Paul Merson names four favourites to clinch Europa League trophy this season
03/06/2025 05:04 AM
Paul Merson has named the four favourites to land this season’s Europa League trophy and says Real Sociedad may eliminate Manchester United.
The Europa League round of 16 gets underway tonight (Thursday) with English sides United and Tottenham set to play their first leg matches.
Arsenal icon Merson feels Spurs could go all the way in this season’s European club competition to end their 17-year wait for a major trophy.
But the football pundit also believes there at three other sides in the mix – French club Lyon, Athletic Bilbao of Spain and Italian team Lazio.
Ahead of Sociedad’s clash with United and Spurs’ showdown against Dutch side AZ Alkmaar, Merson told Sky Sports: ‘If you look at the Europa League, Tottenham, Lyon, Athletic Bilbao and Lazio are the four teams to win it.
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‘Tottenham have got a chance if they can get their players fit but they’ve got to get through AZ Alkmaar. Tottenham are a team where you’ve just got to make sure you’re not out of it.
‘I watched AZ Alkmaar the other week at Galatasaray in the second leg – they’ve got some pace up front and they were electric up front. They blew Galatasaray away and Galatasaray were fortunate to get a 2-2 draw.
‘I don’t know how Tottenham will live with them at their ground because it’s a big old pitch. It’s a dangerous game, but over two legs I’d expect Tottenham to go through.
‘If Tottenham win this and get in the Champions League, they’ve had their best season ever. But Bilbao would be my little dark horses there. They’ve got Roma, which is a hard game.’
Merson doesn’t think United are among the favourites for the Europa League title and feels they might lose to Sociedad in their last-16 clash.
‘I watched Manchester United in the FA Cup and I can’t remember them having a shot apart from Bruno Fernandes’ brilliant goal,’ Merson added.
‘They just huff and puff and there’s nothing there. It’s extraordinary. This is no disrespect to Fulham, but half the Fulham players would get in the Man Utd team.
‘So I don’t know if Man Utd beat Real Sociedad on Thursday in the Europa League. It’s a heads or tails game. I just can’t see it.’
