Ups and downs as season closes

SC Freiburg became the latest club to secure promotion to one of Europe's major leagues by guaranteeing a top-two finish in the German 2. Bundesliga with a 2-1 win at Wacker Burghausen yesterday.

Finke delight
With two games remaining, Freiburg and 1. FC Köln, promoted at the end of April, are now vying to win the second division championship, 12 months after both were relegated from the Bundesliga. Freiburg coach Volker Finke said: "After the match I had to be alone for a short moment and went into the changing room. Then I went to our fans who have contributed a great deal by buying 17,000 season tickets before the season."

Mainz first
Three teams are striving to secure the third ticket to the top flight. Currently fifth, 1. FSV Mainz 05 will climb to 59 points and third place by beating LR Ahlen tonight. They have never competed among Germany's élite but will do so at the expense of SpVgg Greuther Fürth and Eintracht Frankfurt, both on 56 points, by winning away this evening and then taking four points from their final two games.

Survival mission
The promoted clubs will replace FC Energie Cottbus, after they were relegated on Saturday following a 3-0 loss at TSV 1860 München, and two from 1. FC Nürnberg (30 points), Bayer 04 Leverkusen (34) and DSC Arminia Bielefeld (36). A win and draw from remaining matches against FC Hansa Rostock away and Hannover 96 at home will see Arminia survive.

West Ham drop
The relegation issues in England were resolved yesterday as Bolton Wanderers FC defeated Middlesbrough FC 2-1 to condemn West Ham United FC to the drop along with Sunderland AFC and West Bromwich Albion FC. Portsmouth FC were promoted as first division champions, while Leicester City FC reached the Premiership automatically by virtue of finishing second.

Play-off situation
In the first legs of the promotion play-off semi-finals, Sheffield United FC drew 1-1 at Nottingham Forest FC and Wolverhampton Wanderers FC beat Reading FC 2-1. The two teams which emerge triumphant from the second legs, to be played respectively on Thursday and Wednesday, will meet at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium in a one-off match with the winners advancing to the Premiership.

Sampdoria on brink
The situation in Italy is more complex. UC Sampdoria (61) will be promoted to Serie A with maximum points against Ternana Calcio tonight, while AC Siena are looking good on 59 points with four matches to be played. Seven teams are in contention for the other two promotion places, with Ancona Calcio leading the charge on 54 points from US Lecce (53) and Vicenza Calcio (51). Cagliari Calcio, Triestina Calcio and Ternana all have 50 and US Città di Palermo 49 points.

Two left
Como Calcio and Torino Calcio will drop out of Serie A along with two other clubs. With two games left Piacenza (27 points) are five adrift of Reggina Calcio and Atalanta BC, while Modena FC and Empoli FC are not yet safe despite collecting 37 points. Should Piacenza be relegated and Reggina and Atalanta finish level on points, they will play off for the right to remain in Italy's top division.

One certainty
With two games to play in Ligue 1 and Ligue 2 there is just one certainty: that ES Troyes Aube Champagne will be relegated after losing 1-0 at RC Lens. Six clubs can still join them in the second division, which can be realistically won by either Toulouse FC (66 points), Le Mans FC (66) or FC Metz (64). FC Lorient, on 61 points, are also eyeing promotion.

All to play for
With five games remaining in Spain's top flight, and seven in the second division, no issues are settled yet, although Rayo Vallecano are six points adrift at the foot of the Primera División.