Ranking the top 5 contenders to win the Europa League
The 2021-22 UEFA Europa League kicked off in September with 32 teams from 20 different countries competing for European glory.
With the introduction of the Conference League, quite a few changes have been made in the Europa League this season. The erstwhile Round of 32 has been scrapped. Instead, the first knockout, called the 'knockout round playoff' will involve the group stage runners-up clashing with the eight Champions League third-placed teams to make the Round of 16.
The eight winners from that round will lock horns with the eight group leaders, who have advanced directly to the Round of 16.
Knockout round play-off draw ✅
🤩 Which game are you looking forward to most?
#UELdraw | #UEL https://t.co/J7q7sJDiCs
It may play second fiddle to the Champions League, but the Europa League has had some phenomenal games over the years. The competition also provides a way for less-fancied teams to compete at a bigger stage and prove their worth.
It will be fascinating to see which team comes out on top this season. On that note, here are the top five contenders to win the Europa League this season:
#5 RB Leipzig
After a tough Champions League group stage, RB Leipzig will continue their European campaign in the Europa League.
In a group that included Manchester City and PSG, qualifying for the next round was always going to be an uphill task for Leipzig. That duly happened to be the case.
Leipzig went down fighting, holding PSG to a draw and beating group winners Manchester City in their last two games. However, that was not enough for them to finish in the top two.
Three points and #UEL football secured! 💪
⚪🔴 #WeAreLeipzig #UCL #RBLMCI https://t.co/Ln2lwQV07n
Star boy Christopher Nkunku will be Leipzig’s beacon of hope in the Europa League. The Frenchman scored seven goals in the Champions League this season, and will look for more in the Europa League now.
The closest Leipzig have come to securing European glory was in 2019-20, when they made the Champions League semi-final. Leipzig have struggled since Julian Nagelsmann moved on to Bayern Munich this summer.
They are currently seventh in the Bundesliga, and will face Real Sociedad for a place in the Europa League Round of 16.
#4 Sevilla (six-time Europa League winners)
Sevilla are the kings of the Europa League. Alongside Real Madrid (1985, 1986), they are the only team to have successfully defended their title. In fact, Sevilla have done so thrice (2006, 2007 and 2014-16),
Spanish sides have emerged victorious 13 times in the Europa League, which is more than any other nation. Sevilla have accounted for six of these titles.
6 - Sevilla are the most successful side in UEFA Cup/Europa League history, reaching the final (six times including 2019-20) and winning the competition (five times) on more occasions than any other side. Mastered. #UEL https://t.co/7dAmYl6LZe
Sevilla were in Group G of the Champions League, alongside Lille, RB Salzburg, and Wolfsburg. They could only manage one win in the group stage, and finished in third place. With injuries to key players like Suso and Youssef En-Nesyri, Sevilla could only score a disappointing five goals in six games.
The Andalusian club are performing beyond expectations in the La Liga, though, currently trailing only league leaders Real Madrid. The Spanish side will now hope to recreate their magic in the Europa League, and go for a seventh title. Sevilla will face Dinamo Zagreb for a place in the Round of 16.