European football Power shift? Not just yet.
Following Arsenal’s valiant 2-0 effort against Bayern Munich that saw them eliminated on away goals, Arsene Wenger lamented that with no English teams in the quarter-finals of the Champions League this season for the first time since 1996 the Premier League is no longer the force it once was.
Wenger may have a point but he is simply stating what many of us have known for a while now; that the rest of Europe is catching up with the Premier League very quickly.
It hasn’t quite happened, though, as through and through the Premier League still has the most quality top to bottom of any of the European leagues. The top teams from Germany, Spain and Italy, however, have proven that they have eclipsed their English counterparts and the proof is shown with who remains in this season’s Champions League.
Wenger’s statement may be a little dramatic, though, because the fact that this is the first season since 1996 that an English team hasn’t advanced to the quarter-finals is highly impressive. Furthermore, since 2005, three different English teams have won the Champions League so talk of a power shift in Europe may be a little premature.
If at this point next season we are once again talking about the English teams shortcomings in this competition than talk of power shift will be valid but look for the Premier League teams (whomever they may be) to bounce back in next season’s competition and prove to be Europe’s best.
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