How market values model the 2023/24 UEFA Europa League Group-stage picture
| Updated: September 20, 2023 
The UEFA Europa League is widely recognised as one of the strongest continental tournaments, second only to the Champions League. Thursday marks the beginning of its group stage, featuring the inaugural 16 matches. In the latest SportingPedia report, we delve into the market values of the participating teams, meticulously calculating the total worth of each group. Additionally, we break down the analysis to assess the individual contributions of each team to their respective group’s overall value.
Key Takeaways:
- Liverpool is the only team in Europa League valued at over €500 million
- All 3 Premier League teams rank within the top 5 of the most expensive squads in the tournament
- 17 of the 32 teams are valued below €100 million
- The biggest disparity between two teams from one group is in Pot H, where Bayer Leverkusen is over 32 times more expensive than Qarabag
- Liverpool, Roma and Bayer Leverkusen all represent more than 80% of their groups total valuations
- Marseille is the team under heaviest pressure, as they are part of the most balanced group and were left by the manager just a day before their opening match
The graphic highlights a stark contrast among groups. There are 3 groups with an absolute favourite, where one team is worth over 80% of the entire group, while other ones are much more balanced. The cumulative valuation of each group underscores the significant disparities, ranging from slightly above €370 million to nearly €1 billion in total market value.
Groups with the Highest Market Values
Undoubtedly, Group E, led by Liverpool, reigns supreme in the rankings, surpassing the combined market value of six other groups. With an estimated value of €959.55 million, Group E stands as the most expensive in the latest Europa League edition. Jurgen Klopp’s team represents an astonishing 86.6% of the group’s total valuation. Meanwhile, the other three participants – Toulouse, Union Saint-Gilloise, and LASK are all valued below €100 million and claim shares ranging from 2.9% to 6.7%.
In Group B, featuring Brighton, Marseille, Ajax, and AEK Athens, we find the second-highest combined market value in the Europa League, totaling €874.9 million. Remarkably, this group also boasts the most balanced distribution of wealth in the tournament. Only here, the disparity between the lowest and highest valued teams is less than 40%. While Brighton (€376.3 million) embarks on their first European football adventure, Ajax (€179.8 million) and Marseille (€257.35 million) are well-established names on the continent.
Groups with the Lowest Market Values
Group C, comprising Betis, Rangers, Sparta Prague, and Aris Limassol, has a combined valuation of €376.53 million, and is the only one not exceeding the €400 million mark. Within this group, the Spanish side alone accounts for 55.6% of the total worth, with the Scottish Rangers (€107.48 million) being the only other team valued at over €100 million.
Group G, with a total worth of €459.9 million, is the only other group in Europa League with a valuation below €500 million. In this group, Jose Mourinho’s Roma stands as the clear favorite, claiming a substantial 83% share. The Italians are valued at €381.55 million, while the second most valuable team, Slavia Prague, is worth almost ten times less at €38.4 million.
The Middle Ground
Group A, featuring West Ham, Freiburg, Olympiacos, and Backa Topola, secures the third position in the rankings. It includes three sides with values exceeding €100 million. The English club leads the pack, commanding 60% of the group’s combined worth.
Atalanta and Sporting Lisbon are the two most expensive squads located in Group D. Each of the two sides has a share of 38% or more of the pot’s total valuation of €636.68 million.
Group F will witness Rennes, Villarreal, Panathinaikos and Maccabi Haifa battling it out for supremacy. The combined worth of these teams ranks as the 6th highest among all 8 groups. The French and Spanish sides command shares of 48.3% and 37.7% each of the total €556.86 million value.
In Group H, Bayer Leverkusen takes the center stage. The Germans are enjoying the largest share of a single group among all 32 Europa League contestants. Worth €446 million, Xabi Alonso’s team boasts an impressive 87.9% of the group’s total worth. Bayer Leverkusen’s estimate stands more than 17 times higher than that of Hacken, the second-highest valued team in Group H.