Braga

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Some very good teams in there - it's a quality competition this year.

I'd be very happy with Utd or Liverpool in terms of wanting to progress, but it wouldn't quite have the same glamour!

I'd want to avoid shakter for the travel, and fenerbache just cos I think that would be a very difficult tie.

Bring the rest on

From the OS

13.00CET, Friday 26 February, Nyon (12.00 GMT)

Draw procedure
• In principle the draw is open with no seeding or country restriction, though the procedure will be confirmed before the draw.

A free for all then.

Wow, no easy ties there at all!

If we want an easier tie it's got to be Braga or Sparta Prague? Unless somebody with better European knowledge wants to tell me different.

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Spurs are capable of beating any team, so not too worried really, just nice to be through. Be nice if Liverpool draw United.

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The only reason I don't want the English clubs purely because it will just be an anti-climax we got to play them both in the league again sod playing them in Europe as well.

There's a lottery for final tickets available, open for applications until 21 March. Might have a punt, just in case.......

http://www.uefa.com/uefaeuropaleague/ticketing/index.html

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Just want to point out that Fiorentina are third in Serie A, and only six points of the leaders, so they are no bad team.

And this time last year, they knocked us out.

Yet in this tie, they didn't even get close.

Shows the progress that we have made

Valencia are missing from that list also, surely we are due a better draw than the last round, we had by far the toughest draw of the English clubs in the last 32

I'm sure we're all hoping for one of the weaker teams such as Sparta Prague or Liverpool....but I think last night should give us plenty of confidence whoever we're drawn against.

On paper Fiorentina are better than many of those teams in the last 16.

The tournament feels alot more important now that a CL place is up for grabs. Now all UEFA have to do is stop the CL losers dropping down and they'll have a proper competition on their hands.

I agree that this is a strong year! I'd say Anderlecht and Braga are probably the 'easiest' in terms of travel and quality.

I don't want Spurs. Our biggest weakness is against small teams having a good spell.

NotSoMagicJuande

Some very good teams in there - it's a quality competition this year.

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I dont mean this as a sarcastic comment, but i think there's always been good teams in it at this time of the competition - but we dont pay any attention as we're usually out by now.

CL teams will generally be in it from here on in until the end.

comment by Chicken_ (U1043)
posted 23 minutes ago
NotSoMagicJuande

Some very good teams in there - it's a quality competition this year.

================

I dont mean this as a sarcastic comment, but i think there's always been good teams in it at this time of the competition - but we dont pay any attention as we're usually out by now.

CL teams will generally be in it from here on in until the end.


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Yes you're right

My thoughts initially were that people sort of think that the Europa is a competition for a bit of fun and not to be taken seriously, that it gets in the way of the league and - more than anything - that if it's not the CL then it doesn't matter.

I couldn't disagree more, I think it's a very prestigious competition that we should want to do really well in.

There seems to be a bit of a feeling this year that it is being taken more seriously by us, and by other English clubs.

My comment was sort of trying to push this - that there are some great clubs in there and we should appreciate that we're still in it.

It came out as a slightly stupid one line comment

NotSo,

There was nothing stupid about it .

I just think it’s like with all cups, we just stop thinking about them as soon as we exit them – maybe until the final that is, when we usually have a preference of who we DON’T WANT to win it.

comment by Chicken_ (U1043)
posted 2 minutes ago

I just think it’s like with all cups, we just stop thinking about them as soon as we exit them

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Very true.

Just imagine if we won it... it would be huge!

I don't want English teams, and preferably not a long trip.

Don't mind aside from that.

I think the OP left out Sevilla as another team you dont want to draw, they win it every year FFS

The way we're playing at the moment, i would fancy us to beat anyone over two legs. Confidence is very high in all the players from what i've seen and read, the players are celebrating goals with passion and its nice to see a lot of the lads come out and show their and anger and disappointment after the palace game.

Pool v Dortmund and United v Valencia would be interesting ties for obvious reasons