Europa title a big deal for Sevilla

RECORD winners Sevilla are again among the top picks for the Europa League title starting today, and their former coach Unai Emery is now in charge at Arsenal in their continental life after Arsene Wenger.

Sevilla have lifted the trophy in Europe’s second tier competition on five occasions, including three years in a row from 2014.

They start this campaign against Belgian side Standard Liege, with Russia’s Krasnodar and Turkish debutants Akhisar their other opponents in Group J.

“It is a great responsibility. If Sevilla has grown so much as a club, it is because of this competition. We are obliged to get through the group but it will not be easy,” coach Pablo Machin said.

Emery led Sevilla to their title hat-trick and hopes to do similar great things with Arsenal, who reached the semi-finals last year, and named a Champions League berth for the winners a big incentive.

“After the Champions League, the Europa League is the most important. If teams cannot play in the Champions League, it is very important,” Emery said. “When we opened this possibility that, when you win the Europa League, you play in the Champions League, it was the key to improve the interest in this competition.”

The Gunners also open against a new club, Ukraine’s Vorskla, in Group E, which also features Portugal’s Sporting and Qarabag of Azerbaijan.

The most interesting newcomers are Dudelange, who gave Luxembourg a first-ever place in a continental group stage by upsetting Legia Warsaw and Romania’s Cluj in the qualifying rounds.

Their reward was a place in Group F where they start their adventure at home against one of the biggest names in European football, AC Milan.

Milan have won the Champions Cup/League seven times and the defunct Cup Winners’ Cup twice, and aim to complete their continental title collection with the Europa League trophy.

Last season’s runners-up Olympic Marseille start their quest for a place in the Baku, Azerbaijan, final against Germany’s Eintracht Frankfurt in Group H.