LONDON: For the first time since 1996, English clubs are in danger of missing the Champions League quarter-finals.
That is the prospect facing the English Premier League, often hailed as the best in the world.
Chelsea's 1-3 defeat by Napoli on Wednesday
represented the second time in a week that a London club returned from
Italy with their European title hopes in the balance.
With Arsenal falling 0-4 at AC
Milan last week, the Serie A are effectively holding a 7-1 advantage
over the Premier League, which has had a side in six of the last seven
Champions League finals.
Ironically, it was the Italian league that was said to be in decline amid its weakening financial clout.
Yet, all three of their teams - including Inter Milan - are still in Europe's premier competition.
And, given that only three teams have ever
come back from two goals down in a second leg, Napoli and Milan seem to
have all but sealed their berths in the last eight.
England has already seen its league
heavyweights Manchester United and Manchester City ousted before the
knockout stage, and fighting in the less glamorous Europa League.
Although this season could be dismissed as an
anomaly, the fact that the Premier League's traditional 'Big Four' -
United, Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool - is changing shows that the
level at the top has dropped.
Tottenham, the Premier League's third-best
team at present, have not been involved in the Champions League, while
Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool might not even feature in the next
edition.
The same cannot be said about Spanish giants Barcelona and Real Madrid, the favourites to earn European bragging rights.
Between them, they have successfully prised
away the likes of Ronaldo, Xabi Alonso, Cesc Fabregas, Javier Mascherano
and Ricardo Carvalho from the 'Big Four', in what is a sign of the
times.