GWT: Europa/Conference League - Knockouts

[robertmac43]

Fun draw - I'm hoping for some magic from one of Italian or German clubs.

 

[Chimaera]

Alvarez is a big miss for the first leg. West Ham will probably run a Soucek/Ward-Prowse midfield that will get overrun quicker than Belgium.


Liverpool get a walk to the final. Couldn't have seen that coming - the Klopp broadcast will be unreal. Imagine if they play Leverkusen.

It’s a good draw.

But let’s be honest. Who are they not favorites against? Milan / Leverkusen are the strongest teams left I guess but neither would be favored in a two leg.

I’m just glad Liverpool avoid Roma and people getting stabbed.

 

[Evilo]

The Europa League Final has potential to be better than the UCL final with the way that draw went

Madrid vs PSG would be the biggest game because of the Mbappe thing. Besides that…

Nah

 

[Incubajerks]

It’s a good draw.

But let’s be honest. Who are they not favorites against? Milan / Leverkusen are the strongest teams left I guess but neither would be favored in a two leg.

I’m just glad Liverpool avoid Roma and people getting stabbed.

Well here too we are happy not to see zombie hordes of drunken barbarians around the city.

 

[Evilo]

Hopefully OM beats Benfica because Toulouse completely dominated them and should have won that tie.

 

[luiginb]

Hopefully OM beats Benfica because Toulouse completely dominated them and should have won that tie.

They also had a hard time against Rangers. This is not a strong Benfica side.

 

[Savant]

They also had a hard time against Rangers. This is not a strong Benfica side.

Joao Neves tho….

 

[Evilo]

They also had a hard time against Rangers. This is not a strong Benfica side.

This is not a strong OM side either mind you

 

[Jersey Fresh]

It’s a good draw.

But let’s be honest. Who are they not favorites against? Milan / Leverkusen are the strongest teams left I guess but neither would be favored in a two leg.

I’m just glad Liverpool avoid Roma and people getting stabbed.

There are "favorites", and then "FAVORITES". Benfica/Marseilles in the semis is an actual walk, and Atalanta is a much worse mid-table side this year than they have been. Liverpool avoided the entire half of the draw that would have given them a match (minus West Ham).

 

[Savant]

It’s a good draw.

But let’s be honest. Who are they not favorites against? Milan / Leverkusen are the strongest teams left I guess but neither would be favored in a two leg.

I’m just glad Liverpool avoid Roma and people getting stabbed.

One less thing for the Man City fans to sing about .

But yeah LFC are the danger here. Yeah they got an easy draw, but they’d be favorites to make the UCL final if they were in that too so they just need to take care of business

 

[Wee Baby Seamus]

There are "favorites", and then "FAVORITES". Benfica/Marseilles in the semis is an actual walk, and Atalanta is a much worse mid-table side this year than they have been. Liverpool avoided the entire half of the draw that would have given them a match (minus West Ham).

Atalanta are four points off 4th and, until a recent four game skid (in which they played away at Inter, Milan, and Juve) were unbeaten in 2024. They were in 4th only a few weeks ago. Their run-in is such that I'd have them favourites to finish 4th and get back in the UCL. They're not a much worse mid-table side this year. Gasperini has very effectively rebuilt this team from the one that made the UCL QFs a few years ago.

 

[Savant]

Atalanta are four points off 4th and, until a recent four game skid (in which they played away at Inter, Milan, and Juve) were unbeaten in 2024. They were in 4th only a few weeks ago. Their run-in is such that I'd have them favourites to finish 4th and get back in the UCL. They're not a much worse mid-table side this year. Gasperini has very effectively rebuilt this team from the one that made the UCL QFs a few years ago.

Atalanta deserve respect for sure. And they just took Sporting out. That’s a pretty nice scalp. They aren’t going to be pushovers. We’ve played them pretty recently too

 

[Evilo]

Just saw the Conference draw and disappointed the best two teams left play each other in the QF.

 

[Jersey Fresh]

Atalanta are four points off 4th and, until a recent four game skid (in which they played away at Inter, Milan, and Juve) were unbeaten in 2024. They were in 4th only a few weeks ago. Their run-in is such that I'd have them favourites to finish 4th and get back in the UCL. They're not a much worse mid-table side this year. Gasperini has very effectively rebuilt this team from the one that made the UCL QFs a few years ago.

I wouldn’t call them favorites at all and, as you say, are on a bad run of form. Roma as the other “mid-table” candidate in the EL, have only lost once themselves since sacking Mourinho and that was to Inter (though admittedly an easier run of fixtures). I was probably being harsh calling them “mid-table” but my point was more so they aren’t last year’s team.

 

[Evilo]

And OM has won pretty much every game until yesterday after their change of coach (including a 4-0 ass whopping of Villareal that could have been 7-0 tbh).
And they're still not very good.

 

[Wee Baby Seamus]

I wouldn’t call them favorites at all and, as you say, are on a bad run of form. Roma as the other “mid-table” candidate in the EL, have only lost once themselves since sacking Mourinho and that was to Inter (though admittedly an easier run of fixtures). I was probably being harsh calling them “mid-table” but my point was more so they aren’t last year’s team.

Yeah, I wasn't talking about the favourites aspect - Liverpool are the only favourite on that side of the bracket. My point is just that Atalanta are a good team this year, better than last year (a season in which they didn't play in Europe). On track for the same point total in Serie A, but they've also gotten most of their toughest fixtures out of the way - they'll likely exceed it by an okay margin.

And the "bad run of form," as I mentioned in my post, was four consecutive games against the top four, three of which were away. That's a decent asterisk next to the "bad form" category when they've been by and large (outside of Inter) the form team in the league since early December. Just wanted to put some respect on the name, because mid-table was harsh.

 

[JeffreyLFC]

Yeah, I wasn't talking about the favourites aspect - Liverpool are the only favourite on that side of the bracket. My point is just that Atalanta are a good team this year, better than last year (a season in which they didn't play in Europe). On track for the same point total in Serie A, but they've also gotten most of their toughest fixtures out of the way - they'll likely exceed it by an okay margin.

And the "bad run of form," as I mentioned in my post, was four consecutive games against the top four, three of which were away. That's a decent asterisk next to the "bad form" category when they've been by and large (outside of Inter) the form team in the league since early December. Just wanted to put some respect on the name, because mid-table was harsh.

The first game will dictate the rest if they can get a draw or win at Anfield it will be very for LFC to comeback in the reverse fixture.

 

[gary69]

The Europa League Final has potential to be better than the UCL final with the way that draw went

Madrid vs PSG would be the biggest game because of the Mbappe thing. Besides that…

Newly crowned English champions vs German champions in EL, and similarly Spanish champions vs French champions in CL, at least it would be proper top teams of the season facing each other in the final.

 

[Savant]

Newly crowned English champions vs German champions in EL, and similarly Spanish champions vs French champions in CL, at least it would be proper top teams of the season facing each other in the final.

Steady….

 

[cgf]

Should be some fun games today


AC Milan - Roma
Liverpool - Atalanta
Leverkusen - West Ham
Benfica - Marseille

 

[Jersey Fresh]

Jarrod Bowen is out today and possibly for the second leg as well. Plus Edson Alvarez suspended. But in the plus side, Kalvin Phillips is out. Not looking good, though.

Alvarez I think is one of the most underrated signings of the season, such an important player for the midfield. If only he didn’t take boatloads of yellows at every opportunity.

 

[Savant]

Bajcetic, Diogo Jota and Trent back on the bench. Going to be interesting to see how this guys get reintegrated over the last few games. Not sure how cut and dry it will be, but to build them up in the Europa Leagye probably makes sense.

 

[luiginb]

Is that how we spell Djimsiti now? lol

 

[Savant]

Kelleher saved a ball with his face and his cheek has a welt

 

[luiginb]

Kelleher saved a ball with his face and his cheek has a welt

Liverpool not really in the game so far, Atalanta with two big chances already.