Given the fact the three premier Spanish sides reached the last 8 last season with relative ease, many believe nothing has changed thus history will repeat itself once more. Actually, I believe Barcelona would have reached last year’s semi final had they been given a tie against PSG or Chelsea rather than a fellow Spanish side in Atletico. So, this would have give La Liga three Spanish sides in the final 4 and not for the first time.
My expectation is that Real Madrid and Atletico will reach the quarters in style again. Barcelona may have a tougher test but City remain too inconsistent for me to back them over a resurgent Barcelona, who have notched up ten wins on the bounce.
Tactically City are inferior, and nobody really knows their best XI in the UCL. This has to play into Barcelona’s hands on Tuesday night and at the Nou Camp, three weeks later. Ultimately Spain will have more teams represented in the last 8 again than all other nations.
Surely this means La Liga is in fact the premier league in world football? Chelsea and Bayern Munich are running away with their domestic titles, yet Spain is ultra competitive, with three teams possessing a chance of victory. Furthermore Spain’s dominance of German and British opposition as evidenced by last season and this season’s matches convey it is a myth that British sides are the most competitive.
