Technically, however, the 2006-07 campaign still has a pulse. As we go to press, Spain’s crackling domestic race has two more rounds to go, with three teams still very much in the frame for the championship. The Liga festivities end on June 16. And, for good measure, there’s a Cup final still to be played in Spain, too, as the Copa del Rey won’t take place until June 23. Still, for all intents and purposes, the 2006-07 season is history.

How do we rate the overall campaign? To be fair, it probably wasn’t the best, and certainly not the the worst, season we can remember. Indeed, we finally had some good, down-to-the-wire domestic races this year, a far cry from many recent campaigns in which it was hard to find much drama at the top of any league. As usual, the relegation fights, for the most part, proved compelling viewing. And though it might not have been the best European season we can remember, the Champions League had its share of highlight moments, as did the UEFA Cup. Plus, for the first time this millennium, we have a repeat champion in Europe, as Sevilla has gone back-to-back in the UEFA Cup.

If there was one glaring omission this season, however, it was probably the lack of a true standout team on the continent. Sure, there were plenty of top-quality sides, but we’re not sure we saw any truly great teams on the pitch over the past ten months. Indeed, the Champions League winner, AC Milan, finished a distant fourth in Serie A (and wouldn’t have done better than third even without its point deduction at the start of the season). Arguably the most-dominant domestic performer, Inter Milan, with a Euro league record 97 points as it pranced to the scudetto, couldn’t get past the quarter-finals in the Champions League. Manchester United teased for much of the season, and appeared to have a treble in its sights deep in the stretch drive, but had to settle for only one piece of silverware (although the EPL crown remains a real jewel). Barcelona, a great side last season as it won Liga and the Champions League, regressed, with striker Samuel Eto’o, ESW’s Player of the Year in 2006, missing almost six months with a knee injury, and Ronaldinho’s World Cup funk extending into much of 2006-07. Indeed, Barca is in danger of being shut out this season unless it can pull out the Spanish title in a photo finish with Real Madrid and Sevilla.

So, no truly great teams this season, but some interesting action nonetheless. One last time, let’s go back and review the leagues and European competitions from 2006-07.