SKY TV continue to push their product (Premier League) as "the best league in the world" ... but with only Chelsea flying the English flag in Europe at the current moment ... are we fooling ourselves?
Alan Pardew explains the two-team league in Spain gives Barca and Real the chance of playing easy games in their league season, while every fixture in the Premiership is a battle.
Alan Pardew: "The format (of the Europa League) actually works against Premier League teams because of the nature of our division.
"The intensity you have to have to play in a Premier League game, in some of the other leagues, the Europa League isn't so much of an issue as every game isn't as fully committed as ours.
"It's harder for the Premier League teams but that's not to say we wouldn't accept that challenge.
"We really hope for our fans more than anything that we get European football for them."