EUROPA LEAGUE 2023/24: RECORDS BROKEN AT THE TOURNAMENT!

After the final of the 2023-24 UEFA Europa League, Sixsports has highlighted some of the records that were broken this season. The following list refers to records spanning to the inception of the Europa League in 1971 (then known as the UEFA Cup). To highlight a few of them;

*Ademola Lookman (Atalanta) became the first player since 1975 to score a hat-trick in the Europa League final. The first one to ever do so in the single match format of the Europa League final and only the third player to ever score three goals in the finals. The first time this occurred was in 1975 when Jupp Heynckes (Borussia Mönchengladbach) scored a hat-trick in the second leg of the 1975 UEFA Cup Final against Twente. The second time it happened was in 1993 when Dino Baggio (Juventus) scored once in the first leg of the UEFA Cup Final against Borussia Dortmund and two times in the second leg (thus three goals in total).

Lookman (Atalanta) also broke the record for the fastest two goals scored by one player in the final of the Europa League – he managed to do so 26 minutes into the match, which broke the record previously held by Joseph Keegan (Liverpool), who scored 2 times in 32 minutes in the first leg of the 1973 UEFA Cup Final against Borussia Mönchengladbach.

*Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Marseille) broke the record of Henrik Larsson for the most goals scored in the Europa League’s group stages and finals. In total, Aubameyang has scored 34 goals (+10 this season, which also makes him one of 28 players to score 10+ goals in a season), Larsson scored 31.

*Italy broke their tie with England after Atlanta’s victory. They are presently the nation with the second most Europa League trophies – they have won 10 times; Spain is in first place with 14 Europa League Championships won. They have also joined Spain, England and Germany as the only nations with 5 individual clubs winning Europa League (Inter Milan, Juventus, Parma & Napoli won the EL in the past).

*Germany broke their tie with Italy and England and they are now the sole holder of the record for the most second place trophies won in the Europa League. They have placed second 9 times with 7 different teams

*For the first time in more than 40 years (and for the first time in the single match format of the Europa League Final), Germany’s appearance in the final of the Europa League did not result in any goals scored by the German team since Bayer Leverkusen did not score. The last time this happened was in 1982 when Hamburger SV did not score any goals in neither one of the final matches played against IFK Göteborg (in the two-legged format of the final)

*UK tied Germany and they now jointly hold the record for the most individual clubs appearing in the Europa League (group stages) after Brighton & Hove Albion became the 18th club from the UK to make an appearance in the Europa League

If qualifying matches and play-offs are included:

*Sporting Clube De Portugal increased their record for the most season appearances in the Europa League (36) and the most games played (203; +10 this season). They broke out of a tie with Inter Milan and PAOK and they are now the club with the most games ending up in a draw (48; +4 this season) in the Europa League.

Sporting Clube De Portugal are now only one win away from breaking Inter Milan’s record for the most games won in the Europa League. After winning 4 games in 2024, they have now won 95 games, while Inter Milan has won 96. Sporting CP are also only one loss away from breaking Club Brugge’s record for the most games lost – 61 – after losing two games this season

*Roma and Benfica both joined the top 5 of the clubs with the most quarter-finals appearances in the Europa League – Roma is tied with Valencia for third place (9 appearances) and Benfica is tied with Liverpool and Barcelona for 5th place (8 appearances).