In a tyranny of greed, corruption and unrest, romance has finally been restored in the beautiful game. Soccer has become tainted by the filthy rich, the scuffed fingerprints on the billions of pound notes being passed between club, owners and businessmen alike.

Never had the sport felt so disengaged or been so far removed from its ardent supporters, but the remarkable transformation of Leicester City from near relegation certainties to Premier League champions in a little over 12 months has engrossed, recaptured, and united the soccer landscape across the globe.

Every neutral kept praying that they could sustain their incredible title challenge, but deep down there was a sense, and an underlying inevitability they would clip the inside of the post at the final hurdle.

Season after season, pretenders come and go – disappearing down the table before the hectic festive period has seen the first door ajar on its advent calendars. Think Southampton and Ipswich in years gone by. This cunning achievement by the Foxes has never been a battle of good versus evil, but merely a triumph that belief can overpower expectation in a sport where a burgeoning divide continues to expand.

It may have taken a improbable set of circumstances for this unforeseeable realization to occur, but Claudio Ranieri’s side never stepped foot on the pitch expecting to conquer all like it was their god-given right. Can the same really be said about the likes of Manchester City?

In stark contrast, an apathetic desire has illuminated the sky blue shirts of Manuel Pelligrini’s men, with further vindication of this toothless demeanor evident in their Champions League semi-final at the Santiago Bernabeu on Wednesday evening as well as a disappointing finish to their game against Arsenal. From an embarrassment of riches, the club has spawn too many lethargic displays in amongst the luxury offerings that have been all too sporadic.

Closest challengers Tottenham and Arsenal will understandably see this campaign as a missed opportunity, but this should take nothing away from the exploits of the ‘tinkerman’ and his team.

They believed that as a unit they could emerge victorious, even in times of adversity. The sum of the parts always being greater than the whole, no egotistical characters – only the unbreakable spirit associated with winners.

Never was this colossal resilience greater demonstrated when question marks surrounded the soul of the side after they succumbed to the heartbreak of an agonizing last minute defeat at the Emirates in February, with the vast majority believing momentum had firmly shifted to North-London.

Once again the resolve of Leicester silenced all the doubters, winning six of their next seven matches to move three wins away from this inconceivable sensation. A two-horse race had emerged as only a vibrant Spurs side kept within touching distance, aiming to nullify Leicester’s quest to be crowned champions of England.

This inspired run of form was built on the basis of their defensive solidarity, an impenetrable wall which was moulded and held together by the whole squad – the epitome of being set in concrete.

A clean sheet in each of those six wins is the common denominator, but this should not be misinterpreted that the Foxes have been insipid and ‘parked the bus’ in front of their Great Dane Kasper Schmeichel who will no longer reside in his father’s shadow.

Their counter-attack approach has been as honest as it is refreshing. They may have recorded the lowest pass rate in the top-flight, but their dynamism, their relentless energy has been interpreted with surgical precision under no false pretenses.

Nobody can accuse Leicester of lacking quality, but to highlight the outstanding individual performances from the likes of PFA Player of the Season Riyad Mahrez and Football Writers’ Association Player of the Year Jamie Vardy would overcloud the team ethic that has taken precedence and been the catalyst for their success.

Leicester were never going to be able to dominate possession like an Arsenal or Barcelona, but Ranieri and least we not forget Nigel Pearson have derived the maximum output and enterprise from the resources available to them, with their steely determination more in alignment with the renowned Sheffield industry.

Following Saturday’s 3-1 champagne spectacle at the King Power Stadium, it should not be overlooked that the Foxes have not tasted defeat since the Gunners shot them down – a run now stretching to 11 games. Their consistency flawless, their fearlessness unerring and their conviction meritorious – 27 points from a possible 33 when we all expected them to choke can only be admired.

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The argument that the Premier League is weaker than it has ever been may have some credibility, especially given the recent abysmal showings in European competition. However, the Midlands club sit proudly at the summit with 80 points, so even if the blue half of Manchester had performed on the pitch like they do on paper, the Foxes would still be front-runners going into the final game.

To put it into perspective, the treble-winning Manchester United side of 1998/99 won the league with 79 points – Leicester have already overtaken this total and could end up with 83 if they come away from Stamford Bridge with another maximum haul. Would you bet against them?

The magnitude of Leicester’s unforgettable season can never be over-exaggerated and will rightfully take pride of place in the annals of not just football, but sporting history. When a 17-year-old Boris Becker prevailed at Wimbledon, he had to win seven consecutive best of five set contests. When Buster Douglas sensationally knocked out the seemingly invincible Mike Tyson, it took one punch.

Leicester on the other hand have had to overcome the heavyweights of England’s top division, the financial muscle of the wealthy clubs and the individual world-class talent sprinkled across the squads of the so called ‘big boys’ for 38 matches. To maintain their equilibrium, to hold their nerve for this length of time should not be underestimated and certainly not attributed to luck.

After all, the title race is cited as a marathon, not a sprint – emphasized by the seemingly indestructible N’Golo Kante whose never-ending chasing and hustling would be best narrated by David Attenborough in the Australian outback.

In years to come, it will be the team of Leicester City that is commended and lauded. With the unique exception and mercurial ability of Diego Maradona in 1986, no team has ever been reliant on one individual in their pursuit of glory and it is the collective prerogative that should be glorified in this moment.

The magical ascendency of Leicester is a victory for the working man who prides himself on the value of organization, the essence of teamwork and is not overawed by the pressures exerted from the higher powers that be.

This is every Leicester fan’s fantasy turned reality. It is pure elation for those who dared to dream that a very small minnow could not just swim, but flourish in very deep waters.

Away from the deserved acclaim and adulation, many of us will already have predicted and plotted the Foxes downfall ahead of next season.

For those who remain unsentimental and unmoved, this memory can never be taken away from anyone connected with Leicester City Football Club. This fairytale encapsulates all that is great about soccer and how it continues to allure and astonish onlookers.

The underdog never owns the biggest kennel, but in a season that nobody saw coming, it was little old Leicester who barked the loudest.

The UEFA Champions League matches that featured Premier League clubs last week really emphasized the gulf in class that currently exists between the top teams in England and the giants that lead the way in the Spanish and German divisions.

In soccer, I was always told to “make the ball do the work” and there was no better example of this when Barcelona and Bayern Munich took apart Manchester City and Arsenal respectively. Without a doubt, there were pivotal moments in both games that impacted the final outcome, but it would be short-sighted to overlook the great divide in the technical ability between the sides and their ability to retain possession with consummate ease.

Having spent the last few months playing 3-a-side soccer (more commonly known as futsal), it has drilled home to me that in England we spend too much time trying to turn athletes into footballers rather than footballers into athletes. So many of our players are big, powerful units who can run all day long but so often it seems we turn a blind eye to those flair players who can add that touch of magic that Andres Iniesta and Toni Kroos provided to light up both encounters.

Even though it was Lionel Messi who scored the goal, it was Iniesta who showed the vision to open up City’s defense with a sublime through-ball. As for Kroos, he produced a midfield masterclass that would require Manchester United to cough up a lot more than the absurd sum of money that they are now reported to be paying Wayne Rooney. Aside from his magnificent goal, the 24-year-old completed 147 passes (the same number of passes made in total by all of the Arsenal outfield players combined) and attempted 121 passes in the Arsenal half, completing 96.1% of them — stunning figures by anyone’s standards.

These mesmerizing statistics highlight that beautiful soccer is best demonstrated in its simplicity. If you dominate possession in the way Barcelona and Bayern Munich did, then you increase your opportunity to win tenfold because when your opponents don’t have the ball, they can’t score. This along with the physical and mental exertion that both chasing and not having possession of the ball has on your opponent is another reason why playing against this method must be demoralizing. To carry out this approach in the backyards of two of Europe’s finest teams takes bravery, as well as incredible levels of competence to keep finding those pockets of space.

I know in England we pride our play on its frenetic pace and the remarkable levels of power and fitness that are required for the majority of players to succeed in the Premier League. However we could certainly take a leaf out of the books of countries such as Brazil and Spain who have had much success in futsal over the years. This variant of soccer is growing in England and this style of one and two touch passing combined with fluid and interchangeable movement means that there is a clear focus on producing an accomplished first touch and retaining possession, but wherever possible trying to play a positive pass, moving the ball forward. This style of soccer is certainly going to be the most effective when the World Cup commences in the stifling Brazilian heat in four months time.

It will certainly take a brave person to bet against Barcelona or Bayern Munich making the last eight of the competition after the scores from the first leg. Heart and desire can only take you so far in soccer, so maybe this wake up call can see the possession game find a home in the Premier League. I would hate for us to kill off the passion and trademark speed that our league brings to the beautiful game, but I don’t think that this style of play can continually handle the knockout punches that the continental approach continues to deliver us. When my father first saw this magnificent Barcelona team he used the phrase “death by possession.” And if last week is anything to go by, death by possession is most certainly alive and well in the modern game.

Any passionate soccer fan looks forward to the knockout stages of the UEFA Champions League and undoubtedly the tie of the round (sorry Arsenal fans) is the heavyweight clash between Manchester City and Barcelona. Here I look at five reasons why I think the tiki-taka wizardry of the Spanish side will overcome the goal scoring powerhouse of Manchester over what are set to be two enthralling legs of football. 

1. Messi Returning To Top Form

It’s no surprise that Barcelona are favorites to win the game according to William Hill line betting, plus that Barca are still heavily reliant on the genius of Lionel Messi and the little Argentine is starting to show a return to form following three goals in his last two games including a stunning brace in the recent 1-4 victory at Sevilla. It could be argued in his two month absence that other players such as Alexis Sanchez really came to the fore but you cannot blame Gerardo Martino for building his team around the magic of Barcelona’s number 10.

By the time the second leg comes around Messi will be perilously close to his very best which as we know borders on the unplayable. When Messi rises to the big occasion it inspires his team-mates and that is an ominous sign come this battle of two footballing giants.

2. Neymar Is Back

To add further stimulation to the boys in scarlet and blue, their big summer signing Neymar has been cleared to play in Barcelona’s La Liga clash on Saturday at home to Rayo Vallecano which pretty much guarantees the Brazilian is going to be in the squad that travels to the Etihad. Before his injury the 22-year-old was just beginning to light up the Nou Camp with the samba trickery that £48.6m was expected to bring to the Spanish champions.

Having Messi and Neymar back firing at this stage of the campaign is like completing a stunning double swoop in the January transfer window. These two superstars are only going to get better as the season reaches its climax and they will take some stopping – particularly in the second leg when both have more game time under their belt.

3. The Absence Of Sergio Aguero

Aguero is a huge loss for the first leg on Tuesday. His absence was sorely felt when Chelsea threw the form book out of the window and took all three points at the Etihad ruining their perfect 100% home record as well as stopping City scoring at home for the first time since November 2010. City cannot afford to afford a repeat performance and more importantly result on Tuesday night.

Aguero and Alvaro Negredo have combined to become one of the most prolific partnerships in the Premier League this season with the pair showing a telepathic understanding. The raw strength and power of ‘the Beast’ gels perfectly with the dynamic Argentine to create a strike partnership which has only been rivaled by the Suarez and Sturridge (SAS) duo currently working in tandem at Anfield. The 25-year-old’s has the unique ability to make something happen out of nothing and his intelligent runs leave world-class defenders in bewilderment. Barcelona are susceptible to the counter-attack as shown against Valencia two weeks ago and the direct pace of Aguero will be sorely missed should the game become stretched.

Meanwhile, I will be the first to admit that for quite some time I thought Pellegrini had overspent when he splashed £30m to bring Fernandinho to Manchester. Maybe I just didn’t allow him the time that most overseas players need to adapt to the pressures and frenetic pace of playing in the Premier League. However it has been evident in the last few months that the Brazilian allows Yaya Toure the freedom to flourish in his natural attacking role as Fernandinho takes away the defensive responsibility of the Ivory Coast international. Fernandinho has also begun to create goalscoring opportunities and add goals to his game which has given City another angle of attack to help boost their already record-breaking tally. So often the work of defensive midfielders goes under-appreciated, so Fernandinho’s return to the City squad for Tuesday’s game is a big boost.

4. Contrasting Games At The Weekend

Barcelona entertain second from bottom Rayo Vallecano on Saturday evening whilst the blue half of Manchester will be looking to exact revenge on Chelsea as the two Premier League title contenders clash once more at the Etihad – this time in the magic of the FA Cup. Pellegrini will be hoping this time to get one over on Mourinho after the self-proclaimed ‘happy one’ delivered a masterclass in both the pre-match mind games and the tactics he implemented allowing for his players to carry out the perfect game plan. Chelsea could easily have won by more than the solitary goal and you wouldn’t expect the Barcelona frontline to be as forgiving on Tuesday. Conceding one away goal wouldn’t be the worst of results for City but two or more would be a disaster (unless they score six themselves).

Pellegrini may have the strongest squad in the Premier League to pick from but you would still expect many that start against Chelsea to feature against the Spanish giants. Meanwhile Barcelona can afford to rest several star names on Saturday and still win quite comfortably as well as give a run out to Neymar. Pellegrini knows his side still have a decent shot at winning four trophies this year but even with his best XI it will take some effort the day after Valentines to break Mourinho’s love affair with the FA Cup.

5. The Second Leg Is At The Nou Camp

The Nou Camp and the Etihad have both proved to be fortresses this season. The two teams have combined to win 21 of 23 games at their respective stadiums with both sides suffering their only defeats within two days of one another. Not many teams manage to come away from Catalunya with a draw let alone a victory. However City will no doubt fancy their chances with a fully fit squad and the likely return of Fernandinho.

My main fear is that City will come unstuck in the first leg and leave themselves with too much to do in the return leg. Without a doubt they could use that famous win over Bayern Munich in December as inspiration. However rather ironically I think Pellegrini’s miscalculation in the final group game could come back to haunt them.

Come Tuesday night there will not be an empty seat inside the Etihad. To quote the man Pellegrini and Barcelona love to hate, “the whole world will be watching.”