Europa League 2025-26

[cdbearsfan]

I think Chelsea have a lot more young players who are pretty close to being first team standard already. Even though we won the youth "treble" this year, I feel that our youngsters are mostly a loan or two away from being good enough to be options against decent European opposition.

We ran out of legs last year. If you take Disasi, Rashford and Asensio out of our current squad, it isn't much stronger than it was then. So whether we will have a strong enough squad to compete on all fronts will likely depend on how many players we are able to (re-)sign.

[Bent Neilsens Screamer]

Moving onto more positive thoughts - if we tweak the squad well, we can balance our league campaign better in the front end, and there are some fun potential games there.

This was my take on Europa League too. I don't think we'll go as far as Chelsea and leave top players out of the European squad, but we should be able to use some players a little less, and maybe even bring in some of the younger players at times, build up their experience and playing time.

All well and good but there’s still some decent teams in there and it’s not something UE has done too much in the past.

[AV84]

Again, not saying do a Chelsea on it, but maybe the likes of Barkley or Ramsey gets a full 90 midweek while Tielemans or Rogers gets a day off. Some of the squad played an awful lot of football this season, arguably unnecessarily. You'd like to think we're not fielding the same team against the likes of SK Sigma Olomouc as we would have against Bayern Munich, for example.

[cdbearsfan]

Yeah, sure. That seems entirely sensible.

[Randy Gurner]

Funny how the Europa League feels like the Zenith Data Systems Cup this evening.

[cdbearsfan]

Could be worse, I suppose. Thank fuck Wood decided to twat one over the bar with minutes left of the Forest game today.

[eamonn]

Our youths won three comps?! Wow, go on da boiz.

[Brazilian Villain]

Funny how the Europa League feels like the Zenith Data Systems Cup this evening.

Understandable really, with all the European trophies we've won.

[Tokyo Sexwhale]

All over in Serie A. Juventus won in the end to take the final Champions League spot, so Roma take a Europa League place, along with cup winners Bologna.

I reckon it will be between Villa and Roma for who starts the tournament as favourites.

Lille will be tough too.

[cdbearsfan]

French League (except for PSG) is in shit due to a TV deal falling through, I think. Maybe they'll be forced to sell players.

[SoccerHQ]

Same as this season. Finish top 8, bypass last 32 and see who's left when we come into the last 16 in the March.

We can't be deriding Man. United/Spurs and then claiming this competition is beyond us with endless amazing teams.

Got to be looking to win this.

If someone streetwise could knock out Palace before we get to the last 16 then that would be ideal!

[Dave]

French League (except for PSG) is in shit due to a TV deal falling through, I think. Maybe they'll be forced to sell players.

And losing two of their best players (David and Gomes) for nothing isn't going to help them rebuild much either.

[VillaTim]

Too soon. Raw

[cdbearsfan]

Same as this season. Finish top 8, bypass last 32 and see who's left when we come into the last 16 in the March.

We can't be deriding Man. United/Spurs and then claiming this competition is beyond us with endless amazing teams.

Got to be looking to win this.

If someone streetwise could knock out Palace before we get to the last 16 then that would be ideal!

Please God/Allah/Brahma/Zeus/Baal/Ahura Mazda/Ra/Jove/Huitzilopochtli and all the lads, let someone (preferably foreign and not in the Europa League) sign Eze and Sarr this summer so we might actually have a chance against the bastards.

[pauliewalnuts]

Same as this season. Finish top 8, bypass last 32 and see who's left when we come into the last 16 in the March.

We can't be deriding Man. United/Spurs and then claiming this competition is beyond us with endless amazing teams.

Got to be looking to win this.

If someone streetwise could knock out Palace before we get to the last 16 then that would be ideal!

Please God/Allah/Brahma/Zeus/Baal/Ahura Mazda/Ra/Jove/Huitzilopochtli and all the lads, let someone (preferably foreign and not in the Europa League) sign Eze and Sarr this summer so we might actually have a chance against the bastards.

And Mateta, just to be safe.