Manchester United are the consensus favorites to win the UEFA Europa League tournament, and given their current form, who could really dispute that? They have, with 99.999% certainty, clinched a quarterfinal berth, and currently possess a 17 game unbeaten streak.
The Europa League draw was made just hours ago, and the results are extremely favorable for Old Trafford. If all goes well, and the favorites hold serve, one could expect to see United taking on their good old friends Romelu Lukaku and Ashley Young in the tournament finale.
Alexis Sanchez would be ineligible to face his parent club per loan agreement. Of course, the story of today’s Europa League draw was this verbal gaffe:
UEFA embarrassed as Europa League referred to as the 'cup of LOSERS' during live draw https://t.co/6G1pOGVhmR
— Mail Sport (@MailSport) July 10, 2020
Well, right there you have your bulletin board material/motivation for every single team involved. Of course, the major motivation was already built into this consolation bracket, as the winner earns a Champions League berth next season.
The draw also sets up the possibility of United facing Wolves in the semis, and that’s especially compelling when you consider how both sides are also fighting for UCL qualification via position in the table.
The rest of the tournament is single match elimination, with all games staged in Germany. MSV Arena in Duisburg, Dusseldorf Arena in Dusseldorf and AufSchalke in Gelsenkirchen will serve as host venues, with the action restarting on August 5.
The final, will be August 21 at Stadion Koln in Cologne.
For the UEFA Champions League draws go here.
Round of 16 Ties First Leg Results
Shakhtar Donetsk-Wolfsburg 2-1
Bayer Leverkusen-Rangers 3-1
Wolverhampton Wanderers- Olympiakos 1-1
Manchester United-LASK Linz 5-0
FC Basel-Eintracht Frankfurt 3-0
Copenhagen-Istanbul Basaksehir 0-1
Round of 16 Ties Still to be Played
Getafe v. Inter Milan
Sevilla v. AS Roma
Quarterfinal Draws
Wolfsburg or Donetsk v. Eintracht or Basel
LASK or United v. Copenhagen or Istanbul
Inter or Getafe v. Leverkusen or Rangers
Wolves or Olympiakos v. Roma or Sevilla
Semifinal Draws
Wolves or Olympiakos/Roma or Sevilla v. LASK or United/Copenhagen or Basaksehir
Inter or Getafe/Bayer or Rangers v. Wolfsburg or Shakhtar/Frankfurt or Basel
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net, which is partnered with News Now. Banks, the author of “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry,” regularly contributes to WGN TV, Sports Illustrated, Chicago Now and SB Nation.
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