Conference League favorite? Any team managed by Unai Emery
Reading Time: 3min | Thu. 08.09.22. | 15:03
The Spaniard has four Europa League trophies so far
The second season of the UEFA Conference League, the Europe's third tier competition is starting today, along with the Europa League. European's leading governing body has decided that both competitions will be held every Thursday and they will face, along with a Champions League, a heavy schedule unitl November, when the World Cup will start. Among this year's teams, one name is high above the rest, and it's not a club, it's a man – Unai Emery. Former Arsenal and PSG coach might not get a proper chance to win the Champions League, but he is the godfather of other European competitions. As coach of Sevilla and Villarreal, the Spaniard won 4 Europa League titles and was a runner up in the 2018/19 final with Arsenal. Looking at those stats, Villarreal must be considerate a favorite to win the competition, not only because of Emery, but because of the strength of the squad.
The Europa Conference League is back today! 🎉
— UEFA Europa Conference League (@europacnfleague) September 8, 2022
Predict two things that'll happen in tonight's games! 👇#UECL
As always, any club from the the Top 5 European leagues is automatically a favorite, and in this year's competition, those are West Ham, Nice, Fiorentina, Koln, and of course, Villarreal. But, Emery is not foolish enough to declare himself a favorite.
„We are not going to think that now it is easy, but it is going to be a beautiful path. We can't set ourselves the goal of winning the competition. The first goal we set for ourselves is to finish first in the group stage and we do set that for ourselves. We respect a competition that was won last year by a coach like Mou and a big team like Rome. We must be able to get excited on this path through Europe. Because Europe is Europe. These two years have made us experience very beautiful moments and moments of good play. Where we have been the happiest" said Emery ahead of the game with Lech Poznan.
Germany's Koln are back in Europe after 5 years of absence. Last time they participated was in 2017, and after that they got relegated from the Bundesliga. First time in Europe after a while, they might not push that hard, since they prioritise their participation in Bundesliga. But West Ham should certainly have a go this season, as they have played in the Europa League last year as well, plus they have a deep squad to choose from.
But coach David Moyes has other worries. Just like his colleague Antoinio Conte, he is complaining to the Premier League's unawareness of the busy schedule West Ham has. Using October's fixtures as an example, Moyes highlighted that the Hammers welcome Bournemouth on Monday, October 24, but play Silkeborg on the 27th at home before a trip to Old Trafford to play Manchester United, a trip to Romania to play FSCB on Thursday, November 3 and then face Crystal Palace at home.
„I think in this country we go on, we play the games, we put them out. But the only thing I do think is you know, you'd have hoped that maybe they looked at it. So we've been put to the Monday night fixture and we'll play on the Thursday as well. And the Sunday. So thinking that way you would say, and it's a long way away, we see that as completely unfair“ said the Scotsman.
EUROPA CONFERENCE LEAGUE
Thursday
19:45 Fiorentina - Rigas Futbola Skola
19:45 Heart of Midlothian - Başakşehir FK
19:45 RSC Anderlecht - Silkeborg IF
19:45 Austria Wien - Hapoel Be'er Sheva
19:45 Villarreal - Lech Poznań
19:45 FC Slovácko - FK Partizan
22:00 FC Vaduz - Apollon Limassol
22:00 SC Dnipro-1 - AZ Alkmaar
22:00 Shamrock Rovers - Djurgårdens IF
22:00 Sivasspor - Slavia Praha
22:00 FC Basel - Pyunik Yerevan
22:00 ŠK Slovan Bratislava - FK Žalgiris
