Technical report 2017/18 Contents Overview Introduction Road to Lyon The final The winning Results coach Analysis Talking points Route to goal Goals of the season Squad of the season Statistics Number Team crunching profiles INTRODUCTION Group A Group B Villarreal CF FC Astana SK Slavia Praha Maccabi FC Dynamo Kyiv FK Partizan BSC Young Boys KF Skënderbeu (VIL) (AST) (SLP) Tel-Aviv FC (DKV) (PAR) (YB) (SKE) (MTA) Group C Group D SC Braga PFC Ludogorets İstanbul TSG 1899 AC Milan AEK Athens FC HNK Rijeka FK Austria Wien (BRA) 1945 Başakşehir Hoffenheim (MIL) (AEK) (RJK) (AW) (LUD) (IBS) (HOF) Group E Group F Atalanta BC Olympique Everton FC Apollon FC Lokomotiv FC København FC Sheriff FC Zlín UEFA’s Technical Observers (from left to right): Milenko (ATA) Lyonnais (EVE) Limassol FC Moskva (KOB) (SHE) (ZLI) Ačimovič, Jerzy Engel, Mixu Paatelainen, Thomas Schaaf, (LYO ) (APL) (LOM) Ghenadie Scurtul, Stefan Majewski, Frank Ludolph Group G Group H FC Viktoria Plzeň FCSB FC Lugano Hapoel Beer- Arsenal FC FK Crvena zvezda 1. FC Köln FC BATE Borisov Analysis, reflection (PLZ) (FCSB) (LUG) Sheva FC (ARS) (ZVE) (KLN) (BATE) (HBS) and debate Group I Group J UEFA’s Technical Observers Group met after the final in Lyon to discuss the season’s key trends. FC Salzburg Olympique de Konyaspor Vitória SC Athletic Club Östersunds FK FC Zorya Luhansk Hertha BSC (SAL) Marseille (KON) (VSC) (ATH) (OST) (ZOR) Berlin Their thoughts form the basis of this report (MAR) (HRT) Group K Group L This review of the 2017/18 UEFA Europa the morning after the final between Olympique Mixu Paatelainen, the national coach of League campaign serves as a record of a de Marseille and Club Atlético de Madrid. Latvia who has played and coached in five season that spanned 205 matches, from the Thomas Schaaf, the coach who different countries around Europe, provided opening of the group stage in September to guided Werder Bremen to the final of this some illuminating observations, and there the final at the Stade de Lyon on 16 May. competition in 2009, chaired this review were equally valuable contributions from SS Lazio OGC Nice SV Zulte Vitesse FC Zenit Real Sociedad Rosenborg BK FK Vardar It is a report offering factual and statistical panel alongside Frank Ludolph, UEFA’s Ghenadie Scurtul, technical director of the (LAZ) (NCE) Waregem (VIT) (ZEN) de Fútbol (ROS) (VRD) information about the ninth season of the Head of Football Education Services, Moldovan Football Federation (FMF), and (ZUL) (RS) UEFA Europa League in its present format, and they heard some fascinating insights the former Slovenia and Crvena zvezda with the aim of providing a deeper analysis about the tactical approaches and trends midfielder Milenko Ačimovič. of the action on the field of play through witnessed from the experienced coaching The end product is a report that intends Clubs joined from the UEFA Champions League the interpretations of UEFA’s Technical figures in attendance. to provide coaches across the continent Observers Group. Jerzy Engel, the former Poland national with food for thought. It will be made This small group of coaches delivered their team coach, drew on his vast experience, available to members of the coaching family input on every match from the round of 16 together with his compatriot Stefan throughout Europe and, hopefully, will help onwards and their reports and reflections Majewski, formerly a Poland international development coaches stay aware of the Club Atlético Borussia Celtic FC PFC CSKA SSC Napoli RB Leipzig FC Spartak Sporting Clube provided the substance for the discussion that defender and now sport director of the prevailing styles and strategies at the top de Madrid Dortmund (CEL) Moskva (NAP) (RBL) Moskva de Portugal took place when they met together in Lyon on Polish Football Association (PZPN). end of the club game. (ATL) (DOR) (CSKA) (SPM) (SCP) 4 UEFA EUROPA LEAGUE TECHNICAL REPORT 2017/18 5 SEASON OVERVIEW Countries were represented in Road the group stage Real Sociedad’s to Lyon win at Vardar was the biggest away victory in the UEFA Europa League era Zenit midfielder Matías Kranevitter (left) was at the heart of his team’s 3-1 victory away to Real Sociedad; Atalanta marked their return to European football after 16 years From qualifying to the final, 190 clubs took with a 5-1 win at Everton (below) part in the 2017/18 UEFA Europa League, with two familiar names going the distance Group stage Eventual semi-finalists Arsenal were his players and their local community in competing for the first time in the UEFA Sweden’s sub-arctic central region – bonds Europa League yet the sight of 20,000 Köln that served them well on a run that began fans descending on north London for their with the scalp of Galataşaray in the second first Group H fixture spelled out clearly what qualifying round. Marseille’s campaign the competition means to so many clubs. kicked off one round later with a 4-2 home Arsenal might have sewed up qualification success against Belgium’s Oostende. By with their matchday four home draw against Christmas they too were in the knockout Crvena zvezda, but the most impressive stage, securing their progress thanks to performers were arguably Zenit, who won a goalless home draw with Salzburg on five of their six matches in Group L, and the matchday six – the only match at the Stade similarly unbeaten Atalanta and Salzburg. Vélodrome that they did not win on the long While the Austrian club won their group road to the final. for the fourth time, Atalanta were playing European football for the first time since 1991 and finished top of their section with the help of a 5-1 victory at Everton. Overall there were nine sides, Atalanta included, making their debuts in the group stage of a major UEFA competition: Hoffenheim, İstanbul Başakşehir, Köln, Lugano, Östersund, Vardar, Vitesse and Zlín were the other eight. Östersund, a Swedish fourth-division outfit seven years earlier, joined Atalanta in progressing by coming second behind Athletic Club in Group J. Via cultural activities, such as performing a ballet, Östersund coach Graham Potter had created a strong connection between Thousands of Köln fans made the trip to London to see their team take on Arsenal 6 UEFA EUROPA LEAGUE TECHNICAL REPORT 2017/18 7 SEASON OVERVIEW Italy’s two other contenders, Lazio and AC respectively – got the better of two former Round of 32 Milan, both progressed, beating FCSB and European champions in Crvena zvezda Ludogorets respectively. There was success and Celtic. One of eight arrivals from the UEFA too for three of the four Russian clubs. Like neighbours Crvena zvezda, who had Champions League, Atlético suffered Aside from Spartak’s aforementioned waited 26 years to play European football an early stumble on their return to the demise, Lokomotiv Moskva beat Nice with into the new year, Partizan lost their way competition after a five-year absence, the help of a 3-2 comeback victory in with defeat by Plzeň. As a reflection of falling behind to Viktor Fischer’s 15th-minute France courtesy of a Manuel Fernandes the historic names participating in the goal at København. Within six minutes, hat-trick – the midfielder’s second treble 2017/18 competition, there were 14 former though, Saúl Ňíguez had drawn them level – of the campaign after he hit three in the European trophy winners involved in the and by the finish Atleti had a 4-1 advantage opening 17 minutes of the group game round of 32, including Dynamo Kyiv, who in a tie they eventually won 5-1. against Zlín. Meanwhile, CSKA and Zenit ousted undefeated AEK on away goals, For the other Spanish contenders there – UEFA Cup winners in 2005 and 2008 and Sporting, who ended Astana’s run. were mixed fortunes. Athletic overcame Spartak Moskva with the help of a 3-1 first- leg success in Russia where an Aritz Aduriz double showed the enduring predatory powers of a striker who had turned 37 four days earlier. Athletic’s Basque rivals Real Sociedad succumbed to Salzburg (3-4 aggregate), and Villarreal’s campaign closed early too, the Group A winners beaten home and away by Olympique Lyonnais. Another of the group winners, Braga, fell at the hands of another French side with sights set on the final – Marseille – as Rudi Garcia’s men seized control of the tie at home where Valère Germain (2) and Florian Thauvin scored in a 3-0 first-leg victory. The third of the group winners to fall, Atalanta, could count themselves highly unfortunate. After succumbing to a 91st- minute goal in a 3-2 first-leg reverse in Dortmund, they were on course to advance on away goals until the Bundesliga club struck late once more through Marcel Schmelzer. Arsenal ended Östersund’s adventure, winning 3-0 in Sweden before Graham Potter’s outsiders gave 5,000 of their fans one last night to remember with a 2-1 Amadou Haidara (above) triumph in London. shows his delight at Salzburg Arguably no club issued a bigger taking the lead away to Real statement of intent than Leipzig. In their Sociedad; Mário Rui of Napoli (right, centre) tries to find a way The number of first season of UEFA competition, they had through his Leipzig opponents competing clubs arrived here after UEFA Champions League who had previously elimination, and responded with a 3-1 win lifted a major at the Stadio San Paolo against Napoli, European trophy Timo Werner scoring twice. Although Napoli fought back strongly to win 2-0 in Germany it was not enough for the eventual Serie A runners-up, who had also parachuted in Östersund keeper from the UEFA Champions League.