(foto: Getty Images)
Despite financial power and hype, Premier League clubs struggled in the Champions League, exposing gaps in management, expectations, and the true balance of power in European football.
Is the Premier League really the strongest league in the world? Probably it is! Why then are its clubs not dominant in the Champions League?
In January, when it became clear that all six English representatives had reached the round of 16, British media were full of exaggeration about “English dominance” and the quality of the Premier League compared to the rest of Europe. More objective observers of European football were more cautious about that so-called dominance.
And very soon, that skepticism proved justified. As many as four of the six English clubs were eliminated immediately. PSG comfortably eliminated Chelsea (2:5, 0:3), Barcelona humiliated Newcastle United (1:1, 2:7), Manchester City looked powerless against Real Madrid (0:3, 1:2), while Tottenham Hotspur had little chance against Atletico Madrid (2:5, 3:2). Only two clubs progressed, and both had by far the easiest opponents. Liverpool eliminated Galatasaray (0:1, 4:0), while Arsenal got past Bayer Leverkusen (1:1, 2:0).
In the quarterfinals, Liverpool were also eliminated without any real chance. They lost to PSG (0:2, 0:2). The French side were especially dominant in the first match at the Parc des Princes, where the result was actually flattering for Liverpool considering how poor they were.
Only Arsenal reached the semifinals, and even they got the easiest possible opponent again, Sporting Lisbon. Despite a huge difference in budget, the London side struggled. In Lisbon, Sporting were the better team, but Arsenal won with a somewhat fortunate late goal. In the return match, Arsenal again failed to impress but held a 0:0 draw to progress.
From the famous January “dominance”, very little remained. If they want to reach the final, Arsenal must now eliminate Atletico Madrid, which will be a major challenge for a team that often looks mentally unstable. The first match in Madrid already confirmed that.
English media are now asking why this is happening. Their answers are predictable. They claim the league is too demanding, that clubs play intense matches every week in the Premier League, and therefore cannot be competitive in Europe.
The Premier League is without doubt the richest and highest-quality league in Europe, largely due to massive television revenue. In the Deloitte Money League, 15 of the top 30 clubs are English, including smaller clubs like Brighton, Crystal Palace, Bournemouth, and Wolves.
There is no shortage of money in English football. There is, however, a shortage of rational decision-making. Manchester United and Chelsea are the clearest examples of poor management, although there are many others.
Money is important in football, but it is not everything. The Premier League is very strong, but not as dominant as many believe. Other top European leagues are also demanding, and big clubs rarely play matches where victory is guaranteed.
The relative failure of English clubs in the Champions League is not because their league is too strong. The reason is simple. European football at the highest level is extremely competitive. Poorly run clubs like Newcastle, Tottenham, and Chelsea face better-organized teams and get eliminated.
Football is simple. Matches are not played by bank accounts. They are played by players. Eleven against eleven.