In 2012-13, Arsenal and Manchester United were both knocked out of the Champions League in the Round of 16, leaving England with no representative in the quarterfinals for the first time since 1999-2000.

And this season, despite three opportunities to stave off such a misfortune, the Premier League, the so-called "Best League in the world" by many, has no teams competing in the final stages of the most important club tournament on the planet. The second time in three years. And you would have to wonder if the trend will continue next season.

It is surely a slap in the face for English sides to see that while their league might be the most competitive, it is surely due to the parity of the competition and not necessarily the quality. Because from the perspective of this year's Champions League, the quality is obviously superior elsewhere.

Now of course, luck played a part in all of this debacle for the English sides. Manchester City had to take on a red-hot Barcelona side from the second straight year and encountered a peaking Lionel Messi. Imagine if they had drawn a reeling Real Madrid instead? Maybe the fortunes would have turned out very differently.

But then to be the best, you have to beat the best. And it is very clear that, despite being among the top sides in England (though a recent 5-3-6 run to start 2015 begs to differ), Manchester City is still not good enough to compete with Barcelona and other elite sides.

Arsenal's case is simply a reminder of the team's futility year after year. In fact, it is a symbol for the Premier League's impotency in European competition. In Arsenal's case, it is a matter of falling behind and never really catching up. In the last two years, most would be correct in forgiving Arsenal for falling to an elite Bayern Munich side. But against Monaco? A side that had not been in the competition for a number of years running? A side that barely won its group? A side that had lost Radamel Falcao and James Rodriguez over the summer? A side that everyone had failing in the group stage? How did that side come into the Emirates Stadium and put up three (!) goals?

And then there is Chelsea. The brightest star in English soccer. Led by the one and only Jose Mourinho and strengthened this season by the wondrous Cesc Fabregas and Diego Costa among others, this was the team that was going to set the Champions League on fire. But alas, Fabregas went missing and Mourinho got his tactics all wrong against a strong Paris Saint-Germain side that looked hell-bent on avenging its elimination to Chelsea in the quarterfinals a year ago. And while we are still on the subject, is it not interesting that Fabregas slumps heavily the moment his former side Barcelona finds its best form?

It is a sad situation for English soccer. It has now been three years since an English side has not competed in the final (and that came after England had been represented in the final in seven of eight years between 2004-05 through 2011-12). But judging from the league's recent streak of missing out on the quarterfinals in two of the last three years, it might be the norm, not just an outlier.