D1 Title Race

83 points needed to guarantee the title… the maximum points both Chelsea or Hellas Verona can get is 83…. Of course, they meet at Stamford Bridge in the final game of the season!

it would be a sixth title for Chelsea and manager James Mckenzie, but the first time they have won two in a row since S13 and S14.

Verona manager ALB is hoping for a second D1 title in three seasons.

Five clubs are battling to reach 70 points for the remaining two places in the Top Four: Porto, Barcelona, Dortmund, Bayern and Sao Paulo. It may be that 70 points won’t be enough this time to guarantee a top four place.

On 61 points are Andre Guerra’s eternal bridesmaids Porto, looking to equal their best ever finish of 3rd in S15. Another frustrating season in the end after such a bright start.

Barcelona are one point behind Porto. They also led the table for some time midway, but have dropped back since.

The Spanish giants have finished outside the top three on only three occasions – S1, S8 and S21, although to be fair the end of the Wallace era and the beginning of new manager Adam’s reign saw something of a rebuild underway.

Dortmund are level with Barcelona, and also topped the table at one point during the season. A top four finish would be the club’s best ever.

If they manage that, their last five seasons will have seen finishes in 10th, 9th, 8th, 5th and 3rd/4th. You would fancy them to challenge strongly for the title next season with that progression.

Two points away in 6th, Bayern Munich are on course to achieve their average position in ten full seasons under “Mister Consistency” manager Bojan.

Sao Paulo weren’t quite good enough to win D5 in S16, but six season’s later they have an outside chance of finishing in the top four of D1 in their first season with the big boys.

With 56 points needed for a top ten place, Juventus, Leicester and Benfica are favourites to remain in those positions.

Six points adrift of Sao Paulo, Juventus will be disappointed with their season after coming 3rd last time. They averaged 5th place under DP 91, and 7th and 3rd in two seasons under Kevin Mcgregor.

Leicester City look set to achieve their first ever top ten finish in the top division Under manager Doug Earle, a feat he managed three times in four seasons at Atletico Madrid, back in the day.

Benfica really consolidated as a D1 team under previous managers Mark Stewart and ruts… and haven’t finished outside the top ten since S17.