All that glitters is not gold, neither is the Champions League

A knockout competition – played in two legged rounds from the first round – it was a hard, hard slog, to win this trophy.

If you did, you entered the pantheon of the greats and your club was immortalised forever.

Celtic became immortal and iconic as a club by winning it in 1967.

He craved being admitted entry to that pantheon of the greats – it was all consuming – so much so, that it eventually consumed his club.

I would imagine when that man is on his death bed – despite all of his achievements through ill gotten gains and cheating – never achieving what Celtic did will be his biggest regret.

The bullshit 5 stars that adorned their crest for so long are absent this season, instead replaced by 150 years of bullshit.

Nor will we ever have another one for that matter – because for a club of our stature to win that trophy in today’s footballing landscape – it would take a miracle.

The Champions League glitters, but it is not gold.

It is no longer the gold standard of European football because it is no longer a competition for winners.

It is a competition for the richest clubs in European football.

Of the four teams comprising this season’s CL semi-final line up, one of those teams are the current champions of their league.

Villareal finished 7th in La Liga and they are this seasons rare exception to the Champions League rule. They’re not a mega-rich cub.

Calling this competition the Champions League is akin to the U.S. calling their baseball competition the World Series – as if the U.S. was the only country in the world – it ain’t and neither is the Champions league for Champions.

To epitomise what a farce this competition is, the only team that are Champions of their league – Manchester City – are the most desperate to win