Italian? Why is Mourhino so eager to come back to the EPL? Spanish look at the difference between the top 2 and the rest.20 point gap. German? cant say

I think we need to get our facts right on something...

The EPL is widely regarded as the best league in the world (by the English press). Now, all of us football lovers know that Spanish football is head and shoulders above not only English football but even Italian and German

However,the FA has marketed the EPL so widely and well that it has the biggest no. of fans worldwide and makes the most bucks (until now they've decided to cap the amount of money a station can bid for rights to air the EPL). That is why the English say it's the best, just like saying Allan Shearer is the best striker of all time in the EPl since he's the one who has scored the most goals!

Of course the English game is also fast paced and adrenalin inducing for the players and exciting for the fans (the fans are so close to the stadium so the player can hear every insult and the fan can see every foul missed by the ref).

La Liga is technically advanced football,style oozes even in the bottom teams when you watch the matches - but that's where it ends. La Liga is exciting to watch if you are a real football enthusiast who appreciates the chobo, kanzu, otho and scissor.

Serie A is like going to watch football in a factory - a drub affair where fans don't even come to watch their teams (I hear ticktes cost an arm and a leg and all TV stations air the games so why bother?). The games are defensive and efficiency is they key (read boring).

I can't remember the last time I saw a Bundesliga game though the highlights look interesting.IMHO, it's a watered down version of EPL - not much style, a lot of excitement from fans (the stadiums are always packed)but still German football.

I think the best way to sum up all of this is to ask yourself when was the last time you watched a full Spanish, Italian or German game (and not the Milan derbies or the El Classico).Even the guys who have premium Dstv at home can attest that it's mostly EPL games. Go figure

@smano............A nice analysis that.

My take though is different. IMHO, the talk of the 'best soccer league in the world or even in europe' is very subjective. This is as subjective as talking of the best club in say England.Like for instance Arsenal fans believe their team is the best in England whereas Man-U fans see nothing in Arsenal compared to their preferred club.

This brings us to the question:- What constitutes good soccer? Again, the answer to this is also very subjective. I would say brazilian soccer/league would appear on paper to be the best in the world yet as @smano correctly predicts, i would not waste my precious time watching it on my Dstv..... Why would i waste time watching 'good soccer' by unknown stars?

To most of us good soccer is about passion and excitement. Thats why i would opt to watch my dear Man-U playing say, Bolton than watch Barca, with all their so-called good soccer,playing whichever club in la liga.

Finally, comparing different 'major' leagues in europe is like wondering what would have happened in Man-U Vs Bayern match had Rafael not been red-carded. Others may argue that had maradona been the coach for Barca, then Messi would not have scored any goal against the hapless gunners............You simply can't tell.

Well, well, well! A 0:0 draw for Man U against Blackburn with Chelsea having a game in hand! Chelsea needs to draw 2 games for Man U to have ANY chance at the title.

This one is Chelsea's to lose.