On paper, at least, the feeling was that we would see the rise of Premier League sides in the Champions League this season after something of a hiatus.
Both Manchester clubs, Liverpool, Tottenham and Chelsea all progressed through to the round of 16 – making it the first time in which five English clubs had done so – but now, we are left with just two.
Spurs’ dramatic elimination to Juventus, United‘s lacklustre showing against Sevilla and Chelsea’s spirited but in the end inevitable exit to Barcelona saw five become two in the blink of an eye.
Now, ahead of Friday’s quarter-final draw in Nyon, just City and Jurgen Klopp’s men are in the running to go deep as May’s final in Kiev draws ever closer.
There was even a hope, if not an expectation, that the Premier League would provide both finalists for the first time this year since the Red Devils’ penalty shoot-out triumph against Chelsea way back in Moscow, 2008.
That seems very unlikely now although City are among the favourites to win the competition for the first time, and Liverpool boast an attack few can match.
With the likes of Real Madrid, Barcelona, Sevilla, Juventus, Roma and Bayern Munich all lurking in the last eight, there are no easy matches and some mouthwatering ties which will be played.
Since between 2005 and 2012 – when at least one Premier League side made the Champions League final in seven out of eight past editions of the tournament – there have been only two decent runs by English teams.
Chelsea made the semi-finals in 2014 but were defeated by Atletico Madrid while City lost in the last four to eventual winners Real two years ago.
It makes pretty glum reading with the exits of both Chelsea and Man United this week only ruining optimism which many English fans had last month that this tournament would be dominated by teams from the so-called best league in the world.
But, as it’s turned out, there’s a feeling of déjà vu again with English clubs being cut down to size by the rest.
