THE EUROPA LEAGUE IS SET TO BE UNEXPECTED: THE KING IS GONE, WHO CAN REPLACE HIM?
Published: 16/09/2026 | By: Jack Gibbs
The Europa League King is gone! After Aston Villa's triumph in last year's Europa League final, master Unai Emery has left the throne vacant for a new expert to lift the trophy. After moving up to the Champions League, the five-time winner leaves a dream for someone new to be crowned King, but who will it be? The answer begins to reveal itself on Wednesday 16th September at 17:45.
With the Champions League already underway, every team in the Europa League is itching to get started like an F1 car behind the red light. Eagerly anticipating what their journey is going to hold and what their story will be. All focused on bagging their plane tickets to Frankfurt for the 2027 final.
However, only two teams can fly to Germany, and these tickets feel highly in demand! There is a genuine freshness in the air around the Europa League this season, like it is all to play for. Emery's now gone, opening up a path for a new King. But who can take it?
Who Can Take Emery's Crown
That sense of change isn't just down to the vacant throne, it's also down to the number of managers starting out at new clubs this season, where an early trophy would immediately make their fans blush.
Now that there is an empty seat at the table, those managers will definitely be licking their lips at the likelihood that there is a genuine chance.
Bournemouth's Marco Rose and Benfica's Marco Silva both took charge of their clubs this summer, arriving in the Europa League for the first time with them. Though they're new to their clubs, neither is new to European football.
Marco Silva also has some pedigree in Europe after managing Olympiacos and Sporting CP back between 2014 and 2016. The frustrating part for Silva is that almost as soon as he joined, he and his side saw an early knockout in the Champions League play-offs. There could definitely be a fiery start for them, and with them facing AC Milan on matchday one, they will need to be.
If you mentioned European football, Rose would not be a stranger to it. Having coached Borussia Dortmund, RB Leipzig and Borussia Mönchengladbach, his CV reflects a wealth of experience in the Champions League and in the Europa League. He also led Red Bull Salzburg to the Europa League final in 2018. Now he starts a journey with Bournemouth.
Can England Make It Three In A Row
Although England winning international trophies is somewhat unknown territory, the country's clubs have been pretty successful in recent years. It all started two years ago, when Tottenham made history and finally defeated Manchester United for the Europa League trophy.
Since then, the trophy has stayed in England for back-to-back years, thanks to Emery and Villa's win over Freiburg last season. Now that there is a chance to make it three from three, Bournemouth, Sunderland and Crystal Palace have their own chapters to write, and who's to say they can't.
With Rose giving Bournemouth a sharp edge to turn the dream into reality, the addition of António Silva from Benfica gives them the backbone and muscle to compete in Europe. The first test will be on Thursday when they face Real Sociedad away from home.
Crystal Palace arrive at the competition as Conference League winners, so the pedigree is already there. Although they are new to the Europa League, newcomers often bring raw energy that can shake things up. That element of surprise could be exactly what allows them to thrive. With one trophy already under their belt, there's certainly room for a second in back-to-back years.
Regis Le Bris is a man who knows Sunderland inside and out by now. The Frenchman brought them up from the Championship to the Premier League, and brought the fans European football in his first attempt. With that sort of record, there's little reason they can't carry the trend forward and win it in his third season. Whether he’ll be the man to replace Emery is different story.
If Not England, Then Who Are The Favourites?
Of course, with a competition like this, anyone can win it. That's the beauty of European football. It can come down to just one night or one moment, but when you hear a certain team's name, it's enough to make you anxious before the ball has even been played. That's why these sorts of teams are always going to be favourites to beat.
The two Italian teams, Juventus and AC Milan, have enough silverware to fill up a whole stadium. With that kind of pedigree, they mark down as instant favourites.
Juventus has always been a team in the Champions League. They've won it before. However, after a disappointing season last year, and missing out on the competition, they find themselves angry and frustrated. This will make them dangerous for the Europa League. No one wants to play a team with fire in their belly, and with Juventus' history, dominance is what could come next.
Staying in Italy, AC Milan come into the tournament with a similar mindset to Juventus, but with a new way of thinking under Rúben Amorim. New tactics, new signings, renewed belief, but the same ambition to win. Bringing a serial winner like Gonçalo Ramos to their strike force also gives them the clinical edge to finish teams off.
On the other side of the Alps, Bayer Leverkusen have had moments where, on another night, they would already have had the trophy.
The annoyance for Bayer Leverkusen was that they came so close to winning the trophy back in the 2023/24 season. They made it to the final and fell at the last hurdle to Atalanta, 3-0. Having that irritation and hunger to right the wrongs, and knowing that on another night they could have won the final, shows they're capable of going all the way.
As for the rest of the clubs, they should hope that they escape facing one of these three.
The Dark Horses
In every competition, there is always a side that breaks onto the scene when no one is watching. No one expects them to go as deep into the competition, or beat a team the way that they did. A dark horse. Anderlecht and Celtic have both been strong in their own Leagues for years, yet have struggled to show momentum in Europe.
When you have teams like these ones, an unexpected story can always be on the cards.
Anderlecht have European success written into their history, so they will have the mentality and ambition to rewrite it. They have also struggled since 1983 to become winners once again. Having been successful before, there's no reason they can't do it again.
It's what dreams are made of. Having the smallest of chances but using that to their advantage. Starting strongly on Wednesday against Lyon will be the dream start.
Celtic also have recent history that makes their chance hard to believe, but not impossible. Their wait for a title has to go further back, all the way to 1967. Since then, they have struggled to become a real force in Europe, but if I said to you that they had won nine out of 10 league titles in the past, it would be understandable why they can be dark horses. They know how to win.
A New King Awaits
The King is gone. It's someone else's time and a new King will be named come the end of the season. The uncertainty around this competition feels overpowering and the anticipation for Wednesday is growing.
Predicting a winner has never been this tough. You could make a case for any team. Can it be the English teams? Will it be the natural favourites? Will it be the most unpredictable dark horse the competition has ever seen?
Where will the trophy be going? It's the complete unknown, and that's what is going to make the season so special.
Emery's reign is over. Now, Europe waits for its new King.
Set your alarms and put it on your calendars, Wednesday 16th September. 17:45. The wait is over. Omonia hosts Celta Vigo.
