Final four are the best in the business

Whisper it quietly, but the semi-final draw of the Champions League could not be any better. In fact, don’t bother whispering, because everybody knows that Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, Barcelona and Borussia Dortmund are going to put on a swashbuckling show in front of a global audience.

And you know what? When I tune in in just under two weeks’ time for the first-leg matches, I won’t care one jot that there are no English representatives.

The current holders, of course, are our beloved Chelsea, who somehow overcame Bayern last year in a final so indisputably one-sided that it was inevitable Roberto di Matteo’s side would defy justice in the penalty shoot-out.

As Didier Drogba rolled home the winning penalty to complete a virtuoso individual display, I can’t say I felt patriotic blood coursing through my veins. Blues fans will cherish the memory of John Terry collecting the trophy, but whilst their resilience was admirable, I came away feeling that true champions had not prevailed.

Each year, when more accomplished sides from other European leagues eliminate our finest, we conduct an inquest into the state of the Premier League. It is a self-satisfied quest, aimed at avoiding the more obvious fact that the best we can offer is dwarfed by the best Germany and Spain can offer.

When England’s finest, Manchester City, faced Bundesliga champions Borussia Dortmund in the group stages at the Etihad Stadium, Joe Hart found himself under assault for the majority of the 90 minutes. And while Sir Alex Ferguson is probably still seething at the circumstances of his side’s exit to Real Madrid earlier this season, their 3-1 defeat to Guardiola’s Barcelona in the 2011 Champions League final was something of a footballing lesson.

No, when I settle down in midweek to watch the latter stages Europe’s elite club competition, I want to see the best four sides in the competition play. And that is what we have. Dortmund are occasionally patronised as happy-go-lucky quirks, but Jurgen Klopp has built a vibrant side at the Westfalenstadion who have beaten formidable opponents on their route to the semi-finals – including finishing above their semi-final opponents Real Madrid.

Jose Mourinho, though, will relish the opportunity to avenge Dortmund’s group-stage triumph, and has the irrepressible Cristiano Ronaldo to call upon. Can Mourinho conjure a third personal Champions League triumph before, as seems likely, departing the Bernabeu? Very few would put it past him, and many consider them favourites.

As for Barcelona’s date with Bayern Munich, footballing fans can be forgiven for licking their lips. Tito Vilanova knows his side were lucky to squeeze through on away goals against Carlo Ancelotti’s PSG, but the 2009 and 2011 winners still retain the supreme core of previous triumphs – and that man Lionel Messi, scorer of a record 91 goals in 2012.

Bayern, though, will take some stopping. Jupp Heynckes’ side disdainfully brushed Serie A champions Juventus aside in the last round in a 4-0 aggregate victory, and will be brimming with confidence after sealing a comprehensive Bundesliga triumph ahead of Dortmund.

The aforementioned Guardiola, who will take over at the German club for the start of next season, will be in the unusual position of watching with a vested interest in both sides. Xavi, Messi et al will be keen to show him that he has work to do to make Bayern the most feared club in Europe, while Heynckes’ players will want to prove they are good enough to fit the Spaniard’s template.

For those who love football, this semi-final line-up has to be the best we could have hoped for. Three established heavyweights and a blisteringly brilliant newcomer are set to slug it out, standing toe-to-toe, for the right to claim the coveted Champions League crown. And for the English clubs, players and supporters ejected from the exclusive party, watch and learn if you want to stand a chance of receiving an invitation next year.