Another Benfica date with destiny

The Europa League is such a contrived competition that it’s hard to work up much enthusiasm about it, even for the clubs involved.

There may be a whiff of cup romance when an unfancied club such as Fulham or Braga makes it through to the final, but the tournament favours the Champions League dropouts: Chelsea and Benfica this time just like Werder Bremen and Shakhtar Donetsk four years ago.

All the same this is a final with a little more interest than usual.