But even besides the Pot 1 thing - which, as I've said elsewhere, tends to get overblown, IMO - you build a sustained winning culture by, you know, actually winning things. Is winning the Europa League what we wanted at the beginning of the season? No, but it's the trophy that's still attainable and we would have to beat some pretty good teams to get to it (...in all likelihood). There's Manchester United and 5x winner Sevilla in this competition still, so there are big teams and this needs to be seen as a big deal. And if we can beat teams like that*? That's a sign of serious progress not only in terms of the squad being built, but in terms of the culture being established around them. To see top teams on the other side of the field and not cower at the very sight of them. It's the kind of shit that needs to stop happening when we face Juventus as well; we can go toe-to-toe with them on paper, but we get frightened in the actual games. That needs to stop. If this team wins a European trophy, maybe that's the best sign they can get that they have nobody to fear other than themselves.
Now, that probably still doesn't compare to Leverkusen or Wolves who, as you said, have even more riding on this tournament as far as their potential for 2020-'21 is concerned. And, honestly, if we weren't in this tournament, I wouldn't mind seeing either** of those teams win it. But, you know, beggars and choosers and whatever. I don't want a scenario at this point where I find myself ok with either of them winning.
*I know, at most, we could only face one or the other, if either of them at all.
**I realize that, as many of you know, I like Borussia Mönchengladbach in the Bundesliga, and they and Leverkusen are something of a derby, but I don't live in Germany and I've never felt much of a rivalry myself with them. Köln, however, can get fucked. Ditto Dortmund; especially Dortmund.
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10 years of FIF
you guys are on drugs.
