No chance, absolutely not. It's top 4 for a reason, not top 4 plus where ever else you finish and get lucky winning the Europa League. Personally, and I'm not just saying this because you Mancs won it, but it doesn't seem right that you can win the Europa League and go straight into the group stages. When we won the Champions League in 2005 we finished 5th and were put into the Champions League at the very start, we had to go from the 1st qualifying round, playing TNS I think it was. That was by winning the main competition across Europe and finishing 5th. Yet you can win what is essentially the Mickey Mouse European competition, finish 6th and go straight into the group stage now and like I say, that just doesn't sit right.
First of all there was no luck involved winning the Europa Cup. We battered Ajax in the final and fully deserved the win. Granted it wasn't a relatively hard fixture list getting to the final. However, like I've said before and will say again! you can only beat what's put in front of you.
For what it's worth I actually agree with you it isn't fair that you can go straight into group stages of CL via winning the Europa Cup. I too prefer the old system. That's not Uniteds fault though. They abide by the rules & regulations like we all do.
The problem prior to getting CL football in Europa Cup is the fact it was definitely treated as a competition that not many of us were to bothered about unless reaching semi final status, only then as a fan we all want to win it. With failing numbers the competition needed a uplift. Being fair it was a clever idea by the powers that be to grant the winners automatic qualification for CL football. Much as I still don't like the Europa Cup and the system used it certainly brought the excitement back knowing if your teams wins you can still get CL football.
When it was called the Eufa Cup we classed it as major trophy which to be fair still is. However, the name change in my opinion did it no favours and fans globally took a disliking for it. Fans who played CL then took the piss (( rightly so )) about playing Europa football on a Thursday nite.
I can tell you (( now from experience)) now the Europa Cup does bring a bit of spice back if you reach the quarterfinals/semi final stages. Didn't think it would but sitting in front of the TV finals nite I had a right buzz. Great nite...... If your a United fan of course.
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