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Liverpool’s 4-0 hammering of Real Madrid was without doubt the best performance by the Reds all season and typified the hot form of the EPL sides in the UEFA Champions League.
As English sides once again continue their imperious stride deep into the latter stages, it proves that continental power at present lies with the EPL or, more specifically, its big four.
But is this period of English club domination merely a cycle that rotates every few years between other powers such as Italy and Spain or is this part of a sustained period of domination as the big four pull away from the rest of Europe, the net result of the global success of the EPL and the economic rewards it has given them?
Unlike previous periods of strength by respective nations, English clubs are achieving this success in depth. All of the big four have reached a final in the past three seasons.
The same four have qualified for the Champions League in the past five seasons.
Their domination of their local league has created this cycle of enabling them to benefit from the riches rewarded to them through qualification, attracting the best players and personnel. Also, in such an aggressive domestic league with the addition of two Cup competitions, they are battle hardened.
This domination has been helped by the cash cow the EPL has become, with the league’s revenue almost double that of fellow European leagues.
This enables the clubs to attract the cream of footballers worldwide.
This is why this English domination isn’t indicative of the strength of home grown players, it is the quality of overseas players that the EPL attracts.
Take, for example, the great irony of a Liverpool side with more Spaniards in the starting eleven defeating a Spanish giant in Real Madrid, Fernando Torres performance highlighting the quality of the ‘import’ for the big four.
With the best players, the technical quality of the big fours performance has reached a new height and the rest of Europe must play catch up.
Depending on what the draw throws up and this mornings results, another all English Champions League final looks like a good bet.
But does the English clubs dominance detract from the competition?
Seeing the great sides from all over Europe compete against each other is, for the neutrals at least, what makes the Champions League so unique and fascinating.
If English clubs dominate in such a manner then the Champions League could be tagged as a glorified EPL.
If this trend continues, we may see an acceleration of UEFA’s attempts to tinker with the competition, moving away from allowing multiple teams from the stronger leagues and rewarding the champions from the smaller nations.
Then there is the building feud between the EPL and UEFA regarding the latter’s proposal to introduce financial regulations for European competitions and the controversial ‘six-plus-five’ rule.
If the big four crowd out the UEFA Champions League, Platini and his UEFA cohorts will have further reason to look at some form of equivalency to reign in their domination.
In the meantime, the big four have the economic might, personnel and technical capability to continue their hot streak in the Champions League until the rest of Europe catches up.
They can catch up. It’s just a matter of when and how they can achieve it.