A few years ago at a news conference in Madrid I heard Alex Ferguson describe the Champions League as the world’s greatest football competition.
“If you look at the stats for the last World Cup it doesn’t come close to the Champions League in terms of entertainment, goals or excitement,” Ferguson said in comments that raised a few eyebrows at the time. ”I think the European Champions Cup is now bigger than the World Cup. All the best players are in Europe now.”
That was in April, 2003 and a couple of weeks later at Old Trafford, United and Real did their best to prove him right in a match that saw Ronaldo given a standing ovation as he walked from the pitch after scoring a hat-trick and sealing the Spanish club’s place in the semi-finals.
There have been plenty of magical moments since, as rivalries like Barcelona v Chelsea and Liverpool v AC Milan have grown and grown.
But is it now time for a change? Do you find it getting a little predictable seeing so many teams from the most powerful nations, England, Spain and Italy dominate the final stages so regularly?
Michel Platini certainly thinks so, and despite opposition to his Cup idea from the G-14 it seems inevitable that there will be more champions from what you might call middle-ranking nations from Scandinavia and eastern Europe getting involved at the latest from the 2009-10 season.
For those of you eager for something new, the first round of matches this week will see Sevilla, UEFA Cup winners for the last two years, take on Arsenal in a meeting of two of the most attractive sides in Europe. We can also look forward to ties like Porto v Liverpool, Barcelona v Olympique Lyon and Milan against Benfica, while an expensively assembled Shakhtar Donetsk take on Celtic.*
Does all that whet your appetite? Or are you struggling to get excited by a competition that has been one by a team form outside the top four nations just once in the last 12 editions?
Give us your thoughts in our comments section, and don’t forget to add a tip for this year’s winner. My heart says an outsider with a rich history like Steaua Bucharest or Benfica, but my head says a team from Spain, and probably Real Madrid. What do you reckon?
Kevin Fylan, Gelsenkirchen
* As always, Reuters will be providing full coverage of the Champions League throughout the long season, with reporters at all the big games. Check out our dedicated football site here.
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15 comments so far
If it ain’t broke, why try and fix it? And I expect there will be a few more surprise results this year, with clubs like Shakhtar involved.
- Posted by RafaAnd Liverpool to celebrate the joy of six.
- Posted by RafaIt’s always edge of the seat stuff when you’re watching your own side but other than that I can’t get excited about it.
The league title is the big one and it was really disappointing to see Liverpool rest a number of key players at the weekend so they could be fresh for the Porto game. Rafa’s got his priorities wrong, but I guess that’s what you get when you employ a foreign manager and the club goes into foreign ownership.
The champions league is deisigned to maximise revenue streams and protect the larger clubs finiancial domination. Simple as that.
Incidently, I’ve just finished reading Gary Imlach’s excellent book called ‘My Father and Other Working Class Football Heroes’. It’s an absolutley fascinating study of post war football and is a stark reminder of how money and super stardom has changed the game. Brings a tear to the eye.
- Posted by JimWell I hope mr. Fylan’s head is right this time ’cause it’s about time “the crown returns to the king”.
- Posted by MoodiLike many people, I only get properly interested in the Champs League after the group stage which seems to be a money-spinning ritual for the biggest clubs.
- Posted by William SchombergI think the winner will be either Liverpool or Real Madrid. Real are looking good with Sneijder being a major buy and Liverpool now have the squad for domestic and european supremacy.
- Posted by MichaelI think Michael’s right about Sneijder. He could really make the difference for Real this year. I saw them lose to Bayern last season and, with Beckham absence, they just seemed to lack a bit of presence. I wouldn’t write off Barcelona either, though. They haven’t started too well but it’s a mighty squad they’ve got.
- Posted by KevinIt may not be the biggest, but yes a big show, with not many other events who can match this level of excitement, enthusiasm, and global talent.
One reason Champions league is big is the fact that we have the top players from around the world, fighting on one stage.
And talking about talent, I feel, Liverpool surely seem to have got their equations right this time.
With the additions of the likes of Fernando Torres to a team that reached the final twice, winning once, I guess Liverpool have a great chance another shot at the coveted trophy this time.
The rivalry between Chelsea and Barcelona may have been a talk of the town, wonder whether the Londoners would be able to spring a surprise this time around and stamp their authority in Europe, like their bitter rivals from Spain.
Surely would like to see teams like Lyon, Benefica and the Arsenal boys going the distance and stamping out the authority of the usual suspects.
- Posted by NachiketI don’t see anything wrong even if the top 4 nations keep on winning it, I mean if you’re good, you’re good, simple as that.
It’s great watching porto vs liverpool, Valencia vs Inter etc. different styles of football and footballing philosophy coming to battle on the pitch. I can’t wait for the knock-out stages.
Regarding Liverpool, I’m a tad bearish about Liverpool’s chances, simply because so many people, even the critics are tipping them to go far. When you least expect it, Liverpool will win, when you expect it, they won’t win. So critics please polish your swords and slice and dice Liverpool’s chances
- Posted by Five TimesMy red heart says Manchester United and when you’re a fan you’ve got to listen to your heart and not your head. Having more champions and less third and fourth-placed teams would make Europe’s premier club competition live up to its name more than it’s doing at the moment.
- Posted by Red DevilAll I know is you shouldn’t read too much into how teams start the competition. Real Madrid were utterly appalling in the early stages in 1999-2000, I mean really, really bad, yet somehow went on to win it. Liverpool only found their feet in 2004-05 in the knock-out rounds as well.
- Posted by Kevin FylanFrankly, no. Wake me up when we’re into the knockout phase.
- Posted by LondonIt would be nice to see a few things mixed up this year, maybe crown a new champ. However, i am tending to agree that Madrid are looking to win. As always, they get my vote.
- Posted by NicI’m going for the mighty shakhtar donetsk, mainly because I’m looking forward to all the “Shak attack” headlines. Oh well, maybe not.
- Posted by ElenaScrap all these meaningless matches which bore even fans of the clubs and get back to a European Cup format. No leagues, no second chances just a fantastic knockout competition. Oh, and a competition between all the champions too would be nice — didn’t we have that at one stage?
While we’re at it, lets reinstate the Cup Winners’ Cup which was also a fantastic format. The Uefa Cup, like the Champions League, benefits “top third mediocrity” and officials’ pockets…
- Posted by James Shine