2024/25 Europa League : Changes and teams to watch

The UEFA Europa League is back in action tonight. This is going to be the 54th season of the club competition. With fewer chances for teams to drop into the Conference League, the stakes are higher than ever for teams to perform well in this new format. 

Expanded Format

In the same vein as the Champions League, the Europa League will feature a 36-team system that will be a single-format group stage each team is expected to play 8 matches against 8 different teams in the group stage, 4 at home and 4 away from home.

The top 8 teams will automatically qualify for the round of 16 while the teams that place from 9th to 24th will compete in a playoff round to determine the remaining 8 teams that will feature in the round of 16.

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Impact on Clubs

The 2024/25 Europa League format brings many positives for European football, including increased competition, inclusivity, sports tourism through traveling fans, and higher earnings for participating clubs. While these developments seem promising for the sport's growth in Europe, there are also downsides. Clubs face congested schedules with numerous matches, leading to player fatigue and increased injury risks. Additionally, the short turnaround time between games hinders proper preparation, potentially affecting the overall quality of football on display. These challenges could limit the opportunity for fans to witness thrilling performances in this prestigious club competition.

Teams to Watch Out For

Several prestigious clubs will feature in this season's Europa League we will cast the spotlight on some teams that can go ahead to win the title.

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Manchester United 

Though failing to qualify for the Champions League England's biggest club would not be out of Europe's club competition this season. having won the Europa League in 2017 under Jose Mourinho they also emerged as runner-up in 2021 losing on penalty shootouts to Sevilla the club is no stranger to this competition and they definitely will be looking to add European Silverware under their manager Erik Ten Haag.

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Porto

Porto is a formidable force in European club football, typically competing as regulars in the Champions League. However, this season sees them in the Europa League. Despite their last trophy in the competition dating back to 2011, they remain a team to be reckoned with. Their experience and tactical strength make them one of the toughest opponents on the continent, capable of mounting a serious challenge in any European club competition.

Tottenham Hotspur

The English Club last came close to winning silverware on the continent in 2019 losing the Champions League final to a fellow English side Liverpool. Noticeable improvements in terms of recruitment and playing style under Ange Postecoglou have seen the club come back stronger it remains to be seen whether that will be enough to bring the first major title to the North London club since their League Cup triumph in 2008

Ajax

One of the top teams in Europe's footballing history. Ajax will forever remain famous for their 1995 Champions League win against Milan. they narrowly missed out on the Champions League final in 2019 losing out to Tottenham. With the team slowly finding form they will be strong contenders for the title.