Which Team Will Win The Europa League This Season?
The Champions League may get all the headlines, but the Europa League is one of the most competitive competitions on the continent. There is a layer of unpredictability that doesn’t come with the Champions League, which means betting of the competition can often be lucrative for gamblers.
There are some huge teams involved in the tournament this season, but which team could be best placed to win the Europa League this season?
Arsenal
The Gunners were disappointing in the Europa League last term as they were dumped out by Olympiakos. However, they will still be confident from the season before that they will go deep in this competition. In the 2018-19 season, the Gunners reached the final of the Europa League before they were heavily beaten by an Eden Hazard-inspired Chelsea.
The Gunners will start this season’s competition as the favourites to win the Europa League, as they have proven to be a side that excels in cup competitions.
Mikel Arteta won his first trophy with the club at the end of last season as the Gunners beat Chelsea in the FA Cup final, while they also added the Community Shield at the beginning of the 2020-21 season.
However, success in Europe will be more difficult for Arsenal, but they have certainly added strength in depth to their squad over the summer months with the signings of Willian and Thomas Partey.
Tottenham Hotspur
Arsenal’s North London rivals are the second favourites in the betting, and Jose Mourinho has already insisted that he will be targeting success in the Europa League this season. Mourinho has proven success in Europe as he has won the Champions League on two occasions and the Europa League twice.
The most recent of those successes came during his time at Manchester United, as his side beat Ajax in the final in Stockholm to end his first season in charge.
Mourinho will be hoping to repeat that feat this season, and there is no doubt that he has the quality within his squad to achieve that. It is unknown at this point how seriously Spurs will take the competition this season, as they will look to find the right balance between the domestic competitions and Europa League.
However, if Tottenham gets to the knockout rounds, Mourinho will likely favour a piece of silverware over a top-four finish.
AC Milan
There is Italian royalty in the Europa League this term, as AC Milan return to the competition. The club did qualify for the Europa League last season but were restricted from playing due to breaching Financial Fair Play rules. However, the club will be looking to make up for lost time in this season’s competition.
This is the one European competition that the club have never won, as they have been used to playing in the Champions League throughout their history. They have won the European Cup on seven occasions, which means their pedigree on the continent is unquestionable.
Milan will need to show their very best form in the competition from the opening matchday, as they have been drawn in a tough group alongside Celtic and Lille. However, there is quality everywhere in their squad, which means that they should be one of the teams left standing.
There will be pressure on Zlatan Ibrahimović to deliver the goals for Milan in the competition. If Zlatan was a competitor in the MMA Betting Odds 2020, you know he would always get into the ring as favourite.
Despite his age, the Swedish shows an enormous resilience, and he is tailored to the big stages.
He has experience doing that in the Europa League as he was a vital component of Mourinho’s Europa League winning team at Manchester United in 2017.
Final Thoughts
Despite being too early to define favourites, Europa League has definitely some big horses you can take an early gamble on.
Nonetheless, remember that there will be 8 teams joining from the Champions League in February after ending the group stage at 3rd place. So, who knows if the odds change with a few more competitors? (Yes… looking at you Manchester United!)