It is true, this season Europa League contestants should be grateful because Sevilla did not appear because they failed to finish in third place in Group B of the Champions League. If Sevilla is present, they have a big chance of winning the Europa League trophy like last season. Liverpool and Leverkusen are currently the most favorite teams, and many even hope that these two teams can face each other in the final. Without ignoring the opportunities of other contestants such as Milan and Roma, which in my opinion also have the same chance of winning the trophy, the Europa League every season very often surprises us.
Teams that take part in the Europa League often show different performances, like Sevilla last season, they were inconsistent in La Liga but appeared impressive in the Europa League. There is a chance that such a surprise will happen again, even though Liverpool and Leverkusen are the favorites, it is possible that they will be eliminated first. Milan have to face Roma, one of them has the potential to face the two favorite teams in the semi finals later.
Sevilla have seemed to be a scary giant if they play in Europa League, while they always struggle in Champions League. It feels so strange when they even failed UCL group stage, even finished at the bottom. It sounds like an anecdote to say Europa League contestants should be grateful because Sevilla did not appear. Their absence opens up opportunities for other teams to shine, even though there are teams have past success in the tournament.
Liverpool and Leverkusen are the strong favorites, given their current form and performances, but, of course, Milan and Roma should not be overlooked. Both the latter have the capability to go far in the competition and could pose a significant challenge to the favorites. Europa League could be the most unpredictable competition where top clubs often play in it with different mindset compared to when they play in their league of Champions League. The road to the Europa League final is often fraught with surprises, and fans can expect twists and turns as the competition progresses.