The Premier League is undoubtedly the richest and most popular domestic league in the world, yet when it comes to European competition, this seems to disappear.

Just one English club is in the last-eight of the UEFA Champions League, a club that is currently sitting in 1oth in the Premier League.

In the last six seasons, we have seen just five English teams in the quarter-finals of Europe’s most prestigious competition.

Why is this? It’s a tiresome question, one that is asked time and time again. But all the while English clubs continue to fail in a competition where success is expected, this question will carry on being asked.

Between 2005 and 2012, English teams dominated European football, just one final in this time period didn’t feature an English team. In 2007 and 2009, English teams astonishingly made up three of the four semi-finalists, the 2008 final was fought between two English teams – Manchester United and Chelsea.

Since 2012, there hasn’t been an English finalist, with Spain having five of the last six finalists at its disposal.

But why? Here are FIVE potential reasons…

Clubs suffer with the intensity of the English game

Due to the broadcasting deal, clubs in England’s top-flight have huge sums of wealth available to them.

This has made for a much more competitive and demanding league, unlike their European compatriots. Real Madrid can take their foot off the gas against the likes of Granada and Osasuna, even rotating their line-up.

The same doesn’t apply in England, Premier League sides can take less chances against the teams in the bottom-half. This can be detrimental to the European campaigns of English sides.

No winter break

England’s footballing schedule is simply too demanding.

Thirty-eight (38) league fixtures, two domestic cups, potential FA Cup replays, two-legged League Cup semi-finals, for those who get there – but yet no winter break.

When you put it like that, it’s hard to look past the demands of the English game. By the time the Champions League last-16 comes around in early February, European teams will be refreshed after a winter break, whilst English teams will have just finished one of the busiest periods of the season.

When the last-16 begins, and English sides are faced with Europe’s ‘big boys’, Bayern Munich in Arsenal’s case, the fresh legs of the European sides prove too much for the English teams.

The superior fitness of Munich over Arsenal was just one of the many reasons behind their 5–1 demolitions, both home and away, in this season’s Champions League.

Wider range of qualifiers

Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino (Left) and Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp (Right).

The period where English sides enjoyed the most success, between 2004 and 2009, was arguably the peak of the ‘Big Four’ era.

Having teams consistently reach the knockout stages builds a wealth of experience and knowledge of exactly what is required to succeed in this competition. Arsenal seem, for an unknown reason, unable to progress further than the last-16, whilst teams such as Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool, who dip in and out of the competition, inevitably struggle from a lack of experience.

With Arsenal seemingly facing a difficult task to qualify for next season’s competition, yet more Champions League experience could be at risk.

We are facing the possibility of Tottenham, Manchester City and Liverpool making up three of our four Champions League teams. Spurs notoriously struggle in the competition, as do Liverpool in recent years, whilst Manchester City are very unpredictable.

It remains to be seen whether Pep Guardiola can implement the same tactics that saw him be so successful at Barcelona and Bayern Munich.

Tactical differences

We say it every year, and it still applies. The faster and tougher style of the English game leaves managers with no choice but to adapt their game plan.

English teams love to push forward, a style that serves Tottenham superbly in the Premier League. Their relentless pressing works wonders in England, but not against European sides who are happy to sit back and absorb the pressure.

The difficulty for the English teams is if they alter their game too much to suit the European style, this will come back to bite them in England, and may even compromise their top four position.

Combined with the lack of a winter break, European teams are able to play a much more intense style when needed, due to their fresher legs and the superior footballing prowess of some players.

Ability

Manchester City boss Guardiola.

Despite laying claim to the world’s best managers, these managers are not managing the world’s best players.

The reality is the best players in the world are heading to Real Madrid, Barcelona and a small selection to Bayern Munich.

Last season, Guardiola had Thomas Muller, Arjen Robben and Robert Lewandowski at his disposal, players that know the game inside out. Despite their financial superiority, Manchester City don’t have that sort of player, with the exception perhaps of Yaya Toure.

Similarly, Eden Hazard, arguably the Premier League’s best player, is no Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo. Nor does he have the footballing brain of Lewandowski.

It makes a huge difference, especially when the overhyped quality of the Premier League is put to shame in February each year. Whilst the Premier League continues to attract top quality players, the elite seek European success, something for which it is in their best interests to go elsewhere.

More needs to be done to enable English clubs to succeed in Europe. If our failures in the competition continue, it is highly possible that we will lose one of our spots, meaning it will become a race for the top three.

Whilst this may further enhance the competitiveness of the Premier League, clubs may end up neglecting European competition out of desire to re-qualify the following season. The FA needs to act to prevent this from happening, and help us find solutions to these long-lasting questions.