As featured on NewsNow: Football news

WINNERS & LOSERS: All the highs and lows from across Europe

by

Despite the anonymity of a draw or mid-table finish, football more often than not produces very clear winners and losers.

With most European competitions wrapped up heading into Euro2016, we take a quick look at the teams grinning in triumph at season's end and those despairing at the realities of the final whistle.


UEFA Champions League

Winners

Real Madridremained the undisputed kings of European football by lifting their 11th Champions League title.

Zinedine Zidane's Los Blancos defeated Atletico Madrid in a penalty shootout after it ended 1-1 after extra-time in Milan,

Golden Boot

With Real making it all the way through to and winning the final, it was no surprise to see Cristiano Ronaldo take out the top scorer's prize.

The Portuguese ace scored 16 times to easily account for second top scorer, Robert Lewandowski of Bayern Munich.


UEFA Europa League

Winners

They should renamed this the 'SevillaLeague' as the Spaniards seem to dominate every season.

Unai Emery's side accounted for Liverpool in the final with a 3-1 win in the deicer in Basel to make it an unprecedented three Europa League titles in a row, taking their overall tally in the competition to five.

Golden Boot

Spanish club's performed extremely well in Europe once again, and Aritz Aduriz's 11 goals saw Athletic Bilbao through to the quarter-finals where they were beaten by eventual champions Sevilla.


English Premier League

Premiers & Relegation

The English Premier League produced the ultimate fairy-tale this season with relegation favourites Leicester City ending the season as champions.

Finishing 10 points clear of second-placed Arsenal, the Foxes strolled to the finish line with a few games to spare, allowing them to soak up every minute of a season that will be highlighted in the football history books for years to come.

It was the first title of any kind in their 132-year history.

It wasn't such a romantic finale for Newcastle United, Norwich City and Aston Villa however. The trio made up the bottom three in England's top flight and in turn were relegated to the Championship. Villa in particular had a season to forget finishing dead last after managing just three wins and tallying a miserable 17 points.

Golden Boot

Despite his team falling short in the title race, Tottenham striker Harry Kane experienced triumph on a personal level as he scored his way to the Golden Boot in England's top flight. Managing to find the back of the net 25 times throughout the season, Kane was the league's most potent striker edging out Leicester forward Jamie Vardy and Manchester City's Sergio Aguero by one goal.

Cups Corner

It was cup consolation for the two teams from Manchester as United took out the FA Cup 2-1 in extra-time over Crystal Palace while City had to go to penalties to beat Liverpool for the Capital One Cup.


Spanish La Liga

Premiers & Relegation

The Spanish competition, once a two-team race betweenBarcelona and Real Madrid, has evolved in recent years to become a three-way battle.

Atletico Madrid has continued to prove themselves in La Liga and have added extra spice to an already tasty league. But it was the giants from Catalonia that made it back to back La Liga titles as Barcelona took out the competition by a single point over fierce rivals Real Madrid.

It wasn't such a successful season for Rayo Vallecano, Getafe and Levante however as all three were relegated to the Segunda Division.

Golden Boot

Barcelona's push for the title although as usual aided by Lionel Messi, was given a huge boost by striker Luis Suarez. He took out the La Liga Golden Boot after scoring an impressive 40 times this season, five clear of Real superstar Cristiano Ronaldo.

Cups Corner

Barcelonaended their season with one more title as they took out the Copa Del Rey by triumphing over Sevilla, the Europa League winners, 2-0.


German Bundesliga

Premiers & Relegation

The German competition has in recent years become very much a two-horse race.

Often an arm wrestle between Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund, it was Bayern who again flexed enough muscle to be crowned champions for a 26th time.

Like Leicester they finished 10 points clear at the top, ahead of Dortmund, ensuring they won their fourth consecutive Bundesliga title.

It was a season to forget for VfB Stuttgart and Hannover 96 however, the Bundesliga's two bottom teams have been automatically relegated.

Golden Boot

A lot of Bayern Munich's attacking muscle this season was flexed by former Dortmund player, Robert Lewandowski. The Polish front man had a lethal season in front of goal netting 30 times to give Munich a cutting edge in the Bundesliga race. He finished five goals clear of Dortmund ace Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

Cups Corner

Bayern Munichmade it a double this season as they saw off Borussia Dortmund on penalties, after it ended 0-0, in the final of the German Cup (DFB-Pokal).


Italian Serie A

Premiers & Relegation

After a disappointing start to the season it was Italian giantsJuventus that claimed another Serie A title. The Bianconeri had a stellar second part of their season and edged out second-placed Napoli by nine points by season's end.

It was the Turin club's fifth-straight Italian premiership.

At the other end of the table it was Carpi, Frosinone and Hellas Verona that were relegated to Serie B after finishing in the bottom three.

Golden Boot

Despite his team falling short in the title race, Napoli striker Gonzalo Higuain finished the Serie A with the Golden Boot. He struck an impressive 36 goals as Napoli had to settle for second place. Behind him was Juventus young gun Paulo Dybala on 19.

Cups Corner

Juventus is well and truly dominating Italy right now and they made it a double in 2015/16, beating fellow giants AC Milan 1-0 in extra-time in the Coppa Italia final in May.


French Ligue 1

Premiers & Relegation

PSG yet again ran riot in the French league this season, winning the title by a mammoth 31 points. Laurent Blanc's side won 30 of 38 matches, scored 102 goals and conceded just 19 in what was a completely dominant season.

With PSG leading the way at the front, ahead of Lyon and Monaco, it was Reims, Gazelec Ajaccio and Troyes trailing at the bottom with the trio all relegated after poor seasons.

Golden Boot

Zlatan Ibrahimovic said goodbye to Paris in the best possible way by netting a Ligue 1-high 38 goals which saw him finish the season a massive 17 clear of Lyon's Alexandre Lacazette.

Cups Corner

Having won Ligue 1 so convincingly, it came as little surprise to see PSG take out the Coupe de France (French Cup). They triumphed over Marseille 4-2 in the final to further emphasise their supremacy in French football.

The Parisians also clinched their Coupe de la Ligue with a 2-1 victory over Lille in April, making it a treble of trophies added to the Parc des Princes cabinet.


Scottish Premiership

Premiers & Relegation

Over in Scotland it was another case of familiar victors asCeltic took out the title by 15 points. The Hoops finished well clear of Aberdeen to claim their fifth premiership in a row, and 47th overall.

This season it was Dundee United who were relegated after ending the season rooted to the bottom of the table. Kilmarnock retained their top flight status by beating Championship side Falkirk in the promotion/relegation play-off.

Golden Boot

Celtic striker Leigh Griffiths playing his part in the title win netting a league high 31 times for the Glasgow giants who may not have it so easy next season with the return of Old Firm rivals Rangers, who easily won the Scottish Championship.

Cups Corner

As a country renowned for its underdog status, it was an underdog that took out the Scottish Cup with Hibernian beating Rangers 3-2 to end a very barren run for them without silverware. With the victory, Hibs managed to clinch their first Scottish Cup in 114 years.

The Scottish League Cup went to Ross Countywho beat Hibernian 2-1 in March.


Dutch Eredivisie

Premiers & Relegation

It was an almighty tussle for the title in Holland this season as PSV Eindhoven scraped past Ajax on the final day of the season.

PSV made it back-to-back Dutch titles, taking their overall tally to 23, by beating PEC Zwolle 3-1 as Ajax were held by De Graafschap to relinquish the title they held in one hand prior to the last weekend.

SC Cambuur were the unlucky ones automatically relegated from the Dutch top flight after finishing last. Willem II Tilburg beat off the challenge of NAC Breda in the promotion/relegation play-off but for De Graafschap, their high of drawing with Ajax was quickly flattened out as they were beaten buy Go Ahead Eagles to experience relegation.

Golden Boot

Vincent Janssen, linked with Arsenal next season, is understandably drawing interest after ending the season as the league's highest scorer with 27 goals to his name. His goals helped lift his current club AZ Alkmaar to fourth in the Eredivisie.

Cups Corner

The team that finished above them in third, Feyenoord, ended their season with some silverware after beating Utrecht 2-1 in the final of the KNVB Cup.


English Championship

Premiers & Relegation

In England's second division, it was Burnley that reigned supreme finishing clear at the top by four points.

Joining the Clarets in the top flight will be Middlesbrough, who finished second, while Hull City are also back in the promised land having beaten Sheffield Wednesday in the play-off final.

Charlton Athletic, MK Dons and Bolton slid down a further division as they were relegated from the Championship to League One, with Wigan Athletic, Burton Albion and Barnsley replacing the trio in the second tier,

Golden Boot

Burnley's Andre Gray more than did his part to secure the title for the Lancashire club by grabbing a league high 25 goals, four ahead of Fulham's Ross McCormack.



By Andrew Slevison & Joshua Thomas

Video of the day:

Tags
Opinion
About the author

Tribal Football Staff

×

Subscribe and go ad-free

For only $10 a year

  1. Go Ad-Free
  2. Faster site experience
  3. Support great writing
  4. Subscribe now
Launch Offer: 2 months free
×

Subscribe and go ad-free

For only $10 a year

Subscribe now
Launch Offer: 2 months free