Apoel fairytale not without clouds

Even a man as unfazed by self-congratulation as Michel Platini is entitled to another bask this week, in light of Apoel Nicosia’s extraordinary progress to the Champions League quarter-finals.

It was Platini’s tweaking of qualifying seedings in 2009 that opened the way to more regular odysseys for clubs from countries like Cyprus and, hopefully one day, Ireland. Sure this year’s group phase was again riven with gulfs in class, with Dinamo Zagreb, Genk and Otelul Galati sinking out of their depths. But the experience and the payday should improve them.

But, even if Financial Fair Play ever works, what is Platini’s plan for properly levelling the skewed playing field across the continent, and indeed within nations, as a select few bloat on Champions League spoils? If Shamrock Rovers do make the group stages, won’t it fatally imbalance the sport here? Shouldn’t more of the rewards be split across leagues?