Division 4 - Match Day 38 Preview

Thursday sees the final games of Season being played out and with still so much to be resolved will it be Escape to Victory or Lost in Space for the clubs and managers fighting for glory and survival, to give an insight into the possible possibilities here is the final preview of this seasons run in.

Division 1

When most expected the title to have been put to bed by now we go into the last day with Bayern 91pts and reigning Champs Barcelona 89pts taking it to the death.

Bayerns lead has been whittled down to 2pt over the past two weeks and Barca must be kicking themselves that they couldn’t capitalise more on Bayerns slip up at Man City as the Spaniards only managed to draw at Liverpool, this leaves Barca needing the Germans to lose whilst they in turn win on the final day, a draw for Bayern should be enough as they currently hold an 8 goal advantage should it come down to goal difference.

Fixtures in the tussle at the top

Bayern v Lazio

Barcelona v Valencia

It’s been known for a long time but confirmation that both of the above will be joined by Real and Juve in next seasons Champions Cup.

Chelsea 55pts, Milan 54pts and Napoli 54pts have secured league qualification to the SMFA Shield but will be scrapping to secure 5^th spot which could be an SMFA Cup place should either Bayern, Barca or Real win this seasons competition.

Spurs 52pts also have a chance of stealing that spot at the death whilst Dortmund also on 52pts would need a to overturn a goal difference deficit of 8 goals to Chelsea.

Fixtures in the battle for 5^th Place.

Chelsea v Arsenal

Milan v Spurs

Napoli v Zenit

Real v Dortmund

Spurs and Dortmund must be mindful that they need to secure league qualification for the SMFA Shield with Liverpool 50pts, Porto 50pts, Valencia 49pts and PSG 47pts all still in with a chance of muscling in, however with Bayern and Liverpool having won the domestic cups that makes an extra 2 league qualification places, another place will be made available courtesy of this seasons SMFA Cup outcome, whoever wins it, this would mean all of the above qualifying.

Fixtures in the race for League qualification to the SMFA Shield.

Milan v Spurs

Real v Dortmund

Juventus v Liverpool

Porto v Schalke

Barcelona v Valencia

Atletico v PSG

A further place could be available depending on the winners of this seasons SMFA Shield, basically if anyone wins it except Lazio, those in with a shout being Monchengladbach 39pts, and Arsenal 37pts

Fixtures for the possible wild card ticket into the SMFA Shield

Monchengladbach v Man City

Chelsea v Arsenal

On to the tussle at the base of the table, with Lazio and Schalke now condemned to Div 2 football the fight to avoid joining them is now between Zenit 33pts, Atletico 34pts, Man City 35pts and Arsenal 37pts, the Gunners had looked safe but still could be pulled down on the last day.

Fixtures in the fight to climb out of the trap door.

Napoli v Zenit

Atletico v PSG

Monchengladbach v Man City

Chelsea v Arsenal

Division 2

The fight for the title goes to the last day between Everton 72pts and Roma 70pts, the other promoted side Man Utd will have to content themselves with having achieved Div 1 football again next season at the first time of asking.

Fixtures in the race for the title

Man Utd v Everton

Roma v Ajax

Inter, Wolfsburg and Southampton have all booked their tickets for the play-off lottery with the final place going to either Genoa 55pts, Ajax 53pts, Internacional 53pts and Fiorentina 53pts.

Fixtures in the struggle to make the play offs.

Sevilla v Genoa

Roma v Ajax

Wolfsburg v Internacional

Spartak v Fiorentina

At the bottom all is decided with CSKA, Newcastle, Shakhtar and Villa all now confirmed as Div 3 clubs for next season.

Division 3

With Sporting 69pts and Swansea 68pts having secured promotion they now go into the last game of the season battling to take home the title

Fixtures in the title smack down.

Sporting v Loko

Sunderland v Swansea

Boca 61pts would need a goal difference miracle to make promotion whilst Villarreal 64pts and Leicester 61pts are both truly in the frame for the last promotion place whilst all are assured of at least a place in the play-offs.

Fixtures in the promotion punch up.

Villarreal v Basel

Leicester v Athletic Club

(Sao Paulo v Boca)

Athletic Club and Sunderland make up the balance of the numbers in this seasons play-off bingo.

In the basement Udinese have joined Stuttgart and Basel in sliding out of the division with the final place being avoided by Stoke 39pts and Palace 41pts.

Fixtures in the trap door shuffle.

Udinese v Stoke

Palace v Galatasaray

Division 4

Hellas have secured promotion, the title, a 2 week vacation in Bermuda and are now sat at home with their slippers on smoking fat cigars whilst Sassuolo 63pts, St Etienne 61pts, Liege 60pts and Sampdoria 60pts fight it out for the other two promotion spots.

Fixtures in the promotion squabble.

Liege v Sassuolo

Chievo v St Etienne

River Plate v Sampdoria

All of the promotion protagonists plus Chievo are assured of a play-off spot with the final spot being fought over by Olympiacos 54pts, Dnipro 53pts and AZ 52pts.

Fixtures in the play-off party.

Kyiv v Olympiacos

Lille v Dnipro

AZ v Zagreb

With West Ham and Montpellier doomed Lille 40pts, River Plate 40pts, Feyenoord 42pts, Bordeaux 43pts, Monaco 43pts and Kyiv 43pts must take it to the wire to decide their fate.

Fixtures in the relegation rough up.

Lille v Dnipro

River Plate v Sampdoria

Feyenoord v Monaco

Bordeaux v Hoffenheim

Kyiv v Olympiacos

Division 5

In the division where nobody seems to want it Dynamo 70pts and Celta Vigo 68pts seem to have reluctantly accepted promotion whilst they still can’t decide on who will have the title and are still prepared to offer the chance of winning it to Santos 67pts.

Fixtures in the title two step.

Santos v Dynamo

Augsburg v Celta Vigo

Whilst in with a chance of the crown Santos haven’t yet secured promotion and have Celtic 64pts chomping at their heels.

Fixtures in the promotion polka.

Santos v Dynamo

Celtic v Malaga

Whichever of the above doesn’t find Wonkas golden ticket to Div 4 will be joined on the play-off roulette wheel by Torino with Hertha 57pts, Rubin Kazan 56pts, Malaga 54pts and Levante 53pts all vying for the chance to put their future on black or red.

Fixtures in the play-off pile up.

Rubin Kazan v Hertha

Celtic v Malaga

Levante v Flamengo

At the foot The Baggies have had a while to practise stirring their wooden spoon and will be looking to give their fans something to cheer about in the final fixture at home to Bremen.