Is the natural order about to be challenged?

Liverpool showed a weakness on Tuesday night that a vibrant and talented Fiorentina side took full advantage of. In the first half of the game Liverpool were outplayed in every conceivable way and Fiorentina got what they deserved for their endeavours.

Significance

The question is, does this game have a wider significance for the hierarchy of European football, or was this a one off occasion whereby Liverpool played badly and Fiorentina played well.

Most people feel that the Champions League is likely to be won by an English or Spanish club. If they manage to avoid each other in the qualifying rounds not many people would bet against Chelsea, Manchester United, Liverpool, Arsenal, Real Madrid and Barcelona being six of the eight teams in the quarter-finals.

Italian

That was until Tuesday when Fiorentina’s performance may have shown something of a re-emergence of Italian football.

Inter are clearly a force to be reckoned with but not many people give them a realistic chance of success in Europe. Like their City neighbours Milan, it is widely thought that the team have seen better times.

Doldrums

Meanwhile, the Premier League teams and La Liga teams seem to be going from strength to strength. Whilst Italian football appears to have been going through the doldrums, English and Spanish football have been enjoying a halcyon period. Is all that about to change?

It is not just Italy that pose a threat to the established order of things. Despite some inconsistent performances in the Bundesliga, Bayern Munich look to have a side more than capable of mixing it with the best. Any side with Ribery and Robben as attacking options deserves to be taken seriously.

Dominance

There is just a slight suspicion that the apparent dominance of English and Spanish teams might just be challenged a little harder this season, although Real and Barcelona do look as though they have got it all. They are definitely the teams to beat although the English teams will no doubt recover, regroup and come back with all guns blazing as the competition develops.

I think it is great that some of the other teams are rising to the challenge because the less predictable a tournament, league or competition is the more interesting and exciting it becomes for the neutral spectator.

Challenge

In England, the ‘big four’ are now facing a challenge from the likes of Manchester City and Tottenham. In Spain, Real are back in the hunt with Barcelona and Sevilla are looking good too. In Italy, Sampdoria and Juventus look capable of making a realistic challenge to Inter. In Germany, any one of about six teams could take the title. In Holland the champions are down in sixth place and in Portugal unfancied Braga have taken the season by storm.

Both domestically and in European competition things are shaking up to be a really interesting and exciting season. At the end of that season comes a World Cup that is equally unpredictable with the likes of Argentina maybe not even qualifying.

The next few months look like being a glorious time for all of us football fanatics.