Well, why wouldn’t they – the Europa League is back this week and, based on what we’ve witnessed in the knockout stages so far this season, that means excitement and entertainment all the way.
It’s time for the first legs of the quarter-finals and some intriguing clashes await.
One team few expected to reach this stage are Belgian outfit Union Saint-Gilloise.
Last month they shocked Union Berlin with a 3-0 victory to advance as 6-3 aggregate winners – a result which sparked scenes of delight amongst the home faithful.
When you assess the SBOTOP Europa League 2023 betting odds, you can see why they are the least fancied of those remaining in the tournament but, if they can despatch the team which knocked out Ajax and is faring well in the Bundesliga, then why should another German outfit in Bayer Leverkusen hold any fear.
Likewise, Feyenoord can await their test with Roma, conquerors of Real Sociedad and now up to third in Serie A, with confidence after they equalled the record for the biggest Europa League knockout win.
Their 7-1 thrashing of Shakhtar Donetsk not only secured an 8-2 aggregate success, but also matched Lyon’s victory over AZ Alkmaar by the same scoreline in 2017.
That is one side of the draw in which Roma are probably favourites to progress.
Now for the other which is the half I believe to be the really strong side and, on paper, not as clear cut.
With Juventus realistically out of the running to qualify for next season’s Champions League via the Serie A top four – they were docked 15 points domestically by an Italian football court investigating their transfer dealings – this competition provides a realistic path to reach Europe’s top tier next term.
If their appeal later this month is unsuccessful, the ‘old lady’ of Turin will need to focus their attention solely on this competition.
They will meet Sporting Lisbon, who thrillingly knocked out Arsenal in the quarter-finals, at a time when Max Allegri’s squad are near full strength, although Mattia De Sciglio and Paul Pogba remained sidelined during their 2-1 league defeat at Lazio on Saturday night.
That leaves one tie which, for me, has the potential to create the most Europa League 2023 highlights of all the quarter-finals as Manchester United meet Sevilla.
Now the Andalusians side may lack the depth in class of some of their predecessors, but there is a reason they have triumphed in this competition a record six times – most recently three years ago when they saw off Inter Milan in an exciting final.
Their pedigree is clear and all of those successes have been since 2006 so, even accounting for their lowly league position this term, here is a team which knows how to deliver Europa League highlights.
In addition, Sevilla knocked the Red Devils out at the semi-final stage in 2020 after sending them packing in the Champions League two seasons previously.
Since the draw was made, they’ve had an eventful few weeks.
Jorge Sampaoli was relieved of his duties as head coach after just five months and 31 matches in charge.
The club opted to hire Jose Luis Mendilibar as his replacement, the 62-year-old joining until the end of the season, having been out of work since leaving Alaves last season.
He made a winning start in a six-pointer against Cadiz before a most dramatic warm-up against Celta Vigo ahead of the Manchester first leg.
Despite being down to 10 men after just 20 minutes, Sevilla were 2-0 up with just minutes to play at the Estadio Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan.
They then conceded twice as the match finished all square, although the drama didn’t stop there.
After the equaliser, Sevilla defender Marcos Acuna confronted the referee, stating that he was “the main character of this match”, in rather more expletive language than I am writing, which led to him receiving Sevilla’s second red card of the encounter.
With Alex Telles also booked, Mendilibar will be without the left-back pair, as well as Pape Gueye, for next weekend’s crucial match against Valencia.
Gueye’s red card was a controversial one, which caused much ire among the Sevilla players and supporters, as the on-loan Marseille midfielder was given his marching orders after an accidental stamp on Iago Aspas following a successful tackle.
They will have all those players available in Europe though, including Telles who, despite being on loan from United, is eligible to play under the competition’s bizarre rules.
United may be less fortunate after their own star man, Marcus Rashford, was forced off in the closing stages of their 2-0 Premier League win over Everton on Easter Saturday.
He has been in superb form for United this season, with 28 goals across all competitions, and if he is absent, it would be a big blow.
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