ALL EYES FIRMLY ON EUROPE’S TOP PRIZE
WITH THE Premier League title long-since wrapped up as the Manchester City juggernaut went into overdrive and embarked on a winning streak that Mexican boxing legend Julio Cesar Chavez would be proud of, we now have to turn our attentions to the Champions League to get our footballing kicks.
Pep Guardiola’s swashbuckling side are favourites to add European football’s greatest prize to their trophy haul, and the manner in which they dismantled Borussia Mönchengladbach with consummate ease in the first leg of their last 16 clash suggests they won’t be far away.
However, it’s not the first time that they’ve been expected to conquer Europe and, despite their domestic domination and at times mesmerising football, their failure to even reach the final during Pep’s tenure is of real concern for their fans.
With the amount of money that has been thrown at the project, the owners will be expecting to be on top of the European tree sooner rather than later.
Bayern Munich, on the other hand, know exactly what it takes to win the competition, although Pep also failed on that front when he was manager of the German giants.
The six-times winners will be difficult to stop and in their demolition of Lazio they illustrated yet again just what a formidable attacking unit they are.
It will take a very good side to beat them and they definitely won’t surrender their crown tamely.
Paris Saint-Germain, similar to Manchester City, are looking for a first Champions League crown after massive investment, and they seem to be edging closer to that ultimate goal with each passing season.
The ease in which they brushed aside an admittedly ailing Barcelona in their first leg clash would indicate that they will again be there or thereabouts at the business end of this campaign after going so close last season.
If the brilliant Kylian Mbappé continues to show the devastating form in front of goal that he did against the Catalans, he could well fire them to glory.
Ever-optimistic Liverpool fans are dreaming of salvaging what has been a nightmare season by regaining the European crown they won two years ago, but with injuries continually taking their toll it’s difficult to envisage them having what it takes to rise from the ashes.
In their 2-0 first leg victory over RB Leipzig they showed that they still have the know-how to be in the shake-up, but against the really big boys they may well be found wanting and it’s hard to imagine that they’ll finish the season on a high.
The more realistic and pragmatic Reds fans would probably settle for qualifying for next season’s Champions League at this juncture, allowing them to put this difficult campaign firmly behind them as they look forward to rediscovering their verve.
Chelsea are certainly a more solid outfit since the arrival of Thomas Tuchel, although they’re still lacking a bit of flair going forward and undoubtedly need somebody to stick the ball in the back of the net on a regular basis.
In a thoroughly professional 1-0 first leg win over La Liga leaders Atlético Madrid they showed they can put it up to any side in the competition, but a dearth of creativity in the final third may prove to be their downfall.
They won’t surrender meekly like they did when hammered by Bayern last season, but they’ll still fall short as the new boss needs time to restore them as a top European force.
Real Madrid always deserve a mention because of their rich pedigree in the competition, but the 13-times winners don’t look quite strong enough at present to add more silverware to their bulging trophy cabinet.
Borussia Dortmund and a Cristiano Ronaldo-inspired Juventus are always capable of ruffling a few feathers, but are also unlikely to be in the reckoning when the winning line is in sight.
So, who’ll lift the trophy in Istanbul at the end of May?
In all likelihood it will be Bayern Munich that will be celebrating again, with moneybags duo Manchester City and PSG pushing them hardest as they bid to make the filthy lucre count.