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Do mid-tier clubs have an advantage in Europe?

This is the first time that all three European finals have included an English side. Is it, perhaps, a cause for concern?

Probably not when it comes to the Champions League. Financially, top European clubs are on a par with their English counterparts. In fact, only one Premier League side featured in the top five of the latest Deloitte Money League table.

But in the second- and third-tier competitions, designed to broaden access to European football (and the associated cash boost from Uefa), worries may be creeping in.

Uefa’s relatively new financial rules restrict spending as a percentage of income. Even smaller top-tier English clubs have far higher revenue than their continental counterparts, giving them a big financial advantage in both the Europa League and the Europa Conference (both of which were won by English teams last year). For example, Aston Villa had revenue last season of £378mn (€431mn). Their fellow finalists SC Freiburg had just €163mn.

If these competitions look like becoming coronations for mid-table Premier League teams, European clubs might well wonder what the point is.

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