Last season brought a series of surprises and changes to the top five football leagues across Europe. From the relatively predictable nature of Ligue 1 in France to the shake-up in Serie A and unprecedented unpredictability in the Premier League, it was a season that defied expectations. In this article, we have ranked the top 5 major European football leagues in the 2022-2023 season from least exciting to most interesting.
league 1
There were some surprises in terms of the final standings in the 2022-2023 season of Ligue 1 in France. PSG, the dominant team, won the championship again without much glory, winning the title in the last round. Betting on PSG at Betway and other bookmakers was safe throughout the season. PSG’s performance throughout the season was not impressive, and it marked the end of an era with Messi, Ramos and possibly Neymar leaving the club. RC Lens emerged as the standout performers, finishing second and securing direct qualification for the Champions League.
Claremont Foot also exceeded expectations, finishing eighth with an impressive win against the champions. Lyon and Monaco were the major disappointments, failing to secure European competition spots. The season also saw a change in relegation rules, with four teams being directly relegated to reduce the number of teams in the league to 18. and dribbling statistics. Overall, Ligue 1 needs to challenge PSG’s monopoly and nurture new competitive teams to ensure long-term competitiveness.
Laliga
Barcelona return to La Liga after a few challenging seasons. They clinched the title, displaying a strong defensive play and winning the championship. Real Madrid couldn’t get tired of their back to back seasons competing on many fronts. Atlético Madrid found their rhythm too late to challenge for the title, but played a more attacking style under Simeone.
Several major Spanish teams had a disappointing season. Last season’s contenders FC Sevilla finished 12th, while Espanyol suffered relegation for the second time in four seasons. Valencia and Celta Vigo narrowly escape relegation.
Real Sociedad deserve praise for consistently competing for a Champions League spot with a consistent generation of players. Despite squad issues they finished in the top four. Osasuna’s qualification to the Conference League from seventh place was also commendable.
La Liga is going through a period of low quality and low attractiveness due to financial constraints and a lack of young goalkeepers. Barcelona’s resurgence, defensive prowess and the struggles of some big names were the highlights of the 2022-2023 season.
serie a
The Italian Serie A football championship was highly competitive, with a close race at the top of the table. With efforts to improve the league’s competitiveness, the overall situation of Italian football is in a stabilization phase. Italian teams performed well in European competitions, indicating progress.
Napoli emerged as surprise champions under their coach Spalletti and sporting director Giuntoli, who rejuvenated the squad with strategic signings. Napoli’s success in the league was highlighted by their dominant performance against Juventus, which they won 5–1. The title win had special significance as it came after the death of football legend Maradona, and the stadium in Napoli was named in his honour.
Another notable incident was the points deduction of Juventus due to financial irregularities, which ultimately affected their league position and relegated them to the Conference League instead of the Champions League. Lazio and Monza were pleasant surprises in the league, with Lazio finishing second and qualifying for the Champions League, while Monza, a newly promoted team, performed admirably. There were also some disappointments, including Sampdoria’s relegation, Verona’s struggle to avoid the relegation playoffs, and Fiorentina’s failure to qualify for the European Championships.
Bundesliga
The Bundesliga 2022-2023 season has come to an end, and Bayern Munich have emerged as champions for the eleventh time in a row. However, their victories were less convincing than in previous seasons. Tension and a negative atmosphere within the club affected their performances, resulting in dropped points and unconvincing victories. Borussia Dortmund challenged Bayern’s supremacy but were defeated in the end.
A total of 971 goals were scored in the season, the most in the last three years. Bayern Munich scored the most goals (92), while Schalke scored the fewest (35). Nkunku and Fullkrug were top goal scorers with 16 goals each, although their performances were not as notable as in previous seasons.
In terms of European qualification, seven teams will represent the Bundesliga in the following season. Bayern, Dortmund, Leipzig and Union Berlin made it to the Champions League. SC Freiburg, Bayer Leverkusen and Eintracht Frankfurt will participate in the Europa League and Conference League.
The Bundesliga 2022-2023 season will be remembered for its thrilling final matchday, where everything from the title race to relegation was at stake.
Premier League
The Premier League 2022-2023 season has been one of the most unpredictable seasons in its history. The leading teams faltered while others improved significantly, producing surprising results. As predicted by the odds, Manchester City managed to claim the title, but Arsenal provided a stiffer challenge. Arsenal’s strong start and impressive transfers put them at the top of the table beating top teams such as Chelsea, Manchester United, Liverpool and Tottenham. However, Manchester City, led by Pep Guardiola, picked up momentum in February and picked up important victories, eventually toppling Arsenal to win the title.
Erling Haaland emerged as the season’s top scorer, surpassing Harry Kane, with an impressive tally of 36 goals in 35 appearances. The top teams, Chelsea, Liverpool and Tottenham, all had disappointing campaigns, failing to make the top four. Chelsea, despite significant investment in transfers, finished 12th. Liverpool managed to salvage their season, but only finished fifth, while Tottenham were out of the title race and finished eighth.
The season saw pleasant surprises, with Newcastle finishing fourth and qualifying for the Champions League, and Brighton securing their first ever qualification for the Europa League. Aston Villa, Fulham, Nottingham Forest and Brentford also exceeded expectations. None of the promoted teams suffered relegation, but Leicester, Leeds and Southampton fell below, Leicester’s relegation being particularly shocking given their recent successes.
Last season will be remembered as one of unusual circumstances and unexpected results in the top five football leagues in Europe. This season serves as a reminder that soccer is a game of constant change, where anything can happen, making it a fascinating spectacle for fans around the world.