Soccer: Kick-off 2012

Soccer: Kick-off 2012

The European leagues were closed this Christmas and New Year Season, except for the Premier League, with a glut of matches which saw little change at the top of the table. Manchester United and Manchester City briefly swapped places but it is City that enters 2012 on top of the table with the other members of the pack in the same pecking order as before Christmas.

England Premier League

After Manchester United's home defeat 2-3 against lowly Blackburn Rovers, Manchester City went down to a last-minute effort by Dong-won of Sunderland at the Stadium of Light, the goal being scored after 90+3 minutes. Chelsea beat an improving Wolves away 2-1 with goals from Ramires (54) and Lampard (89) either side of the home goal by Ward (84). In the other game, Fulham beat Arsenal 2-1. Hot on the heels on the Manchester duo is Tottenham Hotspur, six points adrift but with one game in hand...and managed by Harry Redknapp, the prime candidate for the next England job.

 

English Premier League after 19 games

1. Manchester City 45

2. Manchester United 45

3. Tottenham (18 games) 39

4. Chelsea FC 37

5. Arsenal (17 games) 36

6. Liverpool FC 34

7. Newcastle United 30

 

Spain - Primera Liga

Spanish Primera Liga after 16 games

 

1. Real Madrid 40

2. FC Barcelona 37

3. Valencia CF 33 

4. Levante UD 29

5. CA Osasuna 25

6. Sevilla FC 24

7. Málaga CF 24

 

Italy - Serie A

Italian Serie A after 16 games

1. Juventus 34

2. AC Milan 34

3. Udinese Calcio 32

4. SS Lazio 30

5. Inter Milan 26

6. AS Roma 24

7. SSC Napoli 24

 

Germany - Bundesliga

German Bundesliga after 17 games

1. FC Bayern Munchen 37

2. Borussia Dortmund 34

3. FC Schalke 04 34

4. VfL Borussia Moenchengladbach 33

5. Werder Bremen 29   

6. Bayer 04 Leverkusen 26

7. VfB Stuttgart 23

 

France - Ligue 1

French Ligue 1 after 19 games

1. Paris Saint-Germain FC 40

2. Montpellier Hérault 37

3. LOSC Lille Métropole 36

4. Olympique Lyonnais 35

5. Stade Rennais 32

6. Olympique de Marseille 31

7. Toulouse FC 31

  

Portugal - Primeira Liga

Primeira Liga after 13 games

1. FC Porto 33

2. SL Benfica 33

3. SC Portugal 27  

4. SC Braga 25

5. CS Marítimo 22

6. A. A. Coimbra 17

7. SC Beira-Mar16

 

Russian Premier League - Final standings (League closed for winter)

 

Russian Premier League after 30 games

1. FC Zenit St. Petersburg 61

2. PFC CSKA Moskva 59

3. FC Dinamo Moskva 55

4. FC Spartak Moskva 53

5. FC Lokomotiv Moskva 53

 

 

Timothy Bancroft-Hinchey

Pravda.Ru