Granada, great revelation of the UEFA Europa League 2020/21 in its debut in continental competition, has a challenge of maximum demand in the quarterfinals, to be paired with the almighty Manchester United, according to the draw held this Friday at UEFA headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland.
The last draw under the current format in this competition, which featured Frenchman Gael Clichy as an ‘innocent hand’, was tremendously demanding with the set of Diego Martinez and rather more benevolent, on paper, for the other Spanish survivor, Villarreal, will face Dinamo Zagreb, who however got rid of Tottenham by going back to the 2-0 draw in the first leg.
The Nasrid team has a test of the highest level in the team of the Norwegian Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, who goes further and with a goal from Paul Pogba eliminated Milan at the San Siro.
In the last sixteen he ended the dream of Real Sociedad with solvency after winning the first leg in Turin by 0-4.
Every step this Granada is taking is historic. He entered competition in the second round prior to Albania and raises the bar each game. He announces to compete without complexes no matter what the rival, even if it is United.
Villarreal, full of European competition – six consecutive victories – will be seen with the team that fired Tottenham from Jose Mourinho, Gareth Bale, Harry Kane and compeía, although it is the Yellow Submarine of Unai Emery , three-time champion of this tournament with Sevilla, part with the favorite poster.
Mislav Orsic’s hat-trick settled the Spurs after extra time and the moral impact can strengthen him against Villarreal, who can not be trusted despite the good performance of Emery’s men in the group stage and against Salzburg and Dynamo Kiev. They will also have the La Ceràmica factor around them.
According to the draw, if the two Spanish teams progressed they could meet in the final on May 26 at the Gdansk Arena. The two teams with the most potential a priori, United and Arsenal, could also do so.
Mikel Arteta’s Gunners, in the quarterfinals despite losing the return leg against Olympiacos at home (0-1), will also defend their status as favorites against Slavia Prague, another of the revelations, which left in the account to the Rangers at Ibrox, where they won 0-2 in a rough and controversial match.
The other round will face Ajax and Roma, who have high hopes of being protagonists in this Europa League.
– Quarter finals (April 8 and 15):
1 Granada (ESP) – Manchester United (ING)
2 Arsenal (ING) – Slavia Prague (CZE)
3 Ajax (NED) – Rome (ITA)
4 Dinamo Zagreb (CRO) – Villarreal (ESP)
– Semifinals (April 29 and May 6)
1 Winner Granada-Manchester Utd / Winner Ajax-Roma
2 Winner Dinamo Zagreb-Vila-real / Winner Arsenal-Slavia Prague
– Final (May 26, Gdansk Arena):
Semifinal winner 2 – Semifinal winner 1