Real, Barca, Bayern. The 3 indisputable powerhouses of modern club football. Last eight CL finals have all featured one of them, and six out of those eight times, the title went to one of them as well. Even with all their money, fixture congestion and other chaos ensure English teams are yet to recapture their glory of the 2000s; a brave Juventus has been the only contender outside of Spain and Germany for a long time now.
A new incumbent for Champions League glory is, therefore, long overdue for the sake of football. Just as the "Big Four" found out in England, dominance in football occurs in phases/cycles – change is inevitable, as demonstrated by the inability of any club till date to retain their Champions League trophy.
Barcelona have almost been knocked out; Zidane's Madrid doesn't have an air of invincibility for their all their qualities, and Ancelotti's Bayern is yet to inspire fear in its opponents the way Heynckes' did.
This season, perhaps, is the one football has been waiting for, with a string of promising teams aiming for the throne. Unai Emery's PSG, Allegri's Juventus, Tuchel's Dortmund, Pep's City and as always, Simeone's Atletico offer hope that the status quo can be revamped this season.
Here we take a look at why the Champions League needs a new winner this year – and why, indeed, there is good reason to hope that may indeed prove to be the case.
Upcoming coaches, with no CL title to their name
A Champions League trophy can completely change a manager's career overnight – just ask Jose Mourinho. For all talk of Premier League money having surpassed the riches the Champions League has on offer, there is a certain romance about the European title that sets it apart.
Having won the Europa League three times consecutively with Sevilla, one would have thought Unai Emery would move on to greener pastures earlier. As it stands, PSG looks on the cusp of advancing to the quarter-finals at the expense of Barcelona – who knows, maybe they can go all the way!
Having won over his early doubters, Allegri is making a name for himself at Juventus – but he wouldn't need telling that domestic glory won't mean much to the fans if not accompanied by a European run. Dortmund managed to top their group despite their domestic struggles and could be the dark horses of the year.
It would be the night of a lifetime for any of these young managers if they were to lift their first CL trophy – and the taste for success will surely leave them wanting more.
Now is the best time to strike – everyone is wobbling
If ever there has been a time when the three giants have all seemed vulnerable, it is now. The only proven world class manager amongst the crop is Carlo Ancelotti; Ronaldo and Messi can no longer grab a game by the scruff of its neck as often; in fact, only Barcelona managed to top the group amongst them – and they are effectively out already.
Luis Enrique is more or less a sacked man walking, and will find himself replaced at the end of the season almost certainly. Carlo Ancelotti, as he generally tends to, will craft a much better Bayern side by next season. All factors considered, now seems the appropriate time for a newcomer to take over – perhaps it can be Simeone himself, having fallen at the final hurdle 2 times in the past 3 years.
National level – how the national teams can benefit
2006 Italy, 2010 Spain and 2014 Germany; the last 3 World Cup winners all had a relatively straight forward trait in common – a core of the national team being the core of a successful domestic side as well (read Juventus, Barca and Bayern respectively). It is clear that in order for the national team of a country to perform well, it helps a great deal if their domestic league and associated teams are performing great as well.
This is where PSG comes in. The current French national squad is arguably the most talented national team in the world and they proved their credentials in the Euros before falling at the final hurdle. CL success with PSG can perhaps help some of the young French stars to mature and show up for taking responsibility. Didier Deschamps would be keeping a keen eye on the CL proceedings, that's for sure.
League level – how the respective leagues can benefit
With the exception of Spain and Germany, the rest of Europe's top leagues – England, Italy and France – could all do with a boost for their league in Europe. England, in particular, has underwhelmed in Europe yet again – and a decent City run is the best they can hope for.
Even though it started out with tactical deficiencies, Premier League's continued struggles in CL despite the arrival of an elite bunch of managers shows that the problems may be as much psychological as tactical. If Manchester City could make it all the way to the trophy, or at least reach the final, English football will remember that long lost sweet feeling – and it may propel more teams towards glory in the seasons to come.
Also Read: 5 reasons why La Liga is better than the Premier League
Conclusion
Atletico Madrid seem the best bet amongst the outsiders for the CL trophy – perhaps they have even earned themselves the right not to be categorised as outsiders. A 4-0 thrashing of Barcelona has suddenly thrown PSG into the limelight; Juventus is always a force to be reckoned; Dortmund can hold their own against any team.
Then there is Guardiola, of course – eager to prove his CL success stories with Barcelona were not solely down to the brilliance of an amazing group of players.
The stage seems all set and ready for a new name to adorn the CL trophy – all that remains is to bell the giant cats. That is perhaps the million dollar question – which teams would be good enough on the day to knock out Real and Bayern? We will have to wait and see – but of unquestioned certainty is the fact that there are multiple teams capable of the feat.
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