Your Team Out of the Champions League? Feeling Down? Then Read This.

By: Daryl | March 17th, 2010

0f35e97d543ccb4518d01dd2ec2cb10d-getty-96535561me034_chelsea_v_int Some big big teams have been knocked out of the Champions League recently. Real Madrid, Chelsea and Milan all exited in the last 16, while both Liverpool and Juventus bowed out after the group stage. Fans of these teams were understandably disappointed, and fans of all but one club will be similarly disappointed once the Champions League is finally over.

Certainly I have some sympathy for Chelsea and Real Madrid fans. Chelsea have come so close to Champions League glory so many times, while Real Madrid fans can quite rightly ask why a team that’s been full of big names for the past six seasons has failed to get past the round of 16. But I’m going to risk sounding dismissive of these fans disappointments and say this: It’s only the Champions League. So relax.

Yes, I know, it’s big. Everyone wants to win it. But remember it’s an annual competition. It’s not the World Cup, which only happens once every four years. So if you’re one of these big clubs then you’ll almost certainly be back in next season’s Champions League, most likely as a result of the money you’ve earned by being in it this year. Things could be so much worse.

Think of all the clubs who make the Champions League group stage but then almost never make it out. Would you rather be a Maccabi Haifa fan? Now think of all the clubs that never make the Champions League but have to settle for the poor imitation that is the Europa League every year. Would you rather be a CSKA Sofia fan? Now think of all the clubs who are bravely battling against relegation from their national league’s top flight, and don’t dare to even dream of qualification for continental competition. Would you rather be a Wolverhampton Wanderers fan? I wouldn’t, and I am one.

It gets a lot tougher from there on down. Teams struggling to make it into to the top flight, teams struggling to stay in the second tier and down and down and down until we’re talking about clubs who are struggling just to exist. Would you rather be a Chester City fan? Well you can’t, because they ceased to exist last week.

So if your team had ambitions of winning the Champions League but is now out, then don’t let it get you down. Just remember how lucky you are to support a team that not only plays in the world’s most glamorous club competition in the first place, but also actually competes in the competition and stands a chance of winning it. If that’s not enough to make you proud of your club then I’ll happily give you a phone number you can call to get Wolves season tickets.

Some Related Stories:

Category: Champions League

Tags: AC Milan, Champions League, Chelsea, Europa League, Juventus, Liverpool, Real Madrid, Wolves

« Vagner Love, Not War. | Home | Champions League Last 16 LiveBlogs: Barcelona vs Stuttgart and Bordeaux vs Olympiacos »

The Offside RSS Feeds

digg:Your Team Out of the Champions League? Feeling Down? Then Read This.

reddit:Your Team Out of the Champions League? Feeling Down? Then Read This.

stumbleupon:Your Team Out of the Champions League? Feeling Down? Then Read This.

Al

When the only reason your team is out is Germany, FIFA and, likely, not so clean hands helping each other out? This year, yes, I can honestly day that in some ways I wish my club had never made it in the first place.
Fifa Gaming News

I am bummd that my team dropped out of the champions league, but hey thats soccer for you
Yasmin

I've been disappointed for the past three years, but I've stuck with my team, and finally I can look forward to the next round :)

(When they announced the knockout matches, I thought for sure that this would be as far as my team would go.)

I'm still disappointed in Madrid, but Go Inter! Wooooo!
t'OM

Daryl - Why can't Wolves be in Europe? They were good enough to beat Perth Glory AND North Qld Fury this season.
Jack

Agreed. I applaud all the true supporters out there, regardless of the club. That's what really makes the game special.

As for the famous CFC, the CL was never priority for me personally this season. I just want the league back. Please.
tom

Well said. I ask my European-Superpower-squad-loving-friends all the time, "Are Man United, RMA, Barca, and Milan big because they have lots of fans? Or just have lots of fans because they are big."

Point being (because that doesn't sound clear), prove you are a fan by sticking with your team even when they aren't treble champions.
george

Nice article..My team is going to play for champions league next year remember the name OMONOIA NICOSIA will take europe by storm
agiamba

Good article, Daryl. Juventus crashed out epically out of the Champion's League, but we have no one to blame but ourselves. Frankly, we don't deserve it right now. Getting 4th would be a big enough "cup" win in itself.
Al

I don't feel bad for the glory hunter fans but I do for the diehard fans that have watched their clubs since youth, and see them crash out of the CL. For the former, they will likely pick a side for the final and enjoy the final like the rest.
Zito

"Would you rather be a Wolverhampton Wanderers fan? I wouldn’t, and I am one.

Would you rather be a Chester City fan? Well you can’t, because they ceased to exist last week."

Hilarious, the first one was gold.
Thank God, I'm an Arsenal fan but the Milan loss still burns me up inside, If Arsenal is my heart, Milan is the veins.
Ian

Wouldn't you rather be a Caley Thistle fan, never having been in Europe, coming off of a relegation season, and fighting for promotion back into a second-tier league? You can't be disappointed if your expectations are set nice and low. Come on over.
Kiara

So true..!!!! Thanks!
I'm a Chelsea fan but its okey.. :) Maybe next year.
vlad

be gratefull for what u have, Rapid is close to winning the Romanian league and they go directly into the champions league group stage if they do, probably wont get past the group stage but I am gratefull nonetheless.