Spanish football is in crisis. His hegemony is in serious danger after winning five Champions League titles in the last seven editions. In the last two seasons German, English, Italian and French teams have passed over Real Madrid, Barcelona, Atlético, Seville or even Valencia. A downturn that has been staged in the poor results of Barcelona, Sevilla or Atlético in these round of 16. If the whites also puncture and none of the four Spanish clubs manages to pass the round it would suddenly return to the 2004-2005 season, the worst on a continental level for Spain. A hard blow.
You have to go back to that 2004-2005 campaign to see a Champions League quarter-final without Spaniards. In that edition, Rafa Benítez's Liverpool beat Milan to the final in Istanbul (3-2). PSV and Chelsea were the semi-finalists and Real Madrid and Barcelona were the two LaLiga clubs that went the furthest, but their top was the round of 16. Valencia and Deportivo couldn't even get past the group stage.
Juventus and Chelsea, the executioners
With many internal and institutional problems, Real Madrid succumbed to Fabio Capello's Juventus. The madridistas, trained by Vanderlei Luxembourg, they won the first leg at the Santiago Bernabéu 1-0 (a goal by Helguera), but in the second leg in Turin the game went into extra time. A goal from Zalayeta in the 116th minute (Trezeguet had previously scored) put an end to Real Madrid's dream of 'Los Galácticos' in that edition of Champions and accelerated the sinking of the white ship a campaign later.
Marcelo Zalayeta scores in 116 'of extra time.
STEFANO RELLANDINI (REUTERS)
Barcelona had no better luck either. With Frank Rijkaard as coach they managed to knock down José Mourinho's Chelsea at the Camp Nou (2-1, Etoo and Maxi López). The return at Stamford Bridge was an ordeal for the Catalans. After twenty minutes they lost 3-0, although two goals from Ronaldinho before the break made the culé parish dream of the comeback but Terry's last goal sentenced the match (4-2). And it left Spanish football without any representative in the Champions League. The previous time was in 1993 with a different competition format. In any case, the bad drink of 2005 didn't last long and to the following edition, Barça raised the second 'Orejona' in its history.
Chelsea mock Rijkaard.
DYLAN MARTINEZ (REUTERS)
“If it's the best LaLiga has to offer, then they're in trouble. “
A decline in competitiveness of Spanish clubs that already showed its first symptoms last season. Bayern Munich swept Barcelona (2-8) and Atlético was eliminated by RB Leipzig in the quarterfinals (they saved Sevilla's Europa League furniture). In this one the step back is more evident. To the pressing economic crisis as a result of the pandemic The departure of great footballers from the Spanish league to other competitions has been added.
Real Madrid against Atalanta has the opportunity to reverse that situation and save the pride of football in Spain. A prestige that is already in question outside our borders. Joe Cole, former English international and now a commentator on BT Sport, summarized in a very clear way the impression that the Spanish LaLiga leader had given against Chelsea, fifth in the Premier: “If it's the best LaLiga has to offer, then they're in trouble. “.