"What's Happening in Europe: Will Aston Villa and Crystal Palace Players Become Dream Team Favorites?"

DREAM TEAM managers should be aware of the current state of play in Europe.

No fewer than five English clubs remain active across the Champions League, Europa League and Conference League with the first legs of the quarter-final ties due to take place this week.

Mikel Arteta is hoping to bounce back from defeats in the domestic cupsCredit: Shutterstock Editorial

At this late stage of the season, additional fixtures are incredibly valuable as point-scoring opportunities start to dwindle.

The majority of teams have just seven league games left to fulfil before the campaign ends and so players with extracurricular commitments have to be considered potential difference makers.

Arsenal are well placed in the Champions League but nerves are jangling after defeats to Manchester City and Southampton in the domestic cups.

Even so, the Gunners will fancy their chances of beating Sporting CP over two legs.

Their Gameweek 31 double header of Bournemouth and Sporting (both at home) is very appealing on paper — Dream Team bosses will get an indication of how things might play out when Arsenal get underway in Lisbon later today.

Szoboszlai has excelled this season but elimination from Europe would reduce his appeal

Liverpool are scheduled to face PSG in Paris on Wednesday night but hopes aren’t high after the Reds fell apart against Man City at the weekend.

Dominik Szoboszlai (£5.4m) and company are worth sticking by while they have a busy schedule but if Ousmane Dembele, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and friends run riot then gaffers might turn their backs on Arne Slot’s troops.

Elsewhere, the bookies have Aston Villa as favourites to go all the way in the Europa League.

The prospect of another five European fixtures for the Villains – starting with this Thursday’s trip to Bologna – should not be underestimated.

Unai Emery’s side wobbled in February and early March but consecutive wins over Lille and West Ham before the international break came as a welcome reset.

Having already beaten Bologna twice since the start of 2024/25, Villa are in a good position.

It’s early days but Morgan Rogers (£5.1m) is currently the second-most popular recruit ahead of Gameweek 31, when Villa will face Nottingham Forest at the City Ground before welcoming their Serie A opponents to the midlands.

Emery won the Europa League three times with SevillaCredit: Reuters

Nottingham Forest face a tougher task in their Europa League quarter-finals in the form of Porto, league leaders in Portugal as things stand.

Additional fixtures boost the viability of Morgan Gibbs-White (£4.4m), Elliot Anderson (£4.1m) and Neco Williams (£4.5m) — the latter ranks joint-fourth among defenders at present.

However, Forest are in a similar situation to Liverpool in that if they lose their European quarter-final (as expected) then Dream Team bosses might lose all interest.

Lastly, Fiorentina are standing in the way of Crystal Palace in the Conference League.

Like Villa, the Eagles are bookies’ favourites to lift the trophy but many of their fans will scoff at that notion as Oliver Glasner’s men have made hard work of their Thursday nights this season.

Palace edged out AEK Larnaca in the last 16Credit: Reuters

That being said, Ismaila Sarr (£4.6m) almost certainly deserves to feature in more than 3.1% of teams ahead of his Gameweek 31 double header against Newcastle (h) and Fiorentina (a).

The Senegal international averages 6.4 points-per-game this season, putting him just above Cole Palmer (£5.5m), Bukayo Saka (£6.1m) and Anthony Gordon (£4.5m) in the key metric.

At the back, Tyrick Mitchell (£3.9m) is one of just nine defenders with 200+ points to his name at the time of writing.

Predicting European knockout ties is probably foolish but if the bookies are correct then Arsenal, Villa and Palace will have semi-final legs added to Gameweeks 33 and 34, creating double headers that will be heavily targeted.

Thankfully, gaffers will be able to make transfers for Gameweek 31 after the quarter-final first legs, when the outlook should be at least partially clearer.