GERMAN club Borussia Dortmund and French side Auxerre are the latest members of perhaps the most exclusive club in European soccer. Both Dortmund and Auxerre earned themselves a ticket for the lucrative Champions League next season when winning their respective league titles on Saturday.
As we come to the end of the Western European season (remember that for climatic reasons several Scandinavian and Eastern European leagues play out their championships in one calendar year), the line up for next season's Champions League is almost finalised. Indeed, with the exception of the Spanish championship, all the major, Western European league contests have already been settled.
Borussia Dortmund and Auxerre thus join a list that includes Ajax Amsterdam (Holland), AC Milan (Italy), Bruges (Belgium), Porto (Portugal), IFK Gothenburg (Sweden), Rosenburg (Norway), Steaua Bucharest (Romania), Alania Vladikavkaz. (Russia), Manchester United and Glasgow Rangers. Furthermore, Italian league runners up Juventus would become a late addition to the list were they to beat Ajax in next week's Champion Cup final in Rome.
The champions from eight countries gain direct admittance to the Champions League. These are Italy, France, Spain, Portugal, England, Germany, Holland and Belgium.
The league winners from 16 other countries must play a first round, knock out tie to gain admittance to the lucrative Champions League. The 16 are Greece, Russia, Turkey, Denmark, Austria, Sweden, Switzerland, Czech Republic, Scotland, Norway, Ukraine, Hungary, Romania, Poland, Israel and Cyprus.
This column has already reported on the sacking two weeks ago of Bayern Munich coach Otto Rehhagel, replaced by Franz Beckenbauer, a Bayern and German soccer living legend. At that time, Bayern were still joint top of the league with Borussia Dortmund, and the sacking, right on the eve of the first leg of the UEFA Cup final, against French side Bordeaux, appeared a reckless gamble.
After Bayern's last minute 1-0 defeat by Schalke on Saturday, Beckenbauer had to ruefully concede: "I knew I couldn't produce magic in two weeks. It was all too late. I should have either let things, go on as they were or acted earlier."
Bayern's defeat came as Borussia Dortmund drew 2-2 with 1869 Munich to leave themselves with an unbeatable four point lead with just one game to play. While Dortmund celebrate their fifth title in the last 40 years, Bayern can gain compensation by lifting the UEFA Cup final tomorrow, night when they meet Bordeaux in the second leg.
In Beckenbauer's first game in charge this season, Bayern defeated Bordeaux 2-0 at the Olympic Stadium in Munich two weeks ago. The French side, which sensationally eliminated AC Milan at the quarter final stage, were arguably handicapped in Munich by the absence of striker Christophe Dugarry and midfielder Zinedine Zidane. With both back in the side tomorrow night, Bordeaux may make a fight of it."
While French soccer celebrates the achievements of last week's Cup Winners' Cup victors, Paris St Germain, as well as tomorrow's finalists Bordeaux, French pundits must be wondering just how little Auxerre will fare among the European elite next season. Auxerre tied up the title with a nervous 1-1 draw against Breton team, Guingamp, on Saturday.
Just a week after they had done the double by winning the French Cup against third division surprise packet Nimes.
Atletico Madrid, Valencia and Barcelona are still all battling it out for the Spanish title. Season long leaders Atletico remain the favourites to scramble home.
