Atalanta's achievement in reaching the Champions League last 16 despite a dreadful start is remarkable, especially for a club of their stature, but it has also had another ominous knock-on effect. The modest Italians, appearing in the competition for the first time, defeated Shakhtar Donetsk 3-0 Wednesday to progress at the expense of the Ukrainians, despite taking just one point from their opening four games.
"You don't always get what you deserve in football," said Ajax coach Erik ten Hag, bitterly, after that game.
However, football is almost all about money these days, and so we are left with something never seen before this is the first time since the current Champions League format was introduced in 2003 that every club through to the last 16 has come from Europe's biggest five domestic leagues.
The Premier League quartet are joined by four Spanish clubs, three Germans, three Italians and two French teams.
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