The final four teams have officially entered the UEFA Europa League with a handful of surprise contenders in contention, while a new favorite of the oddsmakers takes center stage.
Bayer Leverkusen's unbeaten season continued on Thursday with a 3-1 aggregate win over West Ham to become the leading candidate to win this season's competition. Roma, meanwhile, beat AC Milan by the same aggregate score and Italian side Atalanta completed their disappointment over Liverpool. Marseille joined the group last after ousting Benfica on penalties.
This is a group of semi-finalists that may have been difficult to predict earlier this season, but each has made a strong case for a place in the last four and has their own intriguing storylines as they make a deep run in the Europa League. It makes for some fascinating potential finales, some more striking than others.
Here is a ranking of the possible Europa League finals as all four teams eye a ticket to Dublin.
4. Atalanta vs Roma
This may be the matchup with the least star power attached, but it has its argument as an all-Italian final. The pair drew 1-1 in their first meeting in Serie A this season and would play against each other for the second time in the competition just ten days before the Europa League final, which would be the first time that Roma has faced them since Daniele De Rossi left. The legendary player, who remains as coach, Roma have reinvigorated since his arrival, making them a fascinating team to follow as the competition draws to a close. As for Atalanta, its steady rise in recent years has been fun to watch and a trip to the final offers the benefit of a new team finding a place among Europe's elite.
3. Marseille vs Roma
This would be a nice showcase between two legendary teams who may have had insignificant domestic campaigns but turned things on in European action. Both sides also have a number of stars who have not been among the continent's elite for some time, but who are not lacking in quality. Look no further than Marseille's Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Roma's Romelu Lukaku, who topped the tournament scoring charts with ten and seven goals respectively.
2. Marseille vs Bayer Leverkusen
Leverkusen are the darlings across Europe this season, so a final with them in the mix is the best-case scenario regardless of the opponent. The club doesn't have a great history of winning titles, but is in the middle of a season to remember and could still win the treble And finishing the season undefeated. With the Bundesliga already behind them, the big question they face at this point is whether they can go all the way. Many will suspect so, but an appearance in the final will keep the feel-good story going.
1. Atalanta vs Bayer Leverkusen
This would be a final between two teams at different stages of their upward trajectory, but undoubtedly climbing the ladder in the highly competitive landscape of European football. It would be hard to believe that either of these sides would be in a major European final a few years ago, but after strong seasons it would no longer be a big surprise. It wouldn't exactly be a fluke for them to be here either; both teams have the potential to deliver consistent performances in the coming years, even if a run to the Europa League final is again unlikely. This match would be a celebration of the fact that other teams can actually break into the top flight of the sport, which is a great advertisement for the Europa League.
