Europa League can we ever love it?

It's Thursday, so it must be the Europa League. Hapoel Tel Aviv v Legia Warsaw. AZ Alkmaar v FC Metalist Kharkiv. Birmingham v NK Maribor. Get ready to switch TV channels. Does anybody fancy watching EastEnders?

View the full story here: The Mail

A news article on 2011-12-15 09:22:06 from: The Mail

This news item has been reproduced from today's media.

Can we ever love the Europa League? Two great cups have merged into a dud

It's Thursday, so it must be the Europa League. Hapoel Tel Aviv v Legia Warsaw. AZ Alkmaar v FC Metalist Kharkiv. Birmingham v NK Maribor. Get ready to switch TV channels. Does anybody fancy watching EastEnders?

This is simply brilliant. From Talksport:

Samir Nasri has hit back at critics of his mega-money move to Man City by blasting Arsenal for failing to provide the Europa League football he craved.

Nasri, who was criticised by Arsenal fans and labelled a mercenary when he left for Man City in the summer, feels vindicated following the 2-0 victory over Bayern Munich that helped Man City finish ten points above Villarreal to qualify for the Europa League's last 32.

Betting sites has tipped Tottenham to take home the silverware, but the odds are now against them even exiting the group stages.

With two weeks until the final matches of the Europa League group stages, 14 clubs have clinched spots in the knockout rounds of the cup with a game to spare. With the eight teams that finish third in their UEFA Champions League groups transferring over to Europe's second-tier competition, that leaves 10 spots.

By Chris Wright

Pies' pick of the stills from last night's Europa League action...

◄ Back Next ► Picture 1 of 10

Fulham 4-1 Wisla Krakow: Andy Johnson nips in to score the Cottager's third goal

Last night's Europa League results in full.

Group ATottenham Hotspur FC (ENG)
FC Rubin Kazan (RUS)
PAOK FC (GRE)
Shamrock Rovers FC (IRL)
Group B
FC København (DEN)
R. Standard de Liège (BEL)
Hannover 96 (GER)
FC Vorskla Poltava (UKR)
Group C
PSV Eindhoven (NED)
Hapoel Tel-Aviv FC (ISR)
FC Rapid Bucureşti (ROU)
Legia Warszawa (POL)
Group D
Sporting Clube de Portugal (POR)
S.

There are plenty of Americans still involved in the UEFA Europa League, but none will play against each other until the knockout stage at the earliest after Friday's draw revealed this season's 12 groups.

Jozy Altidore has been on fire as of late, and his AZ Alkmaar has a favorable outlook in Group G.

Dempsey is hoping to lead Fulham back to the Europa League final

UEFA has completed the draw for the Group Stage of the 2011-12 Europa League, and it poses some intriguing matchups - and trips - for the U.S. players involved. A total of 48 teams were drawn into 12 groups competing for the right to compete in the final on May 9, 2012, in Bucarest, Romania.

Sorteio do "play-off" da UEFA Europa League
Maccabi Tel-Aviv FC (ISR) - Panathinaikos FC (GRE)
Club Atlético de Madrid (ESP) - Vitória de Guimarães (POR)
Shamrock Rovers FC (IRL) - FK Partizan (SRB)
FC Metalist Kharkiv (UKR) - FC Sochaux-Montbéliard (FRA)
Beşiktaş JK (TUR) - FC Alania Vladikavkaz (RUS)
Rosenborg BK (NOR) - AEK Larnaca FC (CYP)
FC Vorskla Poltava (UKR) - FC Dinamo Bucureşti (ROU)
Bursaspor (TUR) - RSC Anderlecht (BEL)
AS Roma (ITA) - K Slovan Bratislava (SVK)
Olympiacos Volou FC (GRE) - Paris Saint-Germain FC (FRA)
Legia Warszawa (POL) - FC Spartak Moskva (RUS)
FK Ekranas (LTU) - Hapoel Tel-Aviv FC (ISR)
PAOK FC (GRE) - FC Karpaty Lviv (UKR)
Trabzonspor AŞ (TUR) - Athletic Club (ESP)
Heart of Midlothian FC (SCO) - Tottenham Hotspur FC (ENG)
NK Maribor (SVN) - Rangers FC (SCO)
FC Steaua Bucureşti (ROU) - PFC CSKA Sofia (BUL)
FC Nordsjælland (DEN) - Sporting (POR)
FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk (UKR) - Fulham FC (ENG)
FC Lokomotiv Moskva (RUS) - FC Spartak Trnava (SVK)
FC Sion (SUI) - Celtic FC (SCO)
WKS Śląsk Wrocław (POL) - FC Rapid Bucureşti (ROU)
PFC Litex Lovech (BUL) - FC Dynamo Kyiv (UKR)
S.

Metalist Kharkiv vs Leverkusen February 17, 2011- Europa League Final score:- Metalist Kharkiv vs Bayer Leverkusen 0-4 ( Eren Derdiyok, Gonzalo Castro, Sidney Sam*2) Bayer Leverkusen take command of their Europa League Round of 32 tie as they thrash Metalist Kharkiv 4-0 away from home thanks to a brace from Sidney Sam.