Extra Time
A quick nod of congratulation goes out to all the champions of Europe from this column. 2011-12 provided so much, entertained, thrilled and captured the imagination. Even though Euro 2012 is the flavor of the month and takes top billing, the memories of the recently concluded season are too strong to forget or ignore.
From Germany, where Borussia Dortmund beat the odds, Bayern’s money, an indifferent start and many neutrals’ fears, to retain the league crown, playing with the same verve, passion and drive that characterized their title last season. As mentioned before, manager Jurgen Klopp is building something very special in Westphalia. To Italy, where Juventus celebrated their latest title, unbeaten, under rookie Serie A manager Antonio Conte, but then Serie A promptly got embroiled in another match fixing scandal. From there to France where Montpellier proved to be the surprise package in Europe and set the cat amongst the pigeons, usurping the traditional heavyweights to win their first ever league title. And in Spain where Jose Mourinho finally won the Spanish La Liga crown, ousting Barcelona from their perch at the top, completing a journey that looked in doubt after previous maulings. Finally, to England where Manchester City celebrated a long hoped for return to the top with a scarcely believable but cathartic Premiership win, made all the more remarkable by the fact that rivals Manchester United had surged into a seemingly unassailable lead, with just a month to go.
While Porto retained its title, losing only one match in Portugal, their tussle with Benfica made for interesting viewing; while PSV’s fall and Feyenoord’s rise was an interesting sideshow to Ajax’s latest title win in Holland. Belgium too saw a return to the status quo as Anderlecht returned to the summit while Scotland saw a took a major jolt to the system as Celtic got knocked out of the group stage in the Europa League while Rangers entered administration. Russia’s extended season saw Zenit retain the crown after a hectic season which saw Russia change to a fall-winter cycle like the rest of Europe. The core of that team made up the nucleus of the Russian side at the European Championships. In Turkey, Fenerbahce shrugged off the tar of recent match fixing allegations to give Champions Galatasaray a run for their money but most encouragingly little Trabzonspor from the northern Black Sea coast came third to build on their encouraging performances in recent seasons.
The European competitions proved to be no less entertaining with Bayern Munich and Chelsea tearing up the scripts to deny Real Madrid and Barcelona their place in the Champions’ League final while Atletico Madrid and Athletic Bilbao served up a feast of football enroute to the Europa League final.
After Euro 2012 the focus shifts to the Olympics, where the soccer tournament featuring U23 players, albeit in the shadow of the start of the following club season, will provide some thrilling matches. Brazil, Spain and Mexico are the immediate favourites for the medals but Great Britain, Egypt and Japan will look to run them close. The make-up of the British squad itself is open to a lot of debate as players from the four soccer teams of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are eligible. Imagine a game in which Aaron Ramsey plays in Jack Wilshere who sets up Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain to score. The Olympics soccer tournament should get more air time and media attention however bad scheduling and the lure of the Swimming and Track and Field will always keep cameras and fans away.
At the end of the day the season showed us that while money is still far and away the biggest deciding factor when it comes to club success, the efforts of the eleven players on the pitch can do much to swing the balance back in the favour of the underdog. Ironically, it took the heroic defensive efforts of one of the world’s richest clubs, Chelsea, to prove this very point as they won the Champions’ League despite being rank outsiders against Barcelona in the semi-finals and underdogs to Bayern Munich in the final. That a multi-billion dollar club could finish off the pace in the domestic league but nick a title in Europe goes a long way towards restoring the basic desire for parity that most fans have. And the biggest story in that regard was the triumph of little Montpellier, who won the French League. Beating out PSG, Lille, Lyon, Bordeaux and Marseille. Yes Montpellier.
The Financial Fair Play regulations will make for interesting viewing once they are applied as clearly European football has become unsustainable. As enjoyable as Manchester City’s win was, it was built on money, nothing else. There is no way they could have dreamed of competing without the acquisition of ADUG. And that cheapens the very spectacle. European football needs a salary cap, a transfer cap, a quota on youth and homegrown players, no luxury taxes and a way to spread both the wealth and the talent on display. However these remain a pipe dream while Global corporations and businesses own soccer clubs.
Here at Soccer 360 we wish you the best for the Summer !
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