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With this season’s Premier League top four battle set to go down to the wire, the Europa League will be a welcome insurance policy for Arsenal and Chelsea.
As it stands, both are missing out on next season’s Champions League by virtue of league finishing position, but they are still in with a shot of a place at the top table in European competition.
Should either win the Europa League, they will receive a golden ticket to join the big boys… so it’s time to see who the biggest contenders for this season’s trophy are.
Atletico Madrid are current holders of the Europa League, but there will be a new champion
Chelsea
Despite managerial uncertainty off the field and some poor results on it, Chelsea are currently the bookies’ favourites to lift this season’s Europa League. They flew through their group with five wins and a draw, and face Malmo in the last 32.
In terms of European pedigree, the Blues won this competition in 2012-13 and the Champions League a year previous to that, so have experience of going all the way. If their drop-off in league form continues, the Europa League will become far more important than they wanted it to.
Up next: Malmo
Chances of lifting trophy: 8/10
Chelsea are the current favourites to win the Europa League, but are facing difficulties in form
Arsenal
Unai Emery’s side started the Premier League season brilliantly, but Manchester United’s resurgence under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has knocked them out of the top four for now. Gunners fans may hate Thursday nights, but it appears they could become reliant on them in they want to start playing European games on a Tuesday or Wednesday again.
Much like Chelsea, they raced through their group with five wins and a draw, and should be well-placed to go far in the tournament with no domestic cup competition to sway their focus.
Up next: BATE Borisov
Chances of lifting trophy: 8/10
Arsenal have no domestic cups to focus on and will be desperate to secure European success
Celtic
Six points clear at the top of the Premiership table, Celtic will certainly be backing themselves to secure a place in next season’s Champions League without the need for the Europa League. That said, a European trophy would be welcomed with open arms at Parkhead, and should they succeed it will save them the trouble of multiple qualification rounds in next season’s competition.
In reality, though, they are huge outsiders and you can still get 120/1 with some bookies for Brendan Rodgers’ side to lift the trophy. They limped through their group, and face a very tough task in the round of 32.
Up next: Valencia
Chances of lifting trophy: 2/10
Celtic are outsiders but the atmosphere in Glasgow could boost them in the competition
Benfica
After recent back-to-back victories over huge rivals Sporting Lisbon and a mammoth 10-0 league win against Nacional, confidence is high around Benfica at the moment. As attention turns to the Europa League, they will be keen to continue their fine form in a daunting trip to Turkey to face Galatasaray on Thursday night.
They are the favourites to progress from the tie, though when it comes to their main focus this season, they will certainly be more keen to topple Porto and reclaim the Portuguese league title they squandered last season.
Up next: Galatasaray
Chances of lifting trophy: 4/10
Benfica and their £100m-rated talisman Joao Felix (L) are in fine form in domestic competition
Real Betis
Much like Arsenal and Chelsea this season, Real Betis could be heavily reliant on European competition to secure some long away days next season. Alaves’ impressive start to the La Liga season has seen Betis drop out of the Europa League qualification spots, and if that continues then they may need to lift the trophy this season to be involved next.
They should get through their round of 32 tie, but when it comes to the later stages of the competition, expect Betis to falter. It’s been 14 years since any kind of trophy touched the palms of their players, and they’ve never won a European title.
Up next: Rennes
Chances of lifting trophy: 3/10
Real Betis have never won a European title before but will fancy their chances against Rennes
Inter Milan
After only just missing out on a place in the Champions League knockouts, Inter Milan must be seen as one of the favourites to go far in this season’s second-tier competition. They only dropped down by virtue of head-to-head record in a group of death containing both Barcelona and Tottenham, and have a favourable last-32 tie.
Historically, Inter are one of – if not the – biggest team left in the Europa League, and they will be desperate to end their eight-year barren spell without a trophy. If they lift the Europa League, it will be their seventh European title.
Up next: Rapid Vienna
Chances of lifting trophy: 7/10
Inter Milan are historical heavyweights and will be desperate to end their trophy drought
Napoli
Much like Inter Milan, Napoli can count themselves unlucky to even be in the Europa League after just falling short of a place in the Champions League knockouts. If they were in any group other than one featuring Paris Saint-Germain and Liverpool, you would likely have backed them to progress.
They are second in Serie A, but far enough behind Juventus to give the Europa League a real go, and it would be a big surprise to see them drop out before the semi-final stages. They are the bookies’ second favourites behind Chelsea, but have a great chance of lifting only their second European title – exactly 30 years after the first.
Up next: Zurich
Chances of lifting trophy: 9/10
Napoli are unlucky to not be in the Champions League and should go far in the Europa League
Red Bull Salzburg
Already 14 points clear in the Austrian top tier, Salzburg are pretty much guaranteed another tilt at the Champions League qualification stages next season, but the Europa League offers them a free pass to the group stages if they can win it.
Realistically it will be tough, but you can’t write off a team whose entire season will be focused towards getting as far as they can in Europe. They also have a brilliant manager in Marco Rose, who has even been linked with the Manchester United job.
Up next: Club Brugge
Chances of lifting trophy: 6/10
Salzburg’s Marco Rose is a man in demand and has even been linked with Manchester United
Sevilla
If one team has the European pedigree to win this season’s Europa League, it has to be Sevilla. They have won the trophy a record five times, most memorably for three years straight between 2014 and 2016.
This season, they came through top of their group and, despite facing a tough last 32 tie against Lazio, you would expect them to get to the semi-finals at the very least.
One sticking point could be their league campaign… they are currently fourth, hanging onto a Champions League spot by a thread. They have two options to get into the top tier competition next season: win the Europa League or finish in the top four… where do they place their focus?
Up next: Lazio
Chances of lifting trophy: 8/10
Sevilla are serial winners of the Europa League and you wouldn’t bet against them this year
Valencia
Eighth in La Liga, it has been a tumultuous season for Valencia so far. Indeed, with a real battle on their hands to get any sort of European spot in the league, the Spaniards will be very keen to go far in the Europa League to give themselves a chance of reaching the Champions League once more.
It’s Celtic up next, and they have a mouthwatering clash to look forward to at Parkhead on Thursday. They are favourites to get through that, and then seventh favourites overall to lift the trophy come May 29.
Up next: Celtic
Chances of lifting trophy: 5/10
Valencia should get past Celtic but it might be a stretch for them to go all the way this season
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