Why the Europa League winners deserve a Champions League Spot

MADRID, SPAIN – MAY 10: Radamel Falcao of Atletico Madrid holds the Europa League trophy while celebrating with fans at Plaza Neptuno a day after Atletico won the Europa League Final on May 10, 2012 in Madrid, Spain. Atletico beat Athletic Bilbao 3-0 in the final in Bucharest. (Photo by Denis Doyle/Getty Images)

The romance of the UEFA Champions League is unrivalled in the world of competitive football. We love the fact that the crème-de-la-crème of the European leagues go head to head in mouth-watering clashes: something we wouldn’t normally be privileged enough to witness.

It’s younger sibling, the relatively recently rehashed Europa League, hasn’t been bestowed with the same love and affection. But no one can be blamed to not be very excited about Fulham taking on Atletico Madrid, because at the end of the day, they are mid-table teams who haven’t made the cut even in terms of fan following abroad, let alone the high standards of football teams display in the Champions League. Agreed, there are some players who are at par with the best in the business and Fulham did gate-crash a fairytale to reach the finals, but does the winner of the Europa deserve a chance to be with the big-wigs the likes of Barcelona and Milan?

There are clear arguments on either side of the table, but employing a simplistic route, the winners do deserve to see themselves pushed to a league of greater stature based simply on their merit. The qualification criteria for the UEFA Champions League is a hard and difficult road to conquer, and that by default promises top drawer football.

Reason #1

Essentially, the best of the rest do deserve a chance to take on the other end of the spectrum. When we discuss the Europa League, we can’t dismiss the super powers that have actually been a part of the tournament, such as Juventus and Real Madrid. Given that the UEFA Champions League relegates the third-placed teams in the Group Stages to the Europa League, that determines a higher level of play. So clearly, the winner of the tournament is worthy of a shot.

Reason #2

The Europa League is seen more as a hurdle ther than a privilege which has not helped managers’ moods. But in spite of the comparatively low winnings, the silverware still has to be fought for. When Manchester City and Manchester United unceremoniously found themselves in the tournament last year, most pundits almost certainly thought Manchester would see the cup come home. Instead, Atletico Madrid took the coveted trophy home for the second time in three years. So do we blame a heavy roster or just low levels of interest or a much better Atletico side. Either way, this was an opportunity for the Europa to capitalize on the combined fan following of these clubs, but they decided to head home even before we could say ‘goal difference’.

Reason #3

The most definitive of them all. The aptly named UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup was taken down to form the UEFA Cup. The UEFA Cup was then combined with the UEFO Intertoto Cup to form the current extended format. This ensures quality football and even though the lower ranked teams are the ones to make the cut, the end result gives us the best of the rest. So logically, the best of the rest needs to be included at least in the Group Stages of the UEFA Champions League. UEFA is not new to changing rules to suit the teams, especially after the unprecedented motion for Liverpool in 2006. This year, Tottenham will face the brunt of that rule and we can be sure they will be more than raring to win the Europa if that would promise them a shot in the UEFA Champions League the following year.