English Clubs Struggle in Europe This Season
The 2020-21 European football season has seen a surprising lack of success from English clubs, with Arsenal, Manchester City, Liverpool, and West Ham all crashing out of the Champions League and Europa League. While many are blaming the intense competition in the Premier League, others are pointing to the inconsistent refereeing in England. The graph represents the cumulative European titles won by English clubs over the years. Since 2003, when the graph's data begins, English teams have been dominant in Europe, reaching the semifinals of the Champions League in 20 of the past 28 years. However, the trendline has been trending downwards since last season, coinciding with the disappointing performances this season.
It is worth noting that English teams have won the Champions League in three of the past five years and were present in the final in four of the past ten years. This underperformance is an anomaly that may revert with time.
This season's unexpected results have raised questions about whether the Premier League is becoming less competitive compared to other European leagues. Some believe the Premier League is lacking competitiveness due to the dominance of the Big Six clubs. Others argue that the Premier League is still the best league in the world despite the lack of European success for English clubs this season.
The intense competition and tight schedule of the Premier League may be one of the reasons for the underperformance of the English clubs in Europe this season. The graph indicates the average cumulative European titles won by the top five leagues in Europe since 2003. While Spain and England have been dominant, with over half of the titles won, Italy and Germany have also won a significant number of titles. France has been far behind, with only one title won.
It seems that a lack of competitive football rest and the intense domestic schedule in the Premier League negatively affects the performance of English clubs in Europe. The graph shows the average number of points per game played in the five major European leagues this season. While the Premier League has seen a decrease in points per game, La Liga, Serie A, and the Bundesliga are currently performing better. Ligue 1 remains significantly inferior to the other top five leagues.
This lack of focus on European competitions and the prioritization of domestic leagues may be another reason for the underperformance of English clubs in Europe this season. Ultimately, the inconsistent refereeing in England may be another contributing factor to the surprising lack of success from English clubs in Europe this season. While the intensity of the Premier League and the competitive balance are undeniable, the focus on domestic success and the lack of competitive rest may hurt the chances of English clubs in Europe. Additionally, the quality of refereeing in Europe may also play a role in determining the outcome of matches.