Luis Suarez - Trouble Maker or Mistaken Genius?

Recently, a string of world-class performances have put Luis Suarez's name on everyone's lips for the right reason. Having previously been the target of media attacks following a number of high-profile episodes of misconduct on his part, Suarez has answered his critics this season. Although he missed the first five games through suspension, he burst back onto the Premier League scene, currently sitting on 15 goals and topping the goalscoring table. As a football fan, it's refreshing to see someone who has been badly behaved in the past get their head down and play some good quality football (e.g. Mario Balotelli in Milan).

Born on the 24th January 1987 in Salto, Uruguay, Suarez was the fourth of seven brothers. His family moved to Montevideo when he was seven and his parents split when he was nine years old. He then lived with his mother and brothers (but still maintains contact with his father) and learnt to play football on the streets of the city. He joined Nacional's youth team at the age of 14, but he made it to the world stage when he joined Ajax in 2007 - where he would go on to make 110 league appearances, scoring 81 goals. He was signed by Liverpool in 2011 and he hasn't looked back since. 

Throughout his footballing career, Suarez hasn't been far from controversy. At the age of 15 - when playing for Nacional - he was sent off for head butting a referee. He also had a shaky disciplinary record at his second club, Groningen, receiving three yellow cards and one red card in the space of just five games. Excessive amounts of yellow cards, a tunnel altercation with a team mate and a biting incident worsened his reputation as a behavioural liability. And then came the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. During a quarter final game against Ghana, Suarez blocked a shot off the line with his hand and gave away a penalty which was missed by Asamoah Gyan. Suarez was sent off and was not able to take part in the penalty shoot out which saw his country progress in the competition. He was, however, slated as a villain and a cheat.

His disciplinary record extended when he came to the Premier League with Liverpool. The first incident was the high-profile racial abuse inquiry he faced after a 1-1 draw with Manchester United in October 2011. Suarez was found guilty of racially abusing Patrice Evra and handed an eight match ban along with a £40,000 fine. However, he didn't stop there. Nearly two years later, in April 2013, Suarez appeared to have bitten Chelsea player Branislav Ivanovic in a 2-2 draw. Suarez received a ten match ban, which took him into the current season of Premier League football. 

The cameras got a good view of Suarez's bite.

However, it seems Suarez has burst - albeit late - out of the blocks this season. Despite having missed the first five games, he has the most impressive attacking record of any player in the league, currently on 15 goals. Suarez has averaged 1.36 goals per game this season, scoring three braces, one hat-trick and one four goal master-class against Norwich. He has even managed to calm down his temper, receiving only one yellow card in the ten games he's played so far.

So this poses the question, are Suarez's behavioural problems a thing of the past? Has he finally matured and focused on his football more than anything else? Personally, I'd like the Uruguayan fulfil his potential this season and prove himself to be one of the best in the world. If not for himself then for the worldwide reputation of the Premier League and its players.   

     

What's Happening at Manchester United?

From champions of England to mid-table battlers in six months, Manchester United are currently going through one of the roughest patches in their Premier League history. Last season, United finished top of the league comfortably, looking like true champions for the duration of the season. However, they have seemed and entirely different team this season - with many results below what has come to be expected of them - and alarm bells are certainly ringing for the fans at Old Trafford. But what has caused this sudden dip in form for the red half of Manchester? Besides the departure of Sir Alex Ferguson and his backroom staff - and the subsequent introduction of David Moyes and his own backroom staff - in the summer, not much has changed since the end of last season, but performances are still below par and unrest is becoming apparent among the fans...

A key feature during the matches in which United have underperformed - like the draw against Southampton, and the losses to West Brom, Everton and Newcastle - has been a distinct lack of creativity and effort from the players. Players such as Cleverley, Nani and Fellaini have been agonisingly inconsistent so far this season, often falling short of requirements in games where they should be dominating (i.e. against the likes of Cardiff). Also, the style of play currently being exhibited at Old Trafford has been a major complaint from the stands. Fans aren't enjoying seeing midfielders and defenders passing sideways - and sometimes backwards (unnecessarily) - to no avail, which often results in them losing the ball and putting David De Gea in danger. 

However, some performances this season have been more exciting and solid. The 1-0 defeat of Arsenal and the 4-2 win against Bayer Leverkusen spring to mind when looking for examples of the type of football that United played under Ferguson.

Nani is one player who has been slated for his
inconsistency.

Another possible explanation for the demise of the United team is the change of manager. David Moyes arrived in the summer with a new backroom staff, shaking up the system that so many of the players had become used to under Sir Alex. Whereas Ferguson is an iconic managerial figure who demanded respect from his players, Moyes seems a less imposing figure on the sideline, perhaps the players don't give him the same respect as his predecessor? That is certainly the case in the stands, as you can get the sense from a visit to Old Trafford that the fans are beginning to get sick of the poor performances. Many pundits predicted that Moyes would need a transition period at the start of the season, which is expected. But how long can a transition period last? Moyes had the summer to acquaint himself with his squad, and he only brought in Marouane Fellaini in the transfer window - a player who he already knows from his time at Everton. Surely by December a manager should have a strong grip of his squad and know his strongest starting eleven, something which it appears Moyes does not. An example of someone who has done this is Moyes' replacement, Roberto Martinez, whose Everton side currently sit at 5th. 

Whatever it is that's happening at Manchester United at the moment, it will take a colossal effort to turn it around. A huge January signing? Drastic tactic changes? Personally, I don't think it's time for 'Moyes out' signs just yet, but I do question how much longer the Old Trafford faithful will put up with mediocre performances when they're used to world class results.

Just a Quick One

Apologies for the stoppage in posting recently - which came about as a result of a combination of things - but I intend to get back into the blog soon. The 'What to Expect From... This Season' series of blogs is obviously no longer relevant, so that will be stopped. From now on I'll be doing topical subjects and possibly the odd focus on an individual player or manager etc. and I'll be writing at least one piece a month. Here's hoping it all goes well. 

What To Expect From Everton This Season

Under new boss Roberto Martinez, after David Moyes took up the role at Old Trafford, Everton should be confident of a decent season this year. The Toffees finished in 6th place last season, however they came nine points behind 5th place Tottenham so there is room for improvement to reach a Europa League place - which is an ambition that a club of Everton's talent should have. The key to Everton's success last season was the tactic of going out not to lose the game. They only lost seven last season, which is third least along with Arsenal and Chelsea, only the two Manchester clubs lost less. However, it is clear that the manager at the time - David Moyes - tried only not to lose games, rather than going out to score lots of goals and win with style (a worrying point for any United fans). We can see from last season's Premier League table that Everton had the worst goal difference out of any team that finished in the top seven, managing a +15 by May. They also scored the least goals out of any team in the top seven, netting 55 times over the season. The second lowest figure was 66, achieved by Tottenham and Manchester City.

From those stats it is clear that Everton needed some more power up front. Evidently, Roberto Martinez thought so too, so when he came in he swiftly signed Arouna Kone from his former club Wigan, and took youngster Gerard Delofeu on loan from Barcelona. However, he wasn't finished there. He managed to fashion a deal with Chelsea for their young striker Romelu Lukaku on transfer deadline day. The 20 year-old forward had a fantastic time at West Brom last season, proving himself to be among the very best that the Premier League has to offer by way of young talent and getting plenty of goals along the way. He will no doubt help Everton to score goals aplenty if that is the style of play that Martinez wants to utilise this season. In other areas of the pitch, Everton have improved by signing 22 year-old midfielder James McCarthy and ex-Aston Villa star and forgotten Manchester City midfielder Gareth Barry. These two will help to secure the midfield position following the biggest event of Everton's transfer window - the departure of Marouane Fellaini. Fellaini completed his 'dream move' to Manchester United late on in the window to leave Everton without their star player for the season ahead. 

Everton's start to the season will have been disappointing for many Toffees fans. Three draws out of three - having scored only two goals - is not what has come to be expected of the Merseyside club. A 2-2 draw away at Norwich and two 0-0 draws - West Brom (H) and Cardiff (A) - have left many fans frustrated at Roberto Martinez's style of play, and his team have already been described as too defensive. Everton's next six games - Chelsea (H), West Ham (A), Newcastle (H), Man City (A), Hull (H) and Aston Villa (A) - should, on paper, be plain sailing for them. With the obvious exception of the Chelsea and Man City games, Everton will be expected to win most of those fixtures. 

Maybe if I was writing this at the beginning of last season, I would have been more optimistic. But with the losses of both David Moyes and Fellaini to Manchester United, and the lack of attacking flair that Martinez employs, I just can't see them causing a stir this year. Hopefully the new signings like Lukaku and McCarthy prove me wrong, but for now I'm not so sure. As for a prediction, I'm certain they'll get in the top ten, but they won't surpass last year's achievements. If not because of the loss they've suffered, it will be because of how most of the other teams at the top have improved themselves. So I'm going to say that Everton will finish in 7th or 8th place come May.       

What To Expect From Crystal Palace This Season

Having been promoted through the play-off system rather than achieving automatic promotion, Crystal Palace are a team that will - despite their winning mentality and fresh enthusiasm - have a hard time in the Premier League this season. The Eagles finished 5th in the Championship last season, four points in front of 6th placed Leicester. They then went on to beat Brighton 2-0 on aggregate in the play-off semi-final and they managed to sneak a 1-0 win over Watford at Wembley to send them into one of the biggest and most watched leagues in the world. Crystal Palace's strong point last season was their goalscoring - as they scored 73 goals, the most of any team except Watford. However, their weak point also concerns goals, namely the amount of goals they let in. They conceded 62 goals last season, the most of any team to reach the play-off places or above. If Ian Holloway's men let in so many goals in England's second tier of football, who knows how many they will concede in the top division?  

Palace have done a LOT of business this summer, with many players coming in and out of the club. Their three biggest signings - judging by the fame of the players - are arguably Jimmy Kebe, Marouane Chamakh and Jason Puncheon (who has come in on a season-long loan deal). However, the player who has had the largest effect on the London club following his departure after a loan spell at Palace from his current club, is Wilfried Zaha. The Englishman - born in the Ivory Coast - was signed by Manchester United in January and was sent immediately on loan back to his long-time club. He was a pivotal player for Palace during their promotion charge, and will leave a gaping hole in the squad this season. 

Crystal Palace's start to the season is an average one, but not unexpected. Two losses - Tottenham at home (0-1) and Stoke away (2-1) - and one win - Sunderland at home (3-1) - puts them in 14th place at the time of writing. Their next six games - Manchester United (A), Swansea (H), Southampton (A), Liverpool (A), Fulham (H) and Arsenal (H) - will prove to be an enormous challenge for Holloway's side. Manchester United, Liverpool and Arsenal will be games that the fans will probably expect to lose, but games like Southampton and Swansea may prove to be entertaining games in which Palace could produce a shock win - providing their underdog mentality drives them.

However, though they may be able to claim the odd Premier League scalp between now and the end of the season, I can't see Crystal Palace achieving anything more than one season at the highest level. Realistically, they are not well rounded enough to beat enough of the best teams in the country to stay in this league. And with the loss of their talisman, Zaha, Palace don't even have a household name to turn to when the going gets tough. That is why, regretfully, I have to predict that they will be relegated at the end of this season, either an 18th or 19th place finish. 

What To Expect From Chelsea This Season

With Mourinho back at the helm after six years away in Europe, Chelsea will be looking at silverware this season. Of course, they are a team that looks for silverware every season, but the fans might feel that this is their year. Under Mourinho's management in the past, Chelsea were arguably the strongest domestic force in the game - winning two Premier Leagues, one FA Cup, two League Cups and one Community Shield all in the space of three years. The one thing they lacked under Mourinho (the first time) was European success, something they have found in his absence. In 2012, under the management of Roberto Di Matteo, The Blues managed to win the Champions' League, beating Bayern Munich in a dramatic penalty shoot out. Also, last season they won the Europa League under the management of Rafa Benitez. However, Mourinho has tasted Champions' League glory - once with Porto in 2004 and again with Inter Milan in 2010 - and so Chelsea will be hopeful he can lead them to more European trophies. 

Chelsea's domestic form last season was sound, as they achieved - on the whole - what was expected of them. A 3rd place finish, three points ahead of 4th place Arsenal and three points behind 2nd place Manchester City, is what Chelsea fans have come to terms with as being plain sailing for the London side. However, Chelsea's stats probably warranted a better finish than they got, as they scored more goals than anyone except Manchester United and ended up with the best goal difference of anyone other than Manchester United. So if the stats put them second best behind the 20 time champions, why did they finish 3rd? There was only one game in it between them and Manchester City. Could Jose Mourinho be the man to come in and get them that one game? Could he even achieve more than that? 

His transfer activity certainly suggests that, with Chelsea bringing in several quality players so far this summer. Some of those signings include Andre Schurrle, Willian, Kevin De Bruyne and veteran of the game Samuel Eto'o. It is clear from these types of signings that Mourinho wants to bolster Chelsea's attack and that he feels the way to win the title is to score more goals than everyone else in the league. To an extent he is correct, however a good defence is vital in the Premier League. 

Chelsea's start to this season has been a good one, with wins over Hull (2-0) and Aston Villa (2-1) and an away draw at Manchester United (0-0) - which is a good result for anyone - they currently sit at the top of the table. Their next six fixtures - Everton (A), Fulham (H), Tottenham (A), Norwich (A), Cardiff (H) and Manchester City (H) - shouldn't provide too much of a challenge (on the whole) for the Europa League champions. Games like Tottenham away, however, may be tricky as Spurs have been one of the league's highest spenders this season and are starting to look like a quality side. Manchester City at home will be another hard game, but home advantage should prevail.

So in conclusion, Chelsea look like challenging for the title this season under Mourinho, as he tries to implement his European style of football into The Blues. Their new signings should go a long way to helping them climb up the table and I think that in May we'll be seeing Chelsea in either the Champions' place or second place. 

  

What To Expect From Cardiff City This Season

The new boys of the Premier League - playing in the top flight for the first time since 1962 - Cardiff City look like a team who may be able to hold their own in England's best league. Malky Mackay's men managed to win the championship last season, totalling 87 points and winning 25 matches along the way. They finished eight points ahead of second place Hull City and lost only nine games, joint with Brighton as the team who lost the least games. 

Cardiff's most recognisable players are Craig Bellamy and Fraizer Campbell, two strikers who have experience in the Premier League. Added to that, Cardiff have spent a total of £20,500,000 in the summer, bringing in players that include Gary Medel, Steven Caulker and Andreas Cornelius. So there is quality all over the Cardiff City squad for Mackay to select for each match.

Cardiff's start to the season has been a mixed bag of joy and despair, with their first match - away at West Ham - ending in a 2-0 loss. However, their first home game - against 2011-2012 champions Manchester City - ended spectacularly with a late double from Campbell that handed them a 3-2 victory against the highest spending team of recent years. 

Cardiff City's next six games - Everton (H), Hull (A), Tottenham (H), Fulham (A), Newcastle (H), Chelsea (A) - should provide quite a challenge (on the whole) for the newly promoted side. Games like Everton, Tottenham and Chelsea will be especially difficult considering the quality of the three teams. However, games like Hull and Newcastle should provide entertaining scenes as both teams will be similarly matched as far as skill goes.  

In a longer-term time frame, if The Bluebirds continue to use the underdog mentality to their advantage in the big games and use their experienced squad against the more evenly matched teams, Cardiff should be able to finish in a decent position come May. Almost like Norwich did a few years ago, if their fresh style of play can continue to be a shock to the systems of the more established Premier league sides, they may finish around 14th or 15th this year.  

  

What To Expect From Aston Villa This Season

A side who managed to avoid relegation last season, Aston Villa will be hoping to recover and do better this season. Villa were one of three teams who finished the campaign on 41 points, which is only five points above Wigan, who finished 18th and were relegated. Last season, Paul Lambert's side managed to lose the majority of their games, coming second best in 17 of their matches. 

However, since the end of the season, things have started to look up for The Villains. They managed to retain the services of star player Christian Benteke, who had put in a transfer request and was being linked to Tottenham Hotspur. They have also brought in some new players - Luna, Okore and Tonev to name a few.

The start of the current season has really been more of the same for the Midlands team, they are currently 9th in the table with one win and two losses. Their opening day win against Arsenal at The Emirates came as a shock to many, with Benteke taking centre stage as usual. Since then Aston Villa have suffered narrow defeats at the hands of Chelsea (2-1) and Liverpool (0-1), this should be considered as a good start for what is, in reality, a mid-table team.

With Aston Villa's next six fixtures - Newcastle, Norwich, Man City, Hull, Tottenham and Everton - looking like a mixed bag of challenges, Paul Lambert will be quietly confident that his side can take a few scalps. As long as Benteke is in top form (as he usually is), the likes of Hull, Norwich and Newcastle should not provide much difficulty for Villa.

For me, Aston Villa are a typical mid-table side. They have a star player, as most teams do, backed up by some quality from other areas of the pitch (Agbonlahor, Ireland). I think that Villa will return to form this season and finish in a decent position, probably in the top ten but if not, just outside that area.      

What To Expect From Arsenal This Season

A club with what is, on paper, one of the strongest starting elevens in the Premier League, Arsenal should be expecting to get into the top four comfortably. However, amid signs in recent years that Arsene Wenger has been losing his managerial genius (most effectively used in the early 2000s), Arsenal fans and football fans alike have witnessed the painful transition from title challengers to Champions' League play-off participants.

This isn't intended as a jab at Arsenal, it's just the harsh reality of their situation. Last season's fourth place placement for The Gunners was only just achieved by a slight points margin in front of Tottenham, when in theory they should be easily getting into the top four. Quality players like Podolski, Wilshere (although he is regularly injured), Walcott, Arteta and Cazorla should have all but ensured Arsenal's automatic qualification for a group stage place in the Champions' League, so what went wrong?

For me, Arsenal's problems lie in two main areas, the defence and the sub's bench. With a first choice back four of Sagna, Vermaelen, Koscielny and Gibbs, Arsenal can't realistically expect anything better than a fourth place finish this season. The only notable names on Arsenal's substitute bench are Aaron Ramsey and possibly Per Mertesacker, neither of which are quality players. In a League where teams like Chelsea can have a player of Juan Mata's quality on the bench and still play well, and where Manchester City can leave a player like Aguero or Silva out and play well, it is essential to have a strong bench.

So what will Arsenal be expecting from this season? Sadly, it'll be the same as always in recent years - snatching fourth place. Even this early in the season, it doesn't take a genius to realise that Manchester United, Manchester City and Chelsea will most likely take up the top three. That leaves Arsenal, Tottenham, Everton and Liverpool to battle for one place. 

I think that although Arsenal do have a good starting team, they are not progressing as fast as their Premier League rivals and that will mean that they will fall behind in the race for fourth place. It's my opinion that Arsenal just don't have what it takes to get fourth this season, but I hope they prove me wrong and start getting back to their old ways. However, how many of us can really see that happening?    

Neymar - Football's Newest Superstar

"He is an idol for all Brazilians [...] genius"

- Luiz Felipe Scolari (Brazil Coach) 

Neymar da Silva Santos Júnior is quickly becoming one of the most talked about and exciting players in the world. At the tender age of 21, he has already scored 136 professional club goals for Santos and 23 goals for Brazil at the highest level. He has won the South American Footballer of the Year for the past three years, and in 2011 he was nominated for the FIFA Ballon d'Or. Neymar has won a Puskás Award (goal of the season) and he is best known for his flair and attacking style. 

Neymar was born in Mogi das Cruzes, São Paulo. His father was also a footballer and he became Neymar's advisor when he spotted his son's talents. Multiple moves saw Neymar's family live in many different areas of Brazil, but this opened the door for clubs to take Neymar into their academies. When he was 17, he signed a professional contract at Santos, where he was able to receive sponsors and substantially increase his family's quality of life. 

Neymar began his professional football career in 2009, and he hasn't looked back since. 14 goals in his debut season quickly change into 42 goals in his second season. He slumped behind slightly in 2011, scoring 24 goals in 47 games, which is still fairly impressive for a young player. Following this slight fall in goalscoring, Neymar came back to enjoy his best season at the Brazilian club, scoring 43 goals in 47 games. In total, Neymar scored 136 professional goals in 225 games for Santos. 

Neymar's international record is even more impressive, he has scored 23 goals in 37 appearances for his country. There have only been two matches where Brazil haven't won when Neymar has scored. Most recently, he has been voted 'man of the match' in 3 out of 3 of Brazil's Confederations Cup matches, scoring a spectacular goal in each game. 

Neymar has had his praises sung by many of football's top names, such as Pelé, Ronaldinho, and retired Brazilian superstar Ronaldo. Ronaldo said "Neymar is a great talent who will show the world that he will be number one". Many footballers and pundits have tipped Neymar to become the best footballer in the world, easily overtaking Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.

Neymar became a father at the age of 19 in August 2011, the baby was born in São Paulo, just like Neymar. The new father embraced the birth, saying " I cried when I learned that I would be his father. At first, I felt fear. Then joy. It is a new responsibility and I am now enjoying it". In 2012, 'France Football' placed the young Brazilian as the 7th richest footballer in the world, with a combined income - from salaries, bonuses and off field earnings (sponsors etc.) - of £11 million. Neymar's most notable sponsorship deal is an 11-year deal with Nike, which he signed in March 2011. Earlier this year he was rated by 'SportsPro' magazine as the most marketable athlete in the world, beating Cristiano Ronaldo's 'CR7' branding (he came in 8th!). Neymar has also been on the cover of North American versions of the Pro Evolution football game, and he was the first Brazilian athlete to feature on the cover of 'TIME' magazine.

'The Next Pelé'? Many people seem to think so.

Neymar has won 10 honours with a team (six with Santos and four with Brazil). However, he has managed to rack up an incredible 38 individual honours. This may be a point of criticism for some people, as many have claimed that his style of play is too selfish. Recent performances have suggested otherwise, Neymar provided an impressive assist for team mate Jô in a game against Mexico, here he showed impressive skill to squeeze through an impossibly tight space and selflessly assist his team mate. 

So what's next for Neymar? After completing his €57 million move to Spanish giants Barcelona on a five-year deal, he'll be looking to make a name for himself at one of the biggest clubs in the world. And with a €190 million release clause in his contract, it seems as though he'll have a lot of time to do so. 

Of course, being the 9th most expensive transfer in history is no small matter. But for a young man who has already established himself as one of the world's best players and overall football personalities, I believe he will be able to live up to his praises and I wouldn't be surprised to see him challenging for top honours next season...  

"I can't explain how special he will become..."

- Ronaldinho

Source(s): 

wikipedia.org

futaa.com

               

     

 

  

  

   

  

The Future of European Football

Recently, German football has been dominating the European headlines following the convincing wins against Barcelona and Real Madrid for Bayern Munich and Borrusia Dortmund respectively. But did these victories predict the future of competitions such as the Champions League? Will teams like Munich and Dortmund start to be consistent finalists in the tournament? Munich's recent form in the tournament - three finals in four years - suggests so. 

So how much better can the German teams get? Munich appear to be on the rise following their signing of Mario Götze, the young Dortmund starlet, for €37 million, and with rumours linking them to Dortmund striker Robert Lewandowski, the Munich outfit could be going from strength to strength this summer. Bayern won the Bundesliga in mid-April and are currently 20 points ahead of second placed Dortmund. They have lost just one game all season and conceded only 15 goals. Munich have been well know for being a hard working, industrious side with powerful attacking skill and a solid defence, but after this runaway reattainment of the league and places in the Champions League and German Cup finals, how much better can they get? On top of this season's success, next season will see a new manager at the Allianz Arena, Pep Guardiola. In his career at Barcelona, Guardiola won 14 trophies and had a 70% overall win rate. With the players at Bayern, there could be no limit to what they might achieve. However, a 1-1 draw between Bayern and Dortmund last weekend could give hope for Jurgen Klopp's side. Borrusia Dortmund narrowly avoided being on the wrong end of one of the greatest Champions League comebacks ever at the hands of Real Madrid last week. A Lewandowski quadruple (and a Ronaldo goal) gave them a 4-1 lead going to the Bernabéu, where they eventually lost 2-0, going through by the skin of their teeth. A second place finish in the Bundesliga may have disappointed Dortmund - who had won it two years in a row before this season - but a Champions League final place is hard to achieve and it may crown a decent season for Klopp and his players. But could this be the last time for a while that they find themselves doing so well? With the losses of Shinji Kagawa to Manchester United and Mario Götze to Bayern Munich recently - and maybe more on the go (Lewandowski?) - the future isn't looking too bright for Borrusia Dortmund. Although they do still have some quality in the team e.g. Reus, Hummels etc. Watch this space...       

Götze has already gone, who could be next?

On a larger scale, leagues such as the Spanish La Liga and the English Premier League may be starting to look obsolete in comparison to the Bundesliga's general style of play. Barcelona and Real Madrid were embarrassed by the German sides and England's representatives in the Champions League this season (Manchester United, Manchester City, Chelsea and Arsenal) were relatively unsuccessful, with United getting the furthest - being beaten by Madrid in the last 16. However, La Liga's 'Big Two' turned into a 'Big Three' this season, with the inclusion of Atlético Madrid, so it will be exciting to see how the other Madrid outfit fare in the Champions League next season. And with the race for fourth still ongoing in the Premier League and the relegation battle as tight as ever, England's league is still proving to be one of the most unpredictable in the world. Furthermore, the summer transfer window could prove to be beneficial for many clubs around Spain and England. With rumours that Neymar could be moving to either of the big Spanish clubs (Barcelona and Real Madrid) constantly floating in and out of the back pages, and players such as Lewandowski and Cristiano Ronaldo rumoured to be coming to Old Trafford in the window, you're never too far away from a big transfer story. In recent years, teams like Barcelona, Madrid, United and Chelsea have been transfer wizards (with the obvious exception of Torres to Chelsea), and signings such as Pique (Manchester United to Barcelona, 2008), Ronaldo (Manchester United to Real Madrid, 2009), Hazard (Lille to Chelsea, 2012) and van Persie (Arsenal to Manchester United, 2012) have shown real intent from Europe's top clubs to expand and fill up their trophy cabinets. After a poor English representation in the Champions League knockout stages this season, the top four teams in the Premier League will be looking to make an impact on next season's competition, but do the English squads have the quality to take on top European teams like they used to? Recent form - with the exception of Chelsea's Champions League victory last season - suggest not. Manchester City's bottom place finish in their group this year shows how weak the Premier League must be in comparison, for the champions to be knocked straight out of the competition at the first stage is a harsh reminder of how far behind other countries we actually are. 

City took an early exit this season, can they do
better in the next campaign? 

Italy, Turkey and the Netherlands all had their champions confirmed last weekend - Juventus, Galatasary and Ajax respectively - and they could all be looking from a bit more from their Champions League efforts this time round. Galatasary and Juventus both enjoyed a decent campaign this season, as they both reached the quarter-finals. Could they improve on that next year? The chances look slim, but the mega-bucks Turkish side could make a big transfer this summer to boost their squad and Italian champions Juventus are being linked to Manchester United winger Nani. However, even with any big signings they might make, I doubt these clubs will have what it takes to challenge the likes of Bayern and Dortmund at the top, but only time will tell...

Overall, I'm predicting some German dominance for the next few years, most likely coming from Munich. If there are major transfers in the summer however, Spanish and English teams could pose a threat to the next Champions League holders. A challenge from outside the main three leagues looks unlikely, although there is usually an unexpected run of wins for one team in the competition. Either way, the footballing community is looking forward to the new season of European football, so roll on September.