2018–19 UEFA Europa League

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2018–19 UEFA Europa League
The Olympic Stadium in Baku hosted the final
Tournament details
DatesQualifying:
26 June – 30 August 2018
Competition proper:
20 September 2018 – 29 May 2019
TeamsCompetition proper: 48+8
Total: 158+55 (from 55 associations)
Final positions
ChampionsEngland Chelsea (2nd title)
Runners-upEngland Arsenal
Tournament statistics
Matches played205
Goals scored565 (2.76 per match)
Attendance5,038,109 (24,576 per match)
Top scorer(s)Olivier Giroud (Chelsea)
11 goals
Best player(s)Eden Hazard (Chelsea)[1]

The 2018–19 UEFA Europa League was the 48th season of Europe's secondary club football tournament organised by UEFA, and the 10th season since it was renamed from the UEFA Cup to the UEFA Europa League.

The

final was played at the Olympic Stadium in Baku, Azerbaijan,[2] between English sides Chelsea and Arsenal – which was the first Europa League final to feature two teams from one city and was also the first time that 4 Premier League resprentives (teams) were in both European finals. Chelsea defeated Arsenal 4–1 and earned the right to play against Liverpool, the winners of the 2018–19 UEFA Champions League, in the 2019 UEFA Super Cup. As winners, Chelsea would also have been qualified for the 2019–20 UEFA Champions League group stage; however, since they had already qualified after finishing third in the Premier League, the berth reserved was given to the third-placed team of the 2018–19 Ligue 1 (Lyon) – the 5th-ranked association according to next season's access list.[3]

For the first time, the video assistant referee (VAR) system was used in the competition, where it was implemented in the final.[4]

As the title holders of the Europa League,

Juventus in the round of 16
.

Format changes

On 9 December 2016, UEFA confirmed the reforming plan for the UEFA Champions League for the 2018–2021 cycle, which was announced on 26 August 2016.[5][6] As per the new regulations, all teams that are eliminated in the UEFA Champions League qualifying rounds will get a second chance in the Europa League.

Association team allocation

213 teams from all 55 UEFA member associations participated in the 2018–19 UEFA Europa League. The association ranking based on the UEFA country coefficients was used to determine the number of participating teams for each association:[7][8]

  • Associations 1–51 (except Liechtenstein) each had three teams qualify.
  • Associations 52–54 each had two teams qualify.
  • Liechtenstein and Kosovo (association 55) each had one team qualify (Liechtenstein organised only a domestic cup and no domestic league; Kosovo as per decision by the UEFA Executive Committee).[9]
  • Moreover, 55 teams eliminated from the 2018–19 UEFA Champions League were transferred to the Europa League (default number was 57, but 2 fewer teams competed in the 2018–19 UEFA Champions League).

Association ranking

For the 2018–19 UEFA Europa League, the associations were allocated places according to their 2017 UEFA country coefficients, which took into account their performance in European competitions from 2012–13 to 2016–17.[10]

Apart from the allocation based on the country coefficients, associations could have additional teams participating in the Champions League, as noted below:

  • (UCL) – Additional teams transferred from the UEFA Champions League
Association ranking for 2018–19 UEFA Europa League
Rank Association Coeff. Teams Notes
1  Spain 104.998 3 +1 (UCL)
2  Germany 79.498
3  England 75.962
4  Italy 73.332 +2 (UCL)
5  France 56.665
6  Russia 50.532 +1 (UCL)
7  Portugal 49.332 +1 (UCL)
8  Ukraine 42.633 +2 (UCL)
9  Belgium 42.400 +2 (UCL)
10  Turkey 39.200 +2 (UCL)
11  Czech Republic 33.175 +2 (UCL)
12  Switzerland 32.075 +1 (UCL)
13  Netherlands 31.063
14  Greece 27.900 +1 (UCL)
15  Austria 25.350 +2 (UCL)
16  Croatia 25.250 +1 (UCL)
17  Romania 24.350 +1 (UCL)
18  Denmark 24.000 +1 (UCL)
19  Belarus 19.875 +1 (UCL)
Rank Association Coeff. Teams Notes
20  Poland 19.750 3 +1 (UCL)
21  Sweden 19.725 +1 (UCL)
22  Israel 19.375 +1 (UCL)
23  Scotland 18.925 +1 (UCL)
24  Cyprus 18.550 +1 (UCL)
25  Norway 18.325 +1 (UCL)
26  Azerbaijan 17.750 +1 (UCL)
27  Bulgaria 15.875 +1 (UCL)
28  Serbia 15.375
29  Kazakhstan 15.250 +1 (UCL)
30  Slovenia 13.125 +1 (UCL)
31  Slovakia 11.750 +1 (UCL)
32  Liechtenstein 11.000 1
33  Hungary 9.500 3 +1 (UCL)
34  Moldova 9.500 +1 (UCL)
35  Iceland 8.375 +1 (UCL)
36  Finland 7.650 +1 (UCL)
37  Albania 6.625 +1 (UCL)
Rank Association Coeff. Teams Notes
38  Republic of Ireland 6.575 3 +1 (UCL)
39  Bosnia and Herzegovina 6.500 +1 (UCL)
40  Georgia 6.375 +1 (UCL)
41  Latvia 6.125 +1 (UCL)
42  Macedonia 5.625 +1 (UCL)
43  Estonia 5.250 +1 (UCL)
44  Montenegro 5.250 +1 (UCL)
45  Armenia 5.125 +1 (UCL)
46  Luxembourg 4.875 +1 (UCL)
47  Northern Ireland 4.500 +1 (UCL)
48  Lithuania 4.125 +1 (UCL)
49  Malta 4.000 +1 (UCL)
50  Wales 3.875 +1 (UCL)
51  Faroe Islands 3.500 +1 (UCL)
52  Gibraltar 2.500 2 +1 (UCL)
53  Andorra 1.165 +1 (UCL)
54  San Marino 0.333 +1 (UCL)
55  Kosovo 0.000 1 +1 (UCL)

Distribution

In the default access list, originally 17 losers from the Champions League first qualifying round were transferred to the Europa League second qualifying round (Champions Path).[11][7] However, one fewer loser would be transferred since the Champions League title holders already qualified for the group stage via their domestic league. Therefore, only 19 teams entered the Champions Path second qualifying round (one of the losers from the Champions League first qualifying round would be drawn to receive a bye to the third qualifying round).[12]

In addition, originally three losers from the Champions League second qualifying round (League Path) were transferred to the Europa League third qualifying round (Main Path).[11] However, one fewer loser would be transferred since the Europa League title holders already qualified for the group stage via their domestic league. As a result, the following changes to the access list was made:[12]

  • The cup winners of association 18 (Denmark) entered the third qualifying round instead of the second qualifying round.
  • The cup winners of association 25 (Norway) entered the second qualifying round instead of the first qualifying round.
  • The cup winners of associations 50 (Wales) and 51 (Faroe Islands) entered the first qualifying round instead of the preliminary round.
Access list for 2018–19 UEFA Europa League
Teams entering in this round Teams advancing from previous round Teams transferred from Champions League
Preliminary round
(14 teams)
  • 4 domestic cup winners from associations 52–55
  • 6 domestic league runners-up from associations 49–54
  • 4 domestic league third-placed teams from associations 48–51
First qualifying round
(94 teams)
  • 26 domestic cup winners from associations 26–51
  • 30 domestic league runners-up from associations 18–48 (except Liechtenstein)
  • 31 domestic league third-placed teams from associations 16–47 (except Liechtenstein)
  • 7 winners from preliminary round
Second qualifying round Champions Path
(18 teams)
  • 15 losers from Champions League first qualifying round
  • 3 losers from Champions League preliminary round
Main Path
(74 teams)
  • 7 domestic cup winners from associations 19–25
  • 2 domestic league runners-up from associations 16–17
  • 3 domestic league third-placed teams from associations 13–15
  • 9 domestic league fourth-placed teams from associations 7–15
  • 2 domestic league fifth-placed teams from associations 5–6 (League Cup winners for France)
  • 4 domestic league sixth-placed teams from associations 1–4 (League Cup winners for England)
  • 47 winners from first qualifying round
Third qualifying round Champions Path
(20 teams)
  • 9 winners from second qualifying round (Champions Path)
  • 10 losers from Champions League second qualifying round (Champions Path)
  • 1 losers from Champions League first qualifying round (Champions Path)
Main Path
(52 teams)
  • 6 domestic cup winners from associations 13–18
  • 6 domestic league third-placed teams from associations 7–12
  • 1 domestic league fourth-placed team from association 6
  • 37 winners from second qualifying round (Main Path)
  • 2 losers from Champions League second qualifying round (League Path)
Play-off round Champions Path
(16 teams)
  • 10 winners from third qualifying round (Champions Path)
  • 6 losers from Champions League third qualifying round (Champions Path)
Main Path
(26 teams)
  • 26 winners from third qualifying round (Main Path)
Group stage
(48 teams)
  • 12 domestic cup winners from associations 1–12
  • 1 domestic league fourth-placed team from association 5
  • 4 domestic league fifth-placed teams from associations 1–4
  • 8 winners from play-off round (Champions Path)
  • 13 winners from play-off round (Main Path)
  • 4 losers from Champions League play-off round (Champions Path)
  • 2 losers from Champions League play-off round (League Path)
  • 4 losers from Champions League third qualifying round (League Path)
Knockout phase
(32 teams)
  • 12 group winners from group stage
  • 12 group runners-up from group stage
  • 8 third-placed teams from Champions League group stage

Redistribution rules

A Europa League place was vacated when a team qualified for both the Champions League and the Europa League, or qualified for the Europa League by more than one method. When a place was vacated, it was redistributed within the national association by the following rules:[8]

  • When the domestic cup winners (considered as the "highest-placed" qualifier within the national association with the latest starting round) also qualified for the Champions League, their Europa League place was vacated. As a result, the highest-placed team in the league which had not yet qualified for European competitions qualified for the Europa League, with the Europa League qualifiers which finished above them in the league moving up one "place".
  • When the domestic cup winners also qualified for the Europa League through league position, their place through the league position was vacated. As a result, the highest-placed team in the league which had not yet qualified for European competitions qualified for the Europa League, with the Europa League qualifiers which finished above them in the league moving up one "place" if possible.
  • For associations where a Europa League place was reserved for either the League Cup or end-of-season European competition play-offs winners, they always qualified for the Europa League as the "lowest-placed" qualifier. If the League Cup winners had already qualified for European competitions through other methods, this reserved Europa League place was taken by the highest-placed team in the league which had not yet qualified for European competitions.

Teams

The labels in the parentheses show how each team qualified for the place of its starting round:[13]

  • CW: Cup winners
  • 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, etc.: League position
  • LC: League Cup winners
  • RW: Regular season winners
  • PW: End-of-season Europa League play-offs winners
  • UCL: Transferred from the Champions League
    • GS: Third-placed teams from the group stage
    • PO: Losers from the play-off round
    • Q3: Losers from the third qualifying round
    • Q2: Losers from the second qualifying round
    • Q1: Losers from the first qualifying round
    • PR: Losers from the preliminary round (SF: semi-finals; F: final)
Qualified teams for 2018–19 UEFA Europa League (by entry round)
Round of 32
Spain Valencia (UCL GS)
Napoli (UCL GS
)
Ukraine Shakhtar Donetsk (UCL GS) Turkey Galatasaray (UCL GS)
Italy Inter Milan (UCL GS) Portugal Benfica (UCL GS) Belgium Club Brugge (UCL GS) Czech Republic Viktoria Plzeň (UCL GS)
Group stage
Spain Villarreal (5th)
Akhisarspor (CW
)
Ukraine Dynamo Kyiv (UCL PO)
Spain Real Betis (6th) France Marseille (4th) Czech Republic Jablonec (3rd) Greece PAOK (UCL PO)
Germany Eintracht Frankfurt (CW) France Rennes (5th) Switzerland Zürich (CW) Russia Spartak Moscow (UCL Q3)
Germany Bayer Leverkusen (5th) Russia Krasnodar (4th)[Note RUS] Austria Red Bull Salzburg (UCL PO) Belgium Standard Liège (UCL Q3)
England Chelsea (CW) Portugal Sporting CP (3rd)[Note POR] Croatia Dinamo Zagreb (UCL PO) Turkey Fenerbahçe (UCL Q3)
England Arsenal (6th) Ukraine Vorskla Poltava (3rd) Belarus BATE Borisov (UCL PO) Czech Republic Slavia Prague (UCL Q3)
Lazio (5th
)
Belgium Anderlecht (3rd)
MOL Vidi (UCL PO
)
Play-off round
Champions Path Main Path
Sweden Malmö FF (UCL Q3) Kazakhstan Astana (UCL Q3)
Scotland Celtic (UCL Q3) Slovakia Spartak Trnava (UCL Q3)
Azerbaijan Qarabağ (UCL Q3) North Macedonia Shkëndija (UCL Q3)
Third qualifying round
Champions Path Main Path
Romania CFR Cluj (UCL Q2) Bulgaria Ludogorets Razgrad (UCL Q2) Russia Zenit Saint Petersburg (5th)[Note RUS]
3rd
)
Denmark Midtjylland (UCL Q2) Moldova Sheriff Tiraspol (UCL Q2) Portugal Braga (4th)[Note POR] Austria Rapid Wien (3rd)
Poland Legia Warsaw (UCL Q2) Finland HJK (UCL Q2) Ukraine Zorya Luhansk (4th) Croatia Rijeka (2nd)
Israel Hapoel Be'er Sheva (UCL Q2) Albania Kukësi (UCL Q2) Belgium Gent (4th) Romania Universitatea Craiova (CW)
Norway Rosenborg (UCL Q2) Lithuania Sūduva (UCL Q2) Turkey İstanbul Başakşehir (3rd) Denmark Brøndby (CW)
Republic of Ireland Cork City (UCL Q1)[Note UCL Q1] Czech Republic Sigma Olomouc (4th) Switzerland Basel (UCL Q2)
Switzerland Luzern (3rd) Austria Sturm Graz (UCL Q2)
Netherlands Feyenoord (CW)
Second qualifying round
Champions Path Main Path
Cyprus APOEL (UCL Q1) Luxembourg F91 Dudelange (UCL Q1) Spain Sevilla (7th)
4th
)
Olimpija Ljubljana (UCL Q1
)
Northern Ireland Crusaders (UCL Q1) Germany RB Leipzig (6th)
5th
)
Valur (UCL Q1
)
Malta Valletta (UCL Q1) England Burnley (7th) Austria LASK (4th)
Bosnia and Herzegovina Zrinjski Mostar (UCL Q1) Wales The New Saints (UCL Q1)
Atalanta (7th
)
Austria Admira Wacker Mödling (5th)
Georgia (country) Torpedo Kutaisi (UCL Q1) Faroe Islands Víkingur Gøta (UCL Q1) France Bordeaux (6th) Croatia Hajduk Split (3rd)
Latvia Spartaks Jūrmala (UCL Q1) Kosovo Drita (UCL Q1) Russia Ufa (6th)[Note RUS] Romania FCSB (2nd)
Estonia Flora Tallinn (UCL Q1) Gibraltar Lincoln Red Imps (UCL PR F) Portugal Rio Ave (5th)[Note POR] Belarus Dynamo Brest (CW)
Montenegro Sutjeska Nikšić (UCL Q1) Andorra FC Santa Coloma (UCL PR SF) Ukraine Mariupol (5th) Poland Jagiellonia Białystok (2nd)
Armenia Alashkert (UCL Q1)
La Fiorita (UCL PR SF
)
Belgium Genk (PW) Sweden Djurgårdens IF (CW)
Turkey Beşiktaş (4th) Israel Hapoel Haifa (CW)
Czech Republic Sparta Prague (5th) Scotland Aberdeen (2nd)
Switzerland St. Gallen (5th) Cyprus AEK Larnaca (CW)
Netherlands AZ (3rd) Norway Lillestrøm (CW)
Netherlands Vitesse (PW)
First qualifying round
Croatia Osijek (4th) Bulgaria CSKA Sofia (2nd) Iceland Stjarnan (2nd)
Shkupi (4th
)
Romania Viitorul Constanța (4th) Bulgaria Levski Sofia (PW) Iceland FH (3rd) Estonia FCI Levadia (CW)
Denmark Nordsjælland (3rd) Serbia Partizan (CW) Finland KuPS (2nd) Estonia Nõmme Kalju (3rd)
Denmark Copenhagen (PW) Serbia Radnički Niš (3rd)
Ilves (3rd
)
Estonia Narva Trans (5th)[Note EST]
Belarus Dinamo Minsk (2nd) Serbia Spartak Subotica (4th) Finland Lahti (4th) Montenegro Titograd (CW)
Belarus Shakhtyor Soligorsk (3rd) Kazakhstan Kairat (CW)
3rd
)
Montenegro Budućnost Podgorica (2nd)
Poland Lech Poznań (3rd) Kazakhstan Irtysh Pavlodar (4th)
4th
)
Montenegro Rudar Pljevlja (5th)[Note MNE]
Poland Górnik Zabrze (4th) Kazakhstan Tobol (5th)[Note KAZ] Armenia Gandzasar Kapan (CW)
Sweden AIK (2nd) Slovenia Maribor (2nd) Republic of Ireland Dundalk (2nd)
Banants (2nd
)
Sweden BK Häcken (4th) Slovenia Domžale (3rd) Republic of Ireland Shamrock Rovers (3rd) Armenia Pyunik (5th)[Note ARM]
Israel Maccabi Tel Aviv (2nd) Slovenia Rudar Velenje (4th) Republic of Ireland Derry City (4th)[Note IRL] Luxembourg Racing FC (CW)
Israel Beitar Jerusalem (3rd) Slovakia Slovan Bratislava (CW) Bosnia and Herzegovina Željezničar (CW) Luxembourg Progrès Niederkorn (2nd)
Scotland Rangers (3rd) Slovakia DAC Dunajská Streda (3rd) Bosnia and Herzegovina Sarajevo (3rd) Luxembourg Fola Esch (3rd)
Scotland Hibernian (4th) Slovakia Trenčín (PW) Bosnia and Herzegovina Široki Brijeg (4th) Northern Ireland Coleraine (CW)
Apollon Limassol (2nd
)
Liechtenstein Vaduz (CW) Georgia (country) Chikhura Sachkhere (CW) Northern Ireland Glenavon (3rd)
Cyprus Anorthosis Famagusta (3rd) Hungary Újpest (CW) Georgia (country) Dinamo Tbilisi (2nd) Northern Ireland Cliftonville (PW)
Norway Molde (2nd) Hungary Ferencváros (2nd) Georgia (country) Samtredia (3rd) Lithuania Stumbras (CW)
Norway Sarpsborg 08 (3rd) Hungary Honvéd (4th) Latvia Liepāja (CW) Lithuania Žalgiris (2nd)
Keşla (CW
)
Moldova Milsami Orhei (CW) Latvia Riga (3rd) Malta Balzan (2nd)
Gabala (2nd
)
Moldova Petrocub Hîncești (3rd) Latvia Ventspils (4th) Wales Connah's Quay Nomads (CW)
Azerbaijan Neftçi Baku (3rd)
Zaria Bălți (5th)[Note MDA]
North Macedonia Vardar (2nd) Faroe Islands NSÍ Runavík (CW)
Bulgaria Slavia Sofia (CW) Iceland ÍBV (CW) North Macedonia Rabotnički (3rd)
Preliminary round
Trakai (3rd
)
Wales Cefn Druids (PW) Gibraltar St Joseph's (3rd)
Tre Fiori (3rd
)
Malta Gżira United (3rd)
KÍ Klaksvík (2nd
)
Andorra Engordany (2nd) Kosovo Prishtina (CW)
Malta Birkirkara (4th) Faroe Islands B36 Tórshavn (3rd) Andorra Sant Julià (3rd)
Wales Bala Town (4th)[Note WAL] Gibraltar Europa (CW)
Folgore (2nd
)

Notably one team that was not playing a national top division took part in the competition; Vaduz (representing Liechtenstein) played in 2017–18 Swiss Challenge League, which is Switzerland's second tier.

Notes
  1. 2017–18 Albanian Superliga, the runners-up of the league, Kukësi, entered the 2018–19 UEFA Champions League instead of the 2018–19 UEFA Europa League. As a result, their Europa League first qualifying round berth was given to the fifth-placed team of the league, Partizani
    .
  • ^
    Armenia (ARM): Shirak would have qualified for the Europa League first qualifying round as the fourth-placed team of the 2017–18 Armenian Premier League, but were penalized by the Football Federation of Armenia for match fixing,[16] and subsequently informed UEFA their withdrawal from competing in the Europa League.[17] As a result, the berth was given to the fifth-placed team of the league, Pyunik.[citation needed]
  • Levadia Tallinn after the season.[18] As a result, the berth was given to the fifth-placed team of the league, Narva Trans
    .
  • Milan qualified for the Europa League group stage as the sixth-placed team of the 2017–18 Serie A, but were originally banned by UEFA from European competition due to violations of Financial Fair Play regulations.[19] They appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, and the ban was overturned on 20 July 2018.[20][21]
  • ^
    Kazakhstan (KAZ): Ordabasy would have qualified for the Europa League first qualifying round as the third-placed team of the 2017 Kazakhstan Premier League, but failed to obtain a UEFA licence.[22] As a result, the berth was given to the fifth-placed team of the league, Tobol.
  • Zaria Bălți
    .
  • ^
    Montenegro (MNE): Grbalj would have qualified for the Europa League first qualifying round as the fourth-placed team of the 2017–18 Montenegrin First League, but failed to obtain a UEFA licence.[24] As a result, the berth was given to the fifth-placed team of the league, Rudar Pljevlja.
  • ^
    Portugal (POR): Desportivo das Aves would have qualified for the Europa League group stage as the winners of the 2017–18 Taça de Portugal, but failed to obtain a UEFA licence.[25] As a result, the third-placed team of the 2017–18 Primeira Liga, Sporting CP, entered the group stage instead of the third qualifying round, the fourth-placed team of the league, Braga, entered the third qualifying round instead of the second qualifying round, and the second qualifying round berth was given to the fifth-placed team of the league, Rio Ave.
  • ^
    Republic of Ireland (IRL): Derry City are a club based in Northern Ireland, but participate in the Europa League through one of the berths for the Republic of Ireland (any coefficient points they earn count toward Republic of Ireland and not Northern Ireland).
  • ^
    Russia (RUS): Tosno would have qualified for the Europa League group stage as the winners of the 2017–18 Russian Cup, but failed to obtain a UEFA licence.[26] As a result, the fourth-placed team of the 2017–18 Russian Premier League, Krasnodar, entered the group stage instead of the third qualifying round, the fifth-placed team of the league, Zenit Saint Petersburg, entered the third qualifying round instead of the second qualifying round, and the second qualifying round berth was given to the sixth-placed team of the league, Ufa.
  • ^
    Wales (WAL): Bangor City would have qualified for the Europa League preliminary round as the runners-up of the 2017–18 Welsh Premier League, but failed to obtain a UEFA licence.[27] As a result, and because the third-placed team Connah's Quay Nomads were Welsh Cup winners, the berth was given to the fourth-placed team of the league, Bala Town.
  • ^
    Champions League (UCL Q1): Cork City were drawn from the first qualifying round losers to receive a bye to the third qualifying round, as one fewer loser from the Champions League first qualifying round were transferred to the Europa League second qualifying round (Champions Path), due to a Champions League group stage berth vacated by the Champions League title holders.[28]