EUROPA DESIRE
WOLVES ARE COMPETING IN EUROPE FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 40 YEARS, BUT
HOW DO THEY BALANCE THEIR DESIRE FOR GLORY WITH THE INTENSE PHYSICAL
DEMANDS IT BRINGS, ASKS STEPHEN DONOVAN...‘English football has had
a curious relationship with
the Europa League since the
competition was launched’
I
t is fair to say that English football has
had a curious relationship with the
Europa League since the competition
was launched in its current format
back in 2009. The Premier League has
produced three winners and a further three
losing finalists in the 11 seasons to date,
yet many still believe that in spite of the
positives and the considerable rewards
that come with lifting the trophy, it can act
as a major hindrance to those sides less
equipped to cope with its demands.
Many of the Premier League’s so-called
‘big six’ have big squads which allow them
to make changes to their line-ups in the
Europa League. Arsenal and Manchester
United did just that in the group stage this
time around and were still able to book
their place in the last 32 with games to
spare. However, almost every year sees a
club with less finite resources have to adapt
not only to an abundance of extra games,
but also an unusually early start to their
season.
In 2019-20, that team are Wolverhampton
Wanderers, who made it into Europe
courtesy of finishing seventh in the
top-flight in their first season following
promotion. Their season began in the
second qualifying round against Northern
Irish side Crusaders on July 25, more than
two weeks before any of their domestic
rivals played a competitive game. It was the
first of three two-legged ties they needed
to come through – a total of six matches –just to make it into the tournament proper.
In doing so, the Midlands club are following in the
footsteps of Fulham, who had to contend with July
fixtures in the Europa League twice in three seasons,
including in their sensational run to the final in 2009-10.
On both occasions, they initially found domestic form
hard to come by before finishing in mid-table. Last
season, Burnley competed in Europe for the first time
in 51 years and faced the same qualification process as
Wolves, only to fall at the final hurdle.
The Europa League was widely cited as a key factor in
Burnley’s miserable record during the first half of 2018-- They had a small squad which was being stretched
to the limit through a combination of injuries, being
unable to have a full pre-season, and a lack of recovery
time between games. Many expected Wolves to suffer
in a similar way, and struggle to meet the consistently
high standards they set last term.
After their Premier League campaign began, it seemed
as if those doubters would be proved right. For all of
the quality provided by prolific striker Raul Jimenez
and Portuguese midfield duo Joao Moutinho and
Ruben Neves among others, they struggled to adapt
as the extra commitments forced Head Coach Nuno
Santo into constantly rotating his thin squad. This
represented a complete change from 2018-19, where
he’d made fewer changes to his starting XI than any
other manager.
Despite coming through Europa League qualifying in
ABOVE LEFT:
Wolves Coach Nuno
Santo has been
forced to perpetually
rotate his squad due
to their crowded
fixture list
LEFT:
UEFA chief executive
Aleksander Ceferin
is introducing the
Europa Conference
League in 2021retrofitting
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file:///Users/Home/Down-
WOLVES IN
THE RUNNING
After their strong performance in the
competition so far, Stephen Donovan
proposes that Wolves should be seen
as dark horses to win the Europa
LeagueAlthough Wolverhampton Wanderers
are competing in only their second
season back in the Premier League after
six years away, they have already built
a powerful reputation. Any team that
comes up against them knows they are
in for an almighty test, and they possess
attacking weapons – the blistering pace
and strength of Adama Traore to name
just one – that others don’t.
For that reason, Wolves have every right
to be considered potential dark horses
to win the Europa League in 2020.
While their fellow English competitors
Arsenal and Manchester United have a
much greater pedigree on the European
stage, neither are in the best of shape
at present as they endure mediocre
domestic campaigns, so Wolves have at
least as good a chance as those sides.
A look at how they performed in the
earlier rounds showed that Nuno
Santo’s team aren’t in the Europa
League to make up the numbers. The
final qualifier brought their first big test
as they took on Torino, but top scorer
Raul Jimenez netted in both legs as
they won home and away to emerge 5-
on aggregate.
Jimenez continued to star in the group
stage, where they achieved doubles
against Besiktas and Slovan Bratislava,
with only Portuguese club Braga
proving difficult opponents. They may
not be among the favourites, but it will
undoubtedly take a very strong team to
knock Wolves out of the competition.