The Unpredictability Of The UEFA Champions League
March 24th, 2009 by Joe Jordan, under Travel and Leisure. No Comments
The quarterfinal stage is soon to be upon us in the UEFA Champions League. The tournament of European football champions continues to surprise in its composition. However, the 2009 edition might have more than a few familiar faces in the lineup.
However, this is unlikely to prevent the competition from being less unpredictable by any means. With a host of respected clubs soon to take their place in the next round, it could make picking the final two or eventual winner even more difficult. Simply because every team is likely to be just as good as the other one.
This might be disputed by any of the four English clubs who might all make their way to the next round. Liverpool, Manchester United, Chelsea and Arsenal are all strong contenders to reach the finals yet again if they safely negotiate their last sixteen ties. The other European clubs might hate it, but there is nothing to stop the stronger English teams from dominating once more.
Spanish football clubs have yet to reassert their authority from many years ago. While clubs like Real Madrid and Barcelona continue to be respected, they are no longer feared. This does not take away from the fact that one of the two could yet make their way to this season’s final showpiece.
Can the remaining Italian football clubs finally make a breakthrough after years of drought? Their champions Inter Milan have little chance of making it through. The heavy burden of reviving Italian football thus rests on the broad shoulders of Juventus and AS Roma, who might both not advance afterall after playing the English clubs.
A mixture of German, French and Portuguese football clubs make up the rest of the contestants still in the competition before the draw for the quarterfinals. Many of them might wave goodbye to their European football hopes once again after March. However, a couple might still remain on the strength of their recent performances.
For example, the German champions Bayern Munich have already booked their place in the last eight by virtue of a stunning display in the first leg of the current round. They demolished their opponents from Portugal and left no one doubting their abilities. If Bayern Munich can maintain their high tempo play throughout the rest of the competition, they might be a surprise participant in the May final.
The standard of football in the UEFA Champions League has never been higher. With better teams comes a more level playing field. This in turn increases the chances of every team vying for a place in the latter rounds of the competition. Any one of them can make it and makes it so much harder to know who will finally end as champions.
