UEFA Europa League Draw

August 29, 2009

The draw for the newly formatted UEFA Europa League was completed in Monaco on Friday with all 48 clubs vying for a place in the final of the competition that will be staged in Hamburg next year.

David Moyes’ Everton were drawn into Group I of the tournament alongside Portuguese side Benfica, AEK Athens of Greece and FC BATE Borisov of Bulgaria. The Barclays Premier League’s other representative, Fulham, were allocated into Group E in what could prove to be a tough challenge for Roy Hodgson’s side as they come up against A.S Roma of Italy, FC Basel of Switzerland and Bulgarians CSKA Sofia.

Meanwhile, Glasgow Celtic will battle it out in Group C for a place in the last 32 with German side Hamburg, Hapoel Tel-Aviv of Israel and Aston Villa’s conquerors, Rapid Vienna of Austria.

The current holders of the trophy, Ukranians Shakhtar Donetsk, who narrowly lost out to Barcelona in last night’s UEFA Super Cup, must overcome Belgium’s Club Brugge, Serbia’s FK Partizan and Toulouse of France if they are to go on and retain the title that they claimed in Istanbul earlier this year.

Werder Bremen, who lost out in last season’s final, will face FK Austria Vienna, Spain’s Athletic Club Bilbao and CD Nacional of Portugal in Group L.

One of the favourites to win the tournament, Spanish Primera Liga’s Valencia, must negotiate ties with Lille of France, Slavia Prague of the Czech Republic and Genoa from Italy if they are to progress. Fellow Primera Liga outfit, Villarreal, were drawn together with Italy’s Lazio, Bulgarians Levski Sofia and FC Salzburg of Austria in Group G.

Greece’s Panathinaikos, who missed out on a place in this year’s UEFA Champions League, were drawn into Group F with Turkey’s Galatasaray, Dinamo Bucharest of Romania and Sturm Graz of Austria, while one time Euro heavyweights, Ajax, must compete with Anderlecht of Belgium, Croatians Dinamo Zagreb and FC Timisoara of Romania in Group A.

Former England manager Steve McClaren’s FC Twente will compete with Romanians Steaua Bucharest, Christoph Daum’s Fenerbahce and FC Sheriff of Moldova for a place in the latter stages.

The first round of fixtures will take place on Thursday, 17th September, with the final to be held in the HSH Nordbank Arena on 12th May 2010.

Group A - Ajax (Nld), Anderlecht (Bel), Dinamo Zagreb (Cro), FC Timisoara (Rom).

Group B - Valencia CF (Esp), Lille (Fra), Slavia Prague (Cze), Genoa (Ita).

Group C - Hamburg (Ger), Celtic (Sco), Hapoel Tel-Aviv (Isr), Rapid Vienna (Aus).

Group D - Sporting Lisbon (Por), SC Herenveen (Nld), Hertha Berlin (Ger), FK Ventspils (Lat).

Group E - AS Roma (Ita), FC Basel (Swi), Fulham (Eng), CSKA Sofia (Bul).

Group F - Panathinaikos (Gre), Galatasaray (Tur), Dinamo Bucharest (Rom), Sturm Graz (Aus).

Group G - Villarreal CF (Esp), Lazio (Ita), Levski Sofia (Bul), FC Salzburg (Aus).

Group H - Steaua Bucharest (Rom), Fenerbahce (Tur), FC Twente (Nld), FC Sheriff (Mda).

Group I - Benfica (Por), Everton (Eng), AEK Athens (Gre), FC BATE Borisov (Bul).

Group J - FC Shakhtar Donetsk (Ukr), Club Brugge (Bel), FK Partizan (Ser), Toulouse (Fra).

Group K - PSV Eindhoven (Nld), FC Kobenhavn (Den), Sparta Prague (Cze), CFR Cluj (Rom).

Group L - Werder Bremen (Ger), FK Austria Vienna (Aus), Athletic Club Bilbao (Esp), CD Nacional (Por).

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