Is the German League stronger than the Italian League?

The debate will always rage around Europe about who has the strongest league on the continent. 

For the last ten years, many have considered the English and the Spanish leagues as the strongest on the planet, as the world’s top players flocked to play for top sides in La Liga and the Barclay’s Premiership.

An all English final in 2008, Liverpool winning in 2005, along with three Barcelona wins in 2006, 2009 and 2011 strengthened the view that these were the two strongest leagues in Europe.  In fact, from 2005 to 2012 there was an English team present in every Champions League final bar one.

La Liga however, is constantly derided as a two team league, though this year Athletico Madrid are still matching their more illustrious city rivals Real Madrid in the league – although both are well adrift of leaders Barcelona.  Malaga are also present in the Champions League quarter finals, despite financial troubles.

As the traditional superpower of the 90’s, with the world’s best players playing in Serie A, Italy’s reputation was as the third force of European football leagues throughout the last decade.

Now however, the Champions League (the traditional barometer of a league’s teams) is bereft of English teams.  The current holders, Chelsea, were considered a somewhat lucky winner last year, and no other teams from England progressed to the quarter finals last year either.

The team Chelsea defeated in the final last year, Bayern Munich, look like one of the favourites for the trophy this year.  They demolished Hamburg 9-2 at the weekend in the Bundesliga, with the main surprise being that their miserly defence let in two goals taking the total conceded to only 13 in 27 matches this season.

 Bayern are 20 points clear of their nearest challengers Borussia Dortmund, and look like a vintage side from a club that has produced many legendary sides.

Coming up against a Juventus side that went the entire Serie A season unbeaten last year, and knocked out the holders Chelsea in the group stage of the Champions League, this looked like the perfect match up between Germany and Italy.

A 2-0 victory to Bayern Munich means Germany have come out on top in the first leg.  Goals from David Alaba and Thomas Mueller gave Munich a comfortable victory, but the return in Turin gives Juventus another chance to prove themselves.  Current German League champions Borussia Dortmund are also impressing, contributing to the elimination of English Champions Manchester City in the group stages.

Does this mean that German football should be considered superior to Italian football?  With the two Milan clubs currently in states of transition, Bayerns challengers in the Bundesliga like Dortmund and Schalke could be considered stronger teams.

With the English teams not even in the competition it should make for an interesting summer transfer window as the richest league in the world.