Europa League Thread

[MasterBlaster76]

I'm glad St Petersburg won, they played by far the better football and deserved to win. Rangers were lucky to even get to the final. Not to mention the disgraceful behaviour of their fans.

 

[m_vaughan]

Rangers should have never been in the final. Got thoroughly outplayed by Fiorentina in the semis both home and away, and it was only because the Italians couldnt convert their chances into goals were they able to take it to penalties.

 

[m_vaughan]

One season later...

The final is tonight, and personally I am going for the Ukrainians to win it. The semi-final second leg between Dynamo Kiev and Shakhtar was an awesome game of football and Fernandinho is just class.

Bremen also did really well coming back in their semi-final second leg, but without Diego, I dont fancy their chances.

Infact I think all the hype of winning two trophies might end up with nothing as I fancy Leverkusen to beat them in the DFB Cup as well.

 

[Will_NA]

Uefa Cup sounds better than Europa League imo. And I'll be backing Bremen tonight btw.

 

[m_vaughan]

I dont like the new name either. No Ukrainian side has ever won this trophy and the last German side to win it was Schalke in 1997. Bremen won the cup winners cup in 1992.

Real Madrid has two titles, winning back to back in 85 and 86.

 

[m_vaughan]

I really enjoyed watching Shakhtar in the semis, and they are playing really beautiful and attacking football tonight as well. Shame their goalkeeper had to screw it up.

 

[Kev]

I've gotta be honest and say that until I saw this post I didn't even realise the final was today and I've also gotta be honest and say that I cba to see if its on TV.

 

[m_vaughan]

The second half was a let down compared to the first. Mainly because Bremen have got really physical and dirty in their play, after failing to keep up with Shakhtar's passing play in the first half.

If it goes to penalties, I am afraid Bremen will win though. Weise is a good shot stopper.

EDIT: I am glad that didnt happen. Congratulations to Shakhtar, and Werder Bremen dont deserve to win anything when they are 10th in the league. It will be good if Leverkusen beat them in the DFB pokal as well, so they end up with no european football next season.

 

[Will_NA]

I know it's only the Uefa Cup but how can a European Cup final not be shown on terrestrial TV? I've got Sky but still...

Shakhtar thoroughly deserved it. Their passing was superior and they created more chances. You've got to laugh at players falling down clutchig their face when they get nudged in the back.

 

[m_vaughan]

Villa should have sealed it with the penalty but I guess the miss spurred him on to get the winner, which he did. A draw would have taken them through anyways, but still.

Valencia join Villarreal and the Basques in the round of 32 while the Scum come down from the Champions League.

 

[iridescentt]

Didn't know this thread existed till' you posted just then. Posted this previously in the CL thread:

Not neccasarily Champions League material but its close enough. Just to rub it in for those Liverpool fans ...

Liverpool unseeded for the Europa League Knockout Phase - Goal.com :laugh

 

[treva]

Well that's all the English teams out then.

1. Rubin Kazan vs Hapoel Tel Aviv

2. Athletic Bilbao vs Anderlecht

3. Kobenhavn vs Olympique Marseille

4. Panathinaikos vs Roma

5. Atletico Madrid vs Galatasaray

6. Ajax vs Juventus

7. Club Brugge vs Valencia

8. Fulham vs Shakhtar Donetsk

9. Liverpool vs Unirea Urziceni

10. Hamburg vs PSV Eindhoven

11. Villarreal vs Wolfsburg

12. Standard Liege vs Red Bull Salzburg

13. Twente vs Werder Bremen

14. Lille vs Fenerbahce

15. Everton vs Sporting Clube

16. Hertha Berlin vs Benfica

Liverpool will find it very tough against Unirea. Petrescu is a great manager and he has built a strong side. Everton could beat Sporting but I think Sporting are probably the better side. Fulham won't beat Shakhtar, Shakhtar can compete with the top teams in Europe and Fulham can't. They will be massive underdogs.

Ajax vs Juve and Villarreal vs Wolfsburg will be crackers.

 

[m_vaughan]

Villarreal should beat Wolfsburg simply because they have the one and only Santi.

 

[treva]

Now that is excellent refereeing. Linesman flags for offside despite the ball not being touched from the corner and the ref overturns it. Benfica will argue but in the end the right decision is the final decision, and that's how it should be.

 

[Dutch]

Kuyt is the man! I remember him as a player for Utrecht in the Netherlands. The lad is doing well though he has been quiet recently. Nice to see the referee have the balls to turn a decision over! What are they thinking, it's a corner........