Europe’s poor relation gets star treatment

IN difficult times when the outlook seems grim you can usually rely on English football journalists for some comic relief.

After last week’s results, all of a sudden the Europa League has become fashionable.

You’d never have guessed it when they played the final in Dublin last May, but it’s now almost as important as the Champions League, which apparently has been devalued and needs reform because the champions of Cyprus have reached the knockout round.