Camilo José Cela said that there are two types of men, those who make history and those who suffer from it. Extrapolating the phrase to football clubs, it could be said that there is a third type that unites the previous two: those that made their history great and now suffer from it. This is the case of some emblematic teams in the major European leagues such as Everton, Stuttgart or Girondins, among others, which, far from their golden years, are experiencing one of the worst episodes since their foundation. The descent looms. Glory is just a memory.
Everton
There are six days left to finish the Premier and the toffees are in relegation places. An almost unusual fact for the English club that has been in the First Division the most seasons (118). Everton, champions of nine English leagues, are eighteenth in the standings, two points behind Burnley, who have one more game to play. Too much flirting with relegation for one of England’s greats, who have international players such as Van de Beek, Richarlison, Pickford and Delle Ali, among others. He hasn’t been downgraded since 1951. Luckily, he has time and room to avoid catastrophe.
Saint Etienne
France’s most capped club until PSG’s recent Qatari era (both have 10 titles) are in relegation playoff spots for relegation to Ligue 2. If the season ends in that position, the club in which a legend like Platini became known would play his stay in Ligue 1 with the third-placed team in the French Second Division, a category in which he has only played nine seasons since. its foundation in 1933. Clermont, which marks the permanence, is two points away with six games to go.
Girondins
In a worse situation is Girondins, a club that won its last Ligue 1 in 2009 and the Coupe in 2013 and is penultimate, four points behind Saint-Étienne and six behind Clermon.t. The Bordeaux team suffered an administrative relegation in 1991, but since regaining the category the following year, it has never been relegated again. Falling to Ligue 2 would be a great setback for a history in which Zidane, nothing more and nothing less, began to make a name for himself.
Genoa
Fifteen seasons after their last promotion, the Genoese team is penultimate in Serie A, three points from salvation, which is scored by Cagliari. This weekend Genoa, which has been in the First Division for 78 seasons and has the honor of having been the first champion of Italian football, will experience a final against its great rival, Sampdoria, in the derby della Lanterna. A victory would imply, in addition to bringing the permanence closer, putting their great historical enemy, who is only five points away from relegation, in trouble.
Sttugart
Champion of five Bundesliga titles (the last in 2006/07) and three German Cups, the die roten are third from last in the German league with three games to go. As in Ligue 1, that qualifier is obliged to play the remaining against the third in Bundesliga 2. Hertha, the rival that marks salvation, is four points away. Players like Klinsmann, Mario Gómes and Khedira, among others, have passed through the ranks of this historic German.