Was the Europa League supposed to be this good?

You can’t help wondering that when you look at the line-up.

Back when the Champions League was formed, that was supposed to be more of a concentration of the elite teams.

That was one of the ‘problems’ with the old European Cup.

One club per country meant weaker leagues had as much representation as stronger nations.

Which you might see as great or as a drawback.

The balance, it was seemingly felt, had to be redressed.

And another thing. The old European Cup was a competition between last season’s strongest teams rather than this season’s.

It felt at times like the UEFA Cup was the toughest competition to win.

Inviting the top three or four from the bigger leagues into an elite competition could go a large way to changing that.

So how did we end up with a Europa League knockout draw featuring pace-setters from the Premier League, the runaway leaders of the Bundesliga and the two teams above FC Porto in Portugal?

Okay, not the Serie A leaders but the teams who are second in both the actual league table (Milan) and in terms of current form (Roma).

That is the sort of company in which Albion found themselves and, as luck would have it, they drew one of the big guns.

Roma were too much for them over two legs.

It is an enduring frustration that Roberto De Zerbi had to take on the Giallorossi without some of his most exciting attacking weapons.

And with a couple of key players not yet back to their best after injury.

Roma deserved to go through because they were better in areas where it matters most.

But the 4-1 aggregate outcome paints a misleading picture for those who will look back at results in years to come.

Will Albion walk away from this last-16 tie with regrets? Let’s hope so.

Certainly, they have nothing to regret from the efforts they put in.

Their fitness and energy levels stood out even late on Thursday as they gave everything to find a way through, then turned and made the hardest runs - towards their own goal - when it looked like Roma might break away.

That is five clean sheets in the last six Europa games.

Leonardo Spinazzola rattled the outside of their post but it was the temporary head loss by the Italy left-back soon after Danny Welbeck’s goal which showed how Roma were rattled.

So why is it good to have regrets?

De Zerbi touched on that in one of his press conferences.

Regrets suggest there were things you wish you had done differently. Or that you would do differently next time.

Maybe “regret” is the wrong word if you did what you did with the best intentions but, with hindsight, might have made a different choice.

But there is an argument Albion were naive in approach the Stadio Olimpico.

De Zerbi has also touched on the need to learn from experience throughout the club.

Okay, he “touched on” it with a sledgehammer.

There were moments across the competition - in the two games they lost, principally - where it did not look like Brighton out there.

But it feels like they already know how they can improve.

The experience of Europe was new for all of us, with its travel, its different tactics, refereeing interpretations. Everything.

It can only feel more familiar a second, third time around.

In one respect, Albion tackled it all in a season of transition. They lost the midfield which helped power them to Europe and have still not fully replaced it.

Of the two men who left, Alexis Mac Allister is doing the better at his current club but Moises Caicedo is the one Albion most miss.

They can be stronger in that protective midfield area next season, certainly if Carlos Baleba progresses as per expectations.

Ah, yes - that word. Expectations.

De Zerbi said on Wednesday that the media can set expectations too high.

Well, I can say for myself I never expected any of this.

Even as late in last season as pre-match at Arsenal, I can recall saying to another local reporter that I suspected Europe might have gone after the hammering by Everton.

A few hours later, as he left the media room after Albion’s 3-0 win, Henry Winter looked across to the contingent from Sussex and said: “Enjoy Europe!”

So, expectation? The expectation now seems to be for Albion to exceed expectation.

But no one drives that expectation more than De Zerbi and Tony Bloom, through deeds rather than words, in their own different ways.

We could certainly never have expected the draw to work out as it did.

The South of France during an Indian summer.

 

Amsterdam on atmospheric dark and chilly late autumn nights.

Warm and sunny Athens just as the first icy blast was hitting England.

Rome in a bit of spring sunshine.

Brilliant cities and/or regions (yes, Marseille and surrounding area does have its attractions) and Albion fans were lucky in that respect.

Covering it all in the media, you quickly got a feel for what huge clubs Ajax and Roma are in particular.

Match nights at those two really felt like massive occasions.

There was an exciting chaos in the streets around AEK’s stadium long before kick-off as football and everyday Athens collided.

At Marseille, the noise was so incessant you forgot it was there - until it stopped abruptly as full-time was blown on a 2-2 draw. 

Different destinations and environments.

And remember differences are not always enjoyable - but they are valuable experiences which broaden your outlook, give you a tale to tell. Perhaps help you appreciate aspects of what you have here.

The latter has, it appears, been true of how away fans are treated at times.

On-field highlights have to start with two away wins and the late drama at home to Marseille.

In footballing terms, Albion were unlucky to draw Roma when they did. It proved to be end of the road.

There can only ever be one first European season and we have been privileged to have lived through it.

We will all have ideas of how we will set about things next time, whether that is playing, working or supporting.

In the meantime, thanks for the memories.