sport news JACK GAUGHAN: Arsenal and Man City are counting the cost of tired legs and ... trends now
The Premier League has had better weeks. A right old bruising in the Champions League. Won’t somebody think of the coefficient?
There were wry smiles across the continent on Thursday morning when the self-proclaimed Best League in the World saw its remaining Champions League hopes extinguished. There will be no English club in the semi-finals for the first time in four years.
Bayern Munich are enduring their worst season in recent memory and gently eased Arsenal on to the hard shoulder. Real Madrid taunted Manchester City into a penalty shootout and, with their voodoo in this competition, prevailed as everybody inside the Etihad Stadium expected them to once it came down to nerve and kicking stationary balls from 12 yards.
They are smirking because of the money and if we’re really honest, it’s difficult to blame Spaniards, Germans, Italians or the French for that. The wealth and power wielded over here has crushed the other big-five leagues both commercially and on the pitch; English teams were represented in five of the past six finals, winning three.
By contrast, this season’s effort has been middling at best. Newcastle came last in a strong group, Manchester United did what Manchester United do. City weren’t quite clever enough to break down a stubborn Real with the frequency required — and then missed presentable chances when they did — while Arsenal’s inexperience cost them.
Arsenal were naïve against Bayern Munich, but fatigue was also a factor
Man City also looked shattered during the latter stages of their defeat by Real Madrid
But after such a period of dominance, Wednesday night did leave you wondering whether English football’s ecosystem helps or hinders its elite sides. All but eight clubs in the country will say the former — especially given the announcement of significant changes to the FA Cup.
The larger clubs in question will, without doubt, side with remarks made by Jose Mourinho to Mail Sport back in 2016.
