Europa League Round of 16 draw:

Everton v Dynamo Kiev
Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk v Ajax
Zenit v Torino
Wolfsburg v Inter Milan
Villarreal v Sevilla
Napoli v Dynamo Moscow
Brugge v Besiktas
Fiorentina v Roma

Ties to be played March 12 and March 19.

Annoying draw,3 Russian clubs none of them facing each others and the best teams imo facing each others way early:

Roma - Fiorentina and Sevilla - Villareal.

Dynamo is very poor, watched them vs Guingamp, here is my predictions :

Everton-Ajax-Torino (tough one Zenith looks good)-Wolfsburg-Villareal (tough one)-Dynamo-Besiktas-Roma.

Villareal-Sevilla will be a cracker for sure.

Ended 1-3 Sevilla scoring after 10 seconds, Vietto hitting the bar, and Villareal dominating, then 25th Mbia header, Vietto reducing the score 1-2 at 50th then 1 minute late Sevilla kills the game...
Very crual game for Villareal, Sevilla are almost qualified with loads of experience, they seem very mature and experienced...
Anyway goodluck to the winner of the 2...

"Best league in the world".

Here's some stats that prove otherwise (Chelsea twice and United once). Give me some better stats and I'll accept them. :D

Not a scoop anymore Dynast, i like the word '' at the moment '' because Football is in constant changes, people who used to insult others who said what you're saying could not do it past 2 years and they choose to run rather than facing it... ( lodatz you can come back anyday, wont banter you i promise if you let me alone of course :) )

Anyway, people can have different opinions than this, i will actually avoid any league level comparison for me its clear as water...
We got insulted at times for saying so, lets not do the same and make it, healthy for all fans...

The number of arguments i found was incredible,

• Direct confrontations amazing records.
• Nations with most different teams to reach CL quarters past 10 years ( Valencia, Deportivo, Bilbao, Sevilla, Malaga, Villareal, Atletico, Barça, Madrid ) : 9
• Number of Europeen trophies, Semi-finals, Quarters
• Top 3 reaching quarters 2 years in a row ( going further unlike they meet another Spanish side )
• EL records, Atletico and Sevilla dominating each single year, Bilbao reaching final 3 times, top 5-8th Spanish teams dominating big four teams many times, Atletico 4-1 Vs Chelsea before Simeone period...
• Spanish playing in any league, toping charts in formation............

I could make a book of all i brought as results and facts...

You cant try to convince someone who refuses to be convinced... ( but i 100% agree with you )

Back to EL, things would get exciting next round with a good level teams in quarters...

You can do it Everton!!

Also, I dont want to start yet another meaningless discussion but since you guys mentioned it...

the best league is a very relative concept to put into words in here but here is why I (notice the personal opinion approaching) think the EPL is still the "best" league in the world.

For me the best league has to be the one that has the overall perfect balance between competitively and quality which are the factors to sum up in the equation that results in entertainment. Entertainment is the base, the key and the pillars to any sport including the best (no quotations) sport in the world, football. EPL may not be the most even league team by team and it may not have the best teams in terms of quality but the combination of those two factors make for me the most entertaining league, therefore... the BBBest!

Im willing to discuss respectfully as long as we dont go into the usual nonsense. In the end it is a matter of taste which cant be imposed on people.

@Tuanis

I don't know where you got that definition of best, but best traditionally means the most capable and the best performing. Isn't that the argument EPL fans used for years when the EPL was dominating Europe form 2005-11? That's exactly the argument EPL fans were using. And now that La Liga has risen above EPL, all of a sudden, the definition of best changes and alters to suit EPL supporters. Just amazing.

La Liga overtook the BPL, I think there's no point in discussing it anymore, really.

Best on an objective level is clear but ofc Tuanis on a subjective level there can be a discussion on what league is the best, people like different football and different things in a league

No , definition has not been changed . IT was always the same . To me , Last time La Liga was entertaining and best was all the way back 2003-04 and since then it has been fading away and still has not been back and IMO won't be back for long time . La Liga has two teams on financial and commercial steroids buying the best that World has to offer who are even in Europe have become in the league of their own alongside Bayern , and then there is Atletico seemed like breaking a dominance just giving a short glimpse of hope that they will end two horse race . Now, we are watching Atletico slowly fading away .

I said 2 years ago Dortmund will not establish itself among the best , you called it BS . Saying that football always wins . Well now I say Atletico will go back to old self , and I confident it will happen because it is already happening .

Meanwhile EPL is having a little set back you can all enjoy little banter and trolling , hailing your league as best based on the single fact of progression in CL.

Tonight's Beşiktaş-Club Brugge game will be played in front of a record crowd in Europa League. The previous record was held in Manchester United-Ajax game in 2011-2012.

@Marcus

"To me , Last time La Liga was entertaining ... was all the way back 2003-04"

Hey, no one cares if you don't find La Liga entertaining. That's not what we're arguing here. Entertainment is very subjective. You could find the Portuguese league the most entertaining for all I care, and I couldn't say a damn thing about it.

"Meanwhile EPL is having a little set back"

A little set-back? I think 4 years is more than a "little set back". 4 years is dominance, and La Liga has been dominating since. Out of all the heavily invested sides in the EPL (Man City are the 2nd highest in the last 10 years other than Madrid, Chelsea themselves, United, Arsenal, Liverpool, Tottenham), only three individual times have these teams went on to the quarterfinal round in the last 4 years. That's appalling. Italy has had the same number of representatives in the quarterfinals during that time. Spain have had almost four times as many representatives during that time.

Take that in for a moment. Spain. Have. Had. Almost. FOUR. Times. As. Many. Representatives. Than. England.

Far from "a little set back".

"La Liga has two teams on financial and commercial steroids buying the best that World has to offer"

Yes, and the EPL as a whole doesn't? This argument is rendered useless by the fact that City and Chelsea are owned by billionaires, United are capable of spending buckeloads of money, Arsenal have begun to spend heavily, and Liverpool/Tottenham spend quite an amount too. How many seasons have City, Chelsea, and United spent trying to acquire the best in the world? di Maria, Mata, van Persie, Aguero, Silva, Hazard, Willian, Soldado, Lamela, Suarez, Carroll, Torres, Costa, Ozil, etc. Massive amounts of money was spent into these players, who are among the best in the world in their positions (or were believed to be worth the price). How on earth can you possibly make the excuse that Madrid/Barca are on financial steroids when the EPL is the most financially stable and apt league in the world and has its two best teams owned by billionaires?

" you can all enjoy little banter and trolling , hailing your league as best based on the single fact of progression in CL."

Again, the CL is a competition where teams from every league participate. It is meant for the sole purpose of pitting the best teams from around the world against each other. If England fails to have enough representatives in the next round for a number of years, it just shows that English teams are not capable of beating the other teams in the CL. This is the exact same argument that can be used to support England's dominance from 2005-11. Arsenal, Liverpool, Chelsea, and United have all appeared in the final, and English teams were making fools out of the other teams. But not anymore. Arsenal and Chelsea have both failed to beat their French counterparts at home. Manchester City has failed to do the same with Barcelona. Liverpool knocked out of the CL in shambles after being in a fairly easy group. Learn to accept that the times have changed.

But for all we know, England can rise as early as next season. But 2011-15 has been all La Liga.

^ You have points @Dynastian.

Anyway, CL isnt entertaining too, no PL teams at final stages, and only big quality teams qualifying for last round....
Why watching, Vietto, Cherychev, Alcacer, Vittolo, Carlos Bacca, Alberto Bueno, Rodriguo, Feghouli, Munain, Aduriz, BBC, MSN, Modric, Iniesta, Griezmaann, Thiago, Godin, Turan, Koke, Orieul Romeu.....
Why watching them while they perform at high level week in week out, i'd rather watch bad players inconsistent teams that sometime play good and the rest plays awful, thats more entertaining....

How Boring Barça and Real are, always do the right driblles, never loose the ball, thats really boring, few teams are able to do this so why should we really care ?

Shity league, their best teams always make it to quarters in CL no matter the draw, so its la liga teams mistake to let them go to CL and show their strenght, why watching a league with so much matured and experienced teams, when you can watch exciting Stoke, Swansea with Gomis and Bojan ( XD ) when you dont know if he will hit the post or take the ball into space, thats the real excitement for me, waiting for Gomis to make a dribble, he only make 3 per year so the more its rare the more priceless it is...

Before the game, outside of the Atatürk Olympic stadium.

@dynastian You are very desperate man . Just can't settle for the fact that EPL is best . Ignoring all the other major factors that we constantly put it out here but making CL as major factor in your argument ? Way to go .

EPL is in transition and 4 years is little set back compare to 32 years of La Liga setback prior to 1992 Barcelona reseting clock . So to be exact , it is not 4 years of set back , but two years to be exact . 2011 finalist was UNited and Chelsea was winner of 2012 .

If you give so much priority to CL ignoring everything else , do you believe that Manchester United was second best in the world in 2011 and Chelsea was best in 2012 ?

Having stats about representative suddenly gave such motivation to bring this topic back . Probably thought finally something that i can back my crap with !

"City and Chelsea areowned by billionaires, United are capable of spending buckeloads of money,"

Yes , but yet City gets fined for breaking FFP and could not compete with Barcelona in luring Suarez . Chelsea complying with FFP and again could not even compete with Barcelona for Neymar . Neymar who was done deal for Chelsea only needed to sign contract but Barcelona managed to persuade .

United is buying Real Madrids outcasts . And Arsenal is buying Arsenals and Real outcasts . Again asking did you say Buying Best in the world ? Idk mate , I am pretty sure Barcelona and Real bought them all . They never miss such opportunity . Just shows financial monopoly , corruption and government backed Empire that was build by Barcelona And Real that they are in the league of their own when it comes to competing for players in transfer market !!

If Real wants Hazard tomorrow , they will have it . Money is not an issue . If United wants ( Only club in EPL who can afford and break the FFP rules ) to buy Ronaldo , they will have to wait few more years until he ages or not needed to Madrid .

"di Maria, Mata, van Persie, Aguero, Silva, Hazard, Willian, Soldado, Lamela, Suarez, Carroll, Torres, Costa, Ozil,"

See Dynastian , this is why I lost all my respect to you as being balanced and objective . You are sneaky ready to write anything to back your claims ! You are mixing players that were made who they are today , in EPL with other crap that EPL signed . Like Calling a player like Soldado, Mata, Carrol and Torres and etc. best in the world . LMAO Are you serious ?

EPL scouts for young talent and world class players which are not interesting to Bayern or Real or Barca . Real and Barcelona buys best product and phenomenal talent .

Learn to accept, it is small set back and it is not such huge catastrophe . We are not worried but you all desperately trying to convince us that we should worry and accept La Liga is better ? It is a big deal to you because EPL always had three or four in later stages of CL . Little set back .

There is no shame for City loosing against Barcelona . Chelsea not progressing against PSG who has spent quiet a bit to be regarded as one of the elite clubs . Quality wise of the team they are good , they are the ones who beat Barcelona , so that says enough about their level .

Only club that disappointed was Arsenal , because they had easiest fixture and still managed to fuk it . NOT BECAUSE MONACO WAS BETTER , but because Arsenal was sh8t.

And in previous CL stages , at least two EPL clubs always faced either Barcelona , Bayern and Real . None wrong with loosing the steroid clubs . Last year Chelsea lost La Liga champion and CL finalist ( IMo should have won CL too ) . What does this prove ? Nothing . Don't ignore many other major factors , and stop cherry picking . I know you love doing that .

Penalty goal for Fiorentina !

Barça sold Alexis to Arsenal, Cesc to Chelsea to get Suarez almost for 5M net spent, Barça net spent 60M in the last transfer window.

Madrid sold Ozil for 60M + Di Maria for 85M to get Bale and James for 170m, both respets FFP buthurts will hate them... :)

Marcus i feel your pain, no need to admit anything just move on. You will never admit it do you ? so Move on.

Liga is the weakest league ever so move on...

Fiorentina with the second. Awful mistake by Skorupski. Roma need 3 goals now !!!

Fiorentina 0-3 . DAMNN