Winning Europa League is an even bigger joke and far less of an achievement. Especially when you get to play Malmo-Prague-Dynamo-Frankfurt-Arsenal in the knockouts and final.
Also, Sarri Napoli got knocked out of European competition by Villarreal, Shaktar, and RB Leipzig. And knocked out of Coppa Italia by Inter and Atalanta.
So... Villareal, Shakhtar, RB Leipzig, Inter, Atalanta were all better than Sarri's Napoli I guess.
I don't know about a good margin. Consider the two CL finalists. Just barely got through the group stage over Inter and Napoli. The strength of their league is definitely being more than a bit over inflated based on this.
I don't know about a good margin. Consider the two CL finalists. Just barely got through the group stage over Inter and Napoli. The strength of their league is definitely being more than a bit over inflated based on this.
The English clubs are good. Several of them. Not surprising giving they've had the billions to pick and choose players / dump their native coaches for much better foreign ones. It was inevitable it would pay off eventually.
Still, the main reason they have CL finalists this year is not their billions. Real Madrid, Barcelona, Bayern and Juve. These four sides all had a weak year. When these sides are having a good year they are still better than anything England produces.
Liverpool overall team is better than most of those "bad year" teams. 2 CL finals is not a fluke. Key players still mid 20s (Salah, Van Dyke, Allison).
Most of those teams need rebuild and there are questions over managers but not good replacements.
Take Bayern. Next season no Robben/Ribery. Hummels and Boateng are aging, dont look good. Guys like Coman are not same level as Robben. Lewandowski stopped scoring in CL and still big question marks over Kovac. Even Neuer looks past his prime. Ok they are signing Pavard and some Atletico defender but is Kovac the man to lead this team to CL glory?
Liverpool are in a much better state than Bayern.
Barca rely so much on Messi now. Youth team isnt developing quality anymore so they go and panic buy old farts like Prince Boateng and Vidal. Ok Ajax kids will improve them but Valverde is a serious questionmark. Blowing 3:0 leads in CL. And Messi even cant save them alone anymore. Need a big rebuild. Which takes time. And who is the manager if Valverde gets sacked?
Real has massive issues. Hazard wont save this team. Hazard will be 29 next season. Bale is 29. Ronaldo was 24 when he joined Real. Hazard is a good player but he has never really produced it in CL. Think about it. He hasnt. Everyone agrees his not same class with Ronaldo but age wise time is running out for him. Then the overall squad. Modric is like 34. Kroos has been s..t since World cup. Ramos isnt getting younger. Same about Marcelo. Goalkeeping position is a question mark and there are rumors even Real cant spend as much as in the past cause stadium reconstruction. Hazard might be financed by selling Bale back to England. Zidane doesnt want him. Rebuilds take time.
And then there is us. I dont think anyone thinks we going to win CL with Sarri.
Traveling there, spending so much money, getting their panties in a bunch and get heartbroken by an artificial result that changes nothing in their lives. Getting attached and supporting a group of professionals who take part in a business and have salaries that they themselves won't collect in a lifetime. And for what?
Sports fans have to be some of the biggest suckers out there.
Traveling there, spending so much money, getting their panties in a bunch and get heartbroken by an artificial result that changes nothing in their lives. Getting attached and supporting a group of professionals who take part in a business and have salaries that they themselves won't collect in a lifetime. And for what?
Sports fans have to be some of the biggest suckers out there.
The English clubs are good. Several of them. Not surprising giving they've had the billions to pick and choose players / dump their native coaches for much better foreign ones. It was inevitable it would pay off eventually.
Still, the main reason they have CL finalists this year is not their billions. Real Madrid, Barcelona, Bayern and Juve. These four sides all had a weak year. When these sides are having a good year they are still better than anything England produces.
Oh they're definitely good. City, Tottenham, and Liverpool are strong sides for sure, but what I'm saying is we probably wouldn't even be having this conversation if they came third in the group on goal difference. It was by the smallest of margins that they slipped through and managed to get to the final, but of course the marketing machine that is the Premier League will understandably run with it.