After Liverpool and Bayer Leverkusen secured a fairly easy route to the last 16 of the Europa League, the list of contenders vying for the continent’s second-biggest club prize will only get longer thanks to third-place teams in the Champions League being relegated to the competition.
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the The pair is still a favorite To lift the trophy next spring, they are arguably the most prominent teams to have qualified for the knockout stages as group stage winners. After an entertaining group stage in both the Champions League and Europa League, there could be some high-profile matches in the knockout qualifiers, with the runners-up of the Europa League group stage taking on the third-placed teams in the Champions League. . The winners of the qualifiers will then meet the Europa League group winners, which could mean a tough round of 16 contest for the likes of Liverpool and Leverkusen.
Here’s a look at the clubs to watch from the group winners, runners-up and Champions League drop-down lists:
Group winners to watch
Bayer Leverkusen: Along with Slavia Prague, Leverkusen are the only team to leave the Europa League group stages after six wins out of six and are four points clear at the top of the Bundesliga. Xabi Alonso’s side have enjoyed a European season that has been as smooth as any, leaving them in the top three among Europa League contenders in almost all advanced statistical categories, including goals scored and goals against. However, their victories have come against an opponent unlike any other – they played Qarabag, Molde and Hacken in the group stage, so the task for Alonso and company will be to prove they can dominate a top-tier opposition as well.
Liverpool: Like Leverkusen, Liverpool also rank in the top three in those tactical categories, which is impressive considering Jurgen Klopp opted for some rotation throughout the group stage. The Reds did encounter some roadblocks on their way to first place, though – they lost 3-2 to Toulouse on a day when they had more possession but were not particularly clinical in front of goal. The question for Klopp will be whether or not his depth options can fit in with more competitive teams or whether he will need to rely on his biggest stars in the play-offs – and how easily he can manage that on the run. To get the Premier League title.
The runner-up who could win it all
Club of Rome: This season has been far from perfect, but last season’s European Conference League winners look to be turning things around and will be one of the teams the Champions League squad will want to avoid. As with Jose Mourinho’s teams, defense has been key to Roma’s success in the Europa League, as they have allowed just four goals in six matches, a feat bettered only by Leverexoen. Inconsistency in attack is something they will have to work on in order to get deeper into the competition, but Romelu Lukaku will serve as a great leader after scoring four goals in the group stage.
Third place teams in the UCL are favorites to win it all
Italian club Milan: It’s been an up-and-down season for Milan, but they have two wins in a highly competitive Champions League group and sit third in the Serie A table, so expectations remain high for Stefano Pioli’s side. The attacking trio of Rafael Leao, Olivier Giroud and Christian Pulisic means the Italian side have plenty of potential to make a deep run – as they sit fifth in the Champions League in terms of chances. For them, the task will live up to the hype as they finished 30th out of 32 in terms of goals scored during that campaign.
Galatasaray: The Turkish champions have a star-studded squad that includes Mauro Icardi and Wilfried Zaha and a remarkable ability to score after netting 10 goals during the Champions League group stage. They also have an above-average ability to concede goals having conceded 13 times during the group stage, so they are ready to entertain even if they can’t always win. Considering they faced talented teams like Bayern Munich and Copenhagen in the Champions League, they might do better in the second-tier Europa League.
The UEFA Champions League and the UEFA Europa League are two prestigious European club football competitions that captivate the attention of football fans across the globe. The impact of the Champions League on the Europa League is a topic of much debate, with some arguing that it diminishes the significance of the Europa League. However, for teams like Liverpool and Bayer Leverkusen, their superiority in their respective leagues and their consistent performances on the European stage have solidified their position as top teams, regardless of the impact of the Champions League on the Europa League. These two clubs have proven themselves as formidable contenders, and their success is a testament to their skill and determination, unaffected by the dynamics of the two competitions.