Surely when PSV Eindhoven knocked Wolverhampton Wanderers out of the 1980-81 UEFA Cup, the West Midlands club didn’t think a nearly 40-year wait to return was in the cards, but that angst has given way to joy.
Wolves are back in Europe, and begin a Europa League campaign on Thursday.
[ UCL WRAPS: Tuesday | Wednesday ]
“Tomorrow is a big game for the club, for the years without European football,” said manager Nuno Espirito Santo. “It’s up to us to make something special so people are proud of us once again. It’s fantastic to be back at Molineux, what Molineux gives us is huge and a real adrenaline punch that we must take on to the pitch.”
The opponents at the Molineux are Northern Irish side Crusaders, but 1950s, 60s, and 70s saw some of the biggest names in world football arrive to Wolves, with Schalke, Juventus, Barcelona, and Porto on the docket.
An extended UEFA Cup run in 1971-72 saw Wolves come up one-goal short of silverware against Spurs at White Hart Lane.
So this isn’t new, even if it’s new.
“I have visited the museum a couple of times, so know the history of the club, and it proves how big Wolves are,” Espirito Santo said.
The first and second legs should give Wolves a leg-up for one of the most interesting matches of the Premier League’s first week: Wolves at Leicester City.
Europa League fixtures and results
Avan Academy 2-0 Lincoln Red Imps -- Tuesday
HB 2-2 Linfield -- Tuesday
Shkendija 1-2 Dudelange -- Tuesday
Santa Coloma 0-0 Astana -- Tuesday
Tre Penne 0-5 FK Suduva -- Tuesday
Slovan Bratislava 2-1 Feronikeli -- Wednesday
Pyunik v. Jablonec -- 9:30 am. ET Thursday
FK Ventspils v. Gzira United -- 10:45 a.m. ET Thursday
Gabala v. Dinamo Tbilisi -- 11 a.m. ET Thursday
Partizani v. Sheriff -- 11:30 a.m. ET Thursday
AEK Larnaca v. Levski Sofia -- 11:30 a.m. ET Thursday
Utrecht v. HSK Zrinjski Mostar -- 12:30 p.m. ET Thursday
Chikhura Sachkhere v. Aberdeen -- 12:45 p.m. ET Thursday
Budapest Honved v. Uniersitatea Craiova -- 12:55 p.m. ET Thursday
Lechia Gdansk v. Brondby -- 1 p.m. ET Thursday
Haugesund v. SK Sturm Graz -- 1 p.m. ET Thursday
Arsenal Tula v. Neftchi -- 1 p.m. ET Thursday
Mlada Boleslav v. Ordabasy -- 1 p.m. ET Thursday
Flora v. Eintracht Frankfurt -- 1 p.m. ET Thursday
Alashkert v. FCSB -- 1 p.m. ET Thursday
Shakhtyor v. Esbjerg -- 1 p.m. ET Thursday
Yeni Malatyaspor v. Olimpija NK -- 1 p.m. ET Thursday
Molde v. Cukaricki -- 1 p.m. ET Thursday
CSKA Sofia v. Osijek -- 1:30 p.m. ET Thursday
Connah’s Quay Nomads v. Partizan -- 1:30 p.m. ET Thursday
Hapoel Be’er Sheva v. Kairat -- 1:30 p.m. ET Thursday
Lokomotiv Plovdiv v. Spartak Trnava -- 1:30 p.m. ET Thursday
Piast Gliwice v. Riga -- 2 p.m. ET Thursday
Norrkoping v. Liepaja -- 2 p.m. ET Thursday
Vidi v. Vaduz -- 2 p.m. ET Thursday
Luzern v. KI -- 2:15 p.m. ET Thursday
Aris v. AEL -- 2:30 p.m. ET Thursday
Dunajska Streda v. Atromitos -- 2:30 p.m. ET Thursday
Gent v. Viitorul -- 2:30 p.m. ET Thursday
Jeunesse Esch v. Vitoria -- 2:30 p.m. ET Thursday
AZ Alkmaar v. BK Hacken -- 2:30 p.m. ET Thursday
Domzale v. Malmo -- 2:45 p.m. ET Thursday
Strasbourg v. Maccabi Haifa -- 2:45 p.m. ET Thursday
Rangers v. Progres -- 2:45 p.m. ET Thursday
Wolves v. Crusaders -- 2:45 p.m. ET Thursday
Buducnost v. Zorya -- 2:45 p.m. ET Thursday
Shamrock Rovers v. Apollon Limassol -- 3 p.m. ET Thursday
Valur v. Ludogorets Razgrad -- 3 p.m. ET Thursday
Torino v. Debrecen -- 3 p.m. ET Thursday
Espanyol v. Stjarnan -- 3 p.m. ET Thursday
Legia Warsaw v. KuPS -- 3 p.m. ET Thursday