Game 64 - Week 20

It looks like it could come down to a very exciting final turn in a weeks time, as the top five teams are still in with a chance of winning Serie A.  The top three last week were all held to draws, allowing Lazio to go back onto the top of the table.  They beat Antwerp 2-1, goals from Gimenez and Oscar putting them 2-0 up before Musacchio pulled one back for Antwerp, but Lazio held on.  Playing with 78 rated Spaniard David Gil between the posts, Antwerp have struggled since regular keeper Marc Andre Ter Stegen was injured a few weeks ago and are now very much in the relegation fight.  Another game with big implications at the top and bottom this week saw Real Madrid held 1-1 at home by Mini Mars.  The French side took an early lead through Gaya, following which it looks like they were hanging on a bit with Real enjoying most of the pressure, until Diaz was sent off for Mini Mars midway through the second half.  Possibly that gave the home side the boost they needed, because 10 minutes later Icardi fired in an equaliser.  That must go down as points dropped at home for Real though, who are now joint top with Lazio but with a worse goal difference.  Two of last weeks top three met - Basle and Bayern drawing 2-2.  Early on it looked like an easy win for home team Basle, two early set pieces from Pedrito putting them two up after just nine minutes and taking his total for the season to 12.   Luis Suarez scored his 10th goal of the season though just after to get Bayern back in the game.  Basle held out though for almost another 80 minutes, until the very last seconds when Cristiano Ronaldo equalised - his 11th goal of the season.  So Lazio and Real are top on 36 points, Bayern are one behind on 35 and Basle are another point further back on 34.  PSG aren't out of it by any means either, they're three points behind the leaders, but an absolute disaster for them this week nonetheless - they lost 4-1 at Juventus.  The remaining clubs after PSG are in the relegation battle, two of the six will be relegated along with bottom club Atletico who are already down.  Juve did their survival hopes the world of good with that win, whilst AC Milan were the other big winners, a 3-2 victory at Atletico means they're still second bottom but only three points behind Juve in 7th and Antwerp in 8th.  Mini Mars are third bottom after their draw this week, again though just three points behind 6th placed PSV Eindhoven.  Some great games coming up next week - Lazio are away at Mini Mars, Real Madrid take on Basle and Bayern are at Antwerp.

Holiday Break

Note that there are no turns from next bank holiday Monday (26th May) through to Thursday (28th May).   Every single game will have a turn on Friday 29th May.

Game 64 - Week 17

Both leagues continue to be very tight indeed, both at the top and bottom of the tables.  Wolves lead the Prem, but it's only on goal difference after Richard Coupland's team lost 2-1 at Anthony Woods' Tottenham this week.  Spurs move three points clear of the relegation zone after that vital win.  Two more goals from Lionel Messi helped Ethan Bailey's Arsenal win 3-2 at Everton and they go joint top. David Burton's Derby are a point behind the top two after a 1-0 home win over Niall Cunningham's Chelsea who drop to fourth, two off the top.  Jamie Maycroft's Man City are also going the wrong way - a 1-0 defeat at Bournemouth leaves them 5th, four points behind the leaders, level with John Ferrier's Celtic who won 1-0 at Rangers.  Near the bottom, James West's Villa should now be safe as they won 1-0 at home to Man United, Spurs' win leaves Rangers, United and Everton all in big trouble.

Division 1 leaders Scarborough dropped points for the first time this season last week as they were held 0-0 at home by West Ham.  This week though they were back to winning ways, Diego Ribas with all four goals as Newcastle were beaten 4-0.  Sam Roberts' Doncaster are now seven points behind the leaders, and only two clear of third placed West Ham, after a 0-0 draw at home with Nick Smith's Liverpool.  Kirk Greenway's Hammers won 4-1 at West Brom to keep up the fight for that second automatic promotion place - Doncaster play Scarborough next week.  A 2-0 win for Wednesday and that 0-0 draw for Liverpool mean both are heading for the playoffs.

Two points separate the top five in Serie A, three of the top four losing this week in what was a very good set of results for Gerard O'Brien's Bayern Munich.   A Ronaldo hat-trick helped Bayern on their way to a 4-2 win over Rich Coupland's Lazio, whilst James Teager's Real lost 2-1 at Bazz Wetton's Antwerp.  Real are a point clear at the top, with Lazio and Bayern one point behind, Basle and PSG are two off the top.  Antwerp are just about still in the running, five points behind the leaders.  At the bottom, another good result for Atletico Madrid but again only a point in a 0-0 draw at Benfica.  Sadly for Joe Spencer's side it looks like relegation will be confirmed in a turn or two.  James West's Milan also look in big trouble, they were only able to snatch a 1-1 draw at Juventus and are five points from safety.  Four teams are battling it out to avoid being the other relegated side - Mini Mars with a brilliant 2-0 win at home to Basle moving them clear for a week or two, but PSV's 3-0 defeat at PSG puts them right back in the mix.

The battle for the Serie B title continues - wins for both Dnipro and NY Red Bull means there is still just a point between them.  They will be the teams in the automatic promotion spots, Hayden Dando's Roma set for the playoffs.

Game 64 - Week 14

Man United recorded their second win in a row to move within touching distance of safety this week, Marc Lewry's side downing David Burton's Derby at Old Trafford.  Gomez gave United the lead in the first half, Martin levelled from the penalty spot, but then Derby had Albentosa sent off with 12 minutes to go.  The home side took advantage, Gomez with his second goal for three incredibly valuable points.  United stay a point from safety, as Anthony Woods' Tottenham picked up an equally vital point at home to Ethan Bailey's Arsenal with a 0-0 draw.  Below United, it was a bad week for Rangers - who lost 3-1 at Man City - and Everton - hammered 4-0 at Wolves - who now both look doomed.  James West's Aston Villa maintained the gap between them and the bottom three with a great 1-0 win over last weeks table toppers Chelsea, Higuain the goalscorer.  Wolves are now top of the table, the only team in the top four to win this week.

Two more goals from Cavani saw a vital away win for Sam Roberts' Doncaster, 2-0 at Chris Burton's Sheffield Wednesday this week.  That victory keeps Donny in second place, two points clear of Kirk Greenway's West Ham who won 2-0 at home to Burnley.  Wednesday drop to fifth after their defeat, Nick Smith's Liverpool up to fourth with a 4-2 win at Hibs.  Leaders Scarborough recorded their 14th straight win of the season, coming out on top in a 4-3 thriller at Grimsby.

James Teager's Real Madrid are still top of Serie A, a 1-0 home win over AC Milan keeping them there ahead of Rich Coupland's Lazio who won 4-2 at home to PSG, Falcao with a hat-trick.  Basle beat Benfica 3-0 and are third with Bayern fourth after a 3-2 win at home to PSV.  AC Milan drop back into the bottom three, as Mini Mars climb out of the relegation zone again - they won 3-1 at home to Atletico.  Even sides as high up as fifth placed Antwerp won't consider themselves safe from relegation just yet.

Game 64 - Week 13

Wins for the top four in the Prem mean that things are pretty much as they were, though a gap has opened up to fifth placed Bournemouth, Chelsea beat Spurs to stay a point clear of Wolves, who won 4-1 at Rangers, and two ahead of Derby who won 2-1 at home to Bournemouth.  Arsenal are hanging in there, five points behind the leaders after a 3-0 win at home to Man City.  Bournemouth are now seven points off the top, City eight points behind.  Everton are now bottom of the table after a 3-1 defeat at home to Man United who move to just three points from safety.

Scarborough won as usual in division 1, the big game happened just below them.  Cavani scored as Doncaster beat West Ham 1-0 to move into second place.  The Hammers drop to third, outside the automatic promotion places.

Real Madrid are the new leaders of Serie A, a 2-0 win at PSV coupled with defeats for Lazio and Basle see them go top of the pile.  Lazio lost 3-2 at AC Milan, Basle went down 2-1 at PSG.  Bayern Munich are up to fourth after a 4-0 win at struggling Atletico, Benfica and Antwerp in mid table after a 1-1 draw.  Mini Mars drop into the bottom three again with a 3-1 defeat at Juventus who go above them in the table.

The Serie B promotion battle continues with wins for Dnipro, 4-0 at Fiorentina, Red Bull who beat Inter 3-1 and Roma who won 2-0 at Shaktar Donetsk.