UCL versus Europa league

[Sky Blue]

During the red shite game they mentioned the midweek games in the Champions League. Don't think we are in it.

 

[Deleted member 77198]

Of course it is. Winning a trophy always beats not winning a trophy, no matter what that trophy is.

The EFL Cup does not have the same standing as the FA Cup but us winning four in a row, and five in seven, is a great achievement despite us only winning one FA Cup in that time.

 

[Zapcity]

Of course it is. Winning a trophy always beats not winning a trophy, no matter what that trophy is.

The EFL Cup does not have the same standing as the FA Cup but us winning four in a row, and five in seven, is a great achievement despite us only winning one FA Cup in that time.

Agree that the satisfaction of winning a trophy generally is better than finishing 4th in a competition. However, for a team like United with all their expectations(feeling of entitlement?) and huge sums of money spent, even being in the Europa league is a bit of an embarrassment really!
With regards the 'standing of the domestic cups. Even though the FA Cup is still seen as
more 'glamorous' than the League Cup( and has being going a lot longer) I do feel that the 'achievement' of winning the respective trophies is more on a par now than in the 70s or 80s to a certain extent? Winning The Cup Winners Cup (prize for winning FA Cup)was considered the '2nd 'European trophy and seen as better than winning the old UEFA Cup (prize for winning League Cup) from memory. Or am I just being clouded by the fact we've done much better in one than the other of late?
With regards to the earlier question about winning the championship/finishing 17th question, the last season we won the Championship ( or 1st Division or whatever is was called in 2002)
was certainly a pretty enjoyable season. If you were though to currently ask Everton, Leeds or even Newcastle fans if they'd like to actually finish in the Premier League (out of the relegation zone , obviously)next season or top of the Division below I'm sure they'd choose the former.

 

[Phil1]

I don't want us to ever be in it but if we were then, yes, I'd fully enjoy winning it and imagine that feeling would trump the feelings I've had at the final whistle of every game we've been knocked out the CL.

 

[super_city_si]

Id prefer to win a trophy.

 

[Plays By Sense Of Smell]

Europa league has a hugely entertaining advert that positively (and almost literally) screams, ‘Trying too hard.’

 

[nyCITY]

For me, this debate starts with the following question:

Before the season begins, would you rather play in the UCL or Europa League?

Nobody in their right mind would prefer to play in the latter.

Secondly, would you rather advance to UCL knockouts or be relegated to Europa?

Obviously the UCL knockouts are preferable.

Europa is a consolation prize for an ambitious club. The year Fulham played in the final, I am sure that would’ve been massive for them to win; on par with a club like us winning the UCL last year. But we aren’t Fulham and our goals at the beginning of every season are to qualify for and advance to the knockouts in the UCL. Winning a Europa would be nice but would leave me wondering what went wrong to get there.

 

[Alan Harper's Tash]

I had a discussion with a rag mate who said that winning the europa league was better than qualifying but not winning the champions league.
I disagreed calling it the consolation cup but then gave it some more thought and I’m now not so sure.
Just interested to get fellow blues views.

Winning a trophy always usurps a semi final somewhere else.

However, we and City forgot that the Europa League existed 10 years ago.

 

[flook]

if the unthinkable happened and we didn't get out of the group stages, then we would (should?) be balls deep in for the Europa League.

However, which is best depends upon how you measure success, so for City then the knockout stages of the CL is better than the Europa because the Europa doesn't even come into our thinking. For that lot down the road, the Europa is a more realistic target than the 1/4 finals of the CL, so the Europa League would probably be considered a success.

I'll get off the fence now as the splinters are sticking in my arse

 

[LongsightM13]

For me, this debate starts with the following question:

Before the season begins, would you rather play in the UCL or Europa League?

Nobody in their right mind would prefer to play in the latter.

Secondly, would you rather advance to UCL knockouts or be relegated to Europa?

Obviously the UCL knockouts are preferable.

Europa is a consolation prize for an ambitious club. The year Fulham played in the final, I am sure that would’ve been massive for them to win; on par with a club like us winning the UCL last year. But we aren’t Fulham and our goals at the beginning of every season are to qualify for and advance to the knockouts in the UCL. Winning a Europa would be nice but would leave me wondering what went wrong to get there.

Last sentence nails it