The English game may well not have noticed, being mostly worried about Luis SuArez and his marauding molars, but there was a coup in European football this week. On subsequent nights two German groups not only saw off the best-known names in Spanish football but did therefore with a relish which suggested that the ability structures in the Champions League are planning to change. On Tuesday, Bayern Munich beat Barcelona 4-0 in the first leg of these semi-final. These night Borussia Dortmund defeated Real Madrid 4-1. The likelihood of either deficit being overturned in Spain must be slender and the prospect of an final at Wembley on 25 May is an stimulating one. A German resurgence is long overdue. Bayern were the past German team to win the Champions League in 2001 if they beat Valencia on fines. Ever since then the tournament has been dominated by Spanish, English and Italian sides. In 2013 the task from England and Italy has fallen well short while Manchester United might declare that they might still have now been there but for the dismissal of Nani in the second leg of the last 16 when they appeared set for success against Real. Chelsea, the members, and Manchester City maintained only token appearances and while the group stage was survived by Arsenal their departure was predictable and meek. Bayern were anything but meek against Barcelona. Their performance was ab muscles essence of German football even if two of probably the most significant players, Arjen Robben and Franck RibAry, originated from Holland and France. The rate, combination of technique, natural passing and movement, and especially the strength of their group, rolled back the years to the membership, great German groups and international, of days gone by. The way in which Barcelona were beaten valued remote pictures of the 1954 World Cup last in Switzerland when West Germany faced Hungary, the staff of its era. Several gave the Germans the merest glimmer of hope. The Hungarians had defeated them 8-3 in the opening class period. Why should they lose now? But Hungary, like Barcelona on Tuesday, were slightly off their game. And Ferenc Puskas, like Lionel Messi, hadn't entirely recovered from an injury. So even though the Hungarians scored twice in the initial eight minutes they were gradually worn down by the opposition's pace, skill and relentless targeting power and were beaten 3-2. Dortmund's rout of Madrid was practically an replay of the fit in Munich twenty four hours earlier in the day, except that victory was all about the conventional centre-forward play of Robert Lewandowski, who is Tommy Lawton, Nat Lofthouse, Alan Shearer and Robin van Persie rolled into one. If Van Persie's excessive shot for United against Aston Villa on Monday, when the Dutchman took a ball dropping over his shoulder on the volley, was the purpose of the season in the Premier League, then the third of Lewandowski's four on Wednesday, an exquisite drag-back accompanied by a change and booming shot, may have few rivals in the Champions League. In the aftermath of these German triumphs against such vaunted competitors, many statements have spoken of power changes in European soccer. It is a fair concept backed by exhilarating research, although with the return legs still in the future, and when it can be assumed that Bayern and Dortmund will continue to go from strength to strength while adding new faces for their squads, German optimism might be entirely justified. Yet Dortmund went in to Wednesday's match understanding that certainly one of their most critical players, Mario GAtze, was established to join Bayern in the close time for A31.5m with still another, Sven Bender, also more likely to move. And as Lewandowski was scoring his four goals, one could sense his selling price rising since he'll be out of agreement after next season, an issue which may also result in him making come early july. While Bayern would seem to be better placed economically, neither membership may be in a position to withstand the kind of offers because of their players that could originate from Spain or England. If Chelsea's manager, Roman Abramovich, was prepared to pay A50m for Fernando Torres, what may he maybe not lash out for Lewandowski? Needless to say he can offer Torres in part-exchange, according to his sense of humour. Uefa's try to control such excesses through limitations on debt could make it easier for groups like Dortmund to keep on to their participants nevertheless they shouldn't rely on it. In Europe the power may be shifting on the field, but the power in the pockets remains unchanged.
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