[Albion] All I want in the Europa League knockout round is...

[Herr Tubthumper]

Which way round do we play?

That’s a question I used to ask myself when Dale Stephens was in the team.

 

[Colonel Mustard]

Prague please! Awesome city, decent time of year to visit, winnable tie (all of them are but know what I mean).

Great city but small stadium. 19,000. Will be very hard to get a ticket for most fans.

Been to lots of Italy but never Milan, anyone been there with tips as to what to see?

Tons of culture. Stunning cathedral and art galleries. Da Vinci's Last Supper mural etc. Main station is glorious. But also has plenty of poverty and a few no-go areas. As with all sets of football fans, the Milan teams have a small minority of real horrors but most are friendly. The San Siro is quite something. And big enough for most fans to be confident of getting a ticket. It’s also being bulldozed in the next year or two so would be great to see Brighton there while it still stands.

 

[Doug-ees-evil]

It’s usually from people who are most unlikely to go, having never been anywhere outside of the Costa de Sol on holiday before.

Not sure it's really a fair comparison between holiday/work travel and 4000 football fans on tour. I've been lucky enough to travel to plenty 'on and off' the beaten path places across the world and it's been great reading all the positive views and experiences from people who've been to Baku. I'm now fully sold on it, travelling on this Euro tour with our lot so far has been a joy – and any new experience is a great one. So..yeah my original post I regret... was meant more as an off-the-cuff geographical observation that a scare. Lesson learnt, apologies for the misinterpretation. (We will get Qarabağ now won't we haha).

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Not sure it's really a fair comparison between holiday/work travel and 4000 football fans on tour. I've been lucky enough to travel to plenty 'on and off' the beaten path places across the world and it's been great reading all the positive views and experiences from people who've been to Baku. I'm now fully sold on it, travelling on this Euro tour with our lot so far has been a joy – and any new experience is a great one. So..yeah my original post I regret... was meant more as an off-the-cuff geographical observation that a scare. Lesson learnt, apologies for the misinterpretation. (We will get Qarabağ now won't we haha).

This a very honest post. Fair play.

I found Baku incredibly interesting, a strange mix of cultures (mainly post Soviet Union and Muslim) plus the oil money, friendly people etc. One of my favorite restaurant stories is struggling to order so the waiter took me into the kitchen where I perused the work stations and the fridge and pointed to what we wanted. At the end the owner joined us with free pints of lager which he kept topped up with vodka.

 

[um bongo molongo]

AC Milan is the obvious glamour tie

Toulouse might be a good balance of beatable and good trip?

Toulouse is a great City. Nice cassoulet for Friday lunch to mop up the booze and make a weekend of it…

 

[Bakero]

Toulouse is a great City. Nice cassoulet for Friday lunch to mop up the booze and make a weekend of it…

I was there in the summer. Great city, great wine, great food. I'd say I had the best salad ever there. Duck gizzards, duck ham and foie gras. There may have been lettuce.

 

[Peacehaven Wild Kids]

Although you’re cutting it dangerously fine with Hamburg or Freiburg. You could get an onward flight from BXL to any number of places I suppose . This is all a bit Simon Calder, sorry.

I still think it was harsh that he did a bit of bird for his idle threat towards Bellotti

 

[Peacehaven Wild Kids]

There is nothing in the Europa League rules that says we can’t play Marseille.

It happened in a tie last year.

I can’t remember us playing Marseille last year

 

[Official Old Man]

Quick reminder.
Draw for the knock-out stage is at 12:00 today. Watch here https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuropaleague/draws/2024/2001763/
Of course, little ol Brighton are not in this draw,

Because we WON our league, although TNT may be confused when they don't see us.

 

[Falmer Flutter ©]

I was there in the summer. Great city, great wine, great food. I'd say I had the best salad ever there. Duck gizzards, duck ham and foie gras. There may have been lettuce.

Once went there for a stag do with @Yes Chef who may have been vegetarian at the time (thankfully no longer). One of the nights we went to a restaurant called L'Abattoir, which as the name suggests was very heavy on the meat and offal. With nothing on the menu for vegetarians, @Yes Chef had to explain to the waiter and ask for a salad. Of course, this turned up with a mahoosive slab of bacon on the top.

 

[Kuipers Supporters Club]

Here we go, the NSC guide to this draw. Which we have a bye from.

 

[Mellor 3 Ward 4]

Europa League knockout play-off round draw​

• Feyenoord v Roma
• AC Milan v Rennes
• Lens v Freiburg
• Young Boys v Sporting Lisbon
• Benfica v Toulouse
• Braga v Qarabag
• Galatasaray v Sparta Prague
• Shakhtar Donetsk v Marseille

 

[Swegulls]

Shakhtar, of course ...

 

[jackalbion]

Qarabag or Braga for me

 

[Kuipers Supporters Club]

 

[Peppermint Tea]

Avoid the two Italian giants and Galataramasalata (because we all know you-know-who will dive for a last minute winning penalty and his bug eyed celebrations will be unbearable), otherwise I think we can approach any of the other teams with genuine confidence.

 

[Simster]

I assume it is also possible to draw a team that was previously in your group? I really hope we don't get Marseille again!

 

[Notters]

I'm very confused! So the runners up draw has already taken place? when is our draw?

 

[timbha]

I'm very confused! So the runners up draw has already taken place? when is our draw?

23rd Feb. When the 8 play off winners join us

 

[Doug-ees-evil]

I'm very confused! So the runners up draw has already taken place? when is our draw?

I believe our draw for the last 16 is on 23 Feb.