Conference League 2023/24: season preview and long-term bets

The matches in the groups of the 2023/24 Conference League will begin on September 20. This is the third season, sorry for the tautology, of the third most prestigious European club tournament.

Any football fan can easily name the two previous winners of the competition – "Roma" and "West Ham United".

A "carrot" in the form of a pass to the group stage of the 2024/25 Europa League is dangled before the participants of the competition. This privilege is granted to the future trophy holder. 

The incentive is canceled if this club earned the right to compete in the 2024/25 Champions League based on the results of the national championship 2023/24. However, practice shows that teams from the Conference League can only dream of the Champions League.  

The Conference League matches take place on Thursdays or on the same day as the Europa League. One round is scheduled for September and December, and two rounds for October and November.

In the second half of February, battles will take place in the preliminary stage of the playoffs. 

The main knockout stage schedule is as follows:

Round of 16 – March 7 and 14;

1. 1. Quarter-finals – April 11 and 18;

   2. Semi-finals – May 2 and 9;

   3. Final – May 29 in Athens. 

On September 1, a blind draw distributed 32 teams into 8 groups:

1. 1. Group A – "Lille", "Slovan", "Olimpia", "Klaksvik";

   2. Group B – "Gent", "Maccabi" Tel Aviv, "Zorya", "Breidablik";

   3. Group C – "Dinamo" Zagreb, "Victoria Plzen", "Astana", "Balkani";

   4. Group D – "Brugge", "Bodø/Glimt", "Beşiktaş", "Lugano";

   5. Group E – "Aston Villa", AZ, "Legia", "Zrinjski Mostar";

   6. Group F – "Ferencváros", "Fiorentina", "Genk", "Čukarički";

   7. Group G – "Eintracht", PAOK, HJK, "Aberdeen";

   8. Group H – "Fenerbahçe", "Ludogorets", "Spartak" Trnava, "Nordsjælland".

In the overall modest list, those who recently "smelled gunpowder" in the Champions League stand out – "Dinamo" Zagreb, "Victoria Plzen", "Brugge", "Beşiktaş", "Eintracht", "Fenerbahçe"...  

All teams are eager to finish first and automatically advance to the Round of 16.

Clubs that finish the group stage in second place will participate in the playoff round. Third-placed teams from the Europa League groups will also join them. 

The duo of losers from each group will leave the Conference League for at least the next season.

Long-term bets 

In the "Conference League" section of the Leon bookmaker's line, long-term bets are not yet available. Stay tuned for updates.

At the moment, it is clear that the most realistic chance to become the third winner of the Conference League is given to "Aston Villa".

During the summer transfer window, the owners of this Birmingham club invested €88M in the acquisition of Pau Torres from "Villarreal" and Moussa Diaby from "Bayer". The Spaniard cost the "villains" €33M, while they paid €55M for the Frenchman.

Nicolo Zaniolo and Clement Lenglet joined the squad as loaned players. 

Unai Emery has a number of high-class footballers at his disposal: world champion, goalkeeper – Emiliano Martinez, national team players from various countries – Matty Cash, Tyrone Mings, Douglas Luiz, John McGinn, Youri Tielemans, Lucas Digne, Robin Olsen, Leander Dendoncker, Leon Bailey, John Duran.

No competitor can boast such a "world team".

We believe that "Villa" will not lack motivation. Firstly, it is honorable to win a European club trophy. Secondly, to secure a place in the 2024/25 Europa League.