The UEFA Europa League may lack the glamour and the prestige of the Champions league, but it is a cup that often pits a host of Europe’s elite clubs. The 2024/25 season features several high-profile clubs, including English giants Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspurs, Serie A’s Roma and Lazio, Turkish powerhouse Galatasaray, and the La Liga duo of Real Sociedad and Athletic Bilbao, among others. The winner of the Europa League automatically qualifies for a place in the Champions League.
The betting favorites to win the 2024/25 Europa League
Tottenham Hotspur
Spurs continue their chase for their first taste of silverware since 2008. They are inconsistent in the Premier League, but their disappointment in missing out on the Champions League last season should propel them to go all the way.
Coach Ange Postecoglou gave Spurs fans some reason to believe when he told a press conference that he ‘wins’ a trophy in his second season. It is his second season as manager, and there will be no better way to win fans’ hearts than triumphing in Europe.
Manchester United
It’s a new chapter at Manchester United. Ruben Amorim is at the wheel after leaving Sporting Lisbon two months ago. He knows better than anyone that he sits on is a ‘hot seat’, and only results matter. The last time United won the Europa League was in 2017, but they came close in 2021, finishing as runners-up. The arrival of Amorim has significantly lifted United’s profile and made them one of the leading favorites among featured bookmakers on the Cheeky Punter website.
January could see some new faces in Old Trafford, while others would likely leave. Whatever happens, United and Amorim have the wherewithal to go all the way, but inconsistencies continue to highlight the season domestically and in Europe.
Athletic Bilbao
Athletic Bilbao returned to Europe after a successful season under coach Ernesto Valverde, where they won the Copa del Rey, and finished the season as the second defensive side in La Liga after Real Madrid.
Their attack led by the William brothers Inaki and Nico, and Oihan Sancet can upset anyone in Europe. They are still looking for their first European trophy, but no one can dare underestimate Valverde’s side.
Lazio
Lazio sit pretty atop the new Europa League format, alongside Athletic Bilbao with 16 points. Their 2023/24 season was tumultuous, finishing 7th in Serie A but making better progress in the Champions League and the Copa Italia. They lost both Ciro Immobile and Felipe Anderson, but the arrival of Marco Baroni in the summer has renewed their hope.
Galatasaray
Galatasaray exploits in the Champions League last season meant that they are a side capable of competing at every level. They find themselves in the Europa League this time, and Okan Buruk is unwilling to settle for less. He boasts one of the most entertaining sides in attack, helped largely by the signing of Victor Osimhen from Napoli. Whether or not Osimhen will stay with the Turkish side beyond this January, Buruk can rely on Yunus Akgun, scorer of five goals in 6 matches for Gala in Europe.
It is anyone’s cup as of now, with other sleeping giants such as Ajax Amsterdam, Lyon, AS Roma, Olympiacos, Porto, and Fernabahce all involved.
