Reheated plans for a multi-tiered Europe revive familiar suspicions
Nobody wants to join a diluted EU
No sporting trophy is of as dubious value as the uefa Cup, handed to the club whose quest for European footballing glory started with failure to qualify for the more prestigious Champions League. Recalling who won this year’s lesser tournament is already the stuff of pub quizzes (Eintracht Frankfurt this month beat Glasgow Rangers on penalties: ten points). In contrast, hundreds of millions across the world will watch Real Madrid and Liverpool vie for one of football’s top prizes on May 28th. Triumph in the Champions League is a career highlight for even the most adulated player. Winning the uefa Cup is an invitation to do better in future: beyond an oversize trophy, Frankfurt’s greatest reward for its success is the right to play in the Champions League next year.
This article appeared in the Europe section of the print edition under the headline “Tiered and emotional”
Europe May 28th 2022
From the May 28th 2022 edition
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