Optics and image management is a lot more complex than this weird binary argument you're making. It's not like they're expecting a Europa League run to make the western world go oh shit fair play, what a sound bunch of lads.
They want the kind of soft power shit that makes people like Gary Neville say stuff like "well you have to admit, Abu Dhabi have really helped investing money in East Manchester and done some good things", and, I mean, sarcastic or otherwise, what @Pepe is saying about UAE...I mean, plenty of morons go on holiday to Dubai right?