If you’d told a Manchester United or Tottenham fan back in August that their Thursday nights would involve a 36-team giant table and zero "groups," they probably would’ve rolled their eyes. We all love to complain about UEFA changing things. But looking back at the 2024 25 Europa League, the chaos was actually... fun?
The old system felt stale. You knew who was going through by Matchday 4. This year? It was a mess in the best way possible.
What happened to the groups?
Basically, UEFA scrapped the four-team groups. Instead, every single team was tossed into one big league. You played eight different opponents—four at home, four away—and the points went into a massive pool.
It sounds confusing. Honestly, it was a bit of a headache to track at first. But it meant that a goal in a match between, say, Ludogorets and Midtjylland actually mattered for where Lazio or Lyon sat in the standings.
The stakes were higher. No more dead rubbers. Every goal shifted the "live" table, and that kept the January matchdays surprisingly tense.
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The big hitters and the surprises
Lazio absolutely cruised. They finished top of the pile with 19 points, looking like a team that actually wanted to be there. Right behind them was Athletic Club. Seeing the final held at their own San Mamés Stadium in Bilbao was clearly a massive motivator for the Basques.
Manchester United and Tottenham both finished in the top four, which spared them the headache of the knockout play-offs. But it wasn't all smooth sailing for the English giants. Remember that night in Istanbul? Galatasaray beating Spurs 3-2 was peak Europa League energy. Victor Osimhen was a nightmare for defenders all through the league phase.
Then you have the "little guys" who punched way above their weight.
- Bodø/Glimt: These guys are basically the final boss of "cold Tuesday nights." They finished 9th, just missing out on an automatic Round of 16 spot.
- FCSB: The Romanians were expected to be whipping boys but ended up 11th.
- Olympiacos: Proved their Conference League win last year wasn't a fluke by finishing 7th.
2024 25 Europa League: The road to Bilbao
Once the league phase wrapped up on January 30, the real drama started. The top eight teams got a "bye." The teams from 9th to 24th had to fight it out in a two-legged playoff. If you finished 25th or lower? You were out. No dropping down to the Conference League anymore. That’s a brutal change, but it makes the "league" part of the season much more meaningful.
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The knockout bracket was a gauntlet. We saw some heavyweight clashes early on. Manchester United had to dig deep to get past Lyon in the quarters, while Tottenham looked unstoppable under the lights in North London.
The Final: Tottenham Hotspur vs Manchester United
An all-English final in Spain. It felt like a throwback. The atmosphere in Bilbao was electric, mostly because the local fans were still buzzing from Athletic Club's deep run to the semis.
Tottenham eventually broke their 17-year trophy drought. Brennan Johnson scored the only goal in a 1-0 win. It wasn't a classic "beautiful" game, but for Spurs fans, it was everything. Cristian Romero was later named the player of the tournament, which tells you a lot about how gritty Spurs had to be to get that trophy.
Why the stats matter
If you're a numbers person, this season was a goldmine. The top scorers list was a three-way tie. Ayoub El Kaabi (Olympiacos), Bruno Fernandes (Man Utd), and Kasper Høgh (Bodø/Glimt) all finished with 7 goals.
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Lyon’s Rayan Cherki was the creative king, racking up 8 assists. It’s no wonder he was named the best young player. When he’s on his game, he’s basically unplayable.
What most people got wrong
People thought the big teams would rotate their squads and ignore the 2024 25 Europa League because of the extra games. They didn't. Because the new format removed the "safety net" of dropping down from the Champions League, the prestige of winning this specific trophy went up.
Also, the "36-team table" wasn't as bloated as critics feared. It actually created a clearer path for mid-tier clubs to reach the knockout rounds without having to pray for a lucky group draw.
Moving forward: What to watch next
If you followed this season closely, you know the bar has been set high. Here is how you should prepare for the next cycle:
- Watch the coefficient: Since the winners (Tottenham) got a Champions League spot, pay attention to which league gets an extra "performance slot" next year.
- Scout the fringe stars: Players like Samu Aghehowa (Porto) and Rayan Cherki used this season as a massive shop window. Expect big transfer bids this summer.
- Respect the travel: If your team draws a trip to Norway or Turkey in the new league phase, don't assume it's three points. As Spurs and United found out, those away days are where the table is won or lost.
The 2024 25 Europa League proved that more football isn't always better, but a better structure for that football definitely is. Whether you loved the new league phase or still miss the old groups, you can't deny that the path to Bilbao was a wild ride.