Europa League and Europa Conference League – Who Next for English Clubs?
The draws for both the Europa League and Europa Conference League have taken place. We examine who the English clubs will face in the next round of fixtures. In the Europa League, Arsenal will face Sporting Lisbon, while Manchester United will play Spanish opponents again, this time Real Betis. In the Europa League, West Ham will play AEK Larnaca.
In the second and third tiers of European football, it is getting to the business end of things, with the draws having been made for the Round of 16 ties. In the Europa League, two British teams, Arsenal and Manchester United, are still in the competition. West Ham are the only British club in the Europa Conference League.
Europa League – Arsenal & Manchester United
Manchester United secured their spot in the last 16 of the Europa League after a hard-fought 2-1 win over Barcelona at Old Trafford. The Red Devils advanced to the next round with a 4-3 aggregate victory, setting up a tie against Real Betis.
Arsenal topped their group to avoid the knockout round playoffs and secured a tie against Sporting Lisbon, with the second leg at the Emirates Stadium. The Gunners have been in good form, winning five of their six group games in the Europa League, and will be looking to continue their strong run in the competition.
The last 16 draw also sees six-time winners Sevilla facing Fenerbahce, while Jose Mourinho’s Roma will take on Real Sociedad. The remaining fixtures will see Union Berlin play Union Saint-Gilloise, Juventus face Freiburg, Bayer Leverkusen takes on Ferencvaros, and Shakhtar Donetsk will play against Feyenoord.
It is worth noting that the draw prohibits clubs from the same association from being drawn against each other, adding excitement to the fixtures, meaning Arsenal and Manchester United could be drawn together in the next round if they both win their fixtures.
Manchester United Must Face Spanish Inquisition Again
With Arsenal topping their group, it was just Manchester United in action last week, facing the daunting task of overcoming the mighty Barcelona at Old Trafford after a 2-2 draw in the first-leg clash in Spain.
In a thrilling match, Manchester United beat Barcelona 2-1 to record a 4-3 aggregate victory and secure their spot in the Europa League last 16.
Manchester United’s manager, Erik ten Hag, hailed his team’s victory against Barcelona in the Europa League as his most significant win as the club’s manager. The win came after a draw in the first leg, and Man Utd went behind early in the second leg, but they made a stunning comeback with the help of half-time substitutions and won the match 2-1, securing their place in the Europa League last 16.
Ten Hag praised the personality of his players and the squad’s resilience in coming from behind to win against one of Europe’s in-form sides. He compared the contributions of Antony, who scored the winning goal, to those of Fred, who stopped Frenkie de Jong from playing and praised their bravery and fearlessness.
A Man of the Match display from @Fred08Oficial! 🌟#MUFC || #UEL
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) February 24, 2023
United will now face the Spanish side Real Betis, who are fifth in the Spanish top flight. They won five and drew one match in the group, the best record of all the teams competing.
Juventus and Roma progressed to the last 16 of the Europa League with impressive wins in their respective matches. Angel Di Maria was the star of the show for Juventus, scoring all three goals in their 3-0 win over Nantes. The Argentine’s hat-trick was the first by a Juventus player in a UEFA competition away from home since Filippo Inzaghi in 2000. The victory was a much-needed boost for Juventus, who have had a difficult season, having been deducted 15 Serie A points for financial irregularities.
Roma also had a great night, overturning a 1-0 first leg defeat to beat Red Bull Salzburg 2-0 and progress 2-1 on aggregate. Goals by Andrea Belotti and Paulo Dybala saw Roma remain unbeaten on their own ground in European competitions, a run that has lasted for 14 games (excluding qualifiers).
In other matches, Bayer Leverkusen needed penalties to overcome Monaco after an epic encounter that ended 5-5 on aggregate. Shakhtar Donetsk also won on penalties after a dramatic 3-3 draw with Rennes. Meanwhile, Sevilla progressed despite losing 2-0 at PSV Eindhoven, and Union Berlin advanced 3-1 on aggregate after a 3-1 win over Ajax, their most significant European victory to date.
Manchester United, to win the competition, has been popular with football betting fans. The Red Devils are 5/2 to win the tournament with bet365. Arsenal are the bookie’s second favourite at 3/1.
Other teams fancied are Juventus (8/1), Union Berlin (12/1), Sevilla (14/1) and Roma (12/1).
Europa League: Round of 16 Draw;
Arsenal v Sporting Lisbon
Sevilla v Fenerbahce
Juventus v Freiburg
Bayer Leverkusen v Ferencvaros
Sporting Lisbon v Arsenal
Manchester United v Real Betis
Roma v Real Sociedad
Shakhtar Donetsk v Feyenoord
Europa League: Round of 16 Key Dates;
Round of 16: March 9 and 16
Quarter and semi-final draw: 17 March
Quarter-finals: April 13 and 20
Semi-finals: May 11 and 18
Final: 31 May
The Hammers Face Cypriot Opposition in the Europa Conference League
West Ham United’s upcoming Europa Conference League clash with AEK Larnaca is the next challenge for David Moyes and his team, hoping for a positive result after a mixed season. The Hammers’ fortunes in the Premier League have been somewhat disappointing, with the club currently languishing in the relegation zone. However, their performances in the Europa Conference League have been much more promising. They topped their group by winning all six of their matches, a feat that is certainly worth celebrating.
Despite their impressive run in the competition, West Ham cannot afford to underestimate their opponents from Cyprus. AEK Larnaca, who overcame Dnipro-1 in their playoff to reach this stage, will be looking to cause an upset and progress to the quarter-finals.
Of course, West Ham’s recent history in European competition will also give them some confidence going into the tie. Although they were eliminated in the semi-finals of last year’s Europa League by Eintracht Frankfurt, their journey to that stage was memorable, and the players will be eager to replicate that success this time.
It’s worth noting that West Ham will have the advantage of playing the tie’s second leg at home, thanks to their impressive group-stage performances and betting sites with minimum £5 deposit feel this could prove to be a crucial factor in the outcome of the tie. The Hammers will have the opportunity to make the most of their home advantage in front of their own fans.
Europa Conference League Last-16 Draw;
AEK Larnaca v West Ham
Fiorentina v Sivasspor
Lazio v AZ Alkmaar
Basel v Slovan Bratislava
Sheriff Tiraspol v Nice
Anderlecht vs Villarreal
Lech Poznan v Djurgarden
Gent v Ä°stanbul Basaksehir
West Ham are the second favourite with operators at 7/2. Villarreal are the fancied team at 10/3.
West Ham’s first leg is scheduled for 9 March, followed by the second on 16 March. Europa League and Europa League Conference games will be shown on BT Sport.
