Champions League Analysis - Is There A Shift In Power From Spain To Germany?

possession in their usual fashion, they looked blunt in attack and unsure in defence. Bayern's approach to the game was to work incredibly hard as a team to stifle Messi and Barcelona, and when in possession, attack down the wings with pace and directness. It worked perfectly. It was a complete performance from the Bavarians that highlighted that the possession stats can lie. Although Barcelona had a great deal more of the ball they looked tame in attack, whereas Bayern looked extremely threatening. Real Madrid have successfully formulated a plan to nullify Barcelona's threat recently, but on Tuesday evening Bayern perfected it. Either way it seems that Barcelona, and Spain (who play virtually the same brand of football as the Catalans) may need to reinvent themselves, or fear falling behind at the hands of the fast flowing brand of football advocated in Germany. Similarly, Dortmund made Madrid look unimaginative and tired. The tactic of pressing Madrid quickly worked perfectly, allowing the Spaniards little time on the ball. Tactics aside, what won the match for Dortmund (besides an unbelievable display from Robert Lewandowski) was their determined and enthusiastic approach. It was contagious, lifting an already fantastic crowd, whose passion likewise made the players put in that extra 10%. The mutual admiration between players and fans was demonstrated by the scenes after the game where the Dortmund players celebrated emphatically in front of the terraces. The fear in Spain for neutrals must be that the dominance shown this week by the German clubs will transcend from club football to the international game where Spain have conquered all before them in recent history. The signs that this could happen are certainly there. While Spain's heroes such as Casillas, Puyol and Xavi are approaching the twilight of their careers, in Germany young, exciting prospects seem to be everywhere. Players such as Reus, Gotze and Gungodan are beginning to cement places in the national side alongside veterans such as Lahm and Schweinsteiger who are currently at the peak of their powers. So, while this week's events, however dramatic, are not signals of turmoil at Barcelona or Real Madrid, they have highlighted that the rising forces in European football are German. The outcomes of the reverse legs in Spain next week, and more broadly next years World Cup in Brazil will provide a more definitive answer to the above question.