Introduction
The UEFA European Competitions of the 2023-24 season have been full of surprises and disappointments this season. While some teams have performed as expected such as Manchester City in the Champions League, Liverpool in the Europa League, and Fenerbahçe in the Conference League, there has been teams who have come out of the woodworks to themselves as true contenders in all three tiers of European Competition. Here are some teams who have done shockingly well in European Competition this season.
Champions League
Galatasaray
Galatasaray was a wild card in the Champions League, especially considering they are Turkish side loading up on talent in the transfer window.
They have looked dominant all season long, both in league play and in the Champions League. They are currently second in the Turkish Super League only trailing Fenerbahçe, who has a perfect record in league play. They have also shown their dominance in the Champions League, winning five straight games after drawing in the first leg of the qualifying round to Lithuanian side Zalgiris.
Their run continued into the group stage, where they salvage a draw against Copenhagen and came back from behind to beat Manchester United at Old Trafford. Their only loss all season was against a Bayern Munich side who recently added Harry Kane. The Turkish side won fifteen out of their eighteen matches this season in all competitions drawing in two and only losing against Bayern Munich.
Galatasaray appears to be on a mission this year to prove that they deserve to be among the elites of Europe as well as cementing themselves as the Kings of Turkey.
Lens
Lens was a team that was expected to struggle in the Champions League, despite being an easy group by Champions League standards outside of Arsenal.
However, despite early struggles in Ligue 1 play, Lens has held their own in the group stage, even beating Arsenal in the Champions League and even showing solid form in league play the past few matches.
Lens is currently second in their group, only one point behind Arsenal for the group lead along with goal difference of plus one (scoring four and conceding three), while coming from behind in all three group games.
Lens may not be considered a team projected to go far in the Champions League, but they showed that they can be a thorn in the side of other teams in Europe’s premier football tournament. They might steal a Round of 16 spot in the Champions League if they keep up their solid form.
Europa League
Panathinaikos
Panathinaikos has been one of the surprises of the tournament, even in the Champions League when they knocked off Marseille in the third qualifying round. Even with their loss to Portuguese side Braga, they have looking strong this year in a Greek Super League who has looked dangerous in the Europa and Conference Leagues this season.
They currently lead the Greek Super League over Olympiacos and AEK Athens (both also Europa Sides), and they beat La Liga Villareal in the Group Stage. Panathinaikos is currently second in their group with four points, beating Villareal, drawing against Maccabi Halfa, and losing to Rennes. Although is worth noting that the Villareal vs Maccabi halfa game was postponed due to the Israeli conflict).
Qarabag
Qarabag was a bit of a mystery team in the Europa League. After cutting off their rope to Dutch side FC Twente, they decide to venture out on their own.
Despite losing in the second qualifying round to Polish side Rakow, Qarabag battled through the Europa League qualifying rounds, beating Finnish side HJK and Slovenian side Olimpija to reach the group stage. Qarabag are currently second in their group winning two out of their three games, beating Norwegian side Molde and Swedish side BC Hacken, while their only loss came against German side Bayer Leverkusen who have looked unbeatable this season.
Qarabag has also looked solid in a competitive Azerbaijan Premier League, currently placing second one point behind league leaders Zira with six victories, two draws, and three defeats.
They have been in dogfights all season long and their experience playing under pressure will be benefit in both tournaments this season for Qarabag. They do look to be a team who could snooker a Europa League knockout playoff spot this season.
Conference League
PAOK
PAOK has been force to be reckoned with in the Conference League, beating out Beitar Jerusalem 4-1 on aggerate after going down one goal to null with ten men on the pitch.
They also beat Croatian side Hajduk Split and Scottish Premiership side Hearts of Mandalorian to reach the group stage, where they won all their games. This includes a win against former Europa League Champions Eintracht Frankfurt. They are also fourth in the Greek Super League with five wins, two draws, and two drafts. One of their draws came against Panathinaikos on the road two goals apiece.
PAOK has held their own against the best teams in Greece as well as flexed their muscle against Conference League competition this season. PAOK is looking like a sleeper team in the third tier European Competition this season.
Legia Warsaw
How is Legia Warsaw leading their group in the Conference League?
They are sixth the Polish League, losing their last four league matches, being outscored eleven goals to two in that stretch. Well, they been winning games outside of the Polish League, beating Premier League side Aston Villa and Croatian side Zrinjski in the Conference League as well as winning their League Cup tie against second tier side GKS Tychy.
Who knows if this team is going to turn things around or sink out of the Conference League, but right now they do look like a Reverse Arsenal at the moment in terms of winning non-Polish League matches.
Conclusion
It is all about getting into European Competition at the end of the day, and these teams are showing that they are just as capable of competing as the elites in their competitions. All they needed to do was survive their domestic leagues and make it in.
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