TBF the United of old wouldnt be in this competition or if they were, Fergie would have been embarrassed or seen it as a punishment and not played his top players.
Europa League 24/25
- Thread starter Samid
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I remember Sevilla and Bilbao also humbling us.
We are winning this trophy.
There will be a draw to decide it.
Nine out of our last eleven knockout games have been against Spanish opposition. Of the eight previous, we have progressed four times.
Sevilla in 23, and came second to Sociedad (with that weird martinez penalty that we never ever saw again), but also knocked out Barca and Betis.
22, knocked out by Atleti
21 lost final to Villareal but did knock out Sociedad and Granada
20 lost to Sevilla in semi final
19 knocked out by Barca (and couldnt beat Valencia)
18 Sevilla
17 we won europa and beat Celta vigo, thankfully that bald ex city player missed a chance in the last minute.
Thats last 8 or so years. Last year we were too shit to even face any spanish team or get demoted to europa.
Not including the cup losses to Madrid and Barca (twice)
We do draw Spanish sides more often than not. 74 games against Spanish opposition, W22D27L25, Goals: 91-94. 43 games against Italian teams, W21D7L15, Goals: 66-52. 35 games vs Germans, W16D8L11, Goals: 70-45.
We're toast. No way we're beating a midtable Spanish side
No one should think that; we obviously did not. The oddsmakers shifted us from +450 to win it all to +600. While Spurs went from +500 to +450.
That said, the main difference IMO is the first match. Sociedad is much tougher than AZ. After that, we may actually have it slightly easier. Frankfurt is a bit better than Lyon (again, according to oddsmakers and predictive stats).
The semifinal is interesting. Athletic Bilbao might be slightly better than Lazio, but I think I'd rather face Bilbao in the semis. Why? The final is in Bilbao! So if you have to face them in the finals it's a de facto away game. Another advantage, is if we can make it all the way to the finals we'll be doing our second match there in a month. Would help with creating a bit more familiar environment.
Sucks about drawing Real Sociedad though. The ideal draw would've been the bracket we got but with AZ as the next match.
Would't put United favourites against any team at the moment. Have struggled against the worst sides in the Premier league at home, and now add in the season over injuries for Amad,Martinez.
Coming back from Spain with the tie in the balance will be easier said than done let's be honest.
You lost me after that.
The United squad is thread bare, just look at the bench from the last game.
I didn’t say I was putting United as favourites, I am not a bookie. But the bookies are putting United as favourite to progress and as the saying goes, you never see a bookie on a bike.
Thank you. Considering our home form, we'd have probably preferred the second leg away. But let's see!
I like Athletic Bilbao. I really do
But the Roma vs Mourinho QF....the world needs that to happen
But the Roma vs Mourinho QF....the world needs that to happen
Annoying that the two Dutch teams are in the same bracket. But then they both are facing superior opposition anyway (at least on paper) - so let's see first if either team even makes it to the QF.
And then Manchester United SF and Tottenham Final!
Both Spanish teams on our side of the bracket 
. Looks like the FA Cup is our one remaining hope for European football cash injection.
. Looks like the FA Cup is our one remaining hope for European football cash injection.Spurs now favourites with the bookies to win the whole thing. Wasn't really seeing why we were ahead of them last time I looked considering they've played us 3 times this season and won all 3 while being pretty much where we are in the league table domestically.
Spurs could face Frankfurt and Lazio before the final, they have a chance but I'm really not seeing this as a clear run for them as some people seem to think.
Yeah people are being ridiculous being so scared.
Or they've watched our games, seen us get progressively worse and are aware of the current status of squad and injuries. Who knows.
AZ has beaten Ajax 4 times in a Row. Before that it was a draw. Ajax is not very good these days. I agree PSV has a better team then AZ. But without that horror month October (where AZ lost allmost every game) AZ would probably be in the top spot now. I am not claiming AZ is the best club in the Netherlands at this moment, but certainly not far behind PSV. If only we didnt have all those injured wing players.
I agree that AZ - United would have been great games to watch. Too bad the draw didnt pair us.
Don’t fancy our chances here.
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Not what I was saying, over a season we aren’t at that level. Squad depth isn’t great but I think our youth set up has been superb recently when you consider how many first team players we’ve produced.
Addai I think can be special for us next season but I do still think we lack a bit in attack and it will hold us back as we can’t pay the huge fee or wages of a better striker.
Also you need to head over to the Eredivise thread too would love to have another AZ fan over there!
The more you look at it the more you think it seems nonsense that Spurs have an easier ride than United. If they get past AZ they have Frankfurt/Ajax and then probably Lazio in the semi finals. That actually isn't great if you look at the form of those teams and where they are in their respective leagues. United have Sociedad (11th in their league) and then probably Lyon who are 6th in the French league. Yes we struggle against Spanish teams historically but we have a manager now who values possession a lot more so it'll be interesting to see if that changes things. I think we'll get to at least the semi-finals if our league form improves.
I'd actually agree with that to be fair. On pure strength of possible opponent I think Frankfurt are big danger to them, Frankfurt being a big danger to anyone in this competition.
Sort of surprised it's took the draw to move Spurs ahead of us in the betting. Before it, I'd have favoured them over us considering the results between the two sides this season. Only marginally, as there's other factors at play. ETH was United boss for the first meeting, Carabao Cup wasn't complete full stength sides - us with Bayindir in goal although some would prefer him over Onana anyway, and we might well continue to play Bayindir in Europe. Not sure.
Still, 3 wins from 3 for them against us and being a point ahead of us in the PL I think I'd have been saying they're a slightly stronger side than us this season overall with there not being much in it. Finished a few points ahead of us last season too in the PL if we go back that far.
I know football doesn't exactly work like this (but at the same time kind of does with enough games), Lyon look threatening from our point of view if you look at who they played in the group stage and common results/opponents. Drew with Fenerbahce away the same as us, beat Rangers a lot more convincingly than we did and it was away whereas we were at home. United and Lyon both beating Greek teams 2-0 at home, us against PAOK, them against Olympiacos who are slightly better than PAOK if we believe the Greek league table. Points to a fairly even matchup if we get past Sociedad and they get past FCSB which I think they should. Nice win against Frankfurt for Lyon in the mix too. Some bad ones too - losing to Besiktas and drawing v Ludogrets although I think they rotated a fair bit for that last one with qualification all but in the bag and they had a important league game against Marseille just after that which they lost.
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Honestly Bodø-Glimt has a real chance of pulling a miracle and going all the way to the final here. They are absolutely lethal at home turf
Athletic Bilbao who are on Uniteds side of the draw probably should go on to win this competition. 4th in la Liga and just 5/6 points off the two Madrids and Barcelona plus can't ignore Spanish teams record in this competition.
Isn't it in Bilbao the final as well?
Maybe Jose could do a job on them before getting knocked out by us in the semi final. You never know.
I do think the semi-final at least is not an unrealistic prospect for United IF we start getting our act together and string a few wins and good performances in a row (a big if). As you said we have had a really bad history against Spanish sides but that can change and Sociedad are struggling in their league too. Lyon in the next round are hardly setting their league alight either.
It is.
Whatever is written about the Spanish league nothing compares to what’s been said about our own team on here.
Yeah, Ajax is not very good these days..only it is top of Eredivisie and is in a good position in Europa league haha
I look at these teams and see Sociedad languishing in 11th place in their league and Lyon in 6th place and think we should be making semi's. Then I look at our league position and humble myself. We really should be winning this but we all know we're not.
Apart from that, in Europe AZ beat Galatasaray (2x), Roma and Fenerbace. Really quite impressive
I mean it’s not like beating Milan (2x), Girona, Benfica, Bayern Munich…. But still, impressive :P
I hope Clasie and Ruben van Bommel will be able to play agains Spurs. Then AZ should be able to give proper opposition
Spurs will win it.
Don't like to see us drawing Sociedad given how much we tend to struggle vs Spanish teams. Even if we go through against them and Lyon, then it's most probably another Spanish team in semis and that's Bilbao who knocked us out back in 2012 my worry is we just can't go all the way with how much we are struggling currently with this players and this formation (especially at home) and without Amad who came with some big moments this season that we'll need again to have a chance of winning Europa/Fa Cup.
I actually can see Spurs winning it. They are getting some players back now and also Romero, van de Ven and Solanke should be back soon as well.
my worry is we just can't go all the way with how much we are struggling currently with this players and this formation (especially at home) and without Amad who came with some big moments this season that we'll need again to have a chance of winning Europa/Fa Cup. I actually can see Spurs winning it. They are getting some players back now and also Romero, van de Ven and Solanke should be back soon as well.
Stars lining up for a Lazio-Roma final to the delight of the Bilbao police.