The coolest football clubs which are promoted to Europe's top 5 leagues
One club will shed tears, while another will celebrate. Every season a couple of clubs are doomed to relegation in Europe’s top 5 leagues. They are replaced, however, by some cool clubs. Some of which have magnificent stories. Which teams already secured promotion, and which teams are still in the running?
Burnley: A fresh new image
Burnley has returned to the English Premier League after one season, but rest assured, Burnley’s days of playing boring defensive football are in the past. The club revamped itself under the Belgian manager Vincent Kompany and plays attractive, attacking and possession-based football. They already won the Championship comfortably, and now it is time to make the wonderfully British Turf Moor a hell again for every Premier League opponent.
Sheffield United: Successful despite the chaos
Remarkably, Sheffield United managed to gain automatic promotion back to the Premier League in a chaotic season. The club had a transfer embargo in January, saw many players get injured due to a poor training pitch and has an owner who desperately wants to sell the club. New challenges are already on the horizon, but we are happy that the 168-year-old home ground Bramall Lane is back in the top flight.
Luton Town: A football fairytale
We fell in love with Luton Town and Kenilworth Road, one of England’s most authentic stadiums, a long time ago. It only took the club nine years to promote from the fifth division to the Premier League. A remarkable achievement. A huge chunk of the prize money will be invested into renovating the home ground, which does not meet the Premier League requirements at the moment. We cannot wait to see Haaland, De Bruyne and Salah struggle on Luton’s pitch.
1. FC Heidenheim: Bundesliga debut
It was a thrilling battle for promotion in Germany until the final whistle of the 2. Bundesliga season. In the end, 1. FC Heidenheim won the league title because of a fantastic comeback that saw them score two goals in the dying minutes. Had they not won their last game against the already-relegated Jahn Regensburg, they would have had to battle for promotion in the playoffs. It will be the club’s first-ever time playing in the German top flight.
SV Darmstadt 98: Back with a brand-new stadium
After an absence of six years, SV Darmstadt 98 returned to the German Bundesliga. The club hopes to do well and secure their Bundesliga status in a completely renovated, modern and environmental-friendly stadium. On top of that, we can also enjoy some great local derbies against Eintracht Frankfurt and 1. FSV Mainz.
Can HSV finally return?
Hamburger SV, a club that won the European Cup in 1983, has struggled in Germany’s second division for five years. This season had to be the one that saw them return, but the last-minute goal of Heidenheim ruined their party for now. However, they can still promote back to the Bundesliga by winning the playoff final against VfB Stuttgart.
UD Las Palmas: The Pride of the Canary Islands
UD Las Palmas, the pride of the Canary Islands, is playing in the Spanish top flight again next season. The sunny Gran Canaria does not only have a fantastic climate, but it also has a great football culture and a unique old ground that has transformed into a park. We secretly hope that the Spanish player and Canario David Silva returns home. His statue is already in front of the stadium.
Genoa FC: Stadio Luigi Ferraris remains in Serie A
Italy’s oldest football club returns to Serie A after one season. Therefore, the beautiful Stadio Luigi Ferraris with its characteristic corners and fantastic acoustics remains a Serie A stadium. Their troubled city rival Sampdoria, which plays on the same ground, could not avoid the drop to Serie B.
Le Havre: Only one point needed
Four football clubs will relegate from the French Ligue 1 this season, and only two promote. Le Havre might be one of the two lucky ones. The club from the French port city only needs one point to secure promotion. Le Havre is famed for its youth academy, where players such as Paul Pogba, Riyad Mahrez and Dimitri Payet were developed. The last time they played top-flight football was in 2009. The remarkable Stade Océane, which brightly shines blue at night, deserves a stint in Ligue 1.
Which other clubs could still promote?
Girondins de Bordeaux and FC Metz, Ligue 2’s number two and three, have 69 points and could both still promote. The Italian side Frosinone and the Spanish side Granada CF already secured promotion back to the highest division. In Italy, Bari, Südtirol, Parma and Cagliari are still fighting for the last spot in Serie A, whilst in Spain, Ud Levante, Deportivo Alaves, SD Eibar and Albacete are still battling it out for promotion.
Images: Shutterstock
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