Do No Harm

Dr Arthur Guyton had 10 children including a professor of ophthalmology, a professor of surgery, a professor of medicine, a cardiothoracic surgeon, a rheumatologist, two anaesthesiologists and two orthopaedic surgeons. What a man.

A team finished on 97 points and came 2nd, but this is the hardest PL to win 😭

What was your worst exam experience?

Arsenal fans, should we forgive or drag them out for taunting us?

The new European format really favours EPL teams over the rest of Europe because the financial gap is becoming too large and impossible to ignore. Since the UEFA Conference League started in 2021, 2 EPL clubs have already won it. Since the new format came in, 2 EPL teams have reached the final already. In the Europa League too, 3 of the last 4 finalists have been from England, with Premier League clubs holding a 100% win rate in those finals. Since the start of the 2024-25 season, Premier League teams have played 20 knockout ties (two-legged rounds and finals) vs non-English opposition across the Europa League and Conference League. They have won all 20 ties. And honestly, it’s not hard to see why. The Premier League’s financial power has completely changed the competitive balance of the Europa League and Conference League. At Champions League level, clubs like Real Madrid, Bayern, PSG, Barcelona will always survive because their pull is historical and global. They can still attract elite talent, elite coaches and compete financially at the very top. But once you drop below that level, the gap becomes brutally wide. Take tonight for example. Aston Villa’s reported wage bill for 24/25 was around £273m. Freiburg’s was £20.6m. That’s not football competition anymore, that’s two completely different economic worlds trying to compete in the same tournament. Mid-table Premier League clubs now financially overpower historic clubs across Europe. A team finishing 8th or 9th in England can outspend Champions League regulars from Portugal, Netherlands, Belgium, Turkey or Germany outside Bayern. Nottingham Forest was 17th on the EPL table when they defeated Porto this season. That was not really the case before. It used to be a little bit balanced financially. TV revenue has basically turned the Premier League into a football super league without officially calling it one. Even “smaller” EPL clubs can afford deeper squads, better facilities, higher wages and more transfer flexibility than clubs regularly playing European football elsewhere. And over time, this changes the identity of these competitions. The Europa League and Conference League used to feel unpredictable, where smart recruitment, coaching and tactical identity could genuinely bridge the gap. Now the financial disparity is becoming so large that depth alone often decides ties. You still need good coaching, mentality and structure to win, of course. Money alone doesn’t guarantee trophies. But when one side can bring £40m players off the bench while another club is selling talents just to stay sustainable, the margin for error becomes microscopic. European football is slowly moving toward a reality where England has the deepest league, the richest squads, and increasingly, control of the competitions beneath the Champions League too.

For the sixth year in a row, Real Madrid captain leaves the club. 👋🏼🤍