UEFA Champions League: English Premier teams on the brink of elimination in Europe’s top competition.

Posted by Marino Crocco.

EPL is in danger of having no representation in the 2012 Champions League quarterfinals for the first time since 1996.

Chelsea, along with Arsenal, is one of the only EPL teams left in Champions League.

When Ezequiel Lavezzi’s 65th minute strike hit the back of the net to give Napoli a 3-1 lead over EPL giants Chelsea in the first leg of the round 16, Portuguese manager Andres Villas Boas walked back to his bench and sat down in disbelief. 

Barring a sensational comeback at the Stamford Bridge and the Emirates Stadium in the following weeks vs. Napoli and AC Milan, Chelsea and Arsenal will be joining the two Manchester clubs in front of their TV sets, at home, watching the quarterfinals of Europe’s biggest competition. In fact,  this will be the first time since 1996 that England will have no representation in the quarterfinals of Champions League.  This is a big blow for the star-studded EPL, who claims to be the “best soccer league in the world” 

Is the EPL losing its edge? Or, is this just a year to forget? England’s fate is in the hands of Arsenal (down 4-0 on aggregate) and Chelsea (down 3-1) and they will need a miracle to advance and avoid what could potentially be one of the most embarrassing Champions League campaigns.

Hey, but it’s sports. Anything can happen..