It feels like forever since the Premier League season ended. We've had plenty of build-up to our first European final in 13 years, but it has been dominated by non-football matters. The distance from London to Baku; the trials and expensive tribulations of fans making the journey, finding flights and accommodation; a paltry allocation of tickets that neither team could fully sell out; UEFA's mealy-mouthed response to denying many fans a chance to see their team in a huge game because of their decisions; as well as those decisions denying a player his participation. The Henrikh Mkhitaryan situation has seen sport and politics come together to drive the news agenda because ultimately the two...
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