Portuguese Liga Standings

As 2009 reaches its' climax, let's see how things stack up in the top flight of Portuguese soccer.

1. Sporting Braga (GP: 14; GD: +13; PTS: 33)
2. SL Benfica (GP: 14; GD; +29; GD: 33)
3. FC Porto (GP: 14; GD: +16; PTS: 29)
4. CD Nacional de Madeira (GP: 14; GD: -2; PTS: 24)
5. SPORTING (GP: 14; GD: +4; PTS: 21)
6. Uniao de Leiria (GP: 14; GD: +4; PTS: 20)
7. Guimaraes (GP: 14; GD: -2; PTS: 19)
8. Rio Ave (GP: 14; GD: +2; PTS: 19)
9. Maritimo (GP: 14; GD: +4; PTS: 19)
10. Naval 1° Maio (GP: 14; GD: -8; PTS: 15)
11. Pacas de Ferreira (GP: 14; GD: -3; PTS: 14)
12. Academica de Coimbra (GP: 14; GD: -5; PTS: 13)
13. Vitoria Setubal (GP: 14; GD: -20; PTS: 11)
14. Leixores (GP: 14; GD: -12; PTS: 11)
15. Olhanense (GP: 14; GD: -10; PTS: 10)
16. Belenenses (GP: 14; GD: -10; PTS: 10)

Eredivisie Standings

At 2009 is coming to a close, let's look at how things are going in the top flight in the Netherlands.

1. FC Twente (GP: 17; GD: +23; PTS: 47)
2. PSV Eindhoven (GP: 17; GD: +30; PTS: 45)
3. AJAX AMSTERDAM (GP: 17; GD: +38; GD: 38)
4. Feyenoord Rotterdam (GP: 18; GD: +14; PTS: 37)
5. SC Heracles Almelo (GP: 18; GD: +2; PTS: 32)
6. FC Utrecht (GP: 17; GD: +7; PTS: 30)
7. AZ Alkmaar (GP: 18; GD: +11; PTS: 28)
8. NAC Breda (GP: 17; GD: -4; PTS: 22)
9. VVV Venlo (GP: 18; GD: -1; PTS: 20)
10. Vitesse Arnhem (GP: 17; GD: -10; PTS: 18)
11. Sparta Rotterdam (GP: 18; GD: -16; PTS: 18)
12. FC Groningen (GP: 17; GD: -8; PTS: 17)
13. Roda JC Kerkrade (GP: 17; GD: -10; PTS: 17)
14. SC Heerenveen (GP: 17; GD: -13; PTS: 17)
15. Willem II Tilburg (GP: 18; GD: -14; PTS: 14)
16. ADO Den Haag (GP: 18; GD: -17; PTS: 14)
17. NEC Nijmegen (GP: 17; GD: -12; PTS: 13)
18. RKC Waalwijk (GP: 18; GD: -20; PTS: 12)

Scottish Premier League Standings

Here's a look at the standings in Scotland's top flight on this New Year's Eve.

1. RANGERS (GP: 18; GD: +34; PTS: 43)
2. CELTIC (GP: 17; GD: +18; PTS: 36)
3. Hibernian (GP: 17; GD: +11; PTS: 32)
4. Dundee United (GP: 17; GD: 0; PTS: 28)
5. Heart of Midlothian (GP: 18; GD: -2; PTS: 23)
6. Motherwell (GP: 18; GD: -8; PTS: 20)
7. St. Johnstone (GP: 17; GD: -6; PTS: 19)
8. Aberdeen (GP: 16; GD: -6; PTS: 18)
9. Hamilton Academical (GP: 16; GD: -11; PTS: 16)
10. St. Mirren (GP: 16; GD: -7; PTS: 14)
11. Kilmarnock (GP: 17; GD: -10; PTS: 14)
12. Falkirk (GP: 17; GD: -13; PTS: 12)

English Premier League Standings

Here's how the standings in the English Premier League look as we head toward the end of the calendar year of 2009.

1. Chelsea (GP: 20; GD: +29; PTS; 45)
2. Manchester United (GP: 20; GD: +27; PTS: 45)
3. Arsenal (GP: 19; GD: +30; PTS: 41)
4. Tottenham Hotspur (GP: 20; GD: +20; PTS: 37)
5. Manchester City (GP: 19; GD: +11; PTS: 35)
6. Aston Villa (GP: 20; GD: +11; PTS: 35)
7. Liverpool (GP: 20; GD: +12; PTS: 33)
8. Birmingham (GP: 20; GD: +2; PTS: 32)
9. Fulham (GP: 19; GD: +5; PTS: 27)
10. Sunderland (GP: 20; GD: -3; PTS: 23)
11. Everton (GP: 19; GD: -6; PTS: 22)
12. Stoke City (GP: 19; GD: -8; PTS: 21)
13. Blackburn Rovers (GP: 20; GD: -15; PTS: 21)
14. Burnley (GP: 20; GD: -18; PTS:20)
15. WOLVERHAMPTON WANDERERS (GP: 20; -19; PTS: 19)
16. Wigan Athletic (GP: 19; GD: -23; PTS: 19)
17. West Ham United (GP: 20; GD: -9; PTS: 18)
18. Bolton Wanderers (GP: 18; GD: -10; PTS: 18)
19. Hull City (GP: 20; GD: -22; PTS: 18)
20. Portsmouth (GP: 20; GD: -14; PTS: 14)

Ligue 1 Standings

Here's a look at the standings in the top soccer league in France as we approach the end of the 2009 calendar year.

1. Bordeaux (GP: 19; GD: +21; PTS; 43)
2. Lille (GP: 19; GD: +18; PTS: 34)
3. Montpellier (GP: 18; GD: +5; PTS: 33)
4. Marseille (GP: 18;GD; +10; PTS; 32)
5. AJ Auxerre (GP: 19; GD; +4; PTS: 32)
6. Lyon (GP: 19; GD: +5; PTS: 30)
7. Paris Saint-Germain (GP: 19; GD: +13; PTS: 29)
8. Lorient (GP: 19; GD; +7; PTS: 29)
9. Stade Rennes (GP: 19; GD: +6; PTS: 29)
10. Valenciennes (GP: 19; GD; +4; PTS: 28)
11. AS MONACO (GP: 18; GD; -2; PTS: 27)
12. AS Nancy Lorraine (GP: 19; GD; -3; PTS: 26)
13. Lens (GP: 19; GD: -5; PTS: 26)
14. Toulouse (GP: 19; GD: +2; PTS; 25)
15. Sochaux (GP: 17; GD: -4; PTS; 25)
16. Nice (GP: 19; GD: -12; PTS; 22)
17. Le Mans (GP: 19; GD; -11; PTS: 16)
18. St. Etienne (GP: 19; GD; -15; PTS: 16)
19. Boulogne (GP: 18; GD: -20; PTS: 13)
20. Grenoble (GP: 19; GD: -23; PTS 7)

Bundesliga Standings

As we approach the end of the 2009 calendar year, let's see how things are going in the top flight of German soccer.

1. Bayer Leverkusen (GP: 17; GD: +22; PTS: 35)
2. Schalke 04 (GP: 17; GD: +13; PTS: 34)
3. BAYERN MUNICH (GP: 17; GD: +19; PTS: 33)
4. Hamburg (GP: 17; GD: +15; PTS; 31)
5. Borussia Dortmund (GP: 17; GD: +6; PTS; 30)
6. Werder Bremen (GP: 17; GD; +16; GD: 28)
7. TSG Hoffenheim (GP: 17; GD; +10; PTS: 25)
8. VfL Wolfsburg (GP: 17; GD: 0; PTS: 24)
9. Mainz (GP: 17; GD: -1; PTS: 24)
10. Eintracht Frankfurt (GP: 17; GD: -2; PTS: 24)
11. Borussia Mochengladbach (GP: 17; GD: -5; PTS; 21)
12. FC Cologne (GP: 17; GD: -5; PTS: 18)
13. SC Freiburg (GP: 17; GD; -14; PTS; 18)
14. Hannover 96 (GP: 17; GD: -6; PTS: 17)
15. VfB Stuttgart (GP: 17; GD: -7; PTS: 16)
16. VfL Bochum (GP: 17; GD: -15; GD: 16)
17. FC Nuremberg (GP: 17; GD: -20; PTS: 12)
18. Hertha Berlin (GP: 17; GD: -26; PTS: 6)

Serie A Standings

Here's how things look in Italy's top flight as we reach the end of the 2009 calendar year.

1. Inter Milan (GP: 17; GD: +22; PTS: 39)
2. AC MILAN (GP: 16; GD: +6; PTS: 31)
3. Juventus (GP: 17; GD: +9; PTS: 30)
4. AS Roma (GP: 17; GD; +5; PTS: 28)
5. Parma (GP: 17; GD: 0; PTS: 28)
6. Napoli (GP: 17; GD; +2; PTS; 27)
7. Palermo (GP: 17; GD: +2; PTS: 26)
8. Sampdoria (GP: 17; GD: -4; PTS: 25)
9. Bari (GP: 16; GD: +4; PTS; 24)
10. Fiorentina (GP: 16; GD: +3; PTS: 24)
11. Genoa (GP: 16; GD: +1; PTS; 24)
12. Chievo Verona (GP: 17; GD; +1; PTS: 24)
13. Cagliari (GP: 16; GD: +4; PTS: 23)
14. Udinese (GP: 16; GD; -2; PTS: 18)
15. Livorno (GP: 17; GD; -9; PTS: 18)
16. Lazio (GP: 17; GD: -6; PTS: 16)
17. Bologna (GP: 16; GD: -7; PTS: 16)
18. Atalanta (GP: 16; GD: -10; PTS: 13)
19. Catania (GP: 17; GD: -10; PTS: 12)
20. AC Siena (GP: 17; GD: -11; PTS: 12)

La Liga Standings

Here how things stack up in Spain's top division at the end of the 2009 calendar year.

1. Barcelona (GP: 15; GD: +27; PTS: 39)
2. Real Madrid (GP: 15; GD: +27; PTS: 37)
3. Sevilla (GP: 15; GD: +13; PTS: 30)
4. Valencia (GP: 15; GD: +11; PTS: 29)
5. Mallorca (GP: 15; GD: +10; PTS: 27)
6. Deportivo La Coruna (GP: 15; GD: +3; PTS; 27)
7. Athletic Bilbao (GP: 15; GD; +3; PTS: 26)
8. Getafe (GP: 15; GD: +3; PTS: 24)
9. Villarreal (GP: 15; GD; +5; PTS: 21)
10. Sporting Gijon (GP: 15; GD: 0; PTS: 20)
11. Valladolid (GP: 15; GD: -4; PTS: 16)
12. Osasuna (GP: 15; GD: -5; PTS; 16)
13. ESPANYOL (GP: 15; GD: -11; PTS: 16)
14. Tenerife (GP: 15; GD: -13; PTS; 15)
15. Atletico Madrid (GP: 15; GD; -6; PTS; 14)
16. Racing Santander (GP: 15; GD; -8; PTS; 13)
17. Almeria (GP: 15; GD; -11; PTS; 13)
18. Malaga (GP: 15; GD; -4; PTS: 12)
19. Real Zaragoza (GP: 15; GD; -18; PTS:12)
20. Xerez (GP: 15; GD; -22; PTS; 7)

Trotters Can Manager

In a season of unexpected struggle to avoid relegation, blowing a two-goal lead at home against Hull City may have been the final blow.

New Coach For DC United

Curt Onalfo, a former DC United player, was named Monday as the Washington, DC Major League Soccer Club's new head coach.

Carlos Tevez Double Helps Sink Wolves

At Wolverhampton, England:

Carlos Tevez scored twice (33', 86') and Javier Garrido scored on a free kick (69') as Manchester City, with Roberto Mancini winning his second match in as many tries as the Citizens' new manager, overpowered Wolverhampton 3-0 on the road on Monday in English Premiership action.

Belgian Club Gets Red Carded

Excelsior Mouscron has been forced to resign from Belgium's football (soccer) league, the money-poor club has announced.

Second Half Goals Power Reds Past 10-Man Wolves

At Liverpool, England:

Goals from Steven Gerrard (62') and Yossi Benayoun (70') enabled Liverpool to defeat visiting 10-man Wolverhampton 2-0 Saturday in Boxing Day English Premier League action.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

We here at Soccer or Association Football wish you and yours the Merriest of Christmases!!!

AS Monaco Gain Draw On Road

At Le Mans, France:

Park Chu-Young's equalizer at 50 minutes enabled AS Monaco to gain a 1-1 road draw with Le Mans in Ligue 1 action on Wednesday. Anthony Le Tallec scored at 36 minutes for the hosts.

Another Award For Leo

Argentina international and Barcelona superstar Lionel Messi was Monday named FIFA world player of the year.

AS Monaco Salvage Home Draw With Lyon

At Fontvieille, Monaco:

Park Chu-Young's equalizer at 35 minutes enabled AS Monaco to gain a 1-1 home stalemate with Lyon (whose goal came at 22 minutes from Michel Bastos) in Sunday Ligue 1 play.

Parakeets End Losing Streak

At Barcelona:

Javier Moreno Maquez (45') and Ferran Coromians (81') provided the goalpower that lifted Espanyol to a 2-0 home win Sunday in La Liga play over Almeria to end the Parakeets' five-match losing streak.

Wolves Back On Track

At Wolverhampton, England:

Nenad Milijas (15') and Kevin Doyle (50') provided the scoring as Wolverhampton bounced back from their Old Trafford debacle and blanked visiting Burnley 2-0 Sunday in English Premier League action. The win moved Wolves up to 12th place in the Premiership standings for the moment.

Managerial Change At Man City

Beating visiting Sunderland 4-3 at home in a wild game was not enough to save Mark Hughes' job with Manchester City.

Ex-Inter Milan boss Roberto Mancini is the Citizens' new manager.