Before I start I would like to draw your attention to the picture above. You may notice that this is a photo of just after Atletico Madrid won the Europa league. You may also notice that the players aren't exactly lamenting over their woes. In fact they look pretty chuffed with themselves. That's one reason why the Europa league matters.
However I also have a number of reasons why it is a complete waste of time and should be wiped of the face of the earth:
Well? What is the Europa league anyway? A second tier competition meant for second tier teams who use this as a marker for progress. And so, for the likes of Manchester City, Juventus and Real Madrid, to even speak the words 'Channel 5' is a crime against their own cultures. So why should teams like that even try to do well if they don't want to be there? They shouldn't. And out of all of this we manage to get a lacklustre competition where half the decent teams competing are just wishing it were next season so they can push for Champions league. That, of course, makes for thrilling football.
If you couldn't tell, that was sarcasm – Away Europa league match vs. Anzhi Makhachkala on Thursday + Premier League match vs. Manchester United on Sunday = Very tired Senior players or 2nd string team against Anzhi. You can't win. You either play your senior players in the Europa league (and still lose in Liverpool's case) and have them play poorly at the weekend or risk losing a 'vital' match in the Europa league to have a fighting chance against United.
If the Champions league were Harrods then the Europa league would be Poundland (other budget stores are available). In 2011 Porto were handed a measly £7 million for winning what should be the second greatest tournament in Europe whereas in the same year Manchester United strolled to the Champions league final, lost, then skipped away with around £45 million in their back pockets. Even for a mad chimpanze it is clear to gather who UEFA's favourite offspring is.
Having ranted about how the Europa league should burn in the depths of the nether realms for all of eternity it will seem quite hypocritical to now talk about how it is 'the light at the end of the tunnel' and other such uplifting exaggerated metaphors but que sera, sera and life moves on.
You are at Anfield. You just conceded a crucial away goal that now means a miracle must happen and Liverpool actually has to score: not just 1 or 2 or 3… but 4 goals. And you start thinking to yourself: 'Typical Liverpool, getting you geared up for another 'fantastic' European night and then bang! They shoot themselves in the foot. Why are we in this lousy competition anyway? Oh yeah, that's right. We won a different lousy competition last season just to qualify for an equally miserable tournament this year. All the Europa league is good for is making players tired for a weekend of premier league action and making stacks of money for UEFA and…' And then suddenly you find yourself 2-1 ahead with Suarez lining up an inviting free kick just outside the box. He runs up. He hits the ball. GOAL! And instantly there are 43,026 reasons for the Europa league being great, jumping up and down and waving their scarves in the air like mad men. Unfortunately there was no fairy tale ending because Liverpool were kicked out on away goals. But the principal stays the same!
Ok, so we have already established that some managers can have valid reasons for being lackadaisical about the Champions league's little brother, but this gives them a great opportunity to give some of the 'unfavourable' or younger players some legitimate 1st team action, until the other team does the same thing and then it's essentially 'Europa League U21s'.
Although clubs are sure to want to win the main domestic cup or League rather than the Europa League, I'm sure that if you ask any Arsenal fan if they would rather be in the top four or win the Europa league they would say the latter. It's simple. Fans want trophies (This is obviously something Wenger has forgotten) It doesn't matter if it's the Johnstone's paint trophy or Serie A title, any trophy will make supporters love the club even more.
Although, yes it's true that the Europa league is one of the last cups that a big club would like to win, the prestige of Europe still draw thousands of fans to the games and should never be underestimated or be labelled an 'easy' trophy. Because it's not every year (or 9 years in some cases) that a team takes a piece of silverware from (possibly) the greatest football playing continent on the planet.
More Info: [Live Football] Netherlands - Romania - FIFA World Cup 2014 Qualifying
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