Continental cantering

I could make up some reason for pootering around before writing an end of season review, like waiting to see if Bayern Munich would do a Treble by winning the German Cup (they did) to go with the Bundesliga title and European Cup but the simple fact is I’ve had the Internet when I haven’t had the time (packing for Mongolia, getting two rooms ready for renovation, being back at work) and haven’t had the Internet when I have had the time (being in Mongolian countryside).  I’ve done a few updates since returning from Mongolia to keep my hand in and following will be a few write-ups I did on paper whilst out there.

To start with the continental action, Bayern may be loathed as Hollywood FC in their own country; however, I preferred them to win it in the battle of the Bundesliga at Wembley (the absence of an English side the perfect riposte to Premier League bombast and undermining of the national side yet don’t expect humility).  Borussia had already won the Cup With Big Ears (© José Mourinho) in 1997, whereas Bayern were going for the five that would allow them to keep the trophy permanently (as do Liverpool, AC Milan and Real Madrid with their own versions).  Also, Jupp Heynckes, who had not hoisted a trophy since winning the European Cup with Real Madrid in 1998 was retiring and this was turning out to be the ultimate send-off.  After last year’s disappointment, it was the nearest thing to a defence of the Cup since the changeover to a Champions League format.  It may seem strange for Heynckes to have claimed (prior to the match) that this Bayern squad was better than the one that triumphed in the competition for three consecutive seasons in the 1970s (1973-76), given that this latter-day side had just been runners-up twice over the preceding three years (2010, 2012).  The Champions League though is a different proposition to the old editions, where, after a modification, a clubs plays more matches and faces the European elite rather than a straight knock-out against winners of national leagues of varying quality.  If it had been the old format Sir Alex Ferguson might have been expected to snaffle a couple more trophies.

All the chattering hubris Chelsea had about being the first holders to defend the title was obliterated as they conducted the worst defence of any winner, going out in the group.  Given how they had ridden their luck to victory, to a neutral it seemed unlikely in the extreme to succeed where higher achievers have fallen.  Ironically, this humiliation proved to be a source of glory, as where they fell short in the Champions League, they were well capable of winning its little brother, the Europa League and did so.  Their opponents, Benfica, carped (though they were lucky to prevail against Newcastle United) but their criticisms weren’t etched on the trophy, rather the name of Chelsea, who can join an illustrious rollcall of Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, Liverpool, Internazionale, Juventus, Porto, Ajax, Feyenoord and PSV Eindhoven in winning Europe’s two primary competitions.  UEFA, after staunchly arguing that both contests were of equal value, even to the extent of giving them equal coefficient ratings, has submitted to the reality of the lesser nature of the Europa League (as well as its more draining schedule, where, if discounting qualifiers, a winner plays two more games than a Champions League champion) by dangling the exciting prize of qualification upstairs to the cream of the crop, effectively relegating the Europa League officially to secondary status below the Champions League.