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The Europa League round of 32 knock-out stage is packed with top teams who failed to qualify for the next round of Champions League and some teams that failed to qualify from their individual leagues.
Top clubs like Arsenal, Borussia Dortmund, Celtic, Olympic Lyon, Olympic Marseille, Atletico Madrid are all in the competition eyeing glory and automatic qualification for next season's Champions League.
Here is an analysis of 5 clubs with the potential to go all the way and win the trophy:
#5 Olympique Marseille
The French side struggled in the group stage of the Europa League but they still managed to qualify for the last 32. Marseille has been resurgent in the second half of the season with Dimitri Payet and Florian Thauvin hitting top form when the team needed most.
Marseille has been in devastating form as they are unbeaten in their last 12 matches in all competition and they sit third in the table behind money-bags PSG & Monaco.
The 3-0 first leg demolition of Portuguese side Sporting Braga mean that the French side has one foot in the last 16 of Europa League.
With Payet, Thauvin & Lucas Ocampos in their attack and Luiz Gustavo and wonder kind Maxi Lopez pulling the strings in the midfield, Marseille has a balanced squad capable of challenging for the trophy.
#4 Olympique Lyonnais
Despite the dip in their domestic form, Lyon showed great character to brush aside Spanish side Villarreal in their first leg of Europa League tie and looks set to progress to the next round.
The mercurial talent of skipper Nabil Fekir who has 21 goals this season pulling the strings in midfield alongside others like Lucas Tousart and free-scoring summer signing from Real Madrid Mariano Diaz means Lyon has a well-oiled machine that can compete for the trophy.
Motivated by the fact that the Europa League final will be staged at their own Groupama Stadium, Bruno Genesio's side will fight tooth and nail for glory in front of their home fans.
#3 Borussia Dortmund
Peter Stoger has overseen a revival at Dortmund following the sacking of Dutch manager Peter Bosz after a series of poor performance where the team went on an 8-game winless run in the Bundesliga.
The Austrian manager has not tasted defeat as a Dortmund manager as he has guided his side to 6 wins and 3 draws in his first 9 matches in charge. Despite the team's poor results in the Champions League where they never won a match, BVB fans have a reason to believe again under Stoger.
Even though they hold a slim advantage as they head into the second leg tie of Europa League against Serie A side Atalanta, BVB seems sure of progression to the last 16 as the players look to have fully embraced Stoger's methods and they'll look to extend their unbeaten run to 10 matches.
With the scintillating form of their on-loan striker Michy Batshuayi plus Marco Reus' return from injury, Dortmund has a strong squad capable of redeeming their season by winning the Europa League.
#2 Arsenal
The Gunners have slim chances of finishing in the top four in the Premier League this season and it would be disastrous if they miss out on the Champions League for two consecutive seasons.
The team has an opportunity of qualifying for next season Champions League by winning the Europa League just like Manchester United did last season.
Arsenal has a star studded-squad probably one of the best squads in the competition this season and with the addition of January signing from Manchester United, Henrikh Mkhitaryan the Gunners have a dangerous attack that will be very difficult to stop.
#1 Atletico Madrid
Diego Simeone's side are favourites to win the title they won last in the 2011-12 season. Atletico Madrid had the best defensive record in their Champions League group despite dropping to the Europa League.
The team has one of the best defensive records in European top five leagues with top defenders like Diego Godin, Jose Maria Gimenez, Juanfran & Felipe Luis in peak form. They have only conceded 9 goals in 24 league matches so scoring against them in the Europa League will be equally difficult.
Los Rojiblancos has a star-studded attack with the returning Diego Costa, Greizmann, Kevin Gameiro & Yannick Carrasco among others primed for the fight.
They look back to their resilient best and are the favourites to lift the trophy come May 16th.
