UEFA Europa Conference League - Alkmaar, Legia and Zrinjski

[Smirker]

As I won't be going I'll be watching st home and the fact the European games are no longer free to air takes the piss.

It would have been nice to see Villa on normal telly in a European fixture.

[PeterWithesShin]

They can vary quite a bit, pretty much everyone that went to Bilbao will still say how brilliant a trip it was and how great the locals and police were. Those of us who went to Madrid have the exact opposite view with what went on around the ground with the police and their fans. It was shit.

As examples of the extremes they can be.

[Lastfootstamper]

Osasuna have made it to the Copa Del Ray final.

Love the fact that Fiorentina or Cremonese will be in the final of the Coppa Italia.

Ngl, that's now twice today I've had to fire up Google.

[Clampy]

I've done Bohemians and Shamrock Rovers if they count.

[LeeB]

They can vary quite a bit, pretty much everyone that went to Bilbao will still say how brilliant a trip it was and how great the locals and police were. Those of us who went to Madrid have the exact opposite view with what went on around the ground with the police and their fans. It was shit.

As examples of the extremes they can be.

The only problems with Madrid was at the ground though, we'd been drinking all day near a fountain the city centre with no bother whatsoever

[Somniloquism]

Never been on an away trip to Europe with Villa.

Been on two. 1-0 loss to Inter Milan before the Phil King return leg, and the 0-0 at Bordeaux

As PWS mentioned, the away match experiences were so different with Inter being over-policed and not being allowed to do anything, and Bordeaux being great. Shame both legs were not classic matches though.

[Toronto Villa]

Never been on an away trip to Europe with Villa.

Our next pint together?

[PeterWithesShin]

They can vary quite a bit, pretty much everyone that went to Bilbao will still say how brilliant a trip it was and how great the locals and police were. Those of us who went to Madrid have the exact opposite view with what went on around the ground with the police and their fans. It was shit.

As examples of the extremes they can be.

The only problems with Madrid was at the ground though, we'd been drinking all day near a fountain the city centre with no bother whatsoever

That's why I said "at the ground".

Although the police got very heavy handed by the coaches to the ground and i'm not sure the snipers as we got off the plane were needed.

[Risso]

Never been on an away trip to Europe with Villa.

Our next pint together?

That would be nice mate.

[Holte L2]

I've been on two. Odense in the Intertoto 2008 and Slavia Prague UEFA Cup 2008. Both amazing trips. Prague went a bit moody during the match. It kicked off with the stewards when a Villa fan let a flare off and we were met with Riot police outside the ground.

[Lsvilla]

Went to Rotterdam as a raw 17 year old and would love to relive that one a bit more streetwise (and wealthy enough to do it in more style than previously). Madrid was a bit iffy as others have mentioned but Vigo was a good trip - stayed in Porto and travelled from there.
Rennes at the start of this season was okay mainly due to the weather.

[algy]

https://www.premierleague.com/european-qualification-explained

Bottom para of this explains extra EL place in scenario I described above

In short for this.  The league gets 5 European places (4 Champions League, 1 Europa League), the FA Cup winner gets one (Europa League), and the League Cup winner gets one (Europa Conference).  These can all 'trickle down', so for example Manchester United won the League Cup - if they qualify for a place in Europe via the league, their Conference place is given to the team that finishes 6th.  The FA Cup's the same - if the winner finishes in the top 5, then the extra place goes to 6th, and the Europa Conference place is given to the side that finishes 7th.

You can also win places in Europe by winning the Champions League, Europa League (both a Champions League place), and the Europa Conference (a Europa Cup place).  There's a maximum of 5 Champions League places, though - if an English side were to win the Europa League *and* another win the Champions League, then we'd get 5 places - 4th place would end up in the Europa League.  The crucial thing with these, though, is they don't trickle down.  If you win the Europa League and finish 4th, then that extra Champions League place just disappears.

This is how you theoretically get down to 9th place qualifying.  The Europa League or Champions League winner has to finish in a position where they'd have won a 'trickle down' spot that's in a lower level competition than the one they've qualified for.  So, if the Europa League or Champions League winner finishes 5th, 6th, or 7th - 8th place ends up qualifying for the Europa Conference (assuming that the FA Cup & League Cup have been won by teams 7th or higher).

You can get to 9th place as long as the team that wins the Europa Conference finishes in the only place that can trickle down for them - they qualify for the Europa Conference.  So they have to finish exactly 8th, although they can optionally also win the League Cup as that won't have any effect.

[algy]

Never been on an away trip to Europe with Villa.

Me neither. Desperately want to go on one, though

[AV82EC]

Inter 90 and Prague. Both great experiences for different reasons.

[Lastfootstamper]

Freiburg have knocked out Bayern to reach the German Cup semis.

In between Strasbourg and Basel, to the east of the Rhine.