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The 2023/2024 season like the preceding ones has commanded peculiar interest in UEFA’S second tier competition.
In this tournament, the Europa League was graced by many top teams in a bid to attain the most prized trophy. English heavyweights in Liverpool FC, German Bundesliga champions Bayer 04 Leverkusen, 2022/2023 UEFA conference league winners amongst others started out from the tournament’s first phase. The likes of AC Milan and SL Benfica also joined after crashing out of the UEFA champions league.
In synchrony with the quality of play and team performances over the group and knockout phases, here are the contingent of players that have truly lit up the 2023/2024 UEL campaign.
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Mile Svilar (As Roma)
The Serbian shot-stopper arrived in Rome from Benfica in the summer of 2022. His role across his first season was much restricted to being an understudy to Portuguese goalie Rui Patricio and more as the reserved cup choice. In this fold as he however put a stake for a starting shirt. His remarkable UEL campaign saw him keep shut-outs in five of the fourteen games he played. Adding a hefty 54 saves in under 1290 minutes.
Arguably one of the tournament’s best performances was his dazzling shift in the return leg vs Bayer 04 Leverkusen. With Daniele De Rossi’s side going 2-nil up in the game and a bid to end the German outfit’s unbeaten run, Svilar’s man-of-the-match display saw 12 saves in a game that eventually ended in a 2-2 draw.
Gianluca Mancini (As Roma)
Another player from Rome to make the list. Mancini initially joined Roma on loan for the 2019/2020 season before making the transfer permanent. Recall, Gianluca Mancini assisted Nicolo Zaniolo’s goal when Roma defeated Feyenoord Rotterdam to win the inaugural conference league. This campaign, Mancini has kept up the inspiring defensive performances with attacking runs on the other end of the pitch. Against local rivals AC Milan in the quarter-final stage, Mancini found the back of the net across both legs to help set-up a last four berth for his team.
The only blemish on his fine campaign was the stoppage time own goal against Bayer 04 Leverkusen.
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Berat Djimsiti (Atalanta BC)
Djimsiti, 31, has made himself an established name in Gian Piero Gasperini’s favoured back three system. The Albanian international putting assured performances in all eleven of his appearances. His commanding presence in the first leg triumph against Liverpool FC at Anfield and the return leg at the Gewiss stadium making a game high 8 recoveries. He’s followed up with 43 clearances, 22 interceptions and 18 headed clearances as well.
Josip Stanisic (Bayer 04 Leverkusen)
Stanisic, 24, joined Leverkusen on-loan from parent club Bayern Munich on loan in the summer of 2023. The Croatian international found starts tough to come by in the Bundesliga, he’s been more relied upon by gaffer Xabi Alonso in the continental competition. Stanisic boasts a 73% tackle success rate in the competition in addition to a 93% pass success rate.
Settling either for a right center-back role or wingback position in the absence of Jeremie Frimpong, Stanisic has put in quite the shift creating 10 chances from open play, four assists and a very important goal in the return leg vs As Roma to preserve their unbeaten run.
Alejandro Grimaldo (Bayer 04 Leverkusen)
The recently debuted Spain international is one of the many signings that switched to the Bay Arena over the summer. While Grimaldo finished the 2023/2024 season with the most assists in the German Bundesliga, he’s continued that fine form in this cup competition. Marauding the left flank, Grimaldo putting another 2 goals and 4 assists to strengthen his case as one of the foremost offensive fullbacks in world football.
Amine Harit (Olympique de Marseille)
The Moroccan international started all but one of Olympique de Marseille’s games this campaign. The former Schalke 04 player provided the creative force in midfield required to spark a seasoned outing in the continental competition despite their abysmal league campaign which saw four different coaches. Harit created 28 chances in all with 6 of them ending in assists for teammates.
Florian Wirtz (Bayer 04 Leverkusen)
Crowned the Bundesliga player of the season with a balanced 11 goals and 11 assists. Wirtz ‘return from a lengthy spells on the sidelines has been properly managed by Xabi Alonso. The German wonderkid stays the highest ranked player in the competition this campaign. His first seven starts in the tournament followed 4 goals and 4 assits from an xG of 2.63 and xA only behind Liverpool’s Cody Gakpo for xA per 90 with a metric of 0.44. Also leading the pack for the most chances created across the campaign.
Jonathan Clauss (Olympique de Marseille)
Since his arrival from Lens on a free in 2022, Clauss has been a central part of the Marseille first XI. In the second tier UEFA competition this campaign, he’s provided the necessary width of Jean-Louis Gasset’s side on the right flank. No one has bettered his assist tally (6) in the tourney as well as most big chances created with a metric of 10 in 22 chances created. In addition, Clauss has also put up 22 interceptions while adding 2 goals in the period. His inclusion in the French Euros squad should come as no surprise even with the reservations about it costing Malo Gusto a spot.
Ademola Lookman (Atalanta BC)
After a first fine season in Italy, Nigerian forward Lookman has continued on the up in the incumbent season. Returning from the Africa Cup of Nations, he’s settled into the Atalanta team.
He opened the scoring against Sporting CP in their 2-1 knockout victory. Struggling with injuries he played a miserly 11 minutes in the combined ties against Liverpool in the quarter final.
His return to the first XI against Olympique de Marseille in the second leg tie, he found a goal and assist to send them to the final stage.
Lookman’s heroics in final single handedly condemned Bayer Leverkusen’s lengthy unbeaten run across the 2023/2024 campaign.
Gianluca Scamacca (Atalanta BC)
Scamacca, 25 joined West Ham United from Sassuolo back in 2022. With things not working out across that campaign, the striker returned to his native Italy for another shot with Atalanta BC.
The plethora of options in the attacking department spelt he had to fight tooth and nail to earn a starting shirt from Gian Piero Gasperini.
Scamacca’s new found confidence and renewed form was important in Atlanta’s run to the final turning up particularly in the knockout phases.
His well taken brace against Liverpool seemingly condemned the club to a damning faith right in front of their own fans at Anfield.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Olympique de Marseille).
Unarguably, Aubameyang’s reinvigorated performances has been the catalyst for Marseille’s strong end to the finish. With the club struggling all season and sifting through managers, the only constant remained the Gabonese striker’s form.
The former Arsenal striker ended the campaign as top scorer with 10 goals across 11 starts.
Also eclipsing Colombian forward Radamel Falcao to become the competition’s all time top scorer overtime with Marseille, Borussia Dortmund, Arsenal and Barcelona.
Substitutes: Matej Kovar (Bayer 04 Leverkusen), Igoh Ogbu (Slavia Prague), Jarell Quansah (Liverpool), Mohamed Kudus (West Ham United), Matteo Ruggeri (Atalanta BC), Viktor Gyokeres (Sporting CP), Darwin Nunez (Liverpool).
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