La Liga teams hoping to continue their reign in the Europa League

The top teams in Europe resume their journey to the final of the Europa League this week, as the competition starts up again with the round of 32. Three Liga BBVA sides, among them the reigning champions, will be looking to win a fourth title for Spanish teams in the last seven years.

Sevilla FC will be looking to make their way to Warsaw so they can defend their title, while Athletic Club and Villarreal CF will be hoping to lift a first European title, something the Basques came very close to doing three seasons ago. Meanwhile, the team from Castellón, who nine years ago almost made it to the UEFA Champions League final, want to bring those great European nights back to El Madrigal.

‘Los hispalenses’, who not long ago won the trophy in Turin after beating SL Benfica on penalties, have won the trophy three times, more than any other Spanish team, but followed closely by Atlético Madrid, who have two. The first obstacle for Unai Emery’s side is VfL Borussia Mönchengladbach, who Villarreal faced in the group stages and who finished top of Group A. Sevilla will need their players Carlos Bacca, Éver Banega, Kevin Gameiro and Nico Pareja to be on form if they are to continue their European adventure.

Athletic came very close to conquering the European title a few years ago. They lost the 2012 final to an excellent Atlético Madrid, but the Bilbao side want to learn from their errors and make a new statement of intent. Their opponents areTorino FC, who they will be meeting for the first time in European competition. The Basque club face a very big challenge, as the Turin side have won their last four home matches against Spanish opposition. The first leg will determine the tie for Ernesto Valverde’s side.

Villarreal meanwhile have come within touching distance of European finals in recent years, reaching the semi-finals of the Europa League/UEFA Cup on two occasions. The Yellow submarine will begin on their path to glory at their El Madrigal home, against FC Salzburg, who boast Spaniard Jonathan Soriano in attack. In their only previous meeting, the Austrians won 2-0 at home and 1-0 away in the group stages of the 2009/10 UEFA Cup. But in the Spanish team’s favour is the  fact that they have not tasted defeat in any of their four home games in European competition this season.

Spanish football is well represented in the Europa League and in the last few years has been doing a lot of the talking in the tournament. Spanish teams have lifted the trophy three times since it changed its name in 2009/10, with Atlético and Sevilla triumphant. And in four of the last six editions of the tournament, Spain has had at least one team team reach the semi-finals, such as last season when Sevilla and Valencia (who lost at the same stage to Atlético in 2011-12) played for a place in the final. Let the games begin!