ChampionsLeague QuarterFinals Picture by Adobestock

Europa League on TV

The Europa League Returns to our TV screens

As the domestic football competitions have now drawn to a close, all attention shifts to the Champions League and Europa League as they make their return following the sudden halt on both competitions back in March. 

The much awaited return to action sees new formats for both tournaments crammed up into the month of August in a bid to get it all wrapped and ready for the new season to commence.  

On Wednesday, the Europa League resumes with a set of four fixtures followed by another four the following day.  There are three rounds of games to go before the final in Cologne with plenty of action and excitement round the corner. 

Europa League on TV: The Favourits

The four most fancied sides left in the competition stem from England, Spain, Italy and Germany. 

Thanks to a superb finish to their domestic season, Manchester United are odds on favourites to lift the trophy and in many ways quite rightly so.  

They boast a fully fit and inform squad with vastly experienced players like Paul Pogba, Nemanja Matic and Harry Maguire, combined with the energy and pace of front liners Marcus Rashford, Anthony Martial and young prospect Mason Greenwood. 

An impressive 5-0 first-leg advantage over LASK means Ole Gunnar Solskjaer may decide to shuffle his pack following a tiring congested run of domestic fixtures. 

Inter Milan are second favourites to go all the way in this year’s competition having lost just one of their 14 matches post-lockdown. 

They will face Spanish outfit Getafe in a one-legged affair on neutral soil in Germany and the winner of this tie will then play the winners of either Rangers or Bayer Leverkusen. 

The side led by the controversial Antonio Conte, head into the game in good form following a run of three straight wins in a row to finish in second place and just one point behind champions Juventus.   

While they have beat Ludogorets in fashionable style in the last round, Inter have a poor record against Spanish opposition which means nothing will be easy on the night. 

Europa League Giants: Sevilla

Bayer Leverkusen and Sevilla are the last two teams on the favourites’ list of claiming European success in very difficult circumstances. The Spanish giants have a tremendous track record in the Europa League, having won the trophy in three successive seasons between 2013/2014 and 2015/16, a run only broken by Jose Mourinho’s Manchester United. 

Sevilla have a very difficult task in overcoming Roma; while Bayer Leverkusen are set to play Rangers after a four-week break since their domestic break ended. 

The Germans picked up just four wins of their final nine games of the season missing out on the Champions league spots in the process. They however still hold a 3-1 advantage over Rangers leaving them firm favourites to progress. 

The Outsiders

Wolves could end the season and be satisfied by how far they have come in this competition, but they surely must be considered as the dark knights who could cause a major upset in this year’s edition. 

They face Olympiacos in the second leg after the first leg ended in a cagey draw with not much to choose from either team. 

No-one has been more impressive than striker Raul Jimenez who has 17 Premier League goals to his name and just for this reason his team are favourites to make it through the next round and keep the dream alive.