UEFA Europa League 2022/23 Group Stage

[bjkman1903]

Terrible draw for Ferencváros. To see the good side, spring Thursday evenings will be dedicated to the family.

I wouldn't burry Ferencváros yet.
Trabzonspor is in a very bad form at the moment, far from their performance of last season.
Besides, they are not trusthworthy in Europe (last European win in 2019...)
If you get a win at home on MD1, everything could change in your favor.

I asked my Turkish friend about current local conditions, he said that all big teams (if I understand well, Fener, Galata, Trabzon, Besiktas) have more or less the same chance for winning the league. All big teams had a lot of transfers in the summer, they're forming. He highlighted Hamsik from Trabzon.

What do you think?

Based on current forms, Besiktas & Fenerbahçe look better than the rest, followed by Basaksehir, Galatasaray and finally Trabzon.
Trabzon played Galatasaray at home this week-end, and they barely avoided defeat.

They struggle to score and create chances, especially against teams that are well organized in defense. Of course, they miss their injured star players like Hamsik and Visca, and new transfers need time. It's probably a bad period for them, which means that it's also your best chance to get a win.

Their coach Avci had focused on the Turkish league in the past with Besiktas and Basaksehir, resting key players during European games - that's why he has a terrible record (4 wins in 30 games). So I wouldn't be surprised if Trabzon just give up if they start the group in a bad way.

[dnina10]

https://playingfor90.com/2022/09/06/ret ... pa-league/

My preview ahead of Matchday 1

[bjkman1903]

[Dragonite]

I hate that ranking...

Villarreal actually has 50 wins, not 49, they're not counting the one from match day 6 in 2020/2021 that Qarabag was already eliminated and missed.


And the most annoying thing isn't even that, it's how they calculate points!!

They're using 2 points per win instead of 3.

Let's take Dynamo Kyiv and Arsenal.

According to them, DK has 27x2 + 24 = 78 points. Arsenal has 32x2 + 9 = 73 points.

So Dynamo Kyiv > Arsenal.

When it should be DK has 27x3 + 24 = 105 points. Arsenal has 32x3 + 9 = 105 points.

So Arsenal > Dynamo Kyiv (same points in fewer matches).

[matt]

Despite playing it so many times, it is remarkable that Lazio never reached an EL semifinal until now

[Dragonite]

Despite playing it so many times, it is remarkable that Lazio never reached an EL semifinal until now

PSV too, played it as many times as Lazio, 9 seasons each, this will be the 10th for both. And the furthest that any of them ever reached was the quarterfinals once (2010/2011 for PSV, 2012/2013 for Lazio).

Perhaps one of them or even both will be able to do it again this season.

[Philipp22]

In 2017/18 Lazio managed to give away a 4-2 and 1-0 lead in the quarter finals versus Salzburg in the last 30 minutes of the second leg.

[Club-Mate]

In 2017/18 Lazio managed to give away a 4-2 and 1-0 lead in the quarter finals versus Salzburg in the last 30 minutes of the second leg.

it was one of the most magic nights in Salzburg in the last years ("We are Europe League it's ours" that was the motto back then). Their business partner(s) and sponsor for bad times plus a suitable environment are good enough to promote such magic nights. The last one happened not a week ago.