It sounds like a reward, but is it a poisoned chalice? The Conference League group stage is a grueling slog for a squad not built for Thursday-Sunday football. We’ve seen it before with West Ham (though they won it, the domestic form tanked) and Leicester. For a mid-table side with a small squad, the “reward” of Europe can often be the prelude to a relegation battle the following spring. Still, for the fans, it’s a jolly. For the club accountants, it’s a nice little earner in gate receipts and TV money. And for the rest of Europe, it’s just another reason to moan about the financial doping of the Premier League. An English club winning the Europa Conference League might be inevitable; but eleven English clubs *in* the competition at the start? That’s just taking the mickey, and we’re absolutely here for it.
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