Europe’s glass ceiling

It happens every year. A team completely written off in the group stages somehow sneaks through to the important bit. When the draw was announced back in December, everyone sniggered at Chelsea’s fate. Presenters, pundits and in fact the entire population came to the same conclusion: Chelsea, in drawing Copenhagen, have a bye.

Now this is all very amusing; a BBC 5Live caller prophesised a cricket score at one point. So rather than whinge about the Champions League not giving the bigger clubs enough competition, let’s concentrate on Copenhagen’s fate.

Copenhagen have outgrown their domestic counterparts, much like other big teams across the smaller European nations.

You see, this last-16 tie is the biggest in Copenhagen’s history: short as it is. It is the culmination of five years hard work from manager Ståle Solbakken, who has transformed his side into the most ruthless ever seen in Denmark.

And there you are now, sniggering because it’s about Danish football. Granted, the Danish football league isn’t as ‘important’ or popular as other European ones, but FC Copenhagen is a good example of Europe’s glass ceiling.

To give some context, Copenhagen are 19 points ahead of the second placed team, Odense. Between second and last place, there are just 16 points. Copenhagen are unbeaten, have the leagues two top scorers, and are a formidable machine against any opponent. They are widely expected to lift their third Danish Superliga title in a row come May, and of course will be in Champions League qualification next season.

Copenhagen have outgrown their domestic counterparts, much like other big teams across the smaller European nations. And yet, there’s nowhere to go from here. The manager is to leave at the end of the season to take charge of Norway, while it is widely expected Copenhagen’s most influential players will be sold to mediocre Premier League, La Liga and Bundesliga clubs in the summer.

The drawing of Chelsea in the Champions League proved a small reality check to the Danes. The buck most probably stops here. The team is more likely to become worse, rather than grow in the seasons to come; a restructuring is the minimum the squad will need.

There is talk of Roman Abramovich’s son investing in the club, with reports of a £50m deal for 30% of the shares. Of course, the money would be thankfully received, but without a strong domestic set-up, the chances of attracting top quality players to the club to compete on the European stage are slim indeed.

If Copenhagen are to regularly advance past the group stages of the Champions League, more money and more interest must to provided to Danish grass roots football. appreciate it is cliché, but it’s also a fact.