European dominance: Showdown of the elite

English Premier League

Standing at the top of the spending charts and holding a net negative balance of £267 million, the English clubs appear to have made Platini and his UEFA team look like a bunch of jokers. With an overhaul of managers in the top 3 teams from last season and a few changes elsewhere down the table, the clubs in England have spent a lot on some very good talent.

The EPL, being the most watched league on the planet, gets most of its income from TV deals across the globe. And the decision to split the money almost equally among the 20 teams has resulted in bottom half teams spending more money than usual, and making the league more competitive and interesting to watch.

Almost every team has had some activity in the market, Newcastle being the only exception. Manchester City has spent £98 million already on 4 new players, players who can possibly help them reach the UCL semis. Chelsea too have a few new personnel, but have been conservative till now, with an expenditure of £27 million.

Liverpool, Tottenham, Swansea, Southampton and Norwich have had a good time in the market. Coming to the practicality of EPL clubs in UCL, the transition is in the final phase and we can expect another Champions League trophy in England in the next 3 years.

While Chelsea and Manchester City are the front runners for the semifinal berth this time, Arsenal might be the bogey team, who are capable of pulling off miracles at times. But first, they need to tackle the qualifiers.

Ligue 1

Once, there was Lyon, and then there was Marseille, who would occasionally pop up in the quarters or in the semis of the Champions League. But then came PSG and oil money and hence started, an episode of monopoly in France.

Last season, PSG were impressive, and this time they have Cavani, Digne and Marquinhos. The youngest club in world football has paid no heed to the FFP regulations put out by the UEFA, and have gone out to acquire whomever they wanted in the market.

While this might hit back in their faces sooner rather than later, PSG don’t appear like a club with a long term plan of sustainability. One can only wait and see.

Observing the financials of the transfer market for the French league, new player AS Monaco has a major chunk of the expenditure on its head. The newly promoted club have spent £126 million and their aim is to dethrone PSG from the French throne.

Coming to the UCL, PSG will give good competition up to the quarter-finals, but they lack the depth and experience to go any further. But, a further cash splash can result in tables turning PSG’s way. With money, anything is possible.

From the above analysis, we see that there are about 7 teams which possess the calibre to reach the semifinals of the Champions League. But with only 4 spots up for grabs, there surely will be some high profile, scintillating match-ups in the quarter-final stage.

All this contribute to yet another memorable Champions League experience. The initial qualifying rounds have already started and September is not far away.