Not so long ago, Italian football, at club level, was at its peak. Italy dominated the club competitions at European level. In the 1980-1990s, Milan and Juventus reached the Champions League final a number of times, with Milan winning the competition three times and losing another two finals, while Juventus won it once and lost two others. Then, in 2003, the two contested the final in Manchester, won on penalties by Milan.

During the same period, the then UEFA Cup was also an Italian affair on most occasions, and Italy topped the rankings.

Slowly, however, Italy lost its grip and over the years its teams no longer were consistent. Of course, Milan won the Champions League a seventh time in their history in 2007, and Inter broke their 45-year jinx last May, but overall the performance of Italian clubs gradually dropped.

In the UEFA rankings, those that establish the number of teams each country has in the Champions League and Europa League, and which are based on the last five years of results in Europe, Italy was first overcome by England, then by Spain, and this year by Germany.

It is now in fourth place, and this means that in the 2012-2013 Champions League, it will have two teams in the main phase and a third aiming to qualify. One place has been lost.

The three defeats Italian clubs succumbed to on home soil in the first leg of the Last 16 stage of the Champions League, as well as Napoli’s elimination from the Europa League, mean that Italy cannot surpass Germany by the end of the season.

Italian clubs are the biggest losers in this regard. But they are the ones that should be blamed the most – in particular those clubs that take part in the Europa League which, on the whole, carries equal points in terms of results obtained as those in the Champions League.

But, for too many years, Italian clubs have not given importance to this competition. The way Juventus, Palermo and Sampdoria were dumped out this season is a perfect example of this.

Added to this, apart from the 2007 and 2010 feats in the Champions League, performances here have slumped too, and these also have had a negative impact.

It will not be easy for Italy to climb its way back up the UEFA rankings. It will take a number of years for them to overturn their fortunes. To do this, first of all they must change their mentality.