCORERS
when no fewer than 17 different coaches Shkelzen Gashi (Basle) 21 goals
Guillaume Hoarau (Young Boys) 17 goals
have occupied the Sion hot seat. WS Marco Schneuwly (Lucerne) 17 goals Highs and lows…Europe for Thun (in white) but relegation for Aarau

Six of the best…

Basle celebrate
S
RN ER

yet another Super

RI OYS

KEY
P
LU HOP

TH LEN

League title
B
E

Home win Away win

CH
G
U

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E

UN
GA
RA

DU
UN
AS
SL

N
CE

0-0 Score draw

O
AA

GR

YO
BA

VA

ZU
ST
SI

No fixture
AWAY TEAM

AARAU 1-2 1-2 0-3 1-0 0-3 2-1 1-1 3-2 0-1
BASLE 3-0 2-0 3-0 1-1 0-2 1-1 3-1 3-1 4-1
GRASSHOPPERS 2-1 3-1 3-2 0-0 3-0 2-3 0-1 0-1 1-3
LUCERNE 1-1 0-3 1-1 1-1 1-2 0-0 0-0 1-2 1-1
HOME TEAM

SION 2-2 2-3 3-3 3-1 1-0 0-0 1-0 0-1 1-3
ST GALLEN 2-2 2-1 3-0 2-1 2-0 1-0 3-3 2-2 0-2
THUN 0-0 2-3 3-2 3-2 2-1 3-1 1-0 0-1 2-1
VADUZ 1-0 0-4 1-1 1-1 1-0 2-2 0-1 0-2 1-4
YOUNG BOYS 1-1 0-1 4-0 3-2 2-1 4-2 1-1 0-1 2-1
ZURICH 0-0 1-2 1-0 2-3 4-1 1-1 2-1 3-0 2-1
S
ER

RI OYS
PP

TH LEN
LU HO

B
SI NE

CH
G
U

Z
S

R
E

UN
GA
RA

DU
UN
AS
SL

N
CE

O
AA

GR

YO
BA

VA

ZU
ST

AWAY TEAM

AARAU 2-1 0-1 2-6 0-1 0-2 3-2 0-1 1-1 0-0
BASLE 6-0 2-0 1-2 1-1 4-3 3-0 1-0 0-0 5-1
GRASSHOPPERS 3-1 2-4 1-0 0-0 2-0 0-0 1-1 2-2 0-2
LUCERNE 4-0 1-4 2-0 3-0 6-2 0-0 2-0 1-1 0-1
HOME TEAM

SION 1-0 0-1 0-5 2-2 3-0 3-0 4-0 6-2 1-2
ST GALLEN 5-1 2-2 1-1 0-0 0-1 2-1 1-2 3-1 1-4
THUN 1-1 2-2 2-2 1-0 2-1 4-1 4-0 0-0 2-2
VADUZ 0-2 1-3 0-1 0-2 0-2 3-1 1-1 0-1 2-2
YOUNG BOYS 2-2 4-2 4-2 0-1 3-2 3-1 4-0 2-1 3-0
ZURICH 0-0 1-2 4-3 0-1 0-1 1-2 0-1 2-2 0-1 Distant second…Young Boys

WORLD SOCCER 101

 TURKEY
MEHMET DEMIRCAN Wesley Sneijder
(Galatasaray)
The 30-year-old
Dutchman had his
most productive
season since moving
to Turkey from
Internazionale in
2013, scoring 14
goals and creating
six in all competitions.
Gala didn’t lose a
game all term in
which their talisman
scored.

Gun attack on team bus shocks a nation

Full contact…Yasin
Oztekin (left) of
Galatasaray and
Beskitas’ Tolgay
Arslan clash during
their Istanbul derby

102 WORLD SOCCER

 EURO SEASON REVIEW

TEAM OF THE SEASON

NEWCOMER OF COACH OF CUP WINNERS PROMOTED W W
THE SEASON THE SEASON Playing at opponents Kayserispor, Caner Erkin Wesley Sneijder
Ozan Tufan Hamza Hamzaoglu Bursaspor’s home Osmanlispor (Fenerbahce) (Galatasaray)
(Bursaspor) (Galatasaray) ground, Burak and Antalyaspor. W
The 20-year-old can Took over from Cesare Yilmaz’s hat-trick W W Fernandao
play anywhere in Prandelli in November gave Galatasaray EUROPEAN Milan Mitrovic Mehmet Topal (Bursaspor)
midfield and is said with Gala second and a 3-2 victory to QUALIFIERS W (Mersin) (Fenerbahce)
to be on the radar steered the club to complete their first Galatasaray are in the Fernando
of such clubs as the championship. domestic double Champions League Muslera W W
Manchester United since 2000. group stage, with (Galatasaray) Serdar Aziz Felipe Melo
and Arsenal. Scored Fenerbahce in the (Bursaspor) (Galatasaray) W
his first goal for RELEGATED qualifiers. Besiktas, Burak Yilmaz
the senior national Balikesirspor, Trabzonspor and W W (Galatasaray)
side in September, Karabukspor Istanbul BB are in Sener Ozbayrakli Edin Visca
against Denmark. and Erciyesspor. the Europa League. (Bursaspor) (Istanbul BB)

O
ne of the most exciting cope with the pressure and finished in
seasons for the past decade “Everything went well until the team third place. And in Turkey that means one
or so helped consign match- was assaulted by gunfire” thing: the sacking of the coach. However,
fixing concerns to the past. Slaven Bilic should be given some respect
Fenerbahce coach Ismail Kartal
Unfortunately, the latest domestic for keeping Besiktas in the championship
campaign was still overshadowed race for so long, considering he did so in a
by frightening events off the pitch. season in which his side did not play a
Teams such as Fenerbahce, Besiktas single game at home due to the rebuilding
and Galatasaray are used to having stones of their old stadium.
and fireworks thrown at their bus on the Bilic was replaced by former national
way to and from games, but the fact a gun coach coach Senol Gunes, whose
was fired at the Fener vehicle as the team Bursaspor side stole the show with the
returned from a match at Caykur Rizespor most spectacular, attacking football. With
sent shockwaves through the country. The Brazilian striker Fernandao’s goals winning
unknown attacker – who has yet to be him the golden boot, Bursa provided real
caught – shot and wounded the driver. competition for the nation’s big four. WS
The league programme was suspended for SUPER LIG 2014-15
a week while Turkish football considered
the implications of such an action. P W D L F A Pts
GALATASARAY 34 24 5 5 60 35 77
Although such a traumatic incident FENERBAHCE 34 22 8 4 60 29 74
cannot have failed to impact upon the BESIKTAS 34 21 6 7 55 32 69
Fenerbahce team, it does not alter the ISTANBUL BB 34 15 14 5 49 30 59
TRABZONSPOR 34 15 12 7 58 48 57
fact that Galatasaray deserved to win the BURSASPOR 34 16 9 9 69 44 57
league. Despite changing coaches and MERSIN IY 34 13 8 13 54 48 47
KONYASPOR 34 12 10 12 30 39 46
GENCLERBIRLIGI 34 10 10 14 46 44 40
GAZIANTEPSPOR 34 11 7 16 31 48 40
ESKISEHIRSPOR 34 9 12 13 45 52 39
AKHISAR 34 9 11 14 41 51 38
KASIMPASA 34 9 10 15 56 73 37
CAYKUR R’SPOR 34 9 9 16 41 55 36
SIVASSPOR 34 9 9 16 43 50 36
KARABUKSPOR 34 7 7 20 44 64 28
K ERCIY’SPOR 34 5 12 17 43 62 27
BALIKESIRSPOR 34 6 9 19 48 69 27

TOP GOAL SCORERS

Fernandao (Bursaspor) 22 goals
Demba Ba (Besiktas) 18 goals Close…Galatasaray were pushed all the way by Fenerbahce (in yellow)
Oscar Cardozo (Trabzonspor) 17 goals
R
O

R
KT SPO ESP

Motivator…Bilic kept Besiktas in title hunt

O
SP
SP R
Y

FE HIR PO

ES
R
BE SIR DI

KA UL IGI
R

PO

KA PAS R

R
AS IY
O
KE ELE

SE ZES

witnessing huge upheaval in the

Y

PO
NB IRL
CE

BB
RA

NY RC
S

KEY
R
YK OR

SP

A
P

AB R
E R PO
B

NS
H

SI N IY
SA
ES R R

KO RI E
GE NTE

TR PO
KA UK
CA SP
BU AS

GA BA

IS ER

boardroom during the season, Gala still

BA AR

ZO

Home win Away win

TA

SS
A

L
R

E
S

SI
A

RA
RS

LA

NC

YS
HI

NE

ZI
LI

VA
SI
SI

KI

TA

managed to do the double and collect a 0-0 Score draw

GA
AK

No fixture
fourth star for their shirts with a 20th AWAY TEAM
championship. AKHISAR BELEDIYESPOR 2-2 1-1 0-1 0-4 2-2 2-0 0-2 3-0 1-1 0-2 5-1 2-0 1-0 0-0 1-1 2-2 1-1
Despite never having been in charge BALIKESIRSPOR 1-2 0-1 0-5 2-2 4-1 0-1 2-0 1-1 0-1 1-2 4-2 5-3 1-1 0-1 1-3 1-3 2-2
of a big Istanbul club, Hamza Hamzaoglu BESIKTAS 3-1 2-2 3-2 1-1 1-1 0-2 0-2 1-1 2-1 0-0 2-1 2-0 5-1 0-1 2-1 3-2 3-0
BURSASPOR 3-1 4-2 0-1 1-1 2-2 1-1 0-2 2-0 3-1 4-1 7-1 5-1 3-0 0-0 2-1 3-0 3-3
knew what Galatasaray are all about, CAYKUR RIZESPOR 3-1 2-2 1-2 0-1 3-0 1-5 1-1 0-1 1-1 0-2 0-3 1-3 1-1 1-1 0-4 2-1 0-2
having played for the club as a winger. ESKISEHIRSPOR 1-3 2-2 1-0 0-0 1-2 1-1 1-2 1-3 0-2 0-1 1-1 4-1 2-1 2-1 2-0 1-3 2-0
After a disastrous Champions League FENERBAHCE 1-2 4-3 1-0 1-0 2-1 2-2 1-0 1-0 2-1 2-0 3-2 2-0 1-1 2-1 1-0 4-1 0-0
GALATASARAY 2-1 3-1 2-0 2-2 2-0 0-0 2-1 1-0 1-0 2-2 4-2 2-1 3-1 1-0 3-2 2-1 0-3
HOME TEAM

group – one draw, just four goals scored

GAZIANTEPSPOR 1-0 1-0 0-1 1-2 1-2 3-2 0-5 0-1 0-3 0-0 1-0 0-2 2-2 1-1 1-0 1-3 2-0
and 19 conceded – coach Cesare Prandelli GENCLERBIRLIGI 0-0 3-1 0-2 1-2 0-2 1-2 2-1 1-1 2-0 1-0 2-2 5-2 0-0 5-0 1-2 0-0 1-1
was dismissed. ISTANBUL BB 4-0 1-0 1-2 0-0 3-1 1-1 2-2 4-0 1-0 3-1 2-2 1-1 3-1 0-0 2-2 2-1 1-1
Hamzaoglu was offered the Italian’s job KARABUKSPOR 2-1 0-1 1-2 3-2 2-0 2-2 1-2 1-2 0-0 2-1 0-0 0-0 1-2 0-1 0-2 2-1 3-0
on the day that his father died and, during KASIMPASA 2-2 2-3 1-5 5-3 3-1 1-0 0-3 2-3 4-2 2-2 0-1 2-1 3-3 2-0 2-2 0-0 1-1
KAYSERI ERCIYESSPOR 1-2 4-0 3-2 1-1 0-3 0-1 0-1 1-2 0-1 2-4 0-1 4-3 2-5 3-0 2-2 2-3 0-0
the presentation ceremony after winning
KONYASPOR 2-1 2-0 1-2 2-3 1-1 1-0 1-1 0-5 2-0 1-0 0-0 1-0 2-1 1-1 2-0 0-1 1-0
the Turkish Cup, he was in tears as he MERSIN IY 1-1 2-1 0-1 2-1 2-0 4-2 0-1 0-1 0-1 1-1 2-2 2-1 6-2 1-1 3-1 2-0 1-5
dedicated the trophy to his father. SIVASSPOR 2-0 1-1 0-1 4-1 0-1 1-1 2-3 2-3 1-2 1-0 0-2 2-0 1-1 1-1 0-0 1-2 1-1
Early pace-setters Besiktas failed to TRABZONSPOR 2-0 3-2 0-2 1-0 3-2 1-4 0-0 2-1 4-4 4-1 3-2 3-2 1-1 2-1 3-2 3-1 3-1

WORLD SOCCER 103

 UKRAINE
OLEG ZADERNOVSKY PLAYER OF
THE SEASON
Andriy Yarmolenko
(Dynamo Kiev)
Dynamo turned down
several bids for the
wide man last year
but are resigned to
the 25-year-old
leaving this summer.
Scored 14 goals in
26 league games
this term and was
joint-top of the
assists table with 11.

Doubling up…Dynamo
celebrate their Cup Final
victory over Shakhtar

Dynamo triumph despite ongoing crisis

W
ar in the south east of champions Shakhtar Donetsk, Metalurh Cup – they also added the Ukrainian Cup,
the country, following Donetsk, Olympik Donetsk and beating Shakhtar 5-4 on penalties after a
Russia’s annexation of Chornomorets Odessa based themselves goalless draw in a game marred by crowd
the Crimean peninsula, in Kiev and Lviv, Zorya Luhansk moved to trouble, to complete the double for the
meant that football in Ukraine was not Zaporizhia, and Illichivets Mariupol played first time since 2007.
without its problems last season. at the old and unfashionable Meteor “Naturally we had the advantage,”
The first victims of the huge instability stadium in Dnipropetrovsk. admitted Dynamo’s Dutch international
were SC Tavriya and FC Sevastopol, with So, with Dynamo playing almost as winger Jeremain Lens. “It was weaker in
both teams more or less dying after the many “away” fixtures in Kiev as they did Team work…Rebrov the league because some clubs from the
Crimean occupation. Somehow they home games, Serhiy Rebrov’s side took full (left) and Riancho eastern part of Ukraine were forced to play
managed to finish the 2013-14 campaign advantage to return the title to their trophy away from their own grounds while we
before being allowed to register for the cabinet after an absence of six years. Going played at home almost every week.”
third tier of the Russian league structure through the entire domestic campaign In his first full season in charge,
under new names. However, after pressure unbeaten – other than in July’s Super Rebrov built a well-balanced and highly
from UEFA, they lost even that highly competitive side, capitalising on their
disputable status and are now little opponents’ weaknesses and producing
more than amateur sides.
“Many in Ukraine see Shakhtar a style of football that at times drew
Of the remaining 14 teams that as the enemy. They call us comparisons with the great Dynamo
contested the latest Ukrainian Premier separatists or terrorists” teams built by legendary coach Valeriy
League, four had to uproot themselves Shakhtar Donetsk coach Mircea Lucescu Lobanovskyi. Rebrov’s charges underlined
and take shelter elsewhere. Defending their superiority by taking four points off

104 WORLD SOCCER

 EURO SEASON REVIEW

TEAM OF THE SEASON

NEWCOMER OF COACH OF CUP WINNERS PROMOTED W W
THE SEASON THE SEASON Keeper Oleksandr Oleksandria were Vitorino Antunes Yevhen Konoplyanka
Lukasz Teodorczyk Serhiy Rebrov Shovkovskiy saved champions of the (Dynamo Kiev) (Dnipro)
(Dynamo Kiev, left) (Dynamo Kiev) two spot-kicks on his second tier. W
Scored three goals in Dynamo hadn’t won 600th appearance W W Andriy Yarmolenko
four games before the title since 2009 for Dynamo Kiev as EUROPEAN Yevhen Khacheridi Serhiy Rybalka (Dynamo Kiev)
leaving Lech Poznan when he took charge they beat Shakhtar QUALIFIERS W (Dynamo Kiev) (Dynamo Kiev)
last August and at the in April last year, but 5-4 on penalties after Dynamo Kiev go into Denys Boyko
end of the season he after a first full a goalless 120 the Champions (Dnipro) W W
picked up league season as coach he minutes in the Final. League group stage Douglas Ruslan Rotan
winners’ medals in had led the club to an while Shakhtar are in (Dnipro) (Dnipro) W
both Poland and impressive domestic RELEGATED the third qualifying Alex Teixeira
Ukraine. Injured in the double and the Illichivets Mariupol round. Dnipro, Zorya W W (Shakhtar)
Cup semi-final and quarter-finals of the drop to the Ukrainian and Vorskla are in Artem Fedetskyi Jeremain Lens
missed the Final. Europa League. First League. the Europa League. (Dnipro) (Dynamo Kiev)

Shakhtar, while winning home and away terrorists. But summing up the season, I
against Dnipro. “It is very pleasing that we can say that we managed to overcome all
are the champions again,” said Dynamo the difficulties by finishing second and
president and owner Ihor Surkis. “The obtaining a Champions League place.”
fact that this team has great potential is Dnipro did their best to challenge the
obvious, but only under the obligatory big two, but ultimately fell short, finishing
condition of continuing the development third in the league, knocked out of the
of every member of the side.” Ukrainian Cup in the semi-finals by
Rebrov was greatly assisted by Spanish Shakhtar and beaten by Sevilla in
coach Raul Riancho, and between them the Europa League Final.
they found the right blend of experience While fans of the big clubs will spend
and youth-team graduates. the summer worrying whether their best
At the age of 40, the oldest member players will leave – with Yarmolenko,
of the squad and team captain Oleksandr Shakhtar’s Douglas Costa and Eugen
Shovkovskyi won his 13th title, while Gone…Sevastopol were without our beautiful, modern Konopliyanka of Dnipro all being given
20-year-old defender Mykyta Burda, were victims of the Donbass Arena. We were constantly permission to move on – some will just
strife in east Ukraine
midfielders Vitaliy Buyalskyi (22), Denys travelling, flying to matches on a plane. be happy that there is a league to
Many in Ukraine see Shakhtar as the follow at all after recent events away
enemy. They call us separatists or from the game. WS

PREMIER LEAGUE 2014-15

P W D L F A Pts
DYNAMO 26 20 6 0 65 12 66
SHAKHTAR 26 17 5 4 71 21 56
DNIPRO 26 16 6 4 47 17 54
ZORYA 26 13 6 7 40 31 45
VORSKLA 26 11 9 6 35 22 42
METALIST1 25 8 11 6 34 32 35
VOLYN 26 9 7 10 38 44 34
M’RH DONETSK 26 6 10 10 27 38 28
M’RH ZAP’HYA 26 6 8 12 20 40 26
OLIMPIK 26 7 5 14 24 64 26
CHORNOMORETS1 25 3 11 11 15 31 20
HOVERLA 26 3 10 13 22 47 19
KARPATY2 26 5 9 12 22 31 15
ILLICHIVETS 26 3 5 18 25 55 14
1
Chornomorets v Metalist match not played
2
deducted 9pts for failing to comply with contract
obligations

TOP GOALSCORERS
Alex Teixeira (Shakhtar) 17 goals
Eric Bicfalvi (Volyn Lutsk) 17 goals
Trouble…flares are thrown during the Cup Final Artem Kravets (Dynamo) 15 goals Big clash…Dynamo’s Yarmolenko (left) tangles with Luiz Adriano of Shakhtar
YA
L
PO
D

ZH

K
K

Harmash (25), Serhiy Rybalka (25) and

RO

TS
TS
IU

RI

A
K
KI

AV
O

TS

NE
AR

NE

PO
TS

AR
HH

Yevhen Chumak (19) gained their first.

LT
NE

DO
DO
V
RE

M
EV

ZA

LU RY PO
I

KH
UZ

KEY
DO
LV

TS
TS
O

KI

AR
H

H
M

Another Dynamo academy prodigy, Andriy

LU
VE
A

A
T
TY

UR

UR
O

K
K
O

IS

HT
RL

KL
RO

Home win Away win

AM

NS
PI
I

PA
RN

HA A
AL

AL

AL
CH

RS
VE

AK

LY
M
IP

Yarmolenko, was the team’s outstanding

N

ET

ET

ET
E

0-0 Score draw

LI

LI
HO
DN

VO

VO
CH

KA
DY

ZO
SH
IL

performer, scoring 14 goals from the right No fixture

AWAY TEAM
flank – one less than fellow academy CHERNOMORETS 0-3 0-2 1-1 0-0 0-0 DNP 2-2 0-0 4-0 0-2 1-0 1-0 0-0
graduate Artem Kravets. At the back, DNIPRO 2-1 0-3 1-1 1-0 4-0 0-0 1-1 1-0 5-0 3-2 5-0 1-1 0-2
Austrian international Aleksandar Dragovic DYNAMO KIEV 2-0 1-0 6-0 5-0 0-0 3-0 3-0 2-2 0-0 1-0 4-1 1-0 2-2
was a central component of a rearguard HOVERLA UZHHOROD 0-0 0-0 0-4 2-1 2-2 2-2 1-0 0-1 0-1 3-7 0-0 0-0 1-2
ILLICHIVETS MARIUPOL 3-3 0-1 1-4 2-2 1-0 1-3 1-1 1-2 4-1 2-6 1-2 1-2 2-1
that conceded just 12 goals in the league. KARPATY LVIV 2-0 0-1 0-1 1-0 1-0 3-3 0-1 1-2 4-1 0-2 0-2 0-0 1-2
HOME TEAM

Shakhtar coach Mircea Lucescu METALIST KHARKIV 0-0 2-5 1-2 1-0 3-1 0-0 1-0 2-1 0-0 2-2 3-3 0-2 4-2
naturally presented a good case for why METALURH DONETSK 1-0 0-2 0-6 0-0 3-0 1-1 1-1 1-1 4-2 2-1 1-2 1-1 0-0
his side were dethroned, arguing: “There METALURH ZAPORIZHYA 0-0 0-1 2-4 2-1 2-0 2-1 0-0 0-1 2-2 0-4 1-1 0-3 0-1
OLIMPIK DONETSK 2-1 0-5 0-1 1-2 3-2 1-0 2-1 3-2 0-0 0-5 1-3 1-1 1-0
is a civil war in Ukraine. We have spent a 5-0 0-0 0-0 4-1 3-0 2-2 1-0 2-0 2-0 6-0 6-2 3-0 0-1
SHAKHTAR DONETSK
long time away from home and almost a VOLYN LUTSK 1-1 0-1 1-3 4-2 3-1 0-2 0-3 1-1 3-0 4-0 0-0 2-2 1-2
year living in hotels. VORSKLA POLTAVA 2-0 1-3 0-3 2-0 0-0 2-0 0-0 2-1 5-0 3-1 1-2 2-0 2-0
“We trained in a forest outside Kiev. We ZORYA LUHANSK 1-0 2-1 2-2 2-1 1-0 1-1 1-2 4-2 3-0 5-1 1-4 1-2 1-1

WORLD SOCCER 105

 E ST
R
T HE
F HOW THE LEAGUE WAS WON CUP WINNERS WHO QUALIFIED FOR EUROPE

E STO Skenderbeu were unbeaten Laci won the cup for the Korce-based league winners

B Albania
at home all season on their
way to a fifth successive
second time in three years,
beating Kukesi 2-1 in the
Skenderbeu will take their
place in the second qualifying
championship. Final with goals from round of the Champions
Emiljano Veliaj and Segun League. League runners-
SUPERLIGA Adeniyi. Edon Hasani scored up Kukesi, third-place
by John Holmesdale a consolation goal for Kukesi, Partizani Tirana and cup
who have now lost both winners Laci enter the
Cup Finals in which they Europa League in the first
have played. qualifying round.

A sixth title in the 10 seasons Despite keeper Double winners Red Bull
since Dietmar Mateschtiz’s Peter Gulacsi – who have yet to reach
energy-drinks company took being sent the group stage since
over was entirely predictable, off, Red Bull the takeover – and league
Austria although Red Bull Salzburg Salzburg runners-up Rapid Vienna
were not nearly as dominant won a second enter the Champions League
AUSTRIAN BUNDESLIGA as in the previous campaign consecutive in the third qualifying round,
by Brian Homewood when they wrapped things double, beating while Altach, Sturm Graz
up with eight games to spare. Austria Vienna and Wolfsberger – third,
The Red Bull takeover still 2-0 in the fourth and fifth respectively
rankles with many fans. Final. – play in the Europa League.

Going into the final game Despite going a goal down Domestic champions
one point ahead of and in the second leg and Sarajevo will play in the
Zeljeznicar, Sarajevo secured having Jadranko Bogicevic second qualifying round of
the Premier League title for sent off, Olimpic won the Champions League, while
Bosnia the first time since 2007, and the cup for the first time, city rivals Zeljeznicar and
their third overall, with a 3-1 beating cup winners Olimpic
PREMIER LEAGUE win at home to Sloboda Siroki Brijeg participate in the Europa
by Sasa Ibrulj Tuzla. Backed by Vincent on penalties League, where they will be
Tan’s money, the champions after a 2-2 joined by Zrinjski from
lost just twice in the league draw on Mostar, who finished the
all season. aggregate. season in third place.

Top of the Cherno More won their first Ludogorets will play in the
table at silverware with a 2-1 victory second qualifying round of
Christmas, over Levski Sofia. Down to the Champions League, while
CSKA Sofia 10 men when midfielder Cherno More, Beroe and
Bulgaria went 12 Santos was sent off and Litex Lovech go into the
games without a win, and trailing 1-0, Bacari took the Europa League. With third-
A GROUP 960 minutes without a goal, game into extra-time, where place Lokomotiv Sofia
by Rumen Paytashev to let in Ludogorets for a Mathias Coureur scored the denied a licence, the capital
fourth consecutive league winner – which meant Levski will not have not a team in
title – matching CSKA’s run had failed to win a trophy for European competition for
from 1980 to 1983. the first time since 2009. the first time.

Dinamo Zagreb were The double was completed A place in the second
crowned champions for as Dinamo beat RNK Split qualifying round of the
a 10th successive season, 4-2 on penalties, after a Champions League awaits
finishing 13 points clear. They goalless 120 minutes, to win Dinamo. HNK Rijeka and
Croatia set a national record by the Cup for a 13th time. Split, Hajduk Split, who finished
going through the league who were making their Final second and third respectively,
PRVA HNL season unbeaten – one debut, had their 22-year-old enter the second qualifying
by Zdravko Reic of only three defender Nino Galovic sent round of the Europa League,
sides in Europe off in extra-time while coach while Lokomotiva of Zagreb
to achieve the Zoran Vulic was also shown are in the competition’s first
feat this term. the red card, for dissent. qualifying round.

APOEL completed their Four days APOEL enter the Champions

second successive domestic before their League in the second
double, wrapping up the league qualifying round, while AEK
title for the 24th time with triumph, will participate in the Europa
Cyprus a 4-2 victory at Ermis APOEL League at the second
Aradippou on the final won a 21st Cypriot Cup with qualifying stage. Apollon
FIRST DIVISION day of the season. The a 4-2 victory over AEL in the and Omonia from Nicosia,
by Nick Bidwell Nicosia-based club finished Final. George Efrem scored who finished fourth in the
three points ahead of twice with Tomas De Vincenti title race, enter the Europa
AEK from Larnaca and and ex-Liverpool defender League at the first qualifying
Limassol’s Apollon. John Arne Riise also on target. round stage.

106 WORLD SOCCER

 EURO SEASON REVIEW

RELEGATED/PROMOTED PLAYER OF THE SEASON COACH OF THE SEASON NEWCOMER OF THE SEASON
Having been promoted to Despite finishing second- Former Albania international Segun Adeniyi made an
the SuperLiga the previous best in both domestic Mirel Josa picked up his instant impact in the Europa
season, Elbasani and competitions, no blame third successive championship League for Laci last term,
Apolonia Fier make an could be levelled at Kukesi winner’s medal since taking scoring in his first two games
immediate return the First striker Pero charge of Skenderbeu in and netting the winning
Division after finishing adrift Pejic, who 2012. “Our team managed spot-kick against Rudar of
in the bottom two places of was the to keep their composure Slovenia. He was also on
the top flight. They will be league’s top throughout the season,” said target in the Albanian Cup
replaced by Bylis Ballsh scorer with the 52-year-old of his latest Final and managed 15 goals
and Terbuni Puke. 31 goals. success. in the league.

Wiener Neustadt, who were Another prolific season saw Having taken over from Signed from
only founded in 2008 when Jonathan Soriano score Roger Schmidt, Adi Hutter French Ligue 2
they took over the licence of 31 goals in 32 league games rebuilt Red Bull Salzburg club Istres, the
SC Schwanenstadt, finished for Red Bull Salzburg as he after losing 20-year-old
five points adrift at the finished as the competition’s a Champions Guinean central
bottom and ended a six- top scorer. The 29-year-old League qualifier midfielder
year spell in the top flight. Spaniard has scored a total to Malmo and Naby Keita
They will be replaced by of 88 goals in 93 Bundesliga the turbulent came on in
Mattersburg, who return games since being signed departure of leaps and bounds with his
to the Bundesliga two years from Barcelona’s B team Sadio Mane to ability to win the ball and
after being relegated. in 2012. land the title. turn defence into attack.

Mladost Velika Obarska Although midfielder Gojko Former Bosnia international Signed from Chinese club
and Zvijezda, in the bottom Cimirot was one of the Mirza Varesanovic is an Dalian Aerbin last summer,
two places for most of the standout players in Sarajevo’s obvious choice, having led Croatian striker Leon Benko
season, were relegated and title-winning season, top Olimpic to their cup success could not play for Sarajevo
will be replaced by Rudar marks go to Riad Bajic against the odds. But the until the second half of the
and Mladost Doboj Kakanj. of runners-up Zeljeznicar. former Bordeaux and season because of issues
Next season the top flight will The 21-year-old was the Olympiakos defender also over paperwork. However,
be reduced from 16 to 12 league’s leading marksman deserves recognition for the 31-year-old still scored
teams, with six going down with 15 goals in 27 games, being one of only two eight goals in 13 appearances
and two coming up from the the pick a superb 30-yard coaches to survive the in his new side’s march to
second tier. free-kick against OIimpic. entire season at one club. the title.

The two teams who were Spanish striker Anete of Georgi After spells with Rad in
promoted to the top flight Levski was the top scorer Dermendzhiev Serbia and Gent of Belgium,
last season, Marek from with 14 goals. He scored the won his first keeper Bojan Jorgacevic
Dupnitsa and Haskovo, made winner against Ludogorets in title with joined Levski from Kayseri
a hasty return to where they the cup semi-final and was Ludogorets and Erciyesspor of Turkey in
came from. They will be also on target in their defeat took them to January and brought
replaced by second-tier by Cherno More in the Final. the group stage confidence to the team with
champions Montana - back However, despite his best of the Champions League his command of the box and
after a two-year absence – efforts, Levski could finish – then announced he was his organisation. Despite
and runners-up Pirin no better than seventh in stepping down after the last interest from elsewhere, he
Blagoevgrad. the league. game of the season. says he will stay put for now.

After eight seasons in the top Chilean striker Angelo With a domestc Eleven goals in the league
flight, Zadar are replaced by Henriquez, on loan from double to add to was a good return for winger
Inter Zapresic, who return Manchester United, scored last season’s Marko Pjaca, who joined
after two seasons in the 20 goals in 25 games for league title and Dinamo from Lokomotiva
second tier. Second-bottom Dinamo. However, the eight trophies at the start of the season.
Istra 1961 won a reprieve Andrej Kramaric he won with the Called into the Croatian
after Sesvete chose not topped the chart club during his senior squad for the first
to contest the promotion/ despite leaving playing days, Zoran Mamic time, the pacy 21-year-old
relegation play-offs as their HNK Rijeka for has known little other than winger made his senior
home stadium would not get Leicester City success since returning debut in a 2–0 friendly win
a licence if they went up. in January. to Dinamo 10 years ago. against Cyprus in September.

Othellos Athienou’s first At 37, Portuguese playmaker After a spell as an assistant A former member of the
top-flight campaign was Nuno Assis is the oldest coach in Abu Dhabi with Nottingham Forest youth
short but hardly sweet and recipient of the Cypriot FA’s Al Jazira, former Spain and academy in England,
they return to the Second player of the season award. Bochum striker Thomas 22-year-old defensive
Division after one season. A league winner with Benfica Christiansen enjoyed a midfielder Kostas Laifas
With the top tier going back in 2005, he fine first season in charge of not only secured himself
to 14 teams next term, three helped AEK, inspiring the Larnaca- a permanent place in the
clubs are coming up – Aris Omonia based club to second place Anorthosis side, he also
Limassol, Enosis Neon to a Europa in the league and booking made his senior international
Paralimni (who won the League place their first European spot for debut, against Andorra, in
second tier) and Pafos. next term. four years. November.

WORLD SOCCER 107

 HOW THE LEAGUE WAS WON CUP WINNERS WHO QUALIFIED FOR EUROPE
Although they failed to beat Dinamo Tbilisi won a third Dila enter the Champions
runners-up Dinamo Batumi successive Georgian Cup, League in the second
Georgia (losing 1-0 twice) and third-
place Dinamo Tbilisi (drawing
beating Samtredia 5-0 in
the Final. Manuel Onwu
qualifying round, while
Dinamo Tbilisi, Dinamo
0-0 and 2-2), Dila – from and Giorgi Batumi and Tskhinvali all
UMAGLESI LIGA the mountain town of Gori Papunashvili start the Europa League in
by Oleg Zadernovsky – still won their first title. Dila scored two the first qualifying round. For
striker Irakli Modebadze, who each, and Tskhinvali, this will be their
scored 16 goals, is five years sub Davit first-ever excursion into
older than his coach. Volkov one. continental football.

Videoton won the league Ferencvaros ended an Videoton will enter the
by a country mile, spending 11-year wait for silverware second qualifying round
all bit two weeks of the when they beat Videoton of the Champions League,
season at the top. 4-0 in the Hungarian Cup while league runners-up and
Hungary Final with a goal and two cup winners Ferencvaros,
assists from Roland Varga. third-place MTK and
NB 1 Two weeks later, they Debrecen, who finished in
by Peterjon Cresswell doubled their trophy haul for fourth place, will start their
the season by winning the continental season in the
League Cup after they beat first qualifying round of the
Debrecen 2-1 in the Final. Europa League.

A 2-1 victory over closest A hat-trick from Rade A spot in the second
challengers, Ironi Kiryat Prica helped Maccabi Tel qualifying round of the
Shmona, wrapped up a third Aviv to a 6-2 win over Champions League was
consecutive title for Maccabi Hapoel Beer Sheva in Maccabi Tel Aviv’s reward
Israel Tel Aviv with two games to the Final for their first for their double-winning
spare. It domestic cup success campaign. Ironi Kiryat
PREMIER LEAGUE was a for 10 years. Victory also Shmona, Hapoel Be’er
by Nick Bidwell 22nd meant the club completed Sheva and Beitar
crown its first league-and-cup Jerusalem took the Europa
overall. double since1996. League qualifying places.

Under new owner Sergey Last season’s double winners Vardar will enter the
Samsonenko, Macedonia’s Rabotnicki retained the Champions League in the
richest club Vardar led the Macedonian Cup with a 2-1 second qualifying round,
championship from pretty win over 10-man, bottom-of- while Rabotnicki start in the
Macedonia much all season on their way the-league Teteks in the first qualifying round of the
to winning their third title in Final. They will be the only Europa League. Runners-up
FIRST LEAGUE four years and eighth in total. Macedonian club to be Shkendija and third-place
by Milorad Stojmanovski However, coach Sergey seeded when the draw is Renova, who are both based
Andreyev had his critics, made for the preliminary in the city of Tetovo, also take
particularly after a cup rounds of next season’s their place in the Europa
quarter-final loss to Renova. UEFA competitions. League qualifiers.

Hibernians lost just once in Hibernians were denied the Hibernians enter the
the league – and that was double as they lost 2-0 to Champions League second
after they had wrapped up Birkirkara in the FA Trophy qualifying round, while
their first championship in six Final. Birkirkara won the Valletta and third-place
Malta years. They led the table cup for the fifth time with Birkirkara go into the
from start goals from Mauricio Mazzetti Europa League first qualifying
PREMIER LEAGUE to finish to and Rafael Ledesma, but it round, where they are joined
by Domenic Aquilina win the was not enough for coach by fourth-place Balzan
title for an Paul Zammit, who quit at the as both cup finalists had
11th time. end of the season. already qualified for Europe.

Starting the last day in third Just a few days after they League champions Milsami
place, Milsami won 2-1 with surrendered the league title, and cup winners Sheriff will
a late own goal at leaders Dacia lost 3-2 in extra-time play Champions League and
Dacia to win the league on to Sheriff, who won the cup Europa League qualifiers
Moldova head-to-head records. for an eighth time. It was respectively. Dacia also enter
a first trophy at Sherif for the Europa League, but with
FIRST DIVISION coach Zoran Zekic, while fourth-place Tiraspol now
by Miron Goihman Dacia have now lost all four dissolved, the remaining spot
Moldovan Cup Finals in which in the competition is likely to
they have played. go to Saxan, who were fifth.

108 WORLD SOCCER

 EURO SEASON REVIEW

RELEGATED/PROMOTED PLAYER OF THE SEASON COACH OF THE SEASON NEWCOMER OF THE SEASON
Having withdrawn from the Having made his debut in At the age of just 25, Ucha In his first full season with
league in April, Zestafoni the top flight for Baia Zugdidi Sosiashvili led Dila to the the senior side, Dinamo
were expelled from the top aged 16, midfielder Nika title in his first season. “They Tbilisi’s 19-year-old defender
flight, while WIT-Georgia Kvekveskiri’s sixth season say experience Otar Kakabadze played 23
went down automatically at this level was his best yet. is key to games and was a member of
and Metalurgi Rustavi The 23-year-old’s main role success, but the side that won the Super
lost a play-off. Sapovnela, was orchestrating the Dila my example Cup and the Georgian Cup.
Saburtalo and play-off attack, but he also managed shows it can be An under-21 international,
winners Lokomotivi Tbilisi to score seven times himself the other way,” he won a bronze medal at
were promoted. as well. says Sosiashvili. the 2012 Under-17 Euros.

Papa and Dunaujvaros Born in Serbia, naturalised Spaniard Joan Carrillo won Eighteen-year-old defensive
were automatically relegated Hungarian striker Nemanja the first major trophy of midfielder Miklos Kitl
from the top flight, while Nikolic found the net 21 his coaching career with showed experience way
Nyiregyhaza, Kecskemet, times in the league for Videoton. Assistant coach for beyond his years during
Gyor and Pecs were champions the previous three years, the an impressive season with
demoted after being denied Videoton. 46-year-old replaced Jose troubled Kecskemet, who
licences for next term. The He also Gomes at the start of the were demoted. A near
2015-16 camapign will, managed season. His previous bosses ever-present in his first full
therefore, consist of 12 to secure a have included Mauricio senior campaign, he was also
teams rather 16, with Vasas place in the Pochettino (Espanyol) and a regular for Hungary’s
and Bekescsaba promoted. national side. Paulo Sousa (Videoton). under-21 side.

Ashdod, whose last league The Israeli Premier League’s In addition to the league and A resourceful and combative
victory came in the middle of top scorer for the second State Cup, Pako Ayestaran right-back or central
January, were relegated consecutive season, Eran also led Maccabi Tel Aviv to defender, Eyad Abu Abaid
along with Hapoel Petah Zahavi’s 27 goals were key the Toto Cup for a first-ever established himself as an
Tikva. Their places to Maccabi Israeli treble. An assistant to automatic choice for Maccabi
in next term’s top flight will Tel Aviv’s Rafa Benitez at Liverpool Netanya this term. The
be taken by Bnei Yehuda success. for three years, he is being 20-year-old is a graduate
Tel Aviv and Hapoel Kfar Scored for 18 linked with a return to of Beitar Nes Tubruk – one
Saba, who were the top consecutive Anfield, where he would of Israel’s most productive
two in Liga Leumit. matches. join Brendan Rodgers’ staff. youth acadamies.

Despite bringing in Gjoko International left winger A Macedonian league and Bregalnica Stip goalkeeper
Hadzievski as their coach, Dejan Blazevski returned to cup winner when coach of Filip Gachevski set a new
the former national boss his homeland in December, Renova, Vlatko Kostov took league record by going 912
failed to win a game in joining Vardar from Khazar charge of his hometown club minutes without letting a goal
eight months and Pelister Lankaran of Azerbaijan, Bregalnica Stip for a second in as his side beat the drop.
dropped out of the top flight, and scored eight goals in 14 time in January and saved
along with Teteks, who games to help his side win a seemingly doomed side
reached the Cup Final for the league. He was also the from relegation by losing
the fourth time in five years. Macedonian player of the just one of his 16 games
Shkupi and Mladost Carev year in 2013, while playing in charge and conceding
Dvor replaced them. for Turnovo. just three goals.

The bottom two, Pieta The scorer of 16 important A former player with Birkirkara defender Zach
Hotspurs and Zebbug goals for Hibernians in the the club, 43-year-old Muscat progressed from the
Rangers, will be replaced in league, Clayton Failla Branko Nisevic took national under-21 side to
the top flight next season by was in impressive form charge of Hibernians in become a regular in the
Pembroke Athleta and St throughout the campaign May 2013 and said of senior set-up.
Andrews, Meanwhile, Mosta The 29-year-old attacking his team’s championship A consistent
preserved their place in the Malta wing-back capped success: “We believed we performer
Premier League by beating a memorable season by could win the title from the with a big
Gzira United 2-0 in the becoming a father for the very beginning. That is what future in
play-off game. first time. we prepared for.” the game.

Costuleni and Veris Sheriff’s Brazilian striker A former midfielder with the Nineteen-year-old attacking
withdrew from the league Ricardinho was the league’s club, Iurie Osipenco made midfielder Vadim Paireli
before the turn of the year, leading scorer with 19 goals. history with Milsami as the established himself as a key
while Tiraspol folded at the During the club based in Orhei – 25 member of a Sheriff side
end of the campaign due to first half of miles north of the capital, that won the Moldovan Cup
financial difficulties. To make the season Chisinau – won the title for in only his second term as
next season’s competition an impressive the first time. The 40-year- a first-team regular. He has
into a 10-team league, run saw him old took over in June last also been involved with the
Petrocub and Speranta score 11 in year after a spell in charge of national set-up at under-19
were promoted. 14 games the national under-19 side. and under-21 level.

WORLD SOCCER 109

 HOW THE LEAGUE WAS WON CUP WINNERS WHO QUALIFIED FOR EUROPE
After two years of dominance Mladost Podgorica won Rudar enter the Champions
from Sutjeska (below), they their first major trophy, League in the second
Montenegro lost out by three points to
Rudar, who were top all
thanks to an extra-time own
goal by Marko Markovic, with
qualifying round, while
cup-winners Mladost,
season a 2-1 win against Petrovac, league runners-up Sutjeska
FIRST LEAGUE and who had keeper Nemanja and third-place Buducnost
by Dejan Panic deserved Popovic sent off for handling will all go into the first
a second outside his box two minutes qualifying round of the
title. before the interval. Europa League.

After an 18-year wait, Glentoran beat Portadown League winners Crusaders

Crusaders won their fifth 1-0 to win the cup for the will start their Champions
title, finishing 10 points clear second time in the last three League campaign in the
of Linfield. The last time they years, with David Scullion first qualifying round, with
N Ireland were champions, manager scoring the only goal of the runners-up Linfield going
Stephen game. The Final was played into the first qualifying
NIFL PREMIERSHIP Baxter was at Glentoran’s Oval home round of the Europa
by Roy Kitson playing up due to major construction League, alongside third-
front for work taking place at place Glenavon and
the club. Windsor Road. cup-winners Glentoran.

Despite losing Petar Skuletic A solitary goal from Serbia Partizan

and Danko Lazovic in the under-21 international are in the
January transfer window Slavoljub Srnic meant Champions
without signing a new striker, Cukaricki won the first League
Serbia and then sacking coach trophy in their 89-year qualifying
Marko Nikolic in mid-March, history as they claimed the round,
SUPERLIGA Partizan won the title quite Serbian Cup with a 1-0 while Red Star, Cukaricki
by Vladimir Novak comfortably to make it 26 in victory to deny Partizan and Vojvodina enter the
total and seven since 2008. a fifth domestic double. Europa League.

Going into the winter break, Trencin also won the Slovak Double winners Trencin will
Trencin were three points Cup for a first time, beating start in the second qualifying
adrift of Zilina, but a Senica on penalties in the round of the Champions
10-game winning streak Final after they had been League, while Zilina, Slovan
Slovakia secured the title for a team pegged back to 2-2 in Bratislava and Spartak
with an average age of just extra-time. Defender Milan Trnava – who finished
FIRST LEAGUE under 22. Their maiden title Rundic second through to fourth
by Peterjon Cresswell saw them become the scored the respectively – compete in
seventh side to be crowned winning the Europa League first
champions of Slovakia. spot-kick. qualifying round.

Despite Celje had seemingly done Maribor can look forward

losing the hard work by seeing off to another campaign in the
twice to Maribor with two late goals Champions League, starting
runners- to win 3-2 in the semi-finals, at the second qualifying
Slovenia up Celje but Koper surprised many round stage, while Celje,
and being by winning the Final 2-0 with Domzale and cup-winners
PRVA LIGA nine points adrift of Domzale goals from Denis Halilovic Koper will all compete in the
by Peterjon Cresswell after 16 games, Maribor and Jaka Stromajer, even Europa League, entering the
were crowned champions for though they had Matej Palcic competition at the first
a fifth successive season. sent off in the closing stages. qualifying round stage.

As the league’s only full-time Victory in the Welsh Cup The New Saints enter the
outfit, The New Saints enjoy Final saw The New Saints Champions League qualifiers,
a massive advantage over all become the first team since while Europa League places
of their domestic opponents Rhyl in 2004 to win the went to Bala Town, who
Wales and they strolled to a fourth domestic treble. They had finished runners-up in the
consecutive championship already wrapped up the league to secure their
PREMIER LEAGUE with five matches to spare. Premier League and League highest-ever placing, Airbus
by Mel Thomas Such was their dominance, Cup by the time they saw UK Broughton, who were
they lost just one game in off Newtown 2-0 in the third, and play-off winners
Wales all season. Welsh Cup Final. Newtown.

110 WORLD SOCCER

 EURO SEASON REVIEW

RELEGATED/PROMOTED PLAYER OF THE SEASON COACH OF THE SEASON NEWCOMER OF THE SEASON
Berane finished bottom Goran Vujovic, a 28-year- Playing some of the most Bokelj’s 19-year-old attacking
of the league and were old striker with Sutjeska, attractive football in the midfielder Luka Maras was
relegated with Mogren finished the season as the country, Aleksandar one of the best players in the
– who won the league league’s top scorer with Nedovic league. He is also a member
in 2009 and 2011 – after 21 goals and was rewarded guided Mladost of Montenegro’s under-19
they lost in the relegation/ for his achievement with a to victory in the side who, against all the
promotion play-offs 7-1 on call-up to the Montenegro Cup Final and odds, came very close to
aggregate to Decic, who go national team for the first fourth place in qualifying for this year’s
up with Iskra. time. the league. Euro Finals.

Institute were relegated In his third season with After taking charge in 2005, A product of
after only one season in Crusaders, 27-year-old Stephen Baxter could not the youth
the top flight and they will winger Paul Heatley had a prevent Crusaders’ first-ever scheme,
be replaced by Carrick fine campaign and made a relegation at the end of his 19-year-old
Rangers, who return for the habit of scoring spectacular first season. However, he put Crusaders
first time in the three years. goals with his left foot. He together a side that plays winger Gavin
Warrenpoint Town retained was the league’s second-top attractive football and saw off Whyte broke into the first
their place after winning a scorer with 27 goals, behind. the challenge of Linfield and team in September and
promotion/relegation play-off Cliftonville’s Joe Gormley who Cliftonville to lead his side to displayed a maturity beyond
against Bangor on penalties. managed 31. the Championship. his years.

Radnicki Kragujevac and A Euro Under-21 runner-up Third place in the league and Red Star’s
Donji Srem went down with Serbia & Montenegro victory in the cup represent 19-year-old
automatically, along with back in 2004, Cukaricki’s a hugely successful season keeper
Napredak Krusevac who 33-year-old playmaker Igor for Vladan Milojevic of Predrag
lost in the play-offs to Matic scored 10 goals in the Cukaricki. In five games Rajkovic
Metalac Gornji Milanovac, league and was a consistent against Belgrade’s big two played his first
who were promoted along performer throughout the of Partizan and Red Star full season
with Radnik Surdulica and season, captaining his side – including the Cup Final as first choice
Javor Ivanjica. to cup success. – he won two and drew two. at senior level.

Dukla Banska Bystrica The return of Dutch winger Former Snapped up by Italian giants
were relegated after finishing Gino Van Kessel after the Trencin Internazionale while still in
bottom of the league, but winter break made all the centre-back his teens, 21-year-old striker
11th-place Podbrezova difference for Trencin in their Martin Jakub Vojtus returned to
gained a reprieve as sixth- push for the title. Still only Sevela, who his homeland to play his first
place Kosice were demoted 22, he managed to find the has only been full campaign in the Slovak
after being refused a licence net every other game on a coach since 2013, led his league for Spartak Trnava.
for next season. They will average, including putting his former club to the double Capped at under-21 level,
be replaced by Zemplin side ahead in extra-time of with a team that included his future looks promising
Michalovce and Skalica. the Slovak Cup Final. many youngsters. once again.

Bottom-placed Radomlje Celje’s 21-year-old winger Although he An 18-year-old striker, Alen

were out of their depth Benjamin Verbic had a has the Ozbolt earned himself a
and were relegated, being spring to remember, putting biggest regular place in the line-up
replaced by Krsko. However, in some outstanding budget and of third-place Domzale,
they were nearly joined by performances for the league the strongest scoring three goals in his 18
four-times champions Gorica runners-up, making his squad, Ante appearances. Having been
who had to face Aluminij in senior international debut Simundza is capped at under-16 and
a play-off and won 2-1 on and joining Copenhagen. He under pressure at Maribor under-17 level, he is now
aggregeate to avoid a first- has also developed a habit of so he can be pleased with a regular for the national
ever stint in the second tier. scoring vital goals. a second successive title. under-19 side.

Last season’s Europa League Top scorer with 28 goals, Craig Connah’s Quay winger Sean
representatives Prestatyn Chris Venables of Harrison of Miller claimed the best
Town were relegated with Aberystwyth Town was The New newcomer award after
Cefn Druids, who dropped nominated as the player Saints led his a terrific season, scoring
back down after only one of the season in a vote side to the 11 goals in 30 starts after
season. They will be replaced among the Premier League’s treble, but joining the Nomads in
by Llandudno – who will coaches. His goal tally was was run close by Chris August. His impressive
make their debut in the four more than his winning Hughes of Newtown, whose performances saw him sign a
Premier League – and total for the previous young side will be in Europe two-year deal with the club
Haverfordwest County. season’s campaign. next term. in December.

WORLD SOCCER 111

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114 WORLD SOCCER
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JOHN
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DIARY
116 Comprehensive global news
122 ESM XI
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Success...France win the Toulon Tournament 125 Results, tables, fixtures Hot shot...Real Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo

WORLD SOCCER 115

 MAY 14-JUNE 8, 2015

A comprehensive record of recent events around the world Disgraced...Livermore

Ukraine, Dnipro beat Napoli 1-0 he tests positive for cocaine. victory over Flamurtari.
Thursday May 14 in Kiev to win 2-1 on aggregate IRAN: On the last day of the league ARGENTINA: Boca Juniors are
ARGENTINA: Boca Juniors’ and reach the Europa League Final, season, Tractor Sazi let slip a 3-1 disqualified from the Libertadores
Libertadores Cup game against River where they will face holders Sevilla. lead to draw 3-3 at home to Cup after some of their fans attacked
Plate is abandoned after visiting Naft Tehran and hand the title River Plate players.
players are squirted with an irritant
Friday May 15 to Sepahan, who beat Saipa 2-0. ARMENIA: Draws for Ulisses and
at the start of the second half. The BULGARIA: Ludogorets secure their Shirak hand Pyunik the league title
game was goalless at the time, with fourth successive league title with
Saturday May 16 to go with the Armenia Cup they
River leading 1-0 from the first leg. a 4-1 win against Lokomotiv Sofia. ALBANIA: Skenderbeu claim their won earlier in the month.
UKRAINE: Playing 450km from ENGLAND: Hull City suspend fifth successive Super League title, AZERBAIJAN: A goal from Dutch
home due to the conflict in eastern midfielder Jake Livermore after with a game to spare, with a 2-0 striker Leroy George gives Qarabag

AUSTRALIA
SIMON HILL

Victory’s third title success

Muscat’s side win Premiership and Championship double
he fortunes of football in Australia never looked like winning after Berisha had opened the
have always been a roller-coaster scoring. Kosta Barbarouses and Leigh Broxham

T ride, so it was no surprise that, in the

year the Socceroos lifted the Asian
Cup, the final act of the domestic
season was an alarming tumble from
confirmed Victory’s record-equalling third title with late
goals in front of a capacity crowd at AAMI Park.
Sydney finished second in both the league and the
finals – a fair return in Arnold’s first season as coach.
the presentation stage by FFA chairman Frank Lowy. “Arnie” transformed the club’s culture and playing style,
Thankfully, the 84-year-old, who stands down in and got a fantastic return out of Marc Janko, who was the
November after a decade of unparalleled achievement, league’s top scorer. His mid-season acquisitions, Jacques
was quickly on his feet and returned to present the Faty and Mickael Tavares, were crucial in helping propel
trophy to the Grand Final winners, Melbourne Victory. But the team to the Grand Final, thanks to a blistering second
his stumble was a reminder that the sport is not yet half of the season in which they scored goals for fun.
entirely on solid ground in a country where three other Perth Glory finished third, but that was adjusted to
Final...Victory get the better of Sydney football codes and cricket all vie for people’s attentions. seventh after they were found guilty of major salary-cap
Aside of Australia’s triumph on home soil in January, breaches. It was a disappointing end to a promising
which extended the domestic season deep into May, the season, during which Glory led the table for 17 weeks
main success story was Melbourne Victory. Kevin Muscat, and reached the inaugural FFA Cup Final. Adelaide
who was once voted the game’s most hated player, has United beat Glory to win the cup, and on their day they
transformed himself into a smart coach, and his pre- were the best team to watch, but they suffered from
season recruitment paid dividends as the biggest club in inconsistency in the second half of the campaign.
the league won the Premiership and the Championship. Wellington Phoenix delighted many neutrals with their
At the heart of Victory’s success were Besart Berisha, expansive football, but Ernie Merrick’s team lost form at
who was recruited from last year’s champions Brisbane the wrong time and bowed meekly out of the play-offs,
Roar and contributed 15 goals and 10 assists, and the losing 2-0 at home to Melbourne City.
tricky Tunisia international Fahid Ben Khalfallah. City were many people’s pre-season title favourites,
Their Grand Final win was a triumph, not just of skill, but the David Villa “guest player” experiment went
but fitness and tactical discipline, as they smothered the horribly wrong, and the injuries that befell their other star
life out of Sydney. Victory captain Mark Milligan played names – Robert Koren and Damien Duff – summed up
his best game of the season in nullifying the Sky Blues’ their fitful season.
playmaker Milos Dimitrijevic, and Graham Arnold’s team Of the rest, Brisbane scraped into the finals thanks to
116 WORLD SOCCER
 WORLD SERVICE

a 1-0 victory over Sumqqyit and secures a first title in five years.
confirms back-to-back titles. SLOVENIA: Maribor make it five
CROATIA: Chile striker Angelo league titles in a row with a 1-0
Henriquez, who is on loan from victory over Domzale.
Manchester United, scores a hat-
trick for champions Dinamo Zagreb
Sunday May 17
in a 4-0 home rout of arch-rivals AUSTRALIA: Melbourne Victory
Hajduk Split. beat Sydney 3-0 in the A-League
ENGLAND: Sadio Mane sets a Grand Final with goals from Besart
new English top-flight record, scoring Berisha, Kosta Barbarouses and
a hat-trick in 176 seconds as Leigh Broxham.
Southampton beat Aston Villa 6-1. FRANCE: Lyon striker Alexandre
FRANCE: With a game to spare, Lacazette is named player of the
Paris Saint-Germain make it three year, while the Ligue 1 coach award
league titles in a row with a 2-1 went to Paris Saint-Germain’s
victory at Montpellier. Evian are Laurent Blanc.
relegated after losing 2-1 at home GERMANY: Ingolstadt are promoted
to Saint-Etienne. History...Ingolstadt celebrate promotion ahead of a first season in the German top flight to the Bundesliga for the first time
GERMANY: Bastian Schweinsteiger with a 2-1 win over RB Leipzig.
opens the scoring in his 500th a 2-0 victory at Werder Bremen. time in their history after a 3-1 ITALY: Domenico Berardi, who
game for Bayern Munich, but hosts Schalke secure a Europa League victory over Crotone. scored all four goals as Sassuolo
Freiburg come back to win 2-1. place with a 1-0 win at Paderborn. MOROCCO: A hat-trick from Malick beat Milan 4-3 last season, gets
Borussia Monchengladbach confirm ITALY: Frosinone, who were only Evouna in their penultimate match a hat-trick as they beat the same
third place, and direct entry to the promoted to Serie B last season, will of the season gives Wydad a 3-0 opponents 3-2 this term.
Champions League group stage, with play in Serie A next term for the first victory at Hassania Agadir and PERU: Ramon Blanco sends off

Victorious...Ben Khalfallah

OPLAYER OF THE SEASON

Fahid Ben Khalfallah (Melbourne
Victory)
The Tunisian’s career was revitalised
by the switch down under – and the
good news for Victory is that he will be
staying after agreeing a new contract.

OCOACH OF
THE SEASON
Kevin Muscat
(Melbourne
Victory)
Won the double in
his first full season
and became the
Champions...Victory add the 2015 Grand Final success to the A-League trophies they won in 2007 and 2009 Record...Muscat
first man to win
a Grand Final as
both a player and a coach.
the issues in Perth, but the deposed champions, like season yet domestically, though their heavy travel
Central Coast Mariners, have financial problems. The schedule was a contributing factor. ONEWCOMER OF THE SEASON
situation is even worse for Newcastle Jets, who finished With A-League attendances again averaging around Marc Janko (Sydney)
bottom and had their A-League licence terminated by 13,000 and talk of an improved TV deal in the offing, all Marquee players can struggle to live
Football Federation Australia (FFA) after owner Nathan in all this latest season has been one of promise, even if up to the hype and he took a while to
settle, but 16 goals and the golden
Tinkler put the club into voluntary administration. some structural problems remain. But, as Frank Lowy boot was exactly the sort of return his
Western Sydney Wanderers paid the price for winning would no doubt explain, football in Australia is always coach, Graham Arnold, had predicted.
the Asian Champions League by having their poorest a case of one step forward, two steps back. WS
WORLD SOCCER 117
 four Alianza Lima players in less
than three minutes as they lose 1-0 Guam
at home to Real Garcilaso. Alianza
coach Guillermo Sanguinetti also
sees red after going onto the pitch JOHN DUERDEN
to remonstrate with the referee.
PORTUGAL: Benfica retain their
league title with a goalless draw at
Vitoria Guimaraes as Porto are held
1-1 at Belenenses. Already-relegated
Penafiel beat Gil Vicente and take
Players encouraged
their opponents down with them.
They will be joined by Arouca, who
lose 2-1 to Vitoria Setubal.
RUSSIA: Krasnodar twice surrender
to go overseas
the lead to draw 2-2 at home to English coach has big plans for Pacific island’s national side
bottom-of-the-league Torpedo
Moscow and hand the title to Zenit,
who draw 1-1 at Ufa. ualification for the 2018 World Cup populations hundreds of times greater than 170,000.
SPAIN: Lionel Messi scores the only started in March as the 12 lowest- Recent results are there for all to see. In March,
goal of the game as Barcelona win
at defending champions Atletico
Madrid to claim their 23rd Liga title.
SWEDEN: Danish duo Lasse Vibe
Q ranked Asian teams played each
other on a home-and-away basis
for the right to play in the group
stage with the rest of the continent’s
Guam were invited to Singapore’s new national stadium
for a friendly and they outplayed the four-time south-
east Asian champions, who were lucky to escape with a
2-2 draw. The previous November, Guam won their
and Soren Rieks score second-half teams. Guam were one of the 34 given a bye – which group in the first preliminary round of qualification for
goals as Gothenburg come from is about as good as it gets for the northern Pacific the 2015 East Asian Cup and finished level on points in
behind to beat Orebro in the islanders on the international stage. the next stage with Hong Kong and above Taiwan, two
Swedish Cup Final. Before June 11, when they took their first step on the teams that regularly used to thrash them.
SWITZERLAND: A goalless draw road to Russia with a home game against Turkmenistan, The improvement is no fluke, with FA president
with Young Boys seals a sixth their only past qualification attempt was for the 2002 Richard Lai using FIFA Goal project money to develop
successive league title for Basle. World Cup – an adventure which ended with 19-0 and facilities and English coach Gary White, who was hired
UKRAINE: Dynamo Kiev end 16-0 defeats to Iran and Tajikistan respectively. in 2012, making good progress. As well as being one
Shakhtar Donetsk’s five-year reign Languishing on the wrong side of 200 in FIFA’s of only 16 people to graduate from the FA’s Elite Coach
by reclaiming the title with a 1-0 rankings, there seemed little hope for the American- programme, 40-year-old White has also passed US
victory over Dnipro. administered territory’s future. However, such results Soccer’s highest coaching course and is currently
VENEZUELA: Deportivo Tachira are now look to be very much in the past for one of the studying for Japan’s SQ-Licence, which is recognised
crowned national champions as most ambitious federations in the world. Not long as the best coaching qualification in Asia.
Jorge Rogas’ penalty gives them a ago, Guam had climbed to 160 in the rankings, level He also has plenty of experience outside the
1-0 aggregate victory over Trujillanos with Indonesia and India, which are countries with classroom too, leaving the British Virgin Islands in 1999
in the Grand Final.
Monday May 18
BRAZIL: Palmeiras striker Dudu is
banned for six months for pushing
the referee during a Sao Paulo state
championship game earlier this
month against Santos.
CUBA: National coach Raul
Valentin’s suspension for directing
offensive and racist language at the
referee during and after a match
against Venezuela in November at
the Central American and Caribbean
Games is set at five games by
regional governing body CONCACAF.
CZECH REPUBLIC: Viktoria Plzen
wrap up the title with two games
spare, beating Vysocina Jihlava 2-0.
MEXICO: Marco Fabian scores a
hat-trick as Guadalajara beat Atlas
4-1 and progress to the clausura
semi-finals, where they are joined by
Queretaro, who beat Veracruz 4-3
on aggregate.
TURKEY: A 1-0 defeat by Konyaspor
ends Besiktas’ hopes of winning the
title. Rizespor’s 3-1 win over Akhisar
Belediyespor sees Karabukspor and
Balikesirspor relegated.
USA: Los Angeles FC, the new Switch...Los Angeles Galaxy’s DeLaGarza played in two friendlies for the USA, but has now opted to represent Guam

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– Andre Villas-Boas arrived a year later – to take expansion franchise set to join Abdoulaye Diallo sent off after just
over the Bahamas. MLS in 2018, announces plans to three minutes, 10-man Jelgava win
“When you work for a developing country then it’s build a 22,000-seat stadium on the the Latvian Cup for a third time in
not just about the national team,” says White. “Guam site of the old Sports Arena, next to five years with a 2-0 victory over
spent years building a youth league and clubs, and Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Ventspils in the Final.
there had been a lot of infrastructure development MOLDOVA: Milsami jump from
projects with Richard Lai at the helm.
Tuesday May 19 third to first on the last day of the
“I had a three-point plan: make the men’s national BRAZIL: Former national boss Luiz season to win the league for the
team competitive so younger kids had something to Felipe Scolari steps down as coach first time. They win 2-1 at Dacia,
look up to and aim for; create an elite development of Gremio following the weekend’s who led the table at the start of play,
programme for the under-eights, 10s, 12s etc which 2-0 loss at Coritiba. while second-place Sheriff beat
feeds the youth national teams; and then coaching FRANCE: Luca Zidane, the son of Dinamo-Auto 1-0. All three sides
education, developing better coaches.” Zinedine, saves three penalties as finish on 55 points, but Milsami
Now Guam has scholarship programmes for France beat Belgium on spot-kicks have a better head-to-head record
youngsters to go to college in the United States and following a 1-1 draw to reach the against their two rivals.
then go to MLS. Final of the European Under-17 MONTENEGRO: An extra-time own
“We look after players,” continues White. “When I Championship in Bulgaria. goal by Marko Markovic hands
look at the academy now, it is now being run by local QATAR: Lekhwiya, who lost 2-0 to Mladost Podgorica their first major
Al Sadd on Friday in the Emir Cup trophy as they beat Petrovac 2-1 in
semi-finals, gain some revenge the Montenegrin Cup Final.
“We have a 10-year plan over their Qatari rivals with a 2-1 SERBIA: Cukaricki claim the first
but we are way ahead of victory in the away leg of their AFC trophy in their 89-year history with
where we wanted to be” Champions League round-of-16 tie. a 1-0 win against Partizan Belgrade
Guam coach Gary White SCOTLAND: Josh Magennis is in the Serbian Cup Final.
handed a two-match ban by the SLOVAKIA: A 2-1 defeat for Zilina at
Scottish FA for head-butting his home to Slovan Bratislava hands the
Kilmarnock team-mate Jamie Hamill league title to Trencin for a first-ever
during Saturday’s 4-1 victory over domestic double.
Partick Thistle. SLOVENIA: Despite having Matej
UGANDA: Vipers beat Bul 1-0 with a Palcic sent off in the closing stages,
goal from Farouk Miya on the last Koper beat Celje 2-0 – with goals
day of the season to win the league from Denis Halilovic and sub Jaka
title for a second time. Stromajer – to win the Slovenian
Cup for a third time.
Wednesday May 20
AUSTRALIA: Newcastle Jets have
Thursday May 21
their A-League licence terminated ARGENTINA: River Plate and Racing
by Football Federation Australia after both lose 1-0 in the opening games
English boss...White was born in Southampton
going into voluntary administration. of the Libertadores Cup round-of-16
coaches. I am happy when I look at the players who CROATIA: Dinamo Zagreb beat RNK ties, at home to Brazil’s Cruzeiro and
were eight and now they are 11 and have had three Split on penalties to win away to Guarani in
years of good coaching, they are further ahead than the Croatian Cup and Paraguay respectively.
the 15-year-olds.” complete the double. BELGIUM: A 2-0 victory
With the structure in place, White can now focus CYPRUS: APOEL win over Standard Liege
“90 per cent of this time” on the national team. their 21st Cypriot Cup gives Gent the first
“When I arrived I asked ‘have we seen every player with a 4-2 victory over league title in their
who is eligible to play for us?’” he adds. “Most were in AEL in the Final. 115-year history.
the local league. For years, they had given everything FRANCE: Nimes DENMARK: A goalless
but we needed players in higher-level leagues so successfully overturn draw with Vestsjaelland
when they come back for national-team games, they their relegation for seals a first league title
are already prepared. We told locals to get off the alleged match fixing on for Midtjylland.
island and then cast a wide net in the US.” appeal and will remain FIFA: Ex-Portugal
The first target was New England Revolution in Ligue 2 next season, international Luis Figo
defender Ryan Guy and he was the catalyst for where they will start with and Dutch FA president
others, such as AJ DeLaGarza of LA Galaxy, to follow. an eight-point penalty. Euro champ...hat-trick hero Edouard (centre) Michael Van Praag
“Out of the 23-man squad for the World Cup HUNGARY: Ferencvaros withdraw from the FIFA
qualifiers, 15 are professional and it has been the end an 11-year wait for silverware presidential election.
result of a lot of hard work and flying around,” says and set a new record of 21 wins RUSSIA: Lokomotiv Moscow come
White. “This was all by design and not default, it was as they beat newly crowned league from behind to beat Kuban
all part of the plan. champions Videoton 4-0 in the Krasnodar 3-1 after extra time and
“We have a 10-year plan but we are way ahead of Hungarian Cup Final. win the Russian Cup.
where we wanted to be.” ISRAEL: Maccabi Tel Aviv win the
Now it’s time to test the theory on the pitch. Drawn Israeli Cup, beating Hapoel Beer
Friday May 22
with Iran, India, Turkmenistan and Oman, the odds on Sheva 6-2 to complete their first FRANCE: Odsonne Edouard scores
Guam taking second place, with a chance of making double since 1996. a hat-trick as France beat Germany
the final stage of qualification, are slim but not absent. ITALY: Alessandro Matri scores in 4-1 in the Final of the Euro Under-17
“We want to be top of the group after the first two extra-time to give Juventus a 2-1 Championship. The Paris Saint-
games and then we’ll see what happens,” claims victory over Lazio in the Italian Cup Germain striker is the tournament’s
White. A few years ago, all in Asia would have Final and secure a domestic double. top scorer with eight goals.
laughed, but not any more. WS LATVIA: Despite having defender ROMANIA: Cluj jump from 16th

WORLD SOCCER 119

 to third in the league after
winning a successful appeal against CONCACAF
a 24-point deduction.
Saturday May 23 MARTIN DEL PALACIO LANGER
ALGERIA: ES Setif win the league
title for a seventh time in their
history, with a game to spare, beating
CS Constantine 2-0 at home.
FRANCE: Monaco book their place
It’s time
for some
in next term’s Champions League
with a 1-0 win over Lorient.
GERMANY: Freiburg and Paderborn
are relegated as they lose 2-1
at Hanover and 2-1 at home to
Stuttgart. Hamburg beat Schalke
2-0 to avoid the drop but now face
a two-leg relegation play-off.
good news
LITHUAHIA: Zalgiris win a fourth
consecutive Lithuanian Cup, beating he build-up to this year’s Gold Cup
Atlantas Klaipeda 2-0 in the Final. has seen CONCACAF the subject of
MALAYSIA: Sahil Suhaimi scores
twice as Singapore’s Lions XII win the
Malaysia FA Cup for the first time,
beating Kelantan 3-1 in the Final.
T headlines in the world’s media for
all the worst possible reasons. Its
president, Jeff Webb, was arrested
by the Swiss police as a suspect of
MALTA: Birkirkara deny Hibernians money laundering, its secretary general, Enrique Saenz,
a domestic double by beating their was barred from office for his relationship with Traffic,
arch-rivals 2-0 in the Maltese FA a company whose president was also arrested, and
Trophy Final. former president, Jack Warner, who was fired from his
SPAIN: Valencia twice come from post in 2011, has a pending extradition order to the
behind to seal a place in next United States for various crimes.
season’s Champions League with And they were all indicted from records compiled by
a 3-2 win at Almeria, who are former confederation secretary general, Chuck Blazer,
relegated. Eibar also go down after who, after pleading guilty, became an FBI informant.
losing 3-0 at home to already Among this whole mess, what could perhaps be the
demoted Cordoba. Cristiano Ronaldo best Gold Cup in history kicks off on July 7.
scores his eighth hat-trick of the A year after their good performances in Brazil
season to claim the golden boot with 2014, Mexico, United States and Costa Rica can be
48 league goals as Real Madrid legitimately seen as favourites to win the tournament.
thrash Getafe 7-3. At 16 years, five Player for player, there seems little doubt Mexico
months and six days, Martin have more quality than anyone else in the competition. as revealed with their impressive victories in recent
Odegaard becomes Real’s youngest Spearheaded by Carlos Vela, Hector Moreno and Javier friendly victories in Holland (4-3) and Germany (2-1).
league debutant. Hernandez, “El Tri” have 11 players at good European After an exciting World Cup, where they beat Italy
clubs, reinforced by the cream of the crop of the Liga and Uruguay, Costa Rica have been in the news more
Sunday May 24 MX, the most dominant league in the region. for their internal problems than their results. The coach
ARGENTINA: Atletico Parana’s 27- But Mexico have struggled at regional level in recent who led them to their historic successes in Brazil, Jorge
year-old defender Cristian Gomez years. Two years ago they didn’t even make the Final of Luis Pinto, left following a confrontation with his
collapses and dies of a suspected the Gold Cup, losing in the semi-finals against Panama. assistant, the legendary player Hernan Medford, who
heart attack during a second-tier Then they suffered the unspeakable in the qualifiers for was later named his successor in a move that was very
game against Boca Unidos. Brazil 2014, finishing fourth of six in the last round. unpopular with the fans.
AUSTRIA: Red Bull Salzburg retain Meanwhile, the US, under Jurgen Klinsmann’s patient On the pitch, the team has struggled to find last
their league title with a 3-0 victory guidance, have relied more on collective strength than summer’s form. While they did win the Centroamericana
over Wolfsberger. individual talent. With the golden generation of Landon Cup, failure to do so would have been a huge failure. In
BELARUS: BATE win the Belarusian Donovan, Tim Howard and Clint Dempsey on the way friendlies, the results have been mixed, with wins over
Cup for the first time since 2010, out, the German coach has had to seek perhaps less South Korea and Oman in late 2014 followed by
beating Shaktyor Soligorsk 4-1 in talented players who are more solid and disciplined. defeats against Panama, Colombia and Spain this year.
the Final. The result is a young team that seems to be on the rise, After the “big three”, the outlook is not encouraging.
CYPRUS: APOEL complete a Honduras, the fourth CONCACAF team at the World
second successive double, sealing Cup, are undergoing a process of renovation, with a
the championship with a 4-2 victory new generation that seems far from the quality of the
at Ermis Aradippou on the final day old guard. They just managed to qualify for the Gold
of the season. Cup by narrowly beating French Guyana in a play-off
ENGLAND: A goalless draw at home after finishing fifth in the Centroamericana.
to Manchester United sees Hull City Panama have failed to make the leap of quality
relegated, while Steven Gerrard’s last expected for some years now. They have a balanced
game for Liverpool ends with a 6-1 team with some experienced players in Europe’s lesser
defeat at Stoke City – their heaviest leagues, Colombia and the United States, but they
league loss for 52 years. hardly seem poised to repeat the second place they
GERMANY: Darmstadt make it achieved in 2013.
two promotions in two years and Warm-up...Costa Rica’s Esteban Alvarado against Panama As has happened to its FA leaders, Caribbean

120 WORLD SOCCER

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return to the top flight with a 1-0

GOLD CUP home win against St Pauli.
THE TEAMS MOLDOVA: Zoran Zekic wins his first
trophy as coach of Sheriff when they
beat Dacia 3-2 after extra-time in
USA: With less individual talent than
in years past, but favourites because the Moldovan Cup Final.
of their collective strength. PARAGUAY: Cerro Porteno claim
Key player: Michael Bradley. the apertura title, with a game to
spare, beating San Lorenzo 3-0.
MEXICO: The best squad, but prone
SPAIN: Real Betis return to La Liga
to succumbing to pressure when
facing their main regional rivals. after just one season in the second
Key player: Carlos Vela. tier, clinching promotion with a 3-0
victory over Alcorcon.
COSTA RICA: They have lost steam TRINIDAD & TOBAGO: Central win
since Brazil 2014, but still a strong
their first Caribbean Football Union
team with experienced players.
Key player: Bryan Ruiz. Club Championship title, beating
nine-man W Connection 2-1 in an
HONDURAS: Undergoing a full all-Trinidadian Final.
renovation, they seem to be a long USA: Chris Wondolowski becomes
way from the team that qualified for
only the ninth player to score 100
the last two World Cups.
Key player: Emilio Izaguirre. goals in MLS with a second-half
penalty in San Jose Earthquakes’ 1-1
PANAMA: An experienced team but draw with Orlando City.
one that lacks the talent to break into
the top three. Monday May 25
Key player: Armando Cooper.
ENGLAND: Norwich City are back
JAMAICA: A strong and powerful in the Premier League with a 2-0
side, although not particularly victory over Middlesbrough in the
technical. Their core is formed Championship play-off Final.
of English-born players.
ITALY: Two Roma fans are stabbed
Key player: Rudolph Austin.
before the derby game, in which the
CANADA: Surprise champions in Giallorossi beat Lazio 2-1.
2000, they have failed to advance SPAIN: Real Madrid sack coach
from the first round since 2013. Carlo Ancelotti.
They will host a game in Toronto.
Key player: David Edgar.
TURKEY: Fenerbahce’s 2-2 draw at
Istanbul BB hands the Super Lig title
TRINIDAD & TOBAGO: The good to Galatasaray, who won 2-0 against
times of Germany 2006 are long Besiktas a day earlier.
gone and they will just try to avoid
an embarrassment. Tuesday May 26
Key player: Kenwyne Jones.
football’s luck seem to be on a downward spiral. No Friendly upset... ENGLAND: West Ham United will
team from the region qualified for Brazil and they don’t USA (in blue) play in Europe for the first time since
GUATEMALA: A young team, based
beat Germany in
seem set to play any part in this Gold Cup. Their best Cologne on a Comunicaciones side that have 2006, entering next season’s Europa
bet is Jamaica, a fast and strong team, but they are League by topping the Premier
short on the technical side. They include several players League’s Fair Play table.
born in England and will play in the Copa America GEORGIA: Dinamo Tbilisi win a third
before the Gold Cup, which will definitely help in their successive Georgian Cup, beating
preparation. Trinidad & Tobago, Haiti, Cuba, Canada, El Samtredia 5-0 in the Final.
Salvador and Guatemala will try to spring a surprise but MEXICO: Tigres overturn a 1-0 first-
their chances of doing something significant look slim. leg deficit to reach the Libertadores
Off the pitch, the tournament has certain Cup semi-finals for the first time
peculiarities that could only occur in the region. For Quality...Mexico’s Javier Hernandez with a 2-0 win at home to Emelec
starters, it will be played in 13 different cities, to take of Ecuador.
advantage of the large immigrant communities in the won six consecutive domestic league SAN MARINO: Folgore complete a
championships.
United States, but that will force the teams to travel Key player: Marco Pappa. first domestic double, coming from
from one side of the country to the other in between behind to beat Juvenes/Dogana 3-1
matches, to try to attract bigger crowds. EL SALVADOR: Trying to resurface in the Championship play-off Final,
In addition, the 12 participants were divided into after many of their players were having won the San Marinese Cup
three groups, but, in true CONCACAF fashion, they banned for match fixing. earlier in the month.
Key player: Rafael Burgos.
were not actually drawn, but were arranged so that the
Final would be played between Mexico and the United
Wednesday May 27
HAITI: A team that surprisingly has
States, which guarantees a full house and a big profit to several players with European ARGENTINA: River Plate overcame
the organisation. experience in lower divisions. a 1-0 first-leg loss to beat Cruzeiro
Thus, Mexico, whose fans outnumber anyone else in Key player: Jeff Louis. 3-0 in Brazil and reach the semi-
the US, including the hosts, were assigned to Group C CUBA: Regular participants in the finals of the Libertadores Cup.
and will have the most comfortable path to the Final, Gold Cup. Their last game was BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA: Despite
probably facing Honduras and Panama regardless of against New York Cosmos, which they going a goal behind and being down
whether they finish first or second in their group, while lost 4-1, was the first between teams to 10-men, Olimpic win the Bosnian
from Cuba and USA to be played on
the USA and Costa Rica will play, barring an unexpected Cup for the first time, beating Siroki
Cuban territory in 50 years.
turn of events, the other semi-final. WS Brijeg on penalties after a 2-2
WORLD SOCCER 121
 draw on aggregate. Karlsruher the lead in the away leg Maritimo 2-1 in the Final. Tuzla on the last day of the season.
CZECH REPUBLIC: Third bottom in of their relegation/promotion play-off SWITZERLAND: Sepp Blatter is BULGARIA: Despite playing with 10
the league, Slovan Liberec beat against his former team, who come re-elected as FIFA president. men for 80 minutes and being a
Jablonec on penalties after a 1-1 back to draw 1-1. goal down, Cherno More Varna win
draw to win the Czech Cup for a MEXICO: Javier Orozco scores four
Saturday May 30 their first silverware with a 2-1
second time. goals as Santos Laguna virtually seal BOSNIA: Sarajevo win the league extra-time triumph against Levski
FRANCE: The Toulon tournament the clausura title with a 5-0 victory title for the first time since 2007 Sofia in the Bulgarian Cup Final.
kicks off, with the hosts beating the over Queretaro in their first home leg with a 3-1 victory over Sloboda ESTONIA: Nomme Kalju FC beat
USA 3-1 and Holland winning 3-2 of the Liguilla Final. Paide Linnameeskond 2-0 in the
against Costa Rica. PARAGUAY: Guarani draw 0-0 with Four...Orozco Estonian Cup Final.
SPAIN: Colombian striker Carlos Racing in Argentina to progress to ENGLAND: Arsenal win the FA Cup
Bacca scores twice as Sevilla come the Libertadores Cup semi-finals for a record 12th time, beating Aston
from behind to beat Dnipro 3-2 and with a 1-0 aggregate victory. Villa 4-0 – the biggest Final-winning
retain the Europa League. ROMANIA: Steaua Bucharest made margin for more than 20 years.
SWITZERLAND: Police arrest seven it three titles in a row with a goalless FRANCE: A header from Edinson
FIFA officials in connection with draw against CSMS Iasi. Cavani gives Paris Saint-Germain
corruption charges and the Swiss a 1-0 victory over Ligue 2 side
attorney general opens criminal
Friday May 29 Auxerre in the French Cup Final.
proceedings over the awarding of ALBANIA: Laci are victorious in the GERMANY: Jurgen Klopp’s last
the 2018 and 2022 World Cups. Albanian Cup for the second time in game as Borussia Dortmund coach
three years, beating Kukesi 2-1 in ends in defeat as Wolfsburg win the
Thursday May 28 the Final. German Cup Final 3-1.
GERMANY: Ex-Hamburg striker PORTUGAL: Benfica win the League GIBRALTAR: Lincoln complete
Rouwen Hennings gives second-tier Cup for a sixth time overall, beating a second successive double with

ESM XI
EUROPEAN SPORTS MEDIA
Diego GODIN (Atletico Madrid)
MARCELO (Real Madrid)
12
12
Milan BISEVAC (Lyon)
Daley BLIND (Manchester United)
1
1
Xabi ALONSO (Bayern Munich)
Antoine GRIEZMANN (Atletico Madrid)
14
13
Dani ALVES (Barcelona) 11 BRITOS (Napoli) 1 Toni KROOS (Real Madrid) 13
HOW IT WORKS David LUIZ (Paris Saint-Germain) 9 Alex BRUCE (Hull City) 1 Ivan RAKITIC (Barcelona) 12
Every month, journalists from each member MIRANDA (Atletico Madrid) 9 Martin CACERES (Juventus) 1 ISCO (Real Madrid) 10
of the European Sports Media group select NALDO (Wolfsburg) 9 CAICARA (Ludogorets) 1 Mario GOTZE (Bayern Munich) 9
their first Xl based on the best individual Nicolas OTAMENDI (Valencia) 9 Zoumana CAMARA (Paris Saint-Germain) 1 Yaya TOURE (Manchester City) 9
performances from Europe’s top Jordi ALBA (Barcelona) 8 CARLAO (APOEL) 1 Philipp LAHM (Bayern Munich) 8
competitions. For details of how each ESM JUANFRAN (Atletico Madrid) 8 Daniel CARRICO (Sevilla) 1 Nemanja MATIC (Chelsea) 8
member voted, visit worldsoccer.com/esm11 Stephan LICHTSTEINER (Juventus) 8 Gael CLICHY (Manchester City) 1 Andres INIESTA (Barcelona) 7
Jeremy MATHIEU (Barcelona) 8 Damien DA SILVA (Caen) 1 Marco REUS (Borussia Dortmund) 7
Javier MASCHERANO (Barcelona) 7 Scott DANN (Crystal Palace) 1 Marco VERRATTI (Paris Saint-Germain) 7
SEASON RANKINGS DANILO (Porto) 6 Rod FANNI (Marseille) 1 Arturo VIDAL (Juventus) 7
Cumulative votes through the season
MAXWELL (Paris Saint-Germain) 6 Santiago GENTILETTI (Lazio) 1 Felipe ANDERSON (Lazio) 6
GOALKEEPERS
Ricardo RODRIGUEZ (Wolfsburg) 6 Faouzi GHOULAM (Napoli) 1 Claudio MARCHISIO (Juventus) 6
Gianluigi BUFFON (Juventus) 24 votes
Pablo ZABALETA (Manchester City) 6 Kieran GIBBS (Arsenal) 1 James RODRIGUEZ (Real Madrid) 6
David DE GEA (Manchester United) 19
Nathaniel CLYNE (Southampton) 5 Camil GLICK (Torino) 1 THIAGO ALCANTARA (Bayern Munich) 6
Manuel NEUER (Bayern Munich) 19
Patrice EVRA (Juventus) 5 Raphael GUERREIRO (Lorient) 1 Santi CAZORLA (Arsenal) 5
Thibaut COURTOIS (Chelsea) 11
Jan OBLAK (Atletico Madrid) 8 Cesar AZPILICUETA (Chelsea) 4 Benedikt HOWEDES (Schalke) 1 Philippe COUTINHO (Liverpool) 5
Claudio BRAVO (Barcelona) 4 Nicolas N’KOULOU (Marseille) 4 Mats HUMMELS (Borussia Dortmund) 1 Thomas MULLER (Bayern Munich) 4
Bernd LENO (Bayer Leverkusen) 4 Gary CAHILL (Chelsea) 3 Daryl JANMAAT (Newcastle United) 1 Radja NAINGGOLAN (Roma) 4
Danijel SUBASIC (Monaco) 4 Jose Luis GAYA (Valencia) 3 Tin JEDVAJ (Bayer Leverkusen) 1 Dani PAREJO (Valencia) 4
David OSPINA (Arsenal) 3 Aleksandar KOLAROV (Manchester City) 3 JEFFERSON (Sporting Lisbon) 1 Andrea PIRLO (Juventus) 4
Iker CASILLAS (Real Madrid) 2 Laurent KOSCIELNY (Arsenal) 3 Filipe LUIS (Chelsea) 1 David SILVA (Manchester City) 4
Joe HART (Manchester City) 2 Kostas MANOLAS (Roma) 3 MAICON (Roma) 1 Jose Maria CALLEJON (Napoli) 3
Simon MIGNOLET (Liverpool) 2 Per MERTESACKER (Arsenal) 3 Eliaquim MANGALA (Manchester City) 1 Angel DI MARIA (Manchester United) 3
ROBERTO (Olympiakos) 2 Nacho MONREAL (Arsenal) 3 MARQUINHOS (Paris Saint-Germain) 1 Christian ERIKSEN (Tottenham Hotspur) 3
Igor AKINFEEV (CSKA Moscow) 1 Maxi PEREIRA (Benfica) 3 Carl MEDJANI (Trabzonspor) 1 Marouane FELLAINI (Manchester United) 3
Sergio ALVAREZ (Celta Vigo) 1 Thiago SILVA (Paris Saint-Germain) 3 Philippe MEXES (Milan) 1 Grzegorz KRYCHOWIAK (Sevilla) 3
Diego ALVES (Valencia) 1 Martin SKRTEL (Liverpool) 3 Alberto MORENO (Liverpool) 1 NANI (Sporting Lisbon) 3
Fraser FORSTER (Southampton) 1 Martin STRANZL (Borussia Monchengladbach) 3 Shkodran MUSTAFI (Valencia) 1 Javier PASTORE (Paris Saint-Germain) 3
Jasmin HANDANOVIC (Maribor) 1 Raphael VARANE (Real Madrid) 3 Fernando NAVARRO (Sevilla) 1 Miralem PJANIC (Roma) 3
Orestis KARNEZIS (Udinese) 1 Aleix VIDAL (Sevilla) 3 Paulo OLIVEIRA (Sporting Lisbon) 1 Mohamed SALAH (Fiorentina) 3
Hugo LLORIS (Tottenham Hotspur) 1 Aymen ABDENNOUR (Monaco) 2 Manuel PASQUAL (Fiorentina) 1 Wesley SNEIJDER (Galatasaray) 3
Anthony LOPES (Lyon) 1 Leighton BAINES (Everton) 2 Karium REFIK (PSV) 1 ARDA Turan (Atletico Madrid) 2
Diego LOPEZ (Milan) 1 Hector BELLERIN (Arsenal) 2 Winston REID (West Ham United) 1 Gareth BALE (Real Madrid) 2
Steve MANDANDA (Marseille) 1 Mehdi BENATIA (Bayern Munich) 2 Gonzalo RODRIGUEZ (Fiorentina) 1 Yacine BRAHIMI (Porto) 2
Stephane RUFFIER (Saint-Etienne) 1 Dani CARVAJAL (Real Madrid) 2 Walter SAMUEL (Basle) 1 Giannelli IMBULA (Marseille) 2
Mat RYAN (Club Brugge) 1 Ashley COLE (Roma) 2 Alex SANDRO (Porto) 1 KOKE (Atletico Madrid) 2
Yann SOMMER (Borussia Monchengladbach) 1 FABINHO (Monaco) 2 Emir SPAHIC (Bayer Leverkusen) 1 Geoffrey KONDOGBIA (Monaco) 2
Marc-Andre TER STEGEN (Barcelona) 1 Jose FONTE (Southampton) 2 Gregory VAN DER WIEL (Paris Saint-Germain) 1 Frank LAMPARD (Manchester City) 2
Jose GIMENEZ (Atletico Madrid) 2 VIEIRINHA (Wolfsburg) 1 Juan MATA (Manchester United) 2
DEFENDERS Christophe JALLET (Lyon) 2 WALLACE (Monaco) 1 RAFFAEL (Borussia Monchengladbach) 2
Branislav IVANOVIC (Chelsea) 34 Layvin KURZAWA (Monaco) 2 WENDELL (Bayer Leverkusen) 1 Jeremy TOULALAN (Monaco) 2
Sergio RAMOS (Real Madrid) 29 RAFINHA (Bayern Munich) 2 Jetro WILLEMS (PSV) 1 Granit XHAKA (Borussia Monchengladbach) 2
Gerard PIQUE (Barcelona) 28 Danny ROSE (Tottenham Hotspur) 2 Kurt ZOUMA (Chelsea) 1 Karim BELLARABI (Bayer Leverkusen) 1
Giorgio CHIELLINI (Juventus) 23 Paul VERHAEGH (Augsburg) 2 Sergio BUSQUETS (Barcelona) 1
David ALABA (Bayern Munich) 20 Toby ALDERWEIRELD (Southampton) 1 MIDFIELDERS Michael CARRICK (Manchester United) 1
John TERRY (Chelsea) 18 Jordan AMAVI (Nice) 1 Arjen ROBBEN (Bayern Munich) 39 Denis CHERYSHEV (Villarreal) 1
Juan BERNAT (Bayern Munich) 15 Davide ASTORI (Roma) 1 Cesc FABREGAS (Chelsea) 24 Francis COQUELIN (Arsenal) 1
Leonardo BONUCCI (Juventus) 13 Dusan BASTA (Lazio) 1 Eden HAZARD (Chelsea) 24 Alessandro FLORENZI (Roma) 1
PEPE (Real Madrid) 13 Andrea BARZAGLI (Juventus) 1 Kevin DE BRUYNE (Wolfsburg) 23 GABI (Atletico Madrid) 1
Jerome BOATENG (Bayern Munich) 12 Ryan BERTRAND (Southampton) 1 Paul POGBA (Juventus) 23 Steven GERRARD (Liverpool) 1

122 WORLD SOCCER

 WORLD SERVICE

a 4-1 victory over Lynx in the Rock win against Armed Forces and 3-1 in the Final of the Hazfi Cup to
Cup Final. secures the club a first league title. secure an automatic place in the
NAMIBIA: Deon Hotto scores both INDIA: A draw with defending group stage of next year’s AFC
goals as Namibia beat Mozambique champions Bengaluru sees Mohun Champions League.
2-0 in the COSAFA Cup Final at the Bagan pick up the point that they
Moruleng Stadium in South Africa. needed to win the I-League title for
Tuesday June 2
NEW ZEALAND: The hosts kick off the first time. CUBA: The first visiting side from the
the Under-20 World Cup with a 0-0 LUXEMBOURG: Differdange retain USA since the now-defunct Chicago
draw against Ukraine. the Luxembourger Cup, beating Sting in 1978, New York Cosmos
SCOTLAND: An 86th-minute goal Dudelange on penalties after a 1-1 beat Cuba 4-1 in a friendly at the
from James Vincent gives Inverness draw in the Final. Estadio Pedro Marrero in Havana.
Caledonian Thistle their first major MEXICO: Santos Laguna are SWITZERLAND: Sepp Blatter
silverware as they beat Falkirk 2-1 in crowned clausura champions despite Friendly...Cuba (left) and Cosmos announces he will resign as FIFA
the Scottish Cup Final. losing 3-0 to Queretaro, having won president, four days after being
SPAIN: Barcelona complete the the first leg of the Final 5-0. the Romanian Cup to their league re-elected for a fifth term.
domestic double, beating Athletic PORTUGAL: Sporting Lisbon win and League Cup successes.
Bilbao 3-1 in the Spanish Cup Final their first silverware since 2008 as
Wednesday June 3
at their own Camp Nou stadium in they beat Braga on penalties in the
Monday June 1 AZERBAIJAN: Qarabag seal the
what is midfielder Xavi’s last game Portuguese Cup Final. Braga had led GERMANY: Hamburg retain their double by beating holders Neftci
there for the club. 2-0 until Sporting drew level to force place in the Bundesliga with a 2-1 3-1 in the Azerbaijani Cup Final
extra time. victory over Karlsruher in extra-time SPAIN: Rafael Benitez signs a
Sunday May 31 ROMANIA: Steaua complete an to win their promotion/relegation three-year deal to take charge
GAMBIA: A second-half penalty unprecedented domestic treble, play-off 3-2 on aggregate. of Real Madrid.
from Yaya Ndong gives Gamtel a 1-0 beating Universitatea Cluj 3-0 to add IRAN: Zob Ahan beat Naft Tehran TURKEY: Burak Yilmaz scores a

MAY 2015 Maxime GONALONS (Lyon) 1

Yoann GOURCUFF (Lyon) 1
Luiz GUSTAVO (Wolfsburg) 1
Hector HERRERA (Porto) 1
Luka MODRIC (Real Madrid) 1
Saul NIGUEZ (Atletico Madrid) 1
Gianluigi Giorgio Patrice Andres Neymar Steven N’ZONZI (Stoke City) 1
Buffon Chiellini Evra Iniesta Barcelona Dimitry PAYET (Marseille) 1
Juventus Juventus Juventus Barcelona OOOOOOO Pablo PIATTI (Valencia) 1
OOOOOOOOO OOOO OOOO OOOOOOO Franck RIBERY (Bayern Munich) 1
Bernardo SILVA (Monaco) 1
TALISCA (Benfica) 1
EVRA INIESTA Jack WILSHERE (Arsenal) 1

FORWARDS
Lionel MESSI (Barcelona) 73
Cristiano RONALDO (Real Madrid) 60
CHIELLINI NEYMAR Luis SUAREZ (Barcelona) 39
NEYMAR (Barcelona) 30
Sergio AGUERO (Manchester City) 20
Harry KANE (Tottenham Hotspur) 18
Diego COSTA (Chelsea) 17
BUFFON RAKITIC SUAREZ Bas DOST (Wolfsburg) 13
Carlos TEVEZ (Juventus) 13
Karim BENZEMA (Real Madrid) 8
Alexandre LACAZETTE (Lyon) 8
Alvaro MORATA (Juventus) 6
PIQUE MESSI Alexis SANCHEZ (Arsenal) 6
Carlos BACCA (Sevilla) 5
Graziano PELLE (Southampton) 5
Francesco TOTTI (Roma) 5
Wayne ROONEY (Manchester United) 4
ALVES MARCHISIO Luiz ADRIANO (Shakhtar Donetsk) 2
Paulo DYBALA (Palermo) 2
Andre-Pierre GIGNAC (Marseille) 2
Javier HERNANDEZ (Real Madrid) 2
Alexander MEIER (Eintracht Frankfurt) 2
Diafra SAKHO (West Ham United) 2
Paco ALCACER (Valencia) 1
Tom DE SUTTER (Club Brugge) 1
Eljero ELIA (Southampton) 1
Zlatan IBRAHIMOVIC (Paris Saint-Germain) 1
Mauro ICARDI (Internazionale) 1
Gerard Pique Dani Alves Ivan Claudio Lionel Messi Luis Suarez Robert LEWANDOWSKI (Bayern Munich) 1
Barcelona Barcelona Rakitic Marchisio Barcelona Barcelona Sadio MANE (Southampton) 1
OOOOOO OOOOOO Barcelona Juventus. OOOOOO OOOOOO Jackson MARTINEZ (Porto) 1
OOOO OOO OOOOOO OOOO OOOOOOO OOOOO Cristian TELLO (Porto) 1
Luca TONI (Verona) 1
ESM – EUROPEAN SPORTS MEDIA Fernando TORRES (Atletico Madrid) 1
The members of ESM are: A Bola (Portugal), Elf (Holland), Fanatik (Turkey), Frankfurter Allegmeine Zeitung (Germany), Goal News Jamie VARDY (Leicester City) 1
(Greece), Kicker (Germany), Marca (Spain), Nemzeti Sport (Hungary), So Foot (France), Sport (Belgium), Sport Express (Russia), Danny WELBECK (Arsenal) 1
De Telegraaf (Holland), TIPSbladet (Denmark), World Soccer (England). More details of votes at worldsoccer.com/votes Simone ZAZA (Sassuolo) 1

WORLD SOCCER 123

 hat-trick as Galatasaray beat the King’s Cup and deny their rivals the third-place play-off, beating
Bursaspor 3-2 in the Turkish Cup a Saudi league and cup double. England 2-1.
Final to complete their first domestic SPAIN: Eibar, who finished third PARAGUAY: Roque Santa Cruz
double since 2000. from bottom in La Liga, are saved scores an own goal and then
UNITED ARAB EMIRATES: Al Nasr from relegation after the Spanish equalises twice as Paraguay draw
win the UAE President’s Cup on Football League demote 13th-place 2-2 at home to Honduras in a Copa
penalties after drawing 1-1 in Elche for unpaid debts. America warm-up game.
extra-time with Al Ahli. USA: Two goals in the last two POLAND: Lech Poznan draw 0-0
minutes see the US come from with Wisla Krakow to claim their
Thursday June 4 3-1 down to beat Holland 4-3 in seventh league title.
FIJI: A 3-0 victory over Honduras a friendly in Amsterdam. SWITZERLAND: Sion beat league
at the Under-20 World Cup in New champions Basle 3-0 to win the
Zealand is Fiji’s first-ever win at a
Saturday June 6 Swiss Cup for a 13th time.
FIFA tournament. ARGENTINA: Sergio Aguero scores
ITALY: Juventus sign Palermo striker his first international hat-trick in a
Monday June 8
Paulo Dybala for ¤32m, with a 5-0 friendly victory against Bolivia. On target...Brazil scorer Coutinho GHANA: Vitoria Guimaraes
potential extra ¤8m depending on Angel Di Maria, who was captain in played behind closed doors at La midfielder Bernard Mensah scores
“certain conditions”. Lionel Messi’s absence, gets the Bombonera and move a point on his international debut as Ghana
UKRAINE: Dynamo Kiev complete other two goals. behind leaders San Lorenzo, who beat Togo 1-0 in a friendly.
the domestic double, beating ECUADOR: Walter Ayovi wins his drew 0-0 on Saturday with Belgrano. ITALY: Fiorentina sack coach
Shakhtar Donetsk on penalties in 100th cap and Fidel Martinez scores BELGIUM: Marouane Fellaini is on Vincenzo Montella and accuse him
the Ukrainian Cup Final. twice as Ecuador beat Panama 4-0. target twice as Belgium win 4-3 in of a “lack of respect”, despite the
SPAIN: Barcelona beat Juventus 3-1 a friendly against France in Paris. 40-year-old leading the side to
Friday June 5 in the Champions League Final to BRAZIL: Philippe Coutinho and fourth place in Serie A and the
CURACAO: Patrick Kluivert remains become the first team to twice win Diego Tardelli score first-half goals semi-finals of the Europa League
unbeaten in three games as national the treble of major continental cup in a 2-0 win over Mexico as Brazil and the Italian Cup.
coach with a 1-0 win against Trinidad and domestic double. play their first home game since last SPAIN: Barcelona sign Sevilla’s
& Tobago. year’s World Cup. Aleix Vidal for an initial fee of ¤18m,
SAUDI ARABIA: Al Hilal beat Al
Sunday June 7 FRANCE: The host nation beat although the right-back won’t be
Nassr on penalties at the end of ARGENTINA: Boca Juniors beat Morocco 3-1 in the Final of the able to play for Barca until January
extra-time after a 1-1 draw to win Newell’s Old Boys 4-0 in a game Toulon Tournament. The USA won 2016 due to their transfer ban. WS

Top...Ronaldo FINAL Finisher...Toni

STANDINGS

Pos Name Goals Factor Points Pos Name Goals Factor Points
1 Cristiano Ronaldo Real Madrid 48 2 96 32 Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang Borussia Dortmund 16 2 32
2 Lionel Messi Barcelona 43 2 86 Bas Dost Wolfsburg 16 2 32
3 Sergio Aguero Manchester City 26 2 52 Jeremy Menez Milan 16 2 32
4 Jonatan Soriano Red Bull Salzburg 31 1.5 46.5 Alexis Sanchez Arsenal 16 2 32
5 Antoine Griezmann Atletico Madrid 22 2 44 Luis Suarez Barcelona 16 2 32
Mauro Icardi Internazionale 22 2 44 Igor Subbotin Levadia Tallinn 32 1 32
Neymar Barcelona 22 2 44 38 Andre-Pierre Gignac Marseille 21 1.5 31.5
Luca Toni Verona 22 2 44 Angelo Henriquez Dinamo Zagreb 21 1.5 31.5
9 Harry Kane Tottenham Hotspur 21 2 42 40 Joe Gormley Cliftonville 31 1 31
Jackson Martinez Porto 21 2 42 Pero Pejic Kukesi 31 1 31
11 Robert Beric Rapid Vienna 27 1.5 40.5 42 Karim Benzema Real Madrid 15 2 30
Alexandre Lacazette Lyon 27 1.5 40.5 Domenico Berardi Sassuolo 15 2 30
Eran Zahavi Maccabi Tel Aviv 27 1.5 40.5 Manolo Gabbiadini Sampdoria/Napoli 15 2 30
14 Carlos Bacca Sevilla 20 2 40 Luuk De Jong PSV 20 1.5 30
Diego Costa Chelsea 20 2 40 David Lafata Sparta Prague 20 1.5 30
Jonas Benfica 20 2 40 Manucho Infonet 30 1 30
Carlos Tevez Juventus 20 2 40 48 Zlatan Ibrahimovic Paris Saint-Germain 19 1.5 28.5
18 Lima Benfica 19 2 38 Marcel Sabitzer Red Bull Salzburg 19 1.5 28.5
Alexander Meier Eintracht Frankfurt 19 2 38 Milan Skoda Slavia Prague 19 1.5 28.5
20 Aritz Aduriz Athletic Bilbao 18 2 36 51 Saido Berahino West Bromwich Albion 14 2 28
Charlie Austin Queens Park Rangers 18 2 36 Sergio Garcia Espanyol 14 2 28
Gonzalo Higuain Napoli 18 2 36 Olivier Giroud Arsenal 14 2 28
Evgeni Kabaev Sillamae Kalev 36 1 36 Vladislavs Gutkovskis Skonto Riga 28 1 28
24 Andrej Kramaric HNK Rijeka/Leicester City 21 1.5 + 2 35.5 Eden Hazard Chelsea 14 2 28
25 Alberto Bueno Rayo Vallecano 17 2 34 Jonathas Elche 14 2 28
Robert Lewandowski Bayern Munich 17 2 34 Antonio Di Natale Udinese 14 2 28
Marco Matias Nacional 17 2 34 Chris Venables Aberystwyth Town 28 1 28
Arjen Robben Bayern Munich 17 2 34 59 Demba Ba Besiktas 18 1.5 27
29 Memphis Depay PSV 22 1.5 33 Edinson Cavani Paris Saint-Germain 18 1.5 27
Fernandao Bursaspor 22 1.5 33 Paul Heatley Crusaders 27 1 27
Shkelzen Gashi Basle 22 1.5 33 Gregory Tade CFR Cluj 18 1.5 27

124 WORLD SOCCER

 RESULTS, TABLES, FIXTURES
RESULTS, TABLES, FIXTURES

Club football
2014-15 – RELEGATION GROUP – FINAL LUXEMBOURG
P W D L F A Pts
Ethnikos 32 11 8 13 36 49 41 2014-15 – FINAL
AEL 32 9 12 11 42 42 39 P W D L F A Pts
Nea Salamina 32 9 9 14 31 37 36 Fola (C) 26 19 4 3 63 21 61
Ayia Napa 32 6 12 14 32 54 30 Differdange 26 18 5 3 61 31 59

EUROPE AZERBAIJAN
2014-15 – FINAL
Doxa 32 7 7 18 29 55
Othellos (R) 32 5 10 17 26 42

GEORGIA
28
25
F91
Progres
Jeunesse E
26 16 6 4 55 20
26 15 5 6 51 29
26 12 8 6 46 34
54
50
44
UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE P W D L F A Pts
Victoria 26 8 7 11 36 46 31
Etzella 26 9 3 14 36 50 30
Qarabag (C) 32 20 8 4 51 28 68 2014-15 – FINAL
Semi-finals Inter 32 17 12 3 55 20 63 P W D L F A Pts
Mondorf 26 8 5 13 30 40 29
1st legs Grevenmacher 26 8 5 13 24 48 29
Qabala 32 15 9 8 46 35 54 Dila (C) 30 19 7 4 50 21 64
May 5 Rumelange 26 7 7 12 29 38 28
Neftchi 32 13 10 9 38 33 49 Dinamo Bat’mi 30 18 4 8 40 24 58
Juventus (Ita) 2 (Morata 8, Tevez pen 58) Wiltz 26 7 6 13 29 38 27
Simurq 32 11 6 15 41 39 39 Dinamo Tbilisi 30 17 7 6 56 28 58
Real Madrid (Spa) 1 (Cristiano Ronaldo 27) Kaerjeng (R)1 26 8 3 15 33 52 27
AZAL 32 10 9 13 37 42 39 Tskhinvali 30 16 5 9 47 37 53
HT: 1-1. Att: 41,011. Ref: Atkinson (Eng) Hostert (R) 26 5 8 13 35 52 23
Khazar 32 8 8 16 35 46 32 Chikhura 30 13 7 10 39 36 46 Jeunesse C (R) 26 3 6 17 16 45 15
Sumqayit 32 7 10 15 32 43 31 Samtredia 30 13 6 11 40 31 45 1
May 6 Relegated after losing rel/prom play-off
Baku 32 3 8 21 19 68 17 Shukura 30 11 8 11 36 38 41
Barcelona (Spa) 3 (Messi 77, 80, Neymar 90+4) Araz1 (R) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Bayern Munich (Ger) 0 1
Withdrawn from league mid-season; all results
Torpedo 30 10 11 9 39 33 41 MACEDONIA
Guria 30 10 9 11 38 43 39
HT: 0-0. Att: 95,639. Ref: Rizzoli (Ita) expunged Kolkheti Poti 30 9 10 11 31 31 37 Division split after 27-round regular season;
Merani 30 9 9 12 29 33 36 teams carried forward full regular-season record
2nd legs BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA Zugdidi 30 8 9 13 24 45 33
May 12
Sioni 30 9 5 16 32 46 32 2014-15 – CHAMPIONSHIP GROUP – FINAL
Bayern Munich 3 (Benatia 7, Lewandowski 59, 2014-15 – FINAL 1
Metalurgi (R) 30 6 8 16 25 46 26 P W D L F A Pts
Muller 74) P W D L F A Pts WIT Georgia (R) 30 7 5 18 27 40 26 Vardar (C) 32 20 9 3 56 21 69
Barcelona 2 (Neymar 15, 29) Sarajevo (C) 30 19 9 2 55 17 66 Zestafoni (R) 30 6 8 16 40 61 26 Rabotnicki 32 20 6 6 55 30 66
HT: 1-2. Att: 70,000. Ref: Clattenburg (Eng) Zeljeznicar 30 18 9 3 52 22 63 1
Relegated after losing rel/prom play-off Shkendija 32 18 5 9 58 31 59
Barcelona 5-3 on agg Zrinjski 30 16 11 3 41 13 59
Renova 32 13 9 10 41 39 48
May 13
Siroki Brijeg 30 15 11 4 46 23 56 GIBRALTAR Sileks 32 10 11 11 33 42 41
Borac 30 14 7 9 26 26 49
Real Madrid 1 (Cristiano Ronaldo pen 23) Metalurg 32 8 9 15 34 42 33
Olimpic 30 13 7 10 41 34 46 2014-15 – FINAL
Juventus 1 (Morata 57) Celik 30 10 11 9 34 35 41 P W D L F A Pts 2014-15 – RELEGATION GROUP – FINAL
HT: 1-0. Att: 78,153. Ref: Eriksson (Swe) Sloboda Tuzla 30 11 7 12 33 28 40 Lincoln RI (C) 21 19 1 1 80 12 58 P W D L F A Pts
Juventus 3-2 on agg Velez 30 10 8 12 32 33 38 College Europa 21 12 6 3 42 14 42 Bregalnica 33 13 9 11 33 29 48
Radnik 30 7 10 13 29 39 31 Lynx 21 10 8 3 36 18 38 1
● For Final, see page 36 Travnik 30 8 7 15 22 42 31
Turnovo 33 9 9 15 26 37 36
St Joseph’s 21 12 2 7 36 18 38 Pelister (R) 33 7 9 17 21 35 30
Slavija 30 7 7 16 30 44 28 Manchester 62 21 7 6 8 22 25 27
EUROPA LEAGUE Drina 30 6 9 15 26 40 27 Glacis Utd 21 4 3 14 14 50 15 1
Teteks (R) 33 3 6 24 22 73 15
Stay in top division after winning rel/prom
Vitez 30 7 5 18 21 43 26 Britannia XI 21 2 3 16 13 67 9
Semi-finals play-off
Mladost VO (R) 30 6 8 16 18 44 26 Lions Gibraltar 21 1 5 15 9 48 8
1st legs - May 7; 2nd legs - May 14 Zvijezda (R) 30 5 10 15 30 53 25
Napoli (Ita) v Dnipro (Ukr) 1-1, 0-1 (agg 1-2)
No relegation this season MOLDOVA
Sevilla (Spa) v Fiorentina (Ita) 3-0, 2-0 (agg 5-0) BULGARIA HUNGARY 2014-15 – FINAL
● For Final, see page 40 P W D L F A Pts
Division split after 22-round regular season; 2014-15 – FINAL Milsami (C) 24 17 4 3 50 15 55
teams carried forward full regular-season record P W D L F A Pts
ALBANIA Dacia 24 17 4 3 48 13 55
Videoton (C) 30 22 5 3 64 14 71 Sheriff 24 17 4 3 56 16 55
2014-15 – CHAMPIONSHIP GROUP – FINAL Ferencvaros 30 19 7 4 49 19 64
2014-15 – FINAL Tiraspol 24 14 2 8 49 28 44
P W D L F A Pts MTK 30 18 3 9 39 25 57
P W D L F A Pts Saxan 24 8 6 10 20 30 30
Ludogorets (C) 32 18 9 5 63 24 63 Debrecen 30 15 9 6 44 19 54
Skenderbeu (C) 36 24 7 5 58 18 79 Zimbru 24 7 6 11 23 19 27
Beroe 32 15 10 7 46 30 55 Paks 30 14 9 7 44 27 51
Kukesi 36 23 6 7 59 27 75 Academia 24 5 2 17 18 47 17
Lok Sofia 32 16 7 9 39 31 55 Ujpest 30 14 9 7 40 28 51
Partizani 36 22 7 7 42 24 73 Dinamo-Auto 24 4 2 18 23 63 14
Lovech 32 16 6 10 49 36 54 Diosgyor 30 13 9 8 43 36 48
Tirana 36 21 8 7 47 27 71 Zaria 24 4 0 20 10 66 12
CSKA 32 14 10 8 45 27 52 Gyor (R)1 30 10 8 12 41 44 38 1
Laci 36 20 9 7 46 19 69 Costuleni (R) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Botev 32 12 6 14 38 39 42 Kecskemet (R)1 30 10 8 12 30 39 38
Flamurtari 36 10 8 18 29 37 38 Veris1 (R) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Puskas Acad 30 10 5 15 35 40 35 1
Costuleni & Veris both excluded from league
Vllaznia1 36 11 5 20 27 41 35 2014-15 – RELEGATION GROUP – FINAL Pecs (R)1 30 8 7 15 32 51 31
Teuta 36 9 2 25 31 54 29 mid-season; all results expunged
P W D L F A Pts Nyir’haza (R)1 30 8 6 16 33 49 30
Apolonia (R) 36 7 4 25 19 56 25 Levski 32 17 5 10 66 33 56
Elbasani (R) 36 4 2 30 19 74 14 Cherno More 32 15 5 12 42 36 50
Honved 30 6 10 14 26 36 28 MONTENEGRO
1
Haladas 30 7 4 19 26 53 25
3pts deducted Slavia 32 12 7 13 40 38 43 Dun’varos2 (R) 30 5 8 17 26 49 22 2014-15 – FINAL
Lok Plovdiv 32 9 5 18 28 52 32 Papa (R) 30 4 7 19 14 57 19
ARMENIA P W D L F A Pts
Marek (R) 32 5 5 22 14 71 20 1
Relegated after being refused licence Rudar (C) 33 22 6 5 58 18 72
Haskovo (R) 32 4 3 25 18 71 15 2
1pt deducted for fielding an ineligible player
2014-15 – FINAL Sutjeska 33 20 9 4 58 23 69
Buducnost 33 18 9 6 46 20 63
P W D L F A Pts CROATIA ISRAEL Mladost 33 16 9 8 53 36 57
Pyunik (C) 28 19 4 5 58 26 61
Ulisses 28 15 5 8 43 32 50 Grbalj 33 15 7 11 52 44 52
2014-15 – FINAL Division split after 26-round regular season;
Shirak 28 14 7 7 51 32 49 Lovcen 33 15 5 13 42 32 50
P W D L F A Pts teams carried forward full regular-season record
Alashkert 28 10 8 10 32 35 38 Petrovac 33 12 7 14 30 35 43
Dinamo (C) 36 26 10 0 85 21 88
Mika 28 9 10 9 33 34 37 Bokelj 33 11 8 14 38 45 41
Rijeka 36 22 9 5 76 29 75 2014-15 – CHAMPIONSHIP GROUP – FINAL Zeta 33 11 7 15 48 44 40
Banants 28 8 8 12 42 46 32 Hajduk1 36 15 8 13 59 56 50 P W D L F A Pts
Gandzasar 28 7 8 13 31 44 29 Mornar1 33 9 5 19 32 63 32
Lokomotiva 36 13 7 16 59 68 46 M Tel Aviv1 (C) 36 21 9 6 67 32 70
Ararat 28 3 4 21 28 69 13 Mogren (R)1 33 5 6 22 26 70 21
Zagreb 36 13 7 16 45 54 46 Kiryat Shmona 36 18 10 8 53 38 64
No relegation this season Berane (R) 33 3 4 26 25 78 13
Slaven 36 11 9 16 38 49 42 Beer Sheva 36 17 11 8 63 40 62 1
Mornar stay in top division after winning their
Split 36 9 14 13 42 49 41 Beitar2 36 13 13 10 48 43 51
AUSTRIA rel/prom play-off; Mogren relegated after losing
Osijek 36 10 6 20 42 59 36 Mac Haifa 36 14 8 14 51 37 50 their rel/prom play-off
Istra 1961 36 7 14 15 36 59 35 M Petah Tikva 36 12 12 12 34 41 48
2014-15 – FINAL Zadar (R) 36 8 8 20 37 75 32
P W D L F A Pts 1
3pts deducted for refusing to play away to
SAN MARINO
2014-15 – RELEGATION GROUP – FINAL
Salzburg (C) 36 22 7 7 99 42 73 Dinamo because a number of Hajduk fans were P W D L F A Pts
Rapid 36 19 10 7 68 38 67 Championship Final
denied entry to the game Bnei Sakhnin 33 11 11 11 43 44 44
Altach 36 17 8 11 50 49 59 May 26: Folgore 3 Juvenes/Dogana 1.
Hap Tel Aviv1 33 12 8 13 36 40 42
Sturm 36 16 10 10 57 41 58 CYPRUS Netanya 33 11 8 14 46 54 41
Wolfsberger 36 16 4 16 44 50 52 Ra’anana 33 10 9 14 35 36 39
Ried 36 12 8 16 49 51 44 Division split after 22-round regular season; Acre 33 9 11 13 28 42 38
Austria 36 10 13 13 45 51 43 teams carried forward full regular-season record Hap Haifa 33 9 7 17 25 47 34
Grodig 36 10 7 19 46 65 37 H P Tikva (R) 33 8 8 17 43 59 32
Admira 36 7 13 16 32 61 34 2014-15 – CHAMPIONSHIP GROUP – FINAL Ashdod (R) 33 6 13 14 32 51 31
W Neustadt (R) 36 7 8 21 37 79 29 P W D L F A Pts 1
2pts deducted for violence during the Tel Aviv
APOEL (C) 32 17 11 4 52 26 62 derby in November
AEK 32 17 8 7 56 31 59 2
1pt deducted after fans made racist chants
Apollon 32 18 5 9 59 41 59
Omonia 32 17 5 10 52 34 56
Anorthosis 32 16 4 12 50 37 52
Ermis 32 11 7 14 38 55 40

WORLD SOCCER 125

RESULTS, TABLES, FIXTURES

SERBIA May 7 May 27 PARAGUAY

River Plate (Arg) 1 (Sanchez pen 82) Cruzeiro 0
2014-15 – FINAL Boca Juniors (Arg) 0 River Plate 3 (Sanchez 20, Maidana 45, 2015 – APERTURA – FINAL
P W D L F A Pts HT: 0-0. Ref: Delfino (Arg) Gutierrez 52) P W D L F A Pts
Partizan (C) 30 21 8 1 67 22 71 Sent off: Gutierrez (River Plate) 88 HT: 0-2. Ref: Roldan (Col) C Porteno (C) 22 16 4 2 41 19 52
Red Star 30 19 7 4 46 20 64 Sent off: Gabriel Xavier (Cruzeiro) 87 Guarani 22 15 2 5 40 26 47
Cukaricki 30 16 9 5 48 24 57 May 7 River Plate 3-1 on agg Libertad 22 10 8 4 30 23 38
Vojvodina 30 16 4 10 44 36 52 Wanderers (Uru) 1 (Santos 55) Olimpia 22 9 8 5 32 22 35
Novi Pazar 30 13 8 9 39 28 47 Racing Club (Arg) 1 (Fernandez 87) May 27 Luqueno 22 10 4 8 35 29 34
Rad 30 13 4 13 33 38 43 HT: 0-0. Ref: Cortez (Bra) Internacional 2 (Juan 3, Perlaza og 87) Sol America 22 8 7 7 26 26 31
Mladost 30 11 7 12 41 47 40 Santa Fe 0 Rubio Nu 22 6 8 8 34 36 26
OFK 30 10 9 11 35 43 39 2nd legs HT: 1-0. Ref: Carrillo (Per) Nacional 22 5 7 10 28 37 22
Radnicki Nis 30 9 10 11 25 31 37 May 5 Sent off: Mosquera 67, Anchico 82, Borja (from the Santani 22 4 9 9 27 33 21
Jagodina 30 10 5 15 38 45 35 Tigres 1 (Rafael Sobis pen 76) bench) 90+6 (all Santa Fe) General Diaz 22 5 6 11 26 32 21
Spartak 30 9 7 14 23 33 34 Universitario Sucre 1 (Cuesta 2) Internacional 2-1 on agg Capiata 22 5 6 11 29 41 21
Vozdovac 30 9 7 14 24 37 34 HT: 0-1. Ref: Bascunan (Chl) San Lorenzo 22 2 5 15 24 48 11
Borac 30 8 9 13 29 35 33 Tigres 3-2 on agg May 28
1
Napredak (R) 30 8 7 15 23 34 31 Racing Club 0 URUGUAY
Donji Srem (R) 30 6 8 16 25 42 26 May 12 Guarani 0
Rad’ki 1923 (R) 30 4 7 19 17 42 19 Santa Fe 2 (Meza 34, Rivera 80) Ref: Cunha (Uru) 2014-15 – CLAUSURA – FINAL
1
Relegated after losing rel/prom play-off Estudiantes 0 Sent off: Saja (Racing) 45 P W D L F A Pts
HT: 1-0. Ref: Vera (Ecu) Guarani 1-0 on agg Penarol (C) 15 9 4 2 28 13 31
SLOVAKIA Santa Fe 3-2 on agg River Plate 15 9 2 4 30 17 29
Semi-finals draw Defensor 15 7 6 2 20 16 27
2014-15 – FINAL May 13 Internacional v Tigres Danubio 15 8 2 5 17 12 26
P W D L F A Pts Corinthians 0 River Plate v Guarani Juventud 15 7 4 4 25 17 25
Trencin (C) 33 23 5 5 67 28 74 Guarani 1 (Fernandez 90+2) 1st legs - July 14/15; 2nd legs - July 21/22 Tacu’embo (R) 15 7 3 5 23 22 24
Zilina 33 20 9 4 68 25 69 HT: 0-0. Ref: Osses (Chl) Cerro1 15 7 3 5 21 23 23
Slovan 33 18 3 12 49 42 57 Sent off: Fabio Santos 53, Jadson 69 (both Corinthians) BOLIVIA Sud America 15 5 7 3 19 19 22
Spartak Trn’va 33 16 8 9 53 31 56 Guarani 3-0 on agg Nacional 15 6 3 6 24 21 21
Senica 33 12 11 10 52 50 47 2014-15 – CLAUSURA – FINAL Fenix 15 6 2 7 18 16 20
Kosice (R)1 33 11 8 14 43 48 41 May 13 P W D L F A Pts Tanque Sisley 15 4 4 7 17 25 16
Ruzomberok 33 10 10 13 41 45 40 Cruzeiro 1 (Leandro Damiao 55) Bolivar (C) 22 14 4 4 44 22 46 Wanderers 15 4 3 8 19 18 15
DAC 33 9 12 12 32 44 39 Sao Paulo 0 The Strongest 22 12 6 4 48 28 42 Atenas (R) 15 4 2 9 27 37 14
Spartak Myj’va 33 11 6 16 38 53 39 HT: 0-0. Ref: Cunha (Uru) Wilstermann 22 10 9 3 23 15 39 Rampla (R) 15 4 2 9 18 28 14
Zlate Moravce 33 8 8 17 27 54 32 Agg 1-1; Cruzeiro 4-3 on pens Blooming 22 9 8 5 32 22 35 Rentistas 15 4 2 9 16 27 14
Podbrezova 33 7 8 18 32 54 29 Oriente 22 9 7 6 39 25 34 Racing 15 4 1 10 17 28 13
Dukla (R) 33 4 10 19 29 57 22 May 13 Real Potosi 22 10 3 9 30 23 33 Relegation determined by overall points gained in
1
Relegated after being refused a licence to play in Internacional 3 (Valdivia 22, D’Alessandro 45+1, San Jose 22 7 6 9 33 29 27 2 most recent seasons
next season’s top division Lopez 80) Petrolero Y’ba 22 5 11 6 21 25 26 1
1pt deducted for fan violence
Atletico Mineiro 1 (Pratto 59) Univ’tario S 22 7 3 12 27 36 24
SLOVENIA HT: 2-0. Ref: Bascunan (Chl) Nacional
1
22 5 8 9 24 29 23 VENEZUELA
Internacional 5-3 on agg Sport Boys 22 5 3 14 24 42 18
2014-15 – FINAL Univ’tario P (R) 22 2 6 14 15 64 12 2014-15 season title play-off
P W D L F A Pts May 14 Relegation determined by points-per-game average (apertura winners, Trujillanos v clausura winners, Tachira)
Maribor (C) 36 24 7 5 74 32 79 Atletico Nacional 1 (Henriquez 61) over 2 most recent seasons 1st leg - May 10; 2nd leg - May 17
1
Celje 36 20 10 6 58 31 70 Emelec 0 Stay in top division after winning rel/prom play-off Trujillanos v Tachira 0-0, 0-1 (agg 0-1)
Domzale 36 21 5 10 52 22 68 HT: 0-0. Ref: Carrillo (Per)
COLOMBIA
Olimpija
Zavrc
Rudar
36 17 10 9 55 32 61
36 15 4 17 38 52 49
36 12 10 14 44 43 46
Sent off: P Quinonez (Emelec) 42
Emelec 2-1 on agg
2015 Apertura
AFRICA
Krka 36 11 7 18 38 54 40 May 14 CAF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE
Koper 36 12 4 20 35 58 40 Boca Juniors 0 REGULAR – FINAL
Gorica1 36 10 7 19 40 46 37 River Plate 0 P W D L F A Pts Group stage draw
Radomlje (R) 36 4 4 28 21 85 16 Ref: Herrera (Arg) At Huila (Q) 20 12 5 3 33 22 41 Group A: Al Hilal (Sud), Moghreb Tetouan (Mor),
1
Stay in top division after winning rel/prom play-off Match abandoned after Boca fans threw pepper spray Envigado (Q) 20 10 6 4 21 13 36 Smouha (Egy), TP Mazembe (DRC).
at the River Plate players as they returned to the field Dep Cali (Q) 20 10 5 5 36 24 35 Group B: Al Merreikh (Sud), ES Setif (Alg),

SOUTH AMERICA after half-time

Boca disqualified from tournament – River Plate
went through
I Medellin (Q) 20 10 5 5 31
Millonarios (Q) 20 9 7 4 36
At Nacional (Q) 20 10 4 6 33
22
23
24
35
34
34
MC El Eulma (Alg), USM Alger (Alg).
Ties to be played June 26-Sep 13

LIBERTADORES CUP Tolima (Q) 20 9 6 5 29 16 33 ● Top 2 in both groups qualify for semi-finals
May 14 Junior (Q) 20 9 6 5 27 16 33
1st knockout round (last 16) Racing Club 2 (Camacho 16, Bou 40) Santa Fe 20 8 7 5 29 19 31 CONFEDERATION CUP
1st legs Wanderers 1 (Olivera 89) Aguilas D’das 20 8 6 6 23 16 30
Apr 28 HT: 2-0. Ref: Roldan (Col) Patriotas 20 7 6 7 17 18 27 Play-off round
Universitario Sucre (Bol) 1 (Gonzalez 2) Racing Club 3-2 on agg La Equidad 20 6 8 6 21 21 26 (losing teams from the CAF Champions League
Tigres (Mex) 2 (Esqueda 55, Alvarez 63) Once Caldas 20 5 8 7 29 32 23 2nd round entered at this stage; all played the
HT: 1-0. Ref: Loustau (Arg) Quarter-finals Cortulua 20 5 6 9 22 25 21 1st leg at home)
1st legs Jaguares 20 5 6 9 21 32 21 1st legs - May 15-17; 2nd legs - June 6/7
May 5 May 19 Al Petrolera 20 3 11 6 17 22 20 AC Leopards (Con) v Warri Wolves (Nga)
Estudiantes (Arg) 2 (Auzqui 21, Carrillo 30) Emelec 1 (Bolanos 63) Boyaca Chico 20 3 8 9 16 29 17 3-0, 1-3 (agg 4-3)
Santa Fe (Col) 1 (Morelo 81) Tigres 0 Cucuta 20 2 9 9 16 33 15 Al Ahly (Egy) v Club Africain (Tun)
HT: 2-0. Ref: Arias (Par) HT: 0-0. Ref: Rapallini (Arg) Uniautonoma 20 3 6 11 13 30 15 2-1, 1-2 (agg 3-3, Al Ahly 5-4 on pens)
Dep Pasto 20 2 3 15 11 44 9 AS Kaloum (Gui) v Orlando Pirates (SAf)
May 6 May 20 Top 8 qualified for championship play-offs 0-2, 1-4 (agg 1-6)
Atletico Mineiro (Bra) 2 (Douglas Santos 14, Santa Fe 1 (Mosquera 90+2) CS Sfaxien (Tun) v ASEC Abidjan (IvC)
Leonardo Silva 90+4) Internacional 0 Quarter-finals 2-0, 1-1 (agg 3-1)
Internacional (Bra) 2 (Lopez 2, Valdivia 61) HT: 0-0. Ref: Pitana (Arg) Atletico Nacional v Dep Cali 3-3, 0-1 (agg 3-4) Esperance (Tun) v Hearts of Oak (Gha)
HT: 1-1. Ref: Roldan (Col) Junior v Ind Medellin 0-3 (awarded), 0-1 (agg 0-4) 4-0, 1-1 (agg 5-1)
May 21 Millonarios v Envigado 4-0, 2-3 (agg 6-3) Raja Casablanca (Mor) v Etoile Sahel (Tun)
May 6 Guarani 1 (Benitez 85) Tolima v Atletico Huila 2-1, 3-2 (agg 5-3) 2-0, 0-3 (agg 2-3)
Guarani (Par) 2 (Santander 60, Contrera 82) Racing Club 0 Sanga Balende (DRC) v Zamalek (Egy)
Corinthians (Bra) 0 HT: 0-0. Ref: Ricci (Bra) Semi-finals 1-0, 1-3 (agg 2-3)
HT: 0-0. Ref: Fedorczuk (Uru) Sent off: Lollo (Racing) 41 Millonarios v Dep Cali 3-2, 0-1 Stade Malien (Mli) v AS Vita (DRC)
(agg 3-3, Dep Cali 4-3 on pens) 2-0, 2-3 (agg 4-3)
May 6 May 21 Tolima v Ind Medellin 0-0, 1-3 (agg 1-3)
Sao Paulo (Bra) 1 (Centurion 83) River Plate 0 Group stage draw
Cruzeiro (Bra) 0 Cruzeiro 1 (Marquinhos 82) Final Group A: Al Ahly, Esperance, Etoile Sahel,
HT: 0-0. Ref: Amarilla (Par) HT: 0-0. Ref: Osses (Chl) 1st leg - Jun 3; 2nd leg - Jun 7 Stade Malien.
Dep Cali v Ind Medellin 1-0, 1-1 (agg 2-1) Group B: AC Leopards, CS Sfaxien,
May 7 2nd legs Orlando Pirates, Zamalek.
Emelec (Ecu) 2 (Herrera 41, Bolanos 74) May 26 Ties to be played June 26-Sep 13
Atletico Nacional (Col) 0 Tigres 2 (Rafael Sobis 6, Rivas 80)
HT: 1-0. Ref: Marques (Bra) Emelec 0 ● Top 2 in both groups qualify for semi-finals
HT: 1-0. Ref: Caceres (Par)
Tigres 2-1 on agg

126 WORLD SOCCER

 RESULTS, TABLES, FIXTURES

ALGERIA CAYMAN ISLANDS Seoul (SKo) v Gamba Osaka (Jap) Elimination finals
1-3, 2-3 (agg 3-6) May 1: Adelaide 2 Brisbane 1.
2014-15 – FINAL 2014-15 – FINAL Suwon Bluewings (SKo) v Kashiwa Reysol (Jap) May 3: Wellington Phoenix 0 Melbourne City 2.
P W D L F A Pts P W D L F A Pts 2-3, 2-1 (agg 4-4, Kashiwa on away goals)
ES Setif (C) 30 13 9 8 37 28 48 Scholars (C) 21 12 7 2 45 21 43 Semi-finals
MO Bejaia 30 12 11 7 36 23 47 Elite 21 10 5 6 43 33 35 AFC CUP May 8: Melbourne Victory 3 Melbourne City 0.
MC Oran 30 11 11 8 19 19 44 Cayman Ath 21 8 6 7 47 45 30 May 9: Sydney 4 Adelaide 1.
USM Harrach 30 13 4 13 30 32 43 Sunset 21 9 2 10 32 30 29 GROUP A – FINAL
Constantine 30 11 9 10 32 31 42 Bodden Town 21 7 7 7 34 36 28 P W D L F A Pts Final
CR Belouizdad 30 11 9 10 27 34 42 George Town 21 7 4 10 29 32 25 Al Wehdat (Jr) 6 4 1 1 16 3 13 May 17: Melbourne Victory 3 Sydney 0.
USM Alger 30 10 11 9 35 27 41 Roma United 21 4 10 7 22 27 22 Al Wahda (Syr) 6 3 2 1 8 4 11
ASM Oran 30 11 8 11 33 37 41 Cay’n Brac (R) 21 4 5 12 28 56 17 Al Nahda (Om) 6 2 1 3 7 11 7 BAHRAIN
Hussein Dey 30 10 10 10 23 22 40 Salam Z (Leb) 6 1 0 5 5 18 3
RC Arbaa 30 12 4 14 28 35 40 COSTA RICA 2014-15 – FINAL
MC Alger 30 10 9 11 33 31 39 GROUP B – FINAL P W D L F A Pts
JS Kabylie 30 11 6 13 33 35 39 2014-15 Clausura Final P W D L F A Pts Muharraq (C) 18 12 4 2 41 18 40
JS Saoura 30 10 9 11 26 29 39 1st leg - May 19; 2nd leg - May 23 Al Shorta (Irq) 6 2 3 1 14 7 9 Al Hadd 18 12 3 3 29 15 39
MC Eulma (R) 30 11 5 14 40 36 38 Alajuelense v Herediano 1-1, 2-2 (aet) Al Jazeera (Jr) 6 2 3 1 6 7 9 Manama 18 10 3 5 31 20 33
ASO Chlef (R) 30 8 12 10 24 28 36 (agg 3-3, Herediano 3-2 on pens) Wad Al’ss (Pal) 6 1 3 2 6 11 6 East Riffa 18 10 3 5 30 24 33
Bel Abbes (R) 30 8 9 13 19 28 33 Al Hidd (Bhr) 6 0 5 1 6 7 5 Al Riffa 18 9 4 5 26 17 31
HONDURAS Busaiteen 18 5 4 9 17 31 19
BOTSWANA GROUP C – FINAL Al Hala 18 5 4 9 22 39 19
2014-15 Clausura Final P W D L F A Pts Malkiya 18 5 3 10 17 28 18
2014-15 – FINAL 1st leg - May 20; 2nd leg - May 24 Istiklol (Taj) 6 3 2 1 12 8 11 Bahrain 18 3 4 11 22 29 13
P W D L F A Pts Motagua v Olimpia 1-2, 0-0 (agg 1-2) Qadsia (Kuw) 6 3 1 2 7 6 10 Al Shabab (R) 18 2 2 14 12 26 8
Centre Ch’fs (C) 30 20 8 2 62 27 68 Arbil (Irq) 6 2 1 3 8 8 7
Orapa United 30 18 7 5 43 24 61 JAMAICA Ahal (Tkm) 6 2 0 4 8 13 6 IRAN
T’ship Rollers 30 18 5 7 61 29 59
Gaborone Utd 30 14 8 8 40 29 50 2014-15 Championship Final GROUP D – FINAL 2014-15 – FINAL
Defence Force 30 14 7 9 38 28 49 June 1: Montego Bay United 0 Arnett Gardens 2. P W D L F A Pts P W D L F A Pts
Police XI 30 11 10 9 31 30 43 Al Jaish (Syr) 6 4 2 0 6 1 14 Sepahan (C) 30 17 8 5 46 27 59
Ex’n Gunners 30 12 7 11 26 27 43 MEXICO Kuwait SC (Kw) 6 3 1 2 9 6 10 Tractor Sazi 30 17 7 6 58 34 58
Meat Com’sion 30 10 10 10 42 36 40 Riffa (Bhr) 6 2 2 2 7 7 8 Naft Tehran 30 16 10 4 45 28 58
Nico United 30 10 9 11 41 31 39 2014-15 Clausura Nejmeh (Leb) 6 0 1 5 4 12 1 Zob Ahan 30 14 10 6 46 26 52
Highlanders 30 11 6 13 32 46 39 Foolad 30 15 7 8 33 24 52
Motlakase 30 10 7 13 35 46 37 REGULAR – FINAL GROUP E – FINAL Esteghlal T 30 13 8 9 40 34 47
S Bush Bucks 30 10 5 15 37 40 35 P W D L F A Pts P W D L F A Pts Saipa 30 11 8 11 36 34 41
Satmos 30 9 5 16 34 47 32 Tigres (Q) 17 9 2 6 23 15 29 Persipura (Ins) 6 5 1 0 17 4 16 Persepolis 30 9 9 12 31 35 36
Notwane (R) 30 8 7 15 37 51 31 America (Q) 17 8 5 4 21 18 29 Bengaluru (Ind) 6 4 0 2 8 8 12 Saba Qom 30 8 10 12 25 34 34
Letlapeng (R) 30 5 5 20 21 56 20 Veracruz (Q) 17 7 7 3 28 18 28 Maziya (Mdv) 6 2 1 3 7 6 7 Padideh 30 6 15 9 23 25 33
ECCO City (R) 30 4 6 20 23 56 18 Atlas (Q) 17 8 4 5 20 21 28 Warriors (Sin) 6 0 0 6 1 15 0 Gostaresh 30 6 13 11 30 39 31
Guadalajara (Q) 17 7 5 5 20 16 26 Rah Ahan 30 8 7 15 27 48 31
MOROCCO Queretaro (Q) 17 8 2 7 25 23 26 GROUP F – FINAL Malavan
1
30 6 12 12 26 34 30
Pachuca (Q) 17 7 4 6 25 21 25 P W D L F A Pts Esteghlal K 30 4 15 11 35 46 27
2014-15 – FINAL Santos L (Q) 17 7 4 6 24 21 25 Johor DT (Mly) 6 5 0 1 11 3 15 Paykan (R) 30 4 14 12 16 29 26
P W D L F A Pts Cruz Azul 17 7 4 6 14 14 25 Kitchee (HK) 6 3 2 1 10 6 11 Naft MS (R) 30 3 13 14 19 39 22
1
Wydad C (C) 30 16 11 3 48 21 59 Toluca 17 6 6 5 20 18 24 E Bengal (Ind) 6 1 2 3 8 10 5 Stay in top division after winning rel/prom
Olympique K 30 16 8 6 29 17 56 Tijuana 17 7 3 7 30 30 24 Balestier (Sin) 6 1 0 5 3 13 3 play-off
Kawkab 30 13 8 9 31 26 47 Monterrey 17 7 3 7 24 27 24
Moghreb 30 11 12 7 36 29 45 Pumas 17 6 4 7 22 27 22 GROUP G – FINAL JORDAN
FUS 30 11 12 7 34 28 45 Puebla 17 5 5 7 21 20 20 P W D L F A Pts
Hassania 30 10 10 10 42 46 40 Chiapas 17 5 5 7 21 30 20 Sth China (HK) 6 6 0 0 19 3 18 2014-15 – FINAL
Difaa 30 10 9 11 26 23 39 L Negros (R) 17 5 3 9 13 19 18 Pahang (Mly) 6 2 2 2 11 10 8 P W D L F A Pts
Raja 30 9 11 10 37 34 38 Leon 17 4 4 9 27 32 16 Global (Phi) 6 1 2 3 5 12 5 Al Wehdat (C) 22 14 6 2 39 10 48
RSB 30 6 18 6 25 24 36 Morelia 17 3 4 10 17 25 13 Yad’bon (Mya) 6 1 0 5 10 20 3 Al Jazeera 22 11 8 3 25 15 41
Maghreb 30 8 12 10 34 35 36 Top 8 qualified for championship play-offs; Al Ramtha 22 10 6 6 26 21 36
FAR 30 7 13 10 31 26 34 relegation determined by points-per-game average GROUP H – FINAL That Ras 22 8 9 5 24 16 33
Olympic Safi 30 8 10 12 20 35 34 over 3 most recent seasons P W D L F A Pts Al Ahli 22 8 6 8 19 20 30
KAC 30 8 9 13 25 29 33 Persib B’g (Ins) 6 3 3 0 10 5 12 Al Sareeh 22 8 4 10 21 24 28
Chabab RH 30 7 11 12 26 43 32 Quarter-finals Ay’wady (Mya) 6 2 4 0 13 9 10 Al Faisaly 22 6 9 7 14 17 27
Chabab AK (R) 30 8 8 14 23 37 32 Guadalajara v Atlas 0-0, 4-1 (agg 4-1) N Radiant (Mv) 6 1 2 3 4 10 5 Al Buqa’a 22 6 9 7 18 24 27
Ittihad K (R) 30 5 12 13 26 40 27 Pachuca v America 3-2, 4-3 (agg 7-5) Lao (Lao) 6 0 3 3 7 10 3 Al Hussein 22 6 8 8 23 29 26
Queretaro v Veracruz 2-1, 2-2 (agg 4-3) Shabab Ordon 22 6 8 8 16 23 26
TUNISIA Santos Laguna v Tigres 1-1, 1-0 (agg 2-1) ● Top 2 in each group qualified for 1st knockout Mansheyat (R) 22 6 7 9 20 25 25
round Ittihad Al R (R) 22 0 6 16 16 37 6
2014-15 – FINAL Semi-finals
P W D L F A Pts Pachuca v Queretaro 2-0, 0-2 (agg 2-2, 1st knockout round (last 16) SAUDI ARABIA
C Africain (C) 30 20 5 5 50 18 65 Queretaro on better regular-season record) (single-leg ties)
1
Etoile Sahel 30 19 7 4 47 17 63 Santos Laguna v Guadalajara May 26: Al Wehdat 0 Qadsia SC 1; 2014-15 – FINAL
Esperance T 30 17 9 4 52 21 60 0-0, 3-0 (agg 3-0) Istiklol 1 Al Wahda 1 (aet, Istiklol 4-2 on pens); P W D L F A Pts
CS Sfaxien 30 11 14 5 35 21 47 Persipura Jayapura 0 Pahang 3 (awarded); Al Nassr (C) 26 20 4 2 62 20 64
Esperance Z 30 11 12 7 35 25 45 Final South China 2 Bengaluru 0. Al Ahli 26 17 9 0 59 22 60
AS Marsa 30 10 13 7 33 37 43 1st leg - May 28; 2nd leg - May 31 May 27: Al Jaish 1 Al Jazeera 0; Al Shorta 0 Al Hilal 26 16 6 4 46 17 54
Std Tunisien 30 12 7 11 29 32 43 Santos Laguna v Queretaro 5-0, 0-3 (agg 5-3) Kuwait SC 2; Johor Darul Ta’zim 5 Al Ittihad 26 16 4 6 44 33 52
CA Bizertin 30 9 14 7 21 21 41 Ayeyawady United 0; Persib Bandung 0 Kitchee 2. Al Shabab 26 11 7 8 37 31 40
JS Kairouan 30 9 11 10 32 33 38 PANAMA Al Fateh 26 9 6 11 35 43 33
Std Gabesien 30 9 10 11 20 28 37 AUSTRALIA Al Faisaly 26 8 6 12 31 42 30
Hammam-Lif 30 9 9 12 30 35 36 2014-15 Clausura Final Al Khaleej 26 7 8 11 35 41 29
ES Metlaoui 30 8 8 14 24 40 32 May 30: Arabe Unido 2 Independiente 1. 2014-15 Championship Al Taawon 26 7 7 12 42 46 28
EGS Gafsa 30 6 12 12 26 39 30 Hajer 26 8 4 14 29 56 28
Monastir (R) 30 3 16 11 20 31 25
AS Gabes (R) 30 5
AS Djerba (R) 30 4
4 21 21 44 19
5 21 23 56 17
ASIA REGULAR – FINAL
P W D L F A Pts
Melb’rne V (Q) 27 15 8 4 56 31 53
Al Raed
Najran
26
26
Al Shoalah (R) 26
7
7
5
5
3
6
14
16
15
33
28
26
45
41
48
26
24
21
1
1pt deducted for refusing to play their away game AFC CHAMPIONS LEAGUE Sydney (Q) 27 14 8 5 52 35 50 Al Orubah (R) 26 4 5 17 21 43 17
at Hammam-Lif in protest at having a goal Adelaide (Q) 27 14 4 9 47 32 46
disallowed in a previous game 1st knockout round (last 16)
1st legs - May 19/20; 2nd legs - May 26/27
Welling’n P (Q) 27 14 4 9 45 35 46
Melb’rne C (Q) 27 9 8 10 36 41 35 OCEANIA
CONCACAF Al Ahli (UAE) v Al Ain (UAE)
0-0, 3-3 (agg 3-3, Al Ahli on away goals)
Al Sadd (Qat) v Lekhwiya (Qat)
Brisbane (Q) 27 10 4 13 42 43 34
Perth1 27 14 8 5 45 35 50
Central Coast 27 5 8 14 26 50 23
PAPUA NEW GUINEA
BELIZE 1-2, 2-2 (agg 3-4) West Sydney 27 4 6 17 29 44 18 2015 Championship Final
Jeonbuk Motors (SKo) v Beijing Guoan (Chn) Newcastle 27 3 8 16 23 55 17 May 23: Lae City Dwellers 4 Madang 1.
2014-15 Clausura Final 1-1, 1-0 (agg 2-1) Top 6 qualified for championship play-offs (the top 2
1st leg - May 7; 2nd leg - May 17 Naft Tehran (Irn) v Al Ahli (Sau) went directly into semi-finals), all single-leg ties;
Belmopan Bandits v Verdes 1-0, 0-2 (agg 1-2) 1-0, 1-2 (agg 2-2, Naft Tehran on away goals) no relegation from this league
1
Perth were placed 7th at the end of the regular KEY TO TABLES
Persepolis (Irn) v Al Hilal (Sau) (C) = champions
1-0, 0-3 (agg 1-3) season – therefore missing out on the play-offs
– for breaching their salary cap (R) = relegated
Seongnam (SKo) v Guangzhou Evergrande (Chn) (Q) = qualified for next stage
2-1, 0-2 (agg 2-3)

WORLD SOCCER 127

RESULTS, TABLES, FIXTURES

FRIENDLIES Sunday, May 31

Internationals
May 31 - Washington DC, USA
Thursday, April 30 Honduras 2 (M Martinez pen 7, Lozano 26)
Apr 30 - Paramaribo El Salvador 0
Surinam 1 (Rigters 24) HT: 2-0. Ref: Penso (USA)
Guyana 0 Honduras: Valladares - Beckeles, J Palacios, M
HT: 1-0. Ref: Dolaini (Sur) Figueroa, B Garcia, A Mejia (Andino 81), A Peralta
(Acosta 55), M Martinez (Discua 59), Najar (Castillo 72),
2018 WORLD CUP QUALIFIERS Group B
Sunday, May 10 Lozano, Hernandez (C Mejia 64). Sent off: Lozano 36.
May 18: Lesotho 1 Madagascar 2; Tanzania 0
May 10 - Bridgetown El Salvador: Carrillo - Garcia (Romero 90), Molina,
ASIA Swaziland 1.
Barbados 1 (Harte 40) Mendoza, Larin, J Alas, Santamaria (Herrera 79),
2nd round May 20: Madagascar 2 Tanzania 0; Lesotho 0
St Kitts & Nevis 3 (Isles 29, Elliott 52, Renderos (Maldonado 62), N Orellana (Landaverde
Group F Swaziland 2.
Rogers 90+5) 81), Corea (Torres 63), Rugamas (N Bonilla 68).
May 24 - Bangkok May 22: Madagascar 1 Swaziland 1; Lesotho 1
Tanzania 0. HT: 1-1
Thailand 1 (Pokkhao 80) May 31 - Crewe, England
Vietnam 0 Northern Ireland 1 (Dallas 47)
COSAFA CUP – GROUP B May 10 - Lusaka
HT: 0-0. Ref: Williams (Aus) Qatar 1 (Boudiaf 70)
P W D L F A Pts Zambia 2 (Munthali 34, Mtonga 39)
Thailand: Sinthaweechai - Theeraton, Kroekrit HT: 0-0. Att: 3,022. Ref: Oliver (Eng)
Madagascar (Q) 3 2 1 0 5 2 7 Malawi 0
(Adisak 76), Suttinan, Sarach, Teerasil, Sanrawat Northern Ireland: Carroll (McGovern 46) -
Swaziland 3 2 1 0 4 1 7 HT: 2-0
(Pokkhao 66), Narubadin, Koravit, Chanathip, C McLaughlin, Hughes (J Evans 61), Cathcart, D
Ekkachai (Sarawut 65). Lesotho 3 1 0 2 2 4 3
Tuesday, May 12 Lafferty, McNair (Magennis 82), McGinn (Ward 61), C
Vietnam: To Vinh Loi - Nguyen Huy Cuong (Dinh Tanzania 3 0 0 3 0 4 0
May 12 - Almaty Evans, Dallas (McCourt 73), Norwood, Grigg (Boyce 73).
Tien Thanh 46; Mai Tien Thanh 56), Que Ngoc Hai,
Nguyen Minh Chau, Nguyen Trong Hoang, Le Cong ● Group winners qualified for the quarter-finals Kazakhstan 0
Burkina Faso 0 Tuesday, June 2
Vinh, Vo Huy Toan, Nguyen Hai Anh (Mac Hong June 2 - Dhaka
Quan 60), Dang Khanh Lam, Nguyen Thanh Hien, Byes to quarter-finals: Botswana, Ghana, Malawi,
Wednesday, May 13 Bangladesh 1 (J Hassan)
Nguyen Minh Tung. Sent off: Nguyen Minh Chau 73. Mozambique, South Africa, Zambia
May 13 - Santo Domingo Afghanistan 1 (Shenwari)
HT: 1-0
WORLD CUP QUALS – ASIA – 2ND RND: GP F Quarter-finals Dominican Republic 6 (K Rodriguez 36, Lopez 40,
May 24 - Moruleng Batista 45, Valerio 74, 88, Feliz 90)
P W D L F A Pts June 2 - Phnom Penh
Zambia 0 Cayman Islands 0
Thailand 1 1 0 0 1 0 3 Cambodia 1 (Laboravy 46)
Namibia 0 HT: 3-0. Att: 800. Ref: Hidalgo (DoR)
Iraq 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Laos 1 (Phimmasen 50)
Taiwan 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Namibia 5-4 on pens
Thursday, May 14 HT: 0-0
Vietnam 1 0 0 1 0 1 0
May 24 - Moruleng May 14 - Maseru
Indonesia excluded after being suspended by FIFA for Wednesday, June 3
South Africa 0 Lesotho 0
government interference in the national FA June 3 - Panama City
Botswana 0 South Africa 0
Panama 1 (R Torres pen 62)
WINDWARD ISLANDS TOURNAMENT Botswana 7-6 on pens
Sunday, May 17 Ecuador 1 (Martinez 51)
May 17 - Hanoi HT: 0-0. Att: 10,000. Ref: Delgadillo (Mex)
Played in Vieux Fort, St Lucia May 25 - Rustenburg
Vietnam 1 (Mac Hong Quan 64) Panama: Penedo - Cummings, Davis (Peralta 46),
Ghana 1 (Darkwah 37)
North Korea 1 (pen 84) R Torres (Parris 79), Machado (Chen 46), Quintero
May 12 Madagascar 2 (Randriamanjaka 28, Simouri 90)
HT: 0-0 (Pimentel 85), Cooper, G Gomez, Escobar (Godoy 46),
Grenada 2 (S Rennie 39, 79) HT: 1-1
Tejada (Camargo 86), B Perez. Sent off: Godoy 81.
St Vincent & The Grenadines 3 (E George 34, Ecuador: Dominguez - Paredes, A Mina, Erazo,
May 25 - Rustenburg Wednesday, May 20
M Samuel 76, pen 86) Bagui (Pineida 71), P Quinonez, Lastra (Noboa 46),
Mozambique 2 (Malata og 10, Mzava og 90+2) May 20 - Almere
HT: 1-1. Ref: Clarke (StL) Gonzales (Cazares 74), Martinez, M Bolanos
Malawi 2 (Sulumba 51, Mzava pen 90) Curacao 3 (Merencia, Rajcomar, Wall)
Sent off: S Rennie (Grenada) 84; Hamlet (St Vincent) 90 (E Valencia 61), J Ayovi (Montero 46).
HT: 1-0 Surinam 2 (Hasselbaink, Snijders)
Mozambique 5-4 on pens HT: 1-1
May 12 June 3 - Lima
St Lucia 1 (St Prix 16) Peru 1 (Farfan 63)
Dominica 1 (Elizee 83) ● Losing quarter-finalists advanced to compete in May 20
Thailand 0 Mexico 1 (Valenzuela 76)
HT: 1-0. Ref: Gaymes (SVG) the Plate competition (see below)
North Korea 1 HT: 0-0. Ref: Ponce (Ecu)
Peru: Gallese - Advincula (Requena 52), Ascues,
May 14 Semi-finals HT: 0-1
Zambrano, Cespedes, Ballon, Lobaton (Hurtado 67),
Grenada 1 (Langaigne 18) May 28 - Moruleng
Friday, May 22 Cueva (Reyna 68), Farfan (Pizarro 73), Sanchez
Dominica 2 (Wade 20, Elizee 75) Madagascar 2 (Vombola 22, 27)
May 22 - Rustenburg (Riojas 80), Guerrero. Sent off: Requena 78.
HT: 1-1. Ref: Robinson (StL) Namibia 3 (Shilongo 18, 32, Shalulile 84)
South Africa 2 (Segolela 15, Bhengu 25) Mexico: Talavera - Flores, Valenzuela, Marquez
HT: 2-2
Malawi 1 (Phiri 58) (Ayala 46), Dominguez, Velarde, Aquino (J M
May 14 Corona), J C Medina (Guemez 59), Fabian (Montes
May 28 - Moruleng HT: 2-0
St Lucia 1 (Felix 41) 65), Esqueda (E Herrera 70), R Jimenez (Corral 87).
St Vincent & The Grenadines 2 (E George 76, Botswana 1 (Kebatho 78)
Mozambique 2 (Decarvalho 65, Parkim 88) Sunday, May 24
M Samuel 86) Friday, June 5
HT: 0-0 May 24 - Sidon
HT: 1-0. Ref: Blanc (Dca) June 5 - Hamilton
Lebanon 2 (Abbas Ali Atwi 62, Ghaddar pen 66)
Bermuda 1 (A Simmons 10)
May 16 3rd-place match Syria 2 (Al Hussain 7, Mardikian 60)
Puerto Rico 1 (D’Andrea 25)
May 30 - Moruleng HT: 0-1
Dominica 0 HT: 1-1. Ref: Jurisevic (USA)
St Vincent & The Grenadines 1 (M Samuel 22) Madagascar 2 (Vombola 16, 18)
Botswana 1 (Boy 84) Friday, May 29
HT: 0-1. Ref: Clarke (StL) June 5 - Nonthaburi, Thailand
HT: 2-0 May 29 - Vientiane
Laos 0 Cambodia 1 (Borey 38)
May 16 Myanmar 0
St Lucia 0 Final Afghanistan 2 (Shayesta, Yousufi)
HT: 1-0
Grenada 2 (J Charles 3, 74) May 30 - Moruleng
Namibia 2 (Hotto 38, 74) Saturday, May 30
HT: 0-1. Ref: Gaymes (SVG) June 5 - Rancagua
Mozambique 0 May 30 - Riffa
Bahrain 0 Chile 1 (Valdivia 13)
WINDWARD ISLANDS TOURNAMENT – FINAL HT: 1-0
Oman 0 El Salvador 0
P W D L F A Pts HT: 1-0. Att: 14,270. Ref: Rapallini (Arg)
St Vincent & G 3 3 0 0 6 3 9 Plate semi-finals
May 30 - Dhaka Chile: Herrera - Isla, Jara, Medel, Beausejour
Dominica 3 1 1 1 3 3 4 (for the losing quarter-finalists)
Bangladesh 1 (N Chowdhury 4) (Mena 64), Aranguiz, M Diaz (Albornoz 81),
Grenada 3 1 0 2 5 5 3 May 27: Zambia 3 Ghana 0; South Africa 0
Singapore 2 (Fazrul 32, Khairul Amri 73) F Gutierrez (Pizarro 46), Valdivia (Pinilla 63),
St Lucia 3 0 1 2 2 5 1 Malawi 0 (Malawi 5-4 on pens).
HT: 1-1 A Sanchez, Vargas (Henriquez 73).
El Salvador: Contreras - Garcia (Torres 75),
COSAFA CUP Plate Final
May 30 - Irbid Molina, Mendoza, Larin, Menjivar (R Burgos 86),
May 29: Malawi 1 Zambia 0.
Jordan 0 Punyed (N Orellana 65), A Flores (J Alas 52),
Played in South Africa Renderos, Alvarez (Corea 80), N Bonilla (Herrera 59).
GENOCIDE COMMEMORATION CUP Lebanon 0
Group A June 5 - Willemstad
Played in Kigali, Rwanda May 30 - Tuxtla Gutierrez
May 17: Namibia 0 Seychelles 0; Zimbabwe 2 Curacao 1 (Vicento 85)
Mexico 3 (E Herrera 31, 63, J M Corona 74)
Mauritius 0. Trinidad & Tobago 0
June 6: Rwanda 0 Kenya 0. Guatemala 0
May 19: Seychelles 0 Zimbabwe 1; Namibia 2 HT: 0-0. Ref: Adelina
June 7: Kenya 2 South Sudan 0; Rwanda 2 HT: 1-0. Ref: Toledo (USA)
Mauritius 0.
Tanzania 0. Mexico: J J Corona (M Hernandez 46) - Flores
May 21: Namibia 4 Zimbabwe 1; Seychelles 0 June 5 - Amsterdam
(Aquino 66), Dominguez, Ayala, Salcedo
Mauritius 1. Holland 3 (Huntelaar 27, 49, Depay 53)
Tournament not completed because the Tanzania (Valenzuela 50), Velarde, J C Medina, Guemez,
Montes (J M Corona 46), Vuoso (Fabian 50), United States 4 (Zardes 33, Brooks 70,
COSAFA CUP – GROUP A and South Sudan teams were late arriving in
E Herrera (R Jimenez 66). Williams 88, Wood 90)
P W D L F A Pts Rwanda
Guatemala: Jerez - D Lopez, Lalin, Cincotta (Rodas HT: 1-1. Att: 46,000. Ref: Strombergsson (Swe)
Namibia (Q) 3 2 1 0 6 1 7 Holland: Cillessen - Janmaat (Van der Wiel 46),
46), Castrillo, Contreras (Miranda 60), Marquez
Zimbabwe 3 2 0 1 4 4 6 Bruma, Martins Indi, Blind, Clasie (Sneijder 78),
(De Leon 58), Avila (Longo 67), C Ruiz (Mejia 46),
Mauritius 3 1 0 2 1 4 3 Promes (Narsingh 46), Van Persie (Propper 57),
Aparicio, Arreola (M Lopez 46).
Seychelles 3 0 1 2 0 2 1 Depay, Wijnaldum, Huntelaar (L De Jong 78).

128 WORLD SOCCER

 RESULTS, TABLES, FIXTURES

United States: Guzan - Chandler, Alvarado (Orozco June 6 - Saint-Leu-la-Foret, France England: Hart - Jones, Cahill (Jagielka 74),
46), Brooks, Shea (Yedlin 57), Bradley, Beckerman Guinea 1 (A Cisse 62) Smalling, Bertrand, Milner, Henderson, Wilshere
(Williams 63), Morales (Diskerud 56), F Johnson, Chad 2 (N’Douassel 50, Pogba og 55) (Barkley 67), Sterling (Townsend 67), Rooney
Johannsson (Wood 65), Zardes (Morris 80). HT: 0-0 (Vardy 75), Lallana (Walcott 82).

June 5 - Debrecen June 6 - Shah Alam June 7 - Khimki

Hungary 4 (Stieber 16, Dzsudzsak 21, Nikolic 30, Malaysia 0 Russia 4 (Kokorin 20, Golovin 76, Miranchuk 83,
Priskin 31) Hong Kong 0 Kerzhakov 90+2)
Lithuania 0 Belarus 2 (Kislyak 51, 66)
HT: 4-0. Att: 5,218. Ref: Zelinka (CzR) June 6 - Casablanca, Morocco HT: 1-0. Att: 4,500. Ref: Kruzliak (Slk)
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Szolnoki, Forro (Leandro 46), Lang, Tozser, Libya 2 (Bin Hamid, Lafi) Ignashevich, Zhirkov (Miranchuk 71), Kombarov,
Dzsudzsak, Stieber (Varga 46), Priskin (Nemeth Smolnikov, Shatov, Shirokov (Golovin 61), Dzagoev
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 MAY 25, 2005, ATATURK STADIUM, ISTANBUL: UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FINAL

GREAT
Liverpool 3 Milan 3
MATCHES Rafa Benitez’s Reds produce a stunning second-half
fightback to come from three goals down to win on penalties

KEY MOMENTS

Opener...Maldini (far right) puts Milan ahead

1 min Andrea Pirlo’s free-kick is

volleyed home by Paolo Maldini. 0-1
14 mins Hernan Crespo’s header
from a Clarence Seedorf corner is
cleared off the line by Luis Garcia.
29 mins Andriy Shevchenko has
the ball in the net but is ruled offside.
38 mins With Liverpool appealing
for a handball in the Milan area,
a counter-attack sees Kaka feed
Shevchenko whose cross is turned
in by Crespo. 0-2
43 mins A delightful pass by Kaka
is finished by Crespo, who chips Jerzy
Equaliser...Alonso (centre) Dudek. 0-3
53 mins Steven Gerrard heads

I
t is still highly debatable whether Liverpool amazingly found themselves on home a John Arne Riise cross. 1-3
Liverpool’s remarkable achievement level terms. Gerrard headed home the first 55 mins A patient Liverpool build-
in turning around a 3-0 half-time eight minutes after the restart, and then up is finished off by a low shot from
deficit to draw 3-3 was down to Vladimir Smicer and Alonso pulled the Vladimir Smicer which is helped into
tactical genius or sheer luck. Either way, Reds level in what Milan coach Carlo
the 120 minutes plus penalties that Ancelotti described as “six minutes of
became known as “the wonder of madness which I can’t explain”.
Istanbul” have gone down in history. Andriy Shevchenko had two chances in
As Keir Radnedge wrote in World a matter of seconds to win the match for
Soccer: “Liverpool’s fifth Champions Cup Milan in extra-time, but he was foiled by a
was secured by one of the most stirring remarkable double save by Jerzy Dudek.
comebacks in the history of Europe’s most Heroic...Gerrard lifts The Polish keeper then saved spot-kicks
trophy in Istanbul Momentum...Gerrard starts the fightback
prestigious club event. from Andrea Pirlo and Shevchenko as
“This was not so much a match of two Liverpool snatched victory. WS the net by goalkeeper Dida. 2-3
halves as a match of two days. Kick-off 59 mins After Gerrard is fouled, Xabi
Liverpool Milan
was at 9.45pm local time. Shevchenko’s Coach: Rafa Benitez Coach: Carlo Ancelotti Alonso sees his penalty saved before
lacklustre concluding penalty was saved by he scrambles home the rebound. 3-3
Jerzy Dudek way past midnight. Thus on Traore
117 mins In extra-time, Dudek’s
May 25 Milan had it won but come May Riise Kaka
double save from Shevchenko to
26 they had it lost.” keep Liverpool in the game.
Cafu
With an ageing Milan three up at Crespo Penalties Serginho and Pirlo miss
(Tomasson 83)
half-time, Liverpool players could hear Hyypia Kewell Pirlo Milan’s first two kicks as Liverpool lead
(Smicer 22)
their opponents already celebrating in the Alonso Nesta 2-0. Riise’s kick
Ataturk dressing rooms during the interval. Dudek Dida is saved as Jon
Gerrard Gattuso
Rafa Benitez decided to make changes for Baros (Costa 111) Stam Dahl Tomasson
the second half, switching to a back three, (Cisse 83) and Kaka level
Carragher Shevchenko
with Didier Hamann replacing Steve at 2-2. Smicer
Garcia Maldini
Finnan. Milan’s danger man Kaka was makes it 3-2 and
Seedorf
shackled and the space in midfield closed Finnan (Serginho 83) Shevchenko’s
(Hamann 46)
down, allowing Steven Gerrard and Xabi kick is saved by
Alonso more room to get forward. Dudek to hand
With half an hour of normal time to go, Referee: Gonzalez (Spa) Liverpool victory. Extra-time...Dudek saves

NEXT MONTH JULY ISSUE ON SALE JULY 17

  
  
 
 



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