The Champions League may get most of the headlines, and clubs want to be in it for the huge financial gain, but the Europa League has quietly become a fantastic club tournament. In recent years, some of Europe’s biggest clubs have graced this second-tier tournament. Here are some you should check out this season.
A football trip to any of these clubs would be an amazing experience. No matter what you’re looking for, the Europa League has you covered.
Barcelona
The Catalan club may be used to hearing that famous Champions League theme tune, but for the past couple of seasons they’ve found themselves listening to the arguably better Europa League one.
This time around, they were handed a tricky Champions League group that saw them come up against Bayern Munich, Inter Milan and Viktoria Plzen, failing to beat any team other than the Czech side.
Xavi and his lads will be hoping to do better this time around after losing to Eintracht Frankfurt in the quarter-finals of the last campaign. The Barca fans will have to be in full voice if they want to lift the trophy at the end of the campaign!
Juventus
The side from Turin aren’t only Italy’s most successful domestic side, they’re also two-time Champions League winner, last winning Europe’s premier club tournament in 1996. Juventus are a certifiably massive club.
The Old Lady have struggled in Europe since making it to the Champions League Final in the 2016/17 season, only making it past the round of 16 once. This season saw them finish below Paris Saint Germain and Benfica as they fell into the Europa League.
Players like Leonardo Bonucci, Alex Sandro and Angel Di Maria will all be hoping that their experience and footballing know how will help carry them to the latter stages of the tournament, but they will have to beat some big names to get there.
Manchester United
Just eleven years ago, Manchester United were playing the aforementioned Barcelona in the Champions League final. This year, they’ll meet each other in the first knock-out round of the Europa League. Eleven years sure is a long time in football.
Manchester United are the only team on this list that hadn’t initially qualified for the Champions League, having finished sixth in the Premier League last season, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t a huge club.
The only side from Manchester to ever win a Champions League (so far), Erik Ten Hag and his men seem to have overcome a tricky teething period and are looking good. If they do manage to get past Barcelona, it would be hard not to consider them favourites.
Ajax
Unless you’re from Rotterdam, it hard to hate AFC Ajax. Undeniably the most successfully Dutch club in footballing history, the current Eredivisie champions have flourished in Europe for the past few seasons, but this time, they couldn’t overcome Liverpool and Napoli.
Ajax lost many of their star players over the summer, including Lisandro Martinez and Antony following Erik Ten Hag to Manchester United. Thankfully, they have a never-ending conveyer belt of talent due to their famous youth academy.
Jurrien Timber, Kenneth Taylor and Brian Brobbey are already filling the void left by the players that lost, and with the club’s famous free-flowing football, Ajax could very well come out on top at the very end.
Sporting Lisbon
The only thing that stopped Sporting Lisbon from progressing in the Champions League was a frustrating home display against Eintracht Frankfurt. They may have lost out, but they’ll be looking to show the world what their young squad can do in the Europa League.
Impressive displays against Tottenham should fill the team with the faith that they can go up against the richer clubs and come out on top. Ruben Amorim like his team to play on the front foot, and they won’t compromise their style. They know they can beat anyone on their day.
Probably the least likely of the clubs on this list to come out on top come the end of this season, that doesn’t mean they couldn’t be dark horses. The youthful exuberance of the players and the coach make them fearless. Underestimate them at your own peril.
Many armchair fans see the Europa League as an annoyance, but that’s not the case. This tournament means a hell of a lot, and lifting that trophy can be just as hard as winning the Champions League, especially when these teams are involved.
