Homegrown approach boosts Germany and Spain

International breaks in football usually are a source of frustration, this one more than most.

Just when the season seems to be warming up, into the chiller it goes again.

Perhaps we should see this as Uefa’s way of evening up the odds. The break is more of an issue for the leading clubs as they lose most of their squad for 10 days, with all the worries about possible knocks, or worse.