While English football goes weak at the knees at the prospect of a gatecrasher to the top four, and the names piled on top of each other in Spain and Italy are familiar enough for Joe Schmoe to recite in his sleep, it can be tempting to wonder whether an outsider will ever again win one of the marquee European leagues.
Almost a decade has passed since such an oddity last occurred. Some Roma supporters were so paranoid about cursing their Serie A prospects in 2001 they dared not even utter the word scudetto during the run-in, referring instead to the nebulous "trukke trukke" until the title was secured. A year earlier Deportivo La Coruña conquered La Liga for the only time in their history. The Premier League must rewind further still, back to an extraordinary title for Blackburn Rovers 15 years ago (although you could argue it was as recently as 2005, when Chelsea's first league for almost half a century ushered them into the establishment thanks to the Abramovich-Mourinho axis).
Tales of the unexpected are not, however, so uncommon in Europe's lesser leagues. Last season there was the arrival of Rubin Kazan and Wolfsburg, new names on the honours list in Russia and Germany, while Bordeaux and AZ Alkmaar triumphed in France and Holland after a lengthy spell on the periphery.
At the midway point of this season, a decent number of races are being led by clubs chasing their first domestic title. FC Twente, under the enterprising stewardship of honorary Dutch linguist Steve McClaren, have been pushing the pace in the Eredivisie all season. Braga, who have 11 Brazilians in their squad, are holding their own in Portugal. In Turkey, Kayserispor, a club whose development was signposted by a cherished victory in the Intertoto Cup in 2006, are playing smart enough football to lead a pack of usual suspects on goal difference. And Bayer Leverkusen are in a promising position at the head of the Bundesliga, even though history would suggest their fans may need to find a German translation of "trukke trukke" in order to keep their nerve as the second half of the season gets under way.
Leverkusen are one of the few teams in Europe to be undefeated domestically so far. Presumably somebody in Liverpool may just have noticed that the man orchestrating their defence, somebody excelling sufficiently to earn the award of best defender in the Bundesliga for the first part of the season, happens to be a 36-year-old by the name of Sami Hyypia.
It is no surprise that one of the other unbeaten sides is Barcelona. But credit is due in the Dutch league where the top two – Twente and PSV Eindhoven – are both yet to lose. It makes an interesting comparison with the number of defeats amassed by the top two in, for instance, France (nine), England (eight), and Italy (five).
The winter break has given the hopefuls a breather, as well as a chance to reassess the condition of their squads. FC Twente are keen to import some attacking reinforcements, with a nimble striker from Azerbaijan already signed and Arsenal's teenage tyro Jack Wilshere on the radar.
If anyone coming in can be half as successful as the forwards McClaren bought in so shrewdly in the last transfer market — the Costa Rican Bryan Ruiz has a tremendous scoring record of 13 goals from 17 games so far, while Miroslav Stoch, the Slovakian on loan from Chelsea, is also faring well – Twente might fancy their chances of holding off PSV and company.
As those familiar with the legend of Bayer Neverkusen know all too well, it is one thing setting the pace, but to cross the line you need all the class, and all the courage, that you can lay your hands on.