Top to Bottom Watch: Recently European teams facing relegation

[seso]

Malta: Sliema Wanderers FC have been relegated. They were one of the most successful Maltese club in European football with 38 participations (seasons playing European football) up to 2014-15. They had eliminated Skodo Riga (Latvia) in 2003-04 CL-Q1, Margveti Zestafoni (Georgia) in 1996-97 UC-QR etc.

[SimonB]

I notice that this topic has been posted on a few times again recently.

One thought came to me as i read some of the posts was why is it they we have a Top to Bottom watch topic but there doesn't exist a Bottom to Top watch list

Is there something in our minds that makes falling of giants more interesting to observe then something new being created from scratch

[seso]

I notice that this topic has been posted on a few times again recently.

One thought came to me as i read some of the posts was why is it they we have a Top to Bottom watch topic but there doesn't exist a Bottom to Top watch list

Is there something in our minds that makes falling of giants more interesting to observe then something new being created from scratch

I think it is because, the way football is now, it is much less frequent having a 'giant' doing poorly (a 'bad' example is the CL, where almost the same clubs take part every season in CL-L16 onwards) than a small club having a good season and getting a European ticket or being champions. The big clubs in each national championship have most of the money and can, most of the times, keep a high performance level.

[NederPAOKtzis]

In Netherlands Willem II still played EL last season and are now sitting on a relegation spot with 5 matches left.

And they are relegated. Together with PEC Zwolle, the 2014 cupwinner.

[Juliusz]

Lechia Gdańsk in July 2022: participated in ECL qualifying.

Lechia Gdańsk in May 2023: relegated from Ekstraklasa 3 matches before the end of the season.

[matt]

Nantes, after a decent EL run (three months ago they faced Juventus) and two cup finals in a row, are in a relegation zone with four games to go. This odd season with four relegations might make the difference for them.

Fehervar, after almost eliminating Koln in the ECL Play-Off in August, are in a relegation spot with three games to go.

In England Leicester a year after a ECL semifinal, are involved in a desperate battle not to be relegated.

In Spain Valencia, three seasons after a CL round of 16, are involved in the relegation battle.

In Portugal Santa Clara and Ferreira, both european in the summer of 2021, are both in the relegation zone now.

[Forza AZ]

Netherlands: Vitesse was in the 1/8 finals of the Conference League last season, and are now only 3 points ahead of the relegation play-offs with 3 matches left.

[TommyChat]

Fola Esch is just 2 points clear of relegation zone with 2 matches to play in Luxembourg.

That explains somehow their elimination to Tre Fiori back in July.

[amenina]

It is in women's football, but Turbine Potsdam, twice European champions (2004/05 UEFA Women's Cup and 2009/10 UEFA Women's Champions League), have been relegated from the women's Bundesliga.

https://www.sportschau.de/fussball/frau ... g-100.html

[rpo.castro]

Paços de Ferreira and Santa Clara represented Portugal in first Conference League edition last season. Today were both relegated to II league.

[OlliWender]

It is in women's football, but Turbine Potsdam, twice European champions (2004/05 UEFA Women's Cup and 2009/10 UEFA Women's Champions League), have been relegated from the women's Bundesliga.

https://www.sportschau.de/fussball/frau ... g-100.html

So a few years after FFC Frankfurt merging into Eintracht, now the last stronghold of the old Women's game has fallen too. Maybe the only downside to the professionalisation of the Women's game really. Just like in the other big countries, the female leagues will eventually consist of the same big Men's teams.
It's only a matter of time until the likes of BVB, Schalke and HSV also reach the top flight too, considering how they're ploughing through the lower leagues right now.

[amenina]

It is in women's football, but Turbine Potsdam, twice European champions (2004/05 UEFA Women's Cup and 2009/10 UEFA Women's Champions League), have been relegated from the women's Bundesliga.

https://www.sportschau.de/fussball/frau ... g-100.html

So a few years after FFC Frankfurt merging into Eintracht, now the last stronghold of the old Women's game has fallen too. Maybe the only downside to the professionalisation of the Women's game really. Just like in the other big countries, the female leagues will eventually consist of the same big Men's teams.
It's only a matter of time until the likes of BVB, Schalke and HSV also reach the top flight too, considering how they're ploughing through the lower leagues right now.

There are a few "women's only" clubs in the second-tier leagues which are capable of reaching the UWCL group stage: Rosengard from Sweden, Koge from Denmark, BIIK from Kazakhstan, Glasgow City from Scotland (who is battling with Celtic and Rangers for the Scottish title). However, none of them have much chance of reaching the knockout quarter-finals, who like the men's CL, are dominated by the big 5 leagues.

[amenina]

I posted in another thread: viewtopic.php?p=545627#p545627

Marumo Gallants, who just three days ago were eliminated from the CAF Confederation Cup semi-finals, finished last in the South African Premiership and are relegated.

Obviously this season, West Ham were playing very well in the Conference League, but domestically were facing relegation threats, but eventually escaped.

So had there ever been similar cases? A club which reached the semi-finals of a European club competition getting relegated in the same season?

[rpo.castro]

Málaga relegated to 3rd tier.

[NederPAOKtzis]

Scotland: Dundee United. They even played this season in ECL Q3 (AZ elimineted them with an aggregate of 7-1 after losing the first leg in Scotland with 1-0).