Granada, the great revelation of the UEFA Europa League 2020/21 in its debut in the continental competition, faces an extremely demanding challenge in the quarterfinals, being associated with the all-powerful Manchester United, according to the draw held on Friday at UEFA headquarters in Nyon (Switzerland) .
The last draw in the current format of this competition, which presented the Frenchman Gael Clichy as the “innocent hand”, was extremely demanding with Diego Martínez’s team and much more benevolent, on paper, for the other Spanish survivor, Villarreal. Dinamo Zagreb, who still got rid of Tottenham after returning from 2-0, lost in the first leg.
The Nasrid team has a test of the highest level in the team of the Norwegian Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, who goes further and with a goal by Paul Pogba eliminated Milan at the San Siro.
In the eighth round, Real Sociedad’s dream has already ended with solvency after winning the first round, in Torino, with 0-4.
Every step this Granada takes is historic. He entered the fight in the second qualifying round in Albania and raised the bar in every match. He announces to compete without complexes, regardless of his rival, even if it is United.
Villarreal, full of European competition – six consecutive victories – will see them with the team that fired Tottenham from Jose Mourinho, Gareth Bale, Harry Kane and competed, although it is Unai Emery’s yellow submarine, three-time champion of this tournament Seville, part with the favorite poster.
Mislav Orsic’s hat-trick ended Spurs after extra time, and the moral impact can strengthen him against Villarreal, who cannot be trusted despite the good performance of Emery’s men in the group stage and against Salzburg and Dinamo Kiev. They will also have the La Cerámica factor on their return.
According to the draw, if the two Spanish teams progress, they could meet in the final on May 26 at Gdansk Arena. So could the two teams with the greatest potential a priori, United and Arsenal.
Mikel Arteta’s Gunners, in the quarterfinals, despite losing the second match with Olympiacos at home (0-1), will also defend their favorite status against Slavia Prague, another revelation, which left the Rangers on account at Ibrox, where he won 0-2 in a bitter and controversial game in the end.
The other tie will face Ajax and Roma, who have high hopes of being protagonists in this Europa League.
– quarter-finals (8 and 15 April):
1 Granada (ESP) – Manchester United (ING)
2 Arsenal (ING) – Slavia Prague (CZE)
3 Ajax (NED) – Rome (ITA)
4 Dinamo Zagreb (CRO) – Villarreal (ESP)
– Semifinals (April 29 and May 6)
1 Winner Granada-Manchester Utd / Winner Ajax-Roma
2 Winner Dinamo Zagreb-Villarreal / Winner Arsenal-Slavia Prague
– Final (May 26, Gdansk Arena):
Winning Semifinal 2 – Winning Semifinal 1