West Ham United: Supercomputer predicts chances of winning Europa League after Freiburg draw
West Ham now supposedly have less of a chance of winning the Europa League on the back of being paired with Freiburg in the last 16.
The draw was made in Nyon on Friday (23 February), 455 miles away from London, with that seen as a favourable tie for David Moyes’ side.
United will face the Bundesliga side over two legs in March, with the away tie in Germany on 7 March and the home leg following a week later.
West Ham handed Freiburg tie
The Irons have already defeated Freiburg home and away in the group stage this season, so they will consider themselves favourites to advance.
Opta Analyst agrees, giving West Ham a 62.8-per-cent chance of advancing, compared to a 55.7-per-cent likelihood before the draw was made.
However, when taking the whole draw into consideration and also the play-off ties, United now have a 3.7-per-cent chance of going all the way.
That compares to a 4.6-per-cent chance earlier in the week, so Opta’s supercomputer does not fancy the Irons’ chances as much as previously.
Liverpool are Europa League favourites
That 4.6 figure may seem tiny – and it is – but it still makes United the eighth favourites to lift the trophy in Dublin three months from now.
Liverpool are considered the favourites (32.3 per cent), followed by Bayer Leverkusen (19.8), Milan (8.9), Benfica (8.3), Brighton (6.6), Atalanta (6) and Sporting CP (5.9).
Football is played on paper rather than spreadsheets, though, and West Ham showed last season what they are capable of on the continent.
Opta may not fancy the Irons’ chances, but it is over to the players to now prove these figures wrong.
In other West Ham news, the Irons have been tipped to possibly poach a manager from one of their Premier League rivals.
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