Sunday Summary: Hats off to PSV Eindhoven

By: Daryl | April 29th, 2007

PSV party It’s getting towards that time of year where the European leagues separate the winners and the losers. The winners get a very shiny trophy (or shield if you’re Dutch, see left) and the losers get Champions League qualification to soften the blow a bit. Won’t you please join me on a quick tour around Europe…

Werder Bremen lost 3-2 to Arminia Bielefeld, missing their chance to go top of the Bundesliga. Germany is all set for a grand finish. Shalke 04 lost on Friday, but stay top with 62 points, Stuttgart are second with 61 points. Bremen stay 3rd with 60 points. Bayern Munich can only crane their necks and look up from fourth place with 53 points.

Down in everyone’s favourite boot-shaped country the Rome derby failed to produce any fireworks as Roma and Lazio played out a goalless draw. Lazio keeper/legend Angelo Peruzzi announced his retirement immediately after the game, so at least he finishes with a clean sheet. The point takes Roma a little closer to securing second spot though, so they can look forward to 7-1 thrashings in next season’s Champions League. Inter Milan are already champions.

The insanely tight title race in Holland was decided with PSV being crowned champions for the 20th time. Ajax finished level with PSV on 75 points after beating Willem II Tilburg 2-0, but PSV’s 5-1 thrashing of Vitesse Arnhem gave them the trophy on goal differece. Captain Philip Cocu scored the all-important fifth goal (below). AZ Alkmaar had only needed a win to take the title but went down 3-2 to the not so mighty Excelsior Rotterdam.

In the English Championship, Birmingham and Sunderland (or SundIreland) clinched automatic promotion. Look for the Roy Keane vs Alex Ferguson master vs apprentice game in Premiership next season. Speaking of which, Arsenal beat poor old Fulham 3-1 at Ashburton Grove, despite Simon Davies’s perfect lob to equalize in the 77th minute after Jens Lehmann’s… er, unique I guess is the best word, bit of goalkeeping (see below.) Fourth place is the Gunners’ if they want it, but it’s squeaky bum time at Craven Cottage, who are just a solitary point above the drop zone.

In Spain, Barcelona stayed top with 62 points by beating Levante with a single Samuel Eto’o goal. But Sevilla (second, 61 points) and Real Madrid (third, 60 points) both kept up the pressure by winning.

A little to the west, in Portugal, Benfica and Sporting Lisbon played out a 1-1 draw, leaving Sporting second with 59 points and Benfica third with 58 points. Porto sit on top with 62 points, despite losing to Boavista.

In France Lyon already have the title in the bag, but Bordeaux beat Lens 1-0 to move into second place.