Swansea City: proving the critics wrong

Swansea's unity as a team stems from a fan-based ownership.

At the beginning of this season there was some cause for concern around the Liberty stadium. After an impressive debut in the Premier League playing an attractive style of football (newspapers labelled them 'Swansealona' at one point), things were looking drab. Master tactician Brendan Rodgers had left to replace Kenny Dalglish at Liverpool, unsung midfield genius Joe Allen following him, and the winger Scott Sinclair, who had matured so much during his time in Wales, sold, to Manchester City of all clubs in the opening few weeks of the season. The vital left-back Neil Taylor was confirmed as out for the rest of the season, and things were looking glum. Not only this but the Swans had missed out on Gylfi Sigurdsson's permanent signature after an impressive loan spell in the second half of last term, and however exciting Michel Laudrup may have been as a new managerial appointment, he wasn't known for staying around for long with his clubs. FourFourTwo predicted a 20th placed finish in their pre-season guide. Critics wondered whether this side who had been so impressive in the 2011-12 season could really do it again with their 'lovely', but perhaps not so 'direct' football. Indeed, legitimate questions were being raised over fellow overachievers Norwich City, but both clubs have been proving their mettle this season.

Laudrup worked quickly in the transfer window. Michu, who Sir Alex Ferguson had apparently once searched for on Google by accident (Sun exclusive: Fergie after Rayo Whatsyoumacallit midfielder!) was a bargain at only £2million. Chico was brought in from Genoa as a welcome addition to an already solid defensive line-up and central midfielder Jonathan De Guzman loaned in from recently relegated Villareal in Spain, as well as diligent South Korean midfielder Ki from Celtic. However, the real marquee signing came on the Transfer Deadline Day, when it emerged that Swansea had snapped up tricky Spanish winger Pablo Hernandez from Valencia. A bewildered Swansea coach on his way to work was cornered by Sky Sports News presenters. 'What can we expect from Pablo Hernandez?' they clamoured. 'Well, he's Spanish, so he's small, good at passing... er...' It was clear that the poor man didn't have a clue. However, the diminutive winger was in fact something of a coup from Valencia.

There was now genuine cause for optimism as the team completed a 5-0 drubbing of their bogey team QPR in their new red away shirt. Looking like a better Wales, the new signings combined perfectly in their first game. The player who really caught everyone's eye was Michu, the lanky Spaniard, netting two debut goals as an unorthodox centre-forward/midfielder. Still, here was evidence of the team moving in exactly the right direction after Rodgers' departure, still playing that lovely passing football, looking unified and arguably even more attractive than last year. The Swansea fans' mouths were watering.

But then Laudrup's team entered something of a blip after a 3-0 win at West Ham. First there was a 2-2 draw at Sunderland, which wasn't too bad, but this was shortly followed by losses to Aston Villa and Everton, as well as Stoke. In this early stage of the season it didn't look awful, but there was a worry that things could backfire. Michel Laudrup already looked uneasy in his dugout.

The turning point may well have been their 2-1 win against last season's good news outfit Newcastle. Since then there has been a well-earned point against Liverpool and an excellent win vs. the in-form West Brom. On Saturday this run continued as the Swans overcame Arsenal with two fine goals from Michu himself. Although all the focus has been on an anaemic gooner display which resulted in the team being booed off the pitch, Michu and Swansea should also be credited for a well-orchestrated win. For now the team from Wales look set to rise up the table, and one can't help thinking that in the Manchester City dugout at the Etihad, Sinclair is kicking himself for swapping the opportunity to play with this magnificent side for a space on the bench at a 'bigger' club. 

The players that make Swansea City tick

Michel Vorm

Michel Vorm has proved himself as a world-class 'keeper since joining from Utrecht.

It was something of a surprise when the highly-rated Dutch goalkeeper, renowned as a penalty-saving king, left FC Utrecht in Holland to join Brendan Rodgers' newly promoted Swansea, but even then his success was unprecedented at only £1.5 million. He was an instant fit for the club, excellent with his feet and distribution but also equally able with his hands, in the typical mould of a Dutch 'keeper. Many fans already recognised his face from Football Manager, and on numerous occasions the Dutchman saved his team from dropping points, pulling off a number of impressive saves during the season, and becoming an instant hit with the supporters. It tells you a lot that many now rate him as one of the best goalkeepers in the Premier League, and that some journalists would even place him in the top three alongside Joe Hart and Petr Cech. There were rumours that the world-class goalkeeper would follow Rodgers to Liverpool this January, but judging by league position at least, and to a lesser extent team spirit, followers of Swansea should not be overly worried about this possibility. He also recently pledged his future to the club, so supporters can feel at ease.

Ashley Williams

The rock at the heart of the Swansea and Welsh National Team's defence, Ashley Williams is the undisputed captain of this alluring outfit. Not only does he command his defence with ease, but he weighed in with a vital header for Swansea last season, against Manchester City. The defender has proved himself at this level, having been previously released by West Brom as a 16-year old. It is no surprise that the solid centre-back is now being closely watched by Newcastle's Alan Pardew. Unfortunately for him, Williams has already signed a long-term deal, like Vorm.

Michu

Michu has made an excellent start, scoring plenty of goals for the Swans.

The gangly midfielder-cum-striker has made a storming start to life at Swansea City since arriving from Rayo Vallecano, where he helped the side stay up almost single-handedly, and can already be considered the bargain of the season at only £2million. Last season in La Liga he had an excellent scoring record from midfield (perhaps slightly exaggerated by the fact that he plays extremely high up the field for a midfielder) and was apparently being monitored by none other than Manchester United. The club won't have too many regrets at the moment sitting in 1st place, but one of them will surely have been missing out on Michu, already having scored 10 goals for Swansea. The hard-working midfielder from Asturias is enjoying life in Wales despite the weather, and the club can expect the utmost loyalty from him- when offered a deal at first-divison Sporting Gijon whilst at Oviedo, the player rejected a chance to enhance his career because of the teams' strong rivalry (so he won't be moving to Cardiff anytime soon Swans fans). 

Nathan Dyer

Brendan Rodgers was the man who brought the best out of the tricky young winger as the manager realised his potential as a more attacking wide player (prior to Swansea's promotion-winning season, he had played a more defensive role). It is easy to see now why the club splashed out on a then-record transfer fee of £400,000 for the diminutive Englishman, who has been even more crucial this season due to the departure of Scott Sinclair, taking the ball past bigger players with ease, and who is now being hailed as a future England call-up. It comes as no surprise that he came off Southampton's conveyor belt of talent, although his career had waned at St. Mary's prior to joining Swansea, being loaned out on several occasions.

Pablo Hernandez 

Another of Swansea's mouth-watering arrivals in the summer, and another of the club's four amigos, including Chico, Rangel, Michu and himself, Hernandez took some time to acclimatise to the Premier League, having joined from Valencia, but grabbed his first goal in a fine draw against Chelsea, and was instrumental in the dismantling of Liverpool in the Capital One Cup. Although he has had to work hard to adapt to Swansea's style of football, he has all the qualities to succeed in the Premier League, and had previously worked with Laudrup at Getafe. Here's hoping that he will make just as much of an impact as his former Mestella team-mate Juan Mata at Chelsea. 

The sense of team spirit in the Swansea City team is evident from the confidence that the Welsh club plays with, and their run of good form doesn't look likely to end anytime soon, especially with so many key players pledging their futures to the club. 

By Tomas

The Futures of Chelsea and Roberto Di Matteo

It was game over for Chelsea and Roberto Di Matteo against Juventus. Just months after miraculously winning the Champions League, the blues are faced with an early exit from the same competition.  

The date is 19th May 2012. Chelsea have finally won the elusive Champions League trophy the club and  infamous owner Roman Abramovich had always craved most of all. All is well.

The date is 21st November 2012. Only six months and 2 days have passed since the Champions League final. But Chelsea are 3rd, look set to be dumped unceremoniously out of the Champions League group stage, and Roberto di Matteo is out of a job. So what's changed? And what does the future hold for the London club?

Having enjoyed mixed successes with Milton Keynes Dons and West Brom in his only previous managerial positions, Roberto di Matteo, aged 41 at the time and ex-Chelsea and Italy international, seemed an odd if not intriguing appointment, even if it was only on an interim basis. Andre Villas-Boas was sacked after a disappointing string of games, and having made the transition between the old and the new at a rapid rate. Di Matteo restored the Old Guard to their previous glory, and Didier Drogba was particularly instrumental in Chelsea's trophy wins (both the FA Cup and Champions League). Under immense pressure from the always-dedicated Chelsea fans, Abramovich was almost forced to offer di Matteo a full-term contract, albeit only for two years - no Mike Ashley 8 year contract nonsense with the Russian oligarch. 

    In a glut of summer signings, Chelsea then brought in Cesar Azpilicueta from Marseille, Brazilian starlet Oscar, Wigan wonder Victor Moses, Belgian superstar Eden Hazard, and Werder Bremen's Marko Marin. The season started brilliantly, as Chelsea's fluid midfield excelled whilst both Manchester clubs faltered slightly. Although not successful, it would be very unfair to suggest the Champions League campaign has been disastrous, as Chelsea emphasised their move away from their 'smash and grab' style in Europe last year. However, a bad run of games, leaving Chelsea lying 3rd in the league table, and likely to fall out of the Champions League, resulted in the sacking of di Matteo, and the appointment of ex Valencia, Liverpool and Inter Milan boss, Rafael Benitez. 

    The immediate reaction was that of outcry. With Benitez being Chelsea's 9th manager in 8 years, and with di Matteo having only just won the Champions League and FA Cup, and with the season only roughly a third of the way through, this was completely justified. The interim appointment of Benitez was also an unpopular one, but whether or not it will be a successful one remains to be seen.

Meet Rafa Benitez, the man who made Torres so prolific, ran him to the ground and then ruined Inter Milan. Oh, and he's also Chelsea's new manager. Football, eh? 

5 Reasons why Chelsea are struggling at the moment:

1. Fernando Torres - Abramovich's £50 million pound man looks a waste of money at the moment, but at only £15 million more than Andy Carroll, maybe he was good value for money. Eden Hazard did little against Juventus to show he could play the 'false 9' role well, and Chelsea could really do with an in-form striker, entrenched in a bad spell of form. Torres' bad form is even more underlined by the fact that he has Juan Mata, Eden Hazard and Oscar playing behind him. Some newspapers have even attributed di Matteo's sacking to his lack of 'getting the best' out of Torres, and the appointment of Benitez could be linked to the Spanish striker.

2. Roman Abramovich - this may seen contradictory because as the Russian is partly responsible for Chelsea's 'failings', he's also completely responsible for their successes. However, his endless firings and ruthless nature, are undoubtedly having a negative effect on the club. From Avram Grant to AVB, Abramovich seems to struggle to find a manager he can settle down with.

3. Pep Guardiola - it is rumoured that Chelsea moved immediately to approach the ex-Barca maestro when di Matteo was sacked, and judging from the short-term contract award to Benitez, it appears that Abramovich will move for his favoured target as soon as Pep's one-year sabbatical is completed (however, the managerial merry go-round which Chelsea seem to ride every year can't appeal to Guardiola's philosophy of continuity too much). 

4. John Terry, Gary Cahill and David Luiz - ie. Chelsea's centre backs- With the Blues possessing two excellent full backs in Branislav Ivanovic (or even Apilicueta) and Ashley Cole, Chelsea's centre backs are a stark contrast. With John Terry remaining slow and constantly embroiled in scandals, Gary Cahill inconsistent and David Luiz just mental, Benitez will need to act quickly to sure-up Chelsea's leaky defence.

5.  John Obi Mikel - with Chelsea possessing so many attacking-minded midfielders the defensive midfield position is integral to any success Chelsea will have. Although some may disagree, in  my mind, Mikel just simply isn't up to the job, and is the weak point in the team. Hopefully for Chelsea, they will sign a top quality holding midfielder in January.

So what will the future bring for Chelsea? Will Benitez be at the club come the 1st September 2013? Probably not. Will Roman Abramovich finally get the love of his ownership-life in Pep Guardiola? Who knows? As for the short-term, Chelsea will have a very tough game this weekend against Manchester City. Di Matteo will certainly have a fantastic addition to his CV, and I'm sure he will not struggle to find a job in the near future. He might not even have to move from London, with Spurs fairly likely to have a new manager come Summer 2013. Or maybe the Italian might want to stay in Blue, and make the move to Manchester to replace a fellow Italian? Just remember, you heard it first at Play From The Back. 

By Alex 

Szczesny and Mannone set to battle it out for the top spot

The 24-year old Mannone is not giving up his place in the team anytime soon.

A few months ago, he found himself at a lower league club trying to find his way as a goalkeeper. Now, he appears to be first choice for Arsenal after a few impressive displays.

Who were you reading about there? Up until a few weeks ago, this would have illustrated Polish goalkeeper Wojchiech Szczesny's rise from Brentford on loan to being first-choice for one of the Premier League's better teams. However, a certain Italian seems to be usurping the Pole after a series of solid performances. 

It was not long ago that he was out at Hull on loan, finding himself below Szczesny and Lukas Fabianski in the pecking order, but ever since Arsenal suffered a double-stroke of bad luck, losing both keepers to injuries, Vito Mannone has been impressing against difficult opposition such as Liverpool (yes, really) and Manchester City. 

And this week Arsene Wenger gave the biggest hint yet that Mannone may even go on to wrangle the top spot from Szczesny. After all, the apparent No.1 didn't do himself any favours against Southampton when he returned for one game from injury, with the only Southampton goal being fully his fault. 

1st choice goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny is also relatively inexperienced, and he didn't cover himself in glory against Southampton.

There has been a lot of criticism surrounding Szczesny, not least because he finished last season with the worst saves-to-shots ratio in the Premier League, prompting some rumour mills to suggest that Arsenal could be in the market for France captain Hugo Lloris. As it turned out, Lloris made his way to another North London team, Spurs, and Szczesny could breath easy. As it happens, the Frenchman is also fighting a battle to replace Brad Friedel as No.1 this season. Szczesny's sending-off against Greece in the Euros for Poland didn't exactly help him either, leading to the Pole missing the rest of Poland's tournament. 

But Vito Mannone is not without his detractors. Let's not forget that both keepers are relatively inexperienced, and the goal that the Italian conceded to Manchester City last week showed a huge amount of naivety from all the Arsenal team concerned, but especially Mannone, who ran out unnecesarily and tried to punch the ball, missing it completely. Indeed, he is one in a long line of Arsenal players who are playing above and beyond their ability in recent weeks, but will surely be found out in some areas of their game in the future, such as Kieran Gibbs and Carl Jenkinson, who have matured rapidly.

Whatever the case, Szczesny is still Number 1, and I have rated him for a long time. He may be inconsistent and inexperienced, but moments such as these only highlight his potential. He is one of the most agile goalkeepers in the Premier League, and has an impressive Youtube showreel.  For the moment, he is No.1 but he will have to be on his toes (literally!) next time he is selected to prove that he is better than Vito Mannone. 

By Tomas 

The Battle of the Bundesliga

The club where nobody's position is safe, and anyone can replace anyone, as Mario Gomez will now know after watching Mario Mandzukic (above).

FC Hollywood always win the league. And when they miss out on it one year, they always, win it the following year. Always.

Until recently, the above statement was true. Since 1995/6 when Borussia Dortmund won the title, FC Hollywood (or, as they are more commonly know, Bayern Munich,) have won the Bundesliga 9 times. And in every case when the team formed of superstars have not been dominant in the league, Die Roten have won the league next time round...this was true, until last year that is. Dortmund's youthful team, famed for its skilled, pacey, fluid midfield triumphed, under the guidance of acclaimed Jurgen Klopp, broke the trend of Bayern's dominance. It would be foolish, incorrect even, to say that Bayern are the only team to win the Bundesliga. In the last 10 years alone, 5 different teams have lifted the iconic dish, more teams have won the top division in Germany in that period, than teams in the Premier League, Serie and, of course, Spain. However, none of Werder Bremen, Stuttgart or Wolfsburg ever retained the trophy. Hollywood always bounced back to bite them in the rear. 

And so, it was largely expected that Bayern, now under the guidance of experienced and proven Maestro, Juup Heynckes, would demolish Dortmund in the league. However, such an event did not occur. Dortmund won fairly comfortably in the league, and smashed Bayern in the Pokal final. They even fended off Bayern in the transfer market, securing the signing of Gladbach revelation Marco Reus, despite public interest from Die Bayern, a coup which shocked Bayern to its core, and was previously unheard of. In order to replace this disappointment with optimism, Bayern decided to announce a 'big-money signing' on its Facebook page...it turned out it was a 'twelfth man', a picture of all the faces of Bayern fans...a nice gesture? Or a massive let down, which enraged Bayern fans everywhere? You decide.

By the end of the season, Bayern had been in two finals, and had a crucial title-deciding game against Dortmund in the league. They lost all three. This was, simply, not good enough. So Heynckes and the board moved quickly to strengthen the squad. Exciting prospect Xherdan Shaqiri put pen to paper, and supreme strikers Mario Mandzuckic and Claudio Pizarro were also signed. Tom Starke and Dante, were both useful signings...and, just to tidy things up, Spanish starlet Javi Martinez was secured for a fee in the region 40 million Euros.

So the fans were appeased, and Bayern had shown they were still the major players in the transfer market. The start of the season loomed, but before that was the small matter of the Super Cup...against Dortmund. Bayern came from behind to win 2-1, a win and a trophy, which surely gave a team prone to losing in finals, restored confidence. So, the league? How would Bayern cope? Well, the scores say it all. Furth 0-3 Bayern, Bayern 6-1 Stuttgart, Bayern 3-1 Mainz and Schalke 0-2 Bayern. A decent start, I'm sure you'll agree, with Muller top of the scorer charts, and with Mandzukic and Kroos tied for second. Oh, and they're top of the league too, already five points ahead of Dortmund. 

There is a common theory amongst successful managers, with Jose Mourinho being part of the group, that you should stay at a winning club for two years, by the third year, you will have exhausted your motivation and tactics on the players, and unless new-blood is introduced on a large scale, the team won't succeed. It is what happened at Inter when Jose left, and, to a lesser extent, at Chelsea. Will Dortmund be able to triumph for a third year in a row, whilst also trying to make the mark on the Champions League? The answer, in my opinion: probably not. One thing is for sure though, Bayern will be incredibly difficult to stop.

Mancini missing the mark?

Anxious to get back to a game of Football Manager. 

It's a question often asked of some of the best managers at the best clubs. Would they be able to cut it at clubs with a finite supply of transfer funds and a strict wage budget- clubs such as Wolves and Stoke, as oppose to Real Madrid and Manchester City? Today we examine a prime target for this kind of questioning, the glossy-haired but perhaps underachieving Roberto Mancini of Manchester City. Previously, Mancini has rescued success in the darkest of situations, namely at Fiorentina, where he won the Coppa Italia whilst they were in a dire financial situation, but also Lazio, who are not exactly blessed with funds. Now he finds himself in the unique position of having gone from 'rags to riches' as it were, first with Inter and now with one of the world's richest clubs- Manchester City. Has he traded overachieving for underachieving? 

On the final day of the Premier League season, Aguero slotted home to give Man City the title after a gut-wrenching 90 minutes. The crowd went wild and so too Roberto Mancini, but later when he would come to examine the match video, something would surely be niggling away in the back of his mind. Shouldn't City have won the title more convincingly? There were times when they thought they had thrown it away. The Emirates where Mario Balotelli lost his temper. The hard-fought loss against Swansea. Perhaps too early on, but when Man City lost their first game of the season to... Ji Dong-Won's Sunderland. Indeed, Mancini's tactics have been often criticised.

There were even grumblings the season before, when City finished miraculously third, after a spectacular collapse from Arsenal in the final stages. With the amount of money that the Sheikh had poured into Man City, they should have easily made it into the Champions League by this stage. What many people don't realise, is that those dying moments of the QPR game in which City turned it around saved Mancini's job.

It would have represented an almighty turnaround in fortune if Mancini hadn't won the League, from when City had been crusing to when it looked as if United would win the title. His record in the Champions League is questionable with Italian clubs, and for City their 2012-13 debut in Europe's top competition ended in heartbreak as they threw away a 2-1 lead at the Bernabeu to lose 3-2 in what was a clash of the titans.

But there are, inevitably, some positives to Mancini's reign. Otherwise, why would the Chairman have sacked such an experienced Premier League manager as Mark Hughes and replace him with this stylish Italian? His man-management skills have come in handy often. Tevez's refusal to come off the bench against Bayern Munich is well-documented, but the way that Mancini handled the situation is often understated. Now back firing in goals at the Etihad, supporters are once again singing the Argentine's name. It is overlooked that Mancini was the one that got a whole squad of 'mercenaries' dancing to the same tune just in time to pip United to the post, and nobody can doubt they were deserving winners.

The problems still linger, especially with City not having kept a clean sheet as of yet in the Premier League or Champions League, but for now Man City persist with Roberto Mancini. We can only hope that one day Mancini will switch on his computer and play a game of Football Manager as Stoke City. We'd love to see it happen, Roberto. 

By Tomas 

La Liga Season Review 2011-2012

Bored of watching re-runs of Spain's triumph at the Euros, we take a look back at an intriguing season, filled with surprises but not quite breaking the seemingly eternal La Liga duopoly. Mind you, it's certainly better than the SPL. No picture illustrates this better than the image of Andres Iniesta, the Barca player, leaving Villareal in his tracks, literally, at the start of last season. 

1st: Real Madrid- This year Madrid finally managed to break Barca's spell of dominance by winning the league, and leaving the Catalans to pick up the scraps of the Copa Del Rey, much like Madrid last season. The team is close to a perfect XI, with perhaps the only weak position being at right-back, but Mourinho intends to buy Branislav Ivanovic from the new European champions. In the Champions League, it was a similar story. Madrid brushed aside weak teams such as CSKA and Apoel and slipped up where it mattered most-against Bayern in the semi-final. With this in mind, it is no surprise that the 'Special One' intends to stay at least a season more to deliver the elusive 'Decima' (Madrid hover on 9 European titles). They will, as always, strengthen in the summer and come back more ready than ever to deliver the Champions League. Next year there will be the even more tantalising prospect for Mourinho of going head-to-head with the man who he poked in the eye; Tito Vilanova. Unfortunately, the sad truth is that Madrid and Barcelona have all the money in this league, and therefore can afford the better players. It was great to watch, but it did little to solve La Liga's greatest problem. Season rating- A-.

2nd: Barcelona- By the end of the campaign, defeats against Chelsea in the Champions League semi-final and teams such as Getafe and Osasuna in the league had tired Guardiola and Barcelona out. His side still managed to win the Spanish supercopa, World Club Championships and the Copa del Rey, but without the league the trophy cabinet felt frustratingly small. Real Madrid had pipped them to the post in the all-important competition, and they had been frustrated by the 'Blue wall of resistance' which they had come up against in the Champions League semi-final. Under the stewardship of Tito Vilanova (who will be hoping that he doesn't get poked in the eye again by Mourinho), hopefully Barcelona can get back to their usual mesmeric self, but only with the help of all the under-performers this year feeding Leonel Messi, and perhaps the arrival of some new signings. Season rating- B-.

3rd: Valencia- Many talk of the dead heat of La Liga being in between the top two, but few recognise that Valencia have consistently come third in recent seasons. This year, they will have been regarded as spoilsports. Valencia's football was far less attractive and romantic than that of Malaga and Levante, both a breath of fresh air for La Liga this season. So what can Valencia aspire to every year if they merely enter the Champions League group stages and get knocked out at the first hurdle, as well as finishing behind Barca and Madrid every year? The sale of star left-back Jordi Alba almost certainly, perhaps the sale of all-important goalscorer Soldado, and a new manager now that Unai Emery has left the club. Another mediocre season for the selling club, but at least there was some laughter for Valencia fans. Unfortunately, it came in the form of Ever Banega not putting the handbrake on, and his own car running over his foot. He was injured for the rest of the season. Season rating- C-.

4th: Malaga- This year, Malaga learnt more than ever that if you can't beat them, join them. An underachieving club with few stand-out  names for the past few seasons, a large sum of money was injected into their club last summer, which ultimately helped them reach the promised land of the Champions League. The best buy turned out to be former Villareal midfielder, Santi Cazorla, who has performed outstandingly for the Andalusian club this season. Ambitious signings such as Jeremy Toulalan, Natxo Monreal and Joaquin also helped, but at times it seemed as if Cazorla thought he had to do it all himself. Next season, a few more signings would not hurt. It is not all about transfers though. The club has an excellent academy and the club has been investing in youth, with a host of youth teams. Just last summer promising Spain U21 starlet Isco was recruited from Valencia and the club already seems to be onto a winner with home-grown wonderkid Recio. Although it seems like Salomón Rondón has been around forever, it is easy to forgot that he is only 22 years of age-he is confident and with the number of important goals he has put away this season, top European clubs could easily come knocking. No matter since Malaga have already started planning for a major new sports village, and while it seems doubtful, we could be mentioning their youth system in the same breath as the famous Masia or indeed La Fabrica soon. The future looks bright for one of the good-news stories of the 2011-12 La Liga. Watch this space. Season rating- A.

5th: Atletico Madrid- Following the loss of 'Kun Aguero' and cult hero Diego Forlan, Atletico fans could have been forgiven for thinking that the season was a foregone conclusion. Indeed, as Marca's pre-season guide put it, this season, Atletico would have to 'learn to live without Kun Aguero'. Instead, the board responded by signing proven goalscorer Radamel Falcao for €40million, fending off other big European clubs, and the exciting Spanish striking talent Adrian from the recently relegated Deportivo. The Turkish talisman Arda Turan and the Belgian goalkeeping youngster Thibaut Courtois were also brought in. But, as Atletico fans might have anticipated following the loss of two key players, things didn't go so smoothly at first. The coach Gregorio Manzano and his team struggled to find their feet. Reyes' bizarre outbursts about Manzano's mother on the pitch fired at the manager, like a Year 7 in a playground, and Godin's short temper hardly helped, but when Colchonero legend Diego Simeone was hired and Reyes got rid of, Atletico's fortunes turned. The side just managed a 5th placed finish, which was commendable but far from where the board had wanted to be at the start of the season. Notably, they also reached a European final, where they calmly disposed of Bilbao, winning them a third European title in as many years. Simeone had earned himself further legendary status and Atletico had won the Europa League stylishly again, just as they did under the even more fashionable Quique Sanchez-Flores. Watch out Chelsea! Season rating- B. 

6th: Levante- Far and away the most exciting good-news story of this season's Liga. Whereas both Real Madrid and Malaga had money to spend, Levante did not. The same team of stragglers that only last season had been battling against relegation were, this year, battling for Champions League places. An excellent beginning to the season in which Levante went on an unlikely and amazing unbeaten run ended soon, but with Ivorian striker Arouna Kone the only major change in this side, Levante just managed a 6th placed finish. It seemed disappointing after people had pointed out that they could snatch a Champions League place, but in the end it did the team justice after also going on a bad run of form whilst they were in 4th place. In any case, European football seems all the more enticing considering where the club were this time last year. Fans are hopeful that they can stay together next year, and improve on the finish. Teams like Levante and Malaga vow to break the duopoly of La Liga. Levante deserve the highest rating. Season rating- A*.  

7th: Osasuna- The gritty style of Osasuna and their manager meant that they were one point away from European qualification, but in the end it was just too much. Raul Garcia returned from Atletico Madrid to almost earn cult-hero status at Osasuna for the final few stages of the season, and proved to be the team from Navarra's best player for some time. A win against Barcelona during the closing weeks of the season gave Madrid a helping hand from Pamplona, but this team will not be doing them any more favours next season if they stay together. Season rating- A-.

8th: RCD Mallorca- This team once again got up to its business in usual silent fashion. One of the high-points last year was holding Madrid to a goalless draw on the first match day. After a season in which the team sacked Michel Laudrup and replaced him with Joaquin Caparros, the final day meant that Mallorca had a vague chance of European qualification, but unfortunately they were drawn against Los Galacticos, who duly thrashed them. Is it too hopeful to think that this team could do a heroic Levante next year? Season rating-B. 

9th: Sevilla FC- A few years ago I watched as Sevilla were knocked out of the Champions League qualifying stages by Sporting de Braga in a small Andalusian bar, whilst an old man behind me ate macaroni cheese. An odd anecdote perhaps, but I am sure that this man is the only constant to Sevilla's recent campaigns. If you were to go to that bar at the start of the season I'm sure he would still be there, which is more than can be said for his consistently inconsistent side. Since that fateful qualifying tie in August 2010, Sevilla have failed to reach anything near this sort of level. They should really be challenging Valencia for a third-placed Champions League spot. Instead they are stuck in 9th place with a host of under-performing players. A heroic goalless draw against Barcelona in which their keeper saved a Leo Messi penalty couldn't disguise the fact that this team really should be doing better. Season rating- B-.

10th: Athletic Bilbao- Under the leadership of Marcelo Bielsa, Athletic have become an attractive attacking force, and the Argentine recently signed a deal to keep him at the club until 2013. This year Bilbao reached the Europa League final , beating the likes of Manchester United along the way, and the Copa del Rey final, only to fall at the last hurdle. They succumbed 3-0 to Falcao's Atletico Madrid (see above) and were firmly beaten by Barcelona in the final of the Copa del Rey. Even after their European heroics, a 10th placed finish didn't quite seem to do the team justice. Retaining stars such as Llorente, Javi Martinez and Munian will be crucial for Bielsa's side improving on their league finish. With the obsessiveness of Bielsa (he is reported to take exactly 13  steps every time he paces up and down the dugout) it is impossible to say that this attractive side will disintegrate next season. More of the same please, Bilbao. Season rating-B+.

11th: Getafe- Aside from that video and the ridiculous 'Team Dubai' re-branding scheme, Getafe were scarcely in the headlines. Staying in La Primera is a success for Getafe, but this season's campaign had a distinct 'meh' tone to it. A solid, fairly boring season for one of the other Madrid teams, and one cannot help but feel that next season the club will attempt to draw in more crowds than this season's dire average attendance, without spending big on many new players. But of course, if Hot Zombies make you happy, this is not necessarily a bad thing. Season rating- B-.

12th: Real Sociedad- Along with Espanyol, Real Sociedad have brought through some very exciting prospects this year. Although Carlos Vela seems to be out of luck, he looks like the sort of player Real Sociedad need after a season on loan at the club, and with the quality of young player that have played for Real Sociedad this season, expect another solid season under the underrated French coach Phillipe Montanier. Season rating- B. 

13th: Real Betis- The Andalusian side were often on a poor run of form, but in the end they secured a mid-table finish, ensuring that they did not get sent down to the dreaded 'Segunda'. 13th wasn't the worst place to finish, especially after a season of inconsistency and worry. The side had already secured this place before the last few days, and so did not have to put up with the kind of doubts and mathematical relegation that could have been possible. Betis will be a nice side to have in La Primera next season. Season rating-B.

14th: Espanyol- Barcelona's 'other' side looked destined for a coveted Europa League place (Liverpool and Tottenham take note) until several slip-ups ensured they finished behind Betis. It was a great shame, as the skilful and talented Philippe Coutinho might have been persuaded to be loaned out for a season more from Inter. Now they are in a bad financial position, and it is likely that Espanyol will not even touch the height of those European places next season. Season rating- C+.

15th: Rayo Vallecano- Their supporters were excellent whilst on the field Rayo disintegrated in the final stages of the season. Local boy Michu was excellent in midfield, prompting rumours that Manchester United would be chasing him this summer (in the end Swansea snapped him up, a great bit of business for the Welsh club). Although these rumours were proved wrong after United's acquisition of playmaker Shinji Kagawa, Michu will have enjoyed playing in front of a faithful group of fans and will no doubt be following the club from his new TV set in Swansea. Season rating- B.  

16th: Real Zaragoza-  After a fairly disastrous start to the season, Zaragoza sacked manager Aguirre and replaced him with Jimenez. The board breathed a sigh of relief when Jimenez managed to secure safety on the final day of the season, and the coach was subsequently rewarded with a new contract. It remains to be seen whether Zaragoza can hold their own next season, but I have them earmarked for the drop. Their ugly 0-0 draws will not be enough for them next season, and serious changes are needed during the summer if they are to survive. Season rating-C.

17th: Granada- Granada's partnership through the Pozzo family to Udinese is intriguing, and it looks like they will keep on taking players from the Italian side on loan next season, just as they did last time around. Otherwise, it was surprising to see Granada stay up after successive promotions, especially considering they did not win half of their games. Points against fellow relegation fighters proved vital in the end. Season rating-B+.

18th: Villareal- Last summer, Villareal had an all-important decision to make regarding two of their star players. Sell Santi Cazorla, the diminutive Spanish playmaker, or Giuseppe Rossi the diminutive Italian striker  who was equally important to Villareal's success. Cazorla was sold to Malaga, and the matter was brushed aside. Before long, Rossi was out for the rest of the season and Cazorla was weaving through opposition defences to send Malaga on their way to Champions League qualification. Even then, nobody truly believed that Villareal, a club who had not so long ago been challenging for La Liga title and had been in the semi-final of the Champions League, could be relegated. Even the combination of unlikely results which relegated Villareal on the final day of the season couldn't spare their blushes. They had played badly all season and could make no excuses. Season rating- D.

19th: Sporting- Last season the manager and cult-hero of Sporting, Manolo Preciado, gained many admirers when he claimed the scalps of Real Madrid and indeed Barcelona. This season was much the same story for a side who were once one of Spain's biggest clubs. Now they find themselves playing football in La Segunda. The season ended in tragedy, as a couple of weeks after the season's finish, having taken up the reigns at Villareal, the witty and intelligent  manager Preciado passed away. The man who had once been labelled as the 'Spanish Ian Holloway' for his courageous tactics against the big teams had been a great coach over his long spell in charge, and fully deserves his place in Gijon's pantheon of legends. Hopefully, Sporting can bounce back next season for Preciado's sake. Season rating- D+.

20th: Racing Santander- A disastrous season for a club which fully deserved the wooden spoon. Their deluded chairman Ali Syed turned up for a few games, waved a scarf and talked of putting Santander on the footballing map. Now, he is nowhere to be found as Racing prepare to play their football in the dreaded Segunda, a division which they have deserved to be in for a long time. In fact, if there is one thing that Blackburn Rovers fans can be happy with, it is that Syed failed in an attempt to buy the club two years ago. We can assure you, even the taste of Venky's chicken is better than having this man as your president. Season rating- D-.

Antonio Di Natale

Continuing with the theme of Euro 2012, we take a look at a player who kick-started Italy's campaign on Sunday. 

Antonio di Natale was born in Naples on the 13th October 1977. A boyhood Napoli fan, Toto moved north at a young age and joined the youth ranks at Empoli. After progressing through the academy di Natale spent brief loan spells at minor clubs Iperzola and Varese managing a combined total of 37 games, and scoring 6 goals at the tender age of 19. However, in the 1997-1998 season, on loan at Viareggio in Serie C2, he came to prominence, playing 25 games and scoring 12 times. He made a big impression at Viareggio, with the Empoli coaches keen to take him back and experiment with him at a higher level. He remained with the Tuscans for another five years, becoming a club icon, scoring 49 goals in 158 appearances, in both Serie B and A. He became Empoli's main attacking threat and caught the eye of some big clubs when he shone in the top flight. In 2002, he made his debut for the national team in a friendly against Turkey. However, he did not feature again for a couple of years, hindered by not playing for a 'big club'. In 2004, di Natale joined Udinese Calcio, a major historical Italian club. He successfully linked up with experienced goal-scorers Vincenzo Iaquinta and David di Michele, despite getting a relatively average goal tally of 7 goals. It was a golden season for the Zebrette, finishing 4th in Serie and qualifying for the Champions League. Di Natale excelled in Europe, netting against Lens and getting a superb hat-trick against Werder Bremen. However, once again di Natale did not set Serie A alight, only scoring 8 goals. 

It looked as if di Natale might have reached his peak - a decent striker who was promising but never truly fulfilled his lower-league potential. Udinese finished a dismal 11th in the league, despite other teams around them being deducted points amidst match-fixing and betting scandals. At the age of 29 Toto finally reached double figures, scoring an impressive 11 goals in the league. He also received a confidence-boosting recall to the Gli Azzuri under Roberto Donadoni, scoring a brace against Ukraine. In 2006/2007 a slightly less ambitious Udinese side improved on their previous position, finishing 10th whilst di Natale became their star man. The next season Toto came alight, scoring 17 times in Serie A as Udinese finished a good season in 7th, the highest position since the 2004/2005 campaign. 2007/08 was also a landmark term, not only because he formed a formidable partnership with Fabio Quagliarella, but because he gained the Udinese captaincy, and a long contract extension to 2012. The 2008/9 term was hindered by an injury sustained in an Italy game but Toto still achieved a clinical tally of 12 goals, in just 22 games. Udinese again finished 7th. The next season was brilliant for di Natale as he scored a club-record 29 goals in the league. In contrast, it was a poor season for Udinese, despite the inclusion of foreign young talent such as Alexis Sanchez, Kwadwo Asamaoh, Mauricio Isla and Gokhan Inler, as the club finished an awful 15th. 2010 was an amazing year for Toto on a personal level, as he picked up the Italian Footballer of the Year Award, won the coveted Capocannoniere title and also won the Serie A Fair Play award. Furthermore, he surpassed the century mark on his Serie A goals tally.

New manager Francesco Guidolin was installed for the following season and he brought a fresh look to Udinese as an attacking and entertaining style was employed. Di Natale once again excelled, scoring a magnificent 28 goals, firing a young, exciting Udinese side into 4th place and consequently the Champions League. This year, Udinese were once again over-achievers, finishing third as di Natale scored 23 times and led the team as captain, despite losing some of his best team-mates. Last season was also the year that the tragedy of Piermario Morosini (the Udinese player on loan to Livorno) occurred. Di Natale stepped out and promised on behalf of the club that Morosini's sister would recieve lifelong financial aid, proving that he was more than just the average obnoxious footballer. 

Di Natale is an absolute legend at the Friuli and has remained loyal despite interest from 'bigger' clubs such as Juventus. He is immensely popular with fans of all clubs and is a genuine idol for aspiring players. A player who proves that "If you're good enough, you're young enough", he scored Italy's opening goal of Euro 2012 on Sunday. Class.

Bundesliga Season Review

As the Continental season finishes it is time to reflect on what has been an exciting season of drama, ecstasy and controversy across Europe. Before Euro 2012 gets under-way in Poland and Ukraine, we can look back on the performance of teams within various leagues in Europe. Here is my German Bundesliga Review.

1st Place: Borussia Dortmund - It has been another season to remember for Der BVB as they secured back-to-back titles under exciting  young manager Jurgen Klopp, 44. A flamboyant team with a low average age triumphed not only in the Bundesliga, but in the DFB Pokal as well, emphatically beating Bayern Munich 5-2, thanks largely to a hat-trick by Polish superstar Robert Lewandowski. Lewandowski has been one of many breakthroughs this year capitalising on the injuries of Lucas Barrios. Dortmund have achieved an attacking blend of experience and youth, a strong defensive foundation of Mats Hummels and Neven Subotic in the heart of defence and holding midfielders Sven Bender and Sebastian Kehl allow attacking fullbacks Lukas Pisczek and Marcel Schmelzer to flourish, also taking the defensive pressures off talented attacking players such as Shinji Kagawa, Mario Gotze and Jakub Blaszczykowski. Their reign seems set to continue as well, with stars Hummels and Gotze recently penning long-term contracts amidst transfer rumours. With the arrival of talented Marco Reus in the summer, the young team seems set to stay at the top. Season Rating - A.

2nd: Bayern Munich- Despite reaching two major finals and challenging for the league title, this campaign will probably be viewed as disappointing by most Bayern fans. After surprisingly losing out to Borussia Dortmund last season, Bayern immediately strengthened - securing the services of National team goalkeeper Manuel Neuer for 22 million euros. Many were tipping Die Roten to lift the Bundesliga under experienced new coach Jupp Heynckes but the most successful side in German football history were comfortably beaten by a younger and more likeable, Dortmund side. Despite the presence of lethal striker Mario Gomez, who grabbed 26 league goals this term, Bayern struggled - suffering shock losses to Gladbach and Mainz. This is partly due to a shaky defence and the disruptive influences of players like Breno as well as the ongoing feud between Arjen Robben and Frank Ribery. The team will have to spend big and improve massively, in order to win silverware next year. Things may have been viewed differently had the side won the Champions League, but the league campaign was bitterly disappointing for the Bayern faithful. Season Rating - B.

3rd: Schalke 04- Last season Schalke were very successful in Europe and the Cup under Felix Magath but struggled in the league, finishing poorly in the bottom half. The board sought change under Huub Stevens and their decision turned out to be a wise one. Dutch striker Klaas Jan-Huntelaar finally found his form, top scoring in the league for Schalke and for the Netherlands in Euro 2012 qualification. Talismanic forward Raul proved his doubters wrong, displaying his class on numerous occasions despite his age. The defence was solid too, Kyrgiakos Papadopoulos and Benedikt Howedes shining at the back. Schalke also possess some quality young players in Julian Draxler and Lewis Holtby and the future looks bright for the side from Gelsenkirchen. Season Rating - A.

4th: Borussia Mochengladbach- Borussia Mochengladbach had an absolutely brilliant campaign under Lucien Favre this year as the Bundesliga's 'surprise package'. When Swiss maestro Favre took over the reigns the club was in dire straits, languishing at the bottom of the table. However, their form improved and in his first full season, Favre took his team to fourth and the Champions League. This year Gladbach beat Bayern twice and one stage looked like they might clinch the title, had they not faltered slightly towards the end of the season. Their young players flourished - Marco Reus, Marc ter Stegen and Patrick Herrmann particularly shone. Gladbach combined attacking prowess through Reus, Hanke and Herrmann with defensive stability as they became everyone in Germany's second team. It is a shame that some of their players are going elsewhere - Reus to Dortmund, Dante to Bayern and Neudstater is bound for Schalke - but with the signing of Junior Hoilett seemingly in the bag, Gladbach are signalling that they are here to stay - and want to genuinely challenge in the Champions League. Season Rating - A*.

5th: Bayer Leverkusen- Bayer Leverkusen achieved another year of stability in the league this season. Although not setting the world alight, the team dubbed as 'Never-kusen' had another relatively solid term. They qualified from their Champions League group but where absolutely destroyed by Barcelona in the knock-out round and suffered some embarrassing results in the league - resulting in the sacking of Robin Dutt. In order to improve and challenge in Europe they need a striker as this is the position where they are seriously lacking. The teams around them had the likes of Huntelaar, Gomez, Lewandowski and Reus and Leverkusen were stuck with Stephan Keissling who has yet again disappointed. Eren Derdiyok is bound for Hoffenheim and they will need to spend this summer. They are a team lacking some quality, one exception being Andre Schurrle. Season Rating - B.

6th: Vfb Stuttgart- Stuttgart have had a fairly productive season under Bruno Labbadia, finishing 6th, a solid platform for next year. With previously star striker Cacau faltering it seemed as if Stuttgart might struggle for goals but the late season form of Bosnian Ibisevic and Martin Harnik helped Die Schwaben secure a Europa League spot. Should Stuttgart begin next season with Harnik and Ibisevic they could challenge for the Champions League spot with Gladbach likely to be not as good and they might even challenge for the Europa League title. A solid season. Season rating- B+.

7th: Hannover- Hannover's season suffered as a result of a long and tiring Europa League campaign but, in spite of this, was fairly successful as they secured a Europa League spot again. Mirko Slomka's side reached the quarter finals this year, losing to eventual winners Atletico, and their Bundesliga season undoubtedly suffered as a result. However, the side was spurred on by the immensely successful capture of Mame Diouf from Manchester United as he formed a potent partnership with Ivorian Didier Ya Konan. A promising side aided by the reliability of Ron Robert-Zieler in goal, another from United, Hannover could well challenge once more, if Diouf, Ya Konan and Abdellaoue can keep scoring next year. Season Rating- B/B+.

8th :Wolfsburg- Managed by the unpredictable, fine-happy, and incredibly unpopular Felix Magath Die Wolfe had a mixed season, eventually missing out on a European spot. It seems a long time ago that Edin Dzeko and Wolfsburg won the Bundesliga in 2009 and the club has struggled since. Despite possessing some good players such as Diego Benaglio, Mario Mandzukic, Patrick Helmes and Makoto Hasebe, Wolfsburg were abysmal away from Volkswagen Arena. In-fact, at home Die Wolfe won more games than Leverkusen and Gladbach, but away they won a miserly three times. Wolfsburg also have some good players out on loan, like Simon Kjaer and Diego, but will need to sign some quality and (according to the fans at least) change their manager to improve. Season rating - B-.

9th: Werder Bremen- A slightly disappointing season for popular long-term manager Thomas Schaaf, who has been at the club since 1972 in one form or another featuring as player, coach and manager. Werder have some stand-out players such as Marin, Naldo, Arnautovic, Pizarro and Wiese but many of these individuals are disruptive, none more so than Austrian Arnautovic, who has come out with some ridiculous quotes in the past. Indeed, on paper Werder look a good side so a 9th place finish is under-achieving. Furthermore, star players are on there way out with Marin going to Chelsea and Pizarro likely to join Bayern. Will loyal servant Schaaf remain? Or is it time for a change at the Weserstadion? Season rating - C+

10th: FC Nuremberg- Nuremberg had a time of dominance in the early 20th Century but have struggled pretty much ever since. Their recent history is littered with ups and downs, promotions and relegations but they have remained in the Bundesliga for three seasons in a row now, a seemingly remarkable feat. A 6th placed finish last year was a particular highlight but one the club could not replicate this year under Dieter Hecking. However, this season was nonetheless an enjoyable one for the Nuremberg fans who are used to a relegation battle, which was largely avoided this season. Some good performances from Thomas Pekhart and Alexander Esswein have helped them on their way but the team seemed a little too reliant on loanee Daniel Didavi. It will be interesting to see how they cope without him. Rating - B/B+

11th: Hoffenheim-TSG Hoffenheim fans have seen a rapid rise in their club's stature since receiving serious financial backing in 2006. Now an established Bundesliga club the investment is ongoing and the signing of Dutch forward Ryan Babel was a sign of things to come. Furthermore, in preparation for next season, the club has already gained players such as Eren Derdiyok as the club continues to expand into a force to be reckoned with. Hoffenheim have sold some of their best players such as Luiz Gustavo recently but have also strengthened gaining a level of consistency in the last couple of years. However, TSG will want to improve their position next year with new manager Markus Babbel and a new-look side. One very exciting talent they do have already is Brazilian Roberto Firmino, a midfielder with an eye for goal. Rating - B.

12th: SC Freiburg- When Freiburg announced the sale of star striker Papiss Cisse to Newcastle this January it looked like their season was going to tail off, possibly resulting in relegation. However, Christian Streich's team rose to the occasion, eventually finishing 12th. A team small in stature and squad, Freiburg were tipped by many to be relegated, with or without Cisse. Despite this, the team rallied and thanks to the performances of players such as Karim Guede and Daniel Caligiuri, Freiburg stayed up. Will they stay up next year? The doubt remains. Season rating - B+.

13th: Mainz- Mainz were last season's surprise package, rather like Gladbach this season, finishing 5th under Thomas Tuchel. The influence of Lewis Holtby on that season cannot be underestimated and without him Mainz lacked a certain flair. A slightly less ambitious season was to be expected and the general consensus from the fans is that of satisfaction. Mainz seemed stable and have some good attacking players - I am a big fan of young Cameroon striker Eric Chuopo-Moting - and Mohammed Zidan had an instant impact when he rejoined his beloved Mainz from Dortmund. A safe, but satisfactory, season led by the sought-after Tuchel. Season rating- B. 

14th: FC Augsburg- At some points this season newly-promoted Augsburg looked destined for the drop. However, a brilliant run of form towards the end of the year carried the team out of the relegation zone and into 14th place. Jos Luhukay impressed but chose to take over at Hertha BSC and Augsburg appointed young Markus Weinzierl instead, only his second managerial position. Doubts are circulating over Weinzierl and the forthcoming season, inflamed by the probable departure from star man, Axel Bellinghausen. Season Rating - A.

15th: Hamburg- HSV are one of Germany's all-time-great football clubs but they had an extremely disappointing season in 2011/2012, narrowly escaping the drop. A regular top-flight side in the last ten years, HSV slumped to 15th, one place off the relegation play-off. Hamburg have some promising young players such as Dennis Aogo, Son-Heung Min and Per-Cilan Skjelbred but their main players failed to deliver. One famous case of this is striker Paolo Guerrero's, who Hamburg seriously relied on, attack on goalkeeper Sven Ulreich . It was disgraceful and resulted in a long-term ban for Guerrero, damaging Hamburg's morale and results. HSV face losing some of their best young players and relegation unless drastic improvements are made. Season rating - D.

16th: Hertha Berlin- Hertha started the season off quite promisingly under young coach Markus Babbel, in front of their devoted fans (all 77,000 of them) at home in the Olympic Stadion. However, a poor run of form resulted in the sacking of Babbel and the appointment of Otto Rehhagel, 73, who won the 2004 European Championships with Greece. Rehhagel did little to change the tide, especially in the early stages of his reign, and the club slumped to 31 points and 16th place - the relegation play-off. This they lost to Dusseldorf, so Die Alte Dame will be playing their football in Bundesliga 2 next year. Season rating - C.

17th: Koln- Another season which started off well and ended in catastrophe. The Goats were going OK with Lukas Podolski firing on all cylinders for club as well as country. However, with Podolski sidelined the season fell apart culminating in the firing of Stale Solbakken (now of Wolves). Koln were comfortably relegated and the season ended dramatically with a mini-riot from the fans. They will struggle without Podolski and we may well not see them in the Bundesliga again for some time. Season Rating - C-.

18th: Kaiserslauten- The team who won Bundesliga 2 the previous year never delivered in the Bundesliga, gaining a pitiful 23 points from the entire campaign, only winning 4 games. A side lacking quality never looked like staying up as Marco Kurz was sacked and replaced by Krasimir Balakov, who was even worse. A dreadful season, and a dreadful finish. Painful. Season rating- E.

All in all, a very exciting season in Germany. From the triumph of Dortmund to the despair of Kaiserslauten it was an incredibly dramatic season for everyone in the Bundesliga. What will next year bring? Furth, Frankfurt and Dusseldorf for one thing...