Europa League Preview: How Did We End Up Here

Europa League, Uncategorized / By CB23 / 490 Comments

How did we end up here?

Unfortunately I’m gonna have to get invested in this competition…AGAIN this year, I thought I was done with it when I see my side nullify Mbappe and Neymar and get a suprisingly comfortable win against PSG as Marcus Rashford got the business done in Paris yet again, we then demolished RB Leipzig 5-0 at home, with Rashford again the star of the show. With a start like this we looked dead set to qualify, then this happened…

I hate this competition

Fast forward a few months and here I am watching my rivals play on Tuesday’s and Wednesday’s meanwhile I’m preparing for a Thursday evening 17:55pm game, what kind of kick of time is that??? Anyways I just gotta get on with it I guess, can’t moan forever (that’s a lie, I’ll moan till we win it or we’re out). I genuinely hate everything about this competition, I swear its on every single week, there’s a last 32, kick off times are dumb and your club is stuck with Sunday evening games weekly, it’s a toss up between that time and the early Saturday game for the worst time to play, if you win the early saturday game you can relax in peace, if you lose..your weekend is over before it even gets started. Win the Sunday evening game and you go to bed happy, lose it and somehow Monday’s become even worse. Anyways let me not get off track, I’m gonna take a look at the teams I think have the best shot of winning this hell hole of a competition.

Manchester United

Ole’s tricky reds have a tough first game against Real Socieded whose early season form that had them at the top of La Liga has dropped off. They now find themselves in a respectable 5th place. Utd fans who want to win this competition should be very worried, players like Oyarzabal and David Silva will cause big problems and of course the return of Adnan Januzaj(still better than Sterling). Utd are on a patchy run of form and are coming into a very tough run of fixtures, this is usually where Ole takes a trip to hell and makes a new deal with the devil so don’t be surprised to see a good run of form brewing.

United look woeful at the back recently, particularity in the middle, Pogba remains out so creativity from the middle is gone, although I expect to see Matic in the side today in place of Fred(please God). Van De Beek can’t catch a break and is injured for this so I expect to see Bruno ran further into the ground (I personally would go for Mata). Rashford will play, Ole would play him in a wheelchair if he could. Cavani is out so expect Martial and Greenwood both to start. Being honest I’m tuning in for one man only, and that’s Amad Diallo.

I’ve put all my stocks into this guy, Ole needs to unleash him, I’m sick of waiting. Mbappe this, Haaland that, just wait and see. Anyways I reckon we draw today and get a vital away goal and the squeeze past in the second leg. With Sevilla not in the competition, it really is up for grabs, I fancy Ole to break his Semi Final curse and take us all the way!

AC Milan

Second in the Serie A this year, Milan led by Zlatan look like they could win their first Scudetto in 10 years. They will also be a major threat in this competition. They’re up against a WIFI password tonight so their place in the last 16 is all but confirmed. The team is called FC Crvena zvezda(nope I didnt just bash keys on my keyboard, that’s what they’re called). This should be a routine victory for Milan that will kick start their march to the final. I believe they have a very good chance at going all the way and would have them as 2nd favorites.

Spurs

This is their best chance to get back into the CL. Jose will go for broke in this competition if he thinks getting top 4 in the league is gone, which I think it will be. With the League Cup final against Man City, chances are they’ll lose so this will be another chance at silverware. He’s won the competition before and will fancy himself to do it again especially if Kane stays fit. They’ve got a tricky tie against Wolfsburg who are 4th in the bundesliga, look out for Weghorst in attack and Arnold in midfield. It won’t be easy but I think Spurs will go through this tie and make it to the Semi Finals.

Leicester

Joint second in the league, in the quarters of the FA Cup and in the last 32 of Europa. Leicester fans will be delighted with their season so far. They’ve got a favorable draw against Slavia Praha too, I have them as the dark horses to win this competition due to how they’re always dangerous even when playing bad, in a competition where away goals count, being able to score in a flash is gonna make Leicester serious players here, I reckon they go through this tie and possibly make it to the Semi’s.

Arsenal

If I was Arteta I’m playing my best team in this competetition, they won’t be finishing any higher than 8th in the league, out of both cups too, this is his best chance at silverware and at getting Arsenal back into the Champions League. They’ve a very tricky fixture against Benfica, who aren’t having a stellar season domestically but are always tough in Europe. Auba coming back into form and the emergence of Saka this season could be enough to take them through this tie but I don’t fancy their chances of winning any higher than the teams I’ve mentioned above. I reckon they go out in the quarters, possibly Semi’s if they get a favorable draw. However who knows, with nothing to lose and redemption from Baku on their minds, they could go on a good run here.

Teams with an outside chance

Ajax
Villarreal
Napoli

English teams are always favored but more often than not they fail to go all the way so don’t be surprised to see the likes of an Ajax, Villarreal or Napoli holding the trophy in Poland on the 26th of May.

I hope you enjoyed reading, stay tuned for Prem GOAT #23 today and an article on football’s next big rivalry!

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