Pep und Oliver Glasnerđ!!!
Zwei groĂe Manager verabschieden sich mit Ende dieser Saison nach groĂen Erfolgen von ihren englischen Teams:
Pep Guardiola verlĂ€sst Manchester City nach zehn Jahren und zwanzig gewonnenen Titeln, darunter die Champions League, sechs englische Meistertitel, drei FA Cups und fĂŒnf Ligacups sowie der Klub-Weltmeistertitel. In der heurigen Saison kamen – dem Schnitt von 2 pro Pep-Saison entsprechend – zwei englische Cups hinzu.
Oliver Glasner sagt mit drei Titeln nach etwas mehr als zwei Jahren dem frischgebackenen Conference League-Sieger Crystal Palace bye-bye.
Der oberösterreichische Erfolgstrainer, der auch schon mit Eintracht Frankfurt einen Europacup holte, gewann mit den Eagles den FA Cup und den Community Shield – jeweils gegen Pepâs Citizens – und nun die Conference League mit dem 1:0 ĂŒber Rayo Vallecano beim Finale in Leipzig. Die ersten drei trophies in 120 Jahren Klubgeschichte!
Wahrhaft GroĂes haben die beiden groĂen Trainerpersönlichkeiten mit ihren Klubs geleistet, wobei die Erfolge von Glasner mit dem kleinen SĂŒdlondoner Klub wohl sogar schwer wiegen könnten als jene der millionenschweren âCitizensâ!
3:0 plus
West Ham und der SK Rapid siegten zum Ende der Saison beide 3:0. Bei Rapid hatte dieses Resultat am Pfingstmontag aber einen ungleich positiveren Effekt als bei West Ham am Sonntag! Die GrĂŒn-weiĂen qualifizierten sich mit diesem Heimsieg im Europacup-Play-Off nach der 1:2-AuswĂ€rtsniederlage gegen die SV Ried doch noch fĂŒr den Europacup!
âWar gut, dass du dort warstâ, meinte mein Freund Alfred, der – wie gar nicht so wenige andere auch (nur 14.600 Zuschauer!) – nach einer enttĂ€uschenden Saison auf dieses letzte Match vor dem Sommer verzichtet hatte. Und mit âSuper, dass es heute geklappt hatâ, verabschiedete sich Robert R., mit dem ich mich diesmal im schattigen Sektor 19 getroffen hatte. Bei Robert K. auf der OsttribĂŒne wĂ€re es mir bei nachmittĂ€glichem Sonnenschein đ und Temperaturen ĂŒber 30 Grad diesmal zu heiĂ gewesen; mit ihm traf ich mich aber vor dem Match auf ein Bier im schattigen âHĂŒttelbeachâ.
SchlieĂlich lief mir dann nach dem Match zufĂ€llig auch noch mein Nachbar Patrick ĂŒber den Weg, der mich mit âsie werden bald wieder zurĂŒckkommen!â ĂŒber West Hamâs Abstieg hinwegzutrösten versuchte, obwohl er doch mit den Spurs sympathisiert. Sehr freundlich von ihm! (Ich hĂ€tte ihn wahrscheinlich eher gehĂ€ckerlt, wenn sein englisches Team abgestiegen wĂ€reâŠ)
Alles in allem ein versöhnlicher Abschluss fĂŒr 2025/26 an diesem Pfingstmontag im Allianz Stadion; der im JĂ€nner 2026 gekommene neue Rapid-Trainer Johannes Hoff Thorup hat zumindest das Minimalziel nach einer enttĂ€uschenden Saison erreicht.
Jetzt beginnt bald, am 11. Juni, die WM in Kanada, Mexiko und USA mit dem Finale am 19. Juli. Und anschlieĂend gehtâs gleich mit der Conference League-Qualifikation weiter. Keine Ruh hat man! đ
Termine: Conference League Qualifikation:
Q2: Auslosung: 17 Juni 2026
Q3: Auslosung : 20 Juli 2026
PO Auslosung: 3. August 2026
Conference League Ligaphase Auslosung: 29.August 2025
Spieltermine Conference League Qualifikation:
Q2: 23 & 30 Juli 2026
Q3: 6 & 13 August 2026
PO: 20 & 27 August 2026
Statements on Relegation
Thatâs what West Ham posted after relegation was confirmed:
The confirmation of our relegation from the Premier League today marks a sad and painful moment for West Ham United.
The Club wishes to sincerely thank every single one of our supporters for the constant and loyal backing they have given, throughout what has been an extremely difficult and disappointing season.
Ultimately, we have not repaid that support. The plain truth is that we have not been good enough. We must now face the consequences of that failure with honesty, transparency and a determination to repair, refocus and rebuild.
West Ham United is a football club whose unique identity is defined not by success or failure on the pitch, but by the values and traditions of our roots in east London, and by the spirit of the people who have Claret and Blue in their hearts. The Club acknowledges how challenging this season has been for them and knows it must take steps to restore a sense of pride, faith and belief.
As we have done before, we will fight with everything we have to return to the top division of English football at the first time of asking. The hard work to make that goal a reality begins immediately.
Jarrod Bowen on relegation:
â¶ïžhttps://twitter.com/WestHam–6
Dave Walker, âThe West Ham Wayâ, on relegation â¶ïžhttps://twitter.com/WestHamWayCom–6
Tomas Soucek:
EFL Championship 2026/27
Looking forward to Millwall and Wrexham, and some more London derbies (QPR and Charlton)âŠ
By the way, the chance to get promoted will be greater than ever because the number of teams competing in the Sky Bet Championship Play-Offs will be expanded from four to six, starting in the 2026/27 season.
According to Wikipedia the English Football League Championship is the wealthiest non-top-flight football division in the world, the ninth-richest division in Europe and the 12th best-attended division in world football (with the second highest per-match attendance of any secondary league â after the German 2. Bundesliga). Its average match attendance for the 2022â23 season was 18,787. The second biggest ground is Middlesbroughâs Riverside Stadium (34,700), the biggest one now being of course the London Stadium with 62,500 seats.
About the cathedral of Lincoln (above) Victorian writer John Ruskin wrote: âI have always held … that the cathedral of Lincoln is out and out the most precious piece of architecture in the British Isles and roughly speaking worth any two other cathedrals we have.” Preston North End together with Bristol City and Queens Park Rangers currently hold the longest tenure in the Championship, having last been absent in the 2014â15 season.
Relegation confirmed âŹïž
Spurs stay in the Premier League, West Ham head to the Championship. De Zerbiâs Tottenham win at home for the first time this year, and David Moyesâs canât save the Hammers from relegation for a third time – his Everton team loses 0-1.
West Hamâs 3-0 (0-0) win over Leeds ends a dismal season with a victory, but thatâs all too late. Goalscorers Taty Castellanos, Jarrod Bowen and Callum Wilson will most probably have worn a West Ham shirt for the last time, and also this yearâs Hammer of the Year Dinos Mavropanos might leave the club as West Ham’s 14-year stay in the Premier League has come to an end, just three years after they won their first major silverware in 43 years as David Moyes led them to the Europa Conference League title.
âChe sera seraâ, as the old song goes.
It will be Championship football next season.
An uncertain future awaits the Club which has already posted a ÂŁ104.2m loss for the last financial year. Relegation heaps yet more pressure on the club’s shaky finances. It remains to be seen how things will develop over the next months and also how the dissatisfied and unhappy fanbase will react. It has been a painful season and it could be a long painful summerâŠ
Highlights: â¶ïžwhufc.com
Tigers are back !
Sunday, 4 p.m. âïžâœïžâœïžđŠ
This Sunday, 4 p.m. could be the last time for at least one season that a Premier League game is kicked off inside the London Stadium, but West Ham still have a chance to avoid relegation.
The Hammers got an other lifeline due to Spursâ defeat at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday, but PL survival still is not only in their own hands: a win over Leeds and one more home defeat for Spurs (vs. Everton) will be needed. Will David Moyes do West Ham one last favour and win at Tottenham?!
Itâs the hope that gets you again and again, West Ham fan Holly Turbott describes the feelings within the last months of this season. Every time you give up hope and you say it’s all over, West Ham find this glimmer of hope that drags you back in and leads you to question whether we can do it.
Now it’s all coming down to the last game of the season and the West Ham supporters are going to be stood in the stands trying to follow the Spurs game at the same time.
If the Hammers pull off a last-minute miracle, it wonât be a âgreat escapeâ but rather sheer luck and the end of an unwanted emotional rollercoaster. Many of us like Holly had already accepted relegation and the prospect of being a Championship side next season. Remaining in the PL this year could just mean that it will be the same struggle next season. âSo let what will be will beâ, as an other West Ham fan resumed.
Aston Villa win Europa League đ
Aston Villa beat Freiburg 3-0 to win the Europa League and end a 30-year trophy drought.
First-half stunners from Youri Tielemans and Emi Buendia gave Villa control before Morgan Rogers’ strike sealed a second major European title 44 years after they won the European Cup (1982) and 30 years after their win of the League Cup (1996).
Aston Villaâs ultra-celebrity fan, the Prince of Wales, watched the final inside the Tupras Stadium. He celebrated their goals wildly and was seen wiping away tears of joy. After the game he posted a message that said: âAmazing night!! Huge congratulations to all the players, team, staff and everyone connected to the club! 44 years since the last taste of European silverware!â He added: âUTV! [Up the Villa] VTID [Villa till I Die] W.â
The architect of Villaâs success, Manager Unai Emery, now has won the Europa League five times with three different clubs (Sevilla 2014, 2015 and 2016; Villareal 2021, and now Aston Villa). He replaced Steven Gerrard in November 2022 with Villa three points above the relegation zone and has transformed them into top five contenders and, now, a European champion. He has overseen a momentous change for the club who, 10 years ago, were relegated from the Premier League for the first time and in 2009 and 2010 eliminated from the Europa League by Rapid Vienna.
Aston Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez revealed he broke his finger during the warm-up, but managed to play the entire match. The 33-year-old did not have much to do, but still managed to make two saves.
He said: “Today I broke my finger during the warm-up and for me, every bad thing brings something good. I’ve done this my whole life and I’ll keep doing it.â The former Arsenal keeper has now won every final he has played in during his career, including the FA Cup final, the World Cup final, two Copa Americas and now the Europa League.
Southampton expulsed from Championship Play-offs đđ»
Middlesbrough will play Hull in the EFL Championship play-off final on Saturday. An EFL independent disciplinary commission on Tuesday evening expelled Southampton from the play-offs and reinstated Middlesbrough, who had lost 2-1 to the Saints on aggregate in the semi-finals.
Southampton admitted spying on three rivals’ training sessions – including Boro before the semi-final first leg – but had appealed against their expulsion, calling it “manifestly disproportionate to every previous sanction in the history of the English game”.
However, the EFL has rejected Saints’ appeal and upheld the punishment.
Arsenal win Premier League
Hammers can still hope
Arsenal fans celebrate! On Tuesday evening Manchester City drew 1-1 with Bournemouth, a result that confirmed that Arsenal win the title for the first time in 22 years! I think the Gunners deserve to win the Premier League, and they could also win an other piece of silverware for the first time if they beat PSG in the Champions League final. They will be underdogs though in the final on 30 May in Budapest.
The same evening Spurs lost 1-2 against Chelsea, which means that West Ham can survive with a win at home against Leeds if Tottenham donât win a point against Everton on the final day of the season.
The final day of the Premier League is on Sunday. The title race is over, but there are still plenty of things to be decided.
Champions League qualification – Liverpool or Bournemouth (but if Aston Villa win the Europa League final tomorrow against Freiburg in Istanbul and end fifth, then the sixth placed club would also get in the Champions League, so Brighton still have a chance). Already qualified: Manchester City (which will be left by manager Pep Guardiola after ten years, winning twenty trophies!), Manchester United, Aston Villa.
Other European spots (two places to be decided) – Between Brighton, Chelsea, Brentford, Sunderland, Newcastle, Everton and Fulham.
If Crystal Palace win the Conference League final in Leipzig on 27 May against Rayo Vallecani, they would also qualify for next seasonâs Europa League.
Relegation – Tottenham or West Ham. Already relegated: Burnley, Wolves.
EXTRA TIME 
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