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Three-quarters of the 2018-19 season has whizzed by with twists and turns galore. Several surprises have come our way and with only a fourth of the season left, one can expect those to continue till the last ball is kicked in May.
Apart from England and Germany, the domestic title seems a foregone conclusion in Spain, Italy and France with FC Barcelona, Juventus and Paris Saint-Germain respectively, looking primed to take home the coveted trophy.
In England, Liverpool and Manchester City are matching each other step for step and only a point separates the pair. As for Germany, Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund are deadlocked at the perch of the table having played 24 games each.
Additionally, the UEFA Champions League has also entered its home stretch with the round of 16 ties in full swing.
However, with the stakes at an all-time high, there are bound to be disappointments for certain teams along the way. Thus, through the course of this article, we chalk out three high-profile teams that I believe would have to contend with heartbreak come the end of the season.
Without further ado, here is a look at them:
#3. Borussia Dortmund
Borussia Dortmund raced off the blocks at the start of the season and took the footballing fraternity by storm. The club situated in the industrial heartland of Germany seemed to have found a perfect blend of experience and youth in the formative stages.
The likes of Jadon Sancho, Dan-Axel Zagadou, Achraf Hakimi and Manuel Akanji were complemented perfectly by Axel Witsel, Lukasz Piszczek, Mario Gotze and Marco Reus.
In addition, each of Lucien Favre’s tactical tweaks worked a charm with Paco Alcacer, in particular, benefitting from the Swiss’ shrewd substitutions.
However, as the pressure has been turned up a notch in recent weeks, the young Dortmund side has struggled to rediscover its early-season mojo. The performances have been patchy, the defence has looked vulnerable and the attacking verve that made them the darling of Europe has suddenly gone AWOL.
In turn, they’ve allowed Bayern Munich to claw their way back into the title race. With Bayern boasting of truckloads of title-winning experience, I expect them to pip Dortmund to the Bundesliga title.
Moreover, they turned in an appalling performance in the first leg of their Round of 16 tie against Tottenham. And unless they conjure a miracle at the Signal Iduna Park, they are in danger of undoing their early exploits.
A criticism aimed at youthful teams in the past has been their ability (or the lack of it) to handle pressure. While Dortmund seemed expertly positioned to prove otherwise in 2018, they now look on course to add more weight to the aforementioned narrative.
Thus, they make our list.
#2. Real Madrid
The Los Blancos endured a wretched first quarter of the season which culminated in a 5-1 El Clasico drubbing and the subsequent sacking of Julen Lopetegui. Though his successor, Santi Solari, has instilled some sort of stability since then, they still look a far cry from their all-conquering selves.
In the month of February, Real Madrid bowed out of the Copa Del Rey to Barcelona while their hopes of a league title were also dashed by their eternal rivals at the weekend.
However, the silver lining for Los Blancos could be that they can now solely focus on winning an unprecedented 4th successive Champions League. However, that task is easier said than done.
Ever since Cristiano Ronaldo’s departure, Real Madrid has missed a goal-scoring edge in the final third. While the approach play has been impressive in recent weeks, their inability to stick the ball into the back of the net has put undue pressure on the more troublesome areas of the pitch.
The Los Blancos’ rear-guard has looked shaky all season and they’ve conceded more than a goal a game on average. Their failure to keep things tight at the back coupled with an attack lacking incision has resulted in several sub-par performances.
Though Real Madrid is relatively well-placed in the Champions League, they still don’t inspire the confidence to go all the way this term. As the continental competition enters the final straight, Solari’s men are going to have to tackle much sterner propositions.
And unfortunately, they just don’t seem capable of thwarting everything the Champions League is capable of throwing at them.
Hence, Real Madrid is one of my picks to finish the season on a low.
#1. Liverpool
Liverpool enjoyed a remarkable start to the season as their summer imports in consonance with those already at Anfield laid down the marker superbly. The likes of Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane, Andrew Robertson, Alisson Becker and Virgil Van Dijk were firing on all cylinders and hence, there was genuine optimism around Merseyside that this could finally be Liverpool’s year.
However, as the page of the calendar flipped to 2019, the Reds’ faithful have been left wondering if they can indeed end their league hoodoo this season.
Throughout January and February, Liverpool lost only one game yet they’ve been hit hard by insipid draws against Leicester, West Ham and Everton. On all the above occasions, the Reds looked a team weighed down by the expectations of thousands.
The blistering form of October, November and December seems a distant memory now with the poor form of their famed front three a major concern. While Salah is still among the favourites for the Golden Boot, the Egyptian has fired blanks when face to face with England’s elite.
Mane, on the other hand, has blown hot and cold with his tendency to go missing in the big games another headache for Klopp.
Moreover, a 0-0 draw at home to Bayern Munich in the Champions League has left them with a herculean task to progress further.
Years ago, the Reds infamously let the Premier League title slip (literally) from their grasp. Though such an untoward incident hasn’t happened yet, they certainly are letting it figuratively slip through their fingers.
Thus, one gets the feeling that this could not be Liverpool’s year after all.
