The Europa League may lack the prestige of its more glamorous brother but it regularly hosts some of Europe’s most high-profile clubs.
In last season’s Europa League, the likes of Liverpool, Bayer Leverkusen, Roma and eventual champions Atalanta all took part, and some of the continent’s big-hitters will be turning out in the competition for the 2024/25 campaign.
The victor not only secures a European trophy and a welcomed financial boost but also guarantee their place in the Champions League for the following season. Those are not prizes to be sniffed at and 36 sides will be competing for them this term.
Here are 90min’s favourites to win the new-look Europa League – ranked.
A side that have proven themselves on the continent, Olympiacos will be aiming to upset the odds and claim another European trophy after their Conference League triumph last term.
It was the first major international trophy in the club’s history and it secured them a spot in the Europa League. With a taste for European success, experienced coach Jose Luis Mendilibar will be aiming for the stars having won the competition with Sevilla in 2023.
Olympiacos are by no means the favourite for the competition but their Conference League triumph highlights their quality. The Greek side beat Aston Villa, Fiorentina and Fenerbahce en route to the trophy having dropped out of the 2023/24 Europa League group stage.
It was a tumultuous campaign for Lazio in 2023/24 but they still managed to qualify for the Europa League with a seventh-placed Serie A finish. Their league form was disappointing but they did reach the Coppa Italia semi-final and Champions League round of 16.
They have lost some important players during the summer transfer window, including Ciro Immobile, Felipe Anderson and Luis Alberto, but the appointment of manager Marco Baroni and a wave of new arrivals will lift spirits in Rome.
Lazio’s European record leaves a lot to be desired but they are one of the strongest teams in the competition on paper.
Champions League regulars Porto have had to settle for a spot in the Europa League in 2024/25 after an underwhelming Primeira Liga campaign. They couldn’t compete with Benfica and champions Sporting CP in the league, even if they did claim the Taca de Portugal.
They performed admirably in the Champions League, though. Porto qualified for the last 16 and were narrowly defeated by Premier League giants Arsenal on penalties.
Similarly to Lazio, they have lost some vital squad members, with Pepe retiring and star forward Evanilson moving to Bournemouth. But the signing of Arsenal’s Fabio Vieira on loan and the acquisition of highly-rated striker Samu Omorodion could help Porto push for Europa League glory.
Real Sociedad were another side who reached the knockout stage of the 2023/24 Champions League. The La Liga outfit topped their group ahead of Benfica and 2022/23 finalists Inter but were undone by a star-studded Paris Saint-Germain side in the last 16.
The departures of Robin Le Normand and Mikel Merino undoubtedly make Sociedad weaker but they have managed to keep hold of some important players elsewhere, most notably Martin Zubimendi amid interest from Liverpool, Arsenal and Barcelona.
Having finished sixth in La Liga last season, the San Sebastian outfit will be among the favourites to reach the latter stages.
Real Sociedad’s Basque rivals Athletic Club are also among the competition’s strongest sides, buoyed by their historic Copa del Rey triumph in 2023/24. Under Ernesto Valverde, they have proved a difficult side to conquer.
The club have never won a European trophy and will be hard pushed to do so this season considering some of the impressive sides they will be competing with, but only Real Madrid conceded fewer goals than them in La Liga last season.
They are a tough side to break down and boast the likes of Nico Williams, Inaki Williams and Oihan Sancet in the final third.
Jose Mourinho’s departure during last season helped Roma turn a corner, with club legend Daniele De Rossi propelling the club forward after succeeding the divisive Portuguese coach. The inexperienced coach transformed the club on his arrival and helped them qualify for this season’s Europa League with a sixth-placed Serie A finish.
He also pushed them to the Europa League semi-finals, where they were unfortunate to come up against a relentless Bayer Leverkusen side. They knocked out Arne Slot’s Feyenoord, Premier League outfit Brighton & Hove Albion and Italian rivals Milan en route to the final four.
Roma have made some impressive signings for 2024/25, most notably former Girona sharpshooter Artem Dovbyk. Matias Soule and Enzo Le Fee are other shrewd acquisitions that could see Roma reach the final of another European competition having done so twice under Mourinho.
Tottenham’s long wait for silverware – domestic and European – continued in 2023/24 during Ange Postecoglou’s first season at the helm. However, a positive transformation under the Australian has certainly moved them closer to ending their trophy drought.
While Spurs were disappointed to miss out on Champions League qualification last season, it could prove a blessing in disguise. The Europa League offers them a genuine opportunity to win a European competition, something they haven’t managed since 1984.
Juggling the Premier League and Europe may prove tough but Spurs’ high-octane approach could smother lesser sides on the continent. They have plenty of match-winners capable of firing them to glory.
Manchester United have spent more seasons than they would have liked in the Europa League over the past decade, winning the competition in 2017 and reaching the final in 2021. Thanks to their FA Cup triumph last term, they will compete in it again in 2024/25.
And they will be considered most people’s favourites for the title given their impressive squad depth, host of stars and expensive summer signings. While they didn’t have a season to savour in the league last term, they have been successful cup competitors for the most part under Erik ten Hag (barring last season’s Champions League).
The Red Devils have the European pedigree to nudge them ahead of Tottenham in our list of favourites.
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