Is there a feeling that this season's Champions League final is a bit one-sided in terms of strength? Real Madrid is the king of the Champions League, winning La Liga four rounds ahead of schedule this season, and is a proper top European team this season. Dortmund ranks fifth in the Bundesliga, and if it weren't for the Bundesliga's European points advantage, Dortmund wouldn't even be able to get a place in the Champions League. Looking at the Champions League finals in recent seasons, they are basically strong confrontations, and Tottenham in the 1819 season is a bit like Dortmund this season.
But to be honest, this feeling may be an illusion, or rather, everyone is spoiled by the long-term monopoly of the Champions League by the top giants. You know, Dortmund is also a strong team in Europe, and has won the Champions League, although the background is not as good as Real Madrid, but in European football, there are also their No. 1. In addition, looking at the history of the two sides, Dortmund is really not afraid of Real Madrid. It's Real Madrid, who often get stuck here at Borussia Dortmund.
In short, this Champions League final is definitely a strong conversation, after all, both teams are Champions League champion-level teams, and both are from the five major leagues.
Speaking of which, we have to mention a fact. The five major leagues have had a monopoly on European champions for thirteen years. From the 11th to 12th season, whether it is the Champions League or the Europa League, the champions are all from the five major leagues. Remember the last time a non-top five league team topped Europe, which team was it? 10-11 Europa League, Porto. At that time, Porto beat Braga in the final to win the Europa League.
Over the years, teams such as Ajax and Benfica have reached the Europa League finals, and they are only one step away from reaching the top, but in the end they fell short. When will the European championship be won again by a team in a non-top five league?
Perhaps, this season, the opportunity has come. In the UEFA Europa League, Olympiacos knocked out Aston Villa in an upset and met Fiorentina in the final. If they win, then 13 years from now, European football will once again be famous – just as Porto won the Europa League thirteen years ago, Olympiacos, a team from the non-top five leagues, has become the king of European competition.
Although the level of the UEFA Conference League cannot be compared with the Champions League and the Europa League, after all, it is also a regular European competition under UEFA, and being able to win the championship at least shows that this team is absolutely competitive in the second and third tiers of Europe.
The UEFA Europa Conference League has been established three years ago, and it has indeed provided some small teams and second-tier giants with the opportunity to reach the top of Europe. In the first UEFA Europa League, Feyenoord reached the final, but unfortunately lost to Roma. This time, Olympiacos from the Greek Super League may have a better chance, after all, their opponent Fiorentina may not be better than them.
It is worth mentioning that the Greek team has never won a European competition, and if Olympiacos wins, it will make history. Perhaps, they will be benchmarking the Greek mythology of Euro 2004.