15 Aug 2020 16:24:18
So the Final 8 clubs in European competition will have finished in the top 4 of their respective leagues this season, depending on the City v Lyon game. With the Champions of Spain, Italy and England already out of their Cup. It could end up with 3rd in England v 2nd in Italy and 7th in France v 3rd in Germany (I think) . It makes me wonder why some players are desperate to play in the European Cup as there seems to be prestige in both.


1.) 15 Aug 2020
15 Aug 2020 17:12:57
The UCL is the pinnacle of club sport. The best players playing for the best teams, with the football world watching on.

While from a financial perspective, if you are playing for a UCL team you will likely be paid more than those not playing for a UCL team, while the exposure opens up new avenues of sponsorship and endorsements and other revenue streams to boost a players earning capacity.

So from a sporting and financial perspective it is the pinnacle.

Ultimately only one team wins it each year, and for any player to have won it once is special. Multiple winners tend to go down as some of the true greats of the game. However, just being there and testing yourself against the best is what drives a lot of players.

There is only one competition played on a yearly basis that gives you the chance to play against Messi, Ronaldo, Lewandowski, Ramos, Neymar, Salah, KdB etc etc.


2.) 15 Aug 2020
15 Aug 2020 17:47:31
In some part you are right Shappy, but this year we could see Manchester United v Inter Milan and RB Leipzeg v Lyon. What final would you want to watch. I am just saying the best seem to playing in the 2 different cups. Would I prefer to be a Chelsea player who lost to Munich or a United player who may win an European trophy?


3.) 15 Aug 2020
15 Aug 2020 18:19:43
There are always freak years like the Porto Vs Monaco final but on the whole the teams playing in the final tend to be amongst the biggest in the world.

Real Madrid, Barcelona, Atletico Madrid, Spurs, Liverpool, Bayern Munich, Chelsea, Manchester United, Juventus, Borussia Dortmund, Inter Milan, AC Milan and Arsenal are the teams that have made the final since that Porto Vs Monaco final way back 16 years ago in 2004.

While the Europa League finalists in that time have been:

Chelsea, Arsenal, Atletico Madrid, Marseille, Ajax, Manchester United, Sevilla, Liverpool, Dnipro, Benfica, Athletic Bilbao, Porto, Braga, Fulham, Shaktar Donetsk, Werder Bremen, Rangers, Zenit, Espanyol, Middlesbrough, Sporting Lisbon and CSKA Moscow.

Do while some top teams have made the final so have teams not even in the top league in their own country.

As for the final, let's not count our chickens. We could see a Man United Vs Inter and a Lyon Vs Leipzig finals.
Or we could see Sevilla Vs Shaktar Donetsk and PSG Vs Bayern Munich.

Anything can happen. Yet history dictates that on average you see the biggest teams playing in the latter stages of the UCL more often than in the Europa League.


4.) 15 Aug 2020
15 Aug 2020 18:41:40
There’s been a Monaco v Porto Champions League Final. Neither with respect are stellar names. However Porto won the premier competition in Europe that year. And deservedly so. Knocking us out in the process of course. I think if you ask players and fans what they’d rather win it’s the UCL. Occasionally there may be ‘bigger teams’ make the Europa final than those in the UCL. It doesn’t alter the fact the UCL is top dog.


5.) 15 Aug 2020
15 Aug 2020 19:53:22
To be fair, guys, I think a LOT of neutrals would like watching a Lyon vs Leipzig final. Leipzig play some phenomenal football, and if Lyon were to make it that would mean they beat both City and Bayern, indicating they're a very strong team as well.

This isn't me hating on United, it's been only a year since Chelsea won the Europa. But there's no comparison. Obviously it's nice to win a trophy, but playing CL (even with extremely limited chances of ending up the winner) easily beats playing Europa and having a bigger chance of going to the final.


6.) 15 Aug 2020
15 Aug 2020 20:59:28
Sorry Jackson I'm not having that I bet loads more people would watch a Utd v Inter Europa League final than a Leipzig v Lyon Champions League final.

Obviously it would be a fantastic achievement for those two Clubs to reach the final but surely we'd rather watch a PSG v Bayern or City final!


7.) 15 Aug 2020
15 Aug 2020 21:31:16
I don't think that's right dlib. Ucl final will have more viewers than rl final regardless of who is playing.
In your example lyon v rbl most French and most Germans football fans will tune in cheering the team from their country on. In general You don't get the same small minded tribalism in other countries that you get in England. Thankfully.


8.) 15 Aug 2020
15 Aug 2020 22:05:46
Not met many ultras across europe then Ken? 😂.


9.) 15 Aug 2020
15 Aug 2020 22:28:16
I'm just not having it Ken more people would watch a Utd v Inter friendly. Both Clubs especially Utd have millions of fans throughout the world. Lyon and Leipzig are hardly known outside of their respective countries.

Utd and Inter are two very good teams and I think there is an argument to suggest that both are better than Leipzig and Lyon. A Utd v Inter final would generate massive interest.


It's the Champions League a Club competition not the World Cup there will be little interest from other fans in France and Germany.


Leipzig are despised in Germany and some of the German press have even reported they wouldn't even cover the game if Leipzig made the final (and weren't playing Bayern obviously) .

I'll concede there might be more interest from France as they've been starved of champions league success for a number of years.

All credit if Lyon and Leipzig if they make the final but Utd v Inter would definitely draw a bigger tv audience I don't even think it's up for debate!

Some romantics might claim they want to see two underdogs in the final and then not tune in because they had to walk the dog!

Let's be honest surely we all want to see the likes of Neymar and Mbappe take on the Bayern machine!

The Champions League is obviously the most prestigious Club tournament in the World yet perversely there could be more interest in the Europa League final this year.


10.) 15 Aug 2020
15 Aug 2020 22:47:47
Dlib its very much up for debate and we will see when the viewing figures for the respective games come out. Your blinded by your bias and dare i say arrogance as a united supporter.
Of course united are the biggest club but the ucl final is a bigger draw than el final regardless of who is playing imo but the figures will be very transparent.


11.) 15 Aug 2020
15 Aug 2020 22:49:09
Are ultras the majority nowadays db. i did say in general.


12.) 15 Aug 2020
15 Aug 2020 22:57:02
Wow, I only meant to point out one thing. Sancho for example wanted UCL football, we have got it. However have a small chance of success next year. However I thought playing football was about winning things? I wonder how many United Players would say either I won the UEFA Cup or would boast I played in the Champions League?


13.) 15 Aug 2020
15 Aug 2020 23:12:46
Cantona - the Champions League is the more prestigious tournament I'm not even arguing about that! My point is I think a Utd v Inter Europa final would generate a bigger tv audience than a Lyon v Leizpig Champions League final despite it being the premier competition!

Maybe I'm exaggerating slightly but I think it's a fair point. Utd and Inter are two huge Clubs!

Anyway I've probably jinxed us now sorry!


14.) 16 Aug 2020
16 Aug 2020 00:15:44
CSF.
I would think most players would want to play in cl. But if you asked them would you rather win the el or be knocked out in group stage of cl them i'd expect most to say win the el.
But ask most would they rather play a cl final and lose or win the el i'd say most would rather play a cl final. Maybe ill wrong
Dlib of course inter and united are 2 massive clubs let's hope we get to meet them in the final.


15.) 16 Aug 2020
16 Aug 2020 04:46:17
All good ken, my comment was tongue in cheek. I think the words small minded was created for some ultras. Lol

I agree with your point about UCL, this year may be N anomoly with the crowdless stadiums. But as you say, we will see.


16.) 16 Aug 2020
16 Aug 2020 14:25:24
Ken, the other night in Lille I could hear the disappointed echoing from neighbouring appartments when PSG staged a comeback.


17.) 16 Aug 2020
16 Aug 2020 15:45:03
I think we should probably be more concerned with getting passed Sevilla than worrying about how many viewers we'll have in the final.

Sorry to be the pessimist but we have looked decidedly average of late.

It is by no means guaranteed that we will be playing in the final.

However, I shall be keeping everything crossed and screaming at the telly to cheers us on tonight.


18.) 16 Aug 2020
16 Aug 2020 16:34:00
I think it well be tight TB.
Your right the purple patch is gone i'm hoping that's due to the stop start last few weeks.
We have players who can score let's hope they put their chances away because we won't get as many chances as we did against the Danes.
Epl shown up this year in Europe. It maybe the most exciting league but its often tecnically inferior and lacking in quality and in one off games they have been exposed by so caked lesser teams from shop called lesser league's.


19.) 16 Aug 2020
16 Aug 2020 16:45:51
Be lucky to get 2 shots at goal vs Sevilla tonight so i'd be careful.

I got Sevilla vs Inter final.


20.) 16 Aug 2020
16 Aug 2020 19:19:34
Wow, talk about believing in your team!