The 45th season of the Bundesliga has come to an end with comparatively little drama or theatrics. Bayern all but guaranteed itself the title with a busy summer in the transfer market, spending 70 million Euros on Luca Toni (the league’s top scorer), Franck Ribery (world class playmaker) and the rest. While this investment was able to secure first place in Germany, a return to Champions League action and a domestic cup, it could not secure the treble. Two (lucky) draws against a lower table Spanish side Getafe and an aggregate 2-5 drubbing by the Russian champions Zenit St. Petersburg did remove some of the season’s luster. But ultimately with their 20th Bundesliga title in hand this year can be seen as a return to form for Bayern and their fans.
The names of the other squads returning to Europe has a familiar ring to them:
Both Bremen and Schalke return to the Champions League with Bremen automatically qualifying this year and Schalke going into the third qualifying round.
Hamburg, last year’s Intertoto Cup “winner”, enters the Uefa Cup proper joined by a Wolfsburg team who in 2006-07 had finished 15th, the last safe spot above the relegation zone, and Dortmund who had an uninspiring year but were runners-up in the DFB Cup.
Hertha Berlin are fortunate to be in Europe this year, being the lucky recipients of a Fair Play UEFA Cup first round qualifying place along with Manchester City and Denmark’s FC Nordsjælland.
Finally Stuttgart, the ex-reigning champs, have the pleasure of playing in the Intertoto Cup’s third round where, if they’re as lucky as Hamburg was last year, they’ll get to play a team from Moldova. The Intertoto Cup is slated to be abolished in 2009, so if Stuttgart (or any other German club) still has designs on European silverware the time is running out.
Bayer Leverkusen and Nürnberg both failed to emulate last year’s success. Leverkusen just missed out on a spot in Europe with their 7th place finish. Nürnberg took matters one step further by not only avoiding Europe but the 1. Bundesliga as well, choosing relegation instead. Being relegated as reigning DFB Cup holders stands proudly alongside the club’s unique achievement of winning the league one year (1968) and being relegated the next.
Joining Nürnberg are Hansa Rostock and MSV Duisburg, two squads who gained promotion only the year before. Karlsruhe, comfortable winners of the 2. Bundesliga, finished a respectable 11th in the table.
The 1. Bundesliga welcomes in their place two old faces: five-time champions Borussia Mönchengladbach and three-time champions FC Köln, and one very new one: 1899 Hoffenheim. Hoffenheim is only two years removed from playing in Regionalliga Süd, one of the various third tier leagues (soon to be replaced by a nation-wide 3. Liga). It is difficult to imagine them surviving beyond their inaugural season in the highest division, but they are sure to gain numerous fans from around the football-starved Heidelberg area in southwestern Germany.
As for the other clubs? Hannover, Frankfurt, Bochum, Cottbus and Bielefeld did just enough to stay within the safe band of clubs between spots 7 and 15 on the table to avoid mention. Sure, Cottbus and Bielefeld flirted continually with relegation throughout the season, but did just enough in the end. The rest managed to be solid, anonymous mid-table clubs. Consistent adequacy may not be glamorous, but it is reassuring.

Season Finale

Season Finale - World Soccer Talk

Manchester City may be looking for new management next season, but it may also find itself playing in Europe as well.&nbsp; UEFA has announced today that <a href="http://www.uefa.com/competitions/uefacup/news/kind=1/newsid=693443.html">England have finished in the top spot of this season’s Fair Play rankings.</a>&nbsp; The rankings are based on evaluations of all games played in UEFA competitions (national or club), with points awarded or deducted for positive play, respect for opponents and referees, behavior of the crowd, and yellow or red cards given.&nbsp; England has held the top spot three times since its founding in 1995.
For finishing on top, England have been automatically awarded a fourth spot to next year’s UEFA Cup competition, joining the winners of the FA Cup, League Cup champions Tottenham, and the 5th place finisher on the final Premier League table.&nbsp; The fourth&nbsp;spot&nbsp;will be&nbsp;awarded to the highest finisher on the Premier League’s own fair play table who has not otherwise qualified for a UEFA competition next season.
That distinction right now is held by Manchester City, who lie fifth on the fair play table after four teams who have already won European places.&nbsp; This would be the second time City has made the UEFA Cup on fair play; they also were best in fair play when England last won an automatic spot in 2003.&nbsp; However, it will only be official once all matches are played.&nbsp; Two teams lie within a tenth of point of City on <a href="http://www.premierleague.com/page/FairPlayTable/0,,12306,00.html">the current table</a>; Everton and Fulham. Everton, however, only need a last day draw or Aston Villa not winning to get its own UEFA Cup spot, meaning Fulham has the best chance of taking away City’s place.&nbsp; And I have a feeling Fulham has its mind on something other than fair play right now.
It’s not the most glamorous way to get European play, but you can be sure City and Sven will be on their best behavior against Middlesbrough this Sunday.

England Tops Fair Play Table, Gets Another UEFA Cup Spot

England Tops Fair Play Table, Gets Another UEFA Cup Spot - World Soccer Talk

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England Tops Fair Play Table, Gets Another UEFA Cup Spot