Arsene Wenger reckons the Premier League is STILL the best in the world - despite its clubs suffering major setbacks on the European stage this season.
Chelsea need a miracle to avoid making history by becoming the first European Cup holders to fail to reach the knock-out stages of the next season's competition, and Prem kings Manchester City have failed to get out of their group for the second season running.
With a much-changed Manchester United side losing to Galatasaray in Turkey, Arsenal were left to fly the flag for the Premier League this week.
Victory over Montpellier on Wednesday means Wenger and the Gunners have reached the Champions League's knock-out stages for an incredible 13 seasons running.
But the overall results posed major questions as to whether Germany's Bundesliga has eclipsed the Premier League, with Bayern Munich, Schalke and Borussia Dortmund all in the shake-up for the last 16.
Spain and Italy also appear to be strong but Frenchman Wenger defended the Premier League's honour - and insisting English football is still the best when it comes to entertainment and attracting the top stars.
Wenger said: "I'd still say England is the strongest, because in England if they want a player they get him, still.
"As long as that happens, you will be the most powerful in Europe.
"Are we the best in Europe? That's another question. I think Spain and England (is the best).
"I can't have a joint? Then, England's best, because there's something more here. It's not only linked with what you see on the pitch but how you experience football.
"That's what I believe deeply. And when I speak to the players they say exactly the same.
"Maybe we have less room, less margin, than we had before, when it was just a question of when we [English clubs] would qualify [for the last 16]. Now German football has come up, Spanish football is there every year and some French clubs have come back, like Paris Saint-Germain. It looks less obvious for us.
"But I don't think we are getting worse.
"Man City has gone out, but you can objectively say they were in a difficult group [with Real Madrid, Borussia Dortmund and Ajax] and they are still a good side as they are top of the Premier League."
It is an issue that will divide opinion, but the world's big stars still come to the Premier League, and the sheer excitement and drama present in almost every game means you can sometimes forgive the difference in technical ability compared to Spain.
Wenger can rightly boast about Arsenal's consistency in the Champions League - even if they have never won the cup with the big ears.
But Wenger clearly has admiration for German football and the way the Bundesliga is run, and feels they don't get the credit they deserve.
"But I'm not very objective and I never think we get the credit we deserve," he smiled. "The Bundesliga manage the clubs like they should be managed.
"The whole system is different in Germany - you can't own a club like you can in England. The complete ownership is different because the clubs are owned 50 per cent by the fans. A completely different model.
"That's why they manage like any other business. They don't spend money they don't have."
Wenger also raised the idea of how to improve football throughout the world by introducing a globally synchronised calendar.
The Africa Cup of Nations is out of step with the World Cup and European Championship, while other Continents also play to a different fixture list.
Refreshingly, Wenger does not call on everyone else to fit in with the Premier League, but for a new agreement to be put into place for every league to run from January to November.
Wenger said: "You would not be confronted with these situations when players are playing in two different championships. You would play during the summer period in the best period for football to be played.
"Let's not forget the structure when it started with non-professional football was during the holiday and you started to play football when people went back to work. We have passed that period now.
"The period of rest would be the same. It wouldn't change the number of games.
"I understand it looks completely strange as people have been educated the current way but I moved to Japan and the season was January to November.
"We started training in January and after a while it was completely normal, it wasn't as big a shock as I expected it to be - and I spent Christmas at home!
"It would be a revolution but it would be easier to harmonise all the fixtures around the world and I am convinced FIFA and UEFA would be happy. And you could play a World Cup in Qatar [who will host the 2022 finals] - that is a reason maybe."
Elsewhere, Wenger - who is set to rest and rotate his squad ahead of three tough games in a week - believes Arsenal are over the blip that saw form and confidence dip following a shock defeat at Norwich.
He says they are now back to their best after back-to-back wins over Tottenham and Montpellier set them up for Saturday's trip to Aston Villa.
Wenger added: "I hope we are over it (the blip). It is only coming with results, you know. We were deeply shocked when we lost at Norwich. I think that was a massive, massive shock for us. And since we have seen that they can beat other teams as well!
"Against us, they had one shot on goal, they scored.
"But against Man United, they looked comfortable, they gained confidence. So I hope we will be back to our normal level of confidence."
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