Malcolm The Storyteller: AN IGNOBLE OUTING FOR THE ENGLISH AND EUROPEAN "CHAMPIONS"

The final phase of the UEFA champions league knock-out stage which was concluded last night proved to be a night of shameful records set for the champion English teams run by money bags. Manchester City under the helms of Roberto Mancini earned a shameful record of being the first and only English team and the only English league champions to have played six Champions League games without winning a single one. Chelsea on the other hand, broke barriers for being the first defending champion to exit the UEFA champions league at the group stage and head to the Europa league.

It would appear that a lot of pundits and passionate fans who believed that Manchester City's win in the Premier League and Chelsea's win in the Champions League last season was a flash in the pan have been vindicated. Manchester City won the English Premier League above Manchester United by mere superior goal difference while Chelsea, by virtue of being UEFA champions, denied Tottenham Hotspurs a place in this season's competition after a shabby league performance last year. It was a flurry of hilarious comments last night capturing the turn of events. Tottenham fans would be thrilled by last night's results.

Manchester City was worst hit after having ended their Champions League campaign at

Roberto Mancini

the bottom of Group D with a miserly 3 points out of a possible 18 points by drawing three games and losing three. Its safe to say their campaign was over before it started having being drawn in the group of death and with the club having virtually no European football experience. This abysmal performance however leaves Roberto Mancini's job on the balance except he can convince the club's Abu Dhabi owners by delivering the Premier League title again.

Fernando Torres and Rafa Benitez

Chelsea however, seemed to finally have bounced back confidently after walloping FC Nordsjaelland six goals to one with Torres finally registering not one but two goals on the score sheet. However, it proved to be an exercise in futility as a win by Juventus put them at the third rung in the group ladder effectively banishing them to the Europa League. Rafa Benitez would be pleased with this result as he had stated a few days ago that Torres was doing very well in training and it reflected in last night's game. He would be relieved and just may have postponed the evil day especially with word on the grapevine that the ever impatient owner, Roman Abramovich is already plotting to bring in ex-Chelsea coach Avram Grant as a consultant after Benitez failed to transform the club's fortunes in his first three league games.

One thing can be said for Chelsea though: despite the ignoble exit as defending champions, they left with their heads held high. Who knows, they may yet break the record of winning the UCL and Europa League back to back. But as the saying goes, we shall see.

As an aside, with 84 goals to his name this year, Lionel Messi was touted make history by catching up with and surpassing Gerd Muller's impressive haul of 85 goals in a calendar year last night when

Messi being stretchered off last night

Barcelona faced Benfica. However, it was not to be after the super star was stretchered off at the 85th minute after coming on as a sub in the second half. 85thgoal - 85th minute...coincidence? You be the judge. I certainly hope the injury isn't serious. I would love to see him break the record because we all know he can.