Europa League: More Than Just A Numbers Game

Diego Alberto Milito of FC Inter 

For some it is about the excitement of a new adventure and a journey into the unknown. Other teams have the might of history behind them and look to be continuing the glorious traditions of all that which preceded them. One will play without fear while the weight of expectation could be too much to bear for some of the more high profile teams in the Europa League. Those who have history on their side will inevitably have the quality of players capable of dealing with such demands. Whether they will be able to, or not, is another matter entirely.
There can be no doubt that of all the differences between the two footballing powerhouses in Milan, the fact remains that both are still a massive name in European Football. Internazionale are one of three clubs who have won this competition the most times â€" Liverpool and Juventus being the other two â€" and are just two goals away from having wracked up a whopping five hundred in all UEFA sanctioned competitions.
The fact that they travel to Azerbaijan of all places and take on the lowest ranked side left in the competition is one of those events that football has a way of throwing together. Sometimes just the taking part can be important in itself. Just ask Levante.
They are a side that many tipped for relegation last season, a team with minimal resources that has never made anything of a mark in the history of Spanish football. What happened for Juan Ignacio Martínez and his players will live long in the memory of all those who pack the Ciutat de València. At one stage they topped the La Liga standings and remained high up the table throughout the campaign. Fans of clubs who experience European football on a regular basis may not get overly excited at this stage of the competition but for Levante every time they come out for a Europa League game, it is a moment to savor.
Portugal will play host for two teams that once took regular part in football at this level and are once again finding their feet. Academica and Videoton are the kind of clubs that under no other circumstances would be paired together. Both have a past in Europe but have never made it far enough to garner any acclaim. In the case of Hungarian side Videoton, it will be a return to their manager Paulo Sousa’s homeland as they square off against Portuguese opposition for the first time. The Estádio Cidade de Coimbra will play host to it’s first ever Europa League game as Academica host Israeli side Hapoel Tel Aviv.
In order to even have the chance to dominate abroad, a side must first be all conquering on the domestic front. Two teams at the very heart of their nations footballing universe are Steaua Bucharest and Copenhagen, who will also face each other in just two days time. The most successful teams â€" in terms of league wins â€" in Romania and Denmark respectively. Steaua will travel to Parken Stadium in the knowledge that they are just two goals away from three hundred and fifty in Europe, while their hosts are only two away from a hundred themselves.
All across the continent there will be players and managers alike who are thinking of nothing more than the points available. In football there’s always a lot more at stake however. The history books are being written all the time and there will always be someone or something which in years to come will be looked upon as a moment in time. For those like Internazionale who have more than their share of milestones already passed to teams like Levante who are just now starting to experience them. Numbers only tell half the story. It is the memories that last a lifetime.