Europa Conference League

Subterms

    More stories

    • 225 Shares99 Views

      in Soccer

      ‘Super league by another name’ fume fans as Uefa confirm new Champions League format that is ‘ruining’ football

      by

      UEFA’S new Champions League format has been slammed by fans for “ruining” football.European football’s governing body have confirmed the new layout for the Champions League, Europa League and Conference League.Fans have slammed Uefa’s new Champions League formatCredit: GettyThe changes are set to come into effect from the start of next season.Uefa’s Premier competition will be extended to 36 teams from 32 for the 2024-25 season.However, fans are unconvinced by the changes and have even compared the new format to the failed European Super League.One angry supporter wrote on X: “Super league by another name.”READ MORE IN FOOTBALLAnother added: “They’re ruining the beautiful game.”A third fan also commented: “So it’s the Super League in disguise.”Meanwhile, one more said: “Basically the Super League.”The new system will see 36 teams playing in the main part of all three competitions.Most read in Champions LeagueBEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERSInstead of eight groups of four clubs in the initial phase, there will be a new “league” format.Supercomputer reveals Arsenal’s chances of winning Champions League after toothless Porto loss without a shot on targetEach club will play eight matches in the opening phase – against seeded opposition, in a system designed to ensure that teams play opponents of similar difficulty.The format will be mirrored across all three competitions, except for six matches instead of eight in the Conference League.The top eight teams in the “final” table will automatically go through to the last 16, where they will be joined by the eight play-off winners of ties between the sides placed ninth to 24th in the table.Despite there being just eight matches in the opening phase, European matches will be spread over 10 midweek slots.The Europa League and Conference League will each have a week when matches can be played across Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday as the standalone competition being played.Uefa’s new format is set to come into effect ahead of next season’s Champions LeagueCredit: APThe 2024/25 Champions League will also see the first implication of two additional qualifying spots.These are to be awarded to the nations that are top of the “country coefficient” chart each season.READ MORE SUN STORIESThat is a table based on the results of a nation’s teams in all three European competitions.The total points earned by every nation’s clubs – with bonus points for reaching certain stages plus match-related points – are divided by the number of sides in European competitions. More

    • 175 Shares159 Views

      in Soccer

      European fixtures key to huge points for Dream Team managers across next two Gameweeks

      by

      ANY Dream Team manager worth their salt knows to squeeze the schedule for all it’s worth.The logic is simple and undeniable: more fixtures equals more point-scoring opportunities.
      This ploy isn’t totally fool-proof but it generally pays dividends over the course of a season.

      PLAY SCORE PREDICTOR AHEAD OF THIS WEEKEND’S PREMIER LEAGUE ACTION – SOMEBODY MUST WIN £500 AMAZON GIFT CARD!

      Smart options for Gameweeks 26 and 27?Credit: Dream Team
      Looking at the next fortnight or so, it appears the upcoming European games hold the key to plentiful points.
      In Gameweek 26, five teams will fulfil two fixtures with Manchester City, Liverpool, West Ham, Brighton and Aston Villa all in continental action in midweek after a full round of Premier League games at the weekend.
      Pep Guardiola’s side host neighbours Manchester United on Sunday before welcoming FC Copenhagen to the Etihad on Wednesday night.
      Given Erling Haaland (£7.5m) plundered 40 points in Gameweek 25, the captaincy debate is likely to be a simple one for most gaffers.
      Elsewhere, Liverpool travel to Nottingham Forest and Sparta Prague in what has to be considered a favourable double header.
      Dream Team bosses eagerly await availability updates on Mohamed Salah (£6.7m) and Darwin Nunez (£4.5m).
      Most read in Football
      Salah will be a popular recruit if deemed availableCredit: Getty
      Brighton also have back-to-back away days in the form of Fulham in the league then Roma in the Europa League.
      Pascal Gross (£4.5m) is among Dream Team’s most in-form players at present having earned 49 points across his last five outings.
      West Ham are the third and final English team still active in the Europa League.
      The Hammers face Freiburg (again) after a trip to Everton at the weekend.
      Jarrod Bowen’s (£4.5m) hat-trick against Brentford on Monday suddenly looks very timely indeed.
      The England international provided healthy returns for much of last season thanks in no small part to his ultimately triumphant Europa Conference League commitments.
      This season it’s Aston Villa who are set to take part in the knockout stages of the continent’s tertiary competition.
      31 goal involvements and countingCredit: Getty
      Unai Emery’s side drew a big name in the round of 16 in the form of Ajax but it’s worth noting that the Dutch giants have been below par for much of 2023/24.
      Jordan Henderson and company are without a win in their last four league games and currently reside fifth in the Eredivisie table.
      Ollie Watkins (£4.5m), Douglas Luiz (£3.9m), John McGinn (£3.7m), Emi Martinez (£3.1m) and Leon Bailey (£3m) are therefore all tempting options.
      The former has scored 16 goals and provided 15 assists in all competitions this season while the latter has quietly amassed 20 goal involvements.
      The Villains travel to Luton on Saturday for their Premier League match-up with the Hatters having just shipped six goals to City in the FA Cup.
      Back among the goalsCredit: Getty

      Looking forward to Gameweek 27, it’s Arsenal who will be in Champions League action in Man City’s place for their second leg against Porto.
      Whereas Liverpool, Brighton, West Ham and Aston Villa will all fulfil their respective second legs in consecutive Gameweeks.
      These four clubs are therefore the only teams with two fixtures each in Gameweeks 26 and 27.
      READ MORE SUN STORIES
      This clearly hasn’t escaped Dream Team bosses as the four most-popular recruits ahead of Saturday’s deadline are currently: Watkins, Bowen, Virgil van Dijk (£3.9m) and Douglas Luiz.
      Targeting the midweek European fixtures is likely to be a profitable strategy.

      talkSPORT BET Welcome offer
      Get £30 in free bets when you bet £10 – CLAIM HERE
      18+ New customers only. Opt in & bet £10 on any sports at 2.00+ odds within 7 days. No Cash out. Get 3x £10 Free Bets on selected markets. Free bets expire in 7 days. Card payments only. T&Cs apply. BeGambleAware.org | Please gamble responsibly
      Commercial content notice: Taking one of the bookmaker offers featured in this article may result in a payment to The Sun. 18+. T&Cs apply. Begambleaware.org More

    • 175 Shares169 Views

      in Soccer

      Fans fear for Premier League’s fifth Champions League spot after tricky Europa League draw

      by

      FANS fear the Premier League could miss out on a fifth Champions League spot after English teams were dealt a tricky Europa League draw.Uefa’s expansion of the Champions League next season means there will be an extra automatic place from the domestic leagues of the two best-performing countries across the three European competitions.
      West Ham and Brighton could play a big role in boosting the Premier League’s coefficient
      England stood in third, narrowly behind second-placed Germany, at the end of the group phase in December.
      But the Prem’s coefficient ranking will be boosted if English clubs continue to progress in European competition this season.
      However Arsenal are in danger of Champions League elimination after losing the first leg of their second round tie with Porto 1-0.
      While Brighton have now been handed a tricky tie against Roma, who won the Europa Conference League in 2022.
      READ MORE IN FOOTBALL
      Liverpool will be expected to beat Sparta Prague but West Ham face a challenging test in Freiburg.
      Aston Villa, meanwhile, have been paired with Ajax in the Conference League draw.
      Fans fear the Premier League’s coefficient will take a hit if Brighton and West Ham exit the Europa League in the next round, particularly the Hammers as opponents Freiburg play in the Bundesliga and a win for them would push Germany further ahead of England.
      One supporter reacted to the draw saying: “Premier League’s coefficient is finished if West Ham and Brighton both go out. More damaging if West Ham go out.”
      Most read in Champions League

      CASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERS
      Another added: “West Ham have an easy draw….more sad for Brighton”
      And a Chelsea fan wrote: “It’s looking long for our chances of Europe if we lose this Sunday.”
      Uefa’s coefficient ranking sees all the match and bonus points acquired by a country’s clubs divided by the number of teams involved at the start of the season – with England and Spain both having the maximum possible eight.
      It meant that City’s win over Copenhagen and a potential Arsenal win at Porto can earn England a maximum 0.5 ranking points.
      By contrast, Germany with five teams in action, could have earned 2.142pts, France (five clubs) 3.167pts, Spain (six clubs) 1.5pts and Italy (five teams) 2.286pts.
      The Premier League was not helped by Man Utd and Newcastle’s last-placed finishes in the Champions League group stage, which saw them exit Europe altogether.
      ‘Very good, I like that’ says Europa League draw host after Man Utd icon John O’Shea’s cheeky joke live on TV More

    • 263 Shares99 Views

      in Soccer

      Legia Warsaw unveil X-rated tifo after Uefa shut down ultras section of stadium as shocked fans say ‘take a bow, lads’

      by

      LEGIA WARSAW fans unveiled an X-rated tifo ahead of their Europa Conference League clash with Molde.The Polish side have had plenty of run-ins with Uefa this season.
      Legia Warsaw’s Zyleta stand usually populated by ultras featured a message to Uefa
      Legia advanced from a group that also included Premier League outfit Aston Villa.
      During the group phase, Dutch police claimed that Legia fans attacked cops ahead of a clash with AZ Alkmaar, even knocking one unconscious.
      The following month, 30 supporters were arrested after trouble with police ahead of Legia’s 2-1 defeat at Villa Park.
      Following the incident against AZ Alkmaar, Legia were fined by Uefa.
      READ MORE IN FOOTBALL
      European football’s governing body also banned supporters over the age of 14 from sitting in their Zyleta end, the stand frequented by the club’s ultras, for tonight’s clash with Molde.
      Ahead of the game, a banner could be seen reading “This time you won, Uefa” across the Zyleta stand.
      But as kick-off fast approached, a huge tifo was revealed in the main stand, featuring an X-rated message.
      Amid a green, white and red background depicting the club’s colours, a Lego man could be seen wearing sunglasses.
      Most read in Football
      HOW TO GET FREE BETS ON FOOTBALL
      Beneath the Lego man was the message: “Surprise, Motherf***ers!”
      Legia fans have already been banned from the club’s next five European away games.
      Scotland fans unveil ‘biggest’ Hampden tifo panning across THREE STANDS as Tartan Army show incredible support
      And the club could find themselves in further hot water for their fans’ latest tifo.
      Legia won’t have any more European games this season regardless, having been knocked out by Molde.
      The Ekstraklasa side went into tonight’s second leg trailing the Norwegians 3-2 from last week’s first match.
      They were eliminated without much of a fight, with Fredrik Gulbrandsen giving the visitors the lead inside the first two minutes.
      Eirik Hestad made it 2-0 on the night on 20 minutes, before Gulbrandsen added his second in the 67th to round off Molde’s 6-2 aggregate win.
      Legia’s main stand unveiled a huge X-rated dig at Uefa ahead of kick-off
      The message was revealed as players lined up ahead of the gameCredit: Reuters
      Deflated Legia players clap their fans after their defeatCredit: Reuters More

    • 263 Shares169 Views

      in Soccer

      I beat Mourinho to Europa League title after KOing Man Utd… now I’m taking shock new job after 4 months unemployed

      by

      EUROPA LEAGUE winner Jose Luis Mendilibar is set to take over as Olympiacos’ new manager.Mendilibar helped steer Sevilla away from relegation when he was appointed late last season in March as Jorge Sampaoli’s replacement.
      Ex-Sevilla boss Jose Luis Mendilibar is taking over at OlympiacosCredit: Rex
      Mendilibar eliminated Man Utd and beat Jose Mourinho in the Europa League FinalCredit: Getty
      Mendilibar will sign a €1.5m contract until the end of the season with the option to extend for another yearCredit: Getty
      And the Basque tactician led the Spanish giants to a record seventh Europa League title, earning qualification to this season’s Champions League.
      This poses as a huge appointment for Olympiacos amid a turbulent campaign that has seen the Piraeus outfit plummet to fourth place.
      SunSport understand Mendilibar will sign a contract until the end of the season with the option to extend for another year.
      Sources also report the ex-Athletic Bilbao manager’s deal is worth €1.5million (£1.3m).
      Read More on Football
      The Spaniard is arriving in Greece today and will attend his new team’s Superleague clash against OFI in Piraeus this evening.
      Mendilibar is then set for baptism by fire as he will make his debut on Thursday’s crunch Europa Conference League play-off clash at home against Ferencvaros.
      The experienced coach stunned Europe last season as he eliminated Erik ten Hag’s Manchester United in the Europa League quarter-finals and then offloaded Juventus in the semi-finals.
      He then beat Jose Mourinho’s Roma in the final on penalties after a 1-1 draw despite Sevilla’s many struggles.
      Most read in Football
      FREE BETS – BEST BETTING OFFERS & NEW CUSTOMER BONUSES
      Sevilla then almost upset Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City in the Super Cup at Georgios Karaiskakis Stadium in Greece, which is the home of his new team.
      Youssef En-Nesyri opened the scoring before Cole Palmer’s equaliser took the game to a penalty shootout where City prevailed after Nemanja Gudelj missed his spot-kick.
      Youssef En-Nesyri scores incredible overhead kick in Sevilla training
      Mendilibar was sacked in October as Sevilla’s struggles continued with a poor run of five losses and just two wins in 13 matches across all competitions.
      Olympiacos have a long history of appointing managers with immense European success.
      That includes the likes of ex-Barcelona boss Ernesto Valverde, Monaco hero Leonardo Jardim and current Fulham boss Marco Silva. More

    • 188 Shares199 Views

      in Soccer

      Jose Mourinho’s ‘parting dig’ at Roma revealed after former Chelsea boss felt ‘betrayed’ by sacking

      by

      JOSE MOURINHO left his Europa Conference League ring behind after leaving Roma.The ring had been gifted to him by the squad after he guided the club to their first European trophy for 61 years in 2022.
      Jose Mourinho left his Europa Conference League ring behind after his Roma sackingCredit: AP
      However, he was reportedly left feeling betrayed by his players after his sacking last month.
      According to Il Messaggero, via Tutto Mercato, Mourinho was unhappy after the squad immediately backed the choice of Daniele De Rossi as his replacement.
      The report adds that he left his ring behind at the club’s training ground, placing it inside the locked of captain Lorenzo Pellegrini.
      Mourinho has a history of giving away items commemorating his success by throwing medals into the crowd after winning honours with his previous clubs.
      READ MORE IN FOOTBALL
      He was sacked by Roma following the 3-1 loss to AC Milan on January 14 after two-and-a-half years in charge.
      Chelsea fans have since called for Mourinho to return to the club for a third spell.
      Meanwhile, he has also been linked with both Manchester United and Barcelona.
      As for De Rossi, the former Roma captain was appointed as manager until the end of the season.
      Most read in Football
      FREE BETS – BEST BETTING OFFERS & NEW CUSTOMER BONUSES

      He has since won both of his matches in charge, with a pair of 2-1 victories over Hellas Verona and Salernitana.
      Roma have risen from ninth to sixth with those wins ahead of facing Cagliari at home on Monday night.
      Mourinho’s BIGGEST Barcelona bust-ups over the years More

    • 213 Shares159 Views

      in Soccer

      Man Utd flop Van de Beek’s Eintracht Frankfurt loan nightmare hits brand new low after shock omission

      by

      DONNY VAN DE BEEK has been left out of Eintracht Frankfurt’s Europa Conference League squad as his loan spell takes a major blow.The Manchester United midfielder, 26, joined the Bundesliga side last month as he looks to resurrect his career.
      Donny van de Beek will not play in this season’s Europa Conference LeagueCredit: Getty
      Van de Beek has struggled since arriving at Frankfurt
      But he will not feature for Frankfurt in Europe as they have omitted him from their list of players registered for the Conference League.
      It comes just one week after he was hauled off at half-time in a 1-0 win over Mainz.
      He was then an unused substitute in their 2-0 defeat to Koln on Saturday.
      Van de Beek is yet to register a goal or assist in three appearances for Frankfurt.
      He has also created just one chance for his team-mates since arriving in Germany.
      He still has 18 months remaining on his contract at Old Trafford but had featured for just 21 minutes this term, with his last outing coming as sub against Crystal Palace on September 30.
      He completed a loan to Frankfurt within the first 12 hours of the January transfer window and the Bundesliga side also have an option to make the deal permanent at the end of the season.
      It is believed that fee would be around £9.5m – with add-ons potentially seeing it rise to £12m.
      Most read in Bundesliga
      CASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERS
      However, the prospect of the German club taking up that option looks increasingly unlikely as Van de Beek struggles in his new surroundings.
      He has been substituted in every one of his Frankfurt games to date.
      His poor form means he could yet return to Man Utd – where he has started just 23 games since arriving for £40m in 2020. More

    • 225 Shares99 Views

      in Soccer

      Forgotten ex-England star SENT OFF after kicking out in vicious tangle but fans fume ‘shocking red.. game’s gone’

      by

      ALEX OXLADE-CHAMBERLAIN was sent off for kicking out in a feisty tangle that sparked a mass brawl.But fans fumed it was a “shocking red” and claimed the “game’s gone”.
      Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain got sent off for kicking out at his opponentCredit: INSTAGRAM @tntsports
      Lugano winger Renato Steffen reacted furiouslyCredit: INSTAGRAM @tntsports

      Oxlade-Chamberlain, 30, joined Besiktas in the summer following his release from Liverpool after six years.
      The 35-cap England international midfielder has made an instant impact in Turkey with four goals and an assist in 13 Super Lig appearances.
      But he made a very different kind of mark on Renato Steffen last night.
      The former Arsenal star booted the Lugano winger as they tussled in the 90th minute of the Europa Conference League Group D match.
      READ MORE ON FOOTBALL
      The pair scrapped for the ball before clashing with each other as Oxlade-Chamberlain took a naughty kick out at the back of his opponent’s leg before wrestling him to the ground.
      The Swiss wideman reacted furiously and appeared to retaliate with a kick of his own as players and subs from both sides piled in for a massive shoving match and tempers boiled over.
      The referee immediately brandished red cards for both players.
      But fans on social media felt they did not deserve their marching orders.
      Most read in Football
      FREE BETS – BEST BETTING OFFERS & NEW CUSTOMER BONUSES
      Tubes of Soccer AM fame asked: “For what exactly?”
      One said: “Never a red.”
      Another wrote: “Shocking red, game’s gone.”
      A fourth added: “Watched it ten times and still can’t work out what he did.”
      A fifth user commented: “This is the most ridiculous outcome I’ve seen in a long time no way was that a straight red.”
      Meanwhile, one Besiktas supporter demanded: “Oxlade-Chamberlain… make this man a captain.”
      Oxlade-Chamberlain, though, enjoyed the last laugh as Besiktas ran out 2-0 winners in Switzerland to leapfrog Lugano into third spot in the group.
      Goals from ex-Everton striker Cenk Tosun and Serkan Emrecan Terzi sealed the victory.
      However, it was not enough to catch either Club Brugge or Bodo/Glimt who progressed into the knockout stages.
      Oxlade-Chamberlain got into a scrap at the end of their Europa Conference League clashCredit: INSTAGRAM @tntsports
      Both players got sent off but fans were baffledCredit: INSTAGRAM @tntsports
      The Englishman joined Besiktas on a free transfer in the summerCredit: Getty More