Eagles no longer top? The Icon League pyramid check | OneFootball

The Icon League regular season is over, and now the hottest phase begins. The Play-Ins will decide which six teams get to travel to Zurich for the big final tournament. Everything is on the line for these sides: two teams will be eliminated, while two others can already book their semifinal spot early.

With the season reaching its climax, we’ve placed the teams into a pyramid — and not just based on their place in the standings, but above all on how strong they currently look and how big their status as favorites really is.

Top of the pyramid: Plyrs United

At the very top for us right now is Plyrs United. The team has won each of its last three matches and looks extremely solid at exactly the right time. The squad knows each other from futsal, is brilliantly in sync, and at the same time boasts exceptional individual talent.

Players like Muhammet Sözer, Josip Sesar, and Davud Vehab can decide games on their own and make Plyrs a very strong side. A lot is clicking for them right now — and that’s why, for us, they head into the decisive phase in the strongest form.

First surprise: Fokus Eagles not quite at the top

Right below them comes the first surprise: regular-season champions Fokus Eagles are not at the top of the pyramid.

Why? Because after clinching first place early, they have clearly lost some edge. The Eagles have lost their last two matches and no longer looked quite as dominant as before. If they can get back to their best form and raise the intensity again, they are still clearly the league’s biggest title favorite.

But that switch still has to happen first. Recently, there have been some minor frictions within the team — for example, discussions over who should take free kicks. Nothing dramatic, but enough to keep a close eye on whether the intensity returns in time.

On the same level for us is FC Berlin City.

The Berlin side has shown several times over the course of the season what it is capable of. Above all, experience could now become the decisive factor. With players like Aytürk Gecim, Suad Ak, Noah Jones, and Maximilian Grünberg, Berlin City has several players who already know how to win the title. 

When things get serious, Berlin City is definitely a team to watch.

Chasing pack: Two Stripes, Bürgeramt, and the Wontorriors

One level below comes a broad group of teams that can spring a surprise at any time.

Two Stripes United did suffer heavy defeats to Plyrs United and Berlin City during the season, but they remain dangerous. The team is one of the most well-drilled in the league and has barely changed compared to last season. That is exactly why Two Stripes could take on the perfect underdog role: always a little under the radar, but with enough quality to beat any opponent.

On the same level is also the team of the moment: SC Bürgeramt.

Bürgeramt has impressively climbed up to fifth place and currently even tops the form table. The mix featuring experienced former pros in particular seems to work perfectly for Bürgeramt. Based on their recent performances alone, Bürgeramt is definitely a team that has to be on your radar.

Also on this level: the Wontorriors.

The Wontorriors have shown this season what they are capable of, but they have not been able to produce those performances consistently. On good days, the Wontorriors are among the strongest teams in the league; on bad days, they suffer heavy defeats like the 7:14 against Plyrs United or the 9:13 against the Eagles. If they find their top form in time, though, they can be dangerous for any opponent.

Bottom tier: Big names, big question marks

At the very bottom of the pyramid are two teams for whom a lot is currently going against them, even though the potential is actually huge.

One of them is the Berlin Underdogs.

Before the season, many saw them as the number one title contender. The star-studded squad promised spectacle, but so far its full potential has only flashed up rarely. Up to now, the Underdogs have had a disappointing season, but if they deliver now, past performances will quickly be forgotten. 

The second team is The Pack.

After a strong start to the season, the team faded badly down the stretch. In the form table, The Pack sits second from bottom — only Eintracht Spandau, who failed to win a single match, picked up fewer points in the last five games.

Part of that can certainly be explained by bad luck with injuries. Still, their current form is unlikely to be enough in the Play-Ins. That said, you should never write off The Pack: Simon Terodde and the returning Daniel Caligiuri will know how to fire up their team. 

The situation is clear: the regular season does not count for much now. It’s all about six places in Zurich. 

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇩🇪 here.

📸 Pau Barrena - 2024 Getty Images