Juventus 2018-19: Bianconeri join Europe's fastest title triumphs

Juventus is Serie A champion yet again, but how does its latest success compare with some of Europe's speediest title triumphs?

Published : Apr 21, 2019 01:33 IST

For the eighth year in a row Juventus is the champion of Serie A, but its latest triumph may be its most impressive yet.

The competition has been simply obliterated, with Juve beaten only twice in the league this season as Cristiano Ronaldo rested up at Genoa and SPAL.

Napoli, the closest of the other contenders, has been unable to match Juve's searing pace and, despite having six matches still to play, its title hopes are already over after a 2-1 comeback win over Fiorentina   crowned Juve again.

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Ronaldo's arrival from Real Madrid might not have delivered the intended results in the Champions League, but it appears to have inspired Juve to new heights domestically.

Eight straight Scudetti sets a new record in Europe's top-five leagues, outrstripping Lyon's seven consecutive Ligue 1 titles between 2001-02 and 2007-08, while no Serie A club has ever sealed the deal with more than Juve's five games remaining.

We take a look at six of the fastest triumphs across the continent since the start of the 21st century, when league success has not necessarily coincided with European glory.

 

Bundesliga: Bayern Munich

 

Perhaps unsurprisingly, Bayern leads the way in the Bundesliga having claimed the 2013-14 title after just 27 matchdays. Pep Guardiola's first season in charge of the Bavarian giant was a roaring success, Bayern also claiming the DFB-Pokal, Club World Cup and UEFA Super Cup. Mario Mandzukic, now playing a key role for Juve, led the way with 18 Bundesliga goals and Bayern only lost twice in the top flight. A 5-0 aggregate thrashing by Real Madrid in the Champions League semifinals marred its season, though.

READ|  Ronaldo confirms Juventus stay after Serie A success

Ligue 1: Paris Saint-Germain

There were still eight rounds of games to go when PSG won the Ligue 1 title in 2015-16 under Laurent Blanc. Indeed, it could have sealed the league even earlier having been unbeaten in its first 27 matches of the campaign before suffering a 2-1 loss away to Lyon at the end of February. Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored an amazing 50 goals in all competitions but there was European disappointment for PSG, too, after being edged out 3-2 on aggregate by Manchester City in the quarterfinals of the Champions League. 

Premier League: Manchester United, Manchester City

Two clubs have won the Premier League with five games still to play this century: Manchester United and its rival Manchester City. United cruised to glory in the 2000-01 season under Alex Ferguson, losing only twice before the end of March, although it ended the campaign limply with three consecutive defeats. United reached the last eight of the Champions League but found Bayern too strong.

 

City smashed a series of records in crushing the competition last term, as it also won the league with five games remaining - denied the outright Premier League best mark when United won a dramatic Manchester derby 3-2. Guardiola's City racked up 100 points, finished 19 clear of United and boasted a stunning goal difference of +79. There was more European disappointment for Guardiola, though, with a 3-0 loss at Anfield setting up a 5-1 aggregate defeat to Liverpool in the Champions League quarterfinals.

LaLiga: Barcelona

 

Guardiola's former club Barcelona is on track to win the league again this term, having had four games remaining when it secured the title under Ernesto Valverde last season. It sealed the double by collecting the Copa del Rey, demolishing Sevilla 5-0 in a marvellous display that marked Andres Iniesta's farewell. But Barca was on the wrong end of one of the great Champions League comebacks, contriving to exit at the quarterfinal stage to Roma by losing 3-0 at the Stadio Olimpico, having won the first leg 4-1 at home.

READ|  Juventus 2018-19: Ronaldo's goals key to eighth successive Scudetto

Serie A: Inter

Prior to Juve's success this term, Inter's 2006-07 triumph under Roberto Mancini was out in front as the quickest Scudetto secured, with the Nerazzurri having five games in hand. Inter did not lose until mid-April, going down 3-1 at home to Roma in its only league defeat of the season. It also reached the final of the Coppa Italia, again losing to Roma after a stunning 6-2 first-leg defeat. As is the case with all the other record-holders mentioned above, Inter underperformed in Europe, with Valencia knocking it out of the Champions League in the round of 16.

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