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Europa League just got interesting... CL dropouts

guy

SC Supporter
May 31, 2007
4,507
6,182
The teams dropping down from the champions league seems to be a much more dangerous group than past seasons. I'd say we've dropped from favourite, down to about 5th or 6th favourite now

Shakhtar Donetsk
Juventus
Benfica
Viktoria Plzeň
Basel
Napoli
Porto
Ajax

This comp just got real, going to be some good games from here in, must say I'm looking forward to it now!

Anyone still think we can win, or make it to the final?
 

talkshowhost86

Mod-Moose
Staff
Oct 2, 2004
48,105
47,061
The teams dropping down from the champions league seems to be a much more dangerous group than past seasons. I'd say we've dropped from favourite, down to about 5th or 6th favourite now

Shakhtar Donetsk
Juventus
Benfica
Viktoria Plzeň
Basel
Napoli
Porto
Ajax

This comp just got real, going to be some good games from here in, must say I'm looking forward to it now!

Anyone still think we can win, or make it to the final?

The only two teams with squads as good as us are Napoli and Juve.

In terms of strength in depth I think we're better than both.

As with last season, if we want it, and if we play to our best, we're one of the best teams in it.
 

chrissivad

Staff
May 20, 2005
51,646
58,072
I think im right in saying Shakhtar Donetsk, SL Benfica, FC Basel 1893 and SSC Napoli join us in the top seeds for the next round

So we could be drawn against Juventus, FC Viktoria Plzeň, FC Porto, AFC Ajax or any of the runners up from the other groups
 

only1waddle

Well-Known Member
Jun 18, 2012
8,150
12,292
I still wouldn't underestimate Basel, even though we are a different beast, and indeed have the Beast back if we do play them, they still have a great work ethic.
 

hughy

I'm SUPER cereal.
Nov 18, 2007
31,842
56,935
I'd love a tie against Ajax, such an iconic club as far as I'm concerned. No idea when the last time we played them competitively was, certainly not in my lifetime.
 

Blackcanary

Dame sans merci
Jul 15, 2012
5,621
12,168
This comp just got real, going to be some good games from here in, must say I'm looking forward to it now!

Anyone still think we can win, or make it to the final?

I feel like having top quality opposition will probably make us more likely to do well because the players will be more pumped up for it and driven - imagine the difference you'd feel playing Juve to playing Tromso!

I think we've got one of the best squads and, by the time we start the knockouts we'll have had more of a chance to gel.
 

IGSpur

Well-Known Member
Jan 11, 2013
7,939
13,758
Ajax, Juve, or Porto please.

Thought for a bit but have to agree. Want the good European games, regardless of comp the they are still top European games and I love watching em. Lyon last year was so good as was Inter.
 

Gedson100

Well-Known Member
Feb 13, 2012
4,487
14,648
Napoli president De Laurentiis: "You know my thoughts on the Europa League. I think it's a complete waste of time"

Hope we draw them then :)
 

jambreck

Well-Known Member
Jul 20, 2013
3,200
5,879
Anyone still think we can win, or make it to the final?

Of course we can.

Put it this way, no team that wants to win the tournament will want to be drawn against us. Including all the CL dropouts.

We have one of the strongest squads in the competition. And we have a manager with an affinity for the EL who is determined to take it seriously and win it again.

If we do make it to the final, the one team I particularly wouldn't want to face is Juve. It will be a home game for them and would make it far more difficult for Spurs fans to get tickets beyond what is sure to be too small an official allocation.
 

Spurger King

can't smile without glue
Jul 22, 2008
43,881
95,147
Thought for a bit but have to agree. Want the good European games, regardless of comp the they are still top European games and I love watching em. Lyon last year was so good as was Inter.

Yep. I think it would help the squad as well. Sometimes the big occasions are where things can start to click.

Napoli president De Laurentiis: "You know my thoughts on the Europa League. I think it's a complete waste of time"

Hope we draw them then :)

After AVB's comments about how it was only the English that didn't rate the Europa League, it's interesting to see that we're not necessarily alone in thinking it's a bit of a joke tournament.

The main problems I have with it are the number of extra games that effectively means that teams just missing out on Champions League spots face an uphill challenge the following season, and that teams that failed in one tournament get a second chance.

Having said that, it's the big games that make it exciting. Juve, Ajax, or Porto would be fantastic.
 

murichej

Well-Known Member
Jan 27, 2013
1,899
3,104
I've done some predictions for the Europa League draw (most of it it's 100% clear, only few to decide tomorrow):

SEEDED TEAMS
Napoli
Benfica
Shakhtar
Basel
Valencia
Ludogorets
Salzburg
Rubin Kazan
Fiorentina
Eintracht Frankfurt
Genk
Sevilla
Betis
Trabzonspor
Tottenham Hotspur FC
Paok

UNSEEDED TEAMS
Ajax
Juventus
Viktoria Plzen
Porto
Swansea
PSV Eindhoven
Esbjerg
Zulte Waregem
Dnipro
Maccabi Tel-Aviv
Dinamo Kyiv
Freiburg
Olympique Lyonnais
Lazio
Anji
AZ Alkmaar

The weakest unseeded teams are Esbjerg, Zulte Waregem and Maccabi Tel-Aviv in my opinion.
 
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