Tottenham manager Mauricio Pocchetino declared his team is among the very best in Europe after they beat Real Madrid 3-1 at Wembley this week. Spurs thoroughly outclassed the reigning European champions in a result and performance that will have made all of Europe sit up and take notice. At the same time, Man City were recording their second consecutive victory over Italian league leaders Napoli and their swashbuckling performance was equally impressive. Tottenham, Man City, Man Utd, and Liverpool all lead their Champions League groups and are odds-on to qualify for the last 16. The only English team not topping their group is Chelsea, who are also the only English team to lose in 20 Champions League fixtures this season. However, the abysmal form of Atletico Madrid means Chelsea too are highly to make the knockout stages of the tournament. If the Premiership has five of the teams in the last 16, could this finally be the year where an English team wins the Champions League once more?
The Premiership delivered eight Champions League finalists in eight years from 2005 to 2012, with Man Utd, Chelsea and Liverpool all winning the famous trophy. During that time English teams were the dominant force in European competition and it seemed nobody would ever break that stranglehold due to the vast riches generated for English clubs by Premiership TV deals. However, after an all-German final in 2013, La Liga rallied and it has been responsible for a remarkable six of the last eight Champions League finalists. The only team from outside Spain to reach the final in the last four years is Juventus, who were battered by Barcelona and then battered by Real Madrid. Zinedine Zidane’s men have won the Champions League for the last two years in a row and in three of the last four years. Twice they have beaten city rivals Atletico in the final as Diego Simeone has turned them into a force to be reckoned with in this competition.
However, all is not looking so rosy for Spanish clubs this season. Atletico look unlikely to qualify for the last 16 as they have taken just three points from four games, including back-to-back draws against Azerbaijani minnows Qarabag and a defeat at the hands of Chelsea. Real Madrid may be ruing a summer of inactivity in the transfer market – the old adage goes that if you stand still, you go backwards – as they were second best against Spurs, they are well off the pace in La Liga and Zidane’s job is teetering on a knife-edge. Barcelona looks the best equipped to challenge, with Leo Messi playing out of his skin at present, but the loss of Neymar to PSG (more on them soon) could hamper their chances.
Of all the countries that could capitalize on Spanish teams’ woes, the English are the best poised. In Pocchetino, Pep Guardiola, Jose Mourinho, Antonio Conte and Jurgen Klopp, they have the finest group of coaches around. Utd are excellent in knockout competitions as Mourinho is such an astute tactician, while Spurs are playing with confidence and increased consistency, and the best of the bunch is City, who are sensational in attack and improving at the back.
England is now the 7/4 favourite with the likes of Bet Victor and Betway to produce the winner of this year’s Champions League, with Spain 2/1. That is significant and symbolic of a changing of the guard. It should be noted that it is still mid-season and we should not get ahead of ourselves, but a 7/4 bet covering Man City, Spurs, Man Utd, Chelsea, and Liverpool looks a really intriguing option.
PSG could be the main threat after breaking the bank to sign Neymar and Kylian Mbappe in the summer. They have at times been sensational, especially when they blew away Bayern Munich at the Parc des Princes, but they are also inconsistent and Unai Emery is another coach fearing for his job. Bayern are resurgent under the
returning Jupp Heynckes and will also be a threat, but English clubs need fear no one now. City are now second favourites with most bookies, behind only PSG, although Sun Bets is still offering 6/1. Man Utd are sixth favourites, followed by a struggling Juve, and then you have Spurs (16/1 with many but 25/1 with Sun Bets), Chelsea (25/1 with Paddy Power, Betfred and many others) and Liverpool (30/1 with 888 Sport and Unibet) rounding out the top 10. England is back and the rest of Europe should be very afraid.
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