L2 | S3 | W23: Bongonda’s hat-trick sinks Dortmund as Forest stun Barcelona in the Cup

📰 Week 23 in Review – Season 3

The Supremos Cup quarter-finals finally arrived in Week 23, and they did not disappoint – three of the four ties produced single-goal margins, and Nottingham Forest pulled off the shock of the round, beating a Barcelona side that had looked increasingly dangerous. On league business, the title race in Division 1 tightened rather than resolved, the Division 4 scramble at the top produced a stunning four-goal swing, and Athletic Bilbao’s remarkable form run shows no signs of stopping. Eight games left across all divisions. Things are getting serious.

🏆 Division 1 – Five Still Alive

Paul Lamming’s Rapid Vienna are still in front – but only just. The lead remains two points after Southend United took a 1-0 win over them this week, Andrade’s 59th-minute goal ending what had been a tight and scrappy affair. It is the first stumble at the wrong moment for Rapid, and the chasing pack made them pay.

Atletico Madrid dropped points of their own, falling 1-2 at home to Huddersfield Town. Franquelo and Sheringham got the goals for BigAnge’s side, and Madueke’s consolation made it a nervous finish – but Huddersfield held on. Peter Shuttleworth’s Atletico slip to 38, two behind Rapid with eight games left.

💡 Sporting Lisbon are only three points off the top and still very much in it. Alan Downie’s side drew 2-2 with Bayer Leverkusen – Ronaldo scoring twice, including an 89th-minute equaliser. That point might matter more than it looks right now. Five clubs covered by just five points with eight to play.

Athletic Bilbao made it six wins in a row with a 2-1 home win over Norwich City, both goals from Carbone (19 and 61). Bellamy pulled one back for Norwich late on but there was no dramatic turnaround this time. Loz Newbold’s side sit 10th on 31 points – a position that flatters nobody, but the form table tells a completely different story. They are the best side in Division 1 over the last five games by a distance. Three points per game. It remains one of the more remarkable reversals of fortune in the league this season.

⚠️ Real Madrid are now winless in five and rooted in 16th on 18 points – level with Bayer Leverkusen. James Harman’s side drew 0-0 at home to West Ham and their goal difference stands at -16. With Leverkusen also struggling, the pair are inseparable at the bottom. Both face nervous finishes to the season.

💙 Division 2 – Title Done, War Below

Birmingham City’s Division 2 title looks as good as done. Leigh Bailey’s side drew 1-1 away at Millwall – D’Urso’s equaliser cancelling out Kelly’s opener – but with a seven-point gap over second-placed Middlesbrough and only eight games remaining, it would take a dramatic collapse. The title race is effectively over.

Below it, the picture is considerably messier. Middlesbrough beat Portsmouth 2-1 to stay second on 41 and hold their grip on automatic promotion. Paris Saint-Germain also sit on 41 after a 1-0 win at Brighton – Ronaldo’s 48th-minute goal the difference. Those two are separated on goal difference and both in very strong form.

🔍 Middlesbrough’s attackers are in explosive form. Hervías scored twice in the first twelve minutes of the 3-0 win at Manchester United, and Ansó added a 60th-minute third. P. Warhurst is top of the Division 2 attackers form table at 99.51% Momentum Form. That is a frightening combination of firepower heading into the run-in.

At the bottom, Manchester United’s David Hopkins is running out of road. A 0-3 home thrashing by Middlesbrough – 9,278 inside Old Trafford – leaves them on 14 points in 16th. Liverpool are a point ahead on 17 after drawing 1-1 with Bayern Munich. Neither side looks capable of turning it around, and with eight games left the gap to safety is considerable.

❤️ Division 3 – Bristol Rovers Pull Clear

Bristol Rovers moved five points clear at the top after a 1-0 win over Everton – Zekhnini’s 49th-minute goal extending a run that is now eleven home wins for the season. David Griffiths’ side sit on 50 points, six ahead of Aberdeen and Charlton Athletic, both on 44. The title is far from decided but the gap is beginning to feel meaningful.

Charlton Athletic kept pace with a 1-0 win at Barcelona – Bowyer’s 58th-minute goal the only moment of quality in a tense match. Wayne McCauley’s side are the form team in Division 3 at home over the last five games, conceding zero goals. Aberdeen won 2-0 against Napoli – Suárez and Sammer both on the scoresheet – and remain level on points with Charlton but fractionally ahead on goal difference.

💡 Arsenal have quietly put together a four-win run from five games – the best recent form record in Division 3. Gyökeres got the only goal at home to Sevilla FC (53′). Calum Downie’s side now sit fifth on 36 and are climbing. Three weeks ago they were not in this conversation.

At the foot of the table, Crystal Palace remain on 13 points after a 0-1 home loss to Wolves. Kidrock only took the reins last week, and the squad rating of 560 is the lowest in the division – but at least the seat is no longer empty. Chelsea are 15th on 17 points after a 0-2 home defeat to a Miglierina brace from a Chelsea side trailing 0-1 at half time. The rot has not stopped.

💛 Division 4 – Bongonda Steals the Show

The result of the week might well have been in Division 4, where Théo Bongonda wrote himself into Cardiff City folklore with a hat-trick in a 4-2 win at Borussia Dortmund – goals at 48, 74, and 75 minutes after Plano had put Cardiff ahead in the fourth. It was a ruthless performance that moved Nonno Coia’s side three points clear of Leeds United at the top.

The damage to Borussia Dortmund was real – Jody Downey’s side drop to third on 40, now four behind Cardiff and one behind Leeds United after Ryan Lee’s side beat AC Milan 1-0. Morata’s seventh-minute goal was the difference. Dortmund had been top not long ago; they now need results to go their way. The race for Division 1 spots next season involves at least five clubs.

⚠️ Manchester City sit 15th on 18 points. Ajax are 16th on 14. Both are running out of games to dig themselves out. Austria Vienna – still unmanaged – remain 10th but a vacancy in a club currently at 29 points is an opportunity someone should be taking.

🏆 Supremos Cup – Semi-Final Spots Decided

The quarter-finals landed in Week 23 and two unexpected semi-finalists emerged. Nottingham Forest beat Barcelona 2-0 – the scoreline flattering Forest slightly but the result entirely deserved on the day. Celtic beat Cambridge United 1-0 to book their place. Charlton Athletic edged Bristol Rovers 1-0. And Norwich City beat Newcastle United 2-0 to complete the last four.

The semi-final draw has paired Celtic against Charlton Athletic, and Nottingham Forest against Norwich City. Both ties are scheduled for Week 27. Semi-final exit prize money rises to £440,000; the runner-up receives £660,000; the winner takes £1,100,000.

💡 Nottingham Forest are a Division 4 side in the last four of the Supremos Cup. They are also 14th in their division on 22 points. Chris Houldey’s side is living two completely different existences in the same season.

🗞️ Around the League

Four managers correctly guessed this week’s six score draws, taking home £200,000 each. Congratulations to Luke Finnegan of Bayern Munich, Ryan Lee of Leeds United, Neil Moxey of Sevilla FC, and Kidrock of Crystal Palace.

There was a new arrival in the league this week: welcome to Luke Finnegan, who has taken the reins at Bayern Munich. The Allianz Stadion faithful have been waiting a while for some new direction – he inherits a squad in 14th and some work to do.

On transfers, the busiest week in some time produced 28 completed deals. Middlesbrough paid £3,741,111 to land Milos Bocic from the Circuit – a significant investment for a side already in the promotion picture. Arsenal brought in Oliver Kragl for £1,406,678. Charlton Athletic spent £3,250,099 on Caiuby Silva. And in a notable swap, Celtic shipped Dennis Bergkamp to Sporting Lisbon for £2,000,000 while picking up John Collins heading in the other direction – a deal that will intrigue both sets of managers.

The Police Report was an uncomfortable read this week. Fighting broke out at Atletico Madrid vs Huddersfield Town (66 arrests, 8 officers injured, £83,970 of stadium damage), at Brighton vs Paris Saint-Germain (47 arrests, 3 injured, £61,789 damage), and at Ajax vs Accrington Stanley (44 arrests, 4 injured, £62,911 damage). Costly weeks for those clubs beyond the ninety minutes.

Two clubs have now reached the Rival Awareness milestone this week: Accrington Stanley and Sporting Lisbon. Once rival scores reach 200, official rivalry status can be confirmed.

On the attendances front, Real Madrid continue to pull the biggest home crowds despite their struggles – 58,747 average. At the other end, Manchester United are drawing fewer than 11,000 inside Old Trafford. The contrast between their league position and their historic stadium is stark.

🔍 The best-disciplined side in Division 2 this season is Bayern Munich – zero disciplinary points. They are bottom-half, newly managed, and struggling for results. But at least they are keeping it clean.