Three English clubs are still in the running

Devotees of America’s Next Model will know that one contestant is already being sniped about - behind her back! - because her face is “too commercial”. Coincidentally, Richard Scudamore , the most hated man in Britain since announcing plans to whore out the Premier League to foreigners is also despised for his excessive commerciality. Sadly for the elderly European gents who currently run the UEFA Cup, their utter lack of commercial appeal has not made them the prettiest girl in the contest. Instead, their tournament has fallen beneath even the Carling Cup in the category of Cups That People Choose To Spend An Evening With. Nevertheless, tonight and tomorrow they will press gamely on, trying to squeeze some glamour out of Braga and Getafe and SK Brann, dreaming of the day when they are also detested for letting their commercial urges get the better of them.

* English clubs have the third best record in the modern UEFA Cup - they have won six tournaments (one sixth of all tournaments) and have been represented in a total of 12 finals. Good news for Tottenham, Everton and Bolton.

* Last year Seville won - a team who finished fourth in their domestic league the previous season and had already won a European trophy this century. The only team to fit that bill exactly are Bayern Munich.

* Three of the last four finals have seen a Spanish club involved - so you should also not be shocked to see Athletico Madrid, Villareal or Getafe make their way to the City of Manchester Stadium in May.

For more stats and to place your bets, click here.