Europa Conference League – Who Is Best Placed to Win the Competition?

With this being the inaugural season of UEFA’s newest competition, there will be a fresh name on the trophy come the 25th of May.

But, is this an opportunity for teams who have never won European silverware to finally get their hands on some, or will the remaining teams who have already experienced European success previously taste that success once again?

With the quarter-final ties rapidly approaching, we look at the favourites from the eight teams remaining.

Dutch side PSV Eindhoven will play Leicester City in their quarter-final fixture, in what is sure to be an absorbing game of football.

With both sides having squads consisting of some very talented players, we are expecting a cagey affair, but with the attacking talent both sides possess, there will definitely be a few goals in this one.

Possessing World Cup winner Mario Gotze, who although hasn’t had the career many argue he should have, the Dutch side have themselves a talented and dangerous player who can create chances and score goals. And with young attackers Noni Madueke and Cody Gakpo, the latter of which is already vice-captain at the club at only 20 years of age, also showing promise, they can cause Leicester problems.

In their four matches played this season since dropping out of the Europa League group stages, they have not suffered a loss, picking up two wins and two draws and scoring an average of 2.5 goals in those four fixtures.

History is also on PSV’s side, with the club having previously won European silverware. The Rood-Witten astonishingly picked up the Champions League under Guus Hiddink’s stewardship back in 1988. They have also tasted success in Europe’s second competition previously, picking up the Europa League trophy (UEFA Cup) a decade earlier in 1978.

The odds of PSV winning the competition are at 8/1.

Italian outfit Roma will play surprise package Bodo/Glimt in their quarter-final tie.

The Norwegian side have shocked many on the continent with their performances this season and have surprisingly managed to make the quarter-final stages this season. But in Roma, Bodo/Glimt do faces an opposition with some talented players.

Striker Tammy Abraham is in fine form in his first season in the Eternal City, and other attackers like Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Nicolo Zaniolo provide an attacking threat that can trouble defences. In their eight Europa Conference League games so far this season, Roma have picked up five wins, two draws and just one loss.

However, a perceived Roma victory isn’t as straightforward as it may seem. Bodo/Glimt’s fine form this season actually includes a win over the Italians already, with a shock 6-1 group stage win stunning Mourinho’s men back in October.

And with the Gaillorossi’s only European silverware coming in the form of an Inter-Cities Fairs Cup in 1961, history is not really on their side.

With over 60 years since their last European trophy and inconsistent form this campaign, it will take a Jose Mourinho masterclass to win this competition in a similar vein to the Europa League he won with Manchester United back in 2017.

The odds of Roma winning the competition are at 3/1.

In their quarter-final, likely winners Marseille will take on Greek side PAOK Thessaloniki.

The French club, who have a rich history in European competition, have reason to believe they can go all the way and secure more European silverware to have something to show for a relatively disappointing season.

Currently sitting 12 points behind leaders PSG in Ligue 1 and departing the Europa League due to a third-place finish in the group stages, Jorge Sampaoli will be disappointed with how his side has performed this season.

With Champions League football essentially secured for next season due to their domestic league position, Marseille will be focusing on their opportunity of winning a trophy and ending the season on a high note.

With four wins in their four matches since dropping down from the Europa League, Les Olympiens will look to this clash with the Greek side as nothing but a formality. And with their extensive history in European football on their side, all signs point to at least a run to the final for the club.

Finishing their 1993 Champions League campaign by lifting the trophy, and also winning the 2005 Intertoto Cup, Marseille’s talented squad will be looking to add to this haul.

The odds of Marseille winning the competition are at 10/3.

Leicester will play one of the competition favourites in Dutch side PSV in their quarter-final clash.

Returning centre-half Wesley Fofana scored the crucial goal against French side Rennes last time out for the Premier League side which meant that despite losing the game 2-1, they were able to win on aggregate with a 3-2 score.

This matchup is too close to call, with both sides possessing talented players and impressive form in this competition.

The Foxes have won three and lost one of their four Europa Conference League matches since their drop-down from the Europa League due to finishing third in Group C.

But with a leaky defence and with a run of bad form over the past month, and with no experience of winning in Europe before, Leicester will have to ignore their Premier League form. However, the Foxes can’t be written off.

This is a side who have recently won the FA Cup. They have previously made it to the quarter-finals of the Champions League and the knockout stages of the Europa League – they have players that can score goals and cause upsets.

The odds of Leicester winning the competition are at 3/1.