Despite some scintillating football, two English teams in the Champions League Final and the closest run-in to a league title in 40 years, many English football puritans have been left with a bad taste in their mouths this season.

On the surface, the Premier League has never been more bullish, never so possessed of skillful footballers. Where once, players such as Torres, Ronaldo, Gerrard, Drogba et al would be compelled to move to Italy (or, latterly, Spain) to compete at the highest level, now the general preference is England. A dozen years ago the Premier League could only hope to attract top players in the twilight of their careers, but today, many of the world’s leading talents spend their best years in Blighty.

So great is the pull of the Premer League pound that even the inferior weather can’t keep them away. And because of its global attraction, English football has become seriously big business.

But what price, if any, are we paying for this cosmetic and commercial success? Is the Premier League at risk of becoming the plaything of a ‘scoreumvirate’ of business tycoons who might down tools and move on as abruptly as they entered the fray, leaving vast debt in their wake?

The sports pages have been dominated this season by the ‘business’ of football. Comment on the beautiful game has made way in part for boardroom battles that wouldn’t be out of place in the script of ‘Dynasty’.

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Nani has been forced to apologise for his crazy headbutt on West Ham’s Lucas Neill in the first half of Manchester United’s critical game against West Ham.

With the visitors having pulled the score back to 3-1, Nani’s dismissal might have proved significant and both manager Sir Alex Ferguson and assistant Carlos Queiroz lamented the Portuguese for his impetuousness at such a vital time in the season.

The midfielder’s red card has been the culmination of weeks of poor form, however. His final ball has frequently been misplaced or not forthcoming at all - like at Stamford Bridge in the crunch encounter with Chelsea - and the 21-year-old has demonstrated his immaturity during United’s most crucial games of the entire campaign. In fact, his performances are reminiscent of compatriot Cristiano Ronaldo’s during his first season at the club - the desire to impress is clear, but there is often no end product and a lack of selflessness.

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A broadsheet journalist quite rightly pointed out this week that Champions League semi-final first legs are pretty pointless, beyond giving both teams the chance to play a home leg.

Chelsea’s away goal is arguably very valuable but it seems that, more and more, the main priority of teams in the first leg is to stay in the tie.

The home side is always tempted to try and build a lead, and consequently starts brightly. But as the game gets older, the cost of conceding becomes greater and both teams prioritise defensive solidity. In short, the second legs are where you will find most of the drama. And so, this week should provide some of the best football of the season.

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Onde está Ronaldo?

‘Stubbornly resilient’ is the greatest praise that can be afforded to Manchester United’s performance at the Camp Nou against a Barcelona side high on household names but low on belief.

The defence was once again sublime - as against Roma in the quarter-finals - and they were constantly at work as a dishevelled midfield offered little ball retention and the forwards none at all. Cristiano Ronaldo, the Premier League’s best player, was substandard once again during a match of huge significance.

He was oblivious during United’s crucial matches of last season - the FA Cup final, the Champions League semi-final against Milan - but following a sensational domestic campaign, it had seemed the Portuguese had finally developed into a consistent and big game player.

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Pepe Reina 5
At fault for the opening goal of the evening as Diaby’s stinging shot somehow deflected in off the Spanish stopper.

Kolo Toure 6
Competent throughout at right-back but an incredibly costly loss of concentration immediately after Arsenal had equalised gave the referee little option but to award a penalty.

William Gallas 6
Defensively solid but failed to offer much in the way of strong captaincy or leadership to the rest of the back four who were often overwhelmed.

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So, another Liverpool versus Chelsea semi-final awaits a disappointed neutral spectator who will still have in mind the dour clashes these pair have regularly fought out over the last few years.

But, perhaps, there is hope after Liverpool progressed from their quarter-final clash against Arsenal in thrilling fashion.

Both sides claimed they deserved to advance, and Arsenal once again offered a footballing masterclass in fine passing and movement, scoring a fabulous second goal deserving of winning any match. Yet the frailties that have dogged their progress this campaign re-emerged within sixty short seconds as a lack of concentration in defence led to a decisive penalty being given away.

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I was only five years old, but my heart and gut tell me Arsenal will repeat their 1989 feat 19 years on..

After coming home from Wednesday night’s game against Liverpool, I felt as if my beloved Arsenal had lost. Of course, we had drawn 1-1 with a good team managed by a defensive-minded genius. Nevertheless, it really did feel like a defeat.

For about 65 minutes, I watched Arsenal not only play some sublime football, but also comprehensively teach Liverpool a lesson in the art of attacking, one touch, free-flowing football.

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The Champions League specialists shone again, in London on this occasion, with a 1-1 draw at Arsenal that places them well to progress through to the semi-finals. But Arsenal, despite conceding an away goal, can take heart from their recent exploits at Anfield ahead of the return leg on Tuesday.

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The quartet of English sides enter the quarter-finals of the Champions League in differing degrees of form and confidence. But whilst some have been disappointing domestically, they will all have reason to believe that they can go further in the competition this year. But which of the four have the right blend to go all the way?

Footballing World runs through the potential path to the final in Moscow.

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