Have continental Europe's elite teams declined?

[Paul_Scholes18]

There is some sort of decline no doubt. I think many leagues have become too easy to win for the best sides. It makes it harder for them to develop and improve to fight in europe.
The dominance from Spain can be over now. Although Real can by spending well return back to the top. Ronaldo is hard to replace though.

I think the overall quality of the premier league helps the top teams in europe. They are used to play big and hard games much more.

 

[blue blue]

I've always, rightly or wrongly, thought the Premier League was better if only for the depth of quality. We also play more games and get no assistance with fixture congestion because of TV money.

There can be no doubt now.

 

[SCP]

I've always, rightly or wrongly, thought the Premier League was better if only for the depth of quality. We also play more games and get no assistance with fixture congestion because of TV money.

There can be no doubt now.

Between 2010 and 2016 it wasn’t. And the European performances showed it. As they are showing now it is the best. Better managers at the top level improved the quality of the league.

On the rest, it’s fair to say La Liga and Bundesliga dropped down their level, while Serie A remains stagnant.

 

[blue blue]

Between 2010 and 2016 it wasn’t. And the European performances showed it. As they are showing now it is the best. Better managers at the top level improved the quality of the league.

On the rest, it’s fair to say La Liga and Bundesliga dropped down their level, while Serie A remains stagnant.

Even in 2012 when Chelsea won the Champions league?

 

[gibers]

Yes and the EPL is giving all their leagues brain drains.

We have the best coaches and the level is much higher than at any other point in EPL history.

Burnley look out of place with their style when a few years ago they were almost the norm.

 

[Eire Red United]

PSG: too soon to say something. As long as they have Neymar and Mbappé they'll be UCL favorites. Need to stop bottling it. Might be pyschological. Neymar needs to stop getting injured.

Bayern: give them two years to rebuild. They'll cannibalize the bundesliga and eredivisie again.

Juventus: 19-20 will be 18-19 part II. Same project. Too soon to judge.

Real Madrid: they need a perfect summer transfer window, or they'll struggle in every competition.

Barça: they need Umtiti in perfect form again and a new CF. Midfield with Arthur and De Jong should be more than enough. Busquets needs to rest a lot more (play Vidal as a pure DMF?). Not sure if they'll sign De Ligt but they will certainly try. Valverde must be sacked, he's too lethargic and fearful to handle the UCL, and he's not a "4-3-3 Barça manager" anyway. Question is: who? Ten Hag? He looks like Guardiola. Ronald Koeman? They should secure another Liga title though, even with a new manager with zero experience in Spain. Perfect scenario on paper: Ter Stegen-Semedo-Piqué-De Ligt-Alba-Vidal-De Jong-Arthur-Messi-NEW CF (who?)-Dembélé.


Those are (current) continental Europe's elite teams, in my opinion, with all due respect.

All bang average compared with top teams of years gone by, really is a big opportunity for English teams to step up.

 

[SCP]

Even in 2012 when Chelsea won the Champions league?

Even there yes. Even you as a Chelsea fan know that they won despite Di Matteo. Not saying his predecessor was a top manager though. Despite all their flaws one can say Conte or Sarri showed something before arriving there.

Just make a simple exercise and forget the money invested ok?

Focus on the managers who were working 5 to 10 years ago on La Liga or even Bundesliga and compare them with the ones who were working on the Premier League. Ok let’s forget Ferguson because he is a special case.

If the clubs at the time didn’t had lack of investment and if they were being outperformed not only by La Liga but even Bayern or Dortmund how can anyone dismiss the current performances with the impact the current managers at the top have? Even outside the top 6? Has the scouting of players improved massively? I don’t think so.

We can agree on the last 2 years the Premier League is the best now. On the football played and the global marketing.

Just look at the current managers of top La Liga teams or Bayern and Dortmund and I think there is a correlation.

Of course this always happened during decades, the only new thing is that it looks impossible to see Serie A regaining their top spot, like they had on the 80’s or 90’s.

It’s a matter of opinion of course.

 

[barros]

No because next year Real, Barca and possibly Juventus and bayern would be back, real just needs at least 8 players, Barca needs a coach and not playing hoping Messi would resolve, Juventus needs a better midfield and they need someone like Benzema to play with Ronaldo, at Real the other teams couldn’t mark him the same way they do with Juventus, Bayern needs a team basically, they are like Real in that aspect. Now about the English teams I would say only Liverpool was the best team and Spurs had the lucky lady with them against Ajax. I would say Liverpool will be back next year and maybe City. Anyway they gave the award to Guardiola as the best coach but the German should had that award.

 

[jackwanson]

I think people here are now under estimating just how powerful Barca and Madrid is. The allure of Barca and Madrid is always going to be bigger than England. They will both be back and stronger than ever. Next year we will see two English clubs in the top 8 in Europe probabaly. Predications for best clubs next year

Barcalona
City
Liverpool
Juventus
Madrid
PSG
Bayern
Random German side like it always is

Will be absolutely shocking if any other PL side field a team stronger than Juv Barca real psg outside of city and pool

 

[Welby5]

It's only one season though, so lets not get carried away! It took two highly unlikely, heroic, back to back comebacks and one scraping thru on pens, for us to be even talkiing about decline and English dominance. Everything went our way, but we could just as easily be here with only an average Arsenal team in a final.