Celtic to face AC Milan, Arsenal paired with Dundalk…
- Europa League group-stage draw:
- Group A: Roma, Young Boys, Cluj, Sofia
- Group B: Arsenal, Rapid Wien, Molde, Dundalk
- Group C: Bayer Leverkusen, Slavia Prague, Hapoel, Nice
- Group D: Benfica, Standard Liege, Rangers, Lech Poznan
- Group E: PSV, PAOK, Granada, Omonoia
- Group F: Napoli, Real Sociedad, Alkmaar, Rijeka
- Group G: Braga, Leicester, AEK Athens, Zorya Luhansk
- Group H: Celtic, Sparta Prague, AC Milan, Lille
- Group I: Villarreal, Qarabag, Maccabi, Sivasspor
- Group J: Tottenham, Ludogorets, Lask, Antwerp
- Group K: CSKA Moscow, Dinamo Zagreb, Feyenoord, Wolfsberg
- Group L: Gent, Red Star Belgrade, Hoffenheim, Slovan Libere
- Get Sky Sports – All channels £23/month
04:45
EUROPA LEAGUE: GROUP STAGE DATES
UEFA will confirm the exact match schedule later on Friday, but here are the provisional dates for the six matchdays in the 2020/21 Europa League group stage.
- Matchday 1: October 22
- Matchday 2: October 29
- Matchday 3: November 5
- Matchday 4: November 26
- Matchday 5: December 3
- Matchday 6: December 10
04:45
EUROPA LEAGUE DRAW IN FULL
Group A: Roma, Young Boys, Cluj, CSKA Sofia
Group B: Arsenal, Rapid Vienna, Molde, Dundalk
Group C: Bayer Leverkusen, Slavia Prague, Hapoel Beer-Sheva, Nice
Group D: Benfica, Standard Liege, Rangers, Lech Poznan
Group E: PSV, PAOK, Granada, Omonia
Group F: Napoli, Real Sociedad, AZ Alkmaar, Rijeka
Group G: Braga, Leicester, AEK Athens, Zorya Luhansk
Group H: Celtic, Sparta Prague, AC Milan, Lille
Group I: Villarreal, Qarabag, Maccabi Tel-Aviv, Sivasspor
Group J: Tottenham, Ludogorets, LASK, Royal Antwerp
Group K: CSKA Moscow, Dinamo Zagreb, Feyenoord, Wolfsberg
Group L: Gent, Red Star Belgrade, Hoffenheim, Slovan Liberec04:44
EUROPA LEAGUE DRAW COMPLETED
So what’s the most eye-catching group?
From a British perspective, it has to be Celtic being grouped with AC Milan and Rangers being pitted against Benfica.
But an interesting trip ahead for Arsenal: they will be playing the champions of Ireland, Dundalk.04:41
GROUP J
Tottenham
Ludogorets
LASK
Royal Antwerp04:40
GROUP L
Gent
Red Star Belgrade
Hoffenheim
Slovan Liberec04:40
GROUP K
CSKA Moscow
Dinamo Zagreb
Feyenoord
Wolfsberg04:39
GROUP I
Villarreal
Qarabag
Maccabi Tel-Aviv
Sivasspor04:39
GROUP F
Napoli
Real Sociedad
AZ Alkmaar
Rijeka
04:38
GROUP H
Celtic
Sparta Prague
AC Milan
Lille04:38
GROUP G
Braga
Leicester
AEK Athens
Zorya Luhansk04:37
GROUP E
PSV
PAOK
Granada
Omonoia04:37
GROUP D
Benfica
Standard Liege
Rangers
Lech Poznan04:37
GROUP C
Bayer Leverkusen
Slavia Prague
Hapoel Beer-Sheva
Nice04:36
GROUP B
Arsenal
Rapid Wien
Molde
Dundalk04:36
GROUP A
Roma
Young Boys
Cluj
CSKA Sofia04:35
POT FOUR TEAMS
Thirty-six teams drawn and 12 more to go! That looks a very tricky group for Celtic…04:35
GROUP L
Gent
Red Star Belgrade
Hoffenheim04:34
GROUP E
PSV
PAOK
Granada04:34
GROUP K
CSKA Moscow
Dinamo Zagreb
Feyenoord04:34
GROUP J
Tottenham
Ludogorets
LASK04:33
GROUP F
Napoli
Real Sociedad
AZ Alkmaar04:33
GROUP I
Villarreal
Qarabag
Maccabi Tel-Aviv04:33
GROUP H
Celtic
Sparta Prague
AC Milan04:32
GROUP D
Benfica
Standard Liege
Rangers04:32
GROUP C
Bayer Leverkusen
Slavia Prague
Hapoel Beer-Sheva04:31
GROUP G
Braga
Leicester
AEK Athens04:31
GROUP B
Arsenal
Rapid Wien
Molde04:31
GROUP A
Roma
Young Boys
Cluj04:29
GROUP L
Gent
Red Star Belgrade04:29
GROUP K
CSKA Moscow
Dinamo Zagreb04:28
GROUP F
Napoli
Real Sociedad04:28
GROUP J
Tottenham
Ludogorets04:28
GROUP I
Villarreal
Qarabag
04:27
GROUP H
Celtic
Sparta Prague04:27
GROUP G
Braga
Leicester04:27
GROUP E
PSV
PAOK04:26
GROUP D
Benfica
Standard Liege04:26
GROUP C
Bayer Leverkusen
Slavia Prague04:25
GROUP B
Arsenal
Rapid Wien04:25
GROUP A
Roma
Young Boys04:25
POT TWO TEAMS
Now we find who is playing who…04:24
GROUP L
Gent04:24
GROUP K
CSKA Moscow04:23
GROUP J
Tottenham04:23
GROUP I
Villarreal04:23
GROUP H
Celtic04:22
GROUP G
Braga04:22
GROUP F
Napoli04:21
GROUP E
PSV04:21
GROUP D
Benfica04:20
GROUP C
Bayer Leverkusen04:20
GROUP B
Arsenal04:20
GROUP A
Roma04:19
HERE WE GO…
We’re all set to draw Pot 1 teams into their respective groups….04:18
HOW WILL COVID-19 AFFECT TEAMS?
The deadline for completing group matches in the Champions League and Europa League has been extended to the end of January as UEFA try to Covid-proof both competitions.
Clubs have been told that — as an ‘absolute last resort’ — they can play fixtures up to January 28, well beyond the usual December finishing point.
Matches may be played at neutral venues, should Government rules prevent one of the sides travelling.
If all group matches cannot be completed by January 28, UEFA’s executive committee will decide which clubs qualify for the Champions League round of 16 and the Europa League round of 32.
Some countries hold exemptions allowing for visits from elite athletes, but others do not.
Should the visiting club be banned from travelling to their opponents’ country, it would fall on their hosts to come up with an alternative venue.04:15
NOT LONG NOW…
Giorgio Marchetti is speaking which can only mean one thing… the Road to Gdansk starts here!
04:13
LUKAKU – PLAYER OF THE SEASON
Inter Milan striker Romelu Lukaku has been announced as the Europa League player of the season for 2019/20 – despite scoring the crucial own goal in the final as Sevilla beat Inter 3-2.
Lukaku scored 34 goals in all competitions for Inter in 2019/20, the most by an Inter player in their debut season since Ronaldo scored 34 in 1997/98.
He said upon receiving his award: “I want to thank God for putting me in this position and for letting me do what I love. I want to congratulate Sevilla for winning the competition and for having a good tournament.”
04:09
HOW HAS THE PANDEMIC IMPACTED THE DRAW?
After the events of this year around the world, few would have imagined we would be here today on the brink of the Europa League group stage draw, which will be conducted under special circumstances given the pandemic.
Like football matches throughout much of Europe, the draw will now take place behind closed doors with only key personnel present.
That means no club chiefs or legendary former players watching on. It’s purely business.
Here’s a picture of the jubilant ZSKA Sofia players after they knocked out Basel this week in their play-off.
04:03
THE COVETED PRIZE
Is this the most aesthetically pleasing trophy in elite-level football?
04:00
WHERE IS IT TAKING PLACE?
This season’s group-stage draw was originally scheduled to take place in Greece but it has now been moved to Switzerland, where UEFA’s headquarters are based.
I have news… the ceremony has started and I can confirm that the Europa League anthem HAS NOT CHANGED THIS YEAR.03:58
WHERE’S THIS YEAR’S FINAL?
Whoever is lucky enough to go all the way will go head to head at the Stadion Energa Gdansk in Poland on May 26 next year. Seville, the prospective 2021 host, will now host the 2022 event.
03:53
THE ALL-IMPORTANT POTS
Arsenal, 2019 runners-up, are top seeds in the draw, with a slightly better club coefficient than rivals Tottenham. Scottish champions Celtic join the north London clubs in Pot 1.
Leicester are in Pot 2, Rangers sit in Pot 3 and Dundalk are in Pot 4 after Thursday’s huge victory over KI Klaksvík.
- Pot 1: Arsenal, Tottenham, Roma, Napoli, Benfica, Bayer Leverkusen, Villarreal, CSKA Moscow, Braga, Gent, PSV, Celtic.
- Pot 2: Dinamo Zagreb, Sparta Prague, Slavia Prague, Ludogorets, Young Boys, Red Star Belgrade, Rapid Wien, Leicester, Qarabag, PAOK, Standard Liege, Real Sociedad.
- Pot 3: Granada, AC Milan, AZ Alkmaar, Feyenoord, AEK Athens, Maccabi Tel-Aviv, Rangers, Molde, Hoffenheim, LASK, Hapoel Beer-Sheva, Cluj.
- Pot 4: Zorya Luhansk, Lille, Nice, Rijeka, Dundalk, Slovan Liberec, Royal Antwerp, Lech Poznan, Sivasspor, Wolfsberg, Omonoia, CSKA Sofia.
03:47
HOW THE DRAW WORKS
The 48 teams to reach this season’s Europa League group stage have been split into four pots, as outlined above. The draw will place the teams into 12 groups, with each group consisting of a team from each pot.
At this stage of the competition, no team can play a team from the same association, so no all-English or all-Scottish ties just yet, but Arsenal, Tottenham and Leicester could be drawn alongside Celtic and Rangers.
03:39
GOOD MORNING!
Hello and welcome along to Sky Sports’ digital coverage of the Europa League group stage draw! After yesterday’s thrilling Champions League draw, the make up of the continent’s secondary cup competition will also be decided.
The group stage of the Europa League begins next month with Arsenal, Leicester and Tottenham the confirmed English sides involved.
Celtic and Rangers have also sealed their places so there’s plenty of British interest while Filippo Giovagnoli’s Dundalk side will take their place alongside some big names on Friday.
Stay right here to find out the groups with the ceremony kicking off at noon.04:35
- Europa League group-stage draw:
- Group A: Roma, Young Boys, Cluj, Sofia
- Group B: Arsenal, Rapid Wien, Molde, Dundalk
- Group C: Bayer Leverkusen, Slavia Prague, Hapoel, Nice
- Group D: Benfica, Standard Liege, Rangers, Lech Poznan
- Group E: PSV, PAOK, Granada, Omonoia
- Group F: Napoli, Real Sociedad, Alkmaar, Rijeka
- Group G: Braga, Leicester, AEK Athens, Zorya Luhansk
- Group H: Celtic, Sparta Prague, AC Milan, Lille
- Group I: Villarreal, Qarabag, Maccabi, Sivasspor
- Group J: Tottenham, Ludogorets, Lask, Antwerp
- Group K: CSKA Moscow, Dinamo Zagreb, Feyenoord, Wolfsberg
- Group L: Gent, Red Star Belgrade, Hoffenheim, Slovan Libere
- Get Sky Sports – All channels £23/month
