Comment: Premier League's Champions League dominance is bad for the game

As the final Champions League table took shape on Wednesday night, one feature leapt out.

With the top eight going directly into the last 16, five were Premier League clubs. Newcastle United were only a sliced Harvey Barnes chance in Paris from making it too, albeit at Manchester City's expense.

TOP DOGS: Arsenal's reserves saw off Kairat to finish the Champions League group stage with a 100 per cent record (Image: Bradley Collyer/PA Wire)

placeholder image — TOP DOGS: Arsenal's reserves saw off Kairat to finish the Champions League group stage with a 100 per cent record (Image: Bradley Collyer/PA Wire)

They will find out on Friday if it is Qarabag or Monaco they must beat in a two-leg play-off to join the party.

The dominance of one league – even our own – is very unhealthy for the European game. The way the competition is set up only makes it likely to continue.

SECOND CHANCE: Newcastle United's 1-1 draw at Paris Saint-Germain made them the only Premier League team not to go directly into the last 16 but they could still make it by winning a play-off (Image: AP Photo/Michel Euler)

No other league has more than one side inked into the last 16.

Spain and Italy could get up to three. Bayer Leverkusen and Borussia Dortmund could follow Bayern Munich but have a 50-50 chance of drawing each other in the play-offs.

Tottenham Hotspur, 17th in last season's Premier League, two points above Leeds United in this year's relegation battle, are apparently the fourth-best team in Europe.

Liverpool, unconvincing in the defence of their domestic title, finished third in the convoluted group stage.

Mikel Arteta’s (inset) Arsenal became the first team with a 100 per cent record in the bloated format at a time when their confidence back home is wavering. Holders Paris Saint-Germain, bogged down by the extra workload of a summer Club World Cup, face a play-off after a 1-1 with Newcastle. It did not stop Chelsea finishing sixth.

Real Madrid, Inter Milan and Juventus all face an extra two matches too.

It does not take a genius to work out why the Premier League clubs are so strong.

Last week the latest Deloitte Football Money League had six in the list of Europe's 10 richest clubs. Manchester United are the only one not planning for a last-16 fixture because losing to Tottenham in the Europa League final meant they did not qualify for the league phase.

Half of the top 30 play in England – depth which makes our domestic teams strong in the Europa and Conference Leagues too.

Premier League clubs spent more last summer than the Bundesliga, La Liga, Ligue 1 and Serie A combined. It is a trend, not a blip.

This season will only make the rich richer.

Just over £2.1bn of £2.88bn prize money for UEFA's three competitions goes to the big boys in the Champions League.

Clubs get £1.8m per group-stage win, £608,000 per draw and £238,000 per league position.

Over a third of the pot is based on "club coefficients" over five years and the TV pool – or how successful and popular you are. It is how Bayern Munich, Manchester City and Liverpool out-earnt Arsenal.

A country’s success across the Champions, Europa and Conference Leagues decides how many representatives they have next season.

Spending more does not guarantee success – huge credit to Manchester United for bravely trying to rebalance things with outstanding ineptitude – but it certainly helps.

If Real Madrid, Juventus and PSG are fighting to keep up, pity the likes of Leeds trying to compete domestically. A fairer model is needed to keep the game attractive but no one is both brave enough to bring one in.