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The UEFA Europa League does not have the sheen of the Champions League for obvious reasons. But Europe's second-tier competition does get a glow up every time the latter's group stage draw to a close.
That's because some of the top sides in Europe will face the predicament of being demoted to the Europa League after crashing out of Europe's elite competition. The Europa League is nowhere close to being as high-profile as the Champions League but it can be just as exciting at times.
This season's Europa League is about to get a whole lot better as several giants have crashed out of the Champions League and are headed there. This elevates the level of competition within the former and fans could be in for a treat, particularly in the final stages of the competition.
Without further ado, let's take a look at the five favorites to win the Europa League.
#5 Juventus
Massimiliano Allegri is under great pressure after Juventus crashed out of the Champions League. The Bianconeri have suffered four defeats in five group stage games already. A 4-3 loss to Benfica on 25th October proved to be the final nail in their coffin.
The Old Lady have got off to a poor start to their Serie A campaign as well. They are eighth in the league. But with Paul Pogba returning from injury, they might start doing better in midfield. Juventus have to get their act together and do it soon.
A good run in the Europa League could do the team's confidence a world of good. On current form, they won't go all the way. But if the team starts performing to the best of their capabilities, they could do a whole lot better.
#4 Atletico Madrid
There was plenty of late drama as Atletico Madrid wasted a penalty in the dying embers of the game against Benfica on 26 October to crash out of the Champions League. The Rojiblancos won a penalty after the final whistle was blown as a VAR check showed that two Bayer Leverkusen players had handled the ball from a corner.
Yannick Carrasco's spotkick was saved by Leverkusen goalkeeper Lukas Hradecky before Saul Niguez headed the rebound onto the crossbar. Atletico got another rebound but Reinildo's shot was deflected above the post by one of his own teammates.
Diego Simeone's side hadn't got off to a great start to their domestic campaign but have done a decent job of late. They continue to be a difficult side to break down and that's why they are in with a chance of winning the Europa League.
#3 Manchester United
Manchester United are definitely a team that are going from strength to strength under Erik ten Hag. They've had a testing set of fixtures in the opening phase of the new Premier League campaign. They've already faced the rest of the top-six and have done very decently thus far.
They did fall to a 6-3 loss to Manchester City. But they've also mustered wins against Liverpool, Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur and have also held Chelsea to a 1-1 draw. The Red Devils have considerable attacking firepower and their midfield has done a brilliant job so far too.
They are a spirited unit these days and a far cry from the lackluster side that received a great deal of flak last season.
#2 Barcelona
Despite having a ridiculously good summer transfer window, Barcelona struggled massively in the Champions League. They've done well domestically but have struggled to hold their ground against strong opposition.
After losing twice to Bayern Munich and once to Inter Milan in the group stages, Barca have been eliminated and will enter the Europa League. There is plenty of quality within their ranks and the deeper into the season we go, the more cohesive a unit they're likely to get.
This Barcelona side definitely has the ability to make mincemeat of Europa League opposition. That's why we believe they're one of the favorites to win the tournament this year.
#1 Arsenal
Arsenal have got off to a great start to the 2022-23 season. The Mikel Arteta project seems to be coming together nicely and they're a very exciting side to watch this term. The Gunners are currently at the top of the Premier League table as well as their Europa League group.
They've lost just a single game in all competitions so far this season. Arsenal are expected to go a long way in the Europa League. They have a formidable defense, a functional midfield and a buzzing frontline.
Winning a trophy could be a real game-changer for this Arsenal side as they do have the potential to become a dominant side in Europe in the near future.
