4 most in-form teams in the UEFA Europa League so far this season

The second tier of European football competition, otherwise known as the UEFA Europa League, has produced some interesting battles so far. The competition recently concluded its matchday five and we are one more round of matches away from the knockout phase.

The eight group leaders will directly qualify for the final 16. The other eight teams (runners-up) will have to play against the third-placed teams from the Champions League (from their respective groups) to secure a berth in the round of 16.

Spanish side Real Betis and German outfit SC Freiburg have already ensured the top spot in their group, thereby qualifying for the final 16.

With one round of matches left to be played, we will take a look at the four most in-form teams in the Europa League.

#4 Royale Union Saint-Gilloise

Belgian team Royale Union Saint-Gilloise has impressed everyone with their football this season. They are unbeaten in the Europa League, winning four and drawing one of their five games.

Union SG leads Group D, having scored 11 goals and conceded only six. Their Nigerian forward, Boniface Victor, is also the joint second-highest scorer in the Europa League. He is a key player for the team's success this season.

#3 Freiburg

SC Freiburg have secured qualification for the final 16 after playing some scintillating football in Europe. They have drawn one and won four games, scoring 12 goals and conceding just two.

#2 Real Betis

Much like the two teams mentioned before, Real Betis too have won four and drawing one game this season. They are one of the few sides who are unbeaten this season.

They have hit nine goals, conceding four and lead the group 13 points. Manuel Pellegrini's side are a strong contender to go deep into the competition this season.

#1 Real Sociedad

Another La Liga side who are doing brilliantly well this season is Real Sociedad. They have a 100% win record, which includes a win against Manchester United.

They have only conceded one goal so far, securing 15 points and scoring 10 goals. If they can carry on with their form, Sociedad stand a decent chance of wining the tournament itself!

About the author

Abel is an European football journalist who focuses primarily on analysis pieces and preview copies at Sportskeeda. A B.Sc degree holder in Economics, he has a previous work experience of 3 years – a year at Opera News Hub where he was promoted as a 'Verified Sports Writer,’ and over two years at Sportskeeda as a revenue-share writer, where his writing skills have ultimately led him to be integrated into the in-house team.

A Manchester United fan who grew up in a family of Red Devils supporters, he started his journey as an ardent football fan in his childhood. He used to spend hours watching the sport with his family and developed a knack for writing about the beautiful game over the years.

He is a huge admirer of Paul Pogba owing to the midfielder's ability to thread passes from anywhere on the pitch and his favorite manager is Jose Mourinho due to the Portuguese's tactical mind. He feels France's triumph in 2018 is his all-time favorite World Cup moment, and reckons Lamine Yamal and Endrick could replicate the rivalry between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.

Abel always strives to verify information, especially statistics, before penning a word and offers constructive but not defamatory criticisms. Apart from Europe's top five leagues, he follows the Eredivisie and the Primeira Liga. He loves to spend his free time playing video games like EA FC and watching movies.

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