⚽UEFA Europa League Discussion Thread -- 2021/22 Winners: Eintracht Frankfurt!

[buwaytress]

As DarkDays points out, and as others constantly say, yes, these are minnows, but a lot of clubs have rich history, not just the Liverpools and the Ajaxs and the Bayerns. My own local club in my eyes has such a rich vein of history, even though we have only a few honours to our name. I remember the players, the coaches, the games, even if not many do.

 I think even Trofo or someone else once said it is still possible to find great games and great clubs with huge atmospheres in the less fancied stadiums and I totally agree. Remember what an impression the Icelandic fans had at World Cup? I bet you, if a minnow like Europa FC make it to group stages, cue scenes of delirium in Gibraltar.

BTW, my pick of Shamrock Rovers did themselves proud didn't they? I still lost the bet but hey, 2 away goals!

@LTU see how hard it is for favs to win? Of your 6 picks, THREE failed to win!

[swogerino]

I had a feeling since yesterday that not all favourites will win because of a long history that this is not happening.Days like the old ones where in Champions League all favourites used to win easily.Yesterday very low odds like Hapoel Beer Sheva with 1.35 did not win together with many others.

[buwaytress]

I've got a crazy bet on Europa FC to win at 42/1. They're up against old Polish giants Legia Warsaw but they're away after a scoreless first leg but this is good so they know even 1 goal means they have the advantage, it means they will look to counter when Warsaw attack to save face.

It'll probably end up as a thrashing but I like 42/1. GO GIBRALTAR!

Any other upsets? Aberdeen needed a penalty to level things up at 1-1, they could very well lose if they let in another goal. I fancy Rejkavik at home also hosting Molde. These are just about the extent of how familiar I am with these teams haha.

[logfiles]

I've got a crazy bet on Europa FC to win at 42/1. They're up against old Polish giants Legia Warsaw but they're away after a scoreless first leg but this is good so they know even 1 goal means they have the advantage, it means they will look to counter when Warsaw attack to save face.

It'll probably end up as a thrashing but I like 42/1. GO GIBRALTAR!

Any other upsets? Aberdeen needed a penalty to level things up at 1-1, they could very well lose if they let in another goal. I fancy Rejkavik at home also hosting Molde. These are just about the extent of how familiar I am with these teams haha.

Crazy bet it is indeed. At 55 minutes right now and Legia Warsaw are having a 2 goal lead.
What is making matter worse is that Europa FC's centre back Sergio Jimenez Sanchez has been red carded. Europa FC is in for a thrashing.
Sorry mate.

[LTU_btc]

There wasn't many surprising results in this round, but we can see some interesting outcomes. Dinamo Minsk were kicked out by Liepaja, Tobol got eliminated by club from Luxembourg, Hajduk Split surprisingly lost to Gzira (club from Malta) at home and got eliminated, Kilmanrock got eliminated by club from Wales.
Next round we will see some big clubs joining competition like Espanyol, Wolves or Torino.
@buwaytress, I was thinking about Legia over 3.5 bet on this game, but decided to skip this match. Seems it was good decision.

[buwaytress]

@logfiles I know. It was a sucker bet and had that written all over it, but after the sending off I suppose we should be impressed they kept the scoreline so "respectable!"

@LTU: Indeed, you avoided a pothole. Last night's rounds were full of goals though. I'm actually undecided about who to back this season. Glad Chelsea won't be playing (unless they drop down from CL) and I actually think Wolves have a great shot... I really want to see an outsider win it, be nice to see their face in 2020 CL.

[Daniel91]

There wasn't many surprising results in this round, but we can see some interesting outcomes. Dinamo Minsk were kicked out by Liepaja, Tobol got eliminated by club from Luxembourg, Hajduk Split surprisingly lost to Gzira (club from Malta) at home and got eliminated, Kilmanrock got eliminated by club from Wales.
Next round we will see some big clubs joining competition like Espanyol, Wolves or Torino.
@buwaytress, I was thinking about Legia over 3.5 bet on this game, but decided to skip this match. Seems it was good decision.

It's really big surprise that Hajduk lost to Gzira.
All Gzire players have value as one Hajduk player, Caktas.
It is true that Hajduk has not had great results for a long time in Croatia and Europe but still it is a club with a centennial tradition and many magnificent results in history, a lot of championship titles and cup winners in the former Yugoslavia, semi final in UEFA cup 1984. etc.
A saying that today everyone knows how to play football, and that no one should be underestimated, proved to be correct.

[buwaytress]

Such a swing in odds. Ararat Armenia were 20/1 to win their last game in CL (now dropped to Europa), and today after progressing their opponents are 15/1. Is there really a huge difference between Lincoln Red Imps and AIK besides one plays in Champs League and the other in Europa? 2-0 at 55 mins seems to say, yep!

Any of you actually got a team you like at this stage?

[LTU_btc]

Any of you actually got a team you like at this stage?

I like Suduva, mainly because it;s club from my country. In Champions league they were very close to kick outCrvena Zvezda, but wasted chances to score in first match cost them place in the next round. Clubs from my country never played in Champions/Europa league group stage, but I hope that Suduva finally will reach it. Today they will play against Tre Penne from San Marino, which shouldn't be difficult opponent.

[Harkorede]

Such a swing in odds. Ararat Armenia were 20/1 to win their last game in CL (now dropped to Europa), and today after progressing their opponents are 15/1. Is there really a huge difference between Lincoln Red Imps and AIK besides one plays in Champs League and the other in Europa? 2-0 at 55 mins seems to say, yep!

Any of you actually got a team you like at this stage?

I don't have a favorite team in the stage. However, there are a couple of fixtures I'm looking forward to in this round; today's being  PSV vs Basel It's quite an even match up, and I don't know which team to bet on.

I also have made a risky bet.
I took The New Saints to win against Copenhagen @ 13.5 odds

[royalfestus]

For those fixtures, anyone that qualifies is just adding to the list, they wont go far. sometimes history might look irrelevant but not in football. The top teams are not only buying the best player but manage them with the best resources, medical, technical and improved football science, good coaching crew that these teams cant ever afford. Playing in big stadium is also intimidating if players are not used to it. I hope the thread can last the 2020 season

[Upgrade00]

I usually do not bet on tournaments I do not actively follow up and the pre qualifiers to the Europa league is one of them. The qualifiers proper would kick off at the start of the season when clubs would have returned from their preseason tours.
That would spicing up the tournament and attract more bookies and more exciting odds.

[Harkorede]

Just like I predicted PSV vs Basel has been an interesting game so far, Basel are 1 - 2 up with few minutes to go. They'll get a good advantage If they can secure the win here away from home.

I already lost my bet on The New Saints as they are currently 2 goals down to Copenhagen, 7 minutes to go in the match as well.

[buwaytress]

@LTU: Well done to your team, I knew we had some people playing here from these leagues, let's see how far you get, I don't know anything about Suduva but a few seasons ago I didn't know a lot of teams until they made it through to latter stages =)

@Harko: TNS won me a nice one in the previous round but I picked a few teams and only one underdog won (Dudelange) so made up for that shitty performance from my side!

Finely balanced for a few of the teams, interesting odds for 2nd leg sure to come up!

[LTU_btc]

Lot of matches has been played tonight and like always there was some interesting results.
Arsenal (not from London lol) lost to Neftchi at home 0:1, Pyunik Yerevan won against Jablonec 2:1,  Utrecht didn't managed to win against Zrinjski.
Speaking about big clubs (Wolves, Rangers, Strasbourg, Torino) reached comfortbable wins. Only Eintracht had difficult match and won against Flora 2:1 away.
And match of the day is Gent vs Vitorul Constanta which ended 6:3 - 9 goals scored in total! Probably it was fun to watch.

[logfiles]

Lot of matches has been played tonight and like always there was some interesting results.
Arsenal (not from London lol) lost to Neftchi at home 0:1, Pyunik Yerevan won against Jablonec 2:1,  Utrecht didn't managed to win against Zrinjski.
Speaking about big clubs (Wolves, Rangers, Strasbourg, Torino) reached comfortbable wins. Only Eintracht had difficult match and won against Flora 2:1 away.
And match of the day is Gent vs Vitorul Constanta which ended 6:3 - 9 goals scored in total! Probably it was fun to watch.

Must have been fun to watch for sure... I usually love matches that have some good amounts of goals from both sides. Basing on the few results you put up, looks like there weren't so many upsets and most big dogs didn't face any difficulty going through

[Coyster]

For those fixtures, anyone that qualifies is just adding to the list, they wont go far. sometimes history might look irrelevant but not in football

Definitely not all teams that make it to a tournament expect to win it, a lot come as underdogs while the big teams enter as the favorites.
Smaller teams do hope they can upset the big boys though, but in the European club competition, it hardly happens.

The top teams are not only buying the best player but manage them with the best resources, medical, technical and improved football science, good coaching crew that these teams cant ever afford

I usually tell my friends that modern football is run by money, this days all top teams spend so much money on players, even 'traditional" clubs like Manchester United and Barcelona, who hardly spend so much on players previously, have joined the trend, the football market has been heightened, so to stay as a top club, you must spend crazily, thus making it so difficult for the smaller teams to compete.

[Harkorede]

I usually tell my friends that modern football is run by money, this days all top teams spend so much money on players, even 'traditional" clubs like Manchester United and Barcelona, who hardly spend so much on players previously, have joined the trend, the football market has been heightened, so to stay as a top club, you must spend crazily, thus making it so difficult for the smaller teams to compete.

Occasionally, pure brilliance and talents do pay off too. That was the case with Ajax in 2018/19 Season, they were one of least valuable team but did pull off great wins against several money giants in the UCL.

Money is a huge factor for success in football these days, but if only spent the right way.

[Bitcoin_Arena]

I usually tell my friends that modern football is run by money, this days all top teams spend so much money on players, even 'traditional" clubs like Manchester United and Barcelona, who hardly spend so much on players previously, have joined the trend, the football market has been heightened, so to stay as a top club, you must spend crazily, thus making it so difficult for the smaller teams to compete.

Occasionally, pure brilliance and talents do pay off too. That was the case with Ajax in 2018/19 Season, they were one of least valuable team but did pull off great wins against several money giants in the UCL.

Money is a huge factor for success in football these days, but if only spent the right way.

True, Monaco too? i think it was the 2016/17 season where they were so brilliant. The also won the French league ahead of PSG. The team was so good but the next summer please would get bought by other clubs and before we realized it Monaco was almost relegated last season.

This is the same trend i have observed with Ajax. Most of it's star players are on the market and within two seasons, Ajax will be back to rebuilding once again

[buwaytress]

@Coyster and @Harko: don't forget, Tottenham were finalists and an outsider for other honours too even as later as Christmas... all without spending anything.

And I hope I'm not shooting myself in the foot but Liverpool have spent all of 1.5 mill while Aston Villa have now racked up 100 mill.

So it isn't totally about money, yes, we're entitled to be cynical, but we've seen recent fairytales like Spurs in the final, Ajax in the Semis, and Leicester dancing to the title.

Romance isn't completely gone;)

@BitcoinArena: Actually, Ajax have been spending outside of norm the last 2 seasons... they are apparently tired of always rebuilding, good for them!