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The format of this season’s Europa League has been different, with a league phase replacing the group stage. However, we’re now left with just two teams. Will Tottenham Hotspur or Manchester United win the trophy on the 21st of May?
Europe’s current second-tier club competition began life as the UEFA Cup in 1971. At that stage, it replaced the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup and ran as the third-tier European competition until 1999. In that year, the Cup Winners Cup was discontinued, and the two competitions merged. Then, in 2009, the competition was rebranded as the Europa League.
29 different teams have won the UEFA Cup/Europa League since it began in 1971. Sevilla have been the dominant side in this competition in recent years, having won the trophy seven times between 2006 and 2023. They have the notable distinction of winning the final on each occasion they have contested it. Four teams have won the trophy three times—Inter, Liverpool, Juventus and Atlético Madrid.
The 2025 Europa League final will be an all-English affair between Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United. This will be the sixth European final to be contented by two English sides, and the third time it has happened in this competition. In the 2019 Europa League final, Chelsea defeated Arsenal 4-1. Meanwhile, in the 1972 final, when this competition was called the UEFA Cup and the final was played over two legs, Tottenham Hotspur defeated Wolverhampton Wanderers 3-2 on aggregate.
Europa League Final
Wednesday, 21st May. 19:00 GMT, San Mamés Stadium, Bilbao, Spain.
🏴 Tottenham Hotspur 🆚 Manchester United 🏴
Europa League Final: betting odds
2.91 Tottenham Hotspur
3.38 Draw
2.46 Manchester United
The above prices apply to 90 minutes of play plus injury time only. Extra time and/or penalty shootouts do not count. The odds are correct as of 09:30 GMT on 14/05/2025 but are subject to change thereafter.
Europa League Final: to win the trophy
2.04 Tottenham Hotspur
1.78 Manchester United
The above prices apply to who wins the Europa League, irrespective of whether or not the match goes to extra time. The odds are correct as of 09:30 GMT on 14/05/2025, but are subject to change thereafter.
Who will win the 2025 Europa League?
The first of the three European club cup finals, the Europa League, will take place on Wednesday, 21st May, at the San Mamés Stadium in Bilbao, Spain.
For the third time in the history of this tournament, the final will involve two English teams as Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United battle for not only the trophy, but also for a place in next season’s Champions League. Who will win the Europa League final?
Despite both sides having a poor season in the English Premier League, in which they will finish in the bottom half of the table, they were amongst the favourites to win the Europa League from an early stage, and their presence in the final justifies their lofty position in the outright betting when the tournament started.
To put their current EPL league position into perspective, Manchester United are having their worst season for 50 years, whilst Tottenham need to win their last two matches, or else it is likely this will be their worst season for nearly 30 years. Many pundits are scratching their heads at how these sides have reached the final of the Europa League.
Despite their domestic form, they both qualified with ease from the new league stage of this competition. Manchester United finished in third place in the table, whilst Tottenham Hotspur occupied the position below. That meant that both sides bypassed the knockout playoff round and moved directly into the round of 16.
From that point onwards, it was United who seemingly had the harder task when it came to reaching the final. However, the Red Devils eliminated Real Sociedad, Lyon and Athletic Bilbao to make it there. Meanwhile, Spurs knocked out AZ Alkmaar, Eintracht Frankfurt and Bodø/Glimt to claim their place in the big match.
It was Ruben Amorim’s side who had the biggest scare in those knockout rounds. In the quarter-finals, they were losing 4-2 on aggregate to Lyon with just six minutes left in extra-time. However, United scored three times in those final six minutes to eliminate their French rivals 7-6 on aggregate.
Europa League stats
- Manchester United are yet to lose in this season’s competition. They have won nine and drawn five of their 14 matches.
- United’s 3-0 win in their semi-final against Athletic Bilbao was only the second home defeat for the Spanish side in their last 22 matches in all competitions.
- Manchester United are playing in their third Europa League final. They defeated Ajax 2-0 in 2017, before losing to Villarreal in 2021 by a score of 11-10 in a penalty shootout.
- Tottenham won all three second-leg matches in the knockout rounds to reach the final.
- Spurs have won this competition twice, and on both occasions it was still known as the UEFA Cup. They beat another English side, Nottingham Forest, in the 1972 final and also defeated Anderlecht 12 years later to take the title.
- The last Europa League final to be contested by two English sides was in 2019. On that occasion, Chelsea beat Arsenal 4-1 in Azerbaijan.
Europa League predictions: analysis of the teams
The finalists come into this match with little to separate them based on their Premier League standings, with both managers coming under increasing pressure because of their poor domestic form. However, with both teams participating in the same league, there is plenty of recent form to compare. Here, we’ll take a look at each side, assess their strengths and weaknesses, and enable you to make an informed choice when making your Europa League final predictions.
Tottenham Hotspur: can Ange Postecoglu save his job?
One defeat from their eight league-stage matches saw Tottenham qualify comfortably for the round of 16. After winning their opening three matches, Spurs then lost 3-2 away to Galatasaray on Matchday 4, before winning two and drawing two of their remaining four games. The Lilywhites’ second defeat came in the first leg of their round-of-16 match, away to AZ Alkmaar, where they succumbed to a 1-0 defeat. However, a 3-1 home victory was enough to see them through. A 1-1 draw against Eintracht Frankfurt at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in the quarter-finals appeared to give the German side the edge, but Spurs battled bravely to win the away leg 1-0. Norwegian side Bodø/Glimt were waiting in the semi-finals after they had defeated Lazio in the previous round, but they proved no match for Tottenham, who comfortably won both legs.
Manchester United: Europa League favourites
Ruben Amorim may also feel his job is on the line if United don’t win the Europa League, and after that remarkable turnaround against Lyon in the quarter-finals, he may feel his side are destined for the trophy. United also had what appeared to be a tough semi-final against Athletic Bilbao, but they easily defeated the Spaniards 7-1 on aggregate. The Red Devils started the competition slowly, with three draws in their opening three league-phase matches, but have progressed to the final without losing a match (W9, D5). Manchester United reached the final of the 2020/21 Europa League, only to lose 11-10 to Villarreal after a penalty shootout. They also reached the final in 2016/17 and, on that occasion, they defeated Ajax 2-0.
Tottenham Hotspur: key players
Italian shot-stopper Guglielmo Vicario will be a crucial player for Tottenham in this match, although the goalkeeper has not kept a clean sheet for three months in the EPL. The last time he kept the opposition out was in a 1-0 home win against Manchester United in mid-February.
In defence, Spurs have had to juggle the pack during this competition, with several key players sustaining injuries during the course of the season. Pedro Porro has featured in the majority of the Europa League matches and has also contributed two goals.
Plenty of midfielders have seen game time in this season’s competition, including Rodrigo Bentancur, Pape Sarr, Brennan Johnson and Dejan Kulusevski. However, Lucas Bergvall and James Maddison will miss the big match through injury.
In attack, Dominic Solanke has scored five times so far in the Europa League, including in each of the last three matches, albeit with two of those goals coming from the penalty spot. Son Heung-Min scored twice in Tottenham’s 3-2 win away to Hoffenheim in January, but has only scored once in all competitions since then.
Manchester United: key players
Captain Bruno Fernandes is likely to be the key if United are to win the trophy. The Portuguese already has seven goals in this season’s competition, including a hat-trick against Real Sociedad in their round-of-16 encounter.
André Onana has had more than his fair share of shaky moments in goal for the Red Devils this season, although the mistakes of a few months ago are not so prevalent now. Despite this, he has conceded 17 goals in his 12 Europa League matches so far in this campaign.
Diogo Dalot and Matthijs de Ligt have both picked up recent knocks and are currently uncertain to be available for the big match. However, Noussair Mazraoui has featured in defence in the majority of United’s matches, and they have the experienced trio of Victor Lindelof, Harry Maguire and Luke Shaw available.
Alongside Fernandes in midfield, Mason Mount has finally got his Manchester United career up-and-running after several injury issues. The Englishman scored twice in the 4-1 win over Bilbao after also scoring in their league match prior to that game. The experienced Casemiro adds a wealth of experience to the middle of the pitch.
Rasmus Højlund has scored six times in this tournament to date, although the Danish hitman had been in a barren spell for some time before ending a 21-match run without scoring in all competitions with a goal in an EPL match in mid-March. He has scored three further goals since then, two for his club and one for his country.
Tottenham Hotspur v Manchester United: head-to-head statistics
With these sides both playing in the Premier League, there is a wealth of head-to-head form to compare. They have met three times this season, twice in the EPL and once in the League Cup, with Tottenham winning on each occasion (3-0, 4-3 and 1-0). In fact, Spurs are unbeaten in their last six matches against Manchester United, although the Red Devils won the four matches prior to that sequence. Of their 57 meetings in all competitions this century, United have won 34 times, 11 matches were drawn and Tottenham have won on 12 occasions.
Tottenham Hotspur vs Manchester United: Europa League statistics
The following table shows the comparison between the finalists based on this season’s Europa League results:
| Tottenham Hotspur | Statistics | Manchester Utd |
|---|---|---|
| 14 | Matches played | 14 |
| 9 | Victories | 9 |
| 3 | Draws | 5 |
| 2 | Losses | 0 |
| 27 | Goals scored | 35 |
| 13 | Goals conceded | 18 |
| 5 | Clean sheets | 3 |
| 186 (74) | Shots (on target) | 246 (87) |
| 3-0 (Qarabağ/Elfsborg) | Biggest win | 4-1 (Ath Bilbao/Real Soc) |
| 3-2 (Galatasaray) | Biggest loss | No losses |
| 20 | Yellow cards | 30 |
| 2 | Red cards | 1 |
Europa League betting tips
The Europa League final is a very difficult match to predict, given the poor form of both sides in the EPL compared to their excellent form in this competition. It really could go either way.
Last season’s Europa League final saw Atalanta defeat Bayer Leverkusen 3-0, which was a surprise given the season the German side had been having up until that point. The previous three finals all ended in 1-1 draws at the end of 90 minutes and, with none of the matches producing any further goals in extra time, they were all decided by a penalty shootout. Five of the six matches before that sequence all had three goals or more, with the 0-0 draw in 2014 between Sevilla and Benfica being the first goalless draw in a Europa League final since 2000.
In five of the last six finals, both teams have scored, whilst the first goal came in the first half in four of those matches.
Popular bets on the Europa League Final
Are you now ready to make your predictions for the Europa League final and place your bets?
You’ll find a wide range of different betting markets available with Marathonbet, so look through the many options and make your picks.
Although, please bear in mind that the majority of betting markets on the final apply to what happens during the 90 minutes of play (plus allowance for stoppages) of normal time.
Markets that will include extra-time and penalty shootouts (if they are played) are outright bets on the Europa League winner, as well as bets on how the match will be won (as shown in the table below).
Markets based on the total number of match goals, the correct score of the match, handicap betting, and so on, all will exclude extra-time and penalty shootouts.
If you are looking to place a bet on one of the teams to win, you have two options:
Betting on the 1X2 market (90 minutes)
2.91 Tottenham Hotspur
3.38 Draw
2.46 Manchester United
or
Betting on the outright winner (includes any extra-time and/or penalty shootouts)
2.04 Tottenham Hotspur
1.78 Manchester United
As you can see, the outright winner prices are not as generous, but in this market you don’t lose if your team proves victorious after a stalemate at 90 minutes. The market you choose will reflect the level of risk you are happy to take.
Here’s the full list of odds currently available on how the match will be won:
| Market | Odds |
|---|---|
| Extra Time | 3.38 |
| Penalty Shootout | 5.95 |
| UEFA Europa League Winner in Normal Time – Either Team | 1.34 |
| UEFA Europa League Winner in Normal Time – Tottenham Hotspur | 2.91 |
| UEFA Europa League Winner in Normal Time – Manchester United | 2.46 |
| UEFA Europa League Winner in Extra Time – Either Team | 6.25 |
| UEFA Europa League Winner in Extra Time – Tottenham Hotspur | 11.75 |
| UEFA Europa League Winner in Extra Time – Manchester United | 10.75 |
| UEFA Europa League Winner by Penalty Shootout – Either Team | 5.95 |
| UEFA Europa League Winner by Penalty Shootout – Tottenham Hotspur | 10.75 |
| UEFAEuropa League Winner by Penalty Shootout – Manchester United | 10.75 |
Where is the Europa League final 2024/25 being held?
The final will be held at the San Mamés Stadium in Bilbao, Spain, on the 21st of May 2025.
The stadium is the home of LaLiga side Athletic Bilbao and was rebuilt just over 10 years ago. With a capacity of just over 53,000, the new stadium is the seventh largest in Spain and the largest in the Basque Country.
San Mamés was originally chosen to host Spain’s three group-stage games in Euro 2020, as well as one of the round-of-16 games. However, due to the Covid-19 pandemic and the higher infection rates in the Basque region, the stadium was replaced as one of the venues.
However, it did host a crowd of just under 51,000 for the 2024 women’s Champions League final, in which Barcelona beat Lyon 2-0.
All-English finals in European competitions
The five previous occasions in which a European final comprised two English teams were:
2021: Chelsea 1-0 Manchester City (Champions League: Estádio do Dragão, Porto, Portugal)
2019: Chelsea 4-1 Arsenal (Europa League: Olympic Stadium, Baku, Azerbaijan)
2019: Liverpool 2-0 Tottenham Hotspur (Champions League: Metropolitano Stadium, Madrid, Spain)
2008: Manchester United 1-1 Chelsea, United won on penalties (Champions League: Luzhniki Stadium, Moscow, Russia)
1972: Tottenham Hotspur 3-2 Wolverhampton Wanderers (UEFA Cup: played over two legs)
Route to the final: Tottenham Hotspur
League phase
| Opponent | Result |
|---|---|
| Qarabağ (h) | 3-0 |
| Ferencváros (a) | 2-1 |
| AZ Alkmaar (h) | 1-0 |
| Galatasaray (a) | 2-3 |
| Roma (h) | 2-2 |
| Rangers (a) | 1-1 |
| Hoffenheim (a) | 3-2 |
| Elfsborg (h) | 3-0 |
Knockout phase
| Round | Opponent | 1st Leg | 2nd Leg | Aggregate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Playoffs | Bye | |||
| Round of 16 | AZ Alkmaar | 0-1 (a) | 3-1 (h) | 3-2 |
| Quarter-finals | Eintracht Frankfurt | 1-1 (h) | 1-0 (a) | 2-1 |
| Semi-Finals | Bodø/Glimt | 3-1 (h) | 2-0 (a) | 5-1 |
Route to the final: Manchester United
League phase
| Opponent | Result |
|---|---|
| FC Twente (h) | 1-1 |
| Porto (a) | 3-3 |
| Fenerbahçe (a) | 1-1 |
| PAOK (h) | 2-0 |
| Bodø/Glimt (h) | 3-2 |
| Viktoria Plzeň (a) | 2-1 |
| Rangers (h) | 2-1 |
| FCSB (a) | 2-0 |
Knockout phase
| Round | Opponent | 1st Leg | 2nd Leg | Aggregate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Playoffs | Bye | |||
| Round of 16 | Real Sociedad | 1-1 (a) | 4-1 (h) | 5-2 |
| Quarter-finals | Lyon | 2-2 (a) | 5-4 (h)* | 7-6 |
| Semi-Finals | Athletic Bilbao | 3-0 (a) | 4-1 (h) | 7-1 |
Europa League: semi-finals
The teams who were eliminated at the semi-final stage were:
• Athletic Bilbao
• Bodø/Glimt
Europa League: quarter-finals
The four teams who were eliminated at the quarter-final stage were:
• Lazio
• Eintracht Frankfurt
• Lyon
• Rangers
Europa League: round of 16
The eight teams who were eliminated in the round of 16 were:
• Roma
• Ajax
• Viktoria Plzeň
• Olympiacos
• FCSB
• Real Sociedad
• Fenerbahçe
• AZ Alkmaar
Olympiacos were the only side classed as a ‘seeded’ team in the round of 16 to be eliminated after finishing in the top-eight places in the league phase.
Europa League: knockout round
The first knockout round has now concluded. The eight teams who have progressed to the round of 16, and who join the top-eight finishers from the league stage, are:
• Roma
• Bodø/Glimt
• FCSB
• AZ Alkmaar
• Ajax
• Fenerbahçe
• Real Sociedad
• Viktoria Plzeň
The teams who exited the Europa League at this stage included Porto, Galatasaray and Anderlecht.
Europa League: league stage
The league stage has now concluded. Although the teams progressing were generally as expected, Nice, Hoffenheim, Sporting Braga, and Beşiktaş will all be disappointed at making an early exit.
The top eight sides were able to sit back and enjoy the first knockout round, safe in the knowledge their place in the round of 16 was assured. These teams, in the order they finished, are:
• Lazio
• Athletic Bilbao
• Manchester United
• Tottenham Hotspur
• Eintracht Frankfurt
• Lyon
• Olympiacos
• Rangers
What is the new format for the Europa League?
The format for this season’s Europa League, as in the Champions League, has been revamped. A 36-team league stage is replacing the group stage. Under this new format, there will be four more teams competing at this stage than previously, when it was a 32-team group-stage.
Each team will play matches against eight different opponents, four at home and four away. These matches will be determined with the 36-teams ranked into four seeding pots. Each team will play two opponents from each of those pots.
This should make for a more interesting competition, with teams playing a wider selection of opponents.
How do teams qualify from the league phase of the Europa League?
- The top eight sides in the league phase will qualify for the knockout phase and move directly into the round of 16.
- The sides finishing in 9th to 24th place will compete in a two-legged playoff round to determine the other eight teams to qualify for the round of 16.
- Those sides finishing in 25th or lower will be eliminated. There is no access to a place in the UEFA Conference League for teams that have not qualified.
Europa League schedule (2024/25)
Playoff round
First leg: 22nd– August, Second leg: 29th August ✅
League phase
Draw date: 30th August ✅
Matchday 1: 25th–26th September ✅
Matchday 2: 3rd October ✅
Matchday 3: 24th October ✅
Matchday 4: 7th November ✅
Matchday 5: 28th November ✅
Matchday 6: 12th December ✅
Matchday 7: 23rd January ✅
Matchday 8: 30th January ✅
Knockout phase
Draw date: 31st January ✅
Knockout rounds playoffs: First leg: 13th February ✅, Second Leg: 20th February ✅
Draw date for round of 16 onwards: 21st February ✅
Round of 16: First leg: 6th March ✅, Second Leg: 13th March ✅
Quarter-finals: First leg: 10th April ✅, Second Leg: 17th April ✅
Semi-finals: First leg: 1st May ✅, Second Leg: 8th May ✅
Final: 21st May
Which teams competed in the league phase of the Europa League?
The 36 teams who contested the league stage were:
- Manchester United (England)
- Tottenham Hotspur (England)
- Real Sociedad (Spain) ❌
- Athletic Bilbao (Spain) ❌
- Roma (Italy) ❌
- Lazio (Italy) ❌
- Eintracht Frankfurt (Germany) ❌
- Hoffenheim (Germany) ❌
- Lyon (France) ❌
- Nice (France) ❌
- Porto (Portugal) ❌
- Sporting Braga (Portugal) ❌
- Ajax (Netherlands) ❌
- AZ Alkmaar (Netherlands) ❌
- FC Twente (Netherlands) ❌
- Olympiacos (Greece) ❌
- PAOK (Greece) ❌
- Fenerbahçe (Turkey) ❌
- Galatasaray (Turkey) ❌
- Beşiktaş (Turkey) ❌
- Anderlecht (Belgium) ❌
- Union Saint-Gilloise (Belgium) ❌
- Rangers (Scotland) ❌
- Qarabağ (Azerbaijan) ❌
- Midtjylland (Denmark) ❌
- Bodø/Glimt (Norway) ❌
- Malmö (Sweden) ❌
- Elfsborg (Sweden) ❌
- Slavia Prague (Czech Republic) ❌
- Viktoria Plzeň (Czech Republic) ❌
- Dynamo Kyiv (Ukraine) ❌
- Ludogorets Razgrad (Bulgaria) ❌
- FCSB (Romania) ❌
- Rigas Futbola Skola (Latvia) ❌
- Maccabi Tel Aviv (Israel) ❌
- Ferencváros (Hungary) ❌
❌ = eliminated
Previous European competition highlights for the teams contesting the league phase
Manchester United (England)
Manchester United have been more accustomed to playing in the top-tier of European competitions over the years but are now looking for a second Europa League title. They beat Ajax 2-0 in the 2017 final but lost on penalties to Villarreal in the final four years later. Their European campaign was cut short last season, after they finished bottom of their Champions League group. In that group, their only victory was at home to FC København; however, it was the three away ties that were unusual. United scored three goals in each away group match but failed to win a single one, ending up with a 3-3 draw and two 4-3 defeats.
Tottenham Hotspur (England)
Tottenham were the first British club to win a major European trophy when they won the Cup Winners Cup in 1963. They also claimed the UEFA Cup twice, in 1972 and 1984. However, they have made just one final since, when they lost the Champions League final to Liverpool in 2019. Their last Europa League appearance ended in a round-of-16 defeat to Dinamo Zagreb, as Spurs failed to hold on to a 2-0 first-leg advantage. Tottenham did qualify from the Champions League group stage in the 2022/23 season, but lost 1-0 on aggregate to Milan in the round of 16.
Real Sociedad (Spain)
Real Sociedad have played in 20 European competitions before, with their best ever placing being a semi-final defeat in the 1982/83 European Cup. However, in the last 30 years, they have not progressed beyond the round of 16, and lost to PSG in that round in last season’s Champions League. In fact, in their last five European tournaments, Real Sociedad have qualified from their group on every occasion, only to be eliminated at the first knockout stage each time.
Athletic Bilbao (Spain)
This is the first time that Bilbao have qualified for a European competition since the 2017/18 season, when they lost to Marseille in the Europa League round of 16. They are still looking for their first European trophy, having lost both times when they have previously reached the final. The last time was in 2012, when compatriots Atlético Madrid defeated them 3-0. They also reached the semi-final of the Europa League in 2015/16, but once again lost out to a Spanish side, as Sevilla defeated them via penalty shootout.
Roma (Italy)
Having previously reached four European finals, Roma’s sole success came in the 2021/22 Europa Conference League, when they beat Feyenoord 1-0. They have competed in the Europa League for the past two seasons, losing the 2023 final to Sevilla on penalties and suffering a 4-2 aggregate defeat in the 2023/24 semi-finals to Bayer Leverkusen. Prior to that, in 2020/21, Roma again reached the Europa League semi-finals. However, a 6-2 defeat against Manchester United at Old Trafford all but ended their hopes of reaching another final.
Lazio (Italy)
Lazio have one European title to their name—the 1999 Cup Winners Cup. Since then, they reached the Europa League semi-final in 2003 but have failed to progress beyond the quarter-final in any competition since. They did qualify from their group in last season’s Champions League, only to be eliminated 3-1 on aggregate in the round of 16 by Bayern Munich. In the 2017/18 Europa League, Lazio seemed to have done enough to reach the semi-finals with a 4-2 victory over Red Bull Salzburg, only to lose the second-leg match 4-1 in Austria.
Eintracht Frankfurt (Germany)
Frankfurt won the Europa League trophy as recently as 2022, when they defeated Rangers 5-4 in a penalty shootout after the match ended 1-1. That success was no mean feat, as they had already eliminated Betis, Barcelona and West Ham in the earlier knockout rounds. They had also reached the Europa League semi-finals three years earlier, but were eliminated by Chelsea on penalties following two 1-1 draws in the first and second legs. Last season, they competed in the Conference League, but were eliminated by Belgian side Union Saint-Gilloise in the knockout round playoff.
Hoffenheim (Germany)
As a relative newcomer to this level of football, Hoffenheim have only qualified three times for European competitions previously. In 2017/18 and 2018/19 they finished bottom of their group in the Europa League and Champions League respectively, managing just one win across those two seasons. In their last campaign, the 2020/21 Europa League, they fared better in the group stage by winning five matches and drawing once. However, they were eliminated in the round of 32 by Molde by an aggregate score of 5-3.
Lyon (France)
Lyon have reached four semi-finals in European competitions in their history, but are yet to progress to a final. The last occasion was in the 2019/20 Champions League, where they lost 3-0 to Bayern Munich in a semi-final played over one leg due to the Covid-19 restrictions at that time. They had defeated Juventus and Manchester City to reach that stage. Since then, Lyon have qualified just once for European football in the form of the 2021/22 Europa League. They reached the quarter-finals before losing 4-1 on aggregate to West Ham.
Nice (France)
A quarter-final defeat to Basel in the 2022/23 Europa Conference League was the first time Nice had progressed to that stage of a European competition for over 60 years. Prior to that, their most recent participation in the Europa League ended with a bottom-place finish in their group in 2020, after conceding 16 goals in their six matches. Nice have not been regular European competitors over the years, with a 20-year gap in qualification following their appearance in the 1976/77 UEFA Cup and a 15-year gap after losing in the second round of the 1997/98 Cup Winners’ Cup.
Porto (Portugal)
Porto have been a regular feature in European competitions over the years, winning the European Cup/Champions League in 1987 and 2004, and the UEFA Cup/Europa League in 2003 and 2011. However, since that last success, they have failed to progress beyond the quarter-final stage, albeit mainly in Champions League campaigns. In last season’s Champions League group stage, they finished second to Barcelona, winning every game apart from those against the Spanish club. Porto then faced Arsenal in the round of 16, and after two tight matches, ultimately lost 4-2 to the Gunners on penalties.
Sporting Braga (Portugal)
Sporting Braga have the distinction of reaching a Europa League final before, although they lost 1-0 to fellow Portuguese side Porto in 2011. They defeated Liverpool and Benfica on the way to that final. Last season, they finished third in their Champions League group with just four points and, after then being transferred into the Europa League, they lost to Qarabağ in the knockout round playoffs. They started this season’s campaign with a comprehensive 7-0 aggregate victory over Maccabi Petah Tikva. They then defeated Servette 2-1 on aggregate in the third qualifying round, before edging past Rapid Wien 4-3 to reach the league stage.
Ajax (Netherlands)
Whilst Ajax could only finish fifth in last season’s Eredivisie, their worst finishing position for 25 years, they can boast six European titles to their name. They won three successive European Cups between 1971 and 1973, the Cup Winners’ Cup in 1987, the Europa League in 1992 and the Champions League in 1995. In more recent times, they reached the Champions League semi-finals in 2018/19 and the final of the Europa League two years earlier. With ex-England captain Jordan Henderson adding a wealth of experience to their midfield, Ajax successfully navigated three qualifying rounds to reach the league stage this season, including a 13-12 victory on penalties over Panathinaikos.
AZ Alkmaar (Netherlands)
AZ have qualified for Europe for the last six seasons, competing in the Europa Conference League for the last three of those. They reached the semi-finals in 2022/23 before being eliminated 3-1 on aggregate by the eventual winners, West Ham. They did reach the UEFA Cup final in 1980/81, in the days when it was played over two-legs. Despite winning 4-2 at home, a 3-0 loss to Ipswich in the away leg saw them lose on aggregate. Last season, AZ Alkmaar failed to qualify from their Conference League group, losing all three of their away games in the process.
FC Twente (Netherlands)
Twente were eliminated from this year’s Champions League courtesy of a 5-4 aggregate loss to Red Bull Salzburg, in which they were always trailing across the two legs. They took part in the Europa Conference League in 2022/23, after a six-year gap from European competitions, but were eliminated in the playoff round by Fiorentina. They did reach the final of the 1974/75 UEFA Cup, which they lost 5-1 on aggregate to Borussia Mönchengladbach. More recently, a Europa League quarter-final appearance in 2011 was their best finish.
Olympiacos (Greece)
In defeating Fiorentina 1-0 in the 2024 Europa Conference League final, Olympiacos became the first Greek side to win a major European trophy. They have competed regularly in Europe over the years, but last season was the first time they have progressed beyond the round of 16 for 25 years. They gained their place in last season’s Conference League after being eliminated from the Europa League group stage. That was the second successive year Olympiacos failed to qualify from their Europa League group.
PAOK (Greece)
PAOK have reached the quarter-finals in two of the last three Conference League tournaments, losing out to Marseille and Club Brugge respectively. In both those match-ups, the Greek side lost both the home and away legs. Their record in the Europa League is not so good, having never progressed beyond the round of 32. They will need to improve their form away from home if they are to progress from the league stage, with their last 11 away Europa League results comprising two wins, three draws and six defeats.
Fenerbahçe (Turkey)
José Mourinho could not work his magic to take his new side into the Champions League, as Lille eliminated Fenerbahçe with a late penalty. They get a second chance in the Europa League, with the Turkish side’s best European performance coming in this competition when they reached the semi-final in 2013. Fenerbahçe defeated Benfica 1-0 in the home leg of that semi-final, but were unable to hold on in Portugal as they lost the second leg by a score of 3-1. Last season, they reached the quarter-finals of the Europa Conference League before being knocked-out on penalties by Olympiacos.
Galatasaray (Turkey)
Galatasaray have tasted European success before, beating Arsenal on penalties in the 1999/2000 UEFA Cup final. They are regular participants in Europe, and although they failed to qualify from their Champions League group last year, they did achieve a 3-3 draw at home to Manchester Utd and a 3-2 victory at Old Trafford. They were unexpectedly eliminated in the playoff round of this season’s Champions League, losing both the home and away legs to Young Boys. However, they now get a second chance in the Europa League.
Beşiktaş (Turkey)
The Turkish side have reached three European quarter-finals in their history, with the most recent coming in the 2016/17 Europa League. In that match, they lost 7-6 on penalties after holding Lyon to a 3-3 aggregate score. They competed in last season’s Conference League but were unable to progress beyond the group stage after winning just one of their six matches. It was a similar tale the last time they played in the Europa League group stage in 2019/20, where one win and five losses saw them finish in last place. They qualified for the league stage of this season’s competition courtesy of a goal fest with Lugano, in which they won 5-1 at home following a 3-3 draw in Switzerland.
Anderlecht (Belgium)
Anderlecht are steeped in European history, although you have to go back many years to find their most successful period. They won the Cup Winners’ Cup in both 1976 and 1978, and also claimed the UEFA Cup in 1983. However, in the last 25 years, two quarter-final appearances have been the best of their performances. The most recent was in last season’s Conference League, when they lost on penalties to AZ Alkmaar. They were made to work hard to qualify for the league stage of this Europa League, with 1-0 home and away victories over Dinamo Minsk enough to see them through.
Union Saint-Gilloise (Belgium)
When Union Saint-Gilloise qualified for the 2022/23 Champions League qualifying round, that was the first time they had a secured a place in a European competition for 58 years. Despite losing to Rangers in that match, they moved into the Europa League where they topped their group before ultimately losing in the quarter-final stage. Last season, although they only finished third in their Europa League group, they had the distinction of defeating Liverpool 2-1 in Belgium. Union Saint-Gilloise lost their Champions League qualifying match 4-1 on aggregate to Slavia Prague this season to move into the league stage of the Europa League.
Rangers (Scotland)
Rangers lost out to Dynamo Kyiv for the chance to continue in the Champions League this season, with a 2-0 home defeat condemning the Scottish side to a 3-1 aggregate loss. Rangers have reached the final of the Europa League twice before, losing both times —2-0 to Zenit St Petersburg in 2008 and 5-4 on penalties to Eintracht Frankfurt in 2022. Rangers have been regulars on the European scene since their European Cup debut in 1956, with their most recent campaign, the 2023/24 Europa League, ending in a round-of-16 defeat to Benfica.
Qarabağ (Azerbaijan)
For the third successive season, Qarabağ move into the Europa League after being eliminated from the Champions League knockout rounds. This time, it was Dinamo Zagreb who defeated them, beating the Azerbaijani side 5-0 on aggregate. Last season proved to be Qarabağ’s most successful in European competitions, as they reached the round of 16 in the Europa League. Not many would have given them any hope when they were drawn against the all-conquering Bayer Leverkusen, but they gave their German rivals an almighty scare. Qarabağ led the home leg 2-0 only to be pegged back to 2-2, and then also held a 2-1 lead in Germany before conceding goals in the 93rd and 98th minutes to lose out in dramatic fashion.
Midtjylland (Denmark)
Midtjylland were closing in on the league phase of the Champions League before conceding two goals to Slovan Bratislava in the last 10 minutes of their second-leg tie to lose 4-3 on aggregate. That would have been some achievement given they have never surpassed the round of 32 in any European competition before, but they can now try again in the Europa League. The Danish side did finish second in their Europa League group in 2022/23, after managing a 5-1 home victory over Lazio and 2-2 draws against Feyenoord home and away.
Bodø/Glimt (Norway)
This is Bodø/Glimt’s fifth successive European campaign, after an absence of 15 years. They reached the quarter-final of the 2021/22 Conference League, where despite beating Roma 2-1 at home, the Italian side overpowered them 4-0 in the second leg. In this season’s Champions League playoff round, they again took a 2-1 lead over Crvena Zvezda into the away leg, but this time came unstuck, with a 2-0 loss dropping into the Europa League. Games involving Bodø/Glimt are often high-scoring affairs, with the Norwegians scoring three or more goals in seven of their last 10 European home matches.
Malmö (Sweden)
Malmö enter the Europa League following a 4-0 aggregate defeat to Sparta Prague in the Champions League playoff round. In their most recent Europa League campaign two seasons ago, Malmö reached the group stage but then lost all six matches. Although they reached the final of the European Cup in 1979, which they lost 1-0 to Nottingham Forest, that was the only time in their history that Malmö have progressed beyond the round of 32 in any European competition.
Elfsborg (Sweden)
Elfsborg have never progressed beyond the group stage in any European competition, and they’ve only made it that far on two previous occasions. However, they did progress with relative ease over the first three qualifying rounds in this season’s Europa League, with aggregate wins of 8-2 over Pafos, 3-0 over Sheriff Tiraspol and 3-1 over Rijeka. Their playoff match against Scandinavian rivals Molde was a tighter affair, with both teams winning their away leg 1-0, and Elfsborg qualifying after winning the penalty shootout 4-2.
Slavia Prague (Czech Republic)
Slavia just fell short in their attempt to join city rivals Sparta in qualifying for the league phase of the Champions League. Slavia had arguably the most difficult draw in the playoff round against Lille. They lost the first leg 2-0 in France, and a 2-1 victory on home soil wasn’t enough to take them through. Slavia Prague topped their group in last season’s Europa League but were soundly beaten by Milan in the round of 16, losing 3-1 at home and 4-1 away. They have made three recent European quarter-final appearances, losing each time—once to Chelsea in the Europa league in 2018/19, once to Arsenal in the 2020/21 Europa League and once to Feyenoord in the 2021/22 Conference League.
Viktoria Plzeň (Czech Republic)
Viktoria Plzeň have been regular European entrants for the last 15 years, with three round-of-16 appearances in the Europa League being the height of their achievements up until last season, during which they reached the Conference League quarter-finals. In that tournament, Viktoria Plzeň won all six of their group matches, before defeating Servette on penalties in the round of 32 after two goalless draws. The quarter-final against Fiorentina was also a tight affair, as another goalless draw at home was followed by a goalless 90 minutes in Italy, before Fiorentina scored twice in extra-time. When reaching the current stage this year, goals were also at a premium, with 1-0 home and away victories over Hearts sealing Viktoria Plzeň’s place in the league stage.
Dynamo Kyiv (Ukraine)
Dynamo Kyiv have two European titles to their name, winning the Cup Winners’ Cup in both 1975 and 1986. More recently, they lost in the final of the 2009 UEFA Cup to fellow Ukrainian side Shakhtar Donetsk. Since then, they have had two quarter-final appearances in the Europa League to their name. They lost in this year’s Champions League playoff round to Red Bull Salzburg, after comprehensively beating Partizan Belgrade and Rangers to reach that point. They will hope for a better showing than their last Europa League campaign in 2022/23, when they lost five and drew once in their six group-stage matches.
Ludogorets Razgrad (Bulgaria)
Ludogorets Razgrad are relatively new to European football, with their debut season coming in the 2012/13 Champions League. A round of 16 appearance in the Europa League in the following season was their best finish to date. They were comprehensively beaten by an aggregate score of 8-4 by Qarabağ to end their hopes of qualifying for the league phase of the Champions League, but found Petrocub Hîncești more obliging opponents in this competition. A 6-1 aggregate win over the Moldovan side saw them through to the league stage.
FCSB (Romania)
FCSB, also known as Steaua București, were a force to be reckoned with in European football many years ago and, at the height of their success, won the European Cup in 1985/86. In that final, which was held in Spain, Barcelona were the strong favourites. However, a goalless match was decided on penalties, where Barcelona remarkably saw all four of their penalties saved, and the Romanian side went on to win the shootout 2-0. Although Steaua reached the semi-final of the Europa league in 2006, that is the only time they have passed the round of 16 in any European competition since that famous win. A hard-fought 2-1 aggregate victory over LASK saw them through to the league stage this time.
Rigas Futbola Skola (Latvia)
Rigas Futbola Skola (often abbreviated as RFS) have played in Europe for six successive seasons since making their debut in 2019/20. Their best performance was to reach the group stage in the 2022/23 Conference League, although their participation ended following two draws and four defeats from their six matches. Their current campaign has not been short of goals, starting with a 7-0 aggregate win over Larne in the Champions League qualifiers, followed by a 7-1 aggregate loss to Bodø/Glimt. That was followed by a 9-0 aggregate victory over Andorran side Santa Coloma, but they needed a penalty shootout victory to overcome APOEL to reach this stage.
Maccabi Tel Aviv (Israel)
Last season saw Maccabi Tel Aviv achieve their best ever European finish with a round of 16 defeat to Olympiacos, who eventually went on to win the Conference League trophy. However, the Israeli side will not know how they lost that tie, after winning the first leg 4-1 in Greece. They then proceeded to lose the second leg 4-1 after normal time, and then concede two further goals in extra-time. They reached the league phase of this season’s Europa League by defeating Panevėžys and Bačka Topola, but they may find it difficult to progress much further with all home matches having to be played outside of Israel.
Ferencvárosi (Hungary)
Ferencvárosi reached the semi-finals of the UEFA Cup in 1972 before being eliminated by Wolverhampton Wanderers. Since then, a solitary round of 16 appearance, which came in the 2022/23 Europa League, has been their best effort. They topped their group that season, with a 1-0 win away to Monaco amongst their results, but then lost both legs 2-0 in their knockout match against Bayer Leverkusen. In last season’s Conference League, Ferencvárosi were unbeaten in their group (W2,D4,L0) but lost to Olympiacos on the knockout round playoffs. This season, they won a penalty shootout against Bosnian side Borac Banja Luka to qualify for the league stage after both legs were drawn.
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For further reading, you’ll find our Champions League predictions and tips article on the blog, as well as weekly predictions for the English Premier League.
