The Big guns of Europe
The 6 top leagues of Europe saw 4 new Champions in the previous season (2011-12). Only 2 champions retained their title. Although, it is too early to predict the outcome of this season. Let’s take a look at how the current champions are faring this season.
All the European leagues have seen a minimum of 3 weeks of action. The most interesting feature of this season is the below par performance by the reigning Champions. Only one of the six reigning champions, successfully held their ground. Though Juventus have defended the title well, but they have had just 2 games.
While, some have failed miserably in their title defense, others are still within touching distance.
English Premier League
Winners – Manchester City (dethroned – Manchester United)
Manchester City have had a bad start to the season. They have won 2 and drawn 2 (8 points). But, they still are not far behind Chelsea, who are in the top spot. Chelsea are the current leaders with 3 wins and 1 draw (10 points). They have been strong in the scoring department, but equally weak in defense, conceding 6 times. Currently placed 4th in the league table, the holders are still in a good position, if not the best. With the return of Kun Aguero, the noisy neighbors might spring up to the top.
Sergio Aguero’s injury cost Man City 4 points.
Spanish Liga BBVA
Winners – Real Madrid (dethroned – FC Barcelona)
Real Madrid are the one who have failed miserably in their title defense. They have won just 1 of their 4 matches, lost 2 and drawn 1 (4 points). They currently stand at an unbelievable 11th place. They have been poor in scoring and defense. They are currently 8 points behind their fierce rivals, who had a perfect start to the season. The Spanish champions are struggling on and off the pitch. This is one of the most disappointing display by Real in recent times. It is a difficult position for Real, as they will be on the back-foot now, and the Catalans will seize the opportunity to keep the gap intact. The reigning champions will have a chance on October 7 to reduce the gap by defeating Barcelona at Camp Nou. Now, it all depends on the hard work of real and hard luck of Barcelona.
Blow after blow for the mighty Galacticos.
Italian Serie A
Winners – Juventus (dethroned – AC Milan)
Juventus dethroned AC Milan to rule the Italian league. They returned from a slumber to fight for the crown, and their spirit is unfazed. After a long period of toil and turmoil, the greatest ever Italian side are back. The undisputed 28 time Serie A champions are looking good, and show no intent of stepping down. They have made a perfect start to the season and have scored 6 times in 2 games. Lets see if they can maintain their winning form in the long run.
Return of the Kings.
French Ligue 1
Winners – Montpellier (dethroned – Lille)
Montpellier finished on top in 2011-12 season, after finishing 14th in 2010-11. It was a huge moment for the French side who dethroned mighty Lille. However, things are not looking good for the defending champions this season. They are currently in 16th position after losing 3 of their 5 games, winning just one. The French league is quite unpredictable and anything can happen in the long run. Marseille top the league with a perfect 15 points from 5 games. But, Montpellier are already missing a great striker in Olivier Giroud. And, without him leading the scoring charts, a comeback for the champions looks very improbable.
Montpellier losing ground.
German Bundesliga
Winners – Borussia Dortmund
The German Bundesliga saw the dominance of Bayern Munich being overshadowed by Borussia Dortmund in the past 2 seasons. Borussia Dortmund, against all odds, successfully defended the title last season. They proved their mettle by winning the Bundesliga two times in a row. It is one of the more competitive leagues in Europe. This time the defending champions have failed to make a perfect start and have drawn 1 of their 3 games. They are currently sitting in 5th position and are 2 points behind leaders Bayern Munich. But, in a competitive league like Bundesliga, 2 points is not a problem. We will surely see the reigning champions fight back for the title. Dortmund still have plenty of quality left in their squad, and it’s just a matter of time till we see them unleash their uncontrollable spirit.
The reigning champions, ready to raze.
Dutch Eredivisie
Winners – Ajax Amsterdam
Ajax have dominated the Dutch Eredivisie since always. It has been the most impressive Dutch club ever. It’s not a surprise to see them winning the league twice in a row, after suffering their worst ever league title drought. They won the league in 2010-11 season after 5 seasons. It was a great comeback from the former 4 time European Champions.
But, the things don’t look great this time around. They have lost 4 points and are currently in 3rd position. Although, they haven’t yet lost, but they have drawn 2. The 4 point difference does not seem to be overwhelming for the strong defending champions, but they’ll have to stop conceding. The champions scored a lethal 17 goals in 5 matches, but conceded 5 crucial goals. So, if Ajax can stop conceding, they might spring right back to the top in no time.
The lethal Dutch force, conceding at the wrong times.
This football season has already become exciting, with some very big names going down very unexpectedly. Let’s see what this season has in store for all of us. Cheers!