Germany's pain is Italy's gain

The Bundesliga is in the midst of one its most difficult European seasons in years and faces the prospect of having no teams in the semi-finals of the continent's two major competitions.

Pep Guardiola is under increasing pressure (AAP) Source: LUSA

While Germany is wondering what went wrong, Italy's Serie A is entitled to feel smug about its sudden revival that could see three teams in the last four of the UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League.

One swallow does not make a summer but the quarter-final stage of the two competitions has provided some eye-opening moments and food for thought.

Bayern Munich's capitulation to FC Porto in the Champions League raised many eyebrows.

The strangely subdued Bavarian behemoth was outplayed at the Dragao and even though a shock 3-1 loss in itself does not appear to be the end of the world, it could well mean the end of Bayern's involvement in this year's tounament.

Pep Guardiola's team has been hit by injuries to key players but, Germans being Germans, it would surprise no one if Bayern gets out of the hole it has dug itself into.

The fact remains, however, that a champion team like Bayern, even without Arjen Robben, Franck Ribery and Bastian Schweinsteiger, should not be in such a predicament against a lesser team like Porto.

It was Bayern's first ever defeat in Portugal and, not surprisingly, fingers were pointed.

Guardiola has had to state publicly that he will be Bayern coach next season despite strong speculation linking him with Manchester City.

Respected club doctor Hans-Wilhelm Muller-Wohlfahrt has since walked out on the club, claiming he and his department were blamed for the loss to Porto.

"The medical department was for some inexplicable reason made primarily responsible. The bond of trust is permanently damaged," Muller-Wohlfahrt said.

Bayern's spectacular crash came after Bayer Leverkusen and Schalke fell to Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid respectively and Borussia Dortmund was smashed by Juventus in the last 16.

Juve has bounced back brilliantly from the 2006 scandal that saw it relegated to the third division.

It is easily the best team in Italy at the moment.

Goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon and playmaker Andrea Pirlo are performing as well as ever and both played a major role in giving the Bianconeri 1-0 victory over Arsenal's conquerors Monaco courtesy of a penalty goal from midfielder Arturo Vidal.

Veterans Buffon and Pirlo have a special incentive to be involved in the Berlin final. It was at the Olympiastadion that the two stars of the Italian game won the FIFA World Cup in 2006.

Napoli has emerged as favourite for the Europa League after a crushing 4-1 win at Wolfsburg, Germany's only survivor in the competition.

'Napoleone', screamed Gazzetta dello Sport on its front page after Gonzalo Higuain and Marek Hamsik gave a classic demonstration of attacking play that left the German team powerless.

Fiorentina should feel confident of qualifying after snaring a 1-1 draw at Dynamo Kiev, which is never an easy place to go to.

A late strike from Senegalese striker Khouma Babacar gave the 'Viola' a vital away goal and may have earned him a contract extension till 2020, according to reports.

If Juventus, Napoli and Fiorentina get through to the semi-finals, the trio would give the Italian game the tonic it badly needs after years of 'depression'.

It is not that long ago that Italian football dominated Europe but a series of factors culminated in a gradual decline that Italy seemed unable to arrest.

The season's results do not make Serie A nearly as appealing or respected universally as it used to be but they do show that Italy might be on the way back from the doldrums.

I have said this several times: Italy, for all its faults, is one of the mainstays of the world game and European football needs Serie A to be competitive as much as it needs a strong Premier League, Bundesliga and La Liga.

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