Hello again soccer maniacs!!1 Welcome back to an episode that updates the European Soccer Tournament. I'll be honest here folks. I really don't know a WHOLE lot about many of the teams in the Euros. Every year, there are some scrappy teams here that make their way into this tournament with the upper middle of the pack teams that didnt qualify for the Champion's League Tournament. However, I, being a soccer maniac, can appreciate the fact that nothing in soccer is given away and simply put, many of these teams BALL. Flat out. Highlight reels from this tournament includes teams that "parachute" down from the Champions League that couldn't quite make it to the knockout rounds. Its somewhat of a reincarnation into the next tournament for some teams, and utter elimination for others in intercontinental tournament play. Here are the teams and the standings thus far. Euros don't really get much credit until their final rounds when the "riff raff" have been eliminated, nonetheless this tournament is an excellent one to follow and highly entertaining.
Europa League
Group A
| Matches | Home | Away | Goals | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PTS | GP | Won | Drawn | Lost | Won | Drawn | Lost | Won | Drawn | Lost | GS | GA | |||
| 1 |  | Rubin | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 2 |
| 2 |  | Tottenham | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1 |
| 3 |  | PAOK | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| 4 |  | Shamrock Rovers | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 6 |
Group B
| Matches | Home | Away | Goals | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PTS | GP | Won | Drawn | Lost | Won | Drawn | Lost | Won | Drawn | Lost | GS | GA | |||
| 1 |  | Standard | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| 2 |  | Hannover 96 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 |
| 3 |  | Copenhagen | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| 4 |  | Vorksla | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
Group C
| Matches | Home | Away | Goals | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PTS | GP | Won | Drawn | Lost | Won | Drawn | Lost | Won | Drawn | Lost | GS | GA | |||
| 1 |  | PSV | 6 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 |
| 2 |  | Legia Warsaw | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 3 |
| 3 |  | Rapid Bucarest | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 |
| 4 |  | Hapoel Tel Aviv | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 4 |
Group D
| Matches | Home | Away | Goals | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PTS | GP | Won | Drawn | Lost | Won | Drawn | Lost | Won | Drawn | Lost | GS | GA | |||
| 1 |  | Sporting | 6 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 |
| 2 |  | FC Vaslui | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 4 |
| 3 |  | Lazio | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 4 |
| 4 |  | Zürich | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 4 |
Group E
| Matches | Home | Away | Goals | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PTS | GP | Won | Drawn | Lost | Won | Drawn | Lost | Won | Drawn | Lost | GS | GA | |||
| 1 |  | Stoke | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 2 |
| 2 |  | Besiktas | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 3 |
| 3 |  | Dynamo Kiev | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| 4 |  | Maccabi Tel-Aviv | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 6 |
Group F
| Matches | Home | Away | Goals | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PTS | GP | Won | Drawn | Lost | Won | Drawn | Lost | Won | Drawn | Lost | GS | GA | |||
| 1 |  | Athletic Bilbao | 6 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 |
| 2 |  | Salzburg | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 3 |
| 3 |  | PSG | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 3 |
| 4 |  | ŠK Slovan Bratislava | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 5 |
Group G
| Matches | Home | Away | Goals | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PTS | GP | Won | Drawn | Lost | Won | Drawn | Lost | Won | Drawn | Lost | GS | GA | |||
| 1 |  | Alkmaar | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 2 |
| 2 |  | Metalist | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 |
| 3 |  | Austria Wien | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| 4 | | Malmö | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 6 |
Group H
| Matches | Home | Away | Goals | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PTS | GP | Won | Drawn | Lost | Won | Drawn | Lost | Won | Drawn | Lost | GS | GA | |||
| 1 |  | Bruges | 6 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 |
| 2 |  | Braga | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 3 |
| 3 |  | Birmingham | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 4 |
| 4 | | NK Maribor | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 |
Group I
| Matches | Home | Away | Goals | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PTS | GP | Won | Drawn | Lost | Won | Drawn | Lost | Won | Drawn | Lost | GS | GA | |||
| 1 |  | Atletico Madrid | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1 |
| 2 |  | Udinese | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 2 |
| 3 |  | Stade Rennais FC | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| 4 |  | Celtic | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
Group J
| Matches | Home | Away | Goals | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PTS | GP | Won | Drawn | Lost | Won | Drawn | Lost | Won | Drawn | Lost | GS | GA | |||
| 1 |  | Schalke 04 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1 |
| 2 |  | Maccabi Haifa | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| 3 |  | Steaua | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 4 | | AEK Larnaca | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
Group K
| Matches | Home | Away | Goals | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PTS | GP | Won | Drawn | Lost | Won | Drawn | Lost | Won | Drawn | Lost | GS | GA | |||
| 1 |  | Twente | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 2 |
| 2 |  | Fulham | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 |
| 3 |  | OB Odense | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| 4 |  | Wisla | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 7 |
Group L
| Matches | Home | Away | Goals | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PTS | GP | Won | Drawn | Lost | Won | Drawn | Lost | Won | Drawn | Lost | GS | GA | |||
| 1 |  | Anderlecht | 6 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 1 |
| 2 |  | Sturm Graz | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| 3 |  | Lokomotiv Moscow | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 |
| 4 |  | AEK Athens | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 6 |
While its extremely difficult to predict a winner, especially before the Champion's League teams have joined the fold, last year showed a dominance by the Portuguese teams, as they not only boasted the champion, but three of the four finalists were from Portugal. While not likely to happen again, make no mistake that the Portugal sides definitely play well. That said, I've gotta roll with my teams that are in it so I'll guess PSG to start. You have to consider also Hannover 96, Lazio, Udinese, and Tottenham. FC Twente is usually a champion's league team but qualified for the Euros. Fulham surprised a lot of people when they Those are just a few of the teams I know. Then from there, its a bit hazy. Makes you realize just how many countries and teams there are competing in this tournament though. Hope you enjoy! Usually the games are played the day after the Champion's League games are played for those of you who will be checking. While I'm not SUPER hyped about this tournament, (many view it as a consolation prize) there is something to be said here. The winner plays the Champion's League winner in a one game event known as the Super Cup. Winning that game is redemption to say the least!!! Either way, its lots of fun and a hope for more hardware in yet another tournament for those who dare.... Hope you enjoy and can anybody out there tell me more about some of the lesser known, but scrappy teams? Any favorites not above mentioned? Tell me all about them!!! I'd love to know why you love that team and what makes them tick! Till next time maniacs....
-Phantom the Curious
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