After all four Spanish clubs won their opening Champions League matches this week I have to ask - who can stop them?
On Tuesday night we saw Real Madrid humiliate Roma on their own turf and Valencia outclass Liverpool in the Mestalla. On Wednesday Deportivo, or more specifically Roy Makaay, won in Munich against the mighty Bayern. Finally, and considerably less impressively, Barcelona won 3-2 against Club Brugge at the Nou Camp.
Valencia, the Spanish champions, were simply a better team than Liverpool, who lets not forget came second in the Premiership last season. While Roma, who were also runners-up last season, were beaten 3-0 at the Olimpico by undoubtedly the biggest team in the World, Real Madrid. Bayern Munich are currently top of the Bundesliga yet they saw their five year unbeaten home record in Europe ended by La Liga runners-up Deportivo. Barcelona's victory was frankly to be expected.
This impressive achievement doesn't come as a surprise though, as lets not forget Real Madrid have won three of the last five Champions Leagues, while Valencia have reached the final in two of the last three seasons.
So who is going to stop the Spanish domination?
Manchester United are a long way from their best, but that doesn't mean they should be written off by any means. The final in May is to take place at Old Trafford and who would bet against them being there? A more realistic candidate from the Premiership is Arsenal. The Gunners have not impressed in the Champions League in recent years and are yet to get past the quarter-finals, however Arsene Wenger's side are in outstanding form as they showed by easily beating German Champions Borussia Dortmund at Highbury on Tuesday.
So onto Germany. Last years runners-up Bayer Leverkusen were humbled 6-2 by Olympiakos and are unlikely to be a threat this year after losing the likes of Michael Ballack in the summer. Ballack, Ze Roberto and Diesler have made their way to Bayern and despite their defeat Ottmar Hitzfeld's team are certainly contenders.
Italian football is in need of a boost and quickly after the World Cup disappointment and the off field problems experienced by the majority of their clubs, not to mention their disappointing record in Europe over the past few years. Milan started with a victory at home to Lens, but are still going to be up against it in the Group of Death along with Deportivo and Bayern. Marcello Lippi's Juventus are certainly candidates this season and will only get better as their injured party make their way back into the team.
I firmly believe the Spanish league is by far the best league in Europe and this weeks performances goes to show exactly that and I will continue to believe this until results prove otherwise.
So Why has Spain become so powerful?
The organised English sides of the seventies and early eighties were almost untouchable in Europe. The hardworking, tough tackling and no thrills sides such as Bob Paisley's Liverpool and Brian Clough's Nottingham Forest made up the best part of a six-year winning streak for English clubs, but like most things in life their run came to an end.
Next up came Italy's time to dominate. From the late eighties to the late nineties Italy enjoyed a representative in the final of Europe's biggest club competition for nine out of ten years. Italian clubs mastered the art of defending, while introducing a technical side of their game which the English clubs couldn't compete with.
However Italian clubs have found their formula no longer works as they have failed to have semi-finalist in each of the last few competitions, while couldn't even manage a representative in the quarter-finals last year.
So Spain's care-free, attack minded brand of football now seems to do the trick. Spanish clubs have made up seven of the last 12 semi-finalist, which is a phenomenal feet and it they get the luck if the draw what is stopping them having all four semi-finalists this year?
Tactics are only part of what makes a great team. The players are far more important and currently Spanish clubs seem to be able to attract the best players from all over the World. Ronaldo is a prime example. They also seem to have been slightly less effected by the financial crisis which is gripping football.
Finally, Spain also arguably has the best flock of youngsters of any European country at the moment. Torres, Portillo, Raul Bravo, Vicente, Reyes, Luque...etc, etc.
The future is bright, the future is Spanish.
(Written By: Rob Hogley, soccerage.com )
On Tuesday night we saw Real Madrid humiliate Roma on their own turf and Valencia outclass Liverpool in the Mestalla. On Wednesday Deportivo, or more specifically Roy Makaay, won in Munich against the mighty Bayern. Finally, and considerably less impressively, Barcelona won 3-2 against Club Brugge at the Nou Camp.
Valencia, the Spanish champions, were simply a better team than Liverpool, who lets not forget came second in the Premiership last season. While Roma, who were also runners-up last season, were beaten 3-0 at the Olimpico by undoubtedly the biggest team in the World, Real Madrid. Bayern Munich are currently top of the Bundesliga yet they saw their five year unbeaten home record in Europe ended by La Liga runners-up Deportivo. Barcelona's victory was frankly to be expected.
This impressive achievement doesn't come as a surprise though, as lets not forget Real Madrid have won three of the last five Champions Leagues, while Valencia have reached the final in two of the last three seasons.
So who is going to stop the Spanish domination?
Manchester United are a long way from their best, but that doesn't mean they should be written off by any means. The final in May is to take place at Old Trafford and who would bet against them being there? A more realistic candidate from the Premiership is Arsenal. The Gunners have not impressed in the Champions League in recent years and are yet to get past the quarter-finals, however Arsene Wenger's side are in outstanding form as they showed by easily beating German Champions Borussia Dortmund at Highbury on Tuesday.
So onto Germany. Last years runners-up Bayer Leverkusen were humbled 6-2 by Olympiakos and are unlikely to be a threat this year after losing the likes of Michael Ballack in the summer. Ballack, Ze Roberto and Diesler have made their way to Bayern and despite their defeat Ottmar Hitzfeld's team are certainly contenders.
Italian football is in need of a boost and quickly after the World Cup disappointment and the off field problems experienced by the majority of their clubs, not to mention their disappointing record in Europe over the past few years. Milan started with a victory at home to Lens, but are still going to be up against it in the Group of Death along with Deportivo and Bayern. Marcello Lippi's Juventus are certainly candidates this season and will only get better as their injured party make their way back into the team.
I firmly believe the Spanish league is by far the best league in Europe and this weeks performances goes to show exactly that and I will continue to believe this until results prove otherwise.
So Why has Spain become so powerful?
The organised English sides of the seventies and early eighties were almost untouchable in Europe. The hardworking, tough tackling and no thrills sides such as Bob Paisley's Liverpool and Brian Clough's Nottingham Forest made up the best part of a six-year winning streak for English clubs, but like most things in life their run came to an end.
Next up came Italy's time to dominate. From the late eighties to the late nineties Italy enjoyed a representative in the final of Europe's biggest club competition for nine out of ten years. Italian clubs mastered the art of defending, while introducing a technical side of their game which the English clubs couldn't compete with.
However Italian clubs have found their formula no longer works as they have failed to have semi-finalist in each of the last few competitions, while couldn't even manage a representative in the quarter-finals last year.
So Spain's care-free, attack minded brand of football now seems to do the trick. Spanish clubs have made up seven of the last 12 semi-finalist, which is a phenomenal feet and it they get the luck if the draw what is stopping them having all four semi-finalists this year?
Tactics are only part of what makes a great team. The players are far more important and currently Spanish clubs seem to be able to attract the best players from all over the World. Ronaldo is a prime example. They also seem to have been slightly less effected by the financial crisis which is gripping football.
Finally, Spain also arguably has the best flock of youngsters of any European country at the moment. Torres, Portillo, Raul Bravo, Vicente, Reyes, Luque...etc, etc.
The future is bright, the future is Spanish.
(Written By: Rob Hogley, soccerage.com )
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