While most are urgently waiting for the UEFA Champions League to kick-start next week, it’s sister competition the UEFA Europa League is also on the horizon. Now one can understand why the top teams around Europe try to avoid this competition. Who wants to play on Thursday and then again during the weekend? The schedule is exhausting and the “second-tier” reputation doesn’t help it either.
However, winning the competition does guarantee access into the Champions League next season. It’s almost a case of not wanting to participate but having that discreet urge to win it anyways. Some big teams are bound to clash over the rounds which will amplify the competition’s popularity.
Last seasons’ finalist Arsenal remains a contender with a more stronger unit. They’ve been pit alongside last season’s semi-finalists Eintracht Frankfurt in Group F, with Standard Liege and Vitoria de Guimaraes also there to compete with. Unai Emery’s won the competition thrice already. He admitted Arsenal found the competition “difficult” last season but should come out roaring this time.
Manchester United should also give youngsters more opportunities in the Europa League as per Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. They’ve fortunately been pit alongside relatively easy competition in AK Alkmaar, FK Partizan and FC Astana, which means even with youngsters they should put on a spectacle.
Meanwhile, La Liga leaders and five-time winners Sevilla have been placed in a relatively comfortable group alongside APOEL and Qarabarg. They have some top talent to take them far forward into the tournament and the bookmaker Betway backs them as the biggest Spanish threat for the Europa League side.
Europa first-timers Wolverhampton Wanderers are in a difficult group against Braga and Besiktas. They’re yet to win a Premier League game this season, as Nuno Espirito Santo’s side are already facing the heat. Qualifying into the knockout rounds would be an overachievement at this point.
AS Roma have also been pit alongside German side Borussia Monchengladbach in Group J, with the Italian giants being one of the betting favourites with Betway for the tournament after making the UEFA Champions League semi-finals in the 2017/18 season. Their rivals Lazio have been given Celtic, Rennes and CFR Cluj to deal with as they look to thrill the competition with their fierce attacking line.
FC Porto also fell in the Champions League qualifying rounds this season, but look to redeem themselves by going far into the competition they won in 2011. They’ve been handed Rangers, Young Boys and Feyenoord, meaning qualifying into the prime knockout rounds are perhaps set in stone.
Their rivals Sporting CP, booming from Manchester United’s summer target Bruno Fernandes’ magic also look to make their mark. They’re alongside Dutch side PSV Eindhoven in Group D and could be this season’s surprise package knowing how unpredictable their front-line is. Moreover, Eindhoven also possesses some promising Dutch talent which could make an impact in Europe.
Bundesliga side VFL Wolfsburg also have the array of talent to cause trouble, but they’ve been pit alongside Saint-Etienne and Gent in a competitive Group I. Safe to say whoever comes through this group should make the last sixteen.
Another first-timers are La Liga side Espanyol, pit alongside CSKA Moscow and Ludogorets Razgrad in group H. After watching rivals FC Barcelona rule the roost for years, they’ll be gunning to go far into the Europa and have enough talent to go deep into the knockout rounds at least. Moscow also has some blooming homegrown players which should make them a nasty challenge.
Getafe, who narrowly missed out on Champions League football, will fight for authority against FC Basel. Led by late-bloomer Jaime Mata, they should also be a pesky threat later into the competition. In Group B, Dynamo Kyiv and FC Copenhagen would look to break out as a surprise package to go into the latter stages.
Arsenal, also betting favourites with Betway, should go into the semi-finals and beyond knowing their sheer attacking strength as well as Emery’s experience. So should Manchester United, who even won the competition in 2017 and will be eager to win it as a route back into the Champions League.
Lazio or Roma should also progress into the last four, while one of Inter Milan or Borussia Dortmund(whoever is eliminated from the Group of Death) should also dominate in the Europa League. At this point, however, Arsenal or United look firm favourites to win unless their concentration is strayed away by league duties.
