5 great club teams on paper that failed on the field

Throughout its history, the world of football has been witness to some truly amazing names lining up on the same side of the pitch. There have been numerous occasions where clubs form teams with top quality players in all departments. But just as often as these players gel together to attain success, they also fail miserably. On paper, a team may seem unbeatable but on the field, it may falter when it really matters. We take a look at 5 great club teams on paper that failed on the field.Note: Only teams from the 21st century have been considered.

#5 Inter Milan 2011-12

It took only two years for Inter to disintegrate from treble winners to a team that struggled for a Europa League place. It didn’t turn out this way because of a lack of talent – oh no, this team still had a fantastic group of footballers. But as was the case with many others before them, that particular group of players failed to put together anything worth commending.

Prior to the first kick of the season, Inter had tried to make a statement of intent, signing World Cup Golden Ball winner Diego Forlan. Although the Uruguayan was now 32, he was expected to be a replacement for Samuel Eto’o. Apart from Forlan, coach Claudio Ranieri still had the bulk of the treble winning squad of 2010. But for reasons probably only known to Ranieri himself, this dream lineup failed to get him results. Inter spent most of the first half of the season languishing near the relegation zone.

In March, Ranieri was sacked and under his successor, Inter went on to finish a ‘respectable’ sixth.

Notable players: Julio Cesar, Maicon, Lucio, Samuel, Chivu, Nagatomo, Zanetti, Stankovic, Cambiasso, Sneijder, Guarin, Milito, Forlan, Zarate, Pazzini.

League Position: 6th

Performance in Cup: Quarterfinals

Performance in Europe: Champions League round of 16