What's the furthest they fly in Europe? 4 hours, with a couple hours of time difference and the ability to recover.
Of course it's different, as mentioned, you are more likely to get clumped by a non league standard player (not on purpose), there was a few horrible tackles by Malta on Friday...
You are travelling all over the globe, in a short amount of time, which doesn't allow a proper recovery after the last set of club games.
There is then games in a short period of times, with even more travelling, followed by another flight back.
Some of the challenges by lesser teams are...
Maybe now we cruise to the finals with ease (thanks to the success of the PL) but very rarely is there games that are memorable or good in the qualifiers, certainly not the nations league.
Draw with Italy away/Croatia loss at home/Germany away / Greece home are the only 2 games I can remember...
To a point, I don't think Championship/League 1, 2 clubs are in Europe and they play the stiffs in the cup.
You are right, but European football is miles ahead of international football
Compare the 2 Dortmund Newcastle games to the last 2 England games
Bin one of the first there
They are not all needed and they are in a packed time of the year fixture wise.
Have pre qualifiers like every other confederation other than South America, absolutely pointless playing some of these nations, some of the tackles they put in are so poor.