Tottenham is England’s representative alongside with Everton
While the Europa League is regarded as a minor competition by top teams, no less than five former European champions are taking part in the group stage.
Inter Milan, Celtic, PSV Eindhoven, Steaua Bucharest and Feyenoord bring some luster to the Champions League spinoff involving 48 teams from 26 nations.
Defending champion Sevilla starts with a difficult test at home against Feyenoord in Group G. Here are some things to know about toay’s games:
SEVILLA FOR NO. 4: In the shadow of Barcelona’s and Real Madrid’s Champions League titles this decade, other Spanish teams have also dominated the Europa League. Sevilla won its third Europa last season after successive titles in 2006 and 2007. Counting Atletico Madrid’s two titles and Valencia’s one, La Liga sides have won six times in the last 11 years.
Sevilla opens against Feyenoord, and once again, Unai Emery’s team has lost some top talent to wealthier clubs, with Ivan Rakitic joining Barcelona and defender Federico Fazio leaving for Tottenham. But Sevilla has proven expert at staying competitive despite its never-ending rebuilding process that included losing Jesus Navas and Alvaro Negredo the previous summer. Sevilla kept Colombia striker Carlos Bacca and added Iago Aspas and Aleix Vidal up front, while also gaining two of Barcelona’s young talents in Gerard Deulofeu and Denis Suarez on loan. After losing the European Super Cup to Real Madrid 2-0, Sevilla has gone undefeated through the first three rounds of the Spanish league to sit tied for second behind Barcelona.
MARTINEZ’S VOW: The demands and riches on offer in the Premier League have led to many English teams viewing the Europa League as something of a nuisance. That won’t be the case with Everton. “Last year we had to work so hard for 38 games to achieve that, it would be nonsense to say we don’t want to be giving it everything we’ve got,” Everton manager Roberto Martinez said. “We really want to go all the way in the Europa League.”
Everton, which won the now-defunct European Cup Winners’ Cup in 1985, is playing in European competition for the first time since the 2010, and is in Group H with Lille, FC Krasnodar and today’s opponent Wolfsburg. Martinez is treating the Europa as a trial run ahead of a year in the Champions League, saying: “This is the perfect next step for us.”
Tottenham is England’s only other representative and plays Partizan Belgrade in its Group C opener.
GERMANY’S JEKYLL AND HYDE: Germany’s Europa League contenders are in contrasting states of mind as they approach their opening games. Wolfsburg, which harbored high hopes of European success and has invested heavily in recent years, is slumping in the Bundesliga with just two points to show from three games. Midfielders Kevin de Bruyne and Luiz Gustavo returned with knocks from Saturday’s 1-1 draw at Hoffenheim but both are hopeful of playing at Everton. Borussia Moenchengladbach is coming off a 4-1 victory over Schalke on Sunday, when the visiting side was fortunate not to suffer a heavier defeat. Forwards Max Kruse and Andre Hahn have quickly formed an effective understanding, supported by Brazilian midfielder Raffael just behind, and ‘Gladbach is favorite against Spanish side Villarreal.
ANOTHER PIG BANNER? Legia Warsaw is playing its first home game since being fined 80,000 euros (USD103,500) for fans displaying a banner criticizing UEFA. Legia fans protested the club’s exit from the Champions League at a Europa League playoff by displaying a large banner showing a pig imposed on a UEFA badge with the slogan “Because Football Doesn’t Matter, Money Does.” Legia, which hosts Lokeren in Group L, was eliminated from the Champions League third qualifying round after fielding a suspended player against Celtic during a 6-1 aggregate win. UEFA awarded the Scottish side a 3-0 second-leg win that saw it advance. Legia is seeking compensation from UEFA at the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
EMPTY STADIUM: After being punished for fans’ racist behavior, Steaua will open in an empty stadium against Aalborg in Group J. Steaua was handed the sanction after incidents when Bulgarian champion Ludogorets eliminated the Romanian side in a Champions League playoff. Steaua was also fined 64,500 euros for the racism and other offences, including fans lighting fireworks and throwing missiles. AP
Madrid starts Champions League defense in style
Cristiano Ronaldo scores his side’s third goal during the Champions League Group B soccer match between Real Madrid and Basel
Real Madrid started the defense of its Champions League crown with an emphatic 5-1 victory over Basel on Tuesday, while Liverpool celebrated its return to Europe’s top club competition with a dramatic 2-1 win against Bulgarian side Ludogorets.
Elsewhere, Borussia Dortmund beat Arsenal 2-0 and last season’s finalist Atletico Madrid lost 3-2 at Olympiakos. In Group A, former Manchester United striker Carlos Tevez ended his European goal drought as he scored twice in a 2-0 win over Malmo, for his first goal in the competition since April 2009. The group’s other game provided a shock in Athens, where Olympiakos defeated Atletico after Arthur Masuaku — with a superb strike from outside the area — and Ibrahim Afellay scored early goals.
Monaco won against the run of the play with a 1-0 victory over Leverkusen in Group C courtesy of Joao Moutinho’ goal, while Benfica’s 51-match unbeaten home record in all competition came to an end. Hulk and Axel Witsel scored first-half goals to give Zenit a 2-0 win against 10-man Benfica after goalkeeper Artur was sent off in the 18th for obstructing Danny.
In Group D, Borussia Dortmund strikers Ciro Immobile and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored either side of halftime to give their side victory over Arsenal.
Galatasaray striker Burak Yilmaz scored in stoppage time to snatch a 1-1 draw against Anderlecht in the group’s other match.
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