After Exiting UCL, Inter Milan, Ajax & Salzburg Among Top Europa League Favorites in Round of 32
- Inter, Red Bull Salzburg, and Ajax will all enter the Europa League after being eliminated from UCL competition
- All three sides are already in the top 10 for odds to win this year’s Europa League campaign
- Find the full odds below as we enter the round of 32 in the new year
After being eliminated in the Champions League group stages, Salzburg, Inter Milan, and last year’s UCL semifinalists, Ajax, will all enter Europa League in the new year, automatically qualifying for a berth in the last 32. It was a disappointing end to UCL competition for Ajax and Inter especially, considering the Dutch side’s Cinderella run last year on Europe’s biggest stage, while Inter has been in fine form this year in Italy but a tough group with the likes of Dortmund and Barcelona proved to be too much for them.
Salzburg impressed at times with Norwegian phenom Erling Haaland scoring goals at a mind-boggling rate, but the Austrians couldn’t do enough in a group that also featured Liverpool and Napoli, who advanced.
Now, these three teams will enter the best next thing to Champions League in Europa and will look to make their mark. All three sit in the top ten for Europa League odds immediately, with sides such as Arsenal and Manchester United slightly ahead of them currently.
2019-20 Europa League Odds
| Team | Odds |
|---|---|
| Manchester United | +500 |
| Sevilla | +650 |
| Arsenal | +700 |
| Inter Milan | +750 |
| Ajax | +900 |
| Roma | +1200 |
| Salzburg | +1400 |
| Wolves | +1400 |
| Bayer Leverkusen | +2200 |
| Benfica | +3300 |
Odds taken Dec 16.
Although they both crashed out of the Champions League, Inter and Ajax have been in fine form domestically in the Serie A and Eredivisie, respectively. Given the weaker competition in Europa, these two sides should excel into the late stages.
Inter Should Excel
Inter honestly had their opportunities to advance in UCL play, conceding three unanswered goals to Dortmund after being up 2-0 in Germany on Matchday 4. Then with an opportunity to clinch a spot in the last 16 on the line last week, they lost 2-1 to Barca after missing numerous clear-cut opportunities to put the ball in the back of the net.
? | DRAW
We'll be facing @Ludogorets1945 at the round of 32 stage of the @EuropaLeague: the first leg will take place on 20 February, while the return fixture will be played on 27 February.#UELdraw #UEL pic.twitter.com/2nfCwLOxts
— Inter (@Inter_en) December 16, 2019
They’re playing great football in Italy, but there’s no doubt it’s disappointing that they’re now in Europa instead. But despite that, Conte’s side has a serious shot at competing for the Europa League title if they can carry their domestic play into Europe. If Romelu Lukaku and Lautaro Martinez can bury their chances more frequently then it will really help them get deep into this competition. They shouldn’t have any issue whatsoever getting past Bulgarian side Ludogorats in the round of 32.
Ajax Ready to Make Their Mark in Europa
Ajax was a sheer disappointment in UCL play, to say the least, failing to advance out of Group H, with Chelsea and Valencia doing so instead. They’re a very talented side, but with Frenkie de Jong and Matthijs de Ligt now with Barca and Juventus, they don’t have the same solidity in their backline and midfield.
Our #UEL adventure starts against @GetafeCF!
Your first reaction? ?#UELdraw— AFC Ajax (@AFCAjax) December 16, 2019
Their attack still features some very top players, such as Hakim Ziyech, Quincy Promes, and Donny van de Beek. But they weren’t able to come through when it mattered most. Now, they will look to make their mark in Europa and should do quite well. They currently have the fifth-best odds to win this year’s competition at +900, not far off Man United, who are at the top with +500 odds. Erik ten Hag’s side should definitely be able to get through the round of 32, even though their opponent Getafe, currently sits in fourth place in La Liga.
Salzburg Will Compete as Well
The class of the Austrian Bundesliga has the potential to compete with some of these big-name clubs in Europa. They put up a couple of respectable results against Liverpool and Napoli, with Haaland in the spotlight for Salzburg as he continues to bag an insane amount of goals. They will take on Frankfurt in the round of 32 and should be able to beat the Germans. I don’t think they will win Europa, but we could definitely see them in the last eight and maybe even among the last four teams in this competition.
Inter is a Good Bet
Antonio Conte has done a wonderful job at turning around Inter Milan since taking over this season and I think they will do very well in the Europa League competition. They should easily breeze through the round of 32 and should roll all the way to the late stages of the tournament.
Manchester United and Ajax may pose a threat to them, but if they continue to play efficient football across all competitions, they could be lifting two trophies by the season’s end. Most importantly, The Scudetto as the champions of Italy, but if not, the Europa League trophy at the very least.
Best Bet: Inter Milan
Quinn Allen is a sports journalist, with a background and education in broadcast journalism (BCIT '17). He is a full-time associate editor at ClutchPoints by day, where he writes about soccer, baseball, basketball, football, and more. At night, Quinn is a frequent contributor at SBD.
