Bringing Football Alive

ISSUE 1 SEASON 2015/16 AUGUST 15 KICK-OFF BRINGING FOOTBALL ALIVE

JESUS’ MIRACLE MOVE

STERLING OVER-VALUED? FFP BAN LIFTED FOR PSG

REAL AND BARCA CAN JUVENTUS’

DO BATTLE STREAK BE STOPPED 1 Welcome to Kick-Off

The essential guide KICK-OFF to the new football season! BRINGING FOOTBALL ALIVE

Our experts from around Europe have compiled their thoughts and key anal- ysis on the top leagues throughout the Contents continent for your enjoyment. Czech Republic p4 Follow Barcelona’s moves as they try to match last season’s treble and FC Volun- England p5-p8 tari’s preparations for their first ever season in the Romanian top flight, we have France p9 -p11 you covered from every angle. Tracking Europe’s big money moves you will also learn how Jesus has parted a city and Germany p12-p14 where the youngest Hazard brother is kick-starting his career. Hungary p15

Explore the major summer headlines from the biggest the leagues in the world Italy p16-p18 but enjoy the lighter side of football too. Within these pages discover the small- Netherlands p19-p20 est village in Europe to boast a top flight team and follow clubs’ who were on the Poland p21-p22 edge of financial ruin as they fight their way back to the big leagues. Get all this information and more right here Portugal p23-p25

This season promises to be a festival of Romania p26-p27 football and don’t miss the opportunity to register on page 10 for you exclusive gift from our sponsor! Spain p28-p30

Chief Editor: Phil Carpenter Editor: Gabor Hujber, Dominic Poyntz Design: Ryan Simmonds, Rodrigo Valle Velazco, Marco Di Natale Content: Dani Martinez, Boris Olympio, Dorota Faron, Alex Barry, Pedro Moita, Michael Follett, Gabor Hujber, Jiri Petrasch, Luis Santos

Publisher: Jeremy Fall Marketing & Circulation: Jeremy Fall [email protected] Images: Imago, Action Images Editorial: BC Global Services Limited, 100 Hammersmith Road, London W6 7JP, United Kingdom

BEG 2015 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or any information storage or retrieval system without the express prior written consent of the publisher. The contents of Kick-Off are subject to reproduction in information storage and retrieval systems.

3 CZECH REPUBLIC ENGLAND

Liga Favourites

iktoria Plzeň are favourites to win the Liga, the VCzech first league, for a second consecutive season. The team from Pilsen in the west of the Czech Repub- lic, won their third title in five years, beating AC Sparta Pra- ha by 5 points with a superior goal difference (+46 compared to +37). Last season was Viktoria Plzeň’s widest winning margin, but they have failed to win two titles in a row, perhaps due to the pressure of Cham- pions League football. their record to 13 league to have won the Czech first Despite being the highest titles. league in the last decade, who scoring team last season with finished disappointingly in 12th 70 goals, only one Viktoria Pl- In between Viktoria Pl- place last season. Having al- zeň player managed to reach zeň’s last two league titles, ready beaten Slovan Liberec in double figures with attacking Sparta won the top-tier di- the Czech Supercup this sea- midfielder Daniel Kolář find- vision by an impressive 13 son, Viktoria Plzeň are looking ing the net 11 times. Manag- points with a huge +59 goal good to secure a second con- er Miroslav Koubek however difference. secutive league title. does not appear to be con- cerned as he has focused on A key figure in Sparta’s Fernando Torres and Andriy goalkeepers the Premier strengthening his midfield and chances of regaining the title Side Notes Falcao to Chelsea Shevchenko who both spent League has seen, leave. defence with the most notable will be last season’s league highly barren spells at Stam- signing, or rather re-signing of top scorer David Lafata, who ford Bridge after coming in “Petr Cech found himself left back Václav Pilař from VfL netted 33 goals in all com- Top Trio fter his disastrous stint with high expectations. Wolfsburg, who never actually petitions. To support Lafata, Aat Manchester United expendable at started a game for the German manager Zdeněk Ščasný has Only 3 teams, Viktoria Plzeň, last season Colombian star With Diego Costa already Stamford Bridge” outfit following a lengthy injury. signed Nigeria striker Kehin- Sparta Praha & Slovan Liberec striker Radamel Falcao established as the number 9, de Fatai from Romanian club, have won the league title in has sealed yet another loan Falcao may find it tough to get Petr Cech found him- Sadly for Viktorka fans, Astra Giurgiu for a reported the last 10 years. move, this time to defending playing time once again as self expendable at Stamford they will not see Czech won- €500,000. Sparta fans will be Premier League Champions Mourinho likes to play with one Bridge and has moved across derkid Martin Graiciar break- keen to avoid seeing their club Chelsea. up front, although Costa may town to rivals Arsenal. Arsene through to become a first team become runners up for the 7th Attacking Weapons be used more sparingly due Wenger’s biggest summer regular this season as he left time in the last decade. Not nearly the player he to the injuries he suffered last signing so far hopes to build for Arsenal in the winter trans- 18 different players scored for used to be after a serious season. A poor showing in this a solid base for his attacking fer window, where he may one Viktoria Plzeň last season as knee injury that ruined his summer’s Copa America may side. day start alongside another Best of the Rest they won the league title. World Cup dreams in 2014, be of concern, but it is a risk former player, Petr Čech. the Colombian managed a the Champions are willing to With the rise to stardom of wo other teams have an miserly four goals last season take as they start their quest Alexis Sanchez the Gunners’ outside chance of captur- Prolific Striker and found playing time difficult for consecutive titles. fans are optimistic they can Sparta’s Challenge Ting the title. to come by. Chelsea fans are mount a serious challenge this David Lafata has been leading hoping Falcao can rediscov- Chelsea may be taking a season and with the likes of unners-up Sparta Praha FK Baumit Jablonec, who scorer in the Liga 4 of the last er the form that at one point gamble by bringing in Falcao, Wilshere and Walcott, if they Rare close second favour- finished a respectable third 5 seasons firstly for Jablonec made him one of the most but some also feel they are make a better start than last ites to win the Liga this sea- last season and FC Slovan and then for Sparta Praha. feared strikers in Europe. They taking a risk by letting arguably year they could well be con- son as they look to extend Liberec, the only other team do not need to be reminded of one of the greatest tending next May. 5 ENGLAND ENGLAND

Manchester Derby

ith nearly €130 million spent between the two WManchester clubs this summer the red half have spent slightly more than their noisy neighbours. The midfield has been of key concern for Louis Van Gaal, accounting for nearly €60 million, in Schneiderlin, Depay and Bastian Schwein- steiger. At times last season United played the type of football Van Gaal is known for and had two six game win streak that included victories over Spurs, Liverpool and Man- chester City.

“Runners-up City, were involved in the summers blockbuster move”

The latter one was fol- lowed by a three game loss run that dented any chance of a title shot and highlight- Despite struggling the defense but it may well be the ed consistency as an area Can anyone gate owners have backed Rodgers same old story without further to address. Runners-up City, crash the Top Four? and have been active in the additions. were involved in the summers transfer market. Capturing blockbuster move and finally n recent years the race for James Milner, Nathaniel Clyne Southampton will be look- captured key target Raheem and Roberto Firmino, they ing to improve upon an impres- Sterling for over €50 million. fourth has turned out to be Imore exciting than the actu- have worked hard to offset the sive first season under Ronald al title race. Last year’s top loss of inspirational captain Koeman, exceeding expec- It put an end to the doubt Steven Gerrard. Even with tations and qualifying for the surrounding his future at Liv- four of Chelsea, Man City, Arsenal and Man United are these additions they will find Europa League. erpool and he now carries the it tough to break into the top tag as the most expensive odds-on to be there again this season, but who will four. The departure of Clyne English footballer in history. and Morgan Schneiderlin won’t Joined by Fabian Delph, City challenge the usual suspects? Tottenham contended help but if Southampton have are also gearing themselves deep into the season for a proved anything the last few up for a shot at Chelsea’s Champions League spot fin- seasons it’s that they recruit title, but Frank Lampard’s loan Liverpool dropped out of the coveted top four last ishing 5th, six points behind well after they lose their star move expired and his expe- 4th placed Man United. Young names. They have replaced rience will be sorely missed, season with a disappointing campaign. Inconsistent league Player of the Year Harry Kane Schneiderlin with Jordy Cla- with James Milner moving to shone bright for Spurs, with sie from Feyenoord and have Liverpool. 2014/15 was the first form combined with elimination from the Champions League at 31 goals in all competitions, Jay Rodriguez returning from season in five years that City the most by any Spurs player a season long injury, which went trophy less and they will the group stages and a shock FA Cup exit at the hands of in 20 years, but he will need should be as good as a new be determined to change that help if they are to break into signing for the Saints. this coming season. Villa means that Brendan Rodgers starts the season the top four. The signing of with considerable pressure. Toby Alderweireld from Atelti- co Madrid has reinforced their

7 ENGLAND COUNTRY Side Notes FRANCE manager Alex Neil made a Promoted Teams big impact once he took over mid-season and the Canar- Kane to be top goal scorer? ournemouth will com- ies rode this wave all the way to the play-off finals and into PSG Kick-Off their Bpete in the Premier A flurry of Aguero goals pre- League for the first time the Premier League. A quiet transfer activity after their automatic promo- summer on the transfer front, vented Harry Kane from tion last season. so can Neil continue to work topping the scorers chart. his magic and keep Norwich The last time the league top here was great news this Eddie Howe’s men de- where they want to be? scorer played for a club that Tsummer for PSG execu- fied the odds with a brand of did not qualify for the Cham- tives and their supporters, swashbuckling football that After a succession of pions League was 2001/02 as UEFA decided to relax took the league by storm. near misses Watford finally when Jimmy Floyd Hassel- their Financial Fair Play Shrewd free transfer signings achieved promotion last sea- baink scored 24 goals for sixth (FFP) restrictions. in Distin and Boruc will bring son. Lead by stalwart Troy placed Chelsea. Will Kane valuable top flight experience, Deeney, the Hornets known for match it this year if Spurs fail Their transfer activity was so how will the Champions of playing attacking football will to make it into the top four? extremely quiet, mainly be- the Championship fair in the hope to establish themselves cause of the FFP restrictions big leagues? in the top flight. They have which forced PSG to look for brought in experienced Span- United Scoring Struggle new strategies to bring star Norwich needed only one ish manager Quique Sanchez players to the Parc des Princ- season back in the Champi- Flores and the additions of es. Before this decision, the onship before achieving the Capoue and Behrami makes Goals are of concern for Man club had a limit of €60 million ultimate goal of a return to them the biggest spender of United as last season’s 62 was and a restriction on their squad the Premier League. Scottish the three promoted clubs. the fewest number they have size for the European compe- scored in a Premier League titions (21 players instead of campaign in a decade. Wayne 25). €12.5 million has already Rooney’s 14 goals lead the been committed to the signing way, but it was United’s low- of right-back Serge Aurier from est leading scorer total since Toulouse FC. Frank Stapleton in 1982. Cabaye and Alphonse Areola The news was released in have sailed to other shores. Can Lyon return to July and PSG didn’t wait long Ezequiel Lavezzi, Thiago their former heights? English Teams in Europe closing their first deals. Sign- Motta, Gregory Van der Viel, ing for the promising young Lucas Digne and Adrien Rabi- goalkeeper from Frankfurt ot are also the most likely to yon opted for a long This upcoming season will see Kevin Trapp and the experi- leave if a suitable offer comes Lterm strategy when they eight English Premier League enced midfielder Benjamin in. planned to build their new teams compete in European. Stambouli from Tottenham. stadium for 2016. Chelsea, Man City, Arsenal Top rumours in the press “Blaise Matuidi, Edinson Ca- and Manchester United will include Angel Di Maria, the As a result they had to cut take part in the Champions prodigious Juventus midfield- vani and Marco Verrati are costs, selling a number of play- League, while in the Europa er Paul Pogba, the excel- often linked to moves ers they would otherwise have League Liverpool, Tottenham, lent young Belgian Kevin De to top sides” kept. This has had a huge im- Southampton and West Ham Bruyne and even Cristiano pact on their competitiveness will represent. Ronaldo. The price of success and they have not won the means that their top players league since 2008, when they The Happy Hammers qualified The Parisian club had an become targets. In June, Zla- won their seventh Ligue 1 title for Europe via the Fair Play amazing season with a superb tan Ibrahimovic, was linked in a row! League and will play Europe- quadruple (Ligue 1, Coupe de closely to Milan, but after ne- an football since 2006. For France, Coupe de la Ligue, gotiations it seems he is set to Their charismatic boss, Southampton and West Ham and Trophée des Champions), remain a Parisian for at least Jean Michel Aulas, knows that European football is a stark but their top priority going one more year. Blaise Matui- he can’t compete with PSG’s contrast to the Championship forward is to lift the Champi- di, Edinson Cavani and Mar- Qatari financial muscle, so he football they were both playing ons League trophy. To achieve co Verrati are often linked to decided to build a team with a few years ago. their goal the plan is not only moves to top sides in England, strong young players. To com- to buy new superstars, but Spain and Italy, but manager mentators suprise, this policy to let some players leave to Laurent Blanc will not let them paid off when striker Alexan- feshen up the squad. Yohan depart without a fight. dre Lacazette (Top Scorer

9 FRANCE COUNTRY FRANCE Side Notes and Player of the Ligue) and spending Parisian club. young players such as Samuel midfielder Nabil Fekir (Best Umititi, Yassine Benzia, Antho- newcomer of the Ligue), led Lyon are doing everything ny Lopez and Lindsay Rose Quadruple a squad including 14 players in their power to keep their two are likely to continue their from their youth team to a sec- jewels, Lacazette and Fekir, development, but have already ond place finish. A young team and both have already signed been linked to top European Last season saw Paris Saint with a collective spirit chal- contract extensions. Without clubs. They have added to Germain become the first lenged PSG throughout the a doubt, they will be the two their squad to prepare for the French club ever to have lift- season to eventually finish just key performers for this com- Champions League, signing ed four trophies during a single seven points behind the big ing season. Some of the other Jeremy Morel from Marseille season. on a free transfer and Claudio Barcelona hold the record Beauvue from Ginguamp. with 6 titles in 2009 (Copa del Rey, La Liga, UEFA Champi- “Lyon are doing everything ons League, Supercopa de in their power to keep España, UEFA Super Cup their two jewels, and Fifa Club World Cup). Lacazette and Fekir” They hope to add at least Goal scoring records one more player and have been chasing Marseille de- fender Nicolas Nkoulou. If Alexandre Lacazette scored 31 Les Gones succeed to keep goals last season, including 27 their best players, the same in Ligue 1. In the process the 24 year old Lyon striker broke Andre Guy’s club record of 25 goals in 1968-69 season. spirit and their collective force, ed to trust their young players they should continue to be guided by experienced stars He was still a long way short PSG’s main challenger. such as Dimitar Berbatov. The of the Ligue 1 record, held by results have been good, with Croatian Josip Skoblar who Monaco, another the highlight being the elimi- scored 44 goals for Mar- nation of Arsenal to reach the seille in 1970-71. serious challenger! Champions League quarter finals. he club may benefit from Superfans the huge financial back- History is repeating it- Ting of Russian billionaire self and as a result of their Dmitry Rybolovlev and they success their best players In 2014-15, 301,510 supporters have come a long way in a are leaving for bigger clubs. attended Ligue 1 matches dur- short period of time. Geoffrey Kondogbia has left ing the tenth round of fixtures, for Inter Milan, while Yannick beating the record that that After their promotion to the Ferreira Carrasco departed for was set in the 1997-98 season. top division in 2013 they rebuilt Atlético Madrid. The promising their squad. With the additions youngsters Layvin Kurzawa, Last season the average of James Rodriguez, Fal- Fabinho and Aymen Abden- attendance per match was cao, and Joao Moutinho they nour remain. 22,000, which in total was over reached second place under one million more than the pre- the guidance of Claudio Ranie- Monaco have also been vious season! ri. After sacking the Italian last very active during the sum- summer, they also saw James mer, acquiring Stephan El Rodriguez and Falcao depart Shaarawy from AC Milan and after just one season. a number of promising younger players. They are hoping to These departures led to a contend for the title but it might change in strategy, as Leonar- not quite be enough to chal- do Jardim came in as manager lenge PSG. from Sporting CP. They decid-

11 GERMANY GERMANY and charismatic Jürgen Klopp run that included wins over had been loved by Dortmund Bayern, Dortmund, Wolfsburg fans, but the Westfalenstadi- and Leverkusen. on crowd could not be happy Pep’s next step about what they witnessed last Losing Max Kruse to season. Wolfsburg and World Cup winner Christoph Kramer’s return n two years Pep Guardiola has been bought for €30 mil- Bayer Leverkusen for several BVB was in the relegation to Leverkusen is a big loss, but Ihas twice won the Bunde- lion. That fee was eclipesd seasons earlier in his career. zone several times between Gladbach managed to keep sliga, led his team to back- a few weeks later as Arturo the 10th and 19th round, only Granit Xhaka, Patrick Herr- to-back Champions League Vidal, fresh from winning the finishing 7th in the league. The mann and Thorgan Hazard semi-finals, won the Euro- Copa America, joined the club Klopp’d out team lost the German Cup at the club. Manager Lucien pean Supercup, the World for €37 million. The versatile final to Wolfsburg, and as a re- Favre is a great tactican but Club Championship and the Chilean midfielder had been he incredible Klopp era sult there will be no Klopp and he will need to strenghten the DFB-Pokal, but the fans are tracked by most of the big finally ended in grief. no European football played in club for the upcoming chal- still not convinced. clubs in Europe before join- T Dortmund in the 2015-16 sea- lenges in the Bundesliga and ing Bayern. He will hope to fill Dortmund proved a wor- son. the Champions League. Some say Guardiola is the gap left by long-serving thy rival to Bayern in the last record number of 21 assists demolishing Jupp Heynckes’ Bastian Schweinsteiger who couple of years winning two Thomas Tuchel has been and 10 goals in the campaign Leverkusen lost Gonzalo legacy who left the club after reunited with Louis Van Gaal league titles, the German brought in from Mainz follow- won him the Best Player award Castro and Josip Drmic but a glorious treble winning cam- at Manchester United. Vidal Cup, two Supercups, as well ing the same path as his pre- at the end of the season. there is still great attacking paign. Securing the league title should settle quickly in the as reaching the 2013 Cham- cessedor. Tuchel impressed potential with Hakan Calhano- last season was the bare mini- Bundesliga, as he featured for pions League final. The funny in his five seasons at Mainz Towering striker Bas Dost glu, Karim Bellarabi, Son Heu- mum for Bayern; but Guardiola and he shares the same ideas was another outstanding play- ng-min and Stefan Kießling at still deserves some kudos for about football as Klopp. His er for the wolves with more the club. keeping his World Cup winning first ever Bundesliga win was goals scored last season than players motivated. The team against Bayern but he’s got in his previous two campaigns. The team should aim for lost just two matches until the a lot to do with his squad to The flamboyant attacking securing a fourth successive title was secured and won the better Bayern this time around. force has been strenghtened Champions League qualifica- league with ease, keeping a Reus, Hummels and Gündog- with André Schürlle’s arrival tion this season. clean sheet in 22 of the 34 an have all stayed at the club in January and Max Kruse’s fixtures. and Gonzalo Castro has been capture at the summer transfer Champions League winner brought in to replace BVB-leg- window. Roberto Di Matteo didn’t have Bayern were close to a end Sebastian Kehl, but this is an impressive tenure at Schal- great season, exiting the Ger- likely to be a season of transi- Wolfsburg did not only ke. man Cup in the semi-final after tion. do well in the league but also an unlucky penalty shootout, won the German Cup the first The Italian who arrived in where none of Pep’s men time in their history by defeat- October had a disappointing scored and losing to eventu- The chasing pack ing Dortmund in the final. If season and left at the end of al winners Barcelona in the Wolfsburg can keep their best the campaign after winning Champions League semi-final, t was the second best assets they should be looking only two matches from the when key players Ribéry, Rob- league finish for Wolfsburg forward to another great cam- last ten fixtures. After three ben and Alaba were all miss- Isince their first title in 2009. paign this season. successive seasons Schalke ing due to injuries. won’t compete with Europe’s Belgian Kevin de Bruyne’s Mönchengladbach had best in 2015-16 as the team Bayern winning the title performances had been credit- stated last season with 10 didn’t qualify for the Champi- is almost certain, but to prove ed as the main reason for their matches unbeaten and also ons League for the first time in his doubters wrong Guardio- success. The Chelsea reject’s had a 13 match undefeated three years. la has to win the Champions League this season. Therefore the summer has been spent by strenghtening the squad further and two big signings have arrived. Although Shakhtar Donetsk lost 7-0 in Allianz Arena last season, one of the Ukrainian club’s players clearly impressed the ex-Bar- ca coach, as Douglas Costa

13 GERMANY COUNTRY Side Notes HUNGARY Di Matteo’s replacement Promoted teams Bayern’s advantage is André Breitenreiter who disappearing topped the Bundesliga in the C Ingolstad 04 and SV fourth league round with his FDarmstad 98 won the In Jupp Heynckes’ treble win- Disruption for the newly promoted Panderborn right to join the best teams ning campaign Bayern finished Champions team but eventually experi- of Germany in the Bundesli- the seasons with 25 point enced relegation at the end ga. advantage and lost only once. of the season with the team Last season’s Bundesli- In Guardiola’s first year the he format of the Hun- of last season’s top four – finishing bottom. ga 2 champion Ingolstad 04 point difference was 19 be- Tgarian League has been Ferencvaros, MTK Budapest Side Notes was formed by the merger tween first and second, while changed over the summer and Debrecen. Keeping Julian Draxler of two teams in 2004, hence last season, München suffered and 12 teams will compete Cup-treble by Ferencvaros 5 losses and won the league in 33 league rounds over the The silver medalist Fer- at the club is going to be vi- the name. The Bavarian team encvaros has the strongest tal, and the team will have to started from the amateur by 10 points only. Will the gap 2015-2016 season. In the past 3 months, Fer- continue to close? squad with the likes of ex-Pre- decide on the future of Kevin- league and it has only taken There will be no play-off mier League footballers Zoltan encvaros completed an amaz- Prince Boateng, Marco Hoger them 11 seasons to reach the stage at the end of the cham- Gera and Roland Lamah on ing cup-treble by winning the and Sidney Sam who were top division. Hungarian Cup final (4:0 against Buying from rivals pionship so teams will play the board. After almost ten years suspended by the club last usual home and away fixtures of stuggle, Ferencvaros is now Videoton), the Hungarian League season. Silver medalist SV Cup (2:1 against Debrecen), and The Bavarian champions try to and face each other one more getting back to its glory days. Darmstad 98 played in the time before the season wraps the Hungarian Supercup (3:0 third division three seasons weaken their rivals every sea- against Videoton). Usual suspects ago. In the 2012-13 season the son by snapping up the best up. The extra third fixtures are Fradi moved into a fantas- players of Bundesliga com- drawn to see which teams are tic new stadium at the start of club was relegated, but arch-ri- home and away, with last sea- last season, and built a strong id-table teams didn’t vals Kickers Offenbach went petition. There were rumours about De Bruyne and Gün- son’s top six clubs getting the team, with a charismatic leader spend much during the to adminstration and were advantage of an extra home at the helm in manager Thom- Msummer and most of the refused to enter the third tier. dogan arriving to Bayern but these transfers haven’t actually match. as Doll. Since the German’s clubs’ transfer balance are Darmstad took Offenbach’s arrival, Fradi have only lost five in the positive. place, and have won back-to- realized. back promotions to get to the It was not just the league league matches over a period Only Hoffenheim have top division. After signing Mandzu- format that went through a lot of one and a half seasons, and significantly freshened up their kic, Götze, Lewandowski and of changes, but the reigning in that time won the Hungari- roster as they had money to The year ahead is going to Neuer in previous seasons the champions squad also saw a an Cup, the League Cup, and spend from the sale of Bra- be a challenging for Ingolstad only capture from a rival team lot of upheaval. Videoton won most recently the Supercup in this year is Dortmund’s Dr their second ever league title July. zilian playmaker Firminho to and Darmstad as in the last this May but left without key Liverpool for a Bundesliga re- five season one of the newly Andreas Schlumberger, who Big-name signing comes in to replace club doc- players for the new season as The surprise team of the cord transfer fee of €41 million. promoted teams has always the team’s captain, first choice season could be Újpest. The Frankfurt, Mainz, Augsburg, ended up being relegated. tor Hans-Wilhelm Müller-Wohl- The third youngest of the Haz- Hamburg or Köln can be ex- fahrt who Guardiola fell out goalkeeper and top goalscor- big city rivals of Ferencvaros ard-brothers, Kylian has joined pected to be competing for the with and blamed for the inju- er all left during the summer finished last season with a Újpest from Belgian club Zu- midtable positions. ries suffered during the sea- break. seven match winning streak lte-Waregem during the transfer son. and only need to add a top window. Some of Kylian’s former The title winning team’s quality striker to their squad to coaches say he could reach the manager has also departed achieve big things. heights of his older brothers, New trophy winners? and Frenchman Bernard Ca- Chelsea-superstar Eden or Thor- soni took charge. The ex-Mar- With the Real Madrid and gan who plays for Bundesliga Wolfsburg’s cup triumph was seille and France international Juventus ex-player Robert bronze medalist Mönchenglad- the first time in four seasons doesn’t have a great manage- Jarni on the bench, Puskás bach. that a team other than Bayern rial record, and at his last club Academy will be tough to beat or Dortmund did not win the Ligue 2 side Valenciennes he at home in their beautiful new was sacked in February fol- Pancho Arena stadium with 12 teams and 33 league league or cup, since Schalke rounds won the DFB-Pokal in 2011. lowing an 8 match winnless its unique wooden structure. In fact it was Wolfsburg who run that only included a single Szombathelyi Haladas and the The Hungarian FA had no choice were the last team to break the draw. newly promoted duo, Vasas but to modify the format of the Bayern/Dortmund dominance Budapest and Bekescsaba, will most likely be the teams championship as several top divi- in the Bundesliga when they Fradi is back sion teams had their club licens- took the title in 2009. Will the battling it out at the wrong es rejected at the end of the last Wolves triumph signal a return end of the table, with all three season. Therefore four teams to the days when the destina- here were no major hoping to finish above the two relegation places. have been dropped leaving 12 tion of the championship was a Tchanges at Videoton’s ti- remaining sides to battle it out little less predictable? tle rivals and other members over 33 rounds. 15 ITALY ITALY Paul Pogba, who will team up been quiet in the transfer mar- moving in the right direction with another exciting attacking ket during the summer with no after a turbulent few decades. Argentinian Roberto Pereyra, major arrivals and only Andrea Their most recent successes who recently signed from Bertolacci leaving for Milano have come under the guidance Can Juventus make Udinese Calcio. for €20m, rumours however of Rafa Benitez, who has now it five in a row? have linked them with of play- left to manage Real Madrid, With a depth of talent ers from the Premier League, his replacement, Maurizio inning their fourth con- financial crisis. Despite these competition the previous sea- in midfield this may be the including Manchester City’s Sarri, looks a very exciting secutive Scudetto, de- losses, Juventus still managed son. season where hot prospect Edin Dzeko. prospect following the wonders fendingW champions Juven- to achieve the longest unbeat- Kingsley Coman, the versatile he worked as head coach at tus once again dominated en run in Serie A, as they were It has been a busy sum- teenager, breaks through to Despite only managing a Empoli. Serie A, completing a league undefeated in 20 games. mer, which has seen Italian play regular first team football. fifth place finish last season, and cup double. legend Andrea Pirlo leave to The experienced Sami Khe- winning the Coppa Italia and Sarri’s three significant The fall in league form entertain fans at New York City dira, German international and gaining 3rd place the previous signings so far have all been in They could not match their from the previous season FC, while last season’s top World Cup winner, has joined year, SSC Napoli appear to be at the back, bringing in goal- 2013/14 season, where they could be attributed to the scorer with 20 league goals, on a free transfer, looking to drew three matches and lost change in head coach as Mas- Carlos Tevez, has returned add a Serie A winner’s medal only two, amassing an incred- similiano Allegri took charge to South America to play for to his La Liga one that he won ible 102 points, but they still in July 2014, following the Boca Juniors. Trading one while with Real Madrid. maintained a 17 point winning resignation of Antonio Conte. Argentinian for another, they margin between themselves Allegri’s most notable achieve- have replaced the veteran Allegri favours creative, and second placed Roma. ment to date was leading AC Tevez with the younger Paulo attacking football, but he is Milan to their first Serie A title Dybala, the 21 year old attack- ably supported at the back as Last season saw Juventus in six years in 2010/11, he was er who will lead the attack with Juventus conceded the least rather surprisingly lose to local however unable to repeat this their other highly-rated forward number of goals last season rivals Torino in the Turin Derby feat in subsequent seasons. Álvaro Morata. (24), with long-serving goal- for the first time in 20 seasons. keeper Gianluigi Buffon still Although resting stars Andrea Another contributing factor Juventus have also going strong, as the thirty-sev- Pirlo and Carlos Tevez for their to Juve’s dip in domestic form brought in experience with en year old kept 18 clean European clashes with Mona- was their successful run to Atlético Madrid striker Mario sheets. co, Juventus also managed a the 2015 Champions League Mandžukić, the 29 year old shock 1-0 loss to bottom-of- Final, a complete contrast to Croatian international. In mid- Juventus may have waved the-table Parma, who were their failure to progress to the field, Juventus have one of farewell to some famous eventually relegated amidst a knockout stages in the same Europe’s hottest talents in names, but they have demon- strated they are shrewd mov- ers in the transfer market, by their signings of youth and experience from across Europe. The only concern may be in their fledgling attack, but they are worthy odds-on favourites to retain the Scudetto and win Serie A for a fifth consecutive season. Who can challenge Juventus for the title? unners-up for the last 2 seasons, AS Roma are RJuventus strongest challengers. Coming second six of the last ten seasons, Roma have failed to become champions since winning the Scudetto back in the 2001. Roma have

17 ITALY COUNTRY Side Notes NETHERLANDS keeper Pepe Reina from Bay- place, despite their Argentinian ern Munich along with defend- striker Mauro Icardi being joint ers Allan from Udinese Calcio top scorer in the league with Iron Man and Mirko Valdifiori from his 22 goals. Icardi is reported to former club Empoli. This is be joined by Stevan Jovetic, hardly surprising given that the Manchester City striker on Veteran Roma striker, Frances- PSV Eindhoven return Napoli conceded the highest a two-year loan. Head coach co Totti enters his 24th Serie A to winning ways number of goals in the top half Roberto Mancini will hope that campaign this year and is the longest serving active player of Serie A last season (54). new signing French interna- ollowing 4 years of dom- same number of goals (69) tional Geoffrey Kondogbia will in the league with 588 appearances. Scoring ten times last inance by their rivals Ajax to challenge and only conceding one more Finishing third and finalists link up well with the talented FAjax, PSV Eindhoven have goal (29) than they did when in the Coppa Italia, SS Lazio Croatian Mateo Kovacic to season he was Roma’s leading scorer in all competitions, not once again succeeded in SV Eindhoven are favour- winning the league the year had a successful season. strengthen and protect his winning the Eredivisie. before. There have been few signings midfield. bad for a man that turns 39 Pites to win the Eredivisie by the club, the two most im- this season. for a second successive PSV scored a total of 92 season, but it will most like- Ajax have re-tooled this portant ones being the 2 year Inter’s city rivals AC Milan, goals at an average of 2.71 per season by bringing in youth and 5 year extensions penned were the last team to win the ly be a much closer affair. Goals and Controversy game last season with league in the form of Yaya Sanogo in June by head coach Stefano Scudetto before Juventus, but top scorer Memphis Depay Last year’s runners-up on loan from Arsenal and the Pioli and midfielder Felipe An- languished in 10th place last netting 22 times in the league, Ajax finished a disappointing experience of Johnny Heitinga derson. Former striker Fabio season. New coach Sinisa 28 goals in all competitions, on a free transfer. Borini is strongly rumoured to Mihajlovic has shown his in- Serie A produced an incred- 17 points behind the Cham- ible 1,024 goals in 2014/15, doubling his tally from the pions despite finishing on the return to the club having failed tent, signing Colombian inter- previous season. They have strengthened to make an impact at Liver- national striker Carlos Bacca at an average of 2.69 goals same points (71) scoring the per match, it was the highest their forward line by signing pool. from Sevilla for €30 million and The super striker however Arkadiusz Milik on a perma- attacking midfielder Andrea of Europe’s top five leagues. Unsurprisingly Juventus led in has departed for Manchester nent deal following last sea- Internazionale have fall- Bertolacci from Roma. Having United for a fee in the region son’s loan from Bayer Lever- en far since José Mourinho conceded 50 goals last season goals scored and the fewest conceded. of £20 million, PSV fans can kusen. where he scored 11 coached them to become though, there also needs to take some solace in Luuk de goals in the league and 23 in the first Italian team to win be significant improvements in Bottom team Parma allowed a Jong’s superb form, which all competitions for the Dutch the Scudetto, Coppa Italia defence if Milano are to chal- saw him score 20 goals in the side. and Champions League tre- lenge the top three. staggering 75 goals, the team having already been docked 7 league, including two impor- ble. Last season Inter only tant hat-tricks in wins against All eyes will be on managed a disappointing 8th points for failure to play their players were ultimately rele- AZ Alkmaar and Feyenoord, Riechedly Bazoer who has gated to Serie D when they fell who ended the season 3rd and been touted as a rising star for into bankruptcy, unable to find 4th respectively. Ajax and Dutch football and a new owner in time. was a positive aspect on an Following Depay to play in otherwise disappointing sea- the Premier League is fellow son. A rocky road to first team Dutch international Georgin- action, the midfielder began Carpi Celebrate Promotion io Wijnaldum who has joined his career in Eindhoven, but a Newcastle United, the attacking midfielder scored 14 goals AC Carpi was founded in 1909 for PSV last season. Manag- but went bankrupt in 2000, the er Phillip Cocu has already club was later re-founded as moved to strengthen his team, Carpi F.C. 1909. bringing in Uruguayan attacking midfielder Gastón Pereiro Floundering in the lower from Club Nacional and defen- leagues the club struggled to sive midfielder Davy Pröpper make it back to the top tier, from fellow Eredivisie outfit until they finally won promotion Vitesse. to Serie A last season, this will be the first time the club has PSV fans will be hoping to played in Italy’s highest league see a fresh face in attack and since 1922. this could be Sam Lammers, who has been called up to the Dutch U-19 squad and hopes to break into the first team.

19 NETHERLANDS Side Notes lack of development led him to POLAND join arch-rivals Ajax, a move that bought condemnation from PSV fans. The Departed Lech and Legia set With great depth in mid- Depay’s move to the Premier field team selection and squad League marks the fifth season to lock horns again rotation at home and abroad in succession that the Erediv- will be of great importance to ise leading goalscorer has left t the end of April Legia who were being rested for the On 30th May 2015 it be- manager Frank de Boer, as the their team immediately after Warsaw looked to be upcoming Champions League came the centre of everyone’s team from Amsterdam look to winning the Golden Boot. Not Aclosing in on their second qualifiers. attention though as the local make the knock-out stages of only has each player moved consecutive Polish title. team LKS claimed second the Champions League after club they have left Dutch foot- But not all doom and place in the Polish I Liga and finishing 3rd in the group stag- ball entirely going elsewhere Top of the league after gloom at Lazienkowska, the gained historic promotion to es the last 5 years. in Europe. The last to player the regular season and due club received a morale boost the Ekstraklasa. to continue playing for the to face second placed Lech when it transpired that Ondrei Race for Europe same team was Luis Suarez in Poznan at their own ground, Duda, the team’s star perform- “Ten new faces have 2009/10, who would eventually where they hadn’t lost to Kole- er, will be staying in Warsaw leave Ajax for Liverpool. jorz for three years, Hening at least until the winter transfer been brought in over poor start last season Berg and his players had rea- window. The Slovak winger the summer” A saw Feyenoord win a son to be optimistic. was set to join Inter Milan but meagre 5 points in 6 games Title Drought the negotiations broke down LKS bosses didn’t dwell culminating in a 1-0 loss in On the evening of 9th May, as the clubs couldn’t agree on on this success and set about De Klassieker derby against things took an unexpected a fee. Following this turn of building a team that could, at Ajax. PSV’s title was their 22nd of turn, Lech ground out a 2-1 events the 20-year old came least on paper, hold their own all time, but the first since win at Lazienkowska and put out to say he won’t be trying in Poland’s top division. Ten A resurgence and a five 2007/08, the longest their fans themselves in the driving seat. to force a move to any other new faces have been brought match winning streak ena- have had to wait to see their Legia stayed hot on the Blues’ team and he’ll be happy to in over the summer, including bled Feyenoord to secure team win the league since the heels until the end, but ulti- help Legia launch a title chal- defensive midfielder Mateusz third spot until the final match, 80s. Suffering only 4 defeats mately conceded the title. lenge. Kupczak who was bought from when their early season form all season long the 3-1 home Podbeskidzie Bielsko-Biała for emerged again and a loss loss to Ajax snapped an elev- The Warsaw-based team Lech will be defending the club record fee. caused them to drop down to en match winning streak. will be out for revenge in the their crown without their top 4th place behind AZ Alkmaar. 2015/2016 campaign but if striker Zaur Sadaev who left The newly recruited their clash with Lech in the for Terek Grozny. The club’s players seem to have gelled Key midfielder Jordy Cla- The Lone Ranger Polish Super Cup is anything board didn’t despair and quick- well, as LKS enjoyed a great sie has left for the English to go by, the momentum looks ly invested the funds from his pre-season, recording friend- Premier League, but manag- to have swung. The Blues transfer by bringing in talented ly wins over some of its new er Giovanni van Bronckhorst All managers in this seasons made Berg’s side seem help- German forward Denis Thom- league rivals - 2-1 v Ruch has strengthened his squad Eredivise are Dutch nationals less at times despite missing alla whilst also signing the ex- Chorzów and 2-1 v Pod- by signing central midfielders with the exception of newly a string of first team players perienced Marcin Robak and beskidzie). Marko Vejinovic and Simon promoted side Roda JC. The Dariusz Dudka. Gustafson along with former Bosnian-Swiss, Darije Kalezić, Despite these results man- Feyenoord fans’ favourite Dirk took over Roda late last sea- Will the new arrivals help ager Piotr Mandrysz remains Kuyt, returning to the Rotter- son and engineered their re- Lech retain the title or will cautious and reminds the fans dam club on a free transfer. turn to the top flight. Roda will Legia claw it back? We’ll find that the real challenge is yet to join NEC and De Graafschap, out in nine months’ time – in start. It’s hard to disagree with There wasa little to choose replacing NAC Breda, FC Dor- the meantime let’s enjoy the him considering that Niecicza’s between Feyenoord, AZ Alk- drecht and Go Ahead Eagles. battle between these two great budget is tiny whereas Lech maar and Vitesse, who fin- Despite being relegated the clubs. Poznan and Legia Warszawa ished 5th last season, in the latter club represented the can spend at least eight times battle for the Europa League Netherlands in Europe, after that and other potential relega- spot, but it seems none are winning a place in the Europa The ultimate underdog tion strugglers have twice as likely to challenge Ajax or PSV League first qualifying round, ready for the challlenge much at their disposal. for top spot. courtesy of their Fair Play ranking. p until recently Nieciecza For the time being the was just a small, ordi- team will have to play its home Unary, inconspicuous village games at Hutnik Krakow’s in Lesser Poland. stadium while its own ground

21 POLAND Side Notes PORTUGAL is being expanded to meet Ek- against FC Basel who reached straklasa standards. The fans the Champions League knock- promise to turn out at Hutnik in out stages in each of the last Population 750 force, the players say they’ll be four seasons. playing their hearts out, but as usual the reality will verify it all. Lech were convincing in Nieciecza has 750 inhabitants Going for a hat-trick their two wins over FK Sara- and after gaining promotion jevo in the second round, with have replaced Blsany (Czech Champions League newly bought Denis Thomalla Republic) as the smallest t did not seem possible, Luis Filipe Vieira, Benfi- use more youth players from nightmare particularly impressive. The village in Europe to boast a Ibut Jorge Jesus, who won ca’s chairman, in his best Benfica’s football academy club’s vice-president Piotr Rut- top flight football club. If every three Portuguese Leagues, efforts to solve the problem next season and from this wo generations of Pol- kowski was very pleased with Nieciecza resident came five League Cups, one Por- quickly turned to former Vitória position, Rui Vitória is the right ish football fans have the German forward’s perfor- to support LKS at Hutnik tuguese Supercup and one de Guimarães manager, Rui man to achieve this. Tgrown up without seeing an mance as it went a long way Krakow’s stadium where they Portuguese Cup over the Vitória. In his presentation at Ekstraklasa team compete towards vindicating the board’s play their home games this past six years as Benfica’s Benfica’s Museum, he gave a Among the youngsters in the group stages of the decision to bring in new re- season there would be 5250 manager, left the club to calm and realistic speech, he competing for a place in the Champions League. cruits at the start of the trans- empty seats left. sign for Sporting Lisbon, did not promise titles or tro- first team are Raphael Guzzo, fer window so they had time to their eternal enemies. phies but dedication and hard Renato Sanches, João Teixei- Over the years, various settle in. work. ra, Nuno Santos and Gonçalo teams came close to qualifying This is a real blow to the Guedes who dream of playing with Legia Warsaw squan- Rutkowski is also glad Portuguese giants, who were Having previously worked at the Estádio do Luz, with dering two great chances in Lech managed to sign Marcin aware Jorge Jesus was leav- in Benfica’s football academy, more than 50,000 supporters the past two seasons. Lech Robak from Pogon Szczecin ing his position, but believed Rui Vitória left a good impres- in the stands and being the Poznan – the reigning Polish and Dariusz Dudka from Wisla he was headed to Italy, as sion. Excellent performances next hero. champions - had a chance to Krakow as they are two expe- Jesus confirmed, he had offers at Paços de Ferreira and then end to this barren run. rienced and versatile players from AC Milan, Inter Milan, Vitória de Guimarães, meant Along with youth there who should be valuable addi- Napoli and AS Roma. he became the natural succes- have been additions, more If the Poznan team were to tions right from the get-go. sor. Chairman, Vieira wants to than a dozen. The biggest compete with the crème de a la crème of European football He is however painfully they had to punch above their aware Kolejorz don’t have a weight. Lady luck wasn’t on squad that’s ready to compete Kolejorz’s side when the draw with the European heavy- for the third qualifying round weights. was made as they were pitted Slovak’s League

Slovakia is the most represented foreign country in the Ek- straklasa (23 players). Brazil is a distant second with 9 representatives in the Polish league.

Big and Strong

Not only does Lech Poznan have most foreign players they also are the tallest and the heaviest team in the league. Kolejorz’s average player is 184,8 cm tall and weighs 78 kg.

23 PORTUGAL PORTUGAL Side Notes from loans of talented Simeon Giannelli Imbula, the prob- Slavchev, Zakaria Labyad and ing midfielder was acquired Serbs out Moroccans in Diogo Salomão, who will battle from Marseille for €20 million, for a place in the starting XI. which at the time was the high- Portuguese giants Benfica have est amount a Portuguese club had a lot of players with Serbian had paid for a player. They nationality over the past few years Getting back to the top have also recruited from the with tremendous success. Nemanja Portuguese League, bringing Matić (Chelsea) and Lazar Marković espite going trophy-less in André André (Vitória de (Liverpool) took their chances in the last season Porto’s leg- Guimarães) and Danilo Pereira Portuguese league, under manager Dendary chairman, Pinto da (Marítimo). Both were called- Jorge Jesus who believed in their Costa, decided to give Span- up by Fernando Santos to the potential, and in 2014 Benfica sold ish coach Julen Lopetegui Portuguese National Team a them for a combined total in excess another chance. few months ago and are ex- of €50 million! Next season Benfica pected to strengthen the mid- will betting on three players of Mo- The backbone of the team field. To the front line comes roccan origin. Adel Taarabt (QPR), however has been dismantled, Alberto Bueno, the Spanish Mehdi Carcela (Standard Liège) and with the exits of Fabiano, Dani- striker scored 17 goals in the Bilal Ould-Chikh (FC Twente), all lo, Óliver Torres and crucially La Liga last season for Rayo offensive midfielders with outstand- their top goal scorer from the Vallecano. ing technique. past few seasons, Jackson Martínez. Of note is the return of FC Porto’s replacements Sérgio Oliveira from his loan “Porto swooped in to land move, he also captained the Jackson Martinez, sometimes National Team that finished known as Cha Cha Cha for his one of the premier players at runners-up at the U21 Euro- dance-like moves on the pitch, his position” pean Championships recently. spent three seasons with Por- He has evolved over the last to, scoring 67 goals in 90 league Porto have made some couple seasons under the appearances, winning the Golden important moves this off-sea- guidance of Paços de Ferrei- Boot in each of his 3 season at the son none bigger than the arriv- ra and is setting his sights in club. His goalscoring exploits were ones so far being Mehdi appointed as Sporting Lisbon’s Arriving at the club he al of Iker Casillas. The out of a first team place. The squad rewarded this summer with a €35 Carcela, a creative midfielder manager and won the affec- supported as a child Jesus favour keeper was jettisoned may not be yet finished, but million move to Atlético Madrid. So signed from Standard de Liége tion of Sporting supporters declared at his official pres- and Porto swooped in to land Porto’s fans are hopeful that yet again Porto will be looking to and the controversial midfield- early. Achieving third place entation that Sporting will fight one of the premier players at the team will return winning replace a departing South American er Adel Taarabt, who left QPR in the Portuguese League, for the title this season. He his position from the last dec- ways this season. striker, but after their success with on a free transfer. Filip Djuricic competitive campaigns in requested structural changes ade. Radamel Falcao and Hulk in re- and Nélson Oliveira also return both Champions and Europa at the football academy and cent years, not many will be betting to Benfica, after playing in the League, as well as winning the brought experienced coaches, against them unearthing another Premier League last season. Portuguese Cup, it was seen Octávio Machado and Manuel gem. as a successful season given Fernandes with him in order The key to the season his short tenure as head coach to optimize the organisation at Jesus the greatest? will be how Rui Vitória will gel and the limited talent within the Sporting. together his academy players squad. Sporting haven’t won the Portu- and new signings as squad The supporters however guese League since 2001-02. In depth will be pivotal to success It was not enough for the are sceptical regarding oppor- fact they have won just two league at home and in the Champions chairman and Carvalho tooks tunities for their young talent. titles in the past 33 years. When League. his greatest gamble. Marco It is well known that at Benfica Bruno Carvalho became chairman Silva was fired, later joining under Jesus’ guidance that he helped restructure the finances Greek giants Olympiakos chances were limited for acad- and the results began to improve Sporting’s gamble and Jorge Jesus was then emy players with prime exam- and with the hiring of Jorge Jesus successfully lured away from ples being Bernado Silva and he will be hoping to take the club any believe it was a Benfica. João Cancelo who were sold to the next level. Jesus once pro- Mgreat move from Bruno for more than €30 million, but claimed “I’m the best coach in the de Carvalho, chairman of “Jesus declared at his barely played in the first team. world. I don’t believe there’s anyone Sporting Lisbon, albeit very who knows more about football than risky. official presentation that The highlight of this sum- me”. If he can replicate the success Sporting will fight mer’s signings are South he had with Benfica at Sporting At the beginning of last for the title” American’s Teófilo Gutiérrez then he may have a point! season, Marco Silva has been and Naldo and the return 25 COUNTRYROMANIA Side Notes ROMANIA having no coaching license, to Liga 1. In order to compete which has led to a wave of this season they have brought challenges. He currently holds players Popescu, Zicu and Viitorul’s annual climb in the the position of sporting direc- Curtean, along some foreign- final standings tor, although everyone knows ers unknown to Romanian that this is only a title as Radoi football fans. Despite their New format will be the man to manage recent successes Poli are Viitorul, the team managed the squad. Radoi’s task will aware they will have a lot on by Gheorghe Hagi, were new- be tough due to the success their plate in order to avoid comers to Liga 1 in 2012/13 he 2015/16 season of the Relegation places are deter- allocation of European places ending a respectable 13th Romanian Liga 1 will be mined. Points gained from the for next season is also impact- the club has enjoyed under its premature return to the second T predecessors and there will be division. position, the following sea- played under a new format. first stage will be halved and ed if three or more bankrupt son they finished 12th, in the The change is intended carried over into the respective teams make the Championship big pressure to maintain their winning ways. FC Voluntari will be mak- 2014/15 season they ended to add more value to the Group stage. Group. 11th, if they continue at this league but there is some ing their debut in the upper echelon of Romanian football. rate they will finish tenth this doubt however surrounding Several teams are bank- How will the new teams season, narrowly avoiding the new format even before rupt but will still be able to Steaua’s managerial Ilie Poenaru, who led them to manage in Liga 1? promotion, will step down into relegation and be champions a ball has been kicked. compete this season in Liga changes in 2024/25! 1. CFR Cluj, Petrolul Ploiesti, the role of assistant coach The season starts at the CSU Craiova and Dinamo Bu- he Champions of Roma- ue to the new format and will leave the team in the there is a reduced num- hands of Bogdan Arges Vin- first stage with 14 teams that curesti are allowed to play but nia for the past three sea- D Bucuresti Dominate will play home and away fix- they will not be able to enter Tsons, FC Steaua Bucuresti, ber of newcomers to the tila. The former goalkeeper has had two failed attempts at tures against each other. After Europe. will start their campaign league. Only two teams FC Steaua Bucuresti have 26 rounds, it will move to a with a new manager. were promoted - ACS Poli coaching and even though the team has been made stronger been so dominant in the last second stage where the top Doubts are raised to the Timisoara and FC Voluntari. three years that despite sell- six finishers will compete in the success of the new format Club owner George Becali by bringing in Parvulescu and Dan Alexa, the relatively Nicolae Grigore, there is still ing star strikers they are still Championship Group while the because these four bankrupt has chosen Godson Mirel Ra- winning the title. Over 60% eight remaining teams will play teams finished in the top sev- doi to lead the most successful inexperienced manager, took skepticism about survival. It over ACS Poli Timisoara in is believed that experience is of Steaua’s goals from the in the Relegation Group. en last season. This in-turn team in Romanian football, de- last three seasons have been raises integrity issues within spite having zero experience March 2014. Poli dominated necessary for a second sea- the second half of last season in the top division. scored by players no longer At this point sides will play the league, if the bankrupt as a coach. with the club. each team in the Group home teams make the Champion- son winning the league by 12 and away again, to decide a ship Group and cannot enter Radoi was installed on points bringing the team back final table where Champions Europe, then there is no in- the bench of the Romanian League, Europa League and centive to win matches. The champions this summer while

27 COUNTRY SPAIN SPAIN Side Notes won in 2014. Losing star player squad, has many believing he will Arda Turan could be an issue prepare a good team for the La and manager Diego Simeone will Liga and can cause some upsets be desperate to work his magic in the Champions League. After from two season ago. consecutive Europa League titles Sevilla will welcome Europe’s Two horse race Sevilla FC, will try to improve best teams and compete for sil- on their great 2014/15 season verware both home and abroad. fter a great year of suc- Rafa Benitez aims to bring the and there are some doubts about after winning the Europa League Acess, Luis Enrique´s team La Liga title back to the Santiago the future of Sergio Ramos after and securing a place in the Valencia have been mak- will want to repeat the trio of Bernabéu for the first time since a decade playing for Madrid. Champions League. They have ing waves in the transfer market titles won last season, but 2011, with some of the best play- already signed several players, this summer spending over €75 they feel can improve the team ers in the world at his disposal. the talented Dane Michael Kro- million on young talent, with the further. The also rans hn-Dehli has arrived from Celta average age of signings under “Gareth Bale to shine de Vigo, as well as striker Gael 23. Strengthening the squad in a The Catalans reckon the and score espite losing star striker Kakuta from Rayo Vallecano, variety of positions from defense signing of Arda Turan from rivals more goals” Mario Mandzukic to Juven- where last season he scored 5 to attack, Nuno Espirito Santo’s Atletico Madrid will be their big tus,D Atlético Madrid has moved goals and had 7 assists. team look set to build upon their summer coup, but how he will You can expect Ballon D’or on, signing the young, promis- fourth place finish last season. play alongside electric strike- winner Cristiano Ronaldo to be ing Luciano Vietto, who had an They are going to miss their force Neymar, Messi and Suarez vital as well as playmaker Luka excellent year last season with best player from last season, The Brazilian born Rodrigo remains to be seen. Adding Aleix Modric, while Benitez has already Villarreal. as Carlos Bacca moved to AC heads to the Mestalla and will Vidal, the young Spanish winger singled out Gareth Bale to shine Milan. He will be difficult to re- be joined by former teammates from Sevilla, will give new blood and score more goals this sea- At only 21 years old the place after scoring 28 goals last Andre Gomes and Joao Cancelo and balance to the right side of son after finding the net thirteen Argentine brings an attacking campaign, but sporting director in a triple swoop of Benfica. €21 the team. Both will have to wait times in the league last year. The flair and excitement to the fans in Ramón Rodríguez Verdejo, who million Alvaro Negredo moves to put on the Barcelona shirt goalkeeping position has been a the wake of losing their 20-goal is considered an absolute geni- from Manchester City as Valen- though, until the transfer ban they summer story with the departure frontman. Striker, Jackson Mar- us when it comes to building a cia look to contend for a title they currently face is lifted at the end of Iker Casillas and the potential tinez is another addition for the have not won since 2004/05. of 2015. to bring David de Gea back to Rojiblancos and the Colombian Spain. The addition of Brazilian will partner Fernando Torres, After a 2014/2015 season Danilo at right back will mean who is back in his number 9 shirt, without a trophy, new manager some shuffling in the back line to fight for the league trophy they

28 2929 SPAIN Side Notes est achievements in the 70´s Potential fallers and 80´s Palmas are happy to be back in La Liga and are fully 7 teams in Europe eal Betis have won promo- aware that survival will be the tion back to La Liga and priority for the season. It will be a This season the Spanish league 2015/16R will mark their 50th tough task, and they will rely on will have seven representatives season in Spain’s top division. their home form where they only in European competitions. Bar- lost twice the whole of last sea- celona, Real Madrid, Atlético They will rely heavily on the son. A young squad will be led by Madrid and Sevilla will go di- goals of Rubén Castro who top veteran captain David Garcia and rectly into the group stages of scored with 32 goals in the sec- are expected to bring an attack- the Champions League, while ond division last season, but the ing style of play with lot of goals. Valencia will play the qualifying team from Seville will need to rounds. In the Europa League sign some players to strengthen Consistency was the key for Villarreal will play in the group their squad if they are to stay Liga Adelante runners-up Sport- stages and Athletic Bilbao will away from the relegation zone ing Gijon who secured promotion play in the qualifiers. Spain looks this time around. dramatically when rivals Girona to maintain its dominance on conceded in the dying seconds the continent after winning three Looking to South America of their final game of the season. Champions Leagues and three to help their cause, Betis have Rewarded with promotion, it may Europa Leagues in the last five signed centre back Germán well be a long season as they seasons. Pezzella from Argentina’s River face difficult financial sanctions Plate along with Brazilian Petros by the Spanish federation for fail- from Corinthians. They are joined ing to pay players, which means Fifa Sanctions by Rafael van der Vaart from his they can only sign new players spell at Hamburg, moving back to under strict conditions, limiting After being found guilty of signing Spain where he has family. After them to loans or free transfers. underage players from outside just one year in the Liga Adelan- of Spain to the club, Barcelona te, they welcome back the giants These penalties will make have faced a transfer ban for two of Spanish football and are set survival hard and they will want transfer windows. This ban is to renew their heated rivalry with to avoid a new record of lowest due to expire in January so any neighbours Sevilla FC. points in the first division, a re- deal they have in place currently cord they currently hold from the means that any player signed will From the Canary Islands, 1997/98 campaign where they not be able to play until January UD Las Palmas finally made it only managed 13 points all sea- 2016. Luis Enrique must decide back to La Liga after a 13 year son. what to do with his new signings absence, beating Real Zaragoza until then as rumours have begun in a play-off. With their great- to circulate that new signing Arda Turan could be sent out on loan until the ban is lifted.

Second Division After twelve years in the 3rd and 4th divisions of the Spanish football La Liga Adelante wel- comes back Real Oviedo, one of Spain’s prestigious teams that has played 38 seasons in the top division. Known as a club of the people they have shareholders in more than 125 countries around the world. Majority shareholder and second richest man in the world, Carlos Sim, is trying to make it back to La Liga for the first time since the turn of the century. The Oviedo journey is a remarkable story in the football world and one to keep an eye on.