Some big hitters taking part in the Europa League

UEFA’s second European competition renamed the Europa League has kicked off tonight with some big names involved in the inaugural season of the competition. UEFA have re-branded the competition in an attempt to bring it closer to its more lucrative competition the Champions League.

Previously the UEFA Cup the competition now comprises 12 groups of four teams with teams playing each other home and away, as opposed to the old UEFA Cup format of five teams in each group only playing each other once.

Just like the Champions League the top two from each group will qualify for the second round knockout stage with 8 third place Champions League teams also dropping down in to the competition in the knockout stage.

Big clubs taking part in first season

The re-branding of the competition has been greeted with scorn across Europe, but the competition has the potential to be really strong. The likes of Valencia, Roma and Villarreal are all big draws and have lots of Champions League experienced between them.

Valencia still strong despite financial problems

Valencia’s financial problems have been well publicised in recent months but they managed to keep hold of their two star players striker David Villa and midfielder David Silva. The only key player they have lost from last season was defender Raul Albiol who joined big-spending Real Madrid.

Los Ches have a strong squad when everybody is fit and healthy. With the talents of Portuguese midfielder Manuel Fernandes, former a loanee at Premier League Everton and promising young attacking midfielder Juan Mata added to the previously mentioned Silva and Villa and Valencia can be a deadly attacking force on their day. They also possess one of Spain’s most promising young managers in Unai Emery.

Valencia are my tip for the tournament, although with Valencia always comes a sense of self-destruction both on and off the pitch. However Emery seems to have brought a certain amount of stability to the playing squad.

Problems last seasons for Roma but Claudio Ranieri could inspire better times

Roma struggled desperately last season and have huge financial problems. The club were forced in to selling midfield playmaker Alberto Aquilani. Its not all doom and gloom at the Stadio Olimpico with new manager Claudio Ranieri coming in for Luciano Spalletti, who had been the longest serving boss in the Italian top flight.

Ranieri brings with him a wealth of domestic and European experience including managing Premier League Chelsea. Roma still also have reasonably talented squad with players such as striker Mirko Vucinic, who is starting to prove his worth for the Giallorossi. Then there is veteran striker and playmaker Francesco Totti who is always capable of a piece of brilliance. Roma will be a danger to every opponent in this competition and I’m sure they’ll make it to the latter stages.

Life goes on for Villarreal without Pellegrini

The biggest lost of the summer for the Yellow Submarine was manager Manuel Pellegrini joining La Liga rivals Real Madrid. The new Madrid boss has inspired the previously small club to glory in recent years but last season they could only finish 5th in La Liga. However their performance in the last couple of years overachieving year on year was enough to persuade the Madrid giants to sign the Chilean.

His successor is former Espanyol boss Ernesto Valverde, who lead the Barcelona based club to the final of the UEFA Cup in 2007. He could be a really steady replacement for the highly successful Pellegrini and he still has a strong squad at his disposal.

Former Manchester United striker Giuseppe Rossi is one of the most promising players in the squad. The youngster has made a good start to his Villarreal career and also broke in to the Italian squad. Spanish international Marcos Senna is the pivotal player in midfield and is a player that brings calm and experience to the team. I expect the Yellow Submarine to also make it to the latter stages of the competition.

Other major clubs as participating

These three aren’t the only big teams participating in this years Europa League. Last seasons UEFA Cup winners Shakhtar Donetsk, Portuguese side Sporting Lisbon, German sides Hamburg and Werder Bremen are all teams with great European experience and will all be hoping to lift that new trophy in May.

This could be a very exciting year in the Europa League but being totally biased I hope that its Everton who prevail. Unfortunately for me and every Evertonian I don’t believe that we have a good enough squad to challenge for the competition. Then again anything can happen in European competition and I can only dream!