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FOOTBALL: ‘Normal’ service hasn’t resumed in Europe, EPL has truly international flavour

The Premier League remains a dominant force despite recent European setbacks, while the Premier League brags international flavour. Gary Lemke highlights a few talking points ahead of the weekend’s football.
Manchester City players look on dejected during the penalty shoot out following the UEFA Champions League quarter-final, second leg match at the Etihad Stadium, Manchester.

The Premier League remains a dominant force despite recent European setbacks, while the Premier League brags international flavour. Gary Lemke highlights a few talking points ahead of the weekend’s football.

Two women looking excitedly at cellphone

‘NORMAL’ SERVICE HASN’T RESUMED IN EUROPE

Unsurprisingly, it didn’t take long for the trolls to come out the woodwork. No sooner had Manchester City exited the Champions League on penalties to Real Madrid, with Arsenal losing to Bayern Munich in the same night, the naysayers reckoned that the English Premier League is overhyped. Real Madrid (14) and Bayern (6) have admittedly won the trophy more than any English club in history, while a Spanish club has contributed to 19 wins, whereas English outfits total 15.

However, in recent years, English clubs have dominated, winning three of the last five. But to suggest this is a changing of the guard in European football is wide of the mark.

EPL HAS TRULY INTERNATIONAL FLAVOUR

Despite their Champions League capitulation, the English Premier League clubs remain the sports cash cow. It’s also truly international in flavour, with players from 63 countries (other than England) having representation this season. The “Foreign” nations with the most representatives in 2023/24 are France (31), Brazil (30), Portugal (20) and Netherlands (19).

There’s one South African – Lyle Foster, whose Burnley side looks doomed to relegation. Foster is the 17th “Saffa” to play in the EPL. Can you name the other 16? Full marks if you got 12 or more: Lucas Radebe, Phil Masinga, Eric Tinkler, Quinton Fortune, Shaun Bartlett, Mark Fish, Pierre Issa, Aaron Mokoena, Steven Pienaar, Benni McCarthy, Mbulelo Mabizela, Matty Pattison, Bongani Khumalo, Kagisho Dikgacoi, Tokelo Rantie and Percy Tau.

TROPHY HUNT STARTS DRYING UP

Admittedly, emotions do run high, and as dreams – and predictions – of quadruples, trebles and even doubles start disappearing, the English Premier League title takes on even more significance with six games to go. Man City are still on course for a double (League and FA Cup), while Liverpool are in the same boat (League and Carabao Cup), while Arsenal’s options have narrowed to the EPL crown. This is FA Cup weekend and City will be looking to regroup and get past Chelsea in the semi-finals on Saturday

PALMER ONE SHORT OF THE ‘HIGH FIVE’ CLUB

When Cole Palmer scored four of the six goals in Chelsea’s midweek rout of Everton, he joined Erlin Haaland on 20 as the most prolific goal-getting in the EPL. That’s some achievement, for the youngster who cost Chelsea a bargain £42m from Man City. However, while Palmer joined an elite club of players who have netted four times in an EPL game, he fell one short of the record number. Five players have each scored five in a match – Andy Cole, Alan Shearer, Jermain Defoe, Dmitri Berbatov and Sergio Aguero.

AGENTS CASHING IN ON PLAYER MOVEMENTS

The room must be fairly crowded, but it pays handsomely to be a football agent, especially when it comes to the EPL. The annual list of payments that clubs have made to players’ agents for February 2023 to February 2024 have been revealed. To add to Chelsea’s financial woes, they top that league, with £ 75 million paid to players’ agents over just one year.

Man City sit second at £60m with Man United next at £34m and Liverpool at £31m. No real surprises in that top four. Only three clubs have paid out agent fees of less than £10m: Brentford (£8m), Burnley (£7m) and Luton (£2m).

WREXHAM FANS DARE TO DREAM

Do you know of anyone who is a Wrexham fan? Breaking news: that might change in the next year or two. For the second successive season, the Welsh club have been promoted, and they will now play their 2024/25 season in League One, which is the third tier of English football.

Owners, actor Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney have a winning formula and they will further raise their profile when playing Chelsea in a pre-season match at the San Francisco 49ers ground in July.

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