Europa League draw LIVE: Arsenal, Tottenham, Leicester, Celtic and Rangers learn group stage opponents
Follow the latest updates from Nyon as the draw for the 2020/21 Europa League group stage takes place with Celtic and Rangers joining the three Premier League sides in the hat
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Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur and Leicester City all learned their Europa League opponents this season following the group stage draw on Friday, while Scottish sides Celtic and Rangers were handed tricky ties for the 2020/21 campaign.
Both Arsenal and Spurs found themselves in Pot One and managed to avoid any of the hidden dangers that lurked lower down the draw. 2019 finalists Arsenal face the unusual task of crossing the Irish Sea to face Ireland’s league champions Dundalk, and trips to Vienna and Molde will not be too taxing for Mikel Arteta’s side. Similarly, Spurs will not see much danger in Group J, although they have a lot more travelling on their hands in the shape of Bulgarian side Ludogorets, Austrian side LASK and nearby Belgian side Royal Antwerp.
Leicester will also be pleased with the shape of Group G, with Portuguese side Braga their toughest test along with AEK Athens and Ukranian outfit Zorya Luhansk.
Celtic are not so lucky though, with the Group H side landing AC Milan and Lille in a tricky draw, with Sparta Prague making up the group. Rangers meanwhile will, like Leicester, be heading to Portugal after drawing one of the tougher opponents in Benfica, while Hoffenheim will also pose a challenge. Czech side Liberec make up the group. Re-live the draw below.
UEFA EUROPA LEAGUE DRAW
With the coronavirus pandemic still rife, Uefa were forced into a late switch of venue for the draw, which saw their planned event in Athens cancelled and a new one installed at the Swiss TV Studios in Geneva, not far from their headquarters in Nyon.
Uefa also issued a surprise announcement yesterday that following their pilot event at the Uefa Super Cup - which saw around 15,000 fans in attendance - Uefa-sanctioned games this season will be allowed to hold a 30 per cent capacity where local government rules allow them.
“Today’s decision is a sensible first step which puts fans’ health first and respects the laws in each country," said Uefa president Aleksandar Ceferin. " While we all face a common enemy in Covid, different countries have different approaches and different challenges at any given moment. This decision allows much more local flexibility to deal with admitting fans than was previously the case, always respecting the assessment of local authorities.
“27 countries on the continent already allow fans to some extent. This decision will allow for a coherent approach on a country-by-country basis and not on a competition-by-competition basis which was sometimes difficult to understand for fans.
“In these difficult times, it is important to bring more hope and passion back into the lives of football fans and we urge them to behave appropriately and respect sanitary measures in place for their own health and for the health of their fellow club or national team supporters.”
UEFA EUROPA LEAGUE DRAW
Arsenal also have a strong recent history in this tournament, although that says exactly what you need to know about the club right now.
Their bold ambitions lie in the Champions League, a tournament that they have not graced since the 2016/17 campaign, and their efforts to win the Europa League have seen them reach both the semi-finals and final in 2018 and 2019 respectively, only to come unstuck against Atletico Madrid and Chelsea respectively.
However, the less said about last season the better. Ranked among the favourites, Arsenal crashed out in the last-32 when they suffered a 2-1 home defeat against Olympiakos that resulted in a 2-2 aggregate draw, eliminating them on away goals.
UEFA EUROPA LEAGUE DRAW
Following Tottenham’s emphatic victory last night, it’s fair to say that Jose Mourinho is in confident mood.
He said: “Of course, we deserve [to be in] the group phase, and we have to go through the group phase, then the difficult Europa League will start, with the teams dropping from the group phase of the Champions League. Let’s enjoy it!”
The Portuguese, who won this competition back in its former guise of the Uefa Cup in 2002/03 with Porto, seems convinced that Spurs will get through the group stage unscathed…
UEFA EUROPA LEAGUE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Just like yesterday’s Champions League draws, there will be awards to dish out this afternoon, although thankfully it is nowhere near the 12 gongs that were distributed on Thursday.
The Uefa Europa League Player of the Season will be unveiled for the 2019/20 campaign, with the shortlist already whittled down to three names who starred across last season. Manchester United’s Bruno Fernandes features, having starred for both the Premier League club and Sporting CP across the first half of the campaign, while a familiar face at Old Trafford is also included in the shape of Inter Milan striker Romelu Lukaku, who helped the Serie A side to the final.
The final name is Sevilla midfielder Ever Benega, who pulled the strings as the Spanish side clinched a fourth Europa League crown, but with Fernandes emerging as the top scorer and Lukaku scoring in every one of Inter’s matches, it could be anyone’s award to take home.
UEFA EUROPA LEAGUE DRAW
A number of teams only booked their place in the group stage draw last night, which includes Jose Mourinho’s Tottenham side as they overcame Maccabi Haifa 7-2 in a goalfest in north London.
Harry Kane continued his impressive form with a hat-trick, while there was also a welcome outing for Dele Alli - who netted from the penalty spot - that rather puts to bed the uncertainty over his immediate future at Spurs.
Tottenham reach Europa League group stage as Harry Kane nets hat-trick in demolition of Maccabi Haifa
Tottenham 7-2 Maccabi Haifa: Star striker took the captain’s armband and put on an impressive showing
UEFA EUROPA LEAGUE DRAW
Welcome to The Independent’s live coverage of today’s Europa League group stage draw, which will see the 12 groups decided for the 2020/21 campaign.
Arsenal, Spurs and Leicester all go into the hat alongside Scottish duo Celtic and Rangers, with Steven Gerrard’s side only booking their spot in the draw last night with a fantastic 2-1 victory over Galatasaray.
It means that domestic interest in the tournament this season remains high, with four of the five teams predicted to go deep into the tournament after Arsenal, Spurs and Celtic were placed in pot one and Leicester not far behind in pot two.
The draw is due to get underway at midday BST (1pm CET), but stick with us for all the build-up towards the ceremony as European football once again takes centre stage.
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