Europa League - 2015/2016

[Proof]

The draw for the group stage will be held tomorrow at 13:00 (UK time).

A total of 48 teams play in the group stage: 16 teams which enter in this stage, the 22 winners of the play-off round, and the 10 losers of the UCL play-off round.

POT 1: Schalke 04, Borussia Dortmund, Basel, Napoli, Tottenham, Ajax, Villarreal, Rubin Kazan, Athletic Bilbao, Sporting, Marseille, Dnipro.

POT 2: Braga, Fiorentina, Lazio Anderlecht, Liverpool, AZ, Viktoria Plzen, Club Brugge, PAOK, Celtic, Bestiktas, APOEL.

POT 3: Monaco, Sparta Prague, Fenerbahce, Legia Warsaw, Bordeaux, Lokomotiv Moscow, Lech Poznan, Saint-Etienne, Slovan Liberec, Augsburg, Rapid Wien, Krasnodar.

POT 4: Partizan, Asteras Tripoli, Rosenborg, Qarabag, Molde, Dinamo Minsk, Groningen, Sion, Midtjylland, Skenderbeu, Gabala.


Borussia Dortmund are the strong favourites for the tournament with odds of 7/1.

 

[Artisan]

The League needs to have a word with Liverpool and Tottenham and incentivize them to take this comp seriously. It's all well and good obsessing over top four, but if we have one or two more underwhelming season in Europe the fourth place is just going to be another Europa League place for them.

 

[albakos]

The League needs to have a word with Liverpool and Tottenham and incentivize them to take this comp seriously. It's all well and good obsessing over top four, but if we have one or two more underwhelming season in Europe the fourth place is just going to be another Europa League place for them.

The League also needs to take a look at themselves and stop getting bullied by TV deals. We often laugh at Sp**s or Pool for Thursday night footie, but you cannot last the whole season, while playing Thursday night, fly back to England and then play again on Saturday or Sunday.

They should learn from German or Spanish leagues, where they're more flexible in allowing their teams in Europe to have enough time, by either pushing games on Mondays or before CL matches, to have them play on previous Friday.

 

[MagicalRozza]

Some banter from Celtic fans: http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/thats-not-knife-celtic-fenerbahce-6350011

 

[Giroud]

Some really good ties already with Dortmund facing Porto, Villarreal against Napoli, Tottenham going to Fiorentina and Sporting at home to Leverkusen.

I have Sporting backed for the competition outright at 50/1 and I still believe that's a really good price although the draw against Leverkusen is far from ideal. There are questions about the strength of the Portuguese league this year with Benfica in transition and Porto failing to make it out of the group stage of the Champions League but there are signs that things aren't all that bad with Benfica on a good run in the top European competition beating Atletico and Zenit already. Sporting have beaten Benfica three times already this season and have shown themselves well capable of handling the big occasions so far.

I don't follow Bundesliga too closely but Leverkusen seem to really up their game in the big ties and have to be considered as one of the contenders. The worry is German teams have a poor record in the competition and the fight for the last Champions League spot is as tight as ever so their priorities may lie elsewhere. Leverkusen also have a few key players missing including Javier Hernandez.

 

[Rimaal]

I'll be juggling between three 9pm matches tonight; Sp**s, United and Dortmund.

 

[Trilly]

Sp**s and United to win at 4/1 has to be a banker right?

 

[Vinci]

United probably is, Sp**s not so much I think.

 

[Juan Matas Beard]

Sp**s and United to win at 4/1 has to be a banker right?

De Gea injured.

 

[Rosso]

We're screwed.

 

[rich 1990]

If you can't beat MidgeUreland then you certainly are.

 

[A_G]

Can he recover within 10 days?

 

[Jaywood Mac]

What y'all on here make of Lingard? Bit of hype about him earlier on in the season. From what I've seen even for his age looks nothing more than a decent player.
@Juan Matas Beard what you make of him as well?

 

[Jerome_Gooner]

Walker, Dembele, Kane and Dier on the bench for Tottenham.

I hope they can qualify still

 

[MaraDon]

What y'all on here make of Lingard? Bit of hype about him earlier on in the season. From what I've seen even for his age looks nothing more than a decent player.
@Juan Matas Beard what you make of him as well?

im not @Juan Matas Beard but he is average.

 

[MaraDon]

De Gea injured.

"injured" or "on his way to Madrid"

 

[Trilly]

De Gea injured.

Found out about 10 seconds after I placed my bet.

 

[redwhiteAustrian]

"Injured" in the sense that he doesn't want to face that FC Midgetland I guess. Would be surprised if he missed our tie with them.

 

[A_G]

https://vine.co/v/ivQathql6OW

Dele Alli is a dirty ****

 

[Rimaal]

Chadli scores for Sp**s from a penalty.


Good. I want Sp**s in Europe for as long as possible. I want them to have as many games as possible, short of winning it of course.