UEFA Europa League Qualifying Rounds 2020-21

[Wee Baby Seamus]

I've seen Chelsea win FA Cups. I've seen Chelsea win Europa Leagues (including against Arsenal!). The Europa Leagues were more exciting.

 

[AB13]

That is just ridiculous. Playing in the Europa League at all is an embarrassment to me. You need to beat truly elite teams to win an FA Cup though. At least one, maybe two, top 5 teams in the world.

 

[Juve]

 

[hatterson]

Saying it would be an embarrassment to be in a competition your club can't even qualify for is pretty funny.

 

[bluesfan94]

LOL at trash talking about a community shield.

Listen I need something to hold onto

 

[bluesfan94]

I’d rather win the Europa league 10 times out of 10. Regardless of the path taken, it’s more prestigious and historically relevant at this point. The FA Cup has been the B-squad cup for too long to hold as much merit.

TBF, early Europa League is also the B-Squad Cup

 

[AB13]

Saying it would be an embarrassment to be in a competition your club can't even qualify for is pretty funny.

You think I’m not embarrased?

 

[Wee Baby Seamus]

That is just ridiculous. Playing in the Europa League at all is an embarrassment to me. You need to beat truly elite teams to win an FA Cup though. At least one, maybe two, top 5 teams in the world.

That's fair, Chelsea played a pretty non-elite team in the Europa League final a few years back

 

[AB13]

That's fair, Chelsea played a pretty non-elite team in the Europa League final a few years back

They also were a very non elite team. I mean, they were one point ahead of Arsenal in the league. It is rare that elite teams play in the Europa League while the FA Cup always has atleast 3.

 

[koyvoo]

TBF, early Europa League is also the B-Squad Cup

True. I maintain that it’s just more prestigious and historically relevant trophy at this point. Winning in Europe is just more special, more memorable in a broader spectrum.

I’d say it’s like the league vs CL. The league may be harder to win, have less luck involved, even be truer indicator of the best team in said competition, but the CL is bigger. Bigger celebration, bigger imprint in history across a wider range.

 

[ScottishCanuck]

I can't tell if the posters involved are even being serious, but it's comments like that and "Farmers league innit?" that makes everyone dislike English football fans.

Glad Villarreal beat them. I've had a soft spot for them since they beat us in the UEFA Cup (back when Sonny Anderson was their star man. They had Riquelme then too although I can't remember him from the game itself). And the arrogance on display from the English media before the game was unbelievable.

 

[AB13]

Every top 5 league domestic cup means a lot more to fans than the Europa League. Not just an English thing.

 

[ScottishCanuck]

Every top 5 league domestic cup means a lot more to fans than the Europa League. Not just an English thing.

It's definitely just an English thing.

 

[The Abusement Park]

It's definitely just an English thing.

*an AB13 thing.

 

[ScottishCanuck]

*an AB13 thing.

In all seriousness though, the English media (and quite often the fans themselves) have treated the tournament with arrogance, snobbery and disrespect for years. I know it's not as prestigious as it was in the UEFA Cup days, but it's a major European trophy and it definitely still carries prestige with players and fans on the continent.

 

[koyvoo]

Every top 5 league domestic cup means a lot more to fans than the Europa League. Not just an English thing.

Next year if Leicester win Europa, as a generalization, their fans, the media, this board, casuals, and later on romantic nostalgia, all call it bigger in their history than the FA cup win. Book it.

 

[AB13]

Next year if Leicester win Europa, as a generalization, their fans, the media, this board, casuals, and later on romantic nostalgia, all call it bigger in their history than the FA cup win. Book it.

Absolutely not. The FA Cup will triumph it massively. Has there ever been an underdog bragging about a UEL win years after the tournament? No, because domestic cups are worth so, so much more to the fans involved. In a way, winning the UEL is a representation of faliure. I don’t consider the Europa League a ”major trophy”. It is the equivalent of winning a lower league title, like the Championship.

 

[Duchene2MacKinnon]

This guy took a survey of every fan

 

[Pouchkine]

For a 2nd place EPL team that was very disappointing, Villarreal keeps the La Liga streak going 11/18 it's mighty impressive.

 

[koyvoo]

Absolutely not. The FA Cup will triumph it massively. Has there ever been an underdog bragging about a UEL win years after the tournament? No, because domestic cups are worth so, so much more to the fans involved. In a way, winning the UEL is a representation of faliure. I don’t consider the Europa League a ”major trophy”. It is the equivalent of winning a lower league title, like the Championship.

I’m not trying to convince you to change your opinion. I’m telling you how these trophies are looked by the consensus, and how they age as time goes on. That’s why I repeat words like prestige and historical relevance. It simply carries more weight, is held in higher regard and remembered for longer by a larger amount of people and a broader range of people.

 

[Venkman]

Can't complain, United weren't good enough over 120 minutes. Bruno, Pogba, Rashford and Lindelof didn't play well. Shaw not as good as he has been either. McTominay was United's best player.

Felt bad for de Gea missing the decisive penalty but his penalty saving record is terrible.

Congrats Villarreal, always good to see a new winner.

 

[robertmac43]

I’m not trying to convince you to change your opinion. I’m telling you how these trophies are looked by the consensus, and how they age as time goes on. That’s why I repeat words like prestige and historical relevance. It simply carries more weight, is held in higher regard and remembered for longer by a larger amount of people and a broader range of people.

Hmm this is an interesting one and I want to say off the bat, I hold the Europa League in high regard. Love the competition and think it is an extremely legitimate trophy.

However, in the context of traditionally smaller English clubs, I think the FA Cup will hold more longevity for fans. From my experience supporting Brighton, the FA cup seems like something that is never obtainable, but you want it every year. It's the magical cup that has been dominated by giants like Arsenal, Man U, Chelsea, etc. These are the teams that you would sell your soul to beat in any round of the FA Cup. On the other hand, the Europe League is a competition that doesn't really cross your mind as a smaller club. Obviously getting there and winning the trophy would be amazing, but it's not really something you fantasize about as a fan. The FA Cup 100% is and will be remembered by locals forever. It represents beating all the big English clubs you never thought you could touch.

 

[Chimaera]

Doesn’t Emery have more European silverware than the worlds mightiest club?

 

[robertmac43]

If you ask me right now what I would prefer for Brighton, it's a no-brainer for me. I would love to win the FA Cup. Fans of Brighton still talk about losing 1-0 to City @ Wembly as one of the biggest accomplishments in club history. Obviously, Leicester won the Prem and is now at a different level than Brighton, so there is some context to acknowledge there.

 

[Chimaera]

LOL at trash talking about a community shield.

That was their World Cup final. That and the Emirates Cup.

Klopp treated it like a glorified friendly, which is what it is. The International Champions Cup is worth just slightly less.