The Champions League is among the most unbalanced competitions in football, new statistics show.

The latest research from CIES Football Observatory has revealed that 21 per cent of games played across the CL, from the group stages to the final, ended with a three-goal gap or more.

This is the third highest figure among football competitions surveyed by CIES. The Austrian Bundesliga was the second most unbalanced competition, on 21.5 per cent, while the Cyta Championship in Cyprus topped the table with 22.5 per cent.

The Premier League fared better, with 17.7 per cent of its games ending in a three-goal gap or more, but still occupied a position among the top 10 most unbalanced competitions.

The CIES report said: “The big-5 leagues are also in the first half of the most unbalanced competitions.

“This finding reflects the increasing wealth gaps between participating teams.

“To re-balance competitions, the only solution would be to improve the distribution of financial (TV rights) and human (transfer market) resources at both national and international level.”

With the rise of the European ‘super-club’, the Champions League has become increasingly dominated by the same group of sides in the latter stages of the competition.

Fifa FifPro World XI 2016 Show all 11 1 /11 Fifa FifPro World XI 2016 Fifa FifPro World XI 2016 Manuel Neuer (Germany, Bayern Munich) Getty Fifa FifPro World XI 2016 Gerard Pique (Spain, Barcelona) Getty Fifa FifPro World XI 2016 Daniel Alves (Brazil, Barcelona and Juventus) Getty Fifa FifPro World XI 2016 Sergio Ramos (Spain, Real Madrid) Getty Fifa FifPro World XI 2016 Marcelo (Brazil, Real Madrid) Getty Fifa FifPro World XI 2016 Luka Modric (Croatia, Real Madrid) Getty Fifa FifPro World XI 2016 Toni Kroos (Germany, Real Madrid) Getty Fifa FifPro World XI 2016 Andres Iniesta (Spain, Barcelona) Getty Fifa FifPro World XI 2016 Lionel Messi (Argentina, Barcelona) Getty Fifa FifPro World XI 2016 Luis Suarez (Uruguay, Barcelona) Getty Fifa FifPro World XI 2016 Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal, Real Madrid) Getty

Indeed, the same nine teams have all appeared in the Champions League final since the turn of the decade.

This sense of repetition is also demonstrated by the fact that the same final, between Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid, has been played out twice in the past three years.

Barcelona have featured in seven semi-finals in the past nine years while Bayern Munich have appeared in the semi-finals in each of the last five seasons.