Was reading The Game, from The Times. An article talks about Liverpool, and how they haven't won a title for ageeesss! And they can't use the excuse of "we are concentrating on Europe, we are the elite teams like Madrid etc."
Because over the last 15-20 years, Madrid, Barca, Milan, Man Utd etc have won the Champions League and their domestic leagues!
I found the article:
Because over the last 15-20 years, Madrid, Barca, Milan, Man Utd etc have won the Champions League and their domestic leagues!
I found the article:
The Debate: Liverpool are 21-0 down on league titles
In Wednesday’s Times, I wrote that Liverpool paid a price for finishing second in their Champions League group, because there was a good chance they would now be pitted against one of the big clubs of Europe: AC Milan, Real Madrid, Barcelona or Inter Milan. Cue angry postings along the lines that, in Europe, Liverpool are a big club; five times, pal, two finals in three years, you know the argument.
Yet surely consistent domestic success is part of this process, too? Liverpool have not won the title in what would be termed the modern era, post Premier League. Since the successful 1989-90 season, their achievements have been one Champions League and one Uefa Cup win (it is pointless comparing domestic cups as these are not taken seriously by leading clubs in Italy and Spain).
In that time, Barcelona have won eight league titles and two European Cups; Real have five league titles and three European Cups; Inter have two league titles and three Uefa Cups and Milan have six league titles and three European Cups.
Inter are short a trophy with big ears, but by all other criteria Liverpool are overwhelmed.
This is not to belittle them. The point made was that recent results under Rafael Benítez in Europe suggest this quartet of clubs should be equally wary of playing Liverpool, but the big club argument goes further. I noticed that few of those insulted by the term were from Liverpool.
I think those that go to Anfield every week know the score. When Liverpool truly were the giants of the European game, they also dominated at home. What has happened in recent years is an anomaly. Unless Benítez can add the domestic title to his European achievements, there will always be a blank space on his Liverpool CV, because league form is the default measurement of success.
As it stands, in recent times, to the clubs mentioned, Liverpool are 21-0 down on league titles; and not even Steven Gerrard could pull that one back.
