The Premier puts La Liga in check again: how are the English and Spanish teams doing in the Champions League?

For years they were the kings of the Champions and Europa League, but time passes and things have changed a lot. The fourth day of the Champions League made it clear that Spanish teams are going to have to break a sweat to get into a round of 16 that with 180 minutes to go, they are more than complicated in several cases.

Except for the leadership that Real Madrid holds in its group, the rest of the teams on the Iberian Peninsula go through hardships in a Champions League that has been more than hostile to LaLiga teams. The fixture, injuries and the low level of many of its stars have pushed Barcelona, Villarreal, Sevilla and Atlético de Madrid to an extreme situation.

Barcelona, who although a victory on the next date against Benfica would put them in the second round, it is hard to think today that they have to go far in the Champions League. As for Atletico Madrid, it is true that the fixture played a trick on them in a group where Milan, Liverpool and Porto have meant a headache for Diego Simeone's men, who were never able to display their game.

Villarreal breathed with the victory against Young Boys, but now the most difficult part comes. Not only will they have to host Cristiano Ronaldo and Manchester United on the next date, but the end of the group stage will make them travel against an Atalanta that has already put them in a lot of trouble. 

Finally and to everyone's surprise, Sevilla suffers like never before in a Champions League where Wolfburg, Salzburg and Lille seemed to be easy prey for Lopetegui in company. Right now the Hispanics are coleros of the area, without triumphs in their favor and the feeling that even the Europa League is far away right now.