If Relegation Happened Today, Who Would Go Down?

By: Laurie | April 15th, 2008

Ah, relegation. It’s every club’s biggest dread. (With the probable exceptions of the EPL’s Derby County, or French Ligue 1’s Metz, or SPL’s Gretna, where death might be the only event better able to offer pain relief.) And it’s a rite of passage around the world.

(Unless, of course, you’re American.)

Relegation means loss of prestige, loss of pride, and most important, loss of revenues — especially from television coverage, but also from things like ticket and merchandise sales. In short, being relegated is generally not a happy event.

So who’s going down this year? It’s still too early to tell — most leagues still have at least a few games yet to play. But let’s take a look at who would get the drop in the top European leagues if the seasons had ended yesterday.

For comparison purposes, I’m listing the league leaders with their point totals, followed by the list of the teams facing relegation.

(If I don’t list your personal favorite league, leave the info in the comments. And my sources here are either Fox Soccer or ESPN, so blame them if the point totals aren’t accurate or up to date.)

English Premier League
League Leaders: Manchester United, 80 points

18. Bolton Wanderers 29 pts.
19. Fulham 27
20. Derby County 11

French Ligue 1
League Leaders: Lyon, 68 points

18. PSG 35 pts.
19. Strasbourg 35
20. Metz 18

Spain La Liga
League Leaders: Real Madrid, 69 points

18. Real Zaragoza 34 pts.
19. Murcia 29
20. Levante 22

Italy Serie A
League Leaders: Inter Milan, 75 points

18. Reggina 30 pts.
19. Empoli 30
20. Livorno 29

German Bundesliga
League Leaders: Bayern Munich, 60 points.

16 MSV Duisburg 25 pts.
17 Arminia Bielefeld 25
18 Nurnberg, 23

Dutch Eredivisie
League Leaders: PSV Eindhoven, 69 points

#16 De Graafschap w/ 30 pts, and #17 Excelsior w/ 27, would be in relegation playoffs
18 VVV Venlo 26 would go down

Scottish Premier League
League Leaders: Rangers, 75 points

12 Gretna 7

Portuguese La Liga
League Leaders: FC Porto, 66 points

15 Leixoes 22
16 Uniao Leiria 12

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Category: BWIN Liga, Bundesliga, Dutch Eredivisie, English Premier League, Europe, French Ligue 1, Scottish Premier League, Serie A, Spain La Liga, World Football

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S

To address the French League discussion-Despite PSG's current position, the chances they actually drop are fairly slim in my estimation. They play great in domestic cups, and should be able to translate a couple of those performances into just avoiding the drop. I'd put my money on Auxerre and Strasbourg to go along with Metz.
Laurie

Sorry, Pedro. Fixed now!
Pedro

Laurie, please don't call the portuguese championship, (league, whatever) " La Liga"... You're name isn't Laura but Laurie, right?
francis

Sounds funny to say that a team like Dijon FCO will play in Parc des Princes.
Laurie

Rob, boggles the mind, doesn't it? They haven't been in Ligue 2 since they first made the jump in 1974.

There's been talk of Nicolas Anelka investing in them to help get them back on track. I see a certain symmetry to this -- reformed bad boy trying to lift up a team with issues. I kind of like the thought.
Rob

I haven't kept a strong eye on the french league for a little while, but the idea of PSG going down actually seems quite shocking
Mac

personally, i'd love to see fulham to go down just because there are so many Aerican fans who have "dedicated" themselves to the club...can't wait to see who they run to next.
Juliet

As an American, the plight of "our" EPL team Fulham is sad. I hope they can figure out a way to avoid the drop.
Laurie

You know, CSD, I normally have the maturity level of a twelve-year-old boy, but I somehow missed that one.

I am slipping.
CSD

hehe..you said, "go down."
Matt

Forza Livorno!
Laurie

Gary, thanks but no thanks. I don't think my college degrees have prepared me for that discussion.

Plus when it comes to Dutch football, I prefer to write about the truly relevant stuff, like flaming toilet paper.
Gary

would love to see you explain the relegation playoffs in the Dutch Eredivisie!! ;)