The Euro Preview: Time to look at teams mired in the relegation battle
Some preseason title contenders like Valencia and Schalke are stuck near the bottom of the table. Will they be able to avoid being relegated by season’s end?
La Liga
With all the focus on Real Madrid’s struggles in Spain, Valencia’s fall from grace has gone somewhat under the radar. Stuck in 15th place after 12 matches, Valencia, who finished fourth last season, are battling relegation this year.
They’ve drawn eight matches in the league this season and have just two wins. The team’s biggest problem has been scoring. For example, Rodrigo Moreno, who tallied 19 goals during the 2017-18 season, has scored just once in the 11 games he’s played.
In July, Moreno vowed to replicate his form from last season. In an interview with the Spanish sports daily Marca, he said, “I have always been committed to the club since I arrived. I have always tried to do my best, I want to keep helping the team and show my level from last season by scoring goals. I would prefer to miss part of my [summer] holidays and start well.”
Valencia play Saturday in a must-win match against Rayo Vallecano, currently second from the bottom, at the Mestalla Stadium.
In other matches to watch this weekend, Barcelona take on second-place Atletico Madrid at home on Saturday, while sixth-place Real Madrid play 13th-place Eibar the same day.
Bundesliga
While Valencia struggle in La Liga, Schalke are in 14th place in the Bundesliga. Last season, the Gelsenkirchen-based club finished second behind champions Bayern Munich. The team is 3-1-7 in 11 league games this season and in serious trouble as the winter break approaches.
Part of the problem for Domenico Tedesco’s side has been injuries. The club were dealt another blow following their 3-0 drubbing to Eintracht Frankfurt on matchday 11 when strikers Mark Uth and Breel Embolo were both injured and may not be back in Bundesliga action until after the winter break.
Schalke play 15th-place Nurnburg (the teams are tied, but Schalke has the superior goal difference) on Saturday at home.
In other games this weekend: first-place Borussia Dortmund play Saturday at ninth-place Mainz, while on the same day fifth-place Bayern Munich take on Fortuna, who are second from last, at home.
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Serie A
The battle to avoid relegation in Italy doesn’t include any top clubs, but does feature as many as eight clubs. The best of this bunch includes Serie A regulars Udinese. While the club were never a contender for the title, the team finished 14th last season (possibly a prelude of things to come) and have consistently produced talent for decades.
Udinese host sixth-place Roma on Saturday in a meaningful game for both sides. Udinese are in 17th place and currently trying to fend off the likes of Empoli (both teams have a 2-3-7 record) to avoid the third and final drop spot.
The team sacked manager Julio Velazquez on Nov. 13, replacing him with Davide Nicola. In his first news conference as Udinese manager, Nicola told reporters: “It’s essential to get the most out of every member of the squad. I’m here because I demand a lot from myself, and I’ll dedicate a lot of time to the lads. My football is about organization, and I want everyone to be involved.”
In other games this weekend: league leaders Juventus host 15th-place Spal on Saturday, while second-place Napoli are at home the following day against last-place Chievo, who have yet to amass a point this season.