Who will win the Europa League in 2020?
Wolves hungry for European glory | Much to like about Paulo Fonseca's Roma
Best bets
Wolves
1pt each-way 12-1 general
Back this tip with bet365
Roma
1pt each-way 16-1 general
Back this tip with bet365
Top tip
The road to Gdansk is long but the clubs best equipped to last the journey are those with deep squads, a European pedigree and a genuine incentive to go all the way.
A handful of sides fit that description but the value selection in the Europa League could be Wolves at 12-1.
After a rocky start to their debut campaign in the rebranded version of Europe's secondary competition, Wolves twice blew away Besiktas and sank Slovan Bratislava to progress as runners-up in Group K.
Their reward is a last-32 tie with Espanyol, who look more fierce on paper than on the pitch.
The Barcelona club invested around €30 million to bring in Raul de Thomas, Leandro Cabrera and Adri Embarba in January but their focus will be preserving their status as a top-flight club in Spain.
Although they navigated Group H with ease, they are involved in a relegation battle in Spain and are not in the best shape to give the plucky and vivacious Wolves a real contest over two legs.
The Midlands club have been starved of European football in recent years but the same cannot be said for their key players.
Ruben Neves, Raul Jimenez, Rui Patricio and Joao Moutinho are among those with Champions League experience and their counter-attacking style could fluster the big boys later in the competition.
They have shown they can mix it with the best in the Premier League, beating Chelsea, Manchester United, Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester City in cup and league competitions since their promotion from the Sky Bet Championship.
The addition of Daniel Podence, who fits their system like a glove, in January adds to a big squad who could lead the five-pronged British charge.
Next best
Italian teams have been notoriously poor in this competition since the turn of the millennium, with Parma the last Serie A club to lift the trophy in 1999.
Two teams from the division remain in the competition and although Inter look the stronger option, they are in pursuit of a league title which has eluded them since 2010 and that dilutes their appeal.
At a bigger price, Roma could provide each-way value.
They have arguably not even been the best side in the capital this term, with Lazio emerging as surprise outsiders for the Scudetto, but there is a lot to like about Paulo Fonseca's side.
When fully fit, the squad blends the experience of veterans Edin Dzeko, Aleksandar Kolarov and Javier Pastore with fresh faces Cengiz Under and Nicolo Zaniolo.
They are in contention for a top-four spot but should still give the Europa League plenty of attention as it represents both an insurance route into the Champions League and a stab at a first piece of silverware since 2008.
Others to consider
With five Europa League titles to their name and a strong squad, Sevilla rightfully head the market but there is better value further down the list.
Arsenal look too raw under new boss Mikel Arteta and Manchester United are far too short. Rangers and Celtic enjoyed great group campaigns but may lack the big-game experience to go all the way while Salzburg lost key players Erling Haaland and Takumi Minamino in January.
Ajax are not the same side they were last season after their summer exodus but they could enjoy a decent run in the competition.
Published on inEuropa League
Last updated
Copy