The English premier league, EPL has shown its dominance of European football in recent times. The clear evidence of its quality is the presence of its two leading clubs in the semi-finals of the UEFA Champions League.
Chelsea were the winners of the Champions League last year when the continental championship resumed after the devastating effects of COVID-19 forced the suspension of football activities for some time.
Now, two Premiership clubs, Manchester City and Liverpool who are still very much in contention for the coveted UEFA champions league title are getting decent results in the first leg of the semi-finals played last Tuesday and Wednesday.
Both clubs are looking good to qualify to set up an all-English final once again.
Although Man City won the first leg against Real Madrid,4-3, the game is still open because of the well-known pedigree of the Spanish giants, who have won the Champions League a record 13 times.
In the return leg, Man City must be wary of a Spanish side who always rises to the big occasions. They showed their depth in the way they dismissed PSG who were thought to have to have virtually qualified because of their two-goal advantage from the first leg in Paris.
Madrid has players like Karim Benzema who can, within the twinkling of an eye, turn the tide against opponents in hopeless situations.
Coach Guardiola obviously knows this and is prepared with a match plan that can take care of Madrid’s resurgence as displayed in their recent matches.
Villarreal, meanwhile, after losing 2-0 to Liverpool, should not be ruled out of contention just yet because of their records as a giant- killers.
Unai Emery’s boys despatched Juventus and Bayern Munich along the way when no one gave them a gave any chance against the heavyweights.
Villarreal could spring surprises yet again because the Yellow Submarines are never to be underrated, no matter how hopeless their case seems to be.
What all these boil down to is that the EPL is clearly the best league in the world at the moment.
My bet is that one of the English clubs would return the cup to England.
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