The Europa League returns on Thursday and we are off to Germany as Bayer Leverkusen play host to West Ham.
The Elite Eight
After turning down the opportunity to manage both Liverpool and Bayern Munich next season, Xabi Alonso will now look to win European silverware for Leverkusen at the end of this.
Far From Xabi
When the Europa League quarter-final draw was made last month there would have been an audible groan from West Ham’s direction and although they made safe passage to the last eight after beating Freiburg, safe passage to the final four is far from guaranteed.
A groan that was made by the Hammers’ delegation in Nyon, a groan that was heard by everyone else in attendance and the reason for such displeasure was a pairing with the hottest team on the continent.
Bayer Leverkusen versus West Ham is the pairing that we have treated to and not only is there further Europa League progress on offer, but also the important subplot of Premier League versus Bundesliga.
Both leagues are in the mix when it comes to earning one of the two Champions League berths that will be awarded to the two nations with the highest co-efficient of the 2023/24 season and those nations will then see an additional invite from their domestic leagues.
Therefore, it is not just Hammers and Bayer fans watching with keen interest, it will also be Tottenham and Aston Villa supporters keeping a close eye on proceedings over two legs and the same can be said for RB Leipzig and Borussia Dortmund followers.
Of course, it is not co-efficient points that serve as the main narrative before Thursday, more a case of who can stop Xabi Alonso’s men and with no single outfit being able to achieve this in 2023/24, a league and European trophy double could well be on the horizon.
Especially as the domestic leg of the double is all but a formality and with a 16-point gap over Bayern Munich with just six matches left to play, a first ever Bundesliga crown could be delivered as soon as Sunday.
A league march that has played a considerable part in their incredible unbeaten run in all competitions. A count that is 41 before Thursday and although there has been an element of jeopardy at times, this Leverkusen side always finds a way to find something that is not a loss.
Now they will look to find a first-leg advantage over the team that won last season’s edition of the Europa Conference League and although David Moyes can point to that and the progress made in this season’s Europa League, it is still not enough for some portions of the West Ham fanbase.
But now it is time for the first of my two tips and with Bayer Leverkusen having been the reflection of perfection this season, I am going to back a first half draw but then an eventual win over the Hammers at odds of 3/1.
In addition to this, I am going to shine a light on Alex Grimaldo. The defender has already scored 11 goals this season - two of those in this competition and therefore, I am going to back the Spaniard to be the last name on the scoresheet at odds of 10/1.
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