Fans’ motivation, especially for traditionally big teams, was lacking as stadiums were shut with only few guests allowed during some games.
The 2020-2021 football season across Europe’s top five leagues has ended with so-called underdogs winning the titles in France, Spain and Italy.
The season which was massively challenged by the Coronavirus pandemic had many clubs gasping for survival as they saw their finances haemorrhaging from declining revenues.
The later end of the season even saw some top European sides toy with creating a breakaway European Super League to enhance their finances.
Many players and officials were also debarred from optimal performance by the virus as infected or traveling ones were made to observe mandatory quarantine time away from training and matches.
Fans’ motivation, especially for traditionally big teams was lacking as stadiums were shut with only few guests allowed during games.
Italian Serie A
Antonio Conte’s side ended eleven years of league title drought for Inter Milan. The Nerrazuris clinched the Scudetto with four games to play.
Juventus were unable to sustain their stranglehold on the Seria A title having won it nine times consecutively before the interruption of their tenth title by the Nezzazuri. Their rookie coach and legend Andrea Pirlo certainly had a lot to learn from more experienced tacticians like Conte.
Napoli’s Champions League hopes were dashed on the last match-day by Verona’s late equaliser which saw Juventus finish fourth to qualify just ahead of them Napoli.
Italy’s Champions League representatives for next season are Inter Milan, Atalanta, AC Milan and Juventus
The second and third placed Atalanta and AC Milan are reported to be looking at improving their squad in the transfer market to challenge for the trophy next season.
Juventus may also be exploring squad or management improvement to turn around their sliding fortunes against next term.
Spanish La Liga
In Spain, Diego Simeone’s Atletico Madrid won the La Liga title amidst perennial dominance by Real Madrid and Barcelona with just two points over the Los Blancos.
The final gameday saw both Madrid teams going behind in the first half before staging a comeback with 2-1 victories which handed the title to Athletico.
In the past ten years, Barcelona have won the La Liga five titles while Real Madrid won three titles. Athletico have mustered two titles since 2011.
Real Madrid were badly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic with some of their crucial players like Luka Modric, Sergio Ramos, Raphael Varane, Eden Hazard, Casemiro sidelined repeatedly during the season as a result of their infection and other injuries.
Luis Suárez’s transfer to Atletico Madrid from Barcelona proved instrumental to their title triumph as his 21 League goals contributed immensely to their title victory.
Barcelona superstar Lionel Messi was embroiled in a messy contract brawl with former club president Josep Bartomeu. The bickering is believed to have distracted the team from the kick-off amid other internal wranglings.
The club also hired a new coach Ronald Koeman who endured initial squad inertia before drilling the players to conform to his style.
Real Madrid are already approaching attacking options with the hope of improving their attack for next season as Vinicius, Asensio and Eden Hazard failed to live up to expectations.
French Ligue 1
The French Ligue 1 has been dominated by PSG which has seen them winning the French league title since 2017. Lille however stopped them at the fourth time of asking.
Lille’s coach, Christopher Galtier since his appointment as manager in December 2017 has taken the team on a huge turnaround as they’ve improved from struggling for survival to winning the French Ligue 1 title in four years.
Galtier’s Lille hold the best defensive record in Europe’s top five leagues in the 2020-2021 season having conceded just 23 goals in the season.
Mike Maignan, Lille’s goalkeeper also recorded 21 clean sheets which is the most recorded by any goalkeeper in Europe’s top five leagues.
PSG lost their fourth consecutive title with just a point adrift of winners Lille even though they scored 86 goals while Lille only managed 64 goals.
PSG had fired former coach Thomas Tuchelid season to sign former player Mauricio Pochettino as manager.
Big spenders PSG would be hoping to reclaim the Ligue 1 trophy as they will most likely splash money in the transfer market acquire required additions.
PSG’s ability to hold on to Kylian Mbappe and Neymar Junior with new signings will be key in their quest for glory next season.
