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UEFA Europa League – Update After Matchday 4
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The British runners and riders in this year’s UEFA Europa League have begun jostling for position in the race to Dublin’s final, set for Wednesday May 22nd.
In Group A, West Ham are top the table on goal difference over Freiburg. If both teams, as expected, win their MD5 games, West Ham v Freiburg on December 14th will be a straight top two shoot out: the loser will go into a Play-Off against a Champions League Third Placed side; the winner will go straight through to the UEFA Europa League Last 16.
In Group B, Brighton are second on seven points. Their progress could go either way. They’ll need three points, and possibly four, from a trip to AEK Athens on Nov 30/the visit of Marseille on Dec 14. A favour from out-of-form Ajax would be nice.
In Group C, Rangers are second. It looks like they’ll end the Group Stage on ten points (MD5 should deliver a home win v Aris Limassol/MD6 looks like an away loss to Real Betis?). Those results will mean Sparta Prague (Betis away, Aris at home) will have to win both their remaining games to overtake the Glasgow side. Everything to play for, but Rangers look like they should have enough.
Despite last night’s Group E loss in Toulouse, Europa League favourites Liverpool remain on course for a Last 16 spot. A win over LASK in MD5 is very much odds-on. The trip to Union SG could present problems but Jurgen Klopp’s side are favourites to top the group and progress to March’s Last 16.
Joining us from the UCL?
Those four British sides could be joined by Manchester United (currently fourth in UCL Group A), Newcastle (fourth in UCL Group F) – Celtic need to win both their final games to stand a chance of accessing the UEFA Europa League Play-Off game.
UEFA Europa Conference League - Villa Targetting Success
Aston Villa are favourites to lift the UEFA Europa Conference League and look set to comfortable qualify for the R16. We bid a reluctant farewell to Aberdeen who are set for a Group exit this time around.
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Europa League Round Of 16
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The Europa League Round of 16 kicked off last night, delivering drama of the highest quality for the two remaining British teams.
Both Chelsea and Arsenal have made it to this point of the competition at a relative canter, but with the competition kicking up a notch, surprise results can often be the flavour of the day.
Arsenal compounded that theory with a shock defeat to French side Rennes,
who currently lie 10th in Ligue 1. Despite taking the lead through Alex Iwobi early in the first half, Sokratis Papastathopoulos’ dismissal following a second yellow card invited a wave a attack from the French side, culminating in an equalising goal for Benjamin Bourigeaud just three minutes before half time.The Gunners arrived in France having never lost an away game against French opposition, and with Petr Cech making a succession of important saves, they looked as though they may be able to keep their record intact.
Cech’s resistance lasted until the 65th minute when a Nacho Monreal own goal from a cross gave Rennes the lead before a mistake late in the game allowed James Lea Siliki to break free and provide a perfect cross for Ismaila Sarr to head home and secure the win.
Arsenal will now need to overcome a two-goal deficit to reach the Quarter Finals when they host Rennes on Thursday 14 March.
Chelsea, meanwhile, found the going far easier as they breezed past Dynamo Kiev to give themselves a commanding three-goal advantage for the second leg of their last 16 tie.
Maurizio Sarri’s side looked lively from the beginning, creating a multitude of chances that could have seen them take a three goal advantage into the half time. As it happened, they were only able to manage one goal through Pedro, thanks to a sumptuous backheel from Olivier Giroud.
Chelsea took control of the game through Willian’s superbly curled free-kick from 25 yards out to double their lead in the 65th minute, with a strike that rendered the goalkeeper to a mere spectator, only moving to collect the ball from the back of the net.
The Blues extended their advantage to three through Callum Hudson-Odoi in the 90th minute to head into the second leg with a commanding lead. Chelsea’s dominance was typified by goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga’s workload as he was not needed to make a single save in the entire game.
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Europa League Round-Up
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Despite the frosty weather, things are beginning to heat up in the Europa League for three British teams.
Last night signalled the end of the group stages, with only Arsenal coming away with a victory having already secured progression through to the knock-out stages.
Perhaps the most fortunate team to make their way to the last-32 was Celtic, who qualified despite a loss to FC Red Bull Salzburg thanks to a shock result that saw Norwegian side Rosenborg draw with RB Leipzig in Germany.
The Scottish Champions fell behind after two goals in 10 minutes in the second half which had most of Celtic’s supporters resigned to the realisation that their European journey was over. A late goal from Oliver Ntcham restored a touch of pride but in truth Celtic will be indebted to Rosenborg should they progress any further.
Meanwhile, the Gunners hosted FK Qarabag, who had only managed three points in the competition. Alexandre Lacazette gave the home side an early lead which proved to be the only goal of the game, despite registering 11 shots and retaining almost 70% possession.
Victory extends Arsenal's unbeaten run into a 22nd match. It is their longest run without defeat in all competitions since a 28-game stretch that ended in November 2007. As group winners, Arsenal will avoid the four best-placed teams dropping down from the Champions League in the draw for the last 32.
As do Chelsea, who fielded a weakened side against MOL Vidi, safe in the knowledge that their qualification was already guaranteed. The Blues took the lead from a free-kick by Willian before the Hungarian side equalized less than two minutes later thanks to an own goal from teenager Ethan Ampadu. Vidi then took the lead just before the hour mark but their plans of taking all three points were scuppered by another free-kick, this time from Olivier Giroud to maintain their unbeaten run in the competition.
Rangers were the unfortunate team to miss out on qualification due to a 1-0 loss away to Rapid Vienna. Steven Gerrard’s side went into the game knowing that a win would secure progression to the knock-out stages, but an 84th minute goal saw them relinquish second place in the group to their opponents, bringing an end to their European adventure.
The draw for the last-32 will be on Monday December 17 in Nyon, Switzerland at 12pm GMT. Chelsea and Arsenal have qualified as seeded teams after their unbeaten campaigns, whereas Celtic go into the knock-out stages unseeded meaning that they will likely face a sterner test in the next round.
Seeded teams are drawn against unseeded sides with the first leg at the home of the unseeded teams, before a second leg at the home stadium of the seeded side a week later. Teams from the same group or same country cannot be drawn together for the round of 32, meaning Arsenal and Chelsea will not be playing each other. However, Celtic could be drawn against the Premier League clubs. The first legs will be played on February 14 before the second leg a week later on 21 February.
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