Gear Up For Europa League Knockouts

The knockout round playoffs are kicking off and the UEFA Europa League is heating up! The first eight matches began on 15 February and old rivalries came head to head on the field. Let’s take a deeper look into the history of this prestigious league and what teams to look out for when you’re thinking about soccer betting.

The UEFA Europa League, formerly known as the UEFA Cup, has a rich history dating back to its inception in the 1971-1972 season. The competition was introduced by the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) to provide additional opportunities for clubs across Europe to compete in a continental tournament.

The inaugural UEFA Cup featured 64 teams from 32 countries, with Tottenham Hotspur emerging as the first champions. The tournament initially had a knockout format, with two-legged ties determining the winners in each round. Over the years, the competition evolved, and in 2009-2010, it underwent a significant rebranding, becoming the UEFA Europa League. The revamp aimed to increase the competition's prestige and align it more closely with the UEFA Champions League.

The format changes included the introduction of a group stage, providing more matches and opportunities for teams. The third-placed teams from the UEFA Champions League group stage also entered the Europa League, adding further quality to the competition. The winner of the UEFA Europa League earns the right to participate in the following season's UEFA Champions League, enhancing the stakes for participating clubs.

14 March kicks off the second leg of eight knockout games and right now it’s tough to find a favourite. Rangers goes up against Benfica, and despite the game being played at Ranger’s home, Benfica are slight favourites with odds of 2.37 versus Ranger’s 2.75. Keep an eye on Sportingbet’s Price Boosts that offer even more value.

Atalanta goes up against Sporting Lisbon. Sporting’s blistering victories in the group stage has landed it as a clear favourite. With odds of 2.05 for Atalanta to take the win and just 3.30 on Sporting, we know where our money will be going, though a turn of fate could make for an amazing win for those faithful Atalanta fans.

There’s plenty more for the Europa League fans to enjoy, and supporters will have a hard time figuring out where to place their attention. The knockout rounds are set to be some of the fiercest games in Europa League history, so pick your teams, watch the games, and bet on who you think will be taking home the cup.