Some great encounters tonight, very much looking forward to Basel vs Sevilla in particular
Europa League 2015/2016
- Thread starter R'hllor
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In the latest episode of the United Hour Podcast, Nik (@Rood) is joined by CEO Duncan Drasdo and Financial Director Andy Green from the Manchester United Supporters Trust for a special episode on all things behind the scenes at Old Trafford including a brief history of MUST and their aims today, views on INEOS and Sir Jim Ratcliffe so far, and the Old Trafford regeneration.
From an English perspective most likely yes, although it remains to be seem if performances on the pitch can live up to the expectations.
It's going to be difficult for Spurs tonight, not least because we'll be missing both of our first choice CMs: Dier and Alli.
There being no CL football tonight might have something to do with that.
Alli is suspended, I get that, but why has Dier not travelled? Is he injured? If I remember correctly, Spurs play Aston Villa this weekend and therefore I'd be surprised if Pocettino didn't take him to Dortmund to give him a rest.
In terms of names and history of the clubs, most likely yes. Especially since you've never met in europe right? But quality wise? Not even close.
Out of BD vs Tottenham and United vs Liverpool, it's Basel vs Sevilla you're looking forward to the most?
What about internationally? Surely this would draw more viewers than anything outside the final.
Yeah the quality is probably going to be shite
I could be wrong but I don't think Europe cares much about those current teams. BVB - Spurs will be more appealing to the educated football enthusiast and people will rather watch their national clubs.
Weekday fixtures will make the timing too weird for Asian/USA fans to follow the game en masse.
United - Liverpool will have at least twice the viewers of BVB - Spurs around the globe.
Yeh, I'd wager that United vs Liverpool will be the most watched Europa League game ever.
It won't reach the crazy numbers the PL encounters do, but yeah it'll definitely have huge coverage globally, no idea why anyone would deny that.
Not in the UK. No chance.
I'm Suisse and I watch primarily the Primera, so I know the teams well - it's a great battle. There other good matchups but I can't watch em all
I'd wager it'll be the most watched fixture of the week out of all CL and Europa games.
Only 'cos it's on BT sport. If it was still on ITV then it would definitely stand a chance.
Hope you'll all be proud to watch our boys coming out for the Europa League game tonight. I'm sure win or lose LvG will have a tear in his eye that we were involved in such a magnificent competition.
Main thing for me is that we kick the scouse out of another competition. Don't want to lose to them just in case they do progress and gain a trophy.
Main thing for me is that we kick the scouse out of another competition. Don't want to lose to them just in case they do progress and gain a trophy.
Yep. If this was on ITV1 it would easily break whatever the records is.
If only Slippy G was still here to provide another defining moment like his 38 second cameo in his last ever derby (one of my all time best ever sporting moments) to make this game even more memorable...assuming we win of course! Anything less than a victory will suffice. I'd hate us having to get a result at Old Trafford to go through.
It's a good competition in theory, but UEFA hamper with various shitty things... like 6pm kicks off? What a feckin' nonsense that is.
There's also too many games, there's no need for a group stage in this competition, as the gulf between the stronger sides and the weaker sides is even larger here then it is in the CL... they should just make it a straight knock-out all the way to the final... would make for a better competition and have less games. It also wouldn't have to start so bloody early.
Get one on at 6.00pm and one at 8.00pm and you get more £££££ through advertising. Same with staggering the CL knockout games.
Well it's actually 7pm kick offs most places, you lot are just unlucky to be an hour behind, just like we in the CET zone is unlucky with the 8:45pm kick offs on CL nights, where you lot get the nicer 7:45pm kick off.
Well that's just it isn't it? UEFA wouldn't dream of having a CL game kick off at 6pm...
Yes they're hands are tied a bit with the Europa schedule, but there should be less games anyway as I said.
The problem isn't so much the group stage, it's having teams from the CL sent into this competition. Once you're out of the CL, you should be out of all European competitions, it devaluates the Europa to have 8 teams sent into the competition.
I'm with you on that one but also think the number of teams in the group stage (and consequently groups) should be reduced from 48 to 32 (as in the CL). If necessary there should be more qualification rounds beforehand.
I don't think so, at least not for the, as @BBRBB put it, 'educated football enthusiasts'. Perhaps in the UK or in Asia or elsewhere but not in Europe overall. Performance-wise over the season and across competitions, BVB-Spurs promises more entertainment for the neutral fans. That doesn't guarantee it'll be entertaining of course. The kick-off time (18:00 GMT) is doing this match no favor but nevertheless I expect milions of neutral viewers.
In the UK of course yes, but across Europe I don't think so. It would have been in the past (no pun intended) but not these days.
Dier is starting.
Kane on the bench. Spurs want the league then
Not sure what that term means, but whatever it is, I'm sure the football romantics outnumber the 'educated football enthusiasts' by a significant margin. Along with the better kick-off time for the Liverpool - United match, I'd be surprised if Dortmund - Tottenham reaches a third of the viewing figures of the Liverpool - United match. Doesn't matter if the football on show is a lot worse.
Why is Kagawa starting every EL game, but no league game by the way? It's really odd. No one else is rotated that way, it's just him. Didn't even make the matchday squad against Bayern. And it's been like that since the winterbreak.
Current form of the teams won't affect the number of people who want to watch one of the biggest rivalries in football. It might be shit on a stick, it's still Liverpool vs United.
I've been looking forward to this match all week and seeing the line-up from Spurs is quite disappointing.
Poch has his excuse if they get hammered.
I'm fine with it purely because it means we can watch games like Dortmund v Spurs and Liverpool v United one after another.
I wonder if Pochettino had done the same if this was a CL match?
Frankly, I can understand why Poch has done that.
Time will tell. I have a different opinion, i.e. regarding the original claim that this will be the most viewed Europa League game ever.
@duffer Dier isn't in the squad according to Spurs' twitter account which would fit with the information he didn't travel to Dortmund.
On the BVB side, Gündogan got a knock on his foot and isn't playing tonight.
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No he's not?
Bentaleb doesn't even start when there's no Alli or Dier. Looks like he'll be on the way out in the summer.
Have they got Villa at the weekend? Why the poor side?