Change everywhere.
It's just over two months into
the domestic league season in Europe and the lasting feeling is one of complete
change. In Spain, Real Madrid has yet another new coach and its latest annual
prize player purchase, while Atletico Madrid, shorn of Colombian hitman Radamel
Falcao, tries to remain the biggest threat to the big two. Real's season has
begun under Carlo Ancelotti as he continues his whistlestop tour around Europe.
After eight years at Milan, the old warhorse did a two year stint at each of
Chelsea and most recently PSG, collecting a league and cup double with former
and a Ligue 1 medal with the latter. It would appear that moneybags clubs are
his thing, with Real spending a world record 100 million Euros on Tottenham's
Welsh winger, Gareth Bale. Still, they trail both arch rivals Barcelona and
crosstown rival Atletico respectively. The latter have replaced Falcao with
Diego Costa, a Brazilian born striker who, having become a naturalised
Spaniard, has been allowed to switch allegiance by FIFA after the Spanish FA
made an official request. Interesting trivia note - he made his Brazil debut
against Italy in March and if he does play for Spain this year, would have
turned out for both teams in the same calendar year. Barcelona themselves have
a new coach, as Argentine, Gerardo ‘Tata’ Martino takes the helm, with new
superstar Neymar in tow. The Blaugrana
remain the team to beat in Spain and are that much more ominous with both
Lionel Messi and Neymar part of the attack.
In Italy, Napoli, under new
manager Rafael Benitez continue to be one of the favourites for the Serie A
crown, continuing their rejuvenation over the past few years, but find
themselves trailing a resurgent Roma, who are top of the table with 8 wins out
of 8, under a new Allenatore of their
own, Rudi Garcia. Garcia is well known to followers of the European game as the
man who took Lille to a league and Cup double in France in 2010-11, building
one of Ligue 1's most exciting squads on a relative budget. At time of writing,
Roma were five points clear of second place with 22 goals scored and only one
against. For a team whose two biggest signings this off season were PSV’s Dutch
midfielder Kevin Strootman and Serb winger Adem Ljalic from Fiorentina, this is
some achievement. It's only a fifth of the way in but the Scudetto appears to be a three way contest between Roma, Napoli and
Juventus, who have won it two years in a row.
Germany sees Borussia Dortmund
renew their rivalry with Bayern Munich. Having won the Bundesliga twice in a
row before being overwhelmed by Bayern last year, as well as losing to the
latter in the Champion's League final, Dortmund's attention continues to be
focussed on their rivals from Bavaria. While Jurgen Klopp is still very much in
charge at Dortmund, despite summer speculation linking him elsewhere, his
opposite number at Bayern is another new appointment, although Pep Guardiola,
needs no introduction on these pages. Bayern's epic treble winning season last
year, where they simply annihilated everyone in Germany and Europe, including
Pep's former all-conquering Barcelona side, was a perfect send-off to manager
Juup Heynckes, who retired at age 67, having participating in more than 1000
games as either a player or manager in Germany. Pep's new side are not
performing at full speed yet but are unbeaten and atop the table, when we went
to press, a point ahead of Dortmund. Despite Bayer Leverkusen, in third, being
tied on points with Dortmund, it's hard to see beyond the two finalists of the
2012-13 Champions' League domestic glory.
The most changed landscape surely
has to be in the English Premier League with Chelsea (Jose Mourinho's second stint),
Manchester United (David Moyes) and Manchester City (Manuel Pellegrini) all
under new management. What's more, famously parsimonious Arsenal broke the bank
to spend 42.5m Euros on German attacking midfielder Mesut Ozil. The latter is
probably the most astounding of all the new developments as the London club are
notoriously for spending next to nothing on transfers for over a decade.
Despite a good start by the Gunners, their league leading position is sure to
change as the tricker part of an easy opening schedule begins to appear. Currently
on top, they are trailed by six teams, all within four points of each other.
While financially supercharged City and Chelsea are the favourites for the
title, the latter's familiarity with Mourinho may prove decisive over the
season.
Finally, in France it appears
that there's a new financial bully in town. PSG, who were threatening to make a
mockery of Ligue 1, have a new challenger. Monaco, promoted back after a season
in the second division, are powered by new majority owner Dimitry Rybolovlev,
another Russian billionaire. His consortium's cash infusion has allowed the
principality club to spend heavily on the likes of Falcao, Colombian winger
James Rodriguez, Portuguese midfielder Joao Moutinho and French midfielder Geoffrey
Kondogbia for a grand total of 150m Euros. They currently sit in second spot in
Ligue 1, a brace behind with PSG. Everyone else is playing for 3rd place and
the spot in the Champions League Playoff Round.
An interesting season awaits.
