Division 4 Final Day!

After 37 games, season 7 will come to an end this Thursday. After an incredibly tight season there are still several potential twists in store for the final fixture which could decide who is crowned champion, who is promoted, who makes the play-offs and who is relegated. 13 teams can still make moves in the table with only 7 in set positions for next season. Three are already relegated while four have guaranteed safety but can’t reach play-off spots. They can, however, still play a key role in how
the drama unfolds.

What’s still to play for?

The race to become champions has come down to two teams. Standard Liege and RSC Anderlecht. While Hellas are close enough to catch them on points, their goal difference means they are all but out of it unless a miracle strikes. Currently Liege lead the way with 62 points, however, Anderlecht are just 2 points behind and are on a 4 games winning streak. If Liege were to draw Anderlecht could claim the title due to their higher goal difference if they can win on the final day. Liege face an arguably tougher fixture against Aston Villa who are still hoping to gain a play-off spot while Anderlecht will face Olympiacos who are one of 4 teams who with nothing riding on the final day. Despite still being in the race for the title, Anderlecht aren’t guaranteed automatic promotion and could slip into the play-off spots if results don’t go their way.

Promotion.

With only Standard Liege guaranteed promotion, there are still two automatic spots available. These are currently held by Anderlecht and Hellas Verona. With Anderlecht on 60 points and with the best goal difference in the division, the only two clubs that could overtake them are Hellas Verona and Sao Paulo. However, the Belgian side only require a draw to secure their promotion. Verona will be feeling more nervous. With 59 points and a goal difference of 7, there are 4 teams who will all be looking to clinch the final automatic promotion spot. Sao Paulo currently have 58 points while Marseille, Espanyol and Monaco all sit with 57 points and equal or superior goal differences to the Italian side. Torino also have an outside chance of moving up to 3rd thanks to their outstanding goal difference. If Hellas were to draw and any of these 5 sides win, then they would drop into the play-off spots. This set of fixtures will surely be exciting due to goal difference likely to play a large role in final positions. One key fixture to watch will be Marseille vs Torino. The winner could gain automatic promotion while the loser could miss out on play-off spots all together.

Play-offs.

Sao Paulo, Marseille, Espanyol and Monaco are currently in the play-off positions . Despite this, all 4 could miss out. While all could potentially move up the table, they could also go down if results go against them. The biggest threats are Torino and Aston Villa. If both win then draws might not be enough for the current teams in play-off positions to retain their spots. However, Stoke and Crystal Palace are both also able to catch up as they are only 2 points behind Marseille, Espanyol and Monaco. If Marseille lose to Torino and Espanyol and Monaco both lose too, all 3 will be at a huge risk of missing out on promotion all together. Sao Paulo are also at risk of missing out if they fail to win and could be leapfrogged by Stoke, who they play tomorrow, if they lose by a big enough margin. The battle for these spots is as tight as it will ever be and is likely to throw up some last minute twists.

Stuck but Safe.

Despite having their destiny next season sealed, two of the four teams can still impact the table. Olympiacos will face Anderlecht who are gunning for the title, while Dinamo Zagreb will play Hellas Verona who can seal their automatic promotion spot or drop below the play-off spots. Partizan and Levante are also safe but can’t move out of the league, they will face Dynamo Moskva and Stuttgart who are both already relegated.

Safety.

The battle for safety is still on for two teams. Bordeaux are currently 2 points clear of Atalanta and the drop zone but could be relegated even if they manage a draw. Atalanta have a superior goal difference which could save them if they can beat out of form Espanyol. Looking at the form of Bordeaux will give Atalanta hope as the French side haven’t won in their past 5 games. However, the Italian side must win if they want any chance of safety.

Relegated.

While Dynamo Moskva and Stuttgart have unimportant final games, Besiktas can still impact the top of the table as they face Monaco. The French side can still attain an automatic promotion spot but are also in danger of missing a promotion opportunity all together.

The Table

So many clubs have the potential to move up or down in the table. Here are the current standings with the highest and lowest potential finished for each team (Goal difference within 5).

The Fixtures