4 burning questions that the 2018/19 Champions League could answer
With 2018/19 now well underway, the season is set to kick into high gear this week with the return of Europe’s biggest club competition – the UEFA Champions League. The preliminary round has already happened, of course, but everyone knows it’s the group stage that really counts.
Some huge matches are already set for the group stage this season – Liverpool vs. Paris St. Germain, Tottenham vs. Barcelona, and Juventus vs. Manchester United amongst them – and with many of Europe’s biggest teams looking stronger than ever, this could be the most competitive Champions League in some time.
Here are 4 burning questions that should be answered by the return of the Champions League.
#1 Are we on the cusp of Premier League domination again?
It’s hard to believe, but it’s over a decade ago now since England’s Premier League dominated proceedings in the Champions League, too. Widely known as the world’s richest football competition, the 2007/08 season was probably the Premier League’s Champions League peak, as Manchester United and Chelsea made the final while a third English side, Liverpool, made the semi-finals too.
Ever since then, the competition has been largely dominated by the two Spanish giants, Real Madrid and Barcelona – of the subsequent 10 tournaments, 7 have been won by one of them – with Premier League sides struggling, for the most part, Chelsea’s triumph in the 2011/12 edition aside. But last season appeared to mark the beginning of a power shift again.
Liverpool surprisingly advanced to the final in Kiev; Manchester City looked dominant until they ran into Liverpool in the quarter-finals and while Real Madrid came out on top again, they were well beaten by Tottenham in the group stages.
With City and Liverpool looking stronger than ever now after some new signings, and Tottenham and Manchester United also still dangerous, could we be heading into another Premier League-dominant era? It’s certainly possible. England’s biggest sides have the most money, some great players and some of the world’s best managers, too. After this season’s competition, we should know more.