The conclusion to the quintet of weekly soccer action on Joy Sports and Adom-TV on Multi-TV for the 2009/2010 season was good, but not nearly as good as Multi-TV’s LIVE action bouquet procured for the fast approaching 2010/2011 season! In Italy’s Serie A, the look of satisfied smugness etched on the tear-strewn, confetti littered face of Jose Mario dos Santos Felix Mourinho-the self proclaimed special one- as he brandished the 2009/2010 Scudetto in one arm, and his winner’s medal in the other, was good. Append to that the sight of 23 fully and partially clothed grown men of Inter-Milan scampering at break-neck speed in any and all directions screaming at the top of their lungs, ably supported by their adoring and comparatively quieter fans, who after 5 successive league triumphs were accustomed to celebrations of this manner, and good became even better; a fitting end to Multi-TV’s coverage of one of Europe’s biggest leagues. Season ending celebrations extended to Rome, where Totti and his band of ‘nearly’ men were the toast of the town. Apparently, finishing a close second to the greedy Nerazzurri in both league and cup, warrants celebrations reserved for victors these days. Sampadoria’s celebrations were however justified. Snagging 4th place and Champions league qualification at the death, for the first time is no mean feat. The under-achieving, battered and bruised AC Milan clung on to third place, tiny respite for a horrible season that swung alarmingly from bad to worse and back to bad again. Indeed, fans of the troubled Rossoneri must have cringed at the sight of Italian PM and AC Milan owner, Silvio Berlusconi answering all questions -including those on team tactics- at a 20th July, 2010, press conference originally organized to show case Milan’s latest ‘boss’, Massimiliano Allegri. No prizes for guessing the one calling the shots for the Red and Blacks next season! Europa League slots were occupied by Palermo and Napoli. Juventus, Italy’s most successful club finished outside European league qualification spots, the highlight of their season being a torrid 4-1 drubbing at Craven cottage in the Europa League quarter-finals. Their failure to qualify for the Europa League by default and not design must feel like a blessing in disguise as a return to Michel Platini’s new league would have revived horrible memories! The league’s new entrants will be Lecca, Cesena and Brescia. Dropping down into Serie B are Atalanta, Siena and Livorno. The scenes at the Gussiepe Meazza in Italy were mirrored, bettered even 24 hours earlier in Berlin, Germany. There, at the Olympiastadion, home of Hertha Berlin, the Bavarians secured a record 22nd Bundesliga title, ending a one year league title drought in the process. Scenes of Coach Louis Van Gaal sprinting as fast as he could (which is not very fast) across the pitch, partly out of sheer unbridled joy, but largely attempting to evade a bunch of his victorious charges chasing him with a bucket of Germanys finest brewed beer, will forever live in the memories of Multi-TV viewers. Manager Felix Magath fell five points short of leading Schalke 04 to ultimate glory. Had he succeeded he would have become the first man to lead three different teams to the league title. The other teams for which he has tasted league success are Bayern Munich and Wolfsburg. Joining Bayern and Schalke 04 in the Champions league is Werder Bremen. The highlight of the season was the top flight survival of Hannover ’96 despite their goalkeeper, Robert Encke committing suicide on 25th March, 2010. Nurnberg, Vfl Bochum and Hertha Berlin gained entry into the 2nd Bundesliga in that order. Berlin’s demise, which came at the hands of Bayern Munich was the most painful of the demoted trio. Players and fans of the club alike stared and gazed and gawked and gaped at Ribery and company celebrating before them on the last day of the season. Lofty visualisations of ‘wishes appearing as horses with Hertha Berlin riding’ must surely have coursed through each mind. Life in Bundesliga two will appropriately serve as a reality check for the capital city’s disgraced club. Bayer Leverkusen and Borussia Dortmund will play in the Europa League. The 16 teams remaining in Germany’s Premier league will be joined by old-boys FC Kaiserslautern, winners of 4 German titles and Hamburg based FC St. Pauli, a club described as the most radical-left wing football club on the planet! Both leagues return to Multi-TV next season as part of a new historic quintet of matches including ALL, yes ALL of Europe’s big Leagues and then some. Multi-TV’s review of the just-ended season continues... Joseph K.b. Hanson Multi-TV Sports Desk