Brighton face a daunting European debut against Ajax, Marseille and AEK Athens while Liverpool, West Ham and Rangers also discovered their opponents in Friday’s Europa League draw.
The Seagulls qualified for continental competition for the first time in their 121-year history last season and they face a huge challenge in Group B.
Former European champions Ajax and Marseille await, as well as reigning Greek champions AEK Athens.
Liverpool will take on Austrians LASK, last season’s quarter-finalists Union Saint-Gilloise and French side Toulouse in Group E.
West Ham, who qualified as UEFA Europa Conference League champions, are up against Olympiacos, Freiburg and debutants Backa Topola in Group A.
Rangers, runners-up in 2021/22, drew Real Betis, Sparta Prague and Aris Limassol in Group C.
Last season’s runners-up Roma were pitted against Slavia Prague, Sheriff and Servette, while Xabi Alonso’s Bayer Leverkusen will face Qarabag, Molde and Hacken.
Spanish side Villarreal, the 2020/21 champions, face Rennes, Maccabi Haifa and Panathinaikos, while Atalanta, Sporting CP, Sturm Graz and Rakow make up Group D.
Brighton knew they ran the risk of landing some big names, having been placed in Pot 3 for the draw.
And Roberto De Zerbi’s men will now have the chance to test themselves against one of the biggest clubs in Europe in Ajax.
The 36-time Dutch champions and four-time European champions dropped into the Europa League this season after a third-place Eredivisie finish in 2022/23.
That ended a run of five straight seasons competing in the Champions League proper, a streak that included a stunning run to the semi-finals in 2018/19.
Marseille were Europa League runners-up in 2017/18 and come to the competition this year on the back of a Champions League group stage campaign and third-place Ligue 1 finish last term.
AEK Athens won the Greek Super League title last season and last competed in the Europa League group stage in 2020/21, finishing last behind Leicester, Braga and Zorya Luhansk.
Liverpool enjoyed a seemingly kinder draw against LASK, who finished third in the Austrian Bundesliga last season, Belgians Union Saint-Gilloise and Toulouse, who qualified as Coupe de France winners.
West Ham’s triumph in the Conference League last season earned them another crack at Europe and David Moyes’ side have an awkward group against 47-time Greek champions Olympiacos, a Freiburg side that finished fifth in the Bundesliga last term, and Serbian debutants Backa Topola.
Rangers face a Betis team that came sixth in La Liga last season and that have reached the knockout stages in three of the last five seasons, as well the champions of the Czech Republic and Cyprus respectively, Sparta Prague and Aris Limassol.
The group stage will begin on September 21 and conclude on December 14.
The final will be held in Dublin this season on May 22, 2024.
FULL EUROPA LEAGUE GROUP STAGE DRAW
Group A
- West Ham
- Olympiacos
- Freiburg
- Backa Topola
Group B
- Ajax
- Marseille
- Brighton
- AEK Athens
Group C
- Rangers
- Real Betis
- Sparta Prague
- Aris Limassol
Group D
- Atalanta
- Sporting CP
- Sturm Graz
- Rakow
Group E
- Liverpool
- LASK
- Union Saint-Gilloise
- Toulouse
Group F
- Villarreal
- Rennes
- Maccabi Haifa
- Panathinaikos
Group G
- Roma
- Slavia Prague
- Sheriff
- Servette
Group H
- Bayer Leverkusen
- Qarabag
- Molde
- Hacken
Source:
www.adomonline.com
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