There are many things that make the UEFA Europa League special, but one of the best things about the competition is the wide variety of cultures and atmospheres offered each season.
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The strange and wonderful vibes at the exhibition are the subject of this week’s UEFA Europa League Breakfast Show, presented by the official tournament partner Kia. This week’s show features broadcaster Ben Haines, who took a walk down the memorial field to offer some of the best experiences in the Europa League.
Here are the five things that top the Europa League billing.
Benfica’s eagle gives special display | Catherine Ivill – AMA / Getty Images
Most teams across Europe do what they can to build tension before their Europa League matches, but sometimes they go the extra mile to create something really special. According to Ben’s experience, Celtic and Benfica stand out from the crowd.
Whether it’s a full-blown Scottish light show before an interpretation of You’re Never Walk Alone or a Portuguese concert with an eagle flying past your eyes, it’s safe to say you never know what to find in the Europa League.
Red Star’s tunnel is built like a bunker | ANDREJ ISAKOVIC / Getty Images
Walking through a tunnel is a daily part of football life, but Red Star likes to do things a little differently.
The minute-long walk through the Rajko Mitic Stadium tunnel prepares teams for war by forcing them to pass through a bomb-proof tunnel full of armed riot police, graffiti and echo-chants of Red Star fans.
It can hardly be more different from a ground like Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, which has a VIP club built into the glass walls. Two different worlds.
Seville fans gather on the streets of Fran Santiago / Getty Images
There is something about an audience in the Europa League that just beats differently.
Some of Ben’s best memories of fans have come in this competition, where fans who sing for teams like Frankfurt, Olympiacos, Marseille, Tottenham and Sevilla have taken support to a whole new level.
Even outside the arenas, you will find thousands of fans flocking to support their teams. They take over cities and treat public training sessions as finals. It’s something special.
Östersunds does things a little differently PER DANIELSSON / TT / Getty Images
Sometimes these crowds go a step further. The usual party atmosphere can be replaced with a hybrid once in a lifetime of intensity, passion and love for the game.
For Ben, the unique atmospheres have come from dark corners of Europe. Teams like Ostersunds, Molde and Astana have all left a lasting impression with the enormous cruelty in their fan base.
For some of these teams, the Europa League may be the pinnacle of their season, and it’s clear that their supporters want to make their journey memorable.
Chelsea celebrate their Europa League triumph 2019 OZAN KOSE / Getty Images
The 2019 final may not have been contested by different sides – Chelsea and Arsenal became the first teams from the same city to meet in the final – but the hosts in Baku, Azerbaijan made sure it was something special.
With such a wide mix of cultures, stories and memories from fans across Europe that had made the trip one of Europe’s greatest occasions, the 2019 final offered the kind of atmosphere that no London derby has ever experienced.
With a nod to the welcoming people in both UEFA and Baku itself, the 2019 final was something else.
For the past three seasons, Kia has rewarded its customers and fans of the UEFA Europa League with exclusive content from the entire competition, as well as providing vehicles in the final and touring the iconic trophy around Europe along with previous winners of the coveted trophy, as part of the UEL Trophy Tour.
This additional media partnership for The Breakfast Show means that Kia will continue to provide exclusive access to their content and online gaming parties; and viewers of the show also get direct access to other exclusive content on Kia’s own pages.
