Yahoo Sports Ranking the five favourites to win the Europa League
The Europa League gets underway next week with the start of the new-look league phase.
There are some top teams in this season’s competition, while the removal of Champions League drop-outs joining the knockout rounds providing each a greater chance of silverware this season.
We’ve decided to look at those fancied by the bookmakers to reach the latter stages. For those interested in the latest odds from sites such as moreeeglory.com here are the 2024/25 Europa League frontrunners.
Ranking the five favourites to win the Europa League
Athletic Bilbao – 11/1
Athletic Bilbao returned to European football this season after a six-year absence, having secured a top-five finish in La Liga last season. Ernesto Valverde’s side also ended a long wait without silverware after winning the Copa del Rey, breaking a 40-year trophy drought.
Having fended off interest in Nico Williams in the summer, the Spanish side will want to build on the momentum of last season.
Real Sociedad – 10/1
Spanish sides have dominated European competition since the turn of the millennium and another La Liga outfit feature among the favourites.
Real Sociedad reached the last 16 of the Champions League last time out but drop into the Europa League after finishing sixth in Spain last season.
However, the San Sebastien outfit have plenty of talent in their ranks, including Euro 2024 winners Mikel Oyarzabal, Alex Remiro and Martin Zubimendi. The latter turned down interest from Liverpool to remain with his boyhood side, which was a huge boost to Sociedad, who lost Mikel Merino and Robin Le Normand.
Sociedad have signed promising 20-year-old forward Orri Óskarsson from Copenhagen, who was linked with Manchester City in the summer.
Roma – 8/1
Roma are aiming to continue their fine recent record in European competition, having reached at least a semi-final in four straight seasons.
The Italians won the Europa Conference League in 2021/22, before finishing as runners-up in this competition in 2022/23.
Roma invested heavily in their squad in the summer, including the arrival of La Liga’s leading scorer from last season, Artem Dovbyk, from Girona and eye-catching signings of Manu Kone, Matias Soule, Enzo Le Fee, Mats Hummels and Mario Hermoso.
However, a poor start to the campaign has prompted change with Daniele de Rossi after a winless start to the Serie A season.
Manchester United – 5/1
Manchester United are the second-favourites to win the 2024/25 Europa League, as the Red Devils aim to win the competition for a second time.
Erik ten Hag has won silverware in each of his first two campaigns in charge, lifting the League Cup in year one before FA Cup success in 2023/24. After spending around £200m on new arrivals in the summer, expectations will be high in a competition the club will consider themselves favourites for.
Tottenham Hotspur – 9/2
Tottenham Hotspur are the current favourites to win the Europa League.
The North London side are without a trophy since 2008, though Ange Postecoglou has boldly predicted that the drought will end this season.
He told Sky Sports: “I’ll correct myself – I don’t usually win things, I always win things in my second year. Nothing’s changed.”
Spurs showed encouraging signs during Postecoglou’s debut campaign, though an unconvincing start to the season has cast doubt over their trophy credentials.
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See more – Ranking the favourites to win the Champions League in 2024/25
