Snorky's Shame
Well-Known Member
Out with the old and in with the new.
With 3 of the big 5 leagues becoming dominated by one team, talk of a European Super League has again come to the forefront. I don't necessarily want it to happen but I fear we are heading in that direction.
If we do one, I think the fairest way would be taking the top 18 teams of the all-time Champions League table (1993 to present) from the group stage to the final.
Those teams would be (points earned - titles won):
Real Madrid (517 - 7)
Barcelona (497 - 4)
Bayern (449 - 2)
Manchester United (410 - 2)
---------------------
Juventus (327 - 1)
Arsenal (290 - 0)
Porto (286 - 1)
Chelsea (276 - 1)
Milan (271 - 3)
---------------------
Liverpool (196 - 2)
Lyon (196 - 0)
Internazionale (184 - 1)
Dortmund (183 - 1)
Paris (176 - 0)
Ajax (167 - 1)
Valencia (165 - 0)
---------------------
Atletico (149 - 0)
---------------------
Olympiacos (135 - 0)
The problem with Olympiacos is that they don't compare favorably to the other teams.
1. They only have 1 quarterfinal appearance and no semifinal appearances. Everyone else has at least 4 quarterfinals and one semifinal.
2. Their goal difference is -57, the next lowest is Ajax at +23.
3. Win percentage is 33%, the next lowest is Ajax at 39%
4. PPG is 1.16, the next lowest is Ajax at 1.46
If we get rid of Olympiacos, who do we replace them with? The next seven teams (Roma, Benfica, Leverkusen, PSV, Dynamo Kyiv, Shakhtar and Galatasaray) all have similar profiles (negative GD, under 37% win percentage, less than 1.34 PPG). The next team that has a resume close to the other 17 teams? Manchester City. They've made the knockout stage 6/8 times with 3 quarterfinals and 1 semifinal to show for it. Their goal difference is +37, win percentage is 46% and PPG is 1.58. I'm fine replacing Olympiacos with Manchester City.
My European Super League would look like this:
England (5): Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United
Spain (4): Atletico, Barcelona, Real Madrid, Valencia
Italy (3): Internazionale, Juventus, Milan
France (2): Lyon, Paris
Germany (2): Bayern, Dortmund
Netherlands (1): Ajax
Portugal (1): Porto
Yes, the Bundesliga is under-represented but can you make a case for anyone else? Leverkusen and Schalke have never won the Bundesliga and the other teams don't have the pedigree those two have in the UCL.
It should also be noted that the only former champion that was not mentioned was Marseille. Then again, that title was tainted away.
Anyone want to make a suggestion to my plan above, regardless how you feel about a Super League?
With 3 of the big 5 leagues becoming dominated by one team, talk of a European Super League has again come to the forefront. I don't necessarily want it to happen but I fear we are heading in that direction.
If we do one, I think the fairest way would be taking the top 18 teams of the all-time Champions League table (1993 to present) from the group stage to the final.
Those teams would be (points earned - titles won):
Real Madrid (517 - 7)
Barcelona (497 - 4)
Bayern (449 - 2)
Manchester United (410 - 2)
---------------------
Juventus (327 - 1)
Arsenal (290 - 0)
Porto (286 - 1)
Chelsea (276 - 1)
Milan (271 - 3)
---------------------
Liverpool (196 - 2)
Lyon (196 - 0)
Internazionale (184 - 1)
Dortmund (183 - 1)
Paris (176 - 0)
Ajax (167 - 1)
Valencia (165 - 0)
---------------------
Atletico (149 - 0)
---------------------
Olympiacos (135 - 0)
The problem with Olympiacos is that they don't compare favorably to the other teams.
1. They only have 1 quarterfinal appearance and no semifinal appearances. Everyone else has at least 4 quarterfinals and one semifinal.
2. Their goal difference is -57, the next lowest is Ajax at +23.
3. Win percentage is 33%, the next lowest is Ajax at 39%
4. PPG is 1.16, the next lowest is Ajax at 1.46
If we get rid of Olympiacos, who do we replace them with? The next seven teams (Roma, Benfica, Leverkusen, PSV, Dynamo Kyiv, Shakhtar and Galatasaray) all have similar profiles (negative GD, under 37% win percentage, less than 1.34 PPG). The next team that has a resume close to the other 17 teams? Manchester City. They've made the knockout stage 6/8 times with 3 quarterfinals and 1 semifinal to show for it. Their goal difference is +37, win percentage is 46% and PPG is 1.58. I'm fine replacing Olympiacos with Manchester City.
My European Super League would look like this:
England (5): Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United
Spain (4): Atletico, Barcelona, Real Madrid, Valencia
Italy (3): Internazionale, Juventus, Milan
France (2): Lyon, Paris
Germany (2): Bayern, Dortmund
Netherlands (1): Ajax
Portugal (1): Porto
Yes, the Bundesliga is under-represented but can you make a case for anyone else? Leverkusen and Schalke have never won the Bundesliga and the other teams don't have the pedigree those two have in the UCL.
It should also be noted that the only former champion that was not mentioned was Marseille. Then again, that title was tainted away.
Anyone want to make a suggestion to my plan above, regardless how you feel about a Super League?