England leads end-of-season gold rush


Written by: Soccerway Bookmark and Share
2008-05-09 15:37:08

Avram Grant speaking to his Chelsea midfielder Joe Cole
  Avram Grant speaking to his Chelsea midfielder Joe Cole
Eight more domestic titles and two cups will be up for grabs this weekend, with dramatic final-day fixtures lined up in England, Switzerland and Turkey.

Manchester United FC and Chelsea FC will go head-to-head in the UEFA Champions League final on 21 May, and one of them can gain a psycological edge by taking the Premier League title on Sunday. The two sides are level on points going into the last day of the season, but with a vastly superior goal difference, a win at Wigan Athletic FC would guarantee the title for United.

Chelsea are in action at home against Bolton Wanderers FC who, like Wigan, have little to play for, even if there is still a distant, mathematical chance they could be relegated. Avram Grant's side's only chance of snatching the crown would be if they get a better result than United can manage against a Wigan side managed by former Old Trafford stalwart Steve Bruce. Given that Wigan have lost all six of their games against United since promotion to the top flight in 2005, it looks a long shot.

In Switzerland, the title will be decided in a face-to-face showdown between league leaders FC Basel 1893 and BSC Young Boys in Saturday's final league fixture. Basel are one point clear of their Berne rivals going into the decisive encounter at St. Jakob-Park, but Basel fans will not have forgotten that they lost the 2005/06 title in similar circumstances, losing 2-1 to FC Zürich.

The final day of the Turkish season promises less drama. Galatasaray AS are three points clear of Fenerbahçe SK and need only avoid defeat at home against Gençlerbirliði Oftaþspor to claim the title. Defeat, coupled with a Fenerbahçe win at Trabzonspor, would hand Zico's side the crown by virtue of a superior head-to-head record, having beaten Galatasaray 2-0 at home and lost only 1-0 away.

Titles can be won in France, Italy and the Czech Republic too. Olympique Lyonnais will prevail with a game to spare if they beat AS Nancy-Lorraine at home on Saturday and FC Girondins de Bordeaux drop points at against FC Sochaux-Monbéliard. FC Internazionale Milano can take the Serie A title with a win against AC Siena on Sunday, provided AS Roma cannot match their result against Atalanta BC.

In the Czech Republic, AC Sparta Praha are a point clear of SK Slavia Praha with two games to go, and should the latter drop points at FK Mladá Boleslav on Saturday, Sparta will take the title by beating FC Baník Ostrava at home. The situation is similar in Ukraine, with FC Shakhtar Donetsk needing a win at FC Kharkhiv and a slip-up for FC Dynamo Kyiv against FC Vorskla Poltava to triumph.

In Israel, Beitar Jerusalem FC will claim the title if they get a better result against Bnei Yehuda Tel-Aviv FC than Maccabi Netanya FC can manage against FC Ashdod on Saturday. Though with the Ligat Ha'Al having been complicated by legal issues surrounding Beitar's abandoned game against Maccabi Herzliya FC on 13 April, celebrations could be delayed.

In addition to all this league action, there is also other silverware at stake. The Armenian Cup final takes place with FC Ararat Yerevan taking on city rivals FC Banants, while the following day sees CFR 1907 Cluj, crowned Liga 1 champions on Wednesday, take on AFC Unirea Valahorum Urziceni in the Romanian Cup final.




Discuss

chakal May 9th, 2008 21:51

Let's go Boys!