Europe plays its two continental competitions simultaneously; the Champions League and the Europa League are both well into the qualifying rounds, and will come to a climax at the end of the season in a little over nine months' time.

South America does it differently. The first half of the year is set aside for the main event, the Copa Libertadores, with the second string competition, the Copa Sudamericana, kicking off this week and ending in early December.

Arguments can be made in favour of both...